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.

THE Third Treatise. (Book 3)

Of Nuptial Rites, or Ceremonies, of Marriages practised amongst Ido∣laters and Pagans. (Book 3)

THE Indians are either Pagans, Ma∣hometans, or Christians; but as they observe the Ceremonies of Marriage pre∣scribed 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 Ido∣latry 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 be∣gin to play, they dance round with little painted switches in their hands. But as for the Pagans, they are so exceedingly Barba∣rous,

that they bind their Women by pro∣mise upon Marriage, that in case they over∣live them, they shall cast themselves head∣long into their Funeral Pile, there to be consumed to Ashes.

The Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Kun∣kam 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 suffi∣cient 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 Quar∣ters.

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 there the young Damsells Mother, with some other grave Matrons, go up with her to a Turret, where is erected a Statue about a Cubit high: They kneel down before it and perform their Idolatrous Devotions. After which the young Maid must embrace the said Statue three times; which being done, she must remain, all her life time, as pure a Vestal Virgin as ever served seven years Apprenticeship in our Whet-Stone Park.

Those of Canara observe the same Nup∣tial Ceremonies as those of Kunkan and Ballagatt.

The Inhabitants of Malabar, are divid∣ed into three Ranks viz into Bramins, Naires and Moucois: The Race of the Bramins is the most eminent and honourable amongst them; They also differ in their manner of Living, and enjoy considerable Prerogatives above the rest. They may marry two Wives, but never any which be inferiour to them in Quality: They marry very young when they are yet but seven or eight years of Age.

As for their Naires which are the Coun∣try-peasants they may not match with any

Women superiour to their Order and Qua∣lity, neither is it lawful for them to marry more than one Woman at one time; But as for their Women, the case is altered, for they may, if they please, enjoy three Husbands at once, all which are bound to contribute equally towards her and her Childrens maintenance. The first that comes in, leaving his Arms at the Door, enjoys her company, and they that come in after, are so civil as to withdraw and not to go in to her, untill the Coast be clear: So that there happens no Debate nor Quarrel, but they live amicably, every one of them Husbands having his Finger in her Pye Successively.

The Maids of Malabar are naturally very wanton and leacherous; wherefore the Noblemen of that Country are very careful to marry their Daughters betimes, lest for want of sufficient Toying and Riggling they should unhappily spring a leak: So that very few remain unmarried after fourteen Years of Age. But if they prove so unfortunate as to keep their Maiden∣heads after that time, then they may be∣wail their Virginity all the Days of their Life, for young Men look upon them to as be useless as old Almanacks.

They are very Jovial at their Weddings:

as soon as both Parties are agreed, they go to their Pagodes Temple, where they use to say some Prayers before their Priests. Fifteen days before the Wedding the Rela∣tions of both Parties conduct the future Bride every Day to the Bridegrooms house for several Days together; Who every one of those times treating them, conducts her back to her Parents House. All this is done with great Magnificence (according to the Abilities of the Parties) great store of that Countrey-Musicians attending, dur∣ing this whole Nuptial Festival. When the time of consummating the Marriage is come, the Virginity of the Bride is offer∣ed up to an Idol, or Pagode, (seated on a brazen Throne, of an horrid frightful Form,) which hath a sharp Bodkin of Gold or Silver fastned to his Privy-parts: On this the Bride is forcibly sett, and it, by reason of its sharpness, forceth great store of Blood to come. And if, though by her Husband, she proves with Child the first Year, they believe this Idol got it, and more highly esteem it: But, by reason of the Pain, the Priests, by enjoying them first, quit them from this Ceremony; and with∣out one of these two none are marryed. Their Samoryn's, or Kings, themselves not being exempted: Who, on this account, order

heir Sisters Children to succeed, as being more certainly of the Blood Royal. In these Countreys they change their Wives as of∣ten as they please, nor seem the Women displeased at it, Poligamy is so tolerable or rather acceptable: And as the Men are allowed many Wives, so one Woman is al∣lowed many Husbands, and the Issue be∣queathed as she nominates, The World affords not more obscene lustful Persons than the Naire's, using Provocatives to stir up the decaying heat of Nature: And as our European Gallants, by making the Hus∣bands drunk, sometimes attain their amo∣rous ends, so these Naire's act their Amours by the help of a certain herb, or Drug, cal∣led Deutroa (which infused, or otherwise taken, infatuates the Intellect,) the Poor Cuckolds being in such a Pickle as not to be sensible, though he sees before his Eyes ano∣ther plowing with his H••ifer.

