Module 10 Discussion Post

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UNLIKE ANY OTHER PEOPLE

They :ilu, h;l\·e rirn Jnc.l ceremonies so c.lirTcre111 from rhosc of :1ll the nrhcr

nniom th:tt it seems they <lclihcr:11cly try III he unlike :iny other -people .

The things which rhcy c.lo in this respect :1re hc1•011<l im:1gini11g :111d it m:1v

truly he sJicl th:tt J:1p:rn i< :1 world the re,·cr<r n[ Europe:: everphin .i:: is<" dirTercnt :1nd oppnsite th .,t they :trc like min pr:1ctic:1lly nnthing . Sn gre .11

is the difkrc11ce in their [1111d, d,,rl,ing, l1111111t1rs. rcrrinrn1in . l:m:;11.,_:;,·.

m:111Jgcmc111 of the ho11<d10lrl, in their w:1)' nf nrg11ti:11in;.:. sining . huilcl-

ing. niring 1ltc wo1111tlrd :111d sid ,, 1c1d1in)! :11111 hrit1J_:in;.: tip d1ild rt·tt, :111d

in cvcryd,ing clsr. rh:11 it on hr nt"id1er clescrih1:,l 1111r 11111krs1orod.

Now :ill this would nor hr wrpri<ing if they \\'ere lih· ,,. rn:my h:irh :1n-

:111s, hut wh:it .uronishe< me is th :11 they heh:ive :1< very prudent :ind

cultured people in :111 rhesc m:111crs. To sec how everything is the reverse nf

Europe. despite the fact th:11 their ccrrmm~in :ind custom< :ire sn cultttrr,1

ancl founclccl on rc:ison. c:iusn no li11le surpri se tn :inynne who unclrrst.1nd<

such things. Wh:it is even more ~stnnishin,I! is th:it they :ire m dirTcrcnt

from us. :incl even co111r:1ry to 11<, :is reg :1nh the sense( :111tl 11:itur:1' thin ,:<: this is sorncll,ing which I would nnt d:1rr to :iffirn, if l had 11111 h:111 so much experience :imong them . Thm their t:i<tc is so dirTur111 frnrn ottr< th:11 rhr~

,:ener:illy clnpisc :mcl dislike the thini: tl1:1t Wt' fiml mmt pleasing; on the

other h:ind, we c:innnt st:ind the rhing~ which they like. Alr11andro V nligr.ann. S./.

TIMES OF DAY

We count 1hc hours from one 10 12; the J:ip:inc~c count them in thi~ w:1y:

six, five, 41 9, 8, 7. 6, and so on. L11i1 frois, S./.

~

c.o co

ruum, ;11111ougn somcumcs II m:iy oc twelve tect long :ind correspondingly

high . They pl:m: :i sJlver on rhe step :it the bottom of the :ilcove Jnd on it

they put :in old v:ise, m:1dc of copper, iron or some other marerial ,

contJining seJson:iblc Rowers . They do this in all four sosons of the year

for they use the flowers that happen to he :iv:iibble at the time-. There arc

m.,ny rules regarding the wJy of puttin~ the nmvers iruo the v:rsc :rnd

private people lc:irn them by reJding hoob J11d practising under 1r:1chcrs,

always m:iking it their best · e11de:1vour to imitate n:iturc :1ml its L,ck of

:1r1ifici:1li1y. One Aower will pcrh:ips lc:in over this w:iy, a1101hcr th :11 w:iy,

while others arc set among plants which grow ne:ir them in n:1ture. Some

of the nowers will be in bloom, others only h:1lf-0pen, others ~till in bud,

hut e:ich Rower i~ put in :i phce where it ~eem~ n:iwr:illy to helonJ.:. They

:ivoid :1nyd1ing sm:1cki11g ol the :irtilici:ility with which we m:1kc tip brge

bouquets of flower~. bunched together to obt :1in :i hc:1utir11l h111 111rn:11ural

dTect. The J:1p:111ese and Chine~e t:1ke grc:11 delight in the c011templ.,tio11 of

the thin~s of n:iture :inti their bck of :1rtifici:1lity, :111d with :i ~re:it deal of skill they try to reproduce them :u hr :u they c:in. The s:1me m:1y he s;iiJ

:ibout their p:1i11tings and their g:mlem, :ind the trees :rnd nowcr~ pbn!cd

therein.

