6095. About Africans
They appear in striped linen garments, the women likewise but in garments of silk. They take in truths from a stronger desire than others. They call this being fed. For when they have the desire for them, [i.e. truths], they go off and look for food. It is evident from their young children that this is inborn in them; they frequently tell their nurses they want to eat, and when food is given to them, they sense whether it is agrees with them, this comes from the correspondence [of food to truth], and after they have eaten, they ask to eat again. From this is evident that it is a spiritual hunger that produces this. They say civil law definitely permits them to take two or three wives, but they say that they nevertheless take one wife, because love divided among several becomes outward and so lascivious, but with one wife it becomes inward and really marriage love. They know what state of spiritual intelligence they are in by the examination of a sword, which if it gleams is a sign truths are being received in abundance, the amount differing in proportion to the gleam. They said monks sometime make their way to them, but then they hear what they know, and when they gather it is nothing but nonsense, they look into what they are useful for. When they cannot be employed as laborers or for managing anything, they are sold into slavery, and then by their law it is permissible to punish them, and then if they cannot be compelled to anything useful, they sell them for a pittance to the lower classes.
6095. THE AFRICANS.
They appear in striped linen garments. Their women likewise [in striped garments] but silken. They, more than others, imbibe truths from ardent desire. They call this being fed; for, when they are in the desire of those [truths], they go forth and search for food. This is innate in them, as is manifest from their infants, in that they frequently tell their nurses that they want to eat; and, when food is given, they examine whether it agrees, and this from correspondence; and, after they have eaten, they again ask to eat; from which is manifest that it is spiritual hunger which effects it. - They [i.e. the Africans] say that they are indeed permitted by the civil law to take two or three wives; but they say that yet they take but one, for the reason that love which is distributed among many is external, and hence lascivious, but with one wife, is internal, and truly conjugial. They know in what state of spiritual intelligence they are, by looking at a sword. If it glitters, it is a sign of the reception of truth in abundance, with a difference according to the brightness. - They said that monks sometimes penetrate to them but they then hear what they know, and when they find that it is nothing but rubbish, they inquire what the monks are useful for; and, when they are not serviceable in labors, or in managing anything, they are sold for slaves, and they are then allowed by their law to chastise them and, if they cannot then be compelled to perform anything useful, they sell them for a small price to the lower classes.
6095. De Africanis
Apparent in vestibus striatis ex lino, mulieres eorum similiter sed ex serico, hauriunt vera ex desiderio prae aliis, hoc vocant nutriri, dum enim in desiderio illorum sunt, abeunt et quaerunt cibos; quod hoc innatum illis sit, patet ab infantibus eorum, quod alumnis suis frequenter dicant se velle edere, et cum datur cibus, perspiciunt num concordet, hoc ex correspondentia, et postquam ederunt etiam petunt edere, ex quo patet, quod sit esuritio spiritualis quae id operatur. - Dicunt quod illis quidem licitum sit ex lege civili, duas aut tres uxores sumere, sed dicunt quod usque unam sumant, causa quia amor, qui dividitur in plures fit externus et inde lascivus, at cum una uxore fit internus et vere conjugialis. - Sciunt in quo statu intelligentiae spiritualis per inspectionem ensis, qui si nitet, est signum receptionis veri in copia, cum differentia secundum nitorem. - Dixerunt quod monachi quandoque ad illos penetrent, sed tunc audiunt quid sciunt, et cum comperiuntur quod nihil praeter nugas, perquirunt in quo utiles sint, et cum non ad operas nec ad administrandum aliquid conduntur, venduntur in servos, et tunc ex lege illorum licet illos castigare, et si tunc ad nihil utile faciendum adigi possunt, vendunt illos pro pauco ad viles.