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
[Measures bigger than the Statute punishable, but less not; and
why.] Here is no Punishment for those that make less weights and
measures. They are more circumspect that their measures be not too
big than too little. For Money being scarce, Corn passeth instead
of Money, and every man mets by his own measure. Which therefore he
makes as large as he can or dares, that so when he receives his Debt
of Corn, he may get as much as he can. Which upon this account would
be a great injury to the poorer sort of People, who commonly are
the Debtors. Therefore the Adigars Officers will go about the Towns
to examine the measures by a Statute-Measure; and where they find
great ones they cut them in pieces, and hang them up in the Streets
to terrifie others, and sometimes will amerce a Fine upon them that
have them.
[Of their Coin.] Of Money they have but three sorts that passeth
for Coin in the King's Dominions. The one was Coined by Portugals,
the King's Arms on one side, and the Image of a Frier on the other,
and by the Chingulayes called Tangom massa. The value of one is
nine pence English, Poddi Tangom, or the small Tangom is half as
much. There is another sort, which all People by the King's Permission
may and do make. The shape is like a fish-hook, they stamp what mark
or impression on it they please. The Silver is purely fine beyond
pieces of Eight. For if any suspect the goodness of the Plate, it is
the Custom to burn the Money in the fire red hot, and so put it in
water: and if it be not then purely white, it is not Currant Money.
The third sort of Money is the King's proper Coin. For none upon
pain of Death may Coin it. It is called a Ponnam. It is as small as a
Spangle: Seventy five make a piece of Eight, or a Spanish Dollar. But
all sorts of Money is here very scarce: And they frequently buy and
sell by exchanging Commodities.
[Of their Play.] Pass we now from their Business to their Pastimes
and Diversions. They have but few Sports, neither do they delight in
Play. Only at their New year, they will sport and be merry one with
another. Their chief Play is to bowl Coker-nuts one against the other,
to try which is the hardest. At this time none will work, until their
Astrolagers tell them, it is a good hour to handle their Tools. And
then both Men and Women do begin their proper works; the Man with
his Ax, Bill, and Hough, and the Woman with her Broom, Pestle, and
Fan to clean her Corn.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account