In the middle o( the s:imc :ilcove they hang :i renowned ;111J :idmircd

plinting by :in outstanding m:ater of olden time~, or :i scroll bc :1rini-; their hieroglyphic letters wriuen by some rneemcd calligr:1pher of by-gone dJy~. for indeed their writing is more :i kind or painting th:111 script. Some 0 ( these :incient paintings :ind scrolls with writing arc wonh thousands of

<rn:adot :rnd others :ire v:,lucd :11 m:111y hundreds, :ind it is quite heyond

belief how they arc prized and regarded :is wealth and gems.

/oiio Rotlrigua, S.f,

DIFFERENT SCALE OF VALUES

It is no less astonishing 10 sec: the importance th:it they :111:ich to things which they reg:ird as the treasures of J:ip:111, although to us such things

seem trivial :ind childish; they, in their turn, look upon our jewels and

gems :ts worthless. You must know that in every p:irt of J:ip:m they drink :i

brew made of hot w:iter :ind :i powdered herb, called cha . They gre:itly

esteem this drink and all the gentry have a ~pccial room in their houses

where they m:ike this hrew . The hr:inc~c for hot w:iter i~ ,,,, :11111 the hcrl,

is c:illed chcr. so they c:111 the room re<crvcd for 1ri11ki11g it clw -no •)'II, Thi~

drink i, the mos_t c11cc-111c-d .,ncl vcnc-r:itccl thini:: in thr whole c1111n1rv :111.J

the princip:11 nohlcs 1al;c ri,eci.,1 p:ii1H to learn .how tn 111:il;c it. S11mr 0

1irnr<

they will m .,kc- i1 with 1hc-ir own h :1nd, I" ,11111,. ,pcci:11 :1ffr(li,,r1 _111,1 hmpi1:1li1y 1r11,·1rtls d,cir ,.:uo1<. lkou,e of the i111por1:111cc !11.11 diry :111.,rl,

ln cl,a -no -yu. they hi_1.:hly pr17e cert .,in rnp~ and vc<q·h which :ire ll<l'll in

this cncmnny. The princip:11 utrnsil, :ire :1 kind of c:1~1-iron I"'' ( ll'l1itl,

they c:ill k11n111) :111d mmc sm:ill iron uipn<k 11~cd merely :u :1 \L1ncl for the lid o( the pot when the cha i~ heing hrcwed .

They :ilm h:1ve :1 I-ind of e:irthernv:ire h"'vh [111111 \\'hid, 1hr d,,, i, drunk: the d,,, it,d( i, kt·pt in co111:1inn<. i111,i:_: 1111n 111 q11q · 1hr 1,,.,1, :ill the yc:H ro1111cl :11111 in sm:111 OllC< to l.np ,lie hc~h :1r1cr it h:1\ 1'1.'Cll J!H111l1il

rr.,rly rnr ll\C, :-iml it i\ ,hi, 1inwdu \\'hi\'h tl,~·y II\\' to nuh · 1hr ,l,inl.. Amon1,: these vc<\eh i~ :i crrt:1i11 kind which i~ pri1nl hcy111ul :111 hclid :11111

only the J:1p:111c~e c:111 recogrii\c it. Quite often 011c of thr,e vc"rk tripnd<.

