than bodily appetite,
and to deprive [of virginity] as many women as they have done, in
order to sport with it. For it is a long established custom among
them that the women shall give to the men, and the latter shall be
the ones served and feted; while only blows, kicks, and trouble are
given to the women. So true is this that one might say that they have
an inferno both in this and in the other world. Hence the women are
very poorly clad, for the men want everything for themselves. [200]

52. But in the midst of this, which appears inhuman, one may praise
them for having succeeded in treating their wives as they deserve,
in order to keep them submissive and happy; for this submission makes
them better, and humble, and prudent, and conformable to their sentence
of being subject to man. And if the Europeans would learn this useful
and prudent management from them, they would live in greater peace
and with less expense; and marriage would be more mild and quiet, and
well ordered, according to reason, and better directed toward the end
for which it was instituted--as we see is the case with these people,
with a fertility that causes our wonder.

53. They have another remarkable custom, which has been taught them by
the infernal Machiavelian [201] Satan, which is good for their bodies,
but bad for their souls. This is that they observe very strictly the
concealment of one another's faults and wrong-doing. They endeavor
to see that no transgression comes to the ear of the father minister,
or alcalde, or any Spaniard. They observe this with peculiar secrecy,
although they may be at enmity among themselves, and ready to kill
as they say. Consequently, the most serious crime that can happen
among them is to tell the father or alcalde what is passing in
the village. [202] They call that mabibig, because it is the most
abominable fault and the only sin among them. [203]

54. This worst of customs is very prejudicial and troublesome to the
Spaniards and to the father ministers. For it might happen that one
has one servant (or all) who wastes and destroys the property of his
master, and there is [no one] who will tell him what is passing. [204]
But if it happens that the wasteful servant leave, then all the others
tell what he did; and, whatever is lacking afterward, they throw the
blame on that absent servant. If the Spaniard reprove the servant whom
he most esteems and benefits, asking him why he did not tell of the
evil that