Of their buriall.
VVHen any man or woman dieth, they stretch him out, and put a new paire of shooes on his feete, because he hath a great iourney to goe: then doe they winde him in a sheet, as we doe, but they forget not to put a testimonie in his right hand, which the priest giueth him, to testi∣fie vnto S. Nicholas that he died a Christian man or woman. And they put the coarse alwayes in a coffin of wood, although the partie be very poore: and when they goe towards the Church, the friends and kinsemen of the partie departed carrie in their hands small waxe candles, and they weepe and howle, and make much lamentation.
They that be hanged or beheaded, or such like, haue no testimonie with them: how they are re∣ceiued into heauen, it is a wonder, without their pasport.
There are a great number of poore people among them which die daily for lacke of sustenance, which is a pitifull case to beholde: for there hath beene buried in a small time, within these two yeeres, aboue 80. persons young and old, which haue died onely for lacke of sustenance: for if they had had straw and water enough, they would make shift to liue: for a great many are forced in the winter to drie straw and stampe it,* 1.1 and to make bread thereof, or at the least they eate it in stead of bread. In the summer they make good shift with grasse, herbes and rootes: barks of trees are good meat with them at all times.* 1.2 There is no people in the world, as I suppose, that liue so mi∣serably as do the pouerty in those parts: and the most part of them that haue sufficient for them∣selues, and also to relieue others that need, are so vnmerciful that they care not how many they see die of famine or hunger in the streets.
It is a countrey full of diseases,* 1.3 diuers, and euill, and the best remedie is for anie of them, as they holde opinion, to goe often vnto the hote houses, as in a maner euery man hath one of his owne, which hee heateth commonly twise euery weeke, and all the housholde sweate, and wash themselues therein.