In The Mean Time Other Priests
With Burning Censers Go Round About The Altar Perfuming It With Incense,
And Ringing A Small Silver Bell All The Time Of The Sacrifice.
The
priest who sacrifices the cock has his arms and legs garnished with
silver plates and pendants, which make
A noise when he moves like
hawks-bells, and he wears a kind of boss on his breast inscribed with I
know not what signs, being perhaps the secret character of some hidden
mystery. When the sacrifice is finished, he fills both his hands with
wheat, and goes backwards, keeping his eyes fixed on the altar till he
comes to a certain tree whereon he casts the wheat; then returning to
the altar he removes all that is upon it.
The king never sits down to eat till four of his priests have offered
his meat in this manner to the idol; lifting their hands above their
heads with many fantastical gesticulations and murmuring voices, they
present the meat to the idol, and after many foolish ceremonies bring
back the meat to the king. The meat is offered in a wooden tray, after
which it is laid on the broad leaves of a certain tree. The meat of the
king consists of rice and divers other things, such as fruits; and be
eats sitting on the ground without cloth or carpet. During his repast,
the priests stand round him at four or five paces distance, carefully
observing all his orders; and when he has done eating, they carry away
all the remains of his food, which they give to certain crows, which
being used to be thus fed, come upon a signal, and being esteemed holy,
it is not lawful for any one to take or even hurt them.
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