The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
Well neere 200 Bonzii folow him singing the
name of that deuill the which the partie deceassed chiefly did worship in
his life time, and therewithall a very great bason is beaten euen to the
place of fire instead of a bell. Then follow two great paper baskets hanged
open at staues endes full of paper roses diuersly coloured, such as beare
them doe march but slowly, shaking euer now and then their staues, that the
aforesayd flowers may fall downe by litle and litle as it were drops of
raine: and be whirled about with wind. This shower say they is an argument
that the soule of the dead man is gone to paradise. After al this, eight
beardles Bonzii orderly two and two drag after them on the ground long
speares, the points backward, with flags of one cubite a piece, wherein the
name also of that idole is written. Then there be caried 10 lanterns
trimmed with the former inscription, ouercast with a fine vaile, and
candles burning in them. [Sidenote: They burne their dead.] Besides this,
two yoong men clothed in ashe colour beare pineaple torches, not lighted,
of three foote length, the which torches serue to kindle the fire wherein
the dead corpes is to bee burnt. In the same colour follow many other that
weare on the crownes of their heads faire, litle, threesquare, blacke
Lethren caps tied fast vnder their chinnes (for that is honorable amongst
them) with papers on their heads, wherein the name of the deuill I spake
of, is written. And to make it the more solemne, after commeth a man with a
table one cubite long, one foot broad, couered with a very fine white
vaile, in both sides whereof is written in golden letters the aforesayd
name. At the length by foure men is brought fourth the corps sitting in a
gorgeous litter clothed in white, hanging downe his head and holding his
hands together like one that prayed: to the rest of his apparell may you
adde an vpper gowne of paper, written full of that booke the which his God
is sayd to haue made, when he liued in the world, by whose helpe and
merites commonly they doe thinke to be saued. The dead man his children
come next after him most gallantly set foorth, the yongest wherof carieth
likewise a pineaple torch to kindle the fire. Last of all foloweth a great
number of people in such caps as I erst spake of.
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