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THe Giachi, their Ornament, is to have their Lips branded with red hot Irons, especially their up∣per Lips, and so make streakes and lines in them.
The Indians have their nea∣ther
The Macuas not farr from Macambique,
among other notes of their gallantry, have holes in their Lips, in the upper of which they
The effigies of the King of Quo∣niambec, which Aldrovandus exhibits, hath some alliance to this affectation.
In that town which was governed by Quital∣bitor under Muteczuma, King of that Province of
the West-Indies, the men bore whatsoever space remaineth between the uppermost part of the neather Lip and the roots of the teeth of the lower chap; and as we set Pretious stones in Gold to weare upon our fingers, so in the hole of the Lip, they weare a broad plate within, fastned to another on the outside of the Lip, and the Jewell they hang thereat, is as great as a silver Caroline Dollar, and as thick as a mans finger; The Relator saith, he doth not remem∣ber, that ever he saw so filthy and ugly a sight, yet they think nothing more fine and comely un∣der the circle of the Moone.
In Dominica the Women have their lips bored as an especiall note of bravery.
The women of Surucusis, have Chrystall of a skie colour hanging at their Lips.
The Inhabitants of Malhada, have the neather Lip bored, and within the same they carry a
piece of a thin cane, about halfe a finger thick.
The Farrupi Marriwini, towards the high∣land of India, have also holes through their nea∣ther Lips.
The people on the southward of Tinda and Gambra, are reported to weare iron rings through their Lips.
The ancient
The better sort of Aegiptian wo∣men weare rings of gold or silver throgh both ends of their mouths, and in their under Lip, hanging rich Pearles and pretious stones to them; They thinke themselves not worthy to live, unlesse they weare their badges: wherein the baser sort coun∣terfeit these betters.
The Inhabitants of St. Croix of the Mount, pierce their neather Lip, at which they hang something which they thinke is very handsome.
In Pegu, the men make holes in their Lips, in which they put Turquoises and Emeralds.
holes both above and under their Lips, some∣times besides their mouth through the cheeks, wherein they thrust small bones, which they esteeme a beautifying.
The Inhabitants of the Cape of Good-Hope, have their lower lip bored, and in the hole they put little stones, that their Lip seems beset with gems.
In Perviana also they weare jewels in their Lips.
A little from Gambra in Africa, as an ensigne of Nobilitie and greatnesse, the men and women weare rings in their Lips, which when they eat their meat, they take away, putting them in and out at pleasure.
The men and women at the Cape of Lopo Gon∣salves, weare rings in their Lips; some thrust small hornes or teeth through the holes and weare them so, which they think to be a great Ornament unto them. Others bore a hole in their neather Lip, and play with their tongues in the hole, so that they seeme to have two mouths, and this is the least part of their cruell bravery.
The Brasilians have their Lips bored, wherein they weare stones so big and long, that they reach to their breast, which makes them shew filthy fine, which yet as another notes, is not practised by the women. They bore holes in their boies under-Lips, wherein they stick sharp bone, as white as Ivory, which they take out and put in as often as they will, and being older they take away the bones, and instead thereof weare great Jasper stones, being a kind of bast∣ard
Emraulds, inwardly flat
Maginus saith, that the Brasileans as a pleasant phantasie, wherein they take singular delight, have from their tender age, long stones of no va∣lue inserted in their lower lip onely, some in their whole face, a cruell sight to behold.
The selfe-same fashion is in request among the Margajates of Brasil, yet not practised by the wo∣men.
These Nations have generally richer faces then our Drunkards, although (it may be) they cost as much the setting on, and it is generall almost with these Barbarians, that they had rather weare stones then cloaths upon their bodies. The Lips were ordained for the cover of the mouth, given us to defend the teeth, and cavity of the mouth, while they shut it from cold and externall injuries, for their office is first to have the custody of the teeth. For since the
teeth and their nerves are cold, they would be much hurt, if they were exposed to the cold aire, and not defended by the counterskarfe of the lips, a benefit of Nature, which these Nations seeme to reject. Their second use is by their softnesse to temper the hardnesse of the teeth, for they are thin and flexible, that they might be rendred more apt for motion, and more ha∣bile for the letting out and intercision of aire, and they distinguish the refracted voice between the teeth, and purgeth aire that is to be drawn into the inward parts, and insomuch as they cover the mouth: they also add much Ornament unto the face, whence they who have lost their Lips, that the gums are seen, prove deformed; and for a Nation to affect such a de∣formity, is a strange solicisme, committed against the honesty and justice of Nature. They helpe to retaine spittle in the mouth, lest it should continually flow out, as it happens in decrepit men and children, whose Lips are soft and resolved: as also they help the re∣jection of spittle; both which actions are frustrated and destroyed by the defacing fashion of the bored Lips, so shamefully worne by some of the recited Nations. They were given for the pouring out of speech, and forming of the voyce, which must needs be hindred by their practise, which with rings and Jewels play at such losing loadum with their Lips: they are given to all creatures, for the commoditie of eating and drinking, which these by their filthy fine∣nesse somewhat impeach; and therefore some of them are so well advised, as to yield to the necessitie of Na∣ture, and to unloade their Lips when they eat.
These naturall uses of the mouth, some other Nations seem not to understand, or else are wil∣fully ignorant of that freedome, which the law of Nature affords in the use of it. For the Nu∣midians, of the better sort, cover their heads with a piece of black cloath, part whereof like a visard or maske, reacheth down over their fa∣ces, covering all their countenance except their eyes; so oft as they put meat into their mouths they remove the said maske; which being done, they forthwith cover the mouth againe, allead∣ging this fond reason: For (say they) as it is un∣seemly for a man after he hath received meat in∣to his stomack, to vomit it out of his mouth againe and cast it upon the earth; so it is as undecent a part, to eat meat with a mans mouth uncovered: with whom it seems the covering of the mouth is ob∣served with equall modesty, as the covering of the feet by the Jews: had Nature expected any such com∣plement, shee would have made a flap or cover for the mouth, which the fondnesse of these men seems to have desired, neither would shee have seated the mouth in so eminent, open, and conspicuous a place.
But this is nothing so derogating from the honestie of Nature, as the fond conceit of the Azanegi, who cover their mouths, being as much ashamed to discover them, as their privities: therefore they carry about their mouth, right as a shamefull part, because forsooth the mouth, as a sinke, alwaies sends forth some evill savour, neither doe they uncover it, unlesse when they eat.
The Guineans take their meat torne in pieces with the three midmost fingers; and gaping, cast it
so right into their mouths, that they never faile, or cast it besides: a thing much wondred at by some Travellers that observed them.
Had Nature made the hands too short to reach their mouths, they might have pleaded necessity for this pitch-cat-like feeding: but the hands, as Ana∣tomists well observe, were so placed, and endowed with such a length, that they might equally reach the mouth on either side. Answerable to which absurdity is the custome of the people of Candou Island, who use finger-spoones, using no other for any liquid thing, nor rice, nor honie, but take them with their fingers, which they doe so neatly and nimbly, without losing any thing; for they account it the greatest incivilitie in the world, to let any thing fall in eating.
In Fesse also and Barbary, finger-spoons are in fashion.
They of Goa also, eate their pottage with their hands, mocking at the use of spoons, as if they were uncivill.
Indeed the people of Numidia, eat out of their fist, and the hand the naturall dish out of which they drink their milke, as a most fit instrument framed by nature for that end. Whence Dioge∣nes of old, perceiving one to drink water out of his hand, threw away his dish; a good honest frugall invention, no way contradictorie to the intention of Nature, for they advance it up to the Lips. But although Nature may seem to have intended the hand for a dish; yet there is more doubt to be made, whether she intended the fingers for spoons to that dish, and to have
allotted five spoons to every dish. But it is plain by the full length and position of the hand, (con∣trarie to the Grobian law) that Nature never in∣tended the hand to be as a forke to pitch meat as unchopt hay into the mouth.
They of Goa, and other of the Malabars, drinke out of a copper Can with a spout, whereby they let the water fall down into their mouths, and ne∣ver touch the pot with their Lips, for that they abhorre.
They of Goa use for their drinking, certaine thin vessels made of black earth, the which are pierced in the neck, they call them Gargoleites; for that he that drinketh lifteth up the vessell, and not touching it with his Lips, receives the water by those little holes, the which doth gozle and make a pleasing noise. They hold this manner of drinking more civill, to the end they defile not the cup with their mouths, which are sometimes uncleane. They that come newly out of Portu∣gall, and will drinke after this manner, spill much water upon their cloaths, for that they know not how to use the cup: they call such men Reynolze in mockage, You may finde this plea∣sant relation very largely and handsomely re∣presented in Lindschotens Travels.
I remember I saw a porter (whom I had imployed) drink up a flagon of beere with his hand held very high from his lips, without ever so much as gulping for the matter. Which I taking notice of, he told me he had been among the Malabars, where if he should have gulped or have drunk any otherwise he might have had his throat cut.
Cardan remembers, that when he was a boy, he saw a certaine German (a Colonell) who was wont to drinke downe wine with an unmoved throat; But he rangeth it among other very admirable properties of some men. But it seems our Malabars thinke that Nature gave us not lips to drink with, as Anatomists informe us, neither would our proverbe, many things happen between the cup and Lip, be ever endeni∣zed among them, who never let the cup and Lip meet.
The Tovopinambaultians, when they drink they never eat, and when they eat they never drink, and they wonder at our custome who eat and drinke toge∣ther by turnes: And if any should compare them in this to horses, the answer was made by a witty fel∣low, that there is a difference; for the Barbarians need not to be led to water, since there was no feare, that they should be constrained to break their halters. Frenchmen, who never drinke, but they eat, would make an excellent medly with these men at a Banquet or Potation. Surely these Tovopinambaultians ad∣here to the old assertion, a popular tenent in our daies, exploded by the learned Enquirer into com∣mon errors; that there are different passages for meat and drink, the meat or dry aliment descending by one the drink, or moistning vehicle by the other: which contradicteth experience, and the Theorie of Anatomie and the use of parts; for at the throat there are two cavities or conducting parts, the one the Oeso∣phagus gullet, or feeding channell, seated next the spine, a part officiall unto nutrition, the other (by which is conceived the drink doth passe) is the wea∣zon rough arterie or windpipe, a part inservient to the voice, and respiration; for thereby the aire de∣scendeth
into the lungs, and is communicated unto the heart. Againe, besides these parts destined to divers offices, there is a peculiar provision for the windpipe, that is a Cartilagineous flap upon the opening of the Larinx or throate, which hath an open cavitie for the admission of the aire; but least thereby either meat or drink should descend, providence hath placed the Epiglottis, Ligula, or flap, like an Ivie leafe, which alwaies closeth when we swallow, or when the meat and drinke passeth over it into the gullet, lest any should slide into the rough arterie, or some crumb (as we use to say) should goe awry. And the contrivance of Natures artifice in this flap is very remarkable; which being rigid and erect by Nature, by reason of its firmer and stricter connexion in the hollow of the bone Hyoides, it is alwaies deteined erect by the inter∣vening of a thicker ligament, by reason of the necessi∣ty of respiration, wherein our life consists, whereby the pipe of the rough arterie remaines open, lest the heart should be suffocated, notwithstanding being flex∣ible, that it might perfectly shut the chinks upon which it is recalled, when wee swallow our meat and drink, by whose weight it is depressed, lest any thing during the time of eating and drinking should fall into the wea∣zon, having swallowed them, presently like a spring it is lifted up, and returnes to its posture: so that if we speake in the very act of eating or drinking, that will be enforced to open, to let out the matter of speech, which is the breath, and so exposed; If any meat or drink imprudently fall into the Arterie, it straightwaies strangles or excites a cough, untill by the force of the breath it be ejected, because that thing de∣scending, hinders respiration, and so consequently
speech; wherefore Nature necessarily riseth up to the expulsion of it. And this is the reason why a man cannot drinke and breathe at the same time, and that if we laugh while we drinke, the drink flies out at the nostrils, and why; when the water enters the weazon, men are suddenly drowned. Verily these men answer not the intention of Nature, neither cherish their bodie so well as otherwise they might. And they had need feed very warily and silently (as they doe) for meat being in its own Nature corpulent, compact and grosse, and sometimes devoured in greater gobbets then is ex∣pedient, sometimes being harder as not well chawed, sometimes gluttinous and clammy, and therefore apt to stick in the gullet; for many times the meat when it is not well shread is deteined in its passage: And to remove downward this deteined Bolus, we stand in need of drink; and therefore drink may not be only esteemed the Vehicle of aliment through the most narrow regions of the veines, but its Vehiculum in all places; and not onely through the whole gullet, but also where the meat descends from the gullet into the stomack, by the benefit of this liquid vehicle it is carried through the whole bottom of the ventricle, and runs out also to the right side. On the other side the gullet is soft and not open, as the rough artery is, but easily fals upon it selfe, and staies the descent of meat, which otherwise, it was convenient should descend as soone as may be, as well for the compression of the adjacent parts, as the sto∣mack, lest it should delay the concoction of the meat. And although Nature not thinking fit to commit this necessary action, to the weight onely of the meat, whereby it is moved of it selfe, would have it mo∣ved of another: and notwithstanding that the gullet
moveth the meat into the stomack by naturall instru∣ments, that is by streight Fibres not only attracting it, but thrusting & pressing it down by transverse Fibres; yet shee hath ordained withall a muscle (to wit an in∣strument of the soule, which by a voluntary motion drives and thrusts down the meat into the stomack) and this muscule is seated at the beginning of the gul∣let, having a transverse or orbicular position and laid over the gullet, it comprehends it and drawes it together; and by constringing, thrusts the meat forcibly into the stomack, pressing it downe and dri∣ving it forward. Therefore when the meat, thrust from the mouth to the beginning of the gullet, and streightned in and compressed by the transverse mus∣cule, and being constrained to passe by the gullet, and forthwith attracted by the right Fibres, and by a conveniency of qualitie of the ventricle, and driven forward, and in a manner compress'd or altogether compress'd by the transverse Fibres, comes streight in∣to the stomack; the action of the gullet, that is de∣glutition, is performed and consummated, the action being animall and partly Naturall. And that this stronger motion is required in the top of the gullet, the Larinx is the cause, which being of a thick body cartilagineous and rigid, and placed at the be∣ginning of the gullet, it had altogether hindred the ingresse of meat into the gullet, unlesse Nature had here constituted a muscule; the opifex of deglutition; neither would this muscule suffice, by reason of the thick and hard body of the Larinx, opposed unto the gate of the gullet, unlesse the Larinx at the instant of deglutition should recurve it selfe upward, and un∣locke the compressed mouth of the stomack; for it ap∣peares,
that when the meat doth recurve the La∣rinx side-way to the Epiglottis, and shuts the chink, prohibiting the breath to issue out, then that the chink may be opened, and respiration made, the La∣rinx as it were compelled, ascends upwards, and so the gullet gapes: neither doth it ascend only up∣wards, but it is moved and deduced outward and for∣ward, and drawes together with it the gullet forward and outward, therby to draw back and free it from the compressure of the spine, and open it in its orifice, and so the meat easily enters into it, and in the ingresse the transverse muscule riseth up to its work. Yet as Brasavola notes, there are many that drink without the moving of Transglutition; but that which they drink descends as if it were poured into a tankard, as the nurse of his eldest son Renatus was wont to doe. In this case they need no mandent member. But he saies this is rare and besides Nature; as it is besides Nature to have any action vitiated, for that happens but rarely to men.
These are the only men who seem able to deny that the gullet or inner pipe of the Neck, the meat-pipe or viand-pipe hath any publike action, and that it is the way and passage onely, and doth nothing but as it is pervious and hallowed along, therein it affordeth a way and passage to the meat. But action is a motive action, which is brought forth of it selfe, and it is not an action, or to doe, to be a way, but only a use, which is in all that doe nothing. If the gullet should act, its action would altogether consist about meat and drink; but if it carry the unconfected meat, it works nothing upon the meat, and therefore there is no action of the throat: Yet in the judgment of the best
Anatomists, it hath a publick action, which altoge∣ther respects meat and drinke: and it is a way, inas∣much as it is hollowed, but unlesse it should act that way (in sooth) would be unprofitable and vaine: Yet we must confesse, that drinke perchance by reason of its thin and fluxile substance, would flow down∣wards; although it is well knowne, that matter is not traduced thorough the body, as it were by stone-gutters, but is dispenced and moved by faculties. Now al∣though these men cherish not Nature so well as o∣therwise they might, yet the silence which they observe in eating, is very admirable and suitable to the cautio∣nary provision of Nature; for they deferre their conference untill some other time: We (saith the Relator) who violate their custome by mixing words with our meat, were laughed at by them; and in∣deed by their Symposiack silence they better secure themselves in this point then we doe: For although eating and speaking be both common actions of the mouth, yet Nature cannot mind all things together, but would have us hoc agere; and therefore the method of the diverb is good: First stridor Dentium, then altum Silentium, and last rumor Gentium; Which in Festivals adjournes discourse, untill the belly be full, at what time men are at better leasure, and may more securely venture upon table talke. The observation of which Naturall rule, might have saved Anacreons life, who endangering himselfe this way, died by the seed of a Grape.
In Candou Island, the people have a fashion, that while they eat, none dare spit or cough, but they must rise and goe forth, contrary to the practicall rule of the Grobians, and indeed some∣what
against the freedome and libertie of Na∣ture, although indeed these actions are some∣what importune and unwelcome guests at Feasts.
Lip-gallantry.
Lindschoten.
Montaignes Essaies.
Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.
Aldrovandus menstr. Hist. fol. 108.
Peter Mart. Decad. 4.
Purchas Pilgr. 4. lib. 6.
Idam Pilgr. 4. lib. 6.
Purchas Pil. 4. lib. 6.
Idem Pilgr. 4. lib. 7.
Idem eodem. lib. 8.
Idem eodem lib. 8.
Grimstone of their manners. Strabo Geogr. lib. 17. Jo. Bohem. de rit. gent.
Lythgoughs Travels.
Leo Aph. Hist.
Grimstone of their manners.
Lindschoten lib. 1.
Munster Cos∣mograph lib. 6. cap. 55.
Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 7.
Purchas in his Pilgrimage.
Lindschoten lib. 2.
Maginus Geo∣graph. Ameriae.
Lind. lib. 2.
The inconve∣nience of Lip-gallantry
Absurd opini∣ons about the Mouth.
Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 6. Leo in his de∣scription of Africa.
Munster Cos∣mograph lib. 6. cap. 50,
Aloys Cada∣must. Navigat. lib. 1. cap. 10.
Purchas Pilg. 2. lib. 6.
The Mouth mis-fed.
Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.
Idem Pilgr. 2. lib. 6.
Grimstone of their man∣ners.
Where the Lip and Cup never meet.
Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 10.
Grimstone of their manners.
Lindschoten lib. 1. cap. 31.
The affaires of the Mouth mistaken.
Cardan de va∣riet. l. 8. c. 11.
The use of the Wind-pipe.
The inconve∣niences of ea∣ting without dtinking.
How Degluti∣tion is perfor∣med.
Drinking without gul∣ping.
Brasav. com. ad lib. Hip. de rat. vict. in morb. acut.
Words and meat not to be mixed.
Purchas Pilgr. 2. lib. 9.