And The
More To Animate These Gentlemen In The Service Of The Wars, And To
Encourage Them To Continue In
The order of nayres, they are privileged
from all imprisonments, and from the punishment of death on all ordinary
occasions,
Except for the following crimes; killing another nayre, or a
cow which is an object of worship, sleeping or eating with an ordinary
woman, or speaking evil of the king. When the king has received authentic
information of any of these offences having been committed, he issues a
written mandate to one of the nayres, commanding him to take two or three
other nayres in his company, and to slay the nayre who has committed this
offence against the laws. In obedience to this warrant, they attack him
with their swords and put him to death where-ever they happen to find him,
and then affix the royal order upon his body, that all may know the
reason of his death.
It is not permitted to any nayre to assume arms, or to enter into any
combat, till he has been armed as a knight. When a nayre becomes seven
years old, he is set to learn the use of all kinds of weapons, their
masters first pulling and twisting their joints to make them supple, and
then teaching them to fence and handle their arms adroitly. Their
principal weapons are swords and targets; and these teachers, who are
graduates in the use of the weapons, are called _Panycaes_, who are much
esteemed among the nayres, and all their former scholars, however
advanced in life or however high their dignity, are bound at all times to
give them due honour and reverence when they meet; likewise, every
_nayre_ is obliged to take lessons from these professors for two months
yearly, all their lives: By this means they are very skilful in the use
of their weapons, in which they take great pride. When a nayre desires to
be armed as a knight, he presents himself before the king, accompanied by
all his kindred and friends, and makes an offering of sixty gold fannoms
[55]. On which he is asked by the king if he is willing to observe and
follow the laws and customs of the nayres, to which he answers in the
affirmative. Then the king commands him to be girt with a sword, and
laying his right hand on his head, utters certain words as if praying in
so low a voice that he is not heard. The king then embraces the young
nayre, saying aloud in their language, "Take good care to defend the
Bramins and their kine." On this the nayre falls down and does reverence
to the king; and from that time he is considered as a knight, or member
of the fraternity of nayres. When any of the nayres enters into the
peculiar service of the king or of any individual noble, he binds himself
to die with and for him, and they keep their oaths.
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