Qualifications of her Suitor her Father presents his Daughter to him speaking these words I give thee my Daughter for to honour thee that she may be thy Wife for to have the half of thy Bed the Key of thy Doors with the third part of thy Mony and other Goods moveable and immoveable At the day assigned she is conducted to Church with many Torches done about with Silk stuffs of several Colours The Solemnity being over she is handed Home by her Bridegroom But before she may bed with him she must go to the Stoves or hot Baths many Maids going before her and as many Married Women accompanying her but before they come thither they have made great Provision of Strong Beer or of Wine in that place for to refresh the Women in the Bath lest being overcome with the Heat they should faint wherefore they recruit their strength with eating tosted Bread dipt in some of the foresaid Liquors which are sweetned with Cinamon and Sugar When they come out of their Baths they wear every one of them a Garland of Rue upon their Heads as for the Maids they go to Supper with the Bride The Gentlemen usually marry Women of their Rank and Quality As for Tradesmen and Mechanicks they commonly present the Bride with Swine Sheep or Cowes but they present the Bridegroom with some Colt Dog Cat or Goose In Livonia when a Maid is led to Church to be married they crown her with a very high Crown of Silver guilded and all the Women and Maids march before her covered with long plated red Mantles which reach from their Heads to their very Heels CHAP. IV. Nuptial Rites and Ceremonies used amongst Evangelical Protestants Having treated of the Ceremonies which those Protestants of Luthers perswasion do use at their Marriages it now remaineth that I should give some account of the Customs and Solemnities performed at the Weddings of Evangelical Protestants And first I say that by Evangelical Protestants I mean the English Dutch Switzers and many other People which do not pin their faith upon the Church's or Popes Sleeve but rejecting all vain Traditions and Novelties ground their belief upon the Pillar of Truth and Gospel verity As for the English their Ceremonies are so generally practised throughout this Kingdom and consequently so well known that I will pass them over in silence least I should seem to light a Candle at Noon-day wherefore I come to the Dutch. When the parties are all agreed then they send for the Minister who betrotheth them one to the other and then they give them drink every one in their Glass asunder He that fills the Drink takes the two Glasses and mingles the Wine of one with the other he presents the Glass of the Bridegroom to the Bride and that of the Bride to the Bridegroom After they have drunk the future Bridegroom doth present his betrothed Bride a Ring But before they may marry it is requisite that the Minister make Publication of their Marriage three Sundays consecutively lest there be amongst them any Impediment or other Engagement After which publication they may lawfully marry Then at the day appointed the Bridegroom resorts to the Church with his Parents and Relations the Bride also with a Garland of Flowers upon the hinder part of her Head is conducted thither by two Men or two Young Bachelors of her near Relations many Maids with married Women of Relations and Guests following her thither When she comes out of the Church she is led to her Bridegrooms House by the same Persons The Widdows which marry again may not wear a Garland upon their heads but only a large Nosegay in their Bosoms and are led to Church by two Widdows of their near Relations In Friezland the men of that Country did not at all regard the Quality or Portion of their Women but only their Handsomness and good Morality so that many Gentlemen and rich Merchants did marry vertuous comely Women although they were never so poor But now adays the case is altered for they not only regard their Quality and Descent but also expect a competency of Wealth answerable to their Estates The Bride wearing a Crown upon her head and accompanied with a long train of Maids goes to Church where the solemnity of Marriage being celebrated they return to her Fathers house where they are feasted The Guests seldom present the Bride with any Money But the Brides and Bridegrooms Relations come very liberally to offer her their Presents whereof the Bridegroom takes good notice The Feast being ended the Musicians begin to play on several Instruments and then every one dances in order On the next day all the Guests resort to the same place and the new married Woman presenting every one of them with a glass of the best Wine or of some other aromatical Liquor she dismisses them with honour thanking them for their Civility and kindness And this she does to the end that she may make it appear that she is now become a Houshold Wife In Hungary Bachellors never marry with Widdows although never so rich because they are perswaded that if any Bachellor marries one who is not a Virgin he shall never enjoy any Prosperity in this World wherefore if any amongst them did discover that the Women which they have married have plaid any Legerdemain with others before Marriage they would put them to a cruel Death As for the Lords of that Country they usually marry their Children very young and many times as they ly in their Cradles And this is done on purpose to entertain good correspondence and Friendship amongst Honourable Families and when the Children have attained to ripeness of Age they are obliged to consummate their Marriage lest by their refusal they should procure their Parents implacable