boroughs。　To　each　of　these　are　assigned　an　hundred　persons　chosen　from
  amongst　the　populace；　to　accompany　and　assist　him；　men　who　help　him　at
  once　with　their　authority　and　their　counsel。
  Without　being　armed　they　transact　nothing；　whether　of　public　or
  private　concernment。　But　it　is　repugnant　to　their　custom　for　any　man
  to　use　arms；　before　the　community　has　attested　his　capacity　to　wield
  them。　Upon　such　testimonial；　either　one　of　the　rulers；　or　his　father；
  or　some　kinsman　dignify　the　young　man　in　the　midst　of　the　assembly；
  with　a　shield　and　javelin。　This　amongst　them　is　the　/manly　robe/；　this
  first　degree　of　honour　conferred　upon　their　youth。　Before　this　they
  seem　no　more　than　part　of　a　private　family；　but　thenceforward　part　of
  the　Commonweal。　The　princely　dignity　they　confer　even　upon　striplings；
  whose　race　is　eminently　noble；　or　whose　fathers　have　done　great　and
  signal　services　to　the　State。　For　about　the　rest；　who　are　more
  vigorous　and　long　since　tried；　they　crowd　to　attend；　nor　is　it　any
  shame　to　be　seen　amongst　the　followers　of　these。　Nay；　there　are
  likewise　degrees　of　followers；　higher　or　lower；　just　as　he　whom　they
  follow　judges　fit。　Mighty　too　is　the　emulation　amongst　these
  followers；　of　each　to　be　first　in　favour　with　his　Prince；　mighty　also
  the　emulation　of　the　Princes；　to　excel　in　the　number　and　valour　of
  followers。　This　is　their　principal　state；　this　their　chief　force；　to
  be　at　all　times　surrounded　with　a　huge　band　of　chosen　young　men；　for
  ornament　and　glory　in　peace；　for　security　and　defence　in　war。　Nor　is
  it　amongst　his　own　people　only；　but　even　from　the　neighbouring
  communities；　that　any　of　their　Princes　reaps　so　much　renown　and　a　name
  so　great；　when　he　surpasses　in　the　number　and　magnanimity　of　his
  followers。　For　such　are　courted　by　Embassies；　and　distinguished　with
  presents；　and　by　the　terror　of　their　fame　alone　often　dissipate　wars。
  In　the　day　of　battle；　it　is　scandalous　to　the　Prince　to　be　surpassed
  in　feats　of　bravery；　scandalous　to　his　followers　to　fail　in　matching
  the　bravery　of　the　Prince。　But　it　is　infamy　during　life；　and　indelible
  reproach；　to　return　alive　from　a　battle　where　their　Prince　was　slain。
  To　preserve　their　Prince；　to　defend　him；　and　to　ascribe　to　his　glory
  all　their　own　valorous　deeds；　is　the　sum　and　most　sacred　part　of　their
  oath。　The　Princes　fight　for　victory；　for　the　Prince　his　followers
  fight。　Many　of　the　young　nobility；　when　their　own　community　comes　to
  languish　in　its　vigour　by　long　peace　and　inactivity；　betake　themselves
  through　impatience　in　other　States　which　then　prove　to　be　in　war。　For；
  besides　that　this　people　cannot　brook　repose；　besides　that　by　perilous
  adventures　they　more　quickly　blazon　their　fame；　they　cannot　otherwise
  than　by　violence　and　war　support　their　huge　train　of　retainers。　For
  from　the　liberality　of　their　Prince；　they　demand　and　enjoy　that　/war…
  horse/　of　theirs；　with　that　/victorious　javelin/　dyed　in　the　blood　of
  their　enemies。　In　the　place　of　pay；　they　are　supplied　with　a　daily
  table　and　repasts；　though　grossly　prepared；　yet　very　profuse。　For
  maintaining　such　liberality　and　munificence；　a　fund　is　furnished　by
  continual　wars　and　plunder。　Nor　could　you　so　easily　persuade　them　to
  cultivate　the　ground；　or　to　await　the　return　of　the　seasons　and
  produce　of　the　year；　as　to　provoke　the　foe　and　to　risk　wounds　and
  death：　since　stupid　and　spiritless　they　account　it；　to　acquire　by
  their　sweat　what　they　can　gain　by　their　blood。
  Upon　any　recess　from　war；　they　do　not　much　attend　the　chase。　Much　more
  of　their　time　they　pass　in　indolence；　resigned　to　sleep　and　repasts。
  All　the　most　brave；　all　the　most　warlike；　apply　to　nothing　at　all；　but
  to　their　wives；　to　the　ancient　men；　and　to　even　the　most　impotent
  domestic；　trust　all　the　care　of　their　house；　and　of　their　lands　and
  possessions。　They　themselves　loiter。　Such　is　the　amazing　diversity　of
  their　nature；　that　in　the　same　men　is　found　so　much　delight　in　sloth；
  with　so　much　enmity　to　tranquillity　and　repose。　The　communities　are
  wont；　of　their　own　accord　and　man　by　man；　to　bestow　upon　their　Princes
  a　certain　number　of　beasts；　or　a　certain　portion　of　grain；　a
  contribution　which　passes　indeed　for　a　mark　of　reverence　and　honour；
  but　serves　also　to　supply　their　necessities。　They　chiefly　rejoice　in
  the　gifts　which　come　from　the　bordering　countries；　such　as　are　sent
  not　only　by　particulars　but　in　the　name　of　the　State；　curious　horses；
  splendid　armour；　rich　harness；　with　collars　of　silver　and　gold。　Now
  too　they　have　learnt；　what　we　have　taught　them；　to　receive　money。
  That　none　of　the　several　people　in　Germany　live　together　in　cities；　is
