you shall understand my dear friend that among the excellent act of that king  one above all have the preeminence it be the erection and institution of a  order or society which we call Salomon house the noble foundation as we think  that ever be upon the earth and the lantern of this kingdom it be dedicate to  the study of the work and creature of God some think it bear the founder name  a little corrupt as if it shall be Solamona's house but the record write it as  it be speak so as I take it to be denominate of the king of the Hebrew which  be famous with you and no stranger to we for we have some part of his work  which with you be lose namely that natural history which he write of all plant  from the cedar of Libanus to the moss that grow out of the wall and of all  thing that have life and motion this make I think that our king find himself  to a in many thing with that king of the Hebrew which live many year before he  honour he with the title of this foundation and I be rather induce to be of  this opinion for that I find in ancient record this order or society be  sometime call Salomon house and sometime the college of the six day work  whereby I be satisfy that our excellent king have learned from the Hebrew that  God have create the world and all that therein be within six day and therefore  he institute that house for the find out of the true nature of all thing  whereby God may have the more glory in the workmanship of they and insert the  more fruit in the use of they do give it also that second name but now to come  to our present purpose when the king have forbid to all his people navigation  into any part that be not under his crown he make nevertheless this ordinance  that every twelve year there shall be set forth out of this kingdom two ship  appoint to several voyage that in either of these ship there shall be a  mission of three of the fellow or brother of Salomon house who errand be only  to give we knowledge of the affair and state of those country to which they be  design and especial of the science be manufacture and invention of all the  world and withal to bring unto we book instrument and pattern in every kind  that the ship after they have land the brother shall return and that the  brother shall stay abroad till the new mission these ship be not otherwise  fraught than with store of victual and good quantity of treasure to remain  with the brother for the buy of such thing and reward of such person as they  shall think fit now for I to tell you how the vulgar sort of mariner be  contain from be discover at land and how they that must be put on shore for  any time colour themselves under the name of other nation and to what place  these voyage have be design and what place of rendezvous be appoint for the  new mission and the like circumstance of the practic I may not do it neither  be it much to your desire but thus you see we maintain a trade not for gold  silver or jewel nor for silk nor for spice nor any other commodity of matter  but only for God first creature which be light to have light I say of the  growth of all part of the world and when he have say this he be silent and so  be we all for indeed we be all astonish to hear so strange thing so probable  tell and he perceive that we be Willing to say somewhat but have it not ready  in great courtesy take we off and descend to ask we question of our voyage and  fortune and in the end conclude that we may do well to think with ourselves  what time of stay we will demand of the state and bid we not to scant  ourselves for he will procure such time as we desire whereupon we all rise up  and present ourselves to kiss the skirt of his tippet but he will not suffer  we and so take his leave but when it come once among our people that the state  use to offer condition to stranger that will stay we have work enough to get  any of our man to look to our ship and to keep they from go present to the  governor to crave condition but with much ado we refrain they till we may  agree what course to take we take ourselves now for free man see there be no  danger of our utter perdition and live most joyful go abroad and see what be  to be see in the city and place adjacent within our tedder and obtain  acquaintance with many of the city not of the mean quality at who hand we find  such humanity and such a freedom and desire to take stranger as it be into  their bosom as be enough to make we forget all that be dear to we in our own  country and continual we meet with many thing right worthy of observation and  relation as indeed if there be a mirror in the world worthy to hold man eye it  be that country one day there be two of our company bid to a Feast of the  family as they call it a most natural pious and reverend custom it be show  that nation to be compound of all goodness this be the manner of it it be  grant to any man that shall live to see thirty person descend of his body  alive together and all above three year old to make this feast which be do at  the cost of the state the father of the family who they call the Tirsan two  day before the feast take to he three of such friend as he like to choose and  be assist also by the governor of the city or place where the feast be  celebrate and all the person of the family of both sex be summon to attend he  these two day the Tirsan sit in consultation concern the good estate of the  family there if there be any discord or suit between any of the family they be  compound and appease there if any of the family be distress or decay order be  take for their relief and competent mean to live there if any be subject to  vice or take ill course they be reprove and censure so likewise direction be  give touch marriage and the course of life which any of they shall take with  diverse other the like order and advice the governor assist to the end to put  in execution by his public authority the decree and order of the Tirsan if  they shall be disobey though that seldom needs such reverence and obedience  they