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ing, they cast in the fire all manner of sweet savours, as aloes, 
myrrh, frankincense, storax, sandal, coral, and innumerable other 
sweet gums, spices, and trees: these make the fire much greater, 
increasing the flame by reason of their gummosity: the wife also 
of the burned king or priest standeth by the fire alone, without 
the company of any other woman, lamenting and beating her 
breast. Within fifteen days after, the wife biddeth to a banquet 
all her husband’s kinsfolks; and when they come at a day ap- 
pointed, they go all to the place where her husband was burnt, 
and at the same hour of the night: then cometh forth the wife, 
garnished with all her jewels, and best apparel: in the same place 
is made a pit, no deeper than may serve to receive the woman ; 
this pit is set about with reeds covered with silk, that the pit may 
not be seen. In the mean time a fire is made in the pit with 
sundry sorts of sweet woods; and the wife, after that her guests 
have well banqueted, eateth very much of a certain thing called 
betel, which troubleth her mind, as though she was half mad, or 
drunken. After the ceremonies are finished, she taketh her leave 
of all her kinsfolks, and then with sudden outrage, and a loud cry, 
lifting up her hands, she hurleth herself into the burning pit; 
which done, her kinsfolks, standing near unto the fire, cover her 
with little faggots of sweet wood; hurling also thereon much pitch, 
that the body may the sooner be consumed: and except the wife 
should do this after the death of her husband, she should ever after 
be esteemed an evil woman, be hated of all men, and in fine, in 
danger to be slain both of her own kinsfolks and her husband’s, 
and therefore she goeth to it the more willingly. The king himself is 
