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 Bed, and how they sleep a nights.] They have Bedsteads laced
with Canes or Rattans, but no Testars to them, nor Curtains; that the
King allows not of; neither have they nor care they for more than
one Bedstead, which is only for the Master of the house to sit or
sleep on. To this Bedstead belongs two mats and a straw Pillow. The
Woman with the Children always lyes on the ground on mats by the
fire-side. For a Pillow she lays a block or such like thing under
her mat, but the Children have no Pillows at all. And for covering
and other bedding they use the cloth they wear by day. But always at
their feet they will have a fire burning all night. Which makes more
work for the Women; who must fetch it all upon her head. For it is
accounted a disgrace for the man to meddle or make with those affairs,
that properly do belong unto the Woman.
[They rise in the night.] The younger sort of Children, such as go
naked by day, creep in under a corner of their mothers cloths. And
if they feel themselves cold in the night, they rise and blow the
fire with their mouths, having no Bellows in that Countrey, and so
sit and warm themselves thereby.
They are so little given to sleep, that they do rise many times in
the night to eat Beatel and to take Tobacco. Which done they lay them
down, and sing songs until they fall a sleep again.
[Children taught to sing at going to Bed.] At their first going to
bed, it is very seldom that they do pray to God, neither do they
ever teach their Children so to do. But sometimes will say Auh Dio,
which is God help or keep me. But they do instead of that, teach and
bid their Children to sing songs when they go to bed.
[Young People lie at one anotheir houses.] Where their houses consist
but of one room, the Children that are of any years always go and
sleep in other houses among their neighbours. Which please them better
than their own. For so they come to meet with bedfellows, nor doth it
displease the Parents, if young men of as good quality as themselves
become acquainted with their daughters, but rather like well of it;
knowing that their daughters by this means can command the young men
to help and assist them in any work or business that they may have
occasion to use them in. And they look upon it so far distant from a
disgrace, that they will among their consorts brag of it, that they
have the young men thus at their command.
[Nothing so common as Whoredom.] So that youth are bred up to
Whoredom. Indeed here are no Publick Whores allowed by Authority. In
the City some that have followed that Trade, have oftentimes by the
King's order been severely punished by Whipping, and having their Ears
and Hair cut off. But in private few or none can exempt themselves. And
for the matter of being with Child, which many of them do not desire,
they very exquisitely can prevent the same.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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