gion, sauing of that which they see, as
the Sunne and the Moone. They haue their priests to whom they giue great
credit, because they are great magicians, great sooth-sayers, and callers
vpon diuels. These Priests serue them in stead of Physitions and
Chirurgions. They cary alwayes about them a bag full of herbes and drugs
to cure the sicke diseased which for the most part are sick of the pocks,
for they loue women and maidens exceedingly, which they call the daughters
of the Sunne: and some of them are Sodomites. They marry, and euery one
hath his wife, and it is lawfull for the King to haue two or three: yet
none but the first is honoured and acknowledged for Queene: and none but
the children of the first wife inherite the goods and aucthoritie of the
father. The women doe all the businesse at home. They keepe not house with
them after they know they be with child. And they eate not of that which
they touch as long as they haue their flowers. (M368) There are in all
this Countrey many Hermaphrodites, whice take all the greatest paine, and
beare the victuals when they goe to warre. They paint their faces much,
and sticke their haire full of feathers or downe, that they may seeme more
terrible. The victuals which they carry with them, are of bread, of hony,
and of meale made of Maiz parched in the fire, which they keepe without
being marred a long while. They carry also sometimes fish, which they
cause to be dressed in the smoke. In necessitie they eat a thousand
rifraffes, euen to the swallowing downe of coales, and putting sand into
the pottage that they make with this meale. (M369) When they goe to warre,
their King marcheth first, with a clubbe in the one hand, and his bowe in
the other, with his quiuer full of arrowes. All his men follow him, which
haue likewise their bowes and arrowes. While they fight, they make great
cries and exclamations. They take no enterprize in hand, but first they
assemble oftentimes their Councell together, and they take very good
aduisement before they growe to a resolution. They meete together euery
morning in a great common house, whither their King repaireth, and setteth
him downe vpon a seate which is higher then the seates of the other: where
all of them one after another come and salute him: and the most ancient
begin their salutations, lifting vp both their handes twise as high as
their face, saying, ha, he, ya, and the rest answer ha, ha. Assoone as
they haue done their salutation,