Onset and planted his Artillery in his Queens Breach The People of the Kingdom of Siam may marry as many Women as they please They commonly buy them of their Parents they may also send them packing at their pleasure but they must maintain the Children which they have had by them The Womens Parents may also recal their Daughters to their own Houses provided they pay back again the Mony which they have received of their Husbands They that are Idolaters have the same Customs as those of the Kingdom of Pegu but those amongst them which profess the Mahometan principles are better civilized and moralized The Chinese bestow their Children in Marriage when they are very young and their Fathers contract them oftentimes when they are yet in their Mothers Womb. When any of them is to marry he appoints his future Bride such a Dowry as he is able to give her the Day appointed for the Wedding being come the Brides Father makes a sumptuous Feast to which all his Son-in-Law's Parents and Friends are invited The Day following the Bridegrooms Father doth do the same towards his Daughter-in-Law's Relations This Feast being ended the Husband bringing the foresaid Dowry before the whole Assembly delivereth it to his Bride who presently surrenders it into the hand of her Father or Mother which thing is done for to make them a part of amends for the Charges they have been at in her bringing up and Education and for this reason they that have most Daughters are commonly the wealthiest amongst them For the Parents make use of their Daughters Dowry and improve it not only for their own profit but also for the good of their Daughters because after their decease all the Dowry together with the Improvement returns to their Daughters for their and their Childrens Maintenance The Chinese may have as many Women as they please but their first Love is lookt upon as the only lawful Wife the others being reputed amongst them no better than Paramours or Concubines Wherefore they always live with the first but as for the others they maintain them in several other Places and in case they be Merchants they send them as Factors into their several places of Traffick They are forbidden by their Law to marry within any degree of Consanguinity and they are so strict as not to marry any Woman who beareth the same Sirname as themselves although she were of no Kin at all They esteem Beauty in Women far above their Extraction and an handsome Woman although like a Mushrom born upon a Dunghil is a dainty Dish for their palates As for the common sort of People amongst them they buy their Wives with ready Money and sell them again as soon as their Appetite longs for Variety Mendoza doth write that in some Provinces next adjacent to Tartary the Viceroys do prefix a certain limited time within which both Men and Maids are obliged to marry or else to confine themselves within the Walls of a Cloyster When the said prefixt time is come all that desire to marry and to be married come to a certain City appointed to them by their Governours for that purpose As soon as they are come thither they present themselves before twelve Commissioners elected by their King These Commissioners are commonly grave and the most ancient persons of the said City They take the Names and Sirnames of all Bachellors and Maids which come before them they enquire also into their Qualities and the Dowries which the Men are able to bestow upon their Women This being done they examine their Catalogue and finding more Men than Women or more Women than Men they cause them to draw Lots and by this means the supernumerary ones are cast back till the following Year Six of them twelve Commissioners divide the Men into three Companies Setting aside the Rich in the first the Middle sort of them in the second and the Poorest in the third Whilst that these six are making this Separation amongst the Men the other six are busy in making also a distinction amongst the Women distributing them into three Bands In the First they place them that are eminently Handsome In the Second them that are indifferently Comely And in the Third the Deformed and Hard-favoured by Nature This Division being made they bestow the Fairest upon the Rich men who in regard of that pay a certain Sum of Money limited by the Judges they then give the less Handsome to them of the Middle ability without paying any thing at all As for the Hard-favoured they become the portion of the Poorest sort of Men but withal they receive some Money with them for the Money which the Rich men have paid and deposited in the Judges Hands is distributed equally amongst them The Men being thus coupled with the Women they resort to some publick Houses appointed by the King in every City for that purpose which Houses are furnished with Beds and all things necessary for the new married Folks who remain there fifty days feasting dancing and making exceeding merry After which time all the Men instead of Cloak-bags carrying provision for their Cod-piece betake themselves to their respective Habitations The Nobles of that Country are not