7g8 5 The V 0 T A G E (^Francis Pirard ote LavAl BookL 
Prayers 5 after which the Catibe being mounted on a raifed 
Place at one end of the Temple, takes a naked Sword in 
his Hand with the Point downward, and flouriftiing it 
about, recites his Prayers. In the mean time the People 
pray without ceafing, putting themfelves in various Poftures, 
nd obferving feveral apifh Geftures. 
The Catibe has a new Prayer for every Friday in the 
Year, and when that Year is expired, makes ufe of the 
fame Prayers for the next. He repeats all without Book, 
and if he happens to be out in one Word, Syllable, or Let- 
ter, the Moudins reprimand him publickly, and the Feaft 
is thought to be ineffectual. This Service lafts about two 
Hours, and after it is over,- the People fainting one another, 
and the King returning in great State to his Palace, enter- 
tains ’em at his own Expence. They obferve the like So- 
lemnity on the Day of every new Moon, and rejoice when 
they fee it. Upon this Occafion they clean their Houfes, 
Courts and Streets, garnifhing the Entries of the Churches, 
and the Gates of their Houfes with Cocoa Shells cut in the 
middle, and filled with white Sand, and burning Coals, 
upon which they burn almoft all Night fweet-fcented Gums 
and Woods, at the fame time the Infides of their Houfes, 
their Beds, &c. are perfumed after the fame manner. 
Though the Maldivans celebrate every new Moon, yet 
they obferve four beyond the reft. Particularly in December , 
or thereabouts, they have a Faft called Ramedan , which 
commences at the new Moon, and lafts till the next new 
Moon. They take their Meafures not from the real 
Change, but from the Appearance of the new Moon ; by 
which means it fo falls out, that fome Hands begin the 
Fail fooner than others. The ftrft Night of the Rame- 
dan Feaft the Men and Women vifit one another apart, 
and divert themfelves with Feafting, Dancing, &c. till ’tis 
near Day, having prepared themfelves for eating by fafting 
the preceding Day, in which Cuftom they are fo fuperfti- 
tious, that for that Day they will not only avoid the tailing 
of any, but even the walking of their Mouth, or putting 
their Fingers therein, or fwallowing their Spittle. 
The Prohibition of fwallowing their Spittle puts them to 
a great Inconvenience when they are in the Church, be- 
caufe it is not allowed to fpit there, and fo upon every Turn 
they are forced to run out of Doors. Nay, fuch is their 
Superftition upon the Feaft-day, that the Men, who are 
allowed to bathe, are prohibited to plunge their Heads in 
the Water, leaft fome Drop of it ihould enter their Mouth 
or Ears; and the Women are forbid to bathe at all. Half an 
Hour before Sun-fet, all above fifteen Years of Age re- 
pair to the Temple, and in the Space of that half Hour 
cleanfe their Mouths, and pick their Teeth very nicely, 
being furnifhed by the Moudins with Pick-tooths, and other 
cleanfing Inftruments made of Cocoa-wood. This done, 
the Moudin makes his Cry three times, and enters the 
Temple at the Head of the People, who then fay their 
Prayers, the Women at the fame time being employed in 
faying theirs at home-. When that Service is over they feaft 
and make merry with one another. During the Ramedan 
the King entertains all the People at feveral times, inviting 
only Perfons of the fame Quality at a Time ; for they are 
fuch religious Obfervers of their Quality, that they will not 
eat with any Perfon of a different Rank. The Nobles, 
fc. entertain their Friends in like manner ; and thus do 
the Men and Boys feaft ; but the Women, who are not al- 
lowed to go to thefe Feafts, fend only Prefen ts at Night one 
to another. 
The Women bathe themfelves in the Evening, at which 
Time the Men are enjoined to avoid Bathing ; during the 
whole Courfe of the Ramedan they faft after the above- 
mentioned manner in the Day-time, and avoid Sin and Po- 
lution as much as they can. If any one breaks any one of 
the Faft-days, he is obliged to faft as many more after the 
End of the Ramedan. In this Month no body will work 
be they ever fo poor. The Pandiare preaches every Day at 
Three in the Afternoon in the King’s Palace, or in the 
Church, or in his own Houfe. After the Sermon is over 
they divert themfelves with the Exercife of Arms, and 
feveral forts of Plays, particularly at Foot-balk At the 
fame time the Women and Girls vifit one another, and have 
particular forts of Plays and Diverfions fuitable to their Sex. 
