silver for hire penance. And it behovethe also, that the place, that men
han pissed in, be halewed azen; and elles dar no man entren there inne. And
whan thei han payed hire penance, men maken hem passen thorghe a fuyr or
thorghe 2, for to clensen hem of hire synnes. And also whan ony messangere
comethe and bryngethe lettres or ony present to the Emperour, it behovethe
him, that he with the thing that he bryngethe, passe thorghe 2 brennynge
fuyres, for to purgen hem, that he brynge no poysoun ne venym, ne no wykked
thing, that myght be grevance to the lord. And also, zif ony man or womman
be taken in avowtery or fornycacyoun, anon thei sleen him. Men of that
contree ben alle gode archeres, and schooten right welle, bothe men and
women, als wel on hors bak, prykynge, as on fote, rennynge. And the wommen
maken alle thinges and alle maner mysteres and craftes; as of clothes,
botes and other thinges; and thei dryven cartes, plowes and waynes and
chariottes; and thei maken houses and alle maner of mysteres, out taken
bowes and arwes and armures, that men maken. And alle the wommen weren
breech, as wel as men. Alle the folk of that contree ben fulle obeyssant to
hire sovereynes; ne thei fighten not ne chiden not, on with another. And
there ben nouther thefes ne robboures in that contree; and every man
worschipethe othere: but no man there dothe no reverence to no straungeres,
but zif thei ben grete princes. And thei eten houndes, lyounes, lyberdes,
mares and foles, asses, rattes and mees, and alle maner of bestes, grete
and smale; saf only swyn, and bestes that weren defended by the olde lawe.
And thei eaten alle the bestes, with outen and with inne, with outen
castynge awey of ony thing, saf only the filthe. And thei eten but litille
bred, but zif it be in courtes of grete lordes. And thei have not, in many
places, nouther pesen ne benes, ne non other potages, but the brothe of the
flessche. For littile ete thei ony thing, but flessche and the brothe. And
whan thei han eten, thei wypen hire hondes upon hire skirtes: for thei use
non naperye, ne towaylles, but zif it be before grete lordes: but the
common peple hathe none. And whan thei han eten, thei putten hire dissches