bowl~ or c:iddie\ will fetch three. four or \il( tho11<:111,I clttr:ll< :111tl rvrn

more, ahhou .~h to our eye\ they :ippc:ir cnmpl c1dy wrrrthlc\\, The king 11f

Oungo oner \hmvccl me :1 m1:1ll c:1rd,cnw:1r(· c:111.ly for whirli. in ,.11 , rnd 1,

we would l\:lve no other mr th :111 111 p111 ii in :1 hirrl', c:1~ 1· :1\ :1 r11 ink in!.;• trout;h; nevcnhclc\<, he h :ul p:iicl ?·''°'' ~ilvcr r,ul, (or"'"'"' •v~,n ,lucn~) for it, :ihlmu;:h I wrrulcl cert:iinly not h.w·c .i:i,·en two r.,r1l1in~:• , .. , it. Olll ' ol our Christi:ins \howecl me :i< p:irt r,[ the lrc:irnre of the cit}: 11f S:,bi nt1l"

of these iron tripod~. which h:icl \pcci:,I worth (or it Incl l,een rquirecl

three time\; he ha\ hmrt:l11 it for 900 tm•IJ (nr :il,out 1,4°', d11e:1t~) :1hho11gh

I myself would not have given more for it tlun for the c:id,ly nf the kinJ: ·,,f Bungo .

The surprising thing i~ th:11, :ihhrrugh 1hom:111rls of ,imibr c:iclrlie, :ind

tripods :ire m:idc, the J:1p:111csc nn mnre v:1l11c them th:111 we 1111. Thl' pri1.nl

piece, mu~t h:wc hccn rn:ide hy ccrt:1in :11Kirnt m:1<1n< :11111 1hr J:1p:111t'<t·

c:in irnmccli:11elr pick 0111 thnc v:1l11:1hlt-items from :11non:.: th1111~:md• ,,f

others, just :is Europc:m jewellers 011 di .<ti111,:11i<h hct wc·c·11 J.:l'llt1inc· :,nil

f:ilse stones . I do not think th:it :iny Europe:in cnuld :icquire mrh :1n

appreci:ition of these d,a vc~seh, hcc:1me however m11ch we m :1y n:1mi11t·

them, we c:in never m:,n:ige to undcrsrJncl in 111h:11 crnuist\ 1111:ir v:1l11c :111,I

how they :ire dillrrent frnm the others. In the.-~:imt \\':1y. :i piece of p:ipn

with :1 p:iinting of :i little hird or a sm:1II tree clone in hbck ink will he

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c.o c.o

Art t111d Cult11re

bought .ind sold amon~ them for three, £<,ur or ten dmus:in<l ilucits if it is

the work of J rcco,;niscd .1n,ic11t m.1s1cr, :ihhou1:h it is quite \\'onhlcss in our eyes.

They value no less their k11tana, ur swords, :111d the other we:1pons which they use. Herc there seems 10 be greJtcr jus1ifie.11ion bcc:1use a good sword is prized in :my country. However, they go to extremes her~ as well for they spend three, four or six thouund ducats on a katana . I once s:1w some very v;alu:ible swords ;ind amongst others one which the ling of Bungo

showc<l me; he had bou~ht it for 4.500 duc:m, yet it c:,rricd neither gold nor orn:1mcn1:i1ion but only :i bbJc of pure iron . \Vhcn we a\k them why they spend so much money on these ohjecrs, which of themselves :ire worthless, they :rnswer th:it they llo it for the s:1111c rc:m1n :1s we huy :i diamond or a ruhy for :I gre:it price, :1 thing which c:rnscs them no less :utoni~hment. They add th:it buying expcnsi"e jewel~ is no less foolish than the custom, which we criticise in them, of huying such things :11 simil:ir prices. Indeed, they declare that the thinJ:s th:,t they huy and uc:mrre :tt lc:ut acr"c some rurpmc ~nd thus 1heir clt>sire 10 give so much money for them is less reprt·hemiblc th:111 the crmccit of Europeans who p11rd1:1se precious stones which serve for 1101hin,:.

Alt'11a11d,·o V 11/ign,1110. S./.

