Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/114

 points of their blades into the ground; thinking thereby to have the better successe in fight. Also they use commonly to sweare by their swords. Also the Scythians used; when they would binde any solemne vow or combination amongst them, to drink a bowle of blood together, vowing thereby to spend their last blood in that quarrell: and even so do the wild Scots, as you may read in Buchanan: and some of the Northerne Irish. Likewise at the kindling of the fire, and lighting of candles, they say certaine prayers, and use some other superstitious rites, which shew that they honour the fire and the light: for all those Northerne nations, having beene used to be annoyed with much colde and darkenesse, are wont therefore to have the fire and the sunne in great veneration; like as contrary wise the Moores and Egyptians, which are much offended and grieved with extreame heat of the sunne, doe every morning, when the sunne ariseth, fall to cursing and banning of him as their plague. You may also reade in the same booke, in the Tale of Arsacomas, that it was the manner of the Scythians, when any one of them was heavily wronged, and would assemble unto him any forces of people to joyne with him in his revenge, to sit in some publicise place for certaine dayes upon an oxe hide, to which there would resort all such persons as being disposed to take armes would enter into his pay,