enmitie the Sequels whereof might prove very dangerous and tragical In Scotland formerly and in the days of Popish Idolatry the Brides did lay down their Propira Feminea before their Lairds of the Mannour who did shake their Hair-bags on the first night after the Solemnization of the Marriage But since the Light of the Gospel did shine bright in that Kingdom that Barbarous Custome hath been exploded wherefore the Brides do not now pay their Marks in specie but only by way of Exchange the Bridegroom paying half a Mark to his Landlord for that Right and that Right is now called the Womens Marks The Irish in their Marriages I mean those who are partakers of the English Civility use the same decent Nuptial Ceremonies as the English do But as for the Popish wild Irish they are so Barbarous and Brutish that they do not deserve to be mentioned here CHAP. V. The Rites and Nuptial Ceremonies of the Grecians BEfore the Grecians Marriages the future Bride doth openly shew what she is able to bring to her future Bridegroom the Bridegroom also is to declare the full extent of his Estate and that is done in a spacious Room upon a Table the Men sitting
Matrimoniall Customes MATRIMONIAL Customs OR THE Various Ceremonies AND Divers Ways of Celebrating Weddings Practised amongst all the Nations in the whole World. Done out of French. LONDON Printed for A. S. and sold by the Booksellers 1687. THE PREFACE FEw Authors do agree about the true definition of Marriage Charron in his book of Wisdom calls it a wise Bargain and an honourable Contract others more Critical tell us that it is a name importing nothing but meer Slavery and Bondage a Society of evils and troubles I think it not worth the while to examine the several Opinions about the right Definition of it much less to pass my censure upon the sentiments of any man. I shall content my self with the Definition commonly approved by all the judicious Civilians which say that Marriage is no other thing than an holy union of the man with the woman which cannot be dissolved but by the death of the one or the other Matrimonium est viri mulieris conjunctio individuam vitae societatem continens It is the first and most honourable of all other States and Conditions in the World seeing it deriveth its institution from no other than from the the Supream Author of Nature It is also the most extensively profitable seeing that it is the foundation of all humane society the rise of families and consequently the off-spring of Common-wealths and Kingdoms Prima societas in coniugio est quod principium Urbis seminarium Reipublicae And although the holy and truly Catholick Church never reckoned it in the number of Sacraments yet was it ever esteemed as a sacred ordinance seeing it was instituted by God himself in the Paradise of Eden and that the Second Person of Deity being manifested in the flesh did not only vouchsafe to honour it with his presence but also with his first miracle But although Marriage be Common to all the Nations in the World yet it is not regulated by the same Laws nor celebrated in the same Forms and Ceremonies they varying according to the diversity of Religions and Nations Amongst Christians Marriage is very strict and severe one man being allowed but one woman But amongst the greatest part of other Religions Polygamy and Divorce are commonly approved of and practised to the end as they say that Marriage be less cumbersom more free and more fruitful But notwithstanding the great variety of Laws and Ceremonies used amongst so many different Nations yet there is never a Nation under the Cope of Heaven how barbarous soever it be but celebrateth the solemnity of Wedlock with more than ordinary Ceremonies and festival Jollities This hath induced me to make a diligent Inquiry into the different Ceremonies which are practised amongst the Jews Christians Mahumetans and Idolaters These four being the only Religions known in the World. As for the Jews they being the most Ancient People I shall begin this small treatise with them humbly submitting my endeavours to the censures of the Curious Reader CEREMONIES Observed at the MARRIAGES OF THE JEWS CHAPTER I. THe Jews commonly marry their Sons at Eighteen years of Age according to the Ordinance of their Talmud and sometimes sooner to avoid Fornication as for the Daughters they may marry at Twelve years and a Day When the Marriage of the two Parties is agreed upon many Jews both young and old assemble themselves in some covered place where the young Jews hold every one of them an Earthen Pot in their hands One of them reads the Contract of Marriage and gives notice of the day prefixt for the Wedding above all declaring that the party who shall not stand to that which is agreed upon shall pay to the other party such a Sum of Money as the Parents of both parties have unanimously pitched upon This being done they wish one another all prosperity and happiness and in the mean while all the young Jews fling their Earthen Pots on the ground and break them in pieces believing this to be a token of great plenty and future abundance As they are going out of the said place there is alwayes one who stands at the Door who gives every one of them a Glass of Wine and sometimes also some Sweet Meats The Rabbi whose Office it isto crave a blessing upon the Espousals takes a a Glass full of Wine and after that he hath blessed it and tasted of it he imparts the remnant to the new betrothed Couple who going to their Houses ought not to go out of Doors within eight days after But during this retreat many young Bachellors daily resort to the House of