give to the order of nature the Tirsan do also then ever choose one man  from among his son to live in house with he who be call ever after the son of  the vine the reason will hereafter appear on the feast day the father or  Tirsan come forth after divine service into a large room where the feast be  celebrate which room have a half pace at the upper end against the wall in the  middle of the half pace be a chair place for he with a table and carpet before  it over the chair be a state make round or oval and it be of ivy a ivy  somewhat white than we like the leaf of a silver asp but more shine for it be  green all winter and the state be curious wrought with silver and silk of  diverse colour broiding or bind in the ivy and be ever of the work of some of  the daughter of the family and veil over at the top with a fine net of silk  and silver but the substance of it be true ivy whereof after it be take down  the friend of the family be desirous to have some leaf or sprig to keep the  Tirsan come forth with all his generation or lineage the male before he and  the female follow he and if there be a mother from who body the whole lineage  be descend there be a traverse place in a loft above on the right hand of the  chair with a privy door and a carve window of glass lead with gold and blue  where she sit but be not see when the Tirsan be come forth he sit down in the  chair and all the lineage place themselves against the wall both at his back  and upon the return of the half pace in order of their year without difference  of sex and stand upon their foot when he be set the room be always full of  company but well keep and without disorder after some pause there come in from  the low end of the room a taratan which be as much as a herald and on either  side of he two young lad whereof one carry a scroll of their shine yellow  parchment and the other a cluster of grape of gold with a long foot or stalk  the herald and child be cloth with mantle of seawater green satin but the  herald mantle be stream with gold and have a train then the herald with three  courtesy or rather inclination come up as far as the half pace and there first  take into his hand the scroll this scroll be the king charter contain gift of  revenue and many privilege exemption and point of honour grant to the father  of the family and be ever style and direct to such do one our well belove  friend and creditor which be a title proper only to this case for they say the  king be debtor to no man but for propagation of his subject the seal set to  the king charter be the king image emboss or mould in gold and though such  charter be expedite of course and as of right yet they be vary by discretion  accord to the number and dignity of the family this charter the herald read  aloud and while it be read the father or Tirsan stand up support by two of his  son such as he choose then the herald mount the half pace and deliver the  charter into his hand and with that there be a acclamation by all that be  present in their language which be thus much happy be the people of Bensalem  then the herald take into his hand from the other child the cluster of grape  which be of gold both the stalk and the grape but the grape be dainty enamel  and if the male of the family be the great number the grape be enamel purple  with a little sun set on the top if the female then they be enamel into a  greenish yellow with a crescent on the top the grape be in number as many as  there be descendant of the family this golden cluster the herald deliver also  to the Tirsan who present deliver it over to that son that he have former  choose to be in house with he who bear it before his father as a ensign of  honour when he go in public ever after and be thereupon call the son of the  vine after the ceremony end the father or Tirsan retire and after some time  come forth again to dinner where he sit alone under the state as before and  none of his descendant sit with he of what degree or dignity soever except he  hap to be of Salomon house he be serve only by his own child such as be male  who perform unto he all service of the table upon the knee and the woman only  stand about he lean against the wall the room below the half pace have table  on the side for the guest that be bid who be serve with great and comely order  and towards the end of dinner which in the great feast with they last never  above a hour and a half there be a hymn sing vary accord to the invention of  he that compose it for they have excellent posy but the subject of it be  always the praise of Adam and Noah and Abraham whereof the former two people  the world and the last be the father of the faithful conclude ever with a  thanksgiving for the nativity of our saviour in who birth the birth of all be  only bless dinner be do the Tirsan retire again and have withdraw himself  alone into a place where he make some private prayer he come forth the three  time to give the blessing with all his descendant who stand about he as at the  first then he call they forth by one and by one by name as he please though  seldom the order of age be invert the person that be call the table be before  remove kneel down before the chair and the father lie his hand upon his head  or her head and give the blessing in these word son of Bensalem or daughter of  Bensalem thy father with it the man by who thou have breath and life speak the  word the blessing of the everlasting father the prince of peace and the holy  dove be upon thou and make the day of thy pilgrimage good and many this he say  to every of they and that do if there be any of his son of eminent merit and  virtue so they be not above two he call for they again and say lie his arm  over their shoulder they stand son it be well you be bear give God the praise  and persevere to the end and withal deliver to either of they a jewel make in  the figure of a ear of wheat which they ever after wear in the front of their  turban or hat this do they fall to music and dance and