All The
Javanese Are So Proud That They Will Not Endure An Equal To Sit An Inch
Higher Than Themselves.
They are a most blood-thirsty race, yet seldom
fight face to face, either among themselves or with other nations,
always seeking their revenge after a cowardly manner, although stout men
of good stature.
The punishment for murder among them is to pay a fine
to the king: but evermore the relations of the murdered person seek for
revenge upon the murderer or his kindred; so that the more they kill one
another the more fines come to the king. The ordinary weapon, which they
all wear, is a dagger, called a criss, about two feet long, with a
waved blade, crooked to and fro indenture ways, like what is called a
flaming sword, and exceedingly sharp, most of them being poisoned, so
that not one among five hundred wounded in the body escapes with life.
The handles of these weapons are of horn or wood, curiously carved in
the likeness of a devil, which many of these people worship. In their
wars they use pikes, darts, and targets; and of late some of them have
learnt to use fire-arms, but very awkwardly.
The better sort wear a tuke or turban on their heads, and a fine piece
of painted calico round their loins, all the rest of their bodies being
naked. They sometimes wear a close coat like a mandilion,[122] made of
cloth, camblet, velvet, or some other silk; but this is seldom, and only
on extraordinary occasions.
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