The Hi/lory of 



Book IU 



it was requifite that he brought the King the head of an Ene- 

 my. The fame Cuftom in a manner was obferv'd among a 

 certain people neer the Caftian Sea. And who knows not that 

 King Saul demanded of David the lives of an hundred Phili- 

 ftines, for the dower of his Daughter, before he gave her him 

 in Marriage > 



But happy did that Father think hinuelf among our Carib' 

 who could firft approach and feize about the body of 

 fome one of thofe valorous Sons-in-Law whom the Captain 

 had commended 5 for there was nothing to be ^xpe&ed for 

 that time by him that came next 5 and the marriage was con- 

 cluded as foon as the other had faid to the Young-man, I £e- 

 flow my Daughter on thee for thy Wife 3 the like expreffion from 

 a Mother was as effectual : And the Young-man durft not re- 

 fute the Daughter when (he was thus prefented to him 5 but it 

 was requifite, that whether (he were handfome or unhandfome, 

 he took her to Wife. Thus the Caribbians married not after 

 previous courtfiiips and Love-fuits. 



And if the young Caribbians^ after they were married, con- 

 tinued the fame gallantry in enfuing Wars, they had according- 

 ly other Wives beft owed on them at their return: this Pali- 

 gamy is ftill in ufe among them, and it is indeed common 

 DeLacts among other Barbarians. "TheChilefesJnhabrtams of thelfland 

 Hijiory. 0 f Mocha> make no more ado, but as often as they are defirous 

 to have a new Wife, they buy one for an Ox, a Sheep, or fome 

 other Commodity : And there are fome places where the num- 

 ber of Wives belonging to the fame Husband is prodigious, as 

 °lbe Dutch in the Kingdom of Bennin, the King whereof hath fometimes 

 Relations, feven hundred Wives and Cpncubines 5 and where the ordina- 

 ry fubje&s, as well as thofe of Mexico », have each of them about 

 a hundred, or a hundred and fifty Wives. On the other fide 

 there are fome places where every Wife in like manner is per- 

 mitted to have many husbands, as among the Pelhuares 9 a Na- 

 tion of Brafit in the Kingdom of Calecut^ and heretofore in 

 fome of the Canaries. 



The Young-men among the Caribbians do not to this day 

 converfe with either Maids or Women till they are married 5 

 DcLaet, Pi- wherein certainly they areata great diftancefrom the humour 

 rard,p. 1. of the Peguans, who are fo paffionatel)Namorous,that to make 

 c « 2 7 it appear, that the violence of the fecret fire which confumes 

 Conqueft of tnemj extinguishes in them the fentiment of all other ardors, 



V forcn-^ r ^ e y ^ ear tiieir own arms * n tne P re ^ ence 0I * their Miftreffes 

 court. w * tn a fl an " n g Torch, or fuffer to die and be fpent upon their 

 Vin.leBIanc Aefh, a piece of linnen cloth all of a flame, and dipped in Oil : 

 f. 1. c.3. And to Ihew that being wounded to death by Love, all other 

 wounds muft needs be flight, they cut and flafti their 

 bodies with Ponyards. The Turk/ do fomewhat of the 

 Lib 3. fa;ne kind, as Villatnont affirms^ for upon the like occafions 



they 