the future Bridegroom to divert him and make merry with him The betrothed Woman is bound to bath her self in cold Water the day before her Marriage And she is conducted into that Bath by some Women which make a very great noise to the end that every body may take notice that she is a betrothed Woman while she is in the Bath many of those Women dance and sing round about her The future Bride-groom sends to his betrothed Spouse a Wedding Girdle garnished with Plates of Gold the betrothed Spouse doth the like to her betrothed Husband But the Girdle which she must send him ought only to be Garnished with Plates of Silver The Wedding day being come the betrothed Bride make her self as fine as her Husband and ability can permit her according to the fashion of the Jews afterwards she is conducted by some Women which sing before her into a Room whene they dress her head as neatly as they can other Women in the while singing and dancing before her for to recreate her thinking by so doing to render to God some very acceptable Sacrifice When the Bride-groom must receive the Nuptial Blessing four young Bachellors carry a Canopy which being born up upon four sticks at the four Corners of it they carry into some open place or garden where the solemnity of the Nuptials must be performed The Bridegroom with his Relations and the Bride with many Women together with Musicians playing on several Instruments resort under the said Canopy and then every one that is present at the solemnity crieth aloud Blessed be he that is come Then the Bridegroom goes three times round about his Bride and having taken her by the hand the people cast some Corns of Wheat upon them crying Increase and multiply In some places where People are more wealthy they use to mingle with their Wheat some pieces of Silver which the poorer sort of Jews gather up The Bride stands always at the right hand of her Bridegroom and besides it is requisite that her face be always turned towards the South for the Rabbins have left a Tradition in their Talmud that if any person place the Bed so as her face be towards the South that then she is like to be the Mother of many Children The Rabbi who joines them in Marriage sets upon the head of the Bride the end of the hair-cloth which the Bridegroom
weareth upon his neck that being done he takes a Glass of Wine and saying the two prayers which are in the Mahzor after that he hath tasted of it he gives it to the young Couple to drink Then if the Bride be a Maid they give her drink in a strait narrow Glass but if she be a Widdow then she must drink in a broad one Then the Rabbi receiving from the Bridegroom a Ring of Gold without any stone in it he calls in some witnesses and shewing them the said Ring he enquires of them whether it be of fine pure Gold and having received an answer in the affirmative he then sets it about the second Finger of the Bride and having done that he begins to read the Contract of Marriage with a loud and intelligible voice After that he takes another Glass of Wine and praising God that the two Parties have taken one another he presents them another time with drink after that the Bridegroom hath drunk up his Glass he with all his strength casts it against the Wall or against the ground to the end it be all broken in pieces And this they do for a remembrance of the Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem In some places they use to strew ashes upon the head of the Bridegroom for a Memorial of the Temple which was burnt down and for this same reason the Bridegroom weareth a black Hood upon his head as those are wont to do who are in long Mourning The Bride hath also her head covered with a black Cap to the end that they may show that they retain some marks of sorrow for the destruction of their Temple even in their most Festival Solemnities Being Married they are conducted to the place of Feasting where all being sat the Bridegroom begins to sing a very long Prayer and in the mean while they set before the Bride a raw Egg with a roasted Hen. Then the Bridegroom carves a little piece of that Hen which he presenteth to his Bride and immediately after the Guests as well men as women scuffling together tear the remnant in pieces and whosoever can snatch away the biggest part of it is reputed the bravest of all the company they snatch away from one another that which they hold in their hands making fine sport amongst themselves to make the new married folks merry As for the raw Egg they fling it at one anothers Faces and if any Christians be there to look on them they are like to be finely dawbed with it Now they set this Egg before the Bride to the end that she may hope to bring forth Children as easily as the Hen lays her Eggs. After all this mirth they lay the Cloath and cover the Table with Dishes of all gallant meats and then few of them remember either Jerusalem or the Temple The feast being ended they betake themselves to Dance a certain dance which they call the Nuptial dance ordained as they say by the Commandment of God the chief and most considerable person of all the company takes the Bridegroom by the hand this takes another this other takes the next this another and so consecutively until there be none left who may dance The most considerable amongst the Women takes also the Bride and they do the same amongst themselves as the Men do So that they carry on the work with an extraordinary Mirth and Jollity The Wedding lasts sometimes eight days But their Rabbins strictly forbid them from inviting any Christians for they think that the good Angels seeing them there would forth