over allther Druides there is one in chief, who bath the highefI authority `among them. When he is dead, if any one of the refl excel in worthi. nets, he fucceedeth: But if there be many iquil,he ischofin by the (u :.age of the Druides : And fometimes they contend for the principality by Arms. At .a certain time of the year in the borders of the Carnuli (Chartres) `which is counted the middle of rill France, they have a Conffs (or Con. `vocation) in a confecrated place; Hither come all that have controverfies from all parts, andobey their judgments and decreer. It is thought that this ` Dofcipline was found in Brittain, and there tranflated into France. And ' now they that more diligently would know that bufinefs , for the moil ` part go thither to learn it The Druides rife not to go to the ¡Pars, nor `do theypay tribute with, the ref. They have freedome from warfare, and im- ' munity of all things : Being excited by fo great rewards, many flbckto this ' difcipline of their own accord, and many are fent by their parents and ' kindred. They, are reported to learn there abundance of Verfer: Therefore `fame continue at learning twentyyears; And they think it not lawful tó ' commit them to writeing ; for in other publickmatters andprivateaccounts, for the molt part they rife the Greek, Letters. It feemeth to me that they do this for 'two cattle:: becaufe they would not have their difcipline (or 'learning) made common (orbrought to the Vulgar ) nor thofe that learn it, ' neglel't their memories bywafting to writings ; which befalls the moff, who by the helpof writings, remit both their diligence in learning and their memory, This ofecially they perfwade that fouls die not, but after death'pafs from ' forne to others : And by this they think that men arechiefly excited to virtue, ` neglee1ing thefear of death: Many things alto they difpüte and deliver to ' youth about theStars, and their motion, of the magnitude of the world, and ' of the earth, of the nature of things, of the force andpower of the immortal ' Gods.] So far Gefar, which I repeated as offering it to conGderation, whether the forefaid Prelacy for Grandure be not liker to rhefe Druides, than to thriftsMinisters who-muff be the fervants of all? And yet whe- ther they are not far more negligent in the exercife of difcipline ? And whether thisDifcipline, whichfhameth tin, by thus diflinguifhing the Godly and upright from the ungodly and wicked, benot of the very light of nature, and sound much inBrittain before Christianity,.and therefore ihould not be hated and banifhed by ChrillianBifhops, who pretend that their office is inflituted forthat very rife andend. ChIAP. o
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