ABSTRACT
The women commonly, excepting those of the sea coast and of the mountains, are very white and gentlewomen, some having their noses and eyes well proportioned. From their childhood they squeeze their feet in cloths, so that they may remain small, and they do it because the Chinas do hold them for finer gentlewomen that have small noses and feet. This withal is the custom among the well-bred people, and not among the basest. They wear long petticoats like the Portugal women, which have the waist in the same manner that they have. They wear upper-bodices with long sleeves. They commonly spend more silk in their attire than do their husbands, but in their common apparel they are clothed in white linen cloth. All the common women are slaves, being brought up for the purpose from their childhood; they buy them of their mothers, and teach them to play the viols and other instruments of music and to sing.