with fly away and the evil ones would presently succeed and come in their place CEREMONIES Observed at the MARRIAGES OF CHRISTIANS CHAP. II. Customs and Ceremonies used amongst Roman Catholicks POlygamy or the use of many Women together is very usual amongst Infidels but it is generally forbidden amongst Christians who are for bidden upon pain of death marrying more than one Woman together and further she must be married in the Church before the Parson of the Parish All other Marriages contracted otherwise are declared void and clandestin the Children born in such are reputed Bastards and consequently incapable of Succession of challenging their Parents inheritance The Ceremonies of Marriages amongst Roman Catholicks are prescribed by the Councils The Council of Trent for to prevent all abuses in Marriages declareth and pronounceth all Marriages invalid and void which have not been celebrated before the Parson of the Parish of the one or of the other contracting parties Wherefore according to the decrees of the Romish Church as soon as the contracting Parties are agreed the Parsons of their respective Parishes are bound to proclaim three Banes on three Sundays or three Holy days consecutively to the end that if any of the Parishoners know any lawful cause why they may not be joyned together they may reveal it to the Parson of the Parish And in case no body can alledge any lawful impediment then both the parties are conducted by their parents into the Parochial Church of the Woman where they are betroathed by the Parson of the said Parish who examines them whether they be well contented to be betroathed one to the other and whether they be not already engaged by promise of Marriage to any other person or persons This is the Ceremonie which is called Espousals or betroathing and is nothing properly but a Nuptial preparation or an engagement to a future marriage of which engagement neither of the contracted parties can be released but by the Court of the ordinary which condemneth him or her that violateth promise to all damages expensces whatever together with a Fine There be some Bishopricks where they use to betroth people as soon as they are agreed together and before the publication of the banes The day of marriage being prefixt the betrothed parties after they have been at the auricular Confession of their sins go to receive the Communion the day before their marriage The next day they are conducted by their friends to Church where the parson of the Parish having asked them their names and sirnames asks them one after another whether they are content to take one another He asketh them besides if they be not already engaged by any solemn vow or any promise of Marriage and whether they will engage to love and keep fidelity one to another When to all these questions they answer affirmatively he then blesses a ring and thirteen pieces of money which he gives to the Bridegroom The Bridegroom sets the Ring upon the fourth finger of the Brides Right Hand in saying to her with the Parson with this Ring I thee wed then giving her some pieces of money he goes on saying and with this money I thee endow The Bride answereth with a compliment set down in the Romish Ceremonial Then presently the Parson takes the right hands of them both saying Et ego conjungo vos in Nomine Patris Filij Spiritus Sancti He sprinckleth them and
all the Assembly with Holy Water After the Nuptial Blessing both the new married Folks are bound to hear Mass with a lighted Taper in their hands with which they go to kiss the Offertory and to present the Parson with Bread and Wine Then if the new married Folks were never married before two of their nearest Relations hold a Sheet over their heads whilst the Priest readeth some Prayers over them The Mass being ended the Parson presenteth the Church Register to the new married Couple and to their Relations to the end that they may sign and seal the Act of Marriage after that then every one goes away in the same order as they came On that Evening before the new married folks betake themselves to their bed the Parson or some other Priest deputed by him cometh to bless the Nuptial Bed wherein the Marriage ought to be consummated In the most part of Italy they do not use to betroth people in the Church but the contract of Marriage is made in the presence of the Parson then the Proclamation of the Banes followeth they proceed to the Solemnization of Marriage which is celebrated either at Noon with all Pomp imaginable or else before the Sun-rising without any noise at all The Woman being conducted to Church by her Father if living and if he be dead by the nearest of her Relations At Venice when any Gentleman is to marry as soon as the contract is made all other Gentlemen resort to the house of the future Bride whom they call Novizza the Bridegroom also with his nearest Relations comes thither He stands at the entry of the House receiving with all demonstration of Honour all his Guests giving them his right hand as a mark of his entire Affection The Bride doth do the like to the Women After the Celebration of Marriage the Bride enters into a splendid Barge finely deckt her Hair hanging about her shoulders being sett in the most eminent place that is called in their Language Andar in Trafto This they do to the end that every body may take notice that she is a new married Bride and the Wife of such a Gentleman But now adays they have left of something of the ancient Custome for the Noviżza's appear in their Barges many days with their Hair plaited very high much like English Women's high Towers The Sicilians