TEA UTENSILS

There is :i custom among the noble :rnd we:ihhy J:ip:incsc to show their tre:isurcs to :tn honoured guest :11 his clep:irturc :is a token of their esteem. Thcse treasures arc m:tde up of the utensils wi1h which ,hey drink a

powdered herb, called cl,a, which i~ :i delicious drink once one becomes

used to it. To m:1ke this drink, they pour hal[ a nutshell of this pmvdercd herb into a porccbin bowl, :ind then adding very hot w:11cr they drink the

brew. All the utensils used for this purpose arc very old-the iron kettles, the porccl:tin bowl, the vessel cont;iining the w:itcr to rinse: the porcelain

bowl, the tripod on which they place the lid of the iron kettle so as not to

lay it on the mats. The vessel cont:aining the cl,a powder, the spoon used to

scoop it out, the ladle to draw the hot water from the kettle, the hearth-all these make up the tre:uurcs 0£ Jap:m, just as rings, gems :iml neck bees o( precious ruhics :ind di:imomls do with us. There :ire experts who evalu:llc

Art and Culturr 161

such u1emils 'and :tel :ts hroker~ when they :ire lm11gl11. l\n1 q11:1li1y ,-/,,,

co~ls :1bout nine or ten duc:11~ :i pound :u,d is drunk :n g:nherinp :ti which the hosr, :1ccording to his mean~, shows ofl his trc:mrres. Thc(c g:tthcrini:,

:ire held in special houses, which :ire u~cd only on such occ:uions :ind :ire kept wonderfully cle:in.

At nine o'clock the next day they ~cnt :in invit:11ion to me, a J:ip:tnc~e Brother and :another m:in, a rich and very good Christi:111 who looks aher :ill our affairs in J:ip:in. They took me by 1hc side of his apar101enu 10 :i small door, just big enough for a m:111 10 p:iss 1hmugh comfnr1.1bly. Entering through ,his Joor, we went :ilong :i n:irrow corridor :ind up :1 cetbr st:1irc:1sc of such inercdil,ly fine workm:mship th:11 we seemed lo he 1hc first to h:wc ever u~c<l it. We came into a ~qu:irc court y;irtl measuring about :i do7.cn £cct either way, and p:ming :ilong a vcr:mJ:1h we cntc:rcd the house where we were to c:11. The place w:,s a little hrJ;er th:111 il,c courty:trd :tnd seemed lo h:ivc hccn made by angels rather than hy men. On one side of the room there was :1 sort of cupl,o:1rtl whid1 one fimls on ·r here and ne:trl,y w:i~ :t hearth o[ l,bck e:ir1hcnw:1re, ah11ut :1 y:ird 111 circumference, which slr:1111-:cly c1111111,:h sh1111e like :, pnli,ltnl 11111r,.1. ~hhou1-:h it w:,s :is hl:ick :is pitch. /\ plc:rsin~ly wrought kc11le s1,w1tl 1111 " h:rndmme trip,1(1. :11111 the :ishe~ on which the livi: c11:1ls by l,,.,kt·tl 111.,· ground eggshells. No words c:111 describe !he order ;111d clc:inlincss or it :ill. but this is not so surrrising when you consider th:it they pay grc:11 :t1tcn1ion 10 such little de1:1ils :tnd think 0£ nothing else. My fricncl told me th;it Sancho had been lucky enough to buy the kettle for 6oo duc:11s. although it w;is worth very much more.

When we were sc:1ted, they beg:tn 10 serve the meal. I cannot recom- mend the food, for in 1hi~ respect Japan is a ·most h:1rrcn pbce: hut :1, regards the service. onkr . cle:inlincss :ind the utensils. I clo 11111 think i1 •~ pouiblc to he scrvecl :inywhcrc in 1hc wnrlcl with ,:realer dc:mlinrss :11111

order th:in in Japan. Even i£ a thousand men were c:iting, not :i word is hc:ird from the waiters :md everything is done in a m:irvclloudy orderly

w3y. When dinner w:is o"er, we :ill kneh down :ind said grace, for such is the

good cmtom observed by the Christi:ins in J:ip:in. Then with his own h:mds Sancho m:1de :tncl served 1hc c/111, tl1c powder I mentioned :ihovc. A[terw:ird~ he showetl me (mm :1m1111,; his many trc:isurcs :t ,m:111 iron tripod, ahnut a ,p:111 i11 circumkrrnc<", rin which 1he kr11le 1111 i, pl.l\nl

