hom they must eclipse and stain the
Honour of their Family: on which they set an higher price than on
their lives. And if any of the Females should be so deluded, as to
commit folly with one beneath her self, if ever she should appear to
the sight of her Friends, they would certainly kill her, there being
no other way to wipe off the dishonour she hath done the Family,
but by her own Blood.

[In case a Man lies with a Woman of inferior rank.] Yet for the Men
it is something different; it is not accounted any shame or fault for
a Man of the highest sort to lay with a Woman far inferior to himself,
nay of the very lowest degree; provided he neither eats nor drinks with
her, nor takes her home to his House, as a Wife. But if he should,
which I never knew done, he is punished by the Magistrate, either by
Fine or Imprisonment, or both, and also he is utterly ecluded from
his Family, and accounted thenceforward of the same rank and quality,
that the Woman is of, whom he hath taken. If the Woman be married
already, with whom the Man of better rank lies, and the Husband come
and catch them together; how low soever the one be and high the other,
he may kill him, and her too, if he please.

And thus by Marrying constantly each rank within it self, the Descent
and Dignity thereof is preserved for ever; and whether the Family be
high or low it never alters. But to proceed to the particular ranks
and degrees of Men among them.

[Their Noblemen.] The highest, are their Noblemen, called
Hondrews. Which I suppose comes from the word Homdrewne, a Title given
to the King, signifying Majesty: these being honourable People. 'Tis
out of this sort alone, that the King chooseth his great Officers
and whom he imploys in his Court, and appoints for Governors over
his Countrey. Riches are not here valued, nor make any the more
Honourable. For many of the lower sorts do far exceed these Hondrews
in Estates. But it is the Birth and Parentage that inobleth.

[How distinguished from others.] These are distinguished from others
by their names, and the wearing of their cloth, which the Men wear
down half their Legs, and the Women to their Heels: one end of which
Cloth the Women fling over their Shoulders, and with the very end
carelesly cover their Breasts; whereas the other sort of Women must
go naked from the wast upwards, and their Cloaths not hang down much
below their Knees: except it be for cold; for then either Women or Men
may throw their