did formerly betroth the Man and the Woman at home and very often were not married till the Hour of Death or at the extremity of the one or of the other Parties But this was for bidden by the order of the Council of Trent The espoused woman did also use to ride through the City with a great Company and Pomp on horse-back But that is now quite left off since the Invention of Coaches But notwithstanding the Prohibition of the foresaid Council even to this day as soon as the Articles of the Contract are signed the man enjoyes his Spouse with all liberty and reaps the sweet Fruits of Marriage many years sometimes before the celebration of it At the Weddings of their Country-people there is very much dancing and there is always a great number of Guests as well of the Relations and others who bring Presents after that the Bridegroom hath regaled them three times Their Feasts usually consist of Meats baked in the Oven and of Kettles full of Rice boiled in Milk In France when any one is married the betrothed man accompanied with his Relations Friends and other Guests which he hath invited and as well Men as Women goes to fetch the Bride to conduct her to Church The Bridegroom goes first in the middle of his nearest Relations the young Bachellors going two by two follow after him then the married men according to their nearness of Kin The Bride follows dressed as neatly as her ability and condition can permit wearing on the hinder part of her Head a little Crown of white Flowers or Diamonds sometimes of Oriental Pearls Two of her near Kinswomen lead her by the Hand then the Bride-maidens wearing every one of them a Crown like that of the Bride march after in the same order as the Bachellors The married Women come in after all the Nuptial pomp is shut up by the Servants of the Bridegroom or of the Bride which come the last carrying the Bread and Wine which ought to be presented to the Priest They come from Church in the same order as they went excepting only that the Bachellors conduct the Bride and the Maidens the Bridegroom In some places as soon as they are come from Church to the place where the Feast is prepared all the Relations Friends and Guests come thither bringing their Presents which they deposite in a great Charger sett before the new married Couple for that purpose the Violins and other Instruments playing all the while In some certain places they offer their Presents the next day after the wedding and in others they make none at all The Bridegroom never sits down with others at Table but the Bride sitting at the most honourable place he stands always behind her taking care to serve her and to order the dishes upon the Table After the feast the Bridegroom leads his Bride to dance the Bachellors and Maids continue the Ball as for the married men and women they conduct the new married Couple into their Bed Chamber which is made ready for them to lay down The Bride makes her self somewhat shy unwilling to be undrest but notwithstanding her forced resistance she is willingly constrained to yield to the force of them that have undrest her and resign her self into the arms of her Bridegroom for to consummate the Marriage and as they say for to gain the Dowry which hath been allowed her The next Day Morning the new Married People receive the Complements of all their Friends and Relations and even from their Neighbours and commonly the Bridegroom makes them some Presents At Paris the new married Woman receiveth her visits in her Chamber attired with all her Nuptial Ornaments sitting on a Bed of State all the Windows of her Chamber being shut up so that there is no Light at all in it but that which comes from Wax Tapers and Flambeau's At present the most part of Persons of any Quality are married in the Night time without any Ceremony or Pomp. The Spaniards differ very little from the French or Italians as to the Ceremonies of their Nuptials but only in this sottish Custom which they have as I conjecture retained from the Moor 's which were a long while Masters of their Country If in that Amorous Duel between the loving Combatants there happens any effusion of Blood upon the Sheets then they expose them at the Windows as a Trophy of the Womans Virginity which they call Virginita de la moucher But if by good chance as it befals very often the Combat hath been harmless and bloodless then they fairly supply that defect from else-where Formerly the Germans never
Sweet-Meats and some whole Muttons on that day for a Present But as soon as the Bridegroom goes out of Doors which happens ordinarily but at seven days end he then goes forthwith to buy some Fishes and bringing them Home he delivers them into the hands of his Mother or of some other Woman who immediately fling them all on the young married Womans feet as a fortunate Emblem of her future fruitfulness A Month after the Marriage the new married Womans best Friends send her great Pots full of Bread fried in Oil and whole Muttons ready rosted and the new married Man to retaliate their kindness invites them to a Feast If a Widdow be married again the nuptial Pomp is not so magnificent the Guests must then be contented with rost Mutton Beef and some boiled Hâ—ns They also sett before them a great wooden Platter charged with Porringers of Broth. As for the poorer sort of people they sett before their Guests a great wooden Charger of Broth thickned with Bread grated very small with thick Gobbets of Beef but they make use of no Spoons every one helps himself with his Hands The Inhabitants of the Kingdoms of Tunis and Algier marry but very few Women for they are bound