them to venture upon Death at pleasure and as advantagious to the Soul by securing it some degrees of Felicity and Virtue Sometimes the Husband would burn with his dead Wife And for this reason the loving Husband inamour'd with his kind or beautiful Wife would sometimes burn himself with her in the Funeral Pile in expectation of a happy future Enjoyment of her But this was seldom For it generally fell to the Wives lot to be committed to the Flames with the dead Husband The Reason why the Wives were burnt with their Husbands And this Heathenish Custom was introduc'd because of the libidinous disposition of the Women who thro' their inordinate Lust would often poison their present Husbands to make way for a new Lover This was so far incouraged by the Politick Bramin who was always a Gainer by her Death that if any Woman refus'd to burn This custom incouraged by the Bramins her Head was order'd presently to be shav'd that she might appear Contemptible and Infamous for ever after For all the Jewels she put on who deckt her Body for the Flames when she was resolv'd to die were carefully lookt after by the Priest and made his Propriety after her Death because he only had power to touch the Ashes and rake therein for Gold and Silver This Custom restrain'd by the Mogul Since the Mahometans became Masters of the Indies this execrable Custom is much abated and almost laid aside by the Orders which the Nabobs receive for suppressing and extinguishing it in all their Provinces And now it is very rare except it be some Rajahs Wives that the Indian Women burn at all and those that do obtain the liberty by costly Presents and powerful Applications to the Governours by which the Women who are forc'd to survive their Husbands by a superiour Authority evade that Ignominy and Contempt which would otherwise be cast upon them This foolish desire of Dying with their Husbands is exprest by the Poet in these Verses Propertieu L. 3. Eleg. 11. Vbi mortifero jacta est fax ultima lecto Vxorum fusis stat pia Turba comis Et certamen habent lethi quae viva sequatur Conjugium pudor est non licuisse mori Ardent victrices flammae pectora praebent Imponuntque suis or a perusta viris 'T is from this barbarous perswasion of a Power they have of disposing of their own lives and those that belong to them that the Tunquinese poyson each Year one of the Fruits of the Araguer and gives it to a Child to eat imagining that by the death of that innocent Child they shall thrive the better the succeeding Year The unreasonableness of this Custom And indeed it is an unaccountable Folly in the Indians to be so profligate of their own lives and yet so sparing of the Life of any the most insignificant living Creature as if the life of a Man were of less consequence and consideration than that of a Beast The usefulness indeed of some Brutes may gain them an esteem and the kindness and fidelity of others as of the Dog Hircanus belonging to Lysimachus who leapt as we read into the Fire with the Body of his dead Master and was burnt for Company and Tyranny even to any Creature argues a savage inhumane Nature but then it argues the pitch of stupidity and madness for a Man to destroy and cast away himself in a vain fit of Fancy or of Humour who is by the dignity of his Nature advanc'd so far above the rest of the Animal World Some Gentiles in India are Inâ—â—mb'd Tho' all the Gentiles do for the most part consume the Corps of their Dead by Fire yet some small Tombs are seen here and there where their Bodies have been immur'd but all of them very small and mean in respect of the rich and stately Monuments erected by the Principal Europeans near Suratt For the Bannians are not of the Opinion of the Egyptian Kings who fancyed that the Souls after Death were delighted to hover about their Bodies and to keep as intimate a Correspondence with them as they could the Bannians I say never dreamt this and were not therefore sollicitous for any stately Receptacle for their Bodies after Death as those Monarchs were who erected those stately Pyramids as Palaces of their last Repose which neither the fury of the Elements nor the Assaults of Time were able to Demolish and where their Souls might live with their Bodies solitary and undisturb'd by the approach of any rude Guest or vulgar Spirit Six Years are now elapsed since a violent Pestilence first broke out among the Indians at Suratt A tedious Pestilence at Suratt and has raged without interruption from the time of its first rise tho not always with equal fury for as it had some sort of Interval in the times of the Mussouns which cool'd the Air so its greatest Paroxysms were always immediately before and after that Season of the Year Before the Rains fall the Air is extreme dry and parching and when they are fallen such store of hot unwholsome vapours are rais'd and scatter'd in the Air that they give Birth to more Diseases than all the Year besides produces Above an Hundred Gentiles in one of these Seasons were carried out of the Gates of this City one Morning to be Burnt besides the Moors which were carried off by the Plague and those of both Casts which died in the Suburbs which by a very modest Calculation will amount to the number of 300 a Day And yet the Inhabitants are very numerous still the Streets populous and there is but little appearance of any such violent Destruction of the Natives Before the Eruption of this Pestilence An Earthquake there happen'd a small Earthquake which alarm'd the People but without the Ruin of Houses or mortal effect to any Inhabitant But that which creates the greatest