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
One part of this people iudgeth mannes perfeteste blessednes to
stande in honestie. And a nother in pleasure. Not in the tickelinges of the
taile, or pamperinges of the bealy, more bittre then pleasaunte as thou
maye vse them: but to lacke nothing that perfecte nature desireth, ne
nothing to do that perfecte nature misliketh. Thei thincke it no honour to
God, to slea for him an innocente beaste; yea thei say he accepteth not the
sacrifice of men polluted with bloode, but rather loueth a worship voide of
all bloodsheade. That is to saye, the humble entreatie of woorde, because
that proprety only (to be entreated with woordes) is commune to God and to
manne. With this therefore saye they he is pleased, because we somewhat
resemble him self therin. And this was the life of the vnchristened
Brahmanes, wher with we Christianes are so farre out of loue, that we are
afraid leaste any man should beleue it to be true.
The Yndians called Catheis, haue eche man many wiues. And assone as any one
husbands fortuneth to die, his whole number of wiues assemble before the
chiefest iudges of the citie, and there eche for her self, sheweth and
alledgeth her welle deseruinges towarde her housebande: how derely she
loued him, howe muche she tendered and honoured him. And she that is by
them iudged to haue borne her self beste in that behaulfe, and to haue bene
dierest to her husbonde: she in the beste maner and moste gorgeous that she
can deuise, triumphing and reioysinge, getteth her vp vpon the funeralle
pyle wher her housebandes corps lieth ready to be brente, and ther kissinge
and embrasinge the deade body, is burned together with her housebande. So
gladde is she to haue the victorie, in the contencion of wiuely chastitie,
and honeste behauiour toward her husbande. And the other that lyue, thincke
them selues dishonoured: and escape not without spotte of reproche as longe
as they liue. Their children in their infancie, are not nourished vp at the
libertie and will of the parentes: but certeine there are appointed to
viewe the children: whiche yf thei spie vntowardnes in the infante,
deformitie, or lacke of lymmes, commande it to be slayne.
Thei ioyne not mariages for nobilitie of birthe, or aboundaunce of
substaunce, but for beaultie, and rather vpon regarde of frute, then of
luste.
Certaine also among the Yndians haue this custome, that yf thei be of suche
pouertie that thei be not able to marye oute their doughters: euen in the
floure of her age thei bringe her, or them, furthe into the marcate with
trompet and dromme, or suche other their noyses of warre: And their, after
the multitudeis comen together, the maiden first vncouereth her self wholie
vp to the harde shoulders, on the backe haulfe, to be sene starke naked,
and aftre that likewise on the bealy. Yf the multitude finde no faulte, but
allowe her as worthye to please for her bodye, then marieth she to some one
ther, whome she beste liketh.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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