exercysed in the feictes of warre. Those beynge expired, they ware ioyned
to menne for yssues sake. The women bare all the rule of the commune
wealthe. The women ware princes, lordes, and officiers, capiteines, and
chiefteines of the warres. The menne had noughte to doe, but the drudgery
at home, and as the women woulde appoincte them. The children assone as
thei ware borne, were deliuered to the men to nouryshe vp with milke, and
suche other thinges as their tendrenes required. If it ware a boye, they
eyther brake the right arme assone as it was borne, that it mighte neuer be
fytte for the warres, or slue it, or sente it oute of the country. If a
wenche, they streighte ceared the pappes, that thei might not growe to
hindre them in the warres. Therefore the Grecians called theim Amazones, as
ye woulde saie, pappelesse. The opinion is, that thei dwelt in the Ilonde
named Hespera, which lieth in the marsshe, named (of a riuer that runneth
into it) Tritonis, ioyning vpon Ethiope, and the mounte Atlas, the greatest
of all that lande. This Ilonde is very large and greate, hauyng plentie of
diuers sortes of fruictes, whereby the enhabitauntes liue. Thei haue many
flockes of shiepe, and goates, and other small catteile, whose milke and
flesshe they eate. They haue no maner of graine, ne knowe what to doe
therwith.


OF ASIE.

THE SECONDE PARTE.

¶ The first Chapitre.

¶ Of Asie and the peoples moste famous therin.

Asie, the seconde part of the thre wherin to we haue said that the whole