In Nepapata (a Town upon the River Nega) the manner of their Marriages is extraordinary. For many times the Priest with a Cow, and the Man and Woman, go together to the Water-side, where the Bramyn first mutters a short Prayer, and then, linking their Hands about the Cows Tail, pours upon them all his hallowed Oil; and lastly forces the Beast into the River,

whereinto she goes willingly so far as till they be up to the middle in Water: Nei∣ther returns she, nor do they disunite, till the Waves advise them. Being come on shore they loose their hands; and hold that mysterious Tye forcible and sacred ever after.

In Cochin-China Polygamy is forbidden; the Women are modest, and differ not in Ap∣parell; all of them wearing over them a Veil of White Linnen: and indeed they are the civillest of all the Idolaters of those Countries, which, to say the truth, have no Wives, all Women being common amongst them.

They of the Kingdom of Bengala marry as many Women as they can maintain, but they are extreamly Jealous of them, where∣fore they keep them as close as our Euclio's do their Precious Jewels.

The Inhabitants of Pegu have extraordi∣nary Manners. These People, neglecting the natural use of Women, were formerly much addicted to the detestable Abominations of Sodom; wherefore, to obviate this Mis∣chief, one of their Queens was constrained to enact a Law that whosoever should be Le∣gally convicted of that Crime, he should be burned alive. She also ordained that Wo∣men should go with naked Neck and Breasts,

to the end that, exposing a Samplar of their Wares, they might the sooner allure Cus∣tomers. The Men of that Country are ve∣ry shy in their matching, and very fearful lest they should light upon a Crack-piece; for, to say the Truth, their Maids are ge∣nerally all Fire and Toe. They are scarce out of the Shell but their quick Oister will be gaping, wherefore their Mothers, knowing by Experience the common frailty of their Sex, (which is never found sure till it be sure bound,) When their Daughters are yet young, they use to stitch their lower Lips, leaving nothing but a small Orifice just fit to evacuate their natural Effluvium's. On the day of their Marriage their Mothers unstitch them in their Bridegrooms Pre∣sence, and rubbing them with some kind of Oil, they are well enough disposed to play at Putt, or else at Ombre. The Nobles, and other Persons of Gentile Extraction, repute it a disgrace to beat upon their Brides Anvils the first night of their Wedding: They hire some of their Friends for that Drudgery. Nay their King is so magnifi∣cent, that he will liberally reward the Va∣liant Champion, who hath couragiously demeaned himself in the first 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 Chil∣dren 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 a∣mongst them, which profess the Mahome∣tan principles, are better civilized and mo∣ralized.

The Chinese bestow their Children in Mar∣riage 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 in∣vited: The Day following, the Bridegrooms Father doth do the same towards his Daugh∣ter-in-Law's Relations. This Feast being ended the Husband, bringing the foresaid Dowry before the whole Assembly, deliver∣eth it to his Bride, who presently surren∣ders

it into the hand of her Father or Mo∣ther; which thing is done for to make them a part of amends for the Charges, they have been at in her bringing up and Educati∣on, and, for this reason, they that have most Daughters are commonly the wealthiest a∣mongst 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 Daugh∣ters, for their and their Childrens Mainte∣nance.

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 o∣thers, 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 Pro∣vinces next adjacent to Tartary, the Vice∣roys 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 mar∣ry and to be married, come to a certain City appointed to them by their Govern∣ours for that purpose. As soon as they are come thither they present themselves before twelve Commissioners elected by their King: These Commissioners are common∣ly 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 Wo∣men: 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 se∣cond, 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 Wo∣men, distributing them into three Bands: In the First they place them that are emi∣nently 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 Mid∣dle 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, appoint∣ed by the King in every City for that pur∣pose, 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 re∣spective Habitations.

The Nobles of that Country are not ob∣liged 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 be∣stow 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 Bro∣thers 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 King∣dom 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 hand∣some 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 e∣ven as the Tartars do, their own Mothers and Sisters onely excepted.

The People of Caindu have extraordina∣ry 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 Wo∣men like the Sport so well, that they set a Token at their Doors, and never take it down till they are all departed, and then their sottish Cuckolds may have free Access.

They of Cascar are as much given to that silly piece of Hospitality towards Stran∣gers as those of Caindu, for they are never jealous, if Strangers partake never so largely

of their Pyes; so that they may have a Fin∣ger in it in due season. If a man be absent from his Habitation twenty days the Wo∣man may marry another Husband: The Men may likewise do so in their Wives Ab∣sence.

