defendethe no man to holde no lawe, other than him lykethe.

In that contree, sum man hathe an 100 wyfes, summe 60, mo, somme lesse. And
thei taken the nexte of hire kyn, to hire wyfes, saf only, that thei out
taken hire modres, hire doughtres, and hire sustres on the fadir syde, of
another womman, thei may wel take; and hire bretheres wyfes also aftre here
dethe; and here step modres also in the same wyse.


Of the Lawe and customs of the Tartarienes, duellynge in Chatay; and how
that men don, whan the Emperour schal dye, and how he schal be chosen.

[Sidenote: Cap. XXIII.] The folk of that contree usen alle longe clothes,
with outen furroures. And thei ben clothed with precious clothes of
Tartarye; and of clothes of gold. And here clothes ben slytt at the syde;
and thei ben festned with laces of silk. And thei clothen hem also with
pylches, and the hyde with outen. And thei usen nouther cappe ne hood. And
in the same maner as the men gon, the wommen gon; so that no man may unethe
knowe the men fro the wommen, saf only tho wommen, that ben maryed, that
beren the tokne upon hire hedes of a mannes foot, in signe that thei ben
undre mannes fote and undre subieccioun of man. And here wyfes ne dwelle
not to gydere but every of hem be hire self. And the husbonde may ligge
with whom of hem, that him lykethe. Everyche hathe his hous, bothe man and
womman. And here houses ben made rounde of staves; and it hathe a rounde
wyndowe aboven, that zevethe hem light, and also that servethe for
delyverance of smoke. And the helynge of here houses, and the wowes and the
dores ben alle of wode.

And whan thei gon to werre, thei leiden hire houses with hem, upon
chariottes; as men don tentes or pavyllouns. And thei maken hire fuyr, in