Intrigues run higher in this Month than in any other, and 
the Courtffiip confifts in fending to one another Songs and 
Verfes, infcribed with Bodkins on Cocoa Leaves, which are 
as white as Paper. 
The Youths likewife prefent their Miftreffes with Gar- 
lands of fweet- fuelling Flowers, and receive in return 
Prefents of Betel nicely dreffed. In fine, they take all pof- 
fible Meafures to heighten their Mirth and Diverfions. 
Three Days before it ends the Bellman and the Trumpeters 
go round the Hand, requiring all the Inhabitants, whether 
Men or Boys, Women or Girls, to fend their Names in 
Writing to the Nay bo of their refpe&ive AttolUn , and to 
pay an Offering of half a Larrin a Head, which the People 
pay very willingly as a Tribute to God and Mohammed : 
For they imagine that without the paying of that Tribute 
their Fafting would not avail them. In this Tax the Pa- 
rents pay for the unmarried Children, and for their Servants 
and Slaves ; and if any poor Perfon has not the Money to 
lay down, the King, or any rich Perfon, pays for them 
very willingly. The Money arifing from this Tax is lodged 
in the Hands of four Receivers, one on the Behalf of the 
King, a fecond for the Clergy, a third for the new Con- 
verts, and a fourth for the Poor. One-third of it goes to 
Ecclefiaftical Perfons, another to the Profelites, and the re- 
maining third to the Poor. About Augufi and September 
they have a Solemnity of two Days, in which they fend 
about to one another boiled Wine, with Honey and Cocoa 
Milk. This Feftival is faid to take its Rife from a Miracle 
that Mohammed wrought on that Day. 
15. There remains yet another very folemn Night-Fe- 
ftival called Maulude , which happens about the Month of 
October , being the Night on which Mohammed died. Upon 
this Occafion they have a large Houfe, or Hall of Wood, 
in feveral Parts of the Hand, which is hung within with the 
fineft and richeft Tapeftry. The Floor of which is covered 
with white Sand, and Matts above it, and the Ceiling 
adorned with white Cotton Cloth, fupported with black 
Strings, that run along it like Stripes. In this great Hall 
hang up fo many Lamps, that ’tis as light as Day, and the 
Smell and Smoke of the Perfumes that they burn, fills the 
Air. In the midft of the Hall there is a Table covered with 
feveral forts of Meat and mixed Liquors. The Women 
do not affift at this Solemnity, but the Men repair thither 
about eight o’Clock at Night, and fit down in Order, ac- 
cording to their refpedlive Stations, there being Officers ap- 
pointed to rank them. All the Night long the Priefts and 
other Ecclefiaftical Perfons fing what they call the Pfalms 
of David. When Midnight approaches, the whole Affembly 
fall down fiat upon the Ground, as in an Extafy, and con- 
tinue in that Pofture for fome time ; after which the Pan- 
diare and the Catibes ftart up of a fudden, and all the reft 
following their Examples, flap about, and leap upon each 
other as if they were mad. 
The People are ferved with Betel well dreffed, and 
Drink, by fifty Perfons chofen into that Office, which is 
reckoned very honourable ; when the Night is almoft over 
the Priefts give over finging, and fay Prayers; after which 
they ail go to the Middle of the Hall, where the Table 
Hands, and every one takes a Plate of Meat, and fome aro- 
matick Liquors, which they carry home with them, and 
efteem very much. After their religious Rites, it will be 
proper to fubjoin the Ceremonies of Marriage and Funerals. 
Upon a Defign of Marriage they addrefs themfelves to the 
Pandiare or Naybes, who, after being fufficiently informed 
that things really are as they are reprefented, takes the Man 
by the Hand, and afks him if he is willing to take fuch a 
Woman on the Conditions propofed, and the Woman 
always being abfent, he likewife queftions her Parents as to 
their Confent. If they all agree he marries them, and calls 
the By-ftanders to witnefs their Confent. Then the whole 
Company waits upon the Woman home, and feveral other 
Perfons vifit her. All the Vifitors being entertained with 
Feafting, Mulick, Dancing, &c. the new- married Man 
makes Prefents to the King, and the Great Lords, and the 
Bride pays the like Complements to the Queen, and the 
other Ladies ; both make Prefents likewife to their Rela- 
tions ; but when the King is married, he does not give, 
but receives Prefents from all his Subjects, viz . Cloths, Gar- 
ments, Turbans, Victuals, Fruit, Flowers, &c. and all 
thefe Prefents, which arife to a great Value, belong to the 
new- 