The Canarins, which inhabit the Island of Goa, worship a certain Idol like a Wo∣man all naked: When they have a mind to bestow their Daughters in Marriage, upon any Man, the Parents use to conduct their Daughters towards that Idol, where they perform their antick Devotions, after which they are bestowed upon them that promise the most. As for their Nuptial Rites and Ceremonies of Marriage, we have made mention of them before, when we treated of the Solemnities of the Marriages used amongst the Christians of the City of Goa.

The Negroes of Africa, Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Serroliana have, in every Town and City, a large House, like a Nun∣nery, appointed for young Maids to dwell in together, and to be instructed in all manner of Civil Deportment, and good Housewifery. They have there several grave Matrons, with a Venerable old Man, who is President over all, that have a spe∣cial care of these Probationers. At the Years end these young Maids come out together,

as fine as their Hands can make them, and coming to the most publick Place of the City they dance there at the Sound of se∣veral Sorts of Instruments. Their Parents are there present, and the young Bachel∣lors resort thither as to a Fair; every one making his choice of her he liketh best, but he must pay something to her Father before he can have her away. He must also bestow some Gratuity upon the President of the said Place, in consideration of his Care for her Entertainment and Education: Which being done, without any more Complements, every one carrieth away his own Bride to his Lodging, where they make very mer∣ry.

In the Kingdom of Guinney, as soon as their Sons are come to Maturity of Age, the Parents go a Wooing for them and bring them Women, which their Children are obliged to accept of, although they never saw their Faces before. The Maids Parents give her fourteen ounces of Gold for her Portion; And this Custom is so strictly ob∣served amongst them, that even their petty Kings allow no larger Portion to their own Daughters, excepting only that they allow them some Slaves to wait upon them E∣very Maid, that is to be married amongst them, must take her Oath that she shall be

dutiful to her future Husband, and that she shall never violate her Conjugal Fidelity: As for the Men they never use to require any such Oath from them.

Moreover if, after their Marriage, the Man hath been so thrifty a Husband as to have got Wealth sufficient for the main∣tenance of another Wife, he may take a∣nother, provided that the former give her Consent to it. He must also allow her a certain weight of Gold for her Good will: So that he may afterwards marry another, but she is reputed rather as his Concubine, than as his lawful Wife; and when this second Wife begins to grow in Years, he casts her off, as an Almanack out of Date, and marries another. He notwithstanding is obliged to keep always the First, who is the only Mistress, having the Command over all his Family.

The People of the Empire of Monomo∣tapa in the lower Ethiopia, marry as many Wives as they can maintain, but the for∣mer is always lookt upon as the most Ho∣nourable, and her Children only may chal∣lenge every one a part of their Parents In∣heritance: As for the other Women they are bound to wait upon her and observe her Directions and Commands. No man may marry a Maid until she be capable of Con∣ception:

Wherefore as soon as the Parents perceive any such Marks by their Daugh∣ters, they make very merry in their Fami∣lies. The Maids go naked till almost that time, but when they are to marry, they then put on thin Cloths made of fine Cot∣ton; and afterwards, when they have bore any Children, they cover their Breasts with a Piece of Woollen Cloth.

The Inhabitants of the Island of Zocotora in Africa marry as many Women as they please, and when they have their Belly-full of them, they drive them to the Market, where they truck them for others, as we do our Cattel.

The People of Canada may, if they please, take many Wives, they notwith∣standing are well contented with one only.

As for them of Samaya they have many, not so much for to satiate their appetite, as for to increase their Grandeur; for they re∣pute it honourable to have many Friends, Allies and Children. The Fathers bestow nothing upon their Daughters: on the con∣trary he that will have any of them, must make some Presents to the Maids Parents, according to her Quality and Beauty. They make great Solemnities at their Weddings: For besides Feasting, Balling and Dancing, they make Nuptial Harangues & Epithala∣miums,

if any married Woman be surprised in Adultery, both she and her Ruffian are in great Jeopardy of their Lives. But as for their Maids, they are very favourable to∣wards them; for they repute their Instru∣ments never the more jarring, or the less Musical, although their jolly Gallants have plaid never so many Courants upon their Fiddles before Marriage.

Amongst the People of Florida no man is permitted to marry above one Wo∣man, their Kings and Nobles only except∣ed; who may have two or three Wives, but upon this condition, that the First shall be always esteemed as the Lady-paramount amongst the other, and that her Children a∣lone shall challenge their Parents Honours and Inheritances. Their Women are very thrifty Houswives, very careful to improve every thing to the best advantage of their Families, and never use to lie with their Husbands after Conception.

