For decency
only do they wear a scrap of cloth; and so 'tis with men and women, with
rich and poor, aye, and with the King himself, except what I am going to
mention.[NOTE 1]
It is a fact that the King goes as bare as the rest, only round his loins
he has a piece of fine cloth, and round his neck he has a necklace
entirely of precious stones, - rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and the like,
insomuch that this collar is of great value.[NOTE 2] He wears also hanging
in front of his chest from the neck downwards, a fine silk thread strung
with 104 large pearls and rubies of great price. The reason why he wears
this cord with the 104 great pearls and rubies, is (according to what they
tell) that every day, morning and evening, he has to say 104 prayers to
his idols. Such is their religion and their custom. And thus did all the
Kings his ancestors before him, and they bequeathed the string of pearls
to him that he should do the like. [The prayer that they say daily
consists of these words, Pacauta! Pacauta! Pacauta! And this they
repeat 104 times.[NOTE 3]]
The King aforesaid also wears on his arms three golden bracelets thickly
set with pearls of great value, and anklets also of like kind he wears on
his legs, and rings on his toes likewise. So let me tell you what this
King wears, between gold and gems and pearls, is worth more than a city's
ransom. And 'tis no wonder; for he hath great store of such gear; and
besides they are found in his kingdom. Moreover nobody is permitted to
take out of the kingdom a pearl weighing more than half a saggio,
unless he manages to do it secretly.[NOTE 4] This order has been given
because the King desires to reserve all such to himself; and so in fact
the quantity he has is something almost incredible. Moreover several times
every year he sends his proclamation through the realm that if any one who
possesses a pearl or stone of great value will bring it to him, he will
pay for it twice as much as it cost. Everybody is glad to do this, and
thus the King gets all into his own hands, giving every man his price.
Furthermore, this King hath some five hundred wives, for whenever he hears
of a beautiful damsel he takes her to wife. Indeed he did a very sorry
deed as I shall tell you. For seeing that his brother had a handsome wife,
he took her by force and kept her for himself. His brother, being a
discreet man, took the thing quietly and made no noise about it. The King
hath many children.
