The eighth Booke of 



Chap* xlvi. 

 ^ of the Bceufe or oxeynamed jpJsi 



TNi^gypt alfothey had an Oxc, which the people of that cduntrey addred and wor(hipped 

 J[ as a god,iinder the name of Apis.This bcaft was marked in this manner : with a white fpot on 

 hisrightfidCjliketoihe horns or tips of the new moonectoiiTantjaknotorbunch under the 

 tongue, which they called Cantharus : by their religion it was not lawfull to fuffer him to live a- 

 bdveacerteinnumbetof yeers; at the end of which tearme^theydrowne him in a certain well 

 or fountaine of their priefts,and fo fhorten his life i and then with great forrow fall to feeke ano- 

 ther to fubftitutcin his place : untill they find him^thcy moui:ne and waile, and in token of griefe u 

 and forrowj they fhave their heads.But long they never are before they meet with another : and 

 when they have hirajhec is by thepriefts brought to Memphis i where hec hath two templesj 

 s^whichtheycallThalami,/. bed-chambers rout of which, all the people of ^Egypt^ as from an 

 oracle, are enformed truly of thingstocome. For if thisoxe enter into the one of them, itisa 

 good luckie figne ; but if hee goe into th e other, then it portendeth great misfortune and infor- 

 tunitie. And thefe be gcnerall prefages to the whole nation . A s for privat perfon s, he foreteileth 

 them of things to come, by the manner of taking meat at their hands who come to know what 

 fortune they lliall have. He turned away his head from the hand of Gerwanicm C^far, & would 

 eat no meat when he offered it him 5 but he died for it, and that not long after. Hee is kept fccret 

 and clofe for the moft part : but if at any time hee get forth and come abroad to be feene of the | 

 multitude of people, hee goeth with a guard of tipftaves to make way for him 5 and then a com- 

 panie of pretie boyes goe chaunting before him canticles and fongs, in his honour and praife : 

 tor it feemeth that he taketh heed to what they fing, and is well pleafed and contented thus to be 

 worfhipped. Now thefe quireftersbeforefaid,prelently fall into a kind of furious rage, and with- 

 all,areinfpiredwith thegiftof prophefie,and fo fore-tell what will enfue. Once a yeere thereis 

 prefented unto him, a cow, which hath markcs likewife as hee hath, but differing frOm his : and 

 alvvaies upon what day this cow is found, the fame day by report, it dieth.At Memphis, there is 

 -i> aplace within Nilus,which the inhabitants name Phiol3,becaufe it is made in fafliion of a pot 

 or boll: and therein duely everie yeere the^gyptiansdrowne two cups, one of filver5and ano- 

 ther of gold, during feven daies, dedicated to folemnize the nativitie of their god Jpts. And this 

 is one thing to be wondered at, That in that feven-night fpace, there is not one that taketh hurt 

 by Crocodiles : but let tlie eigth day come once, within fix houres they reiurne to their former 

 mifchievous crueliie. 



Chap* lXvii. 

 }^ Thenatme of jheepe^ md thiir breeding, 



SHecpe likewife are in great requeft, both in regard that they fervc as facrifi^ces to pacific the 

 gods, and alfo by realbn that their fleece yeeldeth fo profitable an ufe : for etfias men are 

 beholden to the boeufe for their principal! food and nouriCliment which they labour for, fb L 

 they muf^acknowledge,that they have their cloathing and coverture of their bodies from the 

 poore fheepe.The ramme and ewe both, are fit for generation fromtv^o yeercsof age upward 

 untill they come to nine, and fome alfb untill they be ten yeers old.Thelambes that they yea ne 

 firft,are but little ones. They goe all generally torutaboutthefetiingof ArcT;uruSsthat is to fay,' 

 upon the third day before the Ides of May: and their heatlafteth unto the full of the jEgle ftar, 

 ^ namely ,the tenth day beforetheCalends.of Auguft.Thcy be with young 150 daies. If any take 

 the rammeafter that time,thefruit that they beare comraeth to no good, but proove weake. 

 And fuch lambs as fall after that feafon,they called in old time Ccrdos^ i. later lambsMany men 

 doeprefer thefe winter lambs before thofe that come in fpring: thereafonis,becaufeitis much 

 better they fhould be ftrong before the heat of fummer and the long daies,than againtt the cold 

 of winter and the fhorteft daies : and they thinke,that this creature oncly taketh good by being 

 yeaned in the mids of winter. It is kind and naturall for rammes to make no account of young 

 hogrelsjbut to loath them 5 for they had rather follow after old ewes.HimfeIfe alio is better when 

 heisold;,^ndmoreliiftieto leape the ewes. To makethjm more mild and gentle, they ufe to 



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