cuts off or imprisoneth all the Male kind, that are near of kin, as Sons or Brothers, fearing they should plot revenge, and seizes on all the Estate.  And as for the Family, after Examination with Punishment to make them confess where the Estate lyes, they have Monthly Allowance out of the same.  But the Wife or Women-Kindred are now nothing at all in esteem for Honorable Ladies as they were before.  Yet sometimes he will send for the Sons or Brothers of these whom he hath cut off for Traitors, and remand them out of the Prisons where he had committed them; and prefer them in honorable Employment.

[The foolish ambition of the Men and Women of this Countrey.] It is generally reported, and I have seen it so, that those whom he prefers unto the greatest and weightiest Imployments are those whom he intends soon to cut off, and contrariwise those whom he doth affect, and intends to have longer Service of, shall not be so laden with Places and Honours.  Howbeit altho they know and see this before their eyes daily, yet their hearts are so haughty and ambitious, that their desires and endeavours are to ascend unto the highest degrees of honour:  tho that be but one remove from Death and utter Destruction.  And the Women’s ambition is so great also, that they will put their Husbands on to seek for Preferment, urging how dishonorable it is for them to sit at home like Women, that so they may have respect, and be reputed for great Ladies.

CHAP.  VI.

Of the King’s Strength and Wars.

[The King’s Military Affairs.] It remains now that I speak a little of the King’s Military Affairs.  His Power consists, in the natural Strength of his Countrey, in his Watches, and in the Craft, more than the Courage, of his Soldiers.

[The natural strength of his Countrey.] He hath no Artificial Forts or Castles, but Nature hath supplied the want of them.  For his whole Countrey of Cande Uda, standing upon such high Hills, and those so difficult to pass, is all an Impregnable Fort:  and so is more especially Digligy-neur his present Palace.  These Places have been already described at large; and therefore I omit speaking any further of them here.

[Watches and Thorn-gates.] There are constant Watches set in convenient places in all parts of the Countrey, and Thorn-gates:  but in time of danger, besides the ordinary Watches, in all Towns, and in all places and in every cross Road, exceeding thick, that ’tis not possible for any to pass unobserved.  These Thorn-gates which I here mention and have done before, are made of a sort of Thorn-bush or Thorn-tree, each stick or branch whereof thrusts out on all sides round about, sharp prickles, like Iron Nails, of three or four inches long:  one of these very Thorns I have lately seen in the Repository at Gresham College:  These sticks or branches being as big as a good Cane, are platted one very close to another, and so being