They are great
talkers and lyers, without any faith or trust in their words, flatterers
and dissemblers. The women be there very obedient to their husbands, and
are kept straightly from going abroad, but at some seasons.
At my being there, I heard of men and women that drunke away their
children, and all their goods at the Emperors tauerne, and not being able
to pay, hauing impauned himselfe, the Tauerner bringeth him out to the
highway, and beates him vpon the legges: then they that passe by, knowing
the cause, and hauing peraduenture compassion vpon him, giue the money, and
so he is ransomed.
In euery good towne there is a drunken Tauerne called a Cursemay, which the
Emperour sometime letteth out to farme, and sometimes bestoweth for a yeare
or two on some duke or gentleman, in recompense of his seruice: and for
that time he is Lord of all the towne, robbing and spoiling, and doing what
pleaseth him: and then he be growen rich, is taken by the Emperor, and sent
to the warres againe, where he shall spend all that which he hath gotten by
ill meanes: so that the Emperour in his warres is little charged, but all
the burden lieth vpon the poore people.
They vse sadles made of wood and sinewes, with the tree gilded with damaske
worke, and the seat couered with cloth sometimes of golde, and the rest
Saphian leather, well stitched.
