ull.

When I said, that such as be committed to prison for theft and murther were
iudged by the Court, I ment not them that were apprehended in the deed
doing, for they need no triall, but are brought immediatly before the
Tutan, who out of hand giueth sentence. Others not taken so openly, which
do need trial, are the malefactors put to execution once a yere in the
chiefe cities, to keepe in awe the people: or condemned, do remaine in
prison, looking for their day. Theeues being taken are caried to prison
from one place to another in a chest vpon mens shoulders, hired therefore
by the king, the chest is 6. handfuls high, the prisoner sitteth therein
vpon a bench, the couer of the chest is two boords, amid them both a
pillery-like hole, for the prisoners necke, there sitteth he with his head
without the chest, and the rest of his body within, not able to mooue or
turne his head this way or that way, nor to plucke it in; the necessities
of nature he voydeth at a hole in the bottome of a chest, the meate he
eateth is put into his mouth by others. There abideth he day and night
during his whole iourney: if happily his porters stumble, or the chest do
iogge or be set down carelessly, it turneth to his great paines that
sitteth therein, al such motions being vnto him hanging as it were. Thus
were our companions carried from Cinceo, 7. dayes iourney, neuer taking any
rest as afterward they told vs, and their greatest griefe was to stay by
the way: as soone as they came, being taken out of the chests, they were
not able to stand on their feet, and two of them died shortly after. When
we lay in prison at Fuquieo, we came many times abroad, and were brought to
the pallaces of noble men, to be seene of them and their wiues, for that
they had neuer seene any Portugale before. Many things they asked vs of our
Countrey, and our fashions, and did write euery thing, for they be curious
in nouelties aboue measure. The gentlemen shew great curtesie vnto
strangers, and so did we finde at their hands, and because that many times
we were brought abroad into the City, somewhat wil I say of such things as
I did see therein, being a gallant City, and chiefe in one of the 13.
shires aforesaid. The City Fuquieo is very great, and mightily walled with
square stone both within and without, and, as it may seeme by the breadth
thereof, filled vp in the middle with earth, layd ouer with brick and
couered with tyle, after the maner of porches or galleri