[Women unclean] So long as the Women have their Infirmities or Flowers upon them, they are accounted very unclean, insomuch that the very house is polluted in that degree that none will approach near it.  And even she her self cares not to conceal it, but calls out to them that come near, that they may avoid her house.  But after she hath washed her Head and Body all is purified again. [Privileges of Men above Women.] It is lawful for no Woman, altho they be great Men’s Wives, to sit on a Stool in the presence of a Man.  It is customary for Men upon any frivolous account to charge one another in the King’s Name to do or not to do, according as they would have it.  This the Women upon Penalty of having their Tongues cut out, dare not presume to do.

As it is usual to punish Men for faults committed by Imprisonment and Chains, or by making them stand with a weight on their Backs, until they do pay such a Sum of Money as is demanded:  which for ordinary faults may be five or ten Shillings.  So the Punishment which is inflicted upon Women, is to make them stand with a Basket of Sand upon their Heads, so long as they shall think fitting, who appoint the Punishment.  Punishment by stripes is never used either to Men or Women, but only to those on whom the King Commands them to be laid.

[Privileges of Women.] Lands of Inheritance which belong to Women are exempted from paying Harriots to the King.  Women pay no Custom for things they carry to the Sea-Ports.  Neither is any Custom paid for what is carried upon any Female Cattel, Cow or Buffalo.

[They often destroy new born Infants.] They have no Midwives, but the neighbouring good Women come in and do that Office.  As soon as the Child is born, the Father or some Friend apply themselves to an Astrologer to enquire, whether the Child be born in a prosperous Planet, and a good hour or in an evil.  If it be found to be in an evil they presently destroy it, either by starving it, letting it lye and die, or by drowning it, putting its head into a Vessel of water, or by burying it alive, or else by giving it to some body of the same degree with themselves; who often will take such Children, and bring them up by hand with Rice and Milk; for they say, the Child will be unhappy to the Parents, but to none else.  We have asked them why they will deal so with their poor Infants, that come out of their Bowels.  They will indeed have a kind of regret and trouble at it.  But they will say withal, Why should I bring up a Devil in my House?  For they believe, a Child born in an ill hour, will prove a plague and vexation to his Parents by his disobedience and untowardliness.

[But seldom a First-born.] But it is very rare that a First-born is served so.  Him they love and make much of.  But when they come to have many, then usual it is, by the pretence of the Childs being born under an unlucky Planet, to kill him.  And this is reputed no fault, and no Law of the Land takes cognizance of it.