Page:Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas His Pilgrimes Volume 12.djvu/431

 And thus they say, because they doe so themselves : for when great Offices are bestowed upon them, eftsoone they offer up a Petition, making a thousand excuses to the King not to receive them : and they desire nothing lesse, neither can any thing happen so grievous unto them, as to accept their excuse. But usually they be not admitted : though sometimes they bee, to their great griefe of heart, as I my selfe have seene : But to excuse themselves, or to refuse with some danger, is the use so common, that they will not fayle to doe so : for if they should not doe so, it were more certayne that they should goe without the Office. The second thing that made us more to laugh, is, that many of them tell us, that if wee would returne into our Countrey, without doubt they would make us Popes : The reason (though not openly) which they yeeld, is, that wee have a great advantage above other men of our Countrey, to wit, that wee have seene, and studied, and understand their Bookes ; because that they onely, in their opinion, can make a man perfect, and generally seene in all things. Such is the high conceit and reputation which they hold of their Bookes.

Will conclude this Letter with two points: the one concerning the Women, whereof I have little to say: and the last is of the King, and of his Palaces and Services.

Every man (as I said before) may keepe as many Wives as hee will, and so they doe: which is the cause of many tumults, quarrels, and disorders in their houses among their wives, and among the Sonnes of divers Mothers: and therefore when wee tell them, that in our Countrey no man marryeth but one Wife, they never are satisfied