because they should not abuse the male sexe. For in times past all those
countries were so giuen to that villany, that they were very scarce of
people. It was also ordained that the women should not haue past three
cubits of cloth in their nether clothes, which they binde about them; which
are so strait, that when they go in the streets, they shew one side of the
leg bare aboue the knee. [Sidenote: Anthony Galuano writeth of these bals.]
The bunches aforesayd be of diuers sorts: the least be as big as a litle
walnut, and very round: the greatest are as big as a litle hennes egge:
some are of brasse and some of siluer: but those of siluer be for the king,
and his noble men. These are gilded and made with great cunning, and ring
like a litle bell. There are some made of leade, which they call Selwy
because they ring but litle: and these be of lesser price for the poorer
sort. The king sometimes taketh his out, and giueth them to his noblemen as
a great gift: and because he hath vsed them, they esteeme them greatly.
They will put one in, and heale vp the place in seuen or eight dayes.

The Bramas which be of the kings countrey (for the king is a Brama) haue
their legs or bellies, or some part of their body, as they thinke good
themselues, made black with certaine things which they haue: they vse to
pricke the skinne, and to put on it a kinde of anile or blacking, which
doth continue alwayes. And this is counted an honour among them: but none
may haue it but the Bramas which are of the kings kinred.

[Sidenote: The people of Pegu weare no beards.] These people weare no
beards: they pull out the haire on their faces with little pinsons made for
that purpose. Some of them will let 16 or 20 haires grow together, some in
one place of his face and some in another, and pulleth out all the rest:
for he carieth his pinsons alwayes with him to pull the haires out assoone
as they appeare. If they see a man with a beard they wonder at him. They
haue their teeth blacked both men and women, for they say a dogge hath his