and possibly his mat and the dish he ate from. One of the tombak belonging to H. H. was a
species of trident, and was called tombak bĕrchĕranggah or the “Branching Lance.” The
ordinary lances might be borrowed by the people, and carried, for example, in the procession
escorting a bridegroom (by virtue of his supposed “one day’s sovereignty,” Raja sa-hari) to the
house of his bride, but the trident never. ↑
23
“All the insignia of royalty were hastily fashioned by the goldsmiths of Pĕnjum, and whenever
To’ Râja or Wan Bong appeared in public they were accompanied by pages bearing betel-
boxes, swords, and silken umbrellas, as in the manner of Malay kings.”—Cliff., In Court and
Kampong, p. 115. ↑
24
Maxw. in Raja Donan, J.R.A.S., S.B., No. 18, p. 253. ↑
25
“Ta’ lapok de’ hujan,
Ta’ lĕkang de’ panas,
Pĕsaka di toras (? turis) di-tĕladan,
Pĕsaka di-lintas tumbang.”↑
26
It is usually upon a portion of his insignia (as, for instance, his k’ris, which is dipped into water
which he drinks) that a Malay sovereign swears his most solemn oath. Sometimes, however, it
is upon a lump of iron called bĕsi kawi, which not unfrequently forms part of the regalia as
well.—Vide Klink. s.v. Bĕsi. ↑
27
The following recital of the titles of a Sumatran Raja will show at least the extraordinary
pretensions to sanctity which to this day (with, in some parts, no great diminution) hedge about
the person of the Malay king:—
“The Sultan of Menangcabow, whose residence is at Pagarooyoong (after pardon asked for
presuming to mention his name), who is king of kings, son of Raja Iscunder-zulcarnainny, ...
master of the third of the wood maccummat, one of whose properties is to enable matter to fly;
of the lance ornamented with the beard of Jangee, of the palace of the city of Rome; ... of the
gold of twelve grains named coodarat coodarattee, resembling a man; ... who is possessed of
the sword named Chooree-se-mendong-geree, which has an hundred and ninety gaps, made in
the conflict with the arch-devil, Se Cattee-moono, whom it slew; who is master of fresh water