The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
Thei passe (saieth he) all other men in quicke smelling. And thei saye of
them selues, that though all other menne haue two instrumentes of sight,
yet do none se with both two in dede, but thei: all other men in comparison
either to haue no sight, or elles as it ware but with one eye. Their
wittinesse is greate, but their boastinge greater. The whole nacion of them
is perswaded, that thei muche passe all other men in knowledge, and the
subtilties of sciences. Thei are all of colour shining, white, small eyed,
beardelesse by nature. Their lettres are aftre the facion of the Romaine,
all in squares. Thei are diuersely ledde with fonde supersticions, some
aftre one sorte, and some aftre another. But thei are all voyde of the true
knowledge which is in Iesus Christe. Some worship the sonne, some the mone.
Other, ymages of yoten metalle, manie of them an oxe. And thus to sondry
suche other monsters, hath this people in sondry wyse diuided it selfe in
supersticion. Thei haue no maner of written lawes, nor knowe not what we
meane when we speake of faithfulnesse or trustiness. And wher (as I said
afore) thei haue in all handi worckes a passing subtiltie of witte, yet in
the knowledge of heauenly thinges, thei are altogether to learne: that is
to saie, the are vtterly ignoraunt. A cowardly people and very feareful of
death. Yet exercise thei a maner of warre, but that thei handle rather by
witte, and pollicie, then by strength and hardinesse. In their fighte thei
use a kinde of shaftes, and certaine other weapons of flight, vnknowen to
other countries.
Their money is a piece of square paper, with their Kynges Image vpon it.
And because it cannot be durable: ordre is taken, that when it is soiled or
dusked muche, with passyng from man to man, thei shall bring it to the
coignyng house, and make exchaunge for newe. All their vtensiles and
necessaries of house, are of golde, siluer, and other metalles. Oile is so
deintie emong theim, that the kyng onely vseth it, as it ware for a
precious ointement Thus haue we treated of the Yndians, and now to their
borderers, the Scithians.
¶ The ix. Chapitre.
¶ Of Scithia and their sterne maners
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