A Voyage to 



then drops into the Curate's Hand ; fo in the Marriage 

 per Coemptionem, the Bride and Bridegroom gave one ano- 

 ther a Piece of Money, which is calla Convenire in manum. 



The Priefts and Friers, as I have faid before, make no 

 Scruple of it and the Publick is no farther fcandalized, 

 than as Jealoufy concurrs, becaufe they often keep their 

 Miftriffes finer than others, by which the Mulatto, Women 

 are often known. Several Bifliops, to put a Stop to that 

 Abiife, every Year, at Eafler, excommunicate all that are 

 engaged to Concubines ; but as the Evil is univerfal, and 

 the Confeffors are Parties concern'd, they are not fevere in 

 tha^Particularj whence it follows, that thofe People, who 

 are otherwife eafily frighted by the Church Thunderbolts, 

 do not much fear thefe. The Friers evade thofe Strokes, 

 on account that they, not being free, are not look'd upon 

 as Concubinaries in the utmoft Forms; and that, befides, 

 they have not the Intention to be fo. A pleafant Solution, 

 the Invention whereof muft doubtlefs be affign'd to fome 

 cunning Cafuift, grounded on Juftiniarfs Code, which de- 

 clares Conventions invalid which are made among Perfons 

 that are not free, and on the wife Maxim expounded by 

 thofe Cafuifts fo much cry'd down in France, "That the In- 

 tention regulates the Quality of the Action. In fine, this Cu- 

 ftom is fo fettled, fo commodious, and fo generally re- 

 ceiv'd, that I queftion whether it can be ever abolifli'd. 

 The Laws of the Kingdom feem to authorize it,- for Ba- 

 ftards inherit almoft like the lawfully begotten, when 

 they are own'd by the Father ; and there is no Difgrace in- 

 herent to that Birth, as is among us, where the Crime is 

 wrongfully imputed to the innocent Perfon, wherein we 

 fliould perhaps be more favourable, if every Man were 

 well acquainted with his Original. 



Tho' the Women are not ihut up like the Spanijh Wo- 

 men in Europe, yet it is not ufual for them to go abroad 

 by Day but about Night Fall they have Liberty to make 

 their Vifits, for themoft part where it is not expe&ed ; for 

 the modefteft in open Day are the boldeft at Nights, their 

 Faces being then cover'd with their Veils, fo that they can- 

 not 



