bjects than any of the lords in Italy. Budomel has
several villages appointed for his own habitation and that of his wives,
as he never fixes in one place. The village in which I resided with
Bisboror was one of his habitations, containing between forty and fifty
thatched cottages, built near one another, and surrounded with ditches and
strong pallisades, having only one or two passages left for entering; and
every house had a court-yard, inclosed by a hedge. According to report,
Budomel had nine wives in this place, and more or less in several other
villages. Each of these wives had five or six young negresses to attend
upon her, with all of whom he might sleep when he pleased, without giving
offence to the wives, for such is the custom of the country. Both sexes
are extremely amorous; and Budomel strongly importuned me for philacteries,
in which he had been informed the Europeans were very expert, and offered
any reward within his power for my compliance. They are very jealous, and
suffer no man to enter the houses which are inhabited by the women, not
even their own sons.

Budomel is always attended by a retinue of at least 200 negroes, who are
changed from time to time some going away and others coming back in their
room; besides which, many people repair to wait upon him from the adjacent
places which are under his government. Before arriving at his particular
apartment there are seven large courts, one within the other, having a
tree in the middle of each, where those wait who come to him on business.
His family is distributed in these courts, according to their several
ranks; the most considerable having their station in the court nearest his
dwelling, and the meanest in the outermost court of all. Few people are
allowed to approach his own particular apartment, except the Christians
and Azanhaji, who have free admission and more liberty is allowed to them
than to the negroes. This lord affects great state and gravity in his
deportment, and does not allow himself, to be seen except an hour every
morning, and for a short while in the evening; at which times he appears
near the door of an apartment in the first court, into which only persons
of note are permitted to enter. On these occasions of giving audience,
every person who come to speak to him, however high may be his rank, is in
the first place obliged to strip himself stark naked, except the small
cloth in front formerly mentioned; and, immediately on entering