Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/143

LAWS. 129 ones. The first are considered rather as venial offences, but the last as the most flagrant of crimes. A man is allowed to runaway with a woman ; and, upon making the usual payments, he is exonerated from any culpability by doing so, and the marriage is valid. If a man violate a female slave, he pays a fine ; and if he violate a debtor, he must either marry her or forfeit the debt. I shall quote a few of the many laws on this subject. The Malacca code says, *' If a man repeatedly ask for a young woman in marriage, and the parents are displeased thereat, and refuse their assent, but he secretly de- flower the virgin, he shall be fined one tahil and one paha^ for a man's daughter is not to be treated lightly. Even if of no rank, still she shall not be treated lightly." " If a man," says the same collection, " borrow a female slave, and have connection with her, he shall, if she have been a virgin, pay to her master a fine of ten mas, one piece of cloth, and one vest ; but, if a widow, only five mas and no cloth or vest. This is the law of the town, of the country, and of the river." By the laws of the Rejangs, it is declared that " If a man carries off a woman under pretence of marriage, he must lodge her imuiediately with some respectable family. If he carries her else- where for a single night, he incurs a fine of fifty dollars, payable to her parents or relations." — "If," VOL. III. I