An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous EscapeKnox, Robert
History
An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous Escape
Knox, Robert
Sri Lanka -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Sri Lanka -- Social life and customs
[Their manner of Salutations.] When they meet one another, their
manner of Salutation or obeisance is, to hold forth their two hands,
the Palms upwards, and bow their Bodies: but the superior to the
inferior holds forth but one hand, and if the other be much beneath,
him he only nods his head. The women salute by holding up both
their hands edgways to their Foreheads. The general complement one
to another at first meeting is to say Ay; it signifies how do you:
and the other answers, Hundoi, that is, well.
[The Nobles in their best Apparel.] The Habit of the men when they
appear abroad is after this sort. The Nobles wear Doublets of white
or blew Callico, and about their middle a cloth, a white one next
their skin, and a blew one or of some other colour or painted, over
the white: a blew or shash girt about their loyns, and a Knife with a
carved handle wrought or inlaid with Silver sticking in their bosom;
and a compleat short Hanger carved and inlaid with Brass and Silver
by their sides, the Scabbard most part covered with Silver; bravely
ingraven; a painted Cane and sometimes a Tuck in it in their hands,
and a boy always bare-headed with long hair hanging down his back
waiting upon him, ever holding a small bag in his hand, which is
instead of a Pocket, wherein is Betel-leaves and nuts. Which they
constantly keep chewing in their mouths, with Lime kept in a Silver
Box rarely engraven, which commonly they hold in their hands, in
shape like a Silver Watch.
[The fashion of their hair.] The great ones also generally, and
spruce young men, do wear their hair long hanging down behind: but
when they do any work or travail hard, it annoying them, they tie it
up behind. Heretofore generally they bored holes in their ears and
hung weights in them to make them grow long, like the Malabars, but
this King not boring his, that fashion is almost left off. The men
for ornament do wear Brass, Copper, Silver Rings on their Fingers,
and some of the greatest Gold. But none may wear any Silk.
But the women in their Apparel do far surpass the men, neither are they
so curious in clothing themselves as in making their wives fine. The
mens Pride consists in their Attendance, having men bearing Arms
before and behind them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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