decked, and are caried through the towne with great piping and playing, and
so returne home and eate of a banket made of Rice and fruits, and there
they daunce the most part of the night and so make an ende of the marriage.
They lie not together vntill they be ten yeeres old. They say they marry
their children so yoong, because it is an order that when the man dieth,
the woman must be burned with him: so that if the father die, yet they may
haue a father in lawe to helpe to bring vp the children which bee maried:
and also that they will not leaue their sonnes without wiues, nor their
daughters without husbands. [Sidenote: Mandoway a very strong town.] From
thence we went to Mandoway, which is a very strong towne. It was besieged
twelue yeeres by Zelabdim Echebar before he could winne it. It standeth
vpon a very great high rocke as the most part of their castles doe, and was
of a very great circuite. [Sidenote: Vgini.] From hence wee went to Vgini
and Serringe, where we ouertooke the ambassadour of Zelabdim Echebar with a
marueilous great company of men, elephants, and camels. Here is great trade
of cotton and cloth made of cotton, and great store of drugs. From thence
we went to Agra passing many riuers, which by reason of the raine were so
swollen, that wee waded and swamme oftentimes for our liues. [Sidenote:
Agra a great citie.] Agra is a very great citie and populous, built with
stone, hauing faire and large streetes, with a faire riuer running by it,
which falleth into the gulfe of Bengala. It hath a faire castle and a
strong with a very faire ditch. [Sidenote: The great Mogor.] Here bee many
Moores and Gentiles, the king is called Zelabdim Echebar: the people for
the most part call him The great Mogor. From thence we went for Fatepore,
which is the place where the king kept his court. The towne is greater then
Agra, but the houses and streetes be not so faire. Here dwell many people
both Moores and Gentiles. The king hath in Agra and Fatepore as they doe
credibly report 1000. elephants, thirtie thousand horses, 1400. tame Deere,
800. concubines: such store of Ounces, Tigers, Buffles, Cocks and Haukes,
that is very strange to see. He keepeth a great court, which they call