  abundantly　known；　nay；　that　amongst　them　none　of　their　dwellings　are
  suffered　to　be　contiguous。　They　inhabit　apart　and　distinct；　just　as　a
  fountain；　or　a　field；　or　a　wood　happened　to　invite　them　to　settle。
  They　raise　their　villages　in　opposite　rows；　but　not　in　our　manner　with
  the　houses　joined　one　to　another。　Every　man　has　a　vacant　space　quite
  round　his　own；　whether　for　security　against　accidents　from　fire；　or
  that　they　want　the　art　of　building。　With　them　in　truth；　is　unknown
  even　the　use　of　mortar　and　of　tiles。　In　all　their　structures　they
  employ　materials　quite　gross　and　unhewn；　void　of　fashion　and
  comeliness。　Some　parts　they　besmear　with　an　earth　so　pure　and
  resplendent；　that　it　resembles　painting　and　colours。　They　are　likewise
  wont　to　scoop　caves　deep　in　the　ground；　and　over　them　to　lay　great
  heaps　of　dung。　Thither　they　retire　for　shelter　in　the　winter；　and
  thither　convey　their　grain：　for　by　such　close　places　they　mollify　the
  rigorous　and　excessive　cold。　Besides　when　at　any　time　their　enemy
  invades　them；　he　can　only　ravage　the　open　country；　but　either　knows
  not　such　recesses　as　are　invisible　and　subterraneous；　or　must　suffer
  them　to　escape　him；　on　this　very　account　that　he　is　uncertain　where　to
  find　them。
  For　their　covering　a　mantle　is　what　they　all　wear；　fastened　with　a
  clasp　or；　for　want　of　it；　with　a　thorn。　As　far　as　this　reaches　not
  they　are　naked；　and　lie　whole　days　before　the　fire。　The　most　wealthy
  are　distinguished　with　a　vest；　not　one　large　and　flowing　like　those　of
  Sarmatians　and　Parthians；　but　girt　close　about　them　and　expressing　the
  proportion　of　every　limb。　They　likewise　wear　the　skins　of　savage
  beasts；　a　dress　which　those　bordering　upon　the　Rhine　use　without　any
  fondness　or　delicacy；　but　about　which　such　who　live　further　in　the
  country　are　more　curious；　as　void　of　all　apparel　introduced　by
  commerce。　They　choose　certain　wild　beasts；　and；　having　flayed　them；
  diversify　their　hides　with　many　spots；　as　also　with　the　skins　of
  monsters　from　the　deep；　such　as　are　engendered　in　the　distant　ocean
  and　in　seas　unknown。　Neither　does　the　dress　of　the　women　differ　from
  that　of　the　men；　save　that　the　women　are　orderly　attired　in　linen
  embroidered　with　purple；　and　use　no　sleeves；　so　that　all　their　arms
  are　bare。　The　upper　part　of　their　breast　is　withal　exposed。
  Yet　the　laws　of　matrimony　are　severely　observed　there；　for　in　the
  whole　of　their　manners　is　aught　more　praiseworthy　than　this：　for　they
  are　almost　the　only　Barbarians　contented　with　one　wife；　excepting　a
  very　few　amongst　them；　men　of　dignity　who　marry　divers　wives；　from　no
  wantonness　or　lubricity；　but　courted　for　the　lustre　of　their　family
  into　many　alliances。
  To　the　husband；　the　wife　tenders　no　dowry；　but　the　husband；　to　the
  wife。　The　parents　and　relations　attend　and　declare　their　approbation
  of　the　presents；　not　presents　adapted　to　feminine　pomp　and　delicacy；
  nor　such　as　serve　to　deck　the　new　married　woman；　but　oxen　and　horse
  accoutred；　and　a　shield；　with　a　javelin　and　sword。　By　virtue　of　these
  gifts；　she　is　espoused。　She　too　on　her　part　brings　her　husband　some
  arms。　This　they　esteem　the　highest　tie；　these　the　holy　mysteries；　and
  matrimonial　Gods。　That　the　woman　may　not　suppose　herself　free　from　the
  considerations　of　fortitude　and　fighting；　or　exempt　from　the
  casualties　of　war；　the　very　first　solemnities　of　her　wedding　serve　to
  warn　her；　that　she　comes　to　her　husband　as　a　partner　in　his　hazards
  and　fatigues；　that　she　is　to　suffer　alike　with　him；　to　adventure
  alike；　during　peace　or　during　war。　This　the　oxen　joined　in　the　same
  yoke　plainly　indicate；　this　the　horse　ready　equipped；　this　the　present
  of　arms。　'Tis　thus　she　must　be　content　to　live；　thus　to　resign　life。
  The　arms　which　she　then　receives　she　must　preserve　inviolate；　and　to
  her　sons　restore　the　same；　as　presents　worthy　of　them；　such　as　their
  wives　may　again　receive；　and　still　resign　to　her　grandchildren。
  They　therefore　live　in　a　state　of　chastity　well　secured；　corrupted　by
  no　seducing　shows　and　public　diversions；　by　no　irritations　from
  banqueting。　Of　learning　and　of　any　secret　intercourse　by　letters；　they
  are　all　equally　ignorant；　men　and　women。　Amongst　a　people　so　numerous；
  adultery　is　exceeding　rare；　a　crime　instantly　punished；　and　the
  punishment　left　to　be　inflicted　by　the　husband。　He；　having　cut　off　her
  hair；　expells　her　from　his　house　naked；　in　presence　of　her　kindred；
  and　pursues　her　with　stripes　throughout　the　village。　For；　to　a　woman
  who　has　prostituted　her　person；　no　pardon　is　ever　granted。　However
  beautiful　she　may　be；　however　young；　however　aboundin