An abridgement of the book of acts and monuments of the ChurchAn abridgement of the booke of acts and monumentes of the Church

or if any do attempt so to do, he taketh his time chiefly about harvest, when he may hide himself all day in the corn, or in the woods, or marishes, and find food: and n the night only he fleeth, and had rather be devoured of Wolves, then to return again to his Master. In their flying they use to take with them an hatchet, and cords: that when they come to the sea side, they may cut down trees, and bind together the ends of them, and so where the sea Hellespontus is narrowest, about Sestos and Abidos they take the Sea, sitting upon trees: where if the wind and tide do serve luckily, they may cut over in four or five hours, ⟨p. 402⟩but the most part either perish in the floods, or are driven back again upon the coast of Asia, or else be devoured with wild beasts in the woods, or perish with hunger and famine. If any escape over the Seas into Europe, by the way they enter into no town, but wander upon the mountains, following only the North star for their guide. As touching such towns and provinces, as are won by the Turks, & wherein Christians are suffered to live under tribute: First of all nobilities there they kill, & make away the churchmen and clergy: hardly they spare the churches;¹ but bells and all the furniture thereof, either they cast down, or else turn to their blasphemous religion, leaving to the christians certain blind old chapels, which when they decay, it is permitted to repair them again, for great sums of money given to the Turk: neither be they permitted to use any open preaching, or ministration, but only in silence, & by stealth to frequent together. Neither is it lawful for any christian to bear office within the city or country, nor to bear weapon, nor to wear any garment like the Turks: and whatsoever blasphemy be spoken against Christ, it must be borne with silence: or if one speak a word against the Turks religion, he shall be forced to be circumcised, and then if he speak one word against Mahomet, he shall be burned. And if a Christian being on horseback, do meet or pass by a Masselman, that is a turkish Priest, he must light from his horse, and with a lowly look do reverence to him: or if he do not, he is beaten down from his horse with clubs and staves.

or if any doo attempt so to doo, hée taketh his time chiefly about haruest, when he may hide himselfe all day in the corne, or in the woods, or marishes, and find food: and n the night onely hée fleeth, and had rather bée deuoured of Wolues, then to returne againe to his Maister. In their flying they vse to take with them an hatchet, and cordes: that when they come to the sea side, they may cut downe trées, and bind together the endes of them, and so where the sea Hellespontus is narrowest, about Sestos and Abidos they take the Sea, sitting vppon trées: where if the winde and tyde doo serue luckely, they may cut ouer in foure or fiue houres,