_. •, ---.I co

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meet him in the strc:eu, they :ill how low with their shoe~ in their lnnds

until he p:iues. Inferiors do the ~:,me for superiors, :ind i( 1hey meet nol,lc

:ind honour:ihle people they t:ike oil their shoes :incl how very lnw with

their h:mds between their thighs; when they finish spc:iking, they cros~

their :irms :ir.,) <lcp:irt.

forge Alvmn

PECULIAR FORM OF GOVERNMENT

They h:1ve the most pcculi:ir form or gn,·crnmcnl in the world. E:ich m:111 enjoys :1hsolu1e pow~r over his family :incl serv:1nu, :111d he m:iy cut them

down or kill them, justly or otherwise:, :is he plc::isc:s, without h:iving to give

:in :iccount to :mybody. And although:, m:in m:iy be un,lcr the :1uthori1y of

:mother lord, he is :illowc:d to kill his own children :ind serv:ints bc:c:iuse

such m:ittcrs :ire not the concern u( his lord. Nor only m:iy :i m :111 kill hi~

children but he: c:in :il~o disinherit them whenever he ple:ise,. The £orm or government in J:ip:in is such that :i kin,-: or nnhle is :1hmlu1e ruler or his

clom:iin. All the l:iml is his :111d he p:1rceh it out :imnng his officers :ind serv:ints so th:n he him~clf is ldt with less th:in h:ilf or it. Thnc prnplc then

divide up their !:ind in the s:ime w:iy :imong their own ret:,iners. who :ire in their service.

But everybody h:is :i fixed oblig:ition of giving his servicn £rec 10 his

master both in t_ime~ or peace :ind w:ir. In this way even the humblest

pc::is:ints h:we their determined times :ind cbys when rhcy h:i,·e 10 offer

their services to their lord, c:ich m:in doini:; his own kind 0£ work in

:iccord:ince with his r:1nk :111cl the :1mn11n1 of l:111cl which he holds. Ir

follows first of :ill from 1his S)'Slcm that :ihhough the king\ :ire very

powerful :111d pm~css much bntl, they :ire 11~u:1lly shor1 of cash. This is

became their bnds :ire divided up :imon)'.: their va\s:ils who ,:ive them

no1hing s:ive the: services to which they :ire obliged. Nor do the kings

receive :my other t:ixc:s, 1ributes or rc:nls, except for :i liule rice which is

h:irvested from the land which they reserve: for themselves.

Aleuandro Valignano,S.f.

I-' f

TAXES

The pc:is:ints :ind 1hc v:m:,ls :ire so pnor--:rnd lmrclenecl 1h:11 they ofien sdl

their children in orclcr to pay the t:il<es which :ire levied on them; :is the

:iu1hori1ies 1l0 11111 hdicve them wlic11 1hcy 1lcd:1rc il,cir nrnings, 11,e.

followin;; system i\ :1dopk1I. \Vhi:11 the crnps :ire ripe, 1he ynk1111in or

duif(rlll (who :uc 1hc 51(\\':irtls or rhc nnhk~) J!I' wi1h the hc:idm.111. or 1ongi. of the pr :1~:1111s nf c:icl, h:11nk1. \·111:ige :1111I 11,wn, :incl me.l'11n· c1cl1 man's crops with :1 cnrd of m 111:iny f:11lu,n1s in length. \Vhcnrlm h:is 1,!'cn

done, 1he ,-ukllf1i11 s:iys: "There is such and such :m :1re:1 of sown l:i11<I here and it should produce so m:my hales 0£ rice (or h:1rley, or wh:itcver it m:iy be). This much is leh for you to e:it, this much for you to sow :ind you will p:iy this much. Scribe, write 1h:u down."

Then the wre1ched pe:is:int will come .ind say, "Sir, you c:in sec th:it the

!:ind will not yiclcl :u mud, :is 1h:11. for !lw :1re:1 is hut small :1111I i1 i, nnt well sown." To which the ,laik11n will reply. "Gl't :nv:iy with you, you :ire

:ill 1hievcs, :ind you arc rich while your 111:1s1ers :ire po,,r."

