Page:History of India Vol 9.djvu/318

266 AN- EARLY DUTCH ACCOUNT OF INDIA I give thee over." But when the father giveth over his daughter's hand to the bridegroom, then is there on her hand a little cord, whereon is fastened the golden head of an idol, the which they call a tali. This tali is shown to the bystanders, and after some prayers and felicitations, the bridegroom taketh this tali and bindeth it about the neck of his bride; and whenas this knot is tied, so are the bonds of marriage firm; but so long as this tali is not bound by the bridegroom about the bride's neck, the marriage may be broken off without shame, even though all the things aforesaid have been done. It also happeth among them that whensoever the bridegroom is come to bind the tali on the bride, but doth not give the father enough for a wedding por- tion, one of them that stand by, envying him the quarry, doth give more and winneth the bride, and the father letteth him succeed, for that he gaineth more gold thereby. The heathen governor at Paliacatta, hight Sinanna, said that this was the custom mostly among the Bramines; but methinks they would deny it for shame, albeit it may well hap, though not so much from greed as from poverty, since for the most part the Bramines have no abundant wealth. Since the tali aforesaid, bound about the neck of the bride, maketh the marriage tie, therefore, when the hus- band dieth, it is burnt with him for a token that the bonds of marriage are broken; but if the wife be burnt with her husband, then is the tali burnt with her. The matters which we have related thus far are performed in the house of the bride; but since the