obliged to observe the Laws aforesaid but they marry when and whom they please The People of Javan marry usually but one Woman but they send her packing when they list and marry another As for their Women they may not leave their Husbands and take others unless they bestow themselves upon some great Lord who is willing to accept of them The Tartars which are Idolaters have many Wives which notwithstanding their Number live amongst themselves peaceably The First is always accounted the most honourable and her Children are preferred before any others If a Father chances to dye his Son may marry all the Women he leaves behind him his own Mother and Sisters only excepted They commonly marry their Sisters-in-Law after their Brothers Decease and they are very Jovial at every one of their Weddings The Inhabitants of the large Province of Tanguth together with those of the Kingdom of Catay may have as many Women as they are able to maintain These People are great admirers of Beauty and if they be never so rich they will purchase a handsome Woman at any rate although she be of never so mean Parentage They have sometimes to the Number of thirty Wives more or less according to their Abilities but the first is always the most regarded If any of their Women be morose or troubled with any other intolerable Qualities they presently pack her away to learn better Manners they marry their Kinswomen even as the Tartars do their own Mothers and Sisters onely excepted The People of Caindu have extraordinary Customs amongst themselves On their Wedding Day they will invite all sorts of Strangers which sojourn amongst them and leave them without any disturbance to solace themselves with their Brides And their Women like the Sport so well that
which the Young Man must allow his future Bride For the Parents never allow them any Portion at all which thing is also practised amongst the Eastern Christians This being done the future Bridegroom sends to the Maids Father or to her nearest Relations the Sum agreed upon to the end that a part of the said Sum be bestowed partly in Cloths and partly upon Houshold Goods according to the Quality of the Persons As for the Remnant of the Mony it must remain in the Hands of the future Bride or else she deposites it into the Hand of one of her own Kindred which she can best confide in But her future Husband may never call her to any account for it Now a day 's the Parents of both Parties contribute towards the Expences of the Wedding for they do think it more honourable to do so As for the future Bridegroom he maketh choice of one of his best Friends to invite his Guests and to take care of all the preparation of his Wedding and this man is called amongst them Sagois The future Bride is to remain always within doors her face covered with a Vail eight days before the Celebration of the Marriage and none of her future Husbands Relations may see her As for her Bridegroom he taking his Sagois along with him goes about to invite his Guests The Guests send every one their Presents to the Bridegroom the day before the Wedding The day before the Celebration of the Marriage the Bride is conducted by the Women to the Bath two or three of them washing and rubbing all her Body but especially her Parsley-Garden They also take a certain Powder called amongst them Elcana whereby they cause her Hair her Nails the inward parts of her Hands and Feet to become Red. This Bathing is reputed so Holy a Ceremony amongst them that when the Bride goes to the Bath she is accompanied with many Women of her Relations and Friends who march two by two before her every one of them holding a lighted Wax-Candle in their Hand The Wedding day being come the Bridegroom sends Presents to the Cady intreating him to draw an Instrument in writing concerning the Dowry which by Agreement he ought to allow his Bride This being done his Sagois accompanied with all the Guests go to the Brides House many Drums Trumpets Fifes and other Instruments sounding before them They all stay in the lower Court of the House then the Brides Father coming down with her delivers her into the custody of the Sagois who presently mounts her on Horse-back conducts her to her Bridegrooms House All the Relations and Friends of both Parties go afoot after her the Carts and Horses which carry her Goods and Houshold-stuff following in the Rear The Bride rides upon a Horse richly trapped her face being covered with a thin Vail and an Umbrello carried over their Head She is also waited upon by her Servants Chamber-maids and her Nurse who going a foot at her side shed tears for Joy bewailing her Virginity which is reduced to the last Extremity of being lost In the mean while as she rides along she with a little bowing of her Head salutes them whom she meets in the Streets Which thing no Woman dare do but upon her wedding Day Being come to her Bridegrooms Door the Sagois helps her down and her Bridegroom waiting for her at the Door conducts her to the Womens Appartment And after they have feasted plentifully they begin to dance merrily The ball being ended