water spouted. The steps were completely lined with women, of whom there
must have been an immense number (no men being allowed to be present), and
the Raja and his bride bathed before them. A royal bath-house of this kind is
called balei pancha pĕrsada, and should be used not only at “royal” weddings,
but at coronations (waktu di-naubatkan); it is described in the following lines:—
“Naik balei pancha pĕrsada
Di-hadap uleh sagala Biduanda,
Dudok sĕmaiam dĕngan bĕrtakhta.
Mandi ayer yang kaluar di mulut Naga”—which may be translated:—
“Ascend to the Royal Bath-House
In the presence of all your courtiers,
Take your seat in royal state,
And bathe in the water that flows from the Dragon’s Mouth.”It must not be supposed that, with such a mass of detail, many things may not
have been overlooked, but it may be remarked as some sort of a practical
conclusion to this account, that the Malay wedding ceremony, even as carried
out by the poorer classes, shows that the contracting parties are treated as
royalty, that is to say, as sacred human beings, and if any further proof is
required, in addition to the evidence which may be drawn from the general
character of the ceremony, I may mention, firstly, the fact that the bride and
bridegroom are actually called Raja Sari, (i.e. Raja sa-hari, the “sovereigns of a
day”); and, secondly, that it is a polite fiction that no command of theirs, during
their one day of sovereignty, may be disobeyed.