They mm1 p:iy the :imount :issesse<l them :111J if the crop i~ not sullicienl

they must p:nvn :ind sell their children to pay it; if 1hcy 1l0 not clo so, they

will be ei1her killed or sc:i~ed :md torll.Jrccl for they :ire trc:ited with much

harshness . In '94 I S:\W in the kingcfom or $Jtmm:1 :I pc:is:inl, his wire :incl

two chil<lren pul to de:11h on :iccount of l\1110 bales of momi (1h:11 is, rice

before it is threshed :ind cle:inc<l). which :11 th:n time must h:ive hecn

worth :ihout 1hrcc mare. Bernardino d~ Avila Girnn

Tl-IE POWREFULLEST TERRANY

This government of J:ip:in m:ty well he: accomptcd the gre:ite~t :ind powrdullcst Tcrr:iny. 1h:i1 ever w:iJ he:ird of in rhc world, for :ill the rest

Jrc :is Sl:ives 10 1he Empcrnur (or gre:11c com:rnclcr :is they c:ill him), whoc

upon the le:tstc suspirion (or Jclosie) or hcing :mgry wi1h :111y m:in (l,e he

never soc grc:itc :1 111:111) will c111~c hym upon rhc Rr,rptc 11( his Lr11rr In

cutt his bcllie, which if he rdme to doc, not only l,c, but all thl· rest,,( their

...... co 0

At the s:imc: time he pl:tcc:~ d,e p:ilna n£ ho1h h:111<ls 0111hc: nroor, ~1n:1d,i11g

his arms slightly so tli:11 while in thiJ position he c:in sec no1hing 0£ his

m:utt'r, t'Vt'O if he r:iiscs his eyes.

foiio Rod.-ig11e1. S./.

HE BEING A GENTELMAN

June 20, 1618.-A nud grntcllm:in (:u i1 is said), h:l\'illJ! h1•11 pocnml with the devil! more- then :i ye:irc: p:1~1. w;u this tby :11 :i h:1nke1 with his f:11her, brolht'r, wire-, :md kyndrc-d, they pc-nw:iding hym 111 he l,c11er :1dvizctl :11111

k1ve :dTt' such cnurces. But on :t sucMc:n, hdore it coulcl he preven1etl, hc-

st:irt up and drut' out a katn11a :ind cut :tfTt' his hro1her~ heat!. wounded his

fother, :illmost cutting :ilTe his :irme, ;md cut his wi£e hehind her sholclcr nn

her b:ick, :ind slue out right his stew:,rd (or chede m:111). And yet it is

thought nothing will be s:1id to hym, they which he h:ith kil<I ht'in~! his

kindred :ind servantes, he being :1 gc:ntdm:tn.

Ricl,,m/ Cork1

THE DEST RACE

Judging by the people we have so br met, I would s:1y 1h:1t 1he J:ip:inesc :ire

the best r:ice yet discovered :md I do not think you will find their m;itch

:imong ihe p:igan n:ttions. They arc very soci:ihlc, umally good :rnd not

malicious, and much concerned with their honour, which they pri 1,c ;ihove

c:verything else. For the most pan thc:y arc pnor hut they do not despise 1he

poverty of nobles :md common folk. They h:,ve one ch:ir:icteristic which is

not to be found in :tny p:trt of Christendom: however poor a noble m:,y be

(:ind however much wealth a commoner may pcmess), thty p:iy him :is

much honour :is if he: were rich. A poor nohlc will never marry a

commoner. no m:ittc:r how much money he m:iy be olTered; this is bec:iuse they prefer honour to wc::ilth :ind consider 1h:it they lose 1hc:ir honour if

they m:irry :i commoner. The people show much politeness to c::ich other.

They prize their we:,pons :ind place much rcli:ince on them; both nobles

:ind commoners carry :i sword :rnd dagger from the :11:e of fourteen . They

will not sufTcr :iny :ifTront or contemptuous speech. The: people: hold 1he

s:cntry in grc1t n ·spn:I, :11111 in tlwir turn tlu: nol,k, :1n· pn,ml ,,. ~\·rvr 1lwir lor<l, ohcying his lc:1,t cnonm:11111. 1\ntl 1hi~. l.£:111cy, i~ n111 tlul· 10 any fc:ir of

punishment which the lord · mi,:ht inOict £or di~ohc1lic:nce, hut r:11her on

accoum of the loss or honour that they would suffer if they were to clo

otherwi~c:.