and the Guests retired to their respective Habitations the Sagois taking the Bride by the Hand leadeth her to the Nuptial Chamber and commits her to the custody of her Bridegrooms Eunuchs until he himself comes As soon as he is come after their mutual Civil Salutations he takes away her Veil and all her Cloths one after another but when he comes to unbutton and take down her Linnen-Drawers there will be a little fumbling and scuffling for she will be sure to shew some little willing Resistance The next day the Sagois comes to pay his Civilities makes them many drolling and frollick Questions As soon as the new-married Wife is up she taking some Women of her near Relations with her Chamber-maids goes to the Bath and having sufficiently duckt her self she returns to her Husbands House These are the Ceremonies which are practised amongst them of the better Quality It is a Common Custom amongst the Turks to marry three Sisters one after another provided that they have married the Eldest at first but if they began at the Youngest they may never marry her Eldest Sister The Arabians did formerly contract Marriage onely for a time prefixt and limited by mutual consent of both Parties And to the end that they might make some shew of Matrimonial Convention the Woman did present her Bridegroom with a Tent and a Dart for her Portion But the limited time being expired she fairly went her way looking for a fresher Customer Which Custome proceeded from the Inconstancy and natural Looseness in both Sexes which loved change and variety in such a a manner that a Woman was married in one place brought forth in another and bred up her Children in anothet without remaining long in any place all her life time The people of Arabia Felix had the Women common in every House The Man that came home at night first having sett a stick before the Door went to Bed with the Woman So that amongst them they never reputed any to commit Adultery but those who had to do with them of another Nation Now adays the Arabians take as many Wives as they please but they never put them away as the Turks do They also buy them with ready Money but they are very strict in not coupling themselves with any Women but them of their own Family or Alliance As for their Formalities of Nuptial Ceremonies they are the same with them of the Turks When the Persians go a wooing if they intend to signalize themselves for their Fidelity and passion towards their Mistresses they use to burn themselves in many places of their Bodies with some kind of Linnen which they sett on fire much like our Chyrurgeon's Causticks And being so burnt they come in this manner into their Mistresses Presence who have a care of sending them some Linnen or Pieces of Silk to bind and heal their Wounds And he that hath most Burnings on his Body is most esteemed amongst the Ladies and will sooner purchase their favourable acceptance They may marry many Women the Mechanicks may have seven and no more but their Nobles may have as many as they are able to maintain When a Person of Quality is to marry his Parents Relations and intimate Friends without Invitation resort to his House wearing his Liveries But if they be neither Relations nor Familiar Friends they may not then be permitted to wear them they only appear in their best Equipage The Bride comes out of her House riding on
Horse-back accompanied with the Women of her Relations and Friends gallantly mounted Many Instruments of Musick playing before them they go towards the the Bridegrooms House who also coming to meet them with his Friends on Horseback these two Squadrons joined together go back to the Brides House where they begin the Ball. The Ball being well begun two Gentlemen conduct the Bridegroom into the Brides Bed-chamber two Gentlewomen lead the Bride to her Bridegroom and resign her into his Armes About Midnight some old Women come down and bring a Linnen which they present to the Bridegroom's Relations if it appear blushing with the Beauty-Spots of a lost Maiden-head then they hug it as a precious Relick but in case it be Facies miris modis pallida then those same old Women bring away the Bride and the Bridegroom divorceth himself from her before the whole Assembly and having paid a very small Sum of Money to her Relations they presently carry her away Amongst the people of Cambaya Palandura and Maldivia this particular Ceremony is observed in their Marriages Both Parties being agreed the future Bride delegates a Man of her Fathers near Relations who hath power to represent her Person this Man goes with the future Bridegroom before the Pandiar or Priest and taking the Bridegroom by the Hand asks him whether he be willing to take his Kinfwoman for his lawful Wife upon such Terms and Conditions as have been propounded and concluded The Priest asketh the Womans Kinsman the same Question and both answering affirmatively then the Priest proceeds to the other Solemnities of Marriage the Relations of both Parties being present as witnesses of the Coniugal Knot This Solemnity being ended they all resort to the Brides