As for the Islanders of Cuba, before their Island was depopulated, they married ma∣ny Women, but they did use to leave their Wives at pleasure, the Women also using the same Liberty. Their Caciques marry as many Women as they list, but they have this Custom altogether extraordinary, which is, that when any of them is married, all

the Men that are invited to this Wedding, are obliged to try their Manhoods upon the Bride▪ This Custom is observed not only amongst the common Sort of People, but also amongst them of the best Quality.

The People of Mexico, before they had embraced the Christian Faith, were married in this manner. The Bridegroom and Bride went together to their Idol Temple, and pre∣sented themselves before the Priest who, tak∣ing them both by the hand, did desire them to let him know their pleasure; which having known, he presently took a Corner of the Vail, wherewith the Brides Head was cover∣ed, and fastned it to the Corner of the Bridegrooms Gown; and being so bound to∣gether conducted them to the Brides House, where a great Fire was made ready; & being come near that Fire, the said Priest led them seven times about it. After which Ceremony the Marriage was ended, and then they betook themselves to Feasting.

The Inhabitants of Civola, otherwise called New Granada, never marry but one Woman at once, but they take the liberty to send her away at pleasure, and marry another; the Women also enjoy the same Priviledge, for in case their Husbands be not so liberal and kind-hearted, as to spare from their own Bellies to put it into theirs, then all the Fat is in the

Fire, & they will presently seek better Masters.

The People of Cumana use to send their young Daughters to their Piaces, or Priests, to be instructed by them, and to learn their Duty towards their future Husbands. The Nobles of that Country take as many Wives as they please, & are so extraordinary Cour∣teous towards Strangers that they, standing at their Doors, will invite Passengers, whom they not only delight to regale at their Tables, but will bestow their fairest Women upon them also to solace them at Night.

They of Paria, may also have many Wives, but the First married is always the Chief among them. They of the meanest Sort have commonly three or four, but when they begin to be old, they turn them off, and take others more young: The Priests afterwards instruct them, according to the customs of those of Cumana.

The Inhabitants of Caribe marry after the same fashion, only, the day of the Marriage and some days after, they bring out the new married Bride into the Woods with a mighty Noise, driving and killing all they meet.

The Topinanboes, Inhabitants of Brasil, in the South parts of America, when they marry, respect only the first degree of Father, Mo∣ther, Brother, Sister, Son and Daughter; for there the Uncle may freely marry his own

Niece. They take so many Wives as they please, and the more they have, the more valiant and vigorous are they esteemed. Though they have one they chiefly love, yet the rest are not at all Jealous, or at least dis∣cover it not, for they labour in their Imploy∣ments, and live together in Peace. As for Ceremonies, they have none, save that he who comes to see a Maid, or other Woman, desires her of her Father, or nearest Relation and (after having discovered their Suit, and got their Consent) takes her along with him as his Wife. It's ordinary amongst them, chief∣ly those of Quality, to promise their Daugh∣ters in Marriage, when they are very young; and afterwards give them to those, to whom they are promised, who take them according to the Custom of the Country. The Husband may repudiate, and put away, his Wife at pleasure, when she offends him: And like∣wise when the Wife designs to part from her Husband she tells him (in their Tongue) I'll have no more to do with thee, I'll go search for another. The Husband (without troubling himself) answers, Escoain, go where thou wilt. The Woman may give her self imme∣diately to another Man, having the same Pri∣viledge to put away her second Husband.

The Inhabitants of Peru, before they be∣come Catholick, have many Wives, but of

those there is but one whom they reckon the Lawful Wife. The Bridegroom on the day of Marriage went to her House and, bringing her to his own Habitation, he did put on her Feet some kind of open Shoes made with a sort of Rushes, which be called, in their own Language, Ottoya; which being done, she was honoured as the Mistriss-paramount, all the other Women Concubines obeying and serving her, and the Issue of her Body was onely capable of Inheritance.

