in
their house, they reckon they want for nothing. For with a few green
Leaves and the juice of a Lemmon with Pepper and Salt, they will
make a hearty meal. Beef here may not be eaten; it is abominable:
Flesh and Fish is somewhat scarce. And that little of it they have,
they had rather sell to get mony to keep, then eat it themselves:
neither is there any but outlandish men, that will buy any of them. It
is they indeed do eat the fat and best of the Land. Nor is it counted
any shame or disgrace, to be a niggard and sparing in dyet; but rather
a credit even to the greatest of them, that they can fare hard and
suffer hunger, which they say, Soldiers ought to be able to endure.

[How the great men eat.] The great ones have always five or fix sorts
of food at one meal, and of them not above one or two at most of
Flesh or Fish, end of them more pottage than meat, after the Portugal
fashion. The rest is only what groweth out of the ground. The main
substance with which they fill their bellies is Rice, the other things
are but to give it a relish.

[Discouraged from nourishing Cattel.] If these people were not
discouraged from rearing and nourishing of Cattle and Poultry,
provisions might be far more plentiful. For here are many Jackalls,
which catch their Hens and some Tigres, that destroy their Cattle:
but the greatest of all is the King; whose endeavour is to keep them
poor and in want. For from them that have Hens his Officers take
them for the Kings use giving little or nothing for them; the like
they do by Hogs. Goats none are suffered to keep, besides the King,
except strangers.

[Cleanly in dressing their meet.] In dressing of their victuals they
are not to be discommended: for generally they are cleanly and very
handy about the fame. And after one is used to that kind of fare,
as they dress it, it is very savoury and good. They sit upon a mat
on the ground, and eat. But he, whom they do honour and respect,
sits on a stool and his victuals on another before him.

[Their drink and manner of eating.] Their common drink is only water:
and if they drink Rack, it is before they eat, that it may have the
more operation upon their bodies. When they drink they touch not the
Pot with their mouths, but hold it at a distance, and pour it in. They
eat their Rice out of China dishes, or Brass Basons, and they that
have not them, on leaves. The Carrees, or other sorts of Food which
they eat with their Rice, is kept in the Pans