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prepared patients； and by means of herbs producing effects op…
posite to the humors of this fever。 All these secrets they told
me in opposition to their own wishes。 They take more diligent
pains to cure the lasting fevers； which they fear more； and they
strive to counteract these by the observation of stars and of
plants； and by prayers to God。 Fevers recurring every fifth；
sixth； eighth or more days； you never find whenever heavy
humors are wanting。
They use baths； and moreover they have warm ones accord…
ing to the Roman custom； and they make use also of olive oil。
They have found out； too； a great many secret cures for the
preservation of cleanliness and health。 And in other ways they
labor to cure the epilepsy； with which they are often troubled。
G。M。 A sign this disease is of wonderful cleverness； for
from it Hercules； Scotus； Socrates； Callimachus； and Mahomet
have suffered。
Capt。 They cure by means of prayers to heaven； by
strengthening the head； by acids； by planned gymnastics； and
with fat cheese…bread sprinkled with the flour of wheaten corn。
They are very skilled in making dishes； and in them they put
spice； honey； butter； and many highly strengthening spices；
and they temper their richness with acids； so that they never
vomit。 They do not drink ice…cold drinks nor artificial hot
drinks； as the Chinese do； for they are not without aid against
the humors of the body； on account of the help they get from
the natural heat of the water； but they strengthen it with
crushed garlic； with vinegar； with wild thyme； with mint； and
with basil； in the summer or in time of special heaviness。 They
know also a secret for renovating life after about the seventieth
year； and for ridding it of affliction； and this they do by a pleas…
ing and indeed wonderful art。
G。M。 Thus far you have said nothing concerning their sci…
ences and magistrates。
Capt。 Undoubtedly I have But since you are so curious
I will add more。 Both when it is new moon and full moon they
call a council after a sacrifice。 To this all from twenty years
upward are admitted； and each one is asked separately to say
what is wanting in the State； and which of the magistrates have
discharged their duties rightly and which wrongly。 Then
after eight days all the magistrates assemble； to wit； Hoh first；
and with him Power； Wisdom； and Love。 Each one of the
three last has three magistrates under him； making in all thir…
teen； and they consider the affairs of the arts pertaining to each
one of them： Power； of war； Wisdom； of the sciences； Love；
of food； clothing； education； and breeding。 The masters of all
the bands； who are captains of tens； of fifties； of hundreds； also
assemble； the women first and then the men。 They argue about
those things which are for the welfare of the State； and they
choose the magistrates from among those who have already
been named in the great Council。 In this manner they assemble
daily； Hoh and his three princes； and they correct； confirm； and
execute the matters passing to them； as decisions in the elec…
tions； other necessary questions they provide of themselves。
They do not use lots unless when they are altogether doubtful
how to decide。 The eight magistrates under Hoh； Power；
Wisdom； and Love are changed according to the wish of the
people； but the first four are never changed； unless they； tak…
ing counsel with themselves； give up the dignity of one to an…
other； whom among them they know to be wiser； more re…
nowned； and more nearly perfect。 And then they are obedient
and honorable； since they yield willingly to the wiser man and
are taught by him。 This； however； rarely happens。 The prin…
cipals of the sciences； except Metaphysic； who is Hoh himself；
and is； as it were； the architect of all science； having rule over
all； are attached to Wisdom。 Hoh is ashamed to be ignorant
of any possible thing。 Under Wisdom therefore are Grammar；
Logic； Physics； Medicine； Astrology； Astronomy； Geometry；
Cosmography； Music； Perspective； Arithmetic； Poetry； Rhet…
oric； Painting； Sculpture。 Under the triumvir Love are Breed…
ing； Agriculture； Education； Medicine； Clothing； Pasturage；
Coining。
G。M。 What about their judges？
Capt。 This is the point I was just thinking of explaining。
Everyone is judged by the first master of his trade； and thus
all the head artificers are judges。 They punish with exile； with
flogging； with blame； with deprivation of the common table；
with exclusion from the church and from the company of
women。 When there is a case in which great injury has been
done； it is punished with death； and they repay an eye with an
eye； a nose for a nose； a tooth for a tooth； and so on； according
to the law of retaliation。 If the offence is wilful the Council
decides。 When there is strife and it takes place undesignedly；
the sentence is mitigated； nevertheless； not by the judge but by
the triumvirate； from whom even it may be referred to Hoh； not
on account of justice but of mercy； for Hoh is able to pardon。
They have no prisons； except one tower for shutting up rebel…
lious enemies； and there is no written statement of a case； which
we commonly call a lawsuit。 But the accusation and witnesses
are produced in the presence of the judge and Power； the ac…
cused person makes his defence； and he is immediately acquit…
ted or condemned by the judge； and if he appeals to the trium…
virate； on the following day he is acquitted or condemned。 On
the third day he is dismissed through the mercy and clemency
of Hoh； or receives the inviolable rigor of his sentence。 An
accused person is reconciled to his accuser and to his witnesses；
as it were； with the medicine of his complaint； that is； with em…
bracing and kissing。
No one is killed or stoned unless by the hands of the people；
the accuser and the witnesses beginning first。 For they have
no executioners and lictors； lest the State should sink into ruin。
The choice of death is given to the rest of the people； who en…
close the lifeless remains in little bags and burn them by the
application of fire； while exhorters are present for the purpose
of advising concerning a good death。 Nevertheless； the whole
nation laments and beseeches God that his anger may be ap…
peased； being in grief that it should； as it were； have to cut off
a rotten member of the State。 Certain officers talk to and con…
vince the accused man by means of arguments until he him…
self acquiesces in the sentence of death passed upon him； or else
he does not die。 But if a crime has been committed against
the liberty of the republic； or against God； or against the su…
preme magistrates； there is immediate censure without pity。
These only are punished with death。 He who is about to
die is compelled to state in the presence of the people and with
religious scrupulousness the reasons for which he does not de…
serve death； and also the sins of the others who ought to die
instead of him； and further the mistakes of the magistrates。
If； moreover； it should seem right to the person thus asserting；
he must say why the accused ones are deserving of less punish…
ment than he。 And