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
When they are al come to the place appointed for the obsequie, al the
Bonzii with the whole multitude for the space of one houre, beating pannes
and basons with great clamours, call vpon the name of that deuill, the
which being ended, the Obsequie is done in this maner. In the midst of a
great quadrangle railed about, hanged with course linnen, and agreeably
vnto the foure partes of the world made with foure gates to goe in and out
at, is digged a hole: in the hole is laied good store of wood, whereon is
raised gallantly a waued roofe; before that stand two tables furnished with
diuers kindes of meates, especially drie Figs, Pomegranates and Tartes good
store, but neither Fish nor Flesh: vpon one of them standeth also a chafer
with coales, and in it sweete wood to make perfumes. When all this is
readie, the corde wherewith the litter was caried, is throwen by a long
rope into the fire: as many as are present striue to take the rope in their
handes, vsing their aforesayd clamours, which done, they goe in procession
as it were round about the quadrangle thrise. Then setting the litter on
the wood built vp ready for the fire that Bonzius who then is master of the
ceremonies, saieth a verse that no bodie there vnderstandeth, whirling
thrise about ouer his head a torch lighted, to signifie thereby that the
soule of the dead man had neither any beginning, ne shall haue at any time
an ende, and throweth away the torch. Two of the dead man his children, or
of his neere kinne, take it vp againe, and standing one at the East side of
the litter, the other at the West, doe for honour and reuerence reach it to
each other thrise ouer the dead corps, and so cast it into the pile of
wood: by and by they throw in oyle, sweete wood, and other perfumes,
accordingly as they haue plentie, and so with a great flame bring the corps
to ashes: his children in the meane while putting sweete wood into the
chafer at the table with odours, doe solemnly and religiously worship their
father as a Saint: which being done, the Bonzii are paied each one in his
degree. The master of the ceremonies hath for his pact fiue duckats,
sometimes tenne, sometimes twentie, the rest haue tenne Iulies a piece, or
els a certaine number of other presents called Caxæ. The meate that was
ordained, as soone as the dead corps friends and all the Bonzii are gone,
is left for such as serued at the obsequie, for the poore and impotent
lazars.
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