Htiforie of the Indies, lib.?. 409 



wives : fo as if they found they were not as they ought 

 to be, (the which they knew ey ther by fignes or difho- 

 neft wordes,) they prefentfy gave notice thereof to 

 their fathers and kinsfolkes of their vvives,to their great 

 ihamc and diflionor , for that they had not kept good 

 guarde over them. But they did much honour and 

 refpeft fuch as lived chaftely , making them great 

 banquttes , and giving great prefentes both to her 

 and to her kinsfolkes. For this occafion they made 

 great offerings to their gods , and a folemne banket in 

 thehoufcofthc wife, and another in the husbands. 

 When they went to houfe they made an invento 

 ry of all the man and wife brought together , of pro- 

 vifions for the houfe 5 of land,of icwells and ornaments, 

 which inventories every father kept , for if it chanced 

 they made any devorce, (as it was common amongeft 3 

 them when they agrecnot,) they divided their goods 

 according to the portion that every one brought, eve 

 ry one having libertie in fuch a cafe , to marry whomc 

 they pleafed : and they gave the daughters to the wife, 

 andthefonnesto the husband. It was defended vpon 

 painc of dcath^not to marry againe together, the which 

 they obfervcd very ftri&M And although it fceme that e 

 many of their ceremonies Wree^vith ours, yet Differ 

 they much for the great ^SEomination they mingle 

 therewithall. It is common and generall to have vfual- 

 ly one of thefc three things, either cruelty,filthines, or 

 flouth : forall their ceremonies were cruclhnd hurte- 

 full , as to kill men and to fpill blood , arc filthy and 

 beaftly , as to eate~and drinkcjathommcj^f their I- 

 ^olls^and alfo topiflcmlthc honour oFtficm, carrying 

 them vgpn theifffioulders, to annojntind[ bcfme^rc 

 thcmfeivcslSthily , and to do a thou&nd fortes of vil- 



lanics, 