by their Religion not only to divide the duty of Benevolence equally amongst them but also to allow every one of them a Chamber private to themselves The Husband doth also assign his Wife a Dowry and when the Man and the future Brides Relations are agreed about it then the Bridegroom sends her some Boxes of Sweet-Meats On the Wedding Day the Bridegroom Bride their Relations and Friends feast together in the Bridegrooms House They do not sit down upon Seats as we do at Table but lay along upon Turkey Carpets after the Feast they begin to danceafter the Moorish Fashion then the Bride mounts upon a Theater erected for that purpose and there makes a shew of her Bravery having sometimes her face all shining with Diamonds and other precious Stones About the Evening the Bride is conducted to her Nuptial Bed many Drums and Trumpets sounding before her then her Bridegroom follows who shutting the Door after him doth consummate the Marriage All the Women waiting at the Chamber Door for the Brides Linnen-Drawers which the Bridegroom brings them and having fastned them upon a Pole they carry them in great Triumph dancing and making great cheer The Woman after her Marriage keeps seven days within Doors but as for the Man he must go to bath himself which thing they ought always to do after Coition The Moors of Aegypt have many Wives which they keep in one Seraglio as so many Nuns in a Nunnery every one enjoying her private Room But as for the Morisques or Granadins expelled out of Spain called Moros Francos they have but one When the Moors of Egypt are passionately affected towards any Woman they use to testify their zealous Passion by slitting their Skin in several parts of their Bodies and so present themselves before their beloved Object Is she by good fortune chance to kiss her Hand at the sight of them they then presently conclude she hath hung out her white Flag wherefore they forbear attempting any more Assaults at the Breach looking upon the place a s good as surrendred already The Negroes of Jaloffa and Senega marry many Women but they have more respect for them that are better descended They are so civil towards their Women that they never overcharge their Ship but ha ving given them their sufficient Cargo never load them again till they be safe ly arrived to the Harbour which we call Safe Delivery The Inhabitants of Tartaria Deserta which are Subjects of the great Duke of Moscovy may have as many Wives as they can get and he that hath most of that kind of Cattel is reputed amongst them the most honourable Man and the most eminent Vir gregis The Tartars of Chersonesus otherwise called little Tartars may marry as many Women as their Law allowes them They most an end buy them of the Perigorts or Circassians They maintain them splendidly and are very courteous to them and especially to them that have brought them any Children They little regard Beauty or Riches in their Women but only their Fidelity and good Manners If they perceive their Slaves to be duely moralized they do not disdain to take them as their Wives From thence it comes to pass that their Wives are always very faithful and dutiful cautious of giving their Husbands any Offence living with them with singular comfort and Concord If any amongst them having promised Marriage to a Woman chance to fall sick unto Death he then sends for his betrothed Bride who is married with him by his Bed-side He also allows her a competent Dowry with all Houshold stuff fit for House-keeping and this they do upon the prospect of a future Life thinking they shall enjoy one another in the World to come THE Third Treatise Of Nuptial Rites or Ceremonies of Marriages practised amongst Idolaters and Pagans THE Indians are either Pagans Mahometans or Christians but as they observe the Ceremonies of Marriage prescribed by the Religion which they profess we will treat in this following Treatise only of those which remain even to this Day plunged in the woful Labyrinth of blind Idolatry and Paganism All the Indians in generall whether they be Christians or Idolaters make exceeding merry at their Weddings passing many Day 's and Nights in feasting singing and dancing As soon as the Instruments of Musick begin to play they dance round with little painted switches in their hands But as for the Pagans they are so exceedingly Barbarous that they bind their Women by promise upon Marriage that in case they over-live them they shall cast themselves headlong into their Funeral Pile there to be consumed to Ashes The Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Kunkam and Ballagatt contract Marriage when they are hardly come to the seventh Year of their Age but they use not to consummate it till they be eighteen They are very cautious of marrying below their Rank and Quality but their Women bring them little store of Riches For besides a few Jewels of inconsiderable value they bring them their dainty Marigold but not a Dram of Silver nor Gold. The People of the Kingdom of Bisnagar marry as many Women as they please but in case any of their Women be not pleased with their Husbands for want of their sufficient Dose or any other reason they then go to their King and presenting him with a piece of Gold he laying his Sword upon their Right Shoulder sets them at Liberty so that being divorced in that manner they may lawfully seek to mend their Quarters There be some in that Kingdom which consecrate their Daughters Virginity to a certain Idol so that as soon as they have attained to the tenth Year of their Age they are conducted with great Pomp by their Parents to the Temple and being come