The Itatins and Varack's, inhabiting the Country of Sancta Cruz, did likewise marry as many Women as they could maintain: An Uncle doth oftentimes marry his own Neece. When their Daughters are yet but twelve Months old, their Parents look for Husbands for them, they also choose him that is next of Kin in the second degree. The Parents hav∣ing thus made choice of a Husband for their Daughter, they go to his Habitation, present∣ing him with a Bow and Arrows, and a Mat∣tock▪ as Pledges of the Matrimonial Contract; If the said Person accepted of them, he is looket upon as the Son-in-law, and is present∣ly conducted to his Father-in-Laws house, there to remain and manage the businesses of his Family, until his future Bride hath at attained to Maturity of Age. But in case that a young Man hath any Affection for a Maid

which never was offered to him, he then makes his application to her Parents, and presenteth them with a bundle of Sticks: If they receive it, it is an evident token that they are well pleased with his motion, and presently they admit him into their own House. As soon as a Woman is married a∣mongst them, her first care is to make two winding Sheets, one for her Husband and the other for her self: A commendable Example for all Christians to follow; the remembrance of our Mortality being a prevalent Antidote against all pestilential Diseases of the Soul.

In Guiana otherwise called Nova Andalu∣sia, the common Sort of People must be con∣tented with one Dish, but as for their Nobles they may enjoy Variety of Women; they have the same Marriage-Ceremonies, as those of Peru. But, as England is esteemed the Para∣dise of Women, so on the contrary that Country is their Purgatory; for Women are put to all manner of Drudgery, their conditi∣on being little better than our common Ser∣vants, or Chamber-Maids.

There is a kind of People in Syria called Druses, which some Authors have reckon'd amongst Christians, but which are neither Jews nor Christians, but rather a Crew of Barbarous Mongrels; for they marry their Mothers Daughters and Sisters without any

regard at all: The reason they alledge for this Barbarous brutality is, that they have begotten Children for their own use, and not for others, and that no body ought to forbid them the enjoyment of that which is Naturally their own. They have some Holy Days in the year, wherein their Men and Women assemble themselves in a publick place, where they are extreamly Jovial, for after their Feasting and Balling, they begin another kind of Dance, borrowing one anothers Wives.

The Eastern Japannois, otherwise called Wild Lopps, contract Marriage in this man∣ner: The day of the Wedding being come, all the Bridegrooms Friends, and Relations, resort to his Tent, and being gathered together, the Bridegroom goes to his Brides Tent, and brings her to his own; where being come, he in the presence of all the assembly, taking a Steel with a Flint, strikes Fire with all his force, and the more Fire appears, the more fortunate they judge him, looking upon that as a happy Presage of his future Prosperi∣ty: This Ceremony ended, the Marriage is con∣cluded. Then they cause the Bride, clothed with Zibellins and Hermines, to be sett upon a tamed Boar; the Bridegroom, being clothed with Bear Skins, goes a foot by her side, all their Relations following with joyful Accla∣mations, wishing them all Prosperity, and a

numerous Off-Spring. Being come to their Tent they feast and dance, which being done, they begin to sing the Elogium's of their deceased Hero's, and eminent Captains, renowned amongst them for their valorous Atchievements in Warlike affairs. As soon as they have made an end of their Songs, the Bridegroom▪ Bride, and all their Guests, cast themselves on the ground, in a pitiful man∣ner, weeping, sobbing and lamenting the frailty of their Nature and Mortality. About half an hour after, the Instruments begin a∣gain to play, and every one rise up to renew the Dance.

In the South part of the World, commonly called Magellanica, when a Man hath Affect∣ion for a Woman, he goes to her Relations, to ask them their good will; which having obtained he, without any further Ceremony, takes her along with him, and they Cohabit together like Husband and Wife. Their Re∣lations assemble themselves the next day for to feast and make merry; after that the Brides Relations offer her some Presents, which the Bridegroom receiveth with thankfulness: The Women amongst them practise the same Trade as their Husbands. If any of them chance to ring Changes, and play foul with another Man; then her Husband sends her away to her Parents, who presently shave off all the Hair

of her Head; and in case she, turning a Con∣vert, will return to her Husband, he not∣withstanding never will vouchsase to honour her with his Bed, but she must rest contented to serve him, and do all manner of Drudgery.

Having performed my task (gentle Reader) and, as I hope, in part contented thy Curosi∣ty about these Nuptial Ceremonies; a part of which Ihave been a Witness to, & of others have received credible Informations from sun∣dry grave Authors and Travellers: Nothing remaineth, but that I Pray the God of all U∣nity and Concord, in Mercy to heal all our Breaches, to the end that our Church may appear like a Bride, all Glorious within, rea∣dy to attend upon Christ her Bridegroom, to whom with the Father, and Holy Spirit, be all Honour and Glory, World without End.

Amen.

FINIS.