The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
The kyng hath a garde of bought women: who take chardge of his bodie, and
haue the trimmyng and orderyng thereof, the residue of the armie, remainyng
without the gates. If the Kyng fortune to be droncken, it is not onely
lawfull for any one of these women to slea hym: but she shall also as in
the waie of rewarde, be coupled in mariage to the nexte king. Whiche (as is
saied) is one of his sonnes, that afore enioied the Croune. It is not
lawfull for the king to slepe by daie time: and yet in the night tyme to
auoide trecherie, he is forced euery houre to chaunge his chambre. When he
is not in campe, he ofte tymes cometh abroade: bothe to giue sentence, and
to heare matters dependyng in question. And if it be time of daie to trimme
his bodie: he bothe heareth the pleaes, and is rubbed in the meane season
with the skrapers afore mencioned, by thre of his women. He cometh furthe
also to Sacrifices, and to hunting: Where he is accompaignied with a rable
of women, in as good ordre as ours ware wonte to be vpon Hocke Mondaie.
[Footnote: Hock-Monday fell eight days after Easter, Hock-tide was a
festival instituted in memory of King Hardicanute's death in 1042.
Hock-Tuesday money was a duty paid to the landlord in ancient times.] His
waie is ranged with ropes, and his garde of menne abideth without. But if
it fortune any to steale in, to the women (whiche is contrary to their
ordre and duetie) he loseth his heade for it. There go afore hym Tabours
and Belles. When he hunteth in places fensed aboute, two or thre armed
women stande preste, [Footnote: Preste--_ready_.] for his aide, and
defence. But when he hunteth in open place, he is caried vppon an
Eliphante: and euen so sittyng on his backe shooteth, or throweth the darte
at his game. Some of his women ride vppon Horses, some vpon Elephantes. As
likewise in the warres, where thei fight with all kinde of weapons
skilfully.
Suche menne also as haue gathered thinges into writynges, recorde: that the
Yndians worshippe as their goddes the father of raine Iupiter: Ganges their
floude, and the familiar spirites of their countrie. And when their kyng
washeth his heade, thei make solempne feast, and sende his highnes greate
giftes, eche man enuyenge other, who maye shewe hym self most riche, and
magnificent.
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