rifle, will, if he see occasion, steale a greater thing. It may be theft
is so seuerely punished of them, for that the nation is oppressed with
scarcitie of all things necessary, and so poore, that euen for miserie they
strangle their owne children, preferring death before want. These fellowes
doe neither eate nor kill any foule. They liue chiefely by fish, hearbes,
and fruites, so healthfully, that they die very old. Of Rice and Wheat
there is no great store. No man is ashamed there of his pouertie, neither
be their gentlemen therefore lesse honoured of the meaner people, neither
will the poorest gentleman there matche his childe with the baser sort for
any gaine, so much they do make more account of gentry then of wealth. The
greatest delight they haue is in armour, each boy at fourteene yeeres of
ages, be he borne gentle or otherwise, hath his sword and dagger: very good
archers they be, contemning all other nations in comparison of their
manhood and prowesse, putting not vp one iniurie be it neuer so small in
worde or deede, among themselues. They feede moderately, but they drinke
largely. The vse of vines they knowe not, their drinke they make of Rice,
vtterly they doe abhorre dice, an all games, accounting nothing more vile
in a man, then to giue himselfe vnto those things that make vs greedy and
desirous to get other mens goods. If at any time they do sweare, for that
seldome they are wont to doe, they sweare by the Sunne: many of them are
taught good letters, wherfore they may so much the sooner be brought vnto
Christianitie. Each one is contented with one wife: they be all desirous to
learne, and naturally inclined vnto honesty and courtesie: godly talke they
listen vnto willingly, especially when they vnderstand it throughly. Their
gouernment consisteth of 3 estates. The first place is due vnto the high
Priest, by whose laws and decrees all publike and priuate matters
appertayning to religion are decided. The sects of their clergie men, whom
they doe call Bonzi, be of no estimation or authoritie except the high
Priest by letters patent doe confirme the same: he confirmeth and alloweth
of their Tundi, who be as it were Bishops, although in many places they are
nominated by sundry Princes. These Tundi are greatly honoured of all sorts:
they doe giue benefices vnto inferiour ministers, and do grant licences for
many things as to eate flesh vpon those dayes they goe in pilgrimage to
their Idoles with such like priuile