NEW ATLANT!$. 



to sec one another naked. This they dislike, for they think it a scorn 

 to give a refusal after so familiar knowledge : but because of many 

 hidden defects in men and women s bodies, they have a more civil 

 way ; for they have near every town a couple of pools, which they 

 call Adam and Eve s pools, where it is permitted to one of the friends 

 of the man, and another of the friends of the woman, to see them 

 severally bathe naked.&quot; 



And as we were thus in conference, there came one that seemed to 

 be a messenger, in a rich huke, that spake with the Jew ; whereupon, 

 he turned to me, and said, &quot; You will pardon me, for I am commanded 

 away in haste.&quot; 



The next morning he came to me again, joyful, as it seemed, and 

 said, &quot; There is word come to the governor of the city, that one of the 

 fathers of Solomon s House will be here this day seven-night ; we 

 have seen none of them this dozen years. His coming is in state, but 

 the cause of his coming is secret. 1 will provide you and your fellows 

 of a good standing to see his entry.&quot; I thanked him, and told him, &quot; I 

 was most glad of the news.&quot; 



The day being come, he made his entry. He was a man of middle 

 stature and age, comely of person, and had an aspect as if he pitied 

 men. He was clothed in a robe of fine black cloth, with wide sleeves 

 and a cape : his under-garmcnt was of excellent white linen down to 

 the foot, girt with a girdle of the same, and a sindon or tippet of the 

 same about his neck : he had gloves that were curious, and set with 

 stone, and shoes of peach-coloured velvet ; his neck was bare to the 

 shoulders : his hat was like a helmet or Spanish montcra, and his 

 locks curled below it decently, they were of colour brown : his beard 

 was cut round, and of the same colour with his hair, somewhat lighter. 

 He was carried in a rich chariot, without wheels, litter-wise, with two 

 horses at cither end, richly trapped in blue velvet, embroidered, and 

 two footmen on either side in the like attire. The chariot was all of 

 cedar, gilt, and adorned with crystal, save that the fore-end had panels 

 of sapphires set in borders of gold, and the hinder end the like of 

 emeralds of the Peru colour. There was also a sun of gold, radian: 

 upon the top, in the midst ; and on the top before a small cherub of 

 gold, with wings displayed. The chariot was covered with cloth of 

 gold, tissued upon blue. He had before him fifty attendants, young 

 men all, in white satin loose coats up to the mid-leg, and stockings of 

 white silk, and shoes of blue velvet, and hats of blue velvet, with lino 

 plumes of divers colours set round like hatbands. Next before the 

 chariot went two men bareheaded, in linen garments down to the foot, 

 girt, and shoes of blue velvet, who carried the one a crosier, the other 

 a pastoral staff, like a sheep-hook : neither of them of metal, but the 

 crosier of balm-wood, the pastoral staff of cedar. Horsemen he had 

 none, neither before nor behind his chariot, as it ccmeth, to avoid all 

 tumult and trouble. Behind his chariot went all the officers and prin 

 cipals of the companies of the city. He sat alone upon cushions of a 

 kind of excellent plush, blue, and under his foot curious carpets of 

 ilk of divers colours, like the Persian, but far finer. He held up his 



