RICHARD CHANCELOR a.d. 



1553- 



Of punishments upon theeves. 



IF any man be taken upon committing of theft, he 

 is imprisoned, and often beaten, but not hanged for 

 the first offence, as the manner is with us : and this 

 they call the lawe of mercie. He that offendeth the 

 second time hath his nose cut off, and is burnt in the 

 forehead with a hot yron. The third time, he is hanged. 

 There are many cutpurses among them, and if the 

 rigour of the Prince did not cut them off, they could 

 not be avoyded. 



Of their religion. 



THey maintaine the opinions of the Greeke Church : 

 they suffer no graven images of saints in their 

 Churches, but their pictures painted in tables they have 

 in great abundance, which they do adore and offer unto, 

 and burne waxe candles before them, and cast holy water 

 upon them, without other honour. They say that our 

 images which are set up in Churches, and carved, have 

 no divinitie in them. In their private houses they have 

 images for their houshold saints, and for the most part, 

 they are put in the darkest place of the house : hee 

 that comes into his neighbours house doth first salute 

 his saints, although he see them not. If any foorme 

 or stoole stand in his way, hee oftentimes beateth his 

 browe upon the same, and often ducking downe with 

 his head, and body, worshippeth the chiefs Image. The 

 habite, and attire of the Priests, and of the Lay men, 

 doth nothing at all differ : as for marriage, it is forbidden 

 to no man : onely this is received and held amongst 

 them for a rule, and custome, that if a Priests wife doe 

 die, he may not marry againe, nor take a second wife : 

 and therefore they of secular Priests, as they call them, 

 are made Monkes, to whom then chastitie for ever is 

 commanded. Their divine service is all done and said 

 in their owne language, that every man may understand 

 it : they receive the Lords Supper with leavened bread, 



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