Verona," ii., 3, and "Mids. N. Dr.," ii., 3.] him did iudge of all
othermooste holy, and making him their king, they fall downe and worship
him, as thoughe there ware in him a Godhead, or as thoughe at the least he
ware by goddes prouidence giuen them. This king for al that, must be
gouerned by the lawe, and is bounde to all thinges after thorde of the
contry. He his selfe maye neither punishe or guerdon any manne. But loke
vpon whome he wyl haue execution done, he sendeth the minister appoincted
for the purpose, to the person with a token of deathe: whiche when he hath
shewed, the officier retourneth, and the persone what soeuer he be,
incontinent fordoeth him self. So greatly ware they giuen to thee honour of
their kynges, suche a feruencie had they towarde them, that if it fortuned
the king through any mishap, to be maymed or hurte in any parte of his
bodye, as many as ware towarde him, namely of householde, voluntarily
woulde giue them selues the lyke hurt, thincking it an vnfitting
[Transcriber's note: original 'unsitting'] thing the kynge to lacke an eye
or the vse of a legge, and his frindes neither to halt, ne yet to lacke
parte of their sight. Thei say it is the manier also, that when the king
dieth, his friendes should wilfully dispatche theim selues and die with
hym, for this compte they glorious and a testimony of very friendship. The
moste part of them, for that they lye so vnder the Sonne, go naked:
couering their priuities with shiepes tayles. But a feawe of them are clad
with the rawe felles [Footnote: Skin. "To feed on bones, when flesh and
fell is gone." _Gasc. Steel Glass_ (Chalm. Poet.), ii., 556, etc.] of
beastes. Some make them brieches of the heares of their heades vp to the
waeste. They are comonly brieders and grasiers in commune together. Their
shepe be of very small body, and of a harde and roughe coate. Their dogges
also are neuer a whitte bigger, but thei are fierce and hardie. They haue
good store of gromel and barly, wherof they vse to make drincke. All other
graine and fruictes thei lacke, excepte it be dates whiche also are verye
skante. Some of them lyue with herbes and the tender rootes of cannes or