House where she waiting for them receives them with all possible Civility and Demonstrations of Respect Then they are regaled many Instruments of Musick playing all the while they are feasting many Persons come to compliment the new-married Couple the Bride presenting them with Boxes of Betel They also send to the Pandiar two Larrins a Dish of the best Meat with a Box of Betel The new married Folks are obliged to send their Presents to their King and Queen according to their Ability But when the King himself is married all his Subjects are bound to send him their Presents Some send them Cloths some Robes others send him Turbans and others again only Fruits and Flowers The Men of the fore-said Countries may have three lawful Wives at one time if they be able to maintain them and if they live in the same Island he is bound by the law to divide amongst them the duty of Benevolence equally But this Law is not always observed amongst them The Women never bring their Husbands any Portion at all on the contrary the Husband must not only defray all the charges of the Wedding and provide them all things necessary but also settle upon them a Dowry which in their own Language is called Rans The Bachellours Marry when they please but as for the Maids their Parents bestow them upon the first that offereth any reasonable Terms when they have attained to ten or twelve Years of Age. But in case their Fathers be dead they then are accounted Orphans and they may not marry till they be fifteen When they present themselves before their Pandiar to be joined in Marriage he makes a strict scrutiny whether the persons be any way related to one another in Blood or in Milk. So that if he find that they used to call one another Brother or Sister only for love sake or else that they have sucked the same Nurse it is a lawful Impediment to obstruct their Marriage and their Priest dares proceed no further The Husband puts away his Wife when he pleases provided that the Woman give her consent to it but if shâ— refuses to agree to it he notwithstanding may put her away if he first pay her down her Dowry promised upon Marriage Through all the Island of Ceilan men may marry as many Women as they are able to maintain and Maids are commonly married as soon as they come to be ten or eleven Even as in the Islands of Cambaya Palandura and Maldivia The Mahometans of the Island of Javan may not have above four or five lawful Wives but they may take as many Concubines as they can maintain On their Wedding Day their Friends Slaves and other Menial Servants appear richly clad before the doors of the Bride and Bridegroom where they have set up many Pikes adorned with Fringes of white and red Cotton They also discharge several Volleys of Shot before the Door After twelve of the Clock the Bridegroom goes out to fetch his Bride with this following Pomp. First there are five or six men which carry five or six Basons hanging upon poles these men are accompanied with as many men which holding in their hands little Coco-sticks beat upon the said Basons After these follow four or five other men which carry long Drums which they beat with Switches or else with their Hands After these follow a great Train of Men which having some Basons hung to their Necks beat upon them continually as they march along These are followed with a great Number of Men which carry long Mattocks coloured with Red and adorned with Peacock's and Horses Tails Then come thirty or forty other Men armed with Darts Swords and Bucklers in their Buff-coats these armed Men march with great Pomp and many times making a Halt fight amongst themselves and sometimes dance for to divert the Spectators These last are followed with other Drummers immediately after these come a great company of Maids richly adorned some of which carry Baskets full of Flowers and rich Pictures others little gilded Boxes others carry little Coffers for to keep their Betel The married Women which follow the Maids do not come empty but march every one carrying all manner of Houshold-Stuff all which things are Presents which they bring to the Bride The Bridegroom comes out at last riding on horseback and richly attired having his Relations round about him well mounted on Palfreys This Nuptial Pomp is shut up with all the Guests which are invited to the Wedding all of them gallantly mounted This Cavalcade being come near the Brides House all the Drummers stand before he Door playing merrily but as for those which carry their Swords Bucklers and long Mattocks they order themselves on both sides of the Street making a Lane till this pompous Train be past The Bridegroom being come to the Brides door she stands ready to wait upon him who lighting off his Horse she having a Vessel full of Sweet Water and casting her self upon her knees doth wash his feet which being done she presently rising up takes him by the hand and conducts him into her own Appartment where having staid a little while to pay their mutual Civilitys the Bridegroom helping his Bride on her Palfrey they return to the Bridegrooms Dwelling in the