Materials for the Medieval History of Indonesia

Java1521.Antonio.Pigafetta.

Report of Antonio Pigafetta on Magellan's voyage. Description of Java after the Majapahit era, by Antonio Pigafetta (Hospitaller brother, born in Vicenza), who wrote a report about the first voyage around the globe by Fernando Magellan addressed to the Hospitaller master Philippe Villiers de l'Isle-Adam.
After Magellan's death, the remaining ship Victoria and her crew touched Java in December 1521 coming from the Moluccas on their way back to Europe. Java's political and economical importance, towns, burning of widows. The First Voyage Round the World, p. 154.

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In this island of Java are the largest towns; the principal of them is Magepaher,(1) the king of which, when he lived, was the greatest of all the kings of the neighbouring islands, and he was named Raja Patiunus Sunda. Much pepper grows there. The other towns are Dahadama, Gagiamada, Minutarangam, Ciparafidain, Tuban,(2) Cressi(3) and Cirubaya(4). At half a league from Java Major are the islands of Bali, called Java Minor, and Madura, these are of equal size.

They told us that in Java Major, it was the custom when one of the chief men died, to burn his body; and then his principal wife, adorned with garlands of flowers, has herself carried in a chair by four men throughout the town, with a tranquil and smiling countenance, whilst comforting her relations, who are afflicted because she is going to burn herself with the corpse of her husband, and encouraging them not to lament, saying to them, "I am going this evening to sup with my dear husband, and to sleep with him this night." Afterwards, when close to the place of the pyre, she again turns towards the relations, and after again consoling them, casts herself into the fire and is burned. If she did not do this she would not be looked upon as an honourable woman, nor as a faithful wife.

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(1) Majapahit.
(2) Tuban.
(3) Gresik.
(4) Surabaya.