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a.d.
1579.
A DISCOURSE OF CHINA
[III. ii. 391.]
their Traynings; nor have any men Weapons. weapons in their Houses, except some rustie blade which they use when they travell for feare of Theeves. Their greatest Brawles Brawles.goe no further, then scratching or pulling by the hayre; hee which flees or abstaines from wrong is esteemed both Wise and Valiant. When the King dyeth, none of his Succession and royall kindred. Sonnes are permitted to remayne in the Royall Citie, but the Heyre; and it is Capitall for them, being dispersed in divers Cities to stirre thence. Some principall amongst them, compounds their strifes and rules them; in Cases with others, they are subject to the Magistrates.
§. IIII.
Their manifold rites in Salutations, Entertaynments, and other Civilitie: to the King and Magistrates: Of Buryals and Marriages, Birthdayes; their Men, Women, Names, and Games, Habites.
Cap. 7. Courtesie in mutuall veneration and circumspect behaviour to others. COurtesie or Civilitie, is reckoned one of their five Cardinall vertues, much commended in their Bookes. (Their common Rites yee have had largely in Pantoia.) When greater respect is used, as after long absence, or on a Solemne day, after the common bowing, both fall on their knees with the forehead to the ground, and then rise and downe againe in like sort three or foure times. When they doe this reverence to a Superiour, hee stands at the head of the Hall, or sits, and at all those prostrations joyning his hands, bowes a little and sometime for greater modestie hee goeth to the side of the Hall, whose head is Northwards as the doore is Southwards.Side-reverence. The same rites they performe to their Idols; and sometimes as the Servants to their Master, or the meanest of the people to honourable persons, which is presently to kneele and knock the ground thrice with their forehead: they stand at his side when their Master speakes, and kneele at every answer. When one speakes to another,441