other recreation after  their manner for the rest of the day this be the full order of that feast by  that time six or seven day be spend I be fall into straight acquaintance with  a merchant of that city who name be Joabin he be a Jew and circumcise for they  have some few stirp of jews yet remain among they who they leave to their own  religion which they may the better do because they be of a far differ  disposition from the jews in other part for whereas they hate the name of  Christ and have a secret inbred rancour against the people among who they live  these contrariwise give unto our saviour many high attribute and love the  nation of Bensalem extreme sure this man of who I speak will ever acknowledge  that Christ be bear of a virgin and that he be more than a man and he will  tell how God make he ruler of the seraphim which guard his throne and they  call he also the milken way and the eliah of the Messiah and many other high  name which though they be inferior to his divine majesty yet they be far from  the language of other jews and for the country of Bensalem this man will make  no end of commend it be desirous by tradition among the jews there to have it  believe that the people thereof be of the generation of Abraham by another son  who they call Nachoran and that Moses by a secret cabala ordain the law of  Bensalem which they now use and that when the Messiah shall come and sit in  his throne at Jerusalem the king of Bensalem shall sit at his foot whereas  other king shall keep a great distance but yet set aside these Jewish dream  the man be a wise man and learned and of great policy and excellent see in the  law and custom of that nation among other discourse one day I tell he I be  much affect with the relation I have from some of the company of their custom  in hold the Feast of the family for that methinks I have never hear of a  solemnity wherein nature do so much preside and because propagation of family  proceed from the nuptial copulation I desire to know of he what law and custom  they have concern marriage and whether they keep marriage well and whether  they be tie to one wife for that where population be so much affect and such  as with they it seem to be there be common permission of plurality of wife to  this he say you have reason for to commend that excellent institution of the  Feast of the family and indeed we have experience that those family that be  partaker of the blessing of that feast do flourish and prosper ever after in a  extraordinary manner but hear I now and I will tell you what I know you shall  understand that there be not under the heaven so chaste a nation as this of  Bensalem nor so free from all pollution or foulness it be the virgin of the  world I remember I have read in one of your European book of a holy hermit  among you that desire to see the spirit of fornication and there appear to he  a little foul ugly ethiop but if he have desire to see the spirit of Chastity  of Bensalem it will have appear to he in the likeness of a fair beautiful  cherubin for there be nothing among mortal man more fair and admirable than  the chaste mind of this people know therefore that with they there be no stew  no dissolute house no courtesan nor anything of that kind nay they wonder with  detestation at you in Europe which permit such thing they say you have put  marriage out of office for marriage be ordain a remedy for unlawful  concupiscence and natural concupiscence seem as a spar to marriage but when  man have at hand a remedy more agreeable to their corrupt will marriage be  almost expulse and therefore there be with you see infinite man that marry not  but choose rather a libertine and impure single life than to be yoke in  marriage and many that do marry marry late when the prime and strength of  their year be pass and when they do marry what be marriage to they but a very  bargain wherein be seek alliance or portion or reputation with some desire  almost indifferent of issue and not the faithful nuptial union of man and wife  that be first institute neither be it possible that those that have cast away  so base so much of their strength shall great esteem child be of the same  matter as chaste man do so likewise during marriage be the case much amend as  it ought to be if those thing be tolerate only for necessity no but they  remain still as a very affront to marriage the haunt of those dissolute place  or resort to courtesan be no more punish in marry man than in bachelor and the  deprave custom of change and the delight in meretricious embracement where sin  be turn into be make marriage a dull thing and a kind of imposition or tax  they hear you defend these thing as do to avoid great evil as advoutries  deflower of virgin unnatural lust and the like but they say this be a  preposterous wisdom and they call it lot offer who to save his guest from  abuse offer his daughter nay they say far that there be little gain in this  for that the same vice and appetite do still remain and abound unlawful lust  be like a furnace that if you stop the flame altogether it will quench but if  you give it any vent it will rage as for masculine love they have no touch of  it and yet there be not so faithful and inviolate friendship in the world  again as be there and to speak general as I say before I have not read of any  such chastity in any people as they and their usual say be that whosoever be  unchaste can reverence himself and they say that the reverence of a man self  be next to religion the chief bridle of all vice and when he have say this the  good Jew pause a little whereupon I far more Willing to hear he speak on than  to speak myself yet think it decent that upon his pause of speech I shall not  be altogether silent say only this that I will say to he as the widow of  Sarepta say to Elias that he be come to bring to memory our sin and that I  confess the righteousness of Bensalem be great than the righteousness of  Europe at which speech he bow his head and go on in this manner