Admiration in the Moors and not a little Joy in the English is our escaping all this while the direful Influence of this mortal Disease so that not one English man was ever yet affected by it This makes the Heathens cry out that God is among us whilst they observe whole Families of their own swept away without the least Infection touching any one of our Nation they observe those menial Servants that attend us both constantly in our Chambers and in all publick places falling Dead within a few Hours after they have left our presence and both the Wives and Children of these persons that wait upon us languishing at home of this Pestilential Sickness whilst we all escape its horrid Mortal Blasts And tho' I cannot in this case but ascribe something to second Causes to the generous Wines and costly Dishes to the strength of that Aliment whereon we feed yet when I consider how languid and feeble several of the English are at sometimes of the Year and notwithstanding their Food much less vigorous and Athletick in their Bodies
not to bear false Witness c. a strict performance whereof they think sufficient to Salvation however extravagant they may be in matters of Opinion and Speculation Nor do these latitudinarian Principles fail of a very good effect making them very Charitable and Hospitable to Strangers nor in the least displeas'd when any of their People embrace Christianity and are baptis'd When they die they are most sumptuously interr'd at the Expence of the People being burnt in a very costly Pile of the most precious Woods that can be got Their Ashes they cast into the River but the remainder of their Bones they bury near the Hut where they liv'd In matters of Faith besides that Manichean Principle before mention'd they hold divers others hardly consistent with it as an eternal Succession of Worlds without Creation and a multiplicity of Gods to govern them as for Example they say this present World is to be under the Government of Five several Gods of which four are already pass'd and now above two thousand two hundred Years elapsed since the Death of the last of these so that they expect suddenly the coming of the Fifth after whose Decease the World it self is to be destroy'd by Fire that a new one Phaenix-like may spring out of the Ashes The Souls of Men they say after several Transmigrations attain the Perfections and Felicity of their Gods which is no other than a state of Annihilation For first they pass thro' the Bodies of living Creatures Beasts and Birds c. and they are receiv'd into a place they call Naxac i. e. the place of Torments Whence they being after a long Confinement set free they are admitted into Sevum a second receptacle for departed Souls a place of all sorts of sensual Pleasures and a true Mahometan Paradise Having accomplish'd their time in this likewise they arrive at their last and irreversible state which they call Nibam which imports as much among them as a total Privation of the Essence both of Soul and Body or a state of Annihilation But this is to be said for them that they are not so wedded to any of these Opinions as not to be willing enough to hearken to and embrace other Doctrines when they are made known to them They have a strong Opinion of the Sanctity of Apes and Crocodiles insomuch that they think them infallibly happy who chance to be devoured by them Festivals Every Year they keep five solemn Festivals which in their Language are by a general name called Sapans and distinguish'd by the Names Giachie Catena Giaimo Segienod Daiche and Donon the first of these is solemniz'd about thirty six Miles from the City of Pegu the King Queen and whole Court being oblig'd to be present with great Pomp and Splendour The second is observ'd in the City of Pegu where the chief Men erect Pillars and Pyramids of different Fashions round which in the Night they hang lighted Torches and Wax Candles and the like to enlighten those that come to Worship the great Idol The Third is kept in Honour of a particular Idol before which the King Queen and their Children present themselves in Triumphal Chariots The Fourth is the Feast of Water the King Nobles and all the People sporting themselves by throwing Water one upon another and 't is impossible to pass the Streets without being soundly wet Lastly the Fifth is celebrated only at Macao but the King and whole Court are always there and their greatest Recreation and Entertainment is to see the Courtisans in their Barks upon the Water the Prize of the first being a Statue of Gold to the second one of Silver and all the rest are expos'd to the Derision of the Spectators The King of Pegu has been reckon'd by some Authors next to the Great Mogul Tosi Vol. 2. Pag. 63. and the Emperour of China one of the greatest Princes of the East Especially during the Reign of Brama who was able to bring an Army into the Field consisting of above a Million and half of Men and not arm above one in ten of his Subjects And his Son lay Siege to Joudia the Capital City of Siam with an Army of Nine Hundred Thousand Men and had certainly taken it had not the besieg'd found means to drown the Country round about which Inundation swept away all that vast Army except Seventy Thousand Men many that escap'd drowning being afterwards destroy'd by the Siameses sallying out upon them shut in by the Water in Barges but the rest after much hardship without either Horses or Baggage got back to Martaban This Misfortune was follow'd by several others for being incens'd by his Losses he grew Cruel and Tyrannical against his own Subjects provoking them thereby to