ABSTRACT
Seeingtheirbeautiessofreshandyouthful,withalltheperfectionsIhave named,Ithoughtgoodtotrywhethertheutteringoftheirlanguagewouldbeas sweetandharmoniousastheirotherpartswerecomely.Andbythehelpofa gentlemanthatspokePortugal,Iaccostedthem;andbegantopraisetheirbeauties, shapes,andmannerofdressings,whichwasextremelypretty.Theirhairnotshorn asthenegroes'intheplacesIhavenamed-closetotheirheads,norinquartersand masses,astheyuseto75wearit,whichisridiculoustoallthatseethembut themselves-butinadueproportionoflength,soashavingtheirshorteningsbythe naturalcurls,theyappearedaswires,andartificialdressingstotheirfaces.Onthe sidesoftheircheeks,theyplaitlittleofit,ofpurposetotiesmallribbon,orsome smallbeadsofwhiteamber,orbluebugle,76sometimesoftherareflowersthat growthere.Theirearshungwithpendants,theirnecksandarmsadornedwith braceletsofcounterfeitpearls,andbluebugle,suchasthePortugaisbestowon them,forthesearefreenegroes,andwearuponthesmall77ofoneoftheirlegs,the badgeoftheirfreedom;whichisasmallpieceofsilver,ortin,asbigasthestale78 ofaspoon,whichcomesroundabouttheleg,andbyreasonofthesmoothness,and lightness,isnoimpedimenttotheirgoing.79Theirclotheswerepetticoatsofstriped silk,nexttotheirlinen,80whichreachtotheirmiddleleg:anduponthatamantleof bluetaffeta,tiedwitharibbonontherightshoulder,whichcomingundertheleft arm,hungdowncarelesslysomewhatlowerthanthepetticoat,soasagreatpartof
73wanton:unrestrained,fullofnaturalenergy(though,inthecontextofthepassageasa whole,itisdifficulttoignoreanothermeaning-lascivious).