COURTESIES AND FAIR Sl'EECI-IES

The- ,n:irch:1111. :1hlu111gh he he wealthy, i~ nul acc1111111n! of. C:n11kmc11. I ..

1hcy never so pnnr, re1:1in thrir pl:tce: mmt preci~dy 1hry JUml upon 1111·11

honour :111d wonhincs~. cc:remnniou~ly s1rivi11~ :mmng thenHcl"c~ in

courtcJie, :incl fair spcccl1cs. Wherein if :iny onr he h:iply le,, c:1rcful 1h:111 he should he, even for :i 1riOe m:my time:, he J:rlleth evil will. W:,111.

thou.:h it trouhlc: mmt of them. sn much they cln dc1c~1 th:11 poor mr,1

cruelly taking pity of tl,rir inf:tnt~ newly horn, e~prcially ,:irl~. du man)·

time~ with their £nut ,ir:m,:lc them. Nnhlc-mc11. an,I 1,1hrn lil.cwi"· ,,f

mc:111er c1llin,:. s:cnn:11ly h:1vc h111 one wifr :ipir,c : h~• whnm ahh"u~h 1hc:y h:ive i~mc, yet f,.r :i 1rinr tlwy divorce thcm<c:h·n (r,,in 1hl·ir wiv,·,.

:in<l the: wive, al~n sometime~ (mm their hmhancl~. 111 m:irry with 111hn~. Aficr 1he ,ccond drgrec, cou~in~ m:,y d1erc lawfully m:irry. Acloptir,11 ,,f

other men's children i~ murh 11<c<I :imnnJ! them. 111 J:fl":11 1nw11< mm1 ml ·n

and women c:tn write :incl re:td. Luir Fmi, .S.f.

NEITHER M,\ KE LOVE NOit WOO

These People neither m:1ke love nor woo; nil their m:1rri:1gc:s heinJ: cun - cluded by their P:trcnts, or f,,r w:1111 of ~uch nc::,r reL11irnu. hy 1he next 1of kin. One M.m h:11h hut one Wifc, thouJ!h :u m;iny C,111c11hine~ :t< he c.111 keep; :ind if th:it Wife do 1101 plc:1\e him, he m:iy rm her :iw:iy, pro\·itlcil he dismiss her in :i civil :ind honor:ihlc: w:iy. Any M:m m:ty lie with :t

Whore, or common Wom:111, :ihhough he he m:irric:tl, with impunitie; IHn the Wife m.-.y nnl so much :n ,prak in priv:1tc: with :11m1her Man. H i,

alrc::idy s:iid, without haz:mling her lik Wh:11 i, s;1icl of clivmce. rcbtt·~

----' I co ....I,

It . •.-.. ,,_ ' ...... • r· ... ,

So<ial Rrlntiori1

only lo the Citi1.en, March:1111 :iml common Souldicr: :i Gcndc-m:111 nr

Lord may not put :nv:i·y his Wife, :ihhough Jhe should not plc:i~e him. :incl

th:11 out of respect 10 her quality :incl hi\ own Person; he muq m:1in1:tin

her according to her condition :md necessities; but m:iy freely divert

himsdf with his Concubines 3nd Women, :md when the Humour t:ikc~ him with his own Wife :ig:iin. This lihcny that the Men have. ohlign the

Women to ob~crve their Hu~b3n<l~. :md cndc:tvour 10 enclc:ir them to

them, hy :rn humble compli:incc :ind submission to their humor~. heing

sure clJc to lose them, :ind sec their Riv3ls preferred hcfore them.

