them with a broad girdle: and they haue a skinne of leather hanging on a
string about their necks, whereupon they sit, bare headed and bare footed:
for none of them weareth shoes; with their right armes bare and a great
broad sombrero or shadow in their hands to defend them in the Summer from
the Sunne, and in the Winter from the raine. When the Tallipoies or priests
take their Orders, first they go to schoole vntill they be twenty yeres
olde or more, and then they come before a Tallipoie appointed for that
purpose, whom they call Rowli: he is of the chiefest or most learned, and
he opposeth them, and afterward examineth them many times, whether they
will leaue their friends, and the company of all women, and take vpon them
the habit of a Tallipoie. If any be content, then he rideth vpon an horse
about the streets very richly apparelled, with drummes and pipes, to shew
that he leaueth the riches of the world to be a Tallipoie. In few dayes
after, he is caried vpon a thing like an horsliter, which they call a
serion, vpon ten or twelue mens shoulders in the apparell of a Tallipoie,
with pipes and drummes, and many Tallipoies with him, and al his friends,
and so they go with him to his house which standeth without the towne, and
there they leaue him. Euery one of them hath his house, which is very
little, set vpon six or eight posts, and they go vp to them with a ladder
of twelue or foureteene staues. Their houses be for the most part by the
hie wayes side, and among the trees, and in the woods. And they go with a
great pot made of wood or fine earth, and couered, tied with a broad girdle
vpon their shoulder, which cometh vnder their arme, wherewith they go to
begge their victuals which they eate, which is rice, fish, and herbs. They
demand nothing but come to the doore, and the people presently doe giue
them, some one thing, and some another: and they put all together in their
potte: for they say they must eate of their almes, and therewith content
themselues. [Sidenote: Obseruation of new moones.] They keepe their feasts
by the Moone: and when it is new Moone they keepe their greatest feast: and
then the people send rice and other things to that kiack or church of which