Franroi, Caron

PEACEFUL DIVORCE

The men h;ivc :is m:my women :is they wi~h. although they usu:,lly rei::ml

only one of them 3S their true :md proper wife. They c:in renounce her

whenever they ple:ise, by divorcing her :ind t3king .:another woman, with- out olfendinl? :iny of the people concerned . Everythini: is tlone in :111

cxtr:10rdin:1rily pc:iccful w:iy :iml there is no ill-feclin~ :imon~ the rchtivc~:

indeed. they continue to visit, spe:tk :111d deal with one :inothn ju~, :i~

before.

Alrmmdro Vali1;nnno. S.f.

DILIGENT IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD DUTIES

H :i wom:m is found to he lny or h:id heforc she h:1s home her hud1:111d :iny childrc:11, she is sent b:1ek to her father's home. I( ~he is :ilre:1dy a

mother, her hush:md m:iy kill her for any of these faults withou1 hcin,:

punished. For this re:ison women :ire much conccrnccl with their liu5-

band's honour :ind ;ire most diligent in their household duties.

/orge Alvara

THE CHILDREN

Children :ire c:1•cfolly & tenderly brou,:ht up: their Parents strike them '' -- -- ···· .... t .~ ..... nh ,h,-v rrv whnl,. nirht~ tol!cthcr. endeavour to

....

Socinl Rda11·0111

~till them with p:itin1cc; j11cl~i111,; 1'1:11 lnf.1111, h:1vl· 111111nckr~1:111clin_'..;. lmt

thJt it gro\\'S with them :I\ they grow in yens, :tnll therefore l(I lie

cncour:igecl with inclul_gcncn :rnd ex:rrnpk~. It is rcmarbhle to ~cc how orderly md how mode~dy linle Chililrcn of ~even or eii;ht yc:m old heh:ivc thcnrn:h·es; their discomse :111<l ;11uwcrs s:ivourin,: of riper :ige. :111J f:ir mrp:u~in~ :iny I h:ive yet see11 r,[ their times in our Country.

P,·,mroi, C11rnri

TIGHT REIN

They keep ::i tight rein un ,;luuony, :111(1 aim 1111 r:1i:c :111111111tw:ml :in~n-

And so :ilthough ::i penon m:iy he cxccedin,:ly huni::ry, he must on no

:1ccount ~it down :11 tahlc, for they prc~ervc the s:imc pc:1Cc and tr.mquiliry

;is :1 m:in who h:1s jmt eaten. And however :1n1,:ry :i f:uhcr m:iy he with hi,

son, or :i husl,:m<l with hi, wil~. or :1 m:rn wi1h his c·nemy, he must 011 nn

:1ccn11111 d111w it, hcpmc they l1111k 11111111 the tlisorckr of i:h1111,ny or 11£

:in~er in :1 m:111 :,s ~"mcthin,.: very ,·ilc. l.0111·r11ro Mo-i11 . .'i./.

RETIREMENT AND MARRIAGE

When the Parents :ire ~rown oil!, and the Children come lo he Mrn. rlu·

F:11her then quiu hi~ Go\•ernmtnt, Commerce. Shop or Tr:ille. pbcin1,: hi~

· cldesl Son in hi~ rnotn. :10d i:ivin,; him the gre:1te~t p:irt ,,r hi~ EM:1tc:: th,· younger Cliililren :m: likcwi~c provided for hy 1he imh1l~e111 1':1rc111s.

:ihhough their portion~ return to the clclc~I in c:ue they clic IJCfore them.

D::iughtcrs h:1,·c no portion~ :it all, nor nothing given them :it their m:ir- ri:igc; sometimes it h:ipprn~ th:it rich Parents ~end :i ,::ood sum or money with their D:iu~htcu, upon their m:irri:ige day, to their Son in bw; which

present is returned by the Bridegroom & his P:ircn(s with much 1hwh being unwilling th:it the Bride should h:ive :iny colourablc cxcu~c to r:ii~e

her into .:in opinion of h:ivini: obliged her Hu~b:md: The 1100rcr sort do but sddnm return thc5e oilers :i~ nccrling them, :md gbcl of :iny :111~0,cnl:1•

tion of their Friends . They h:ive :t common ~:iyin,::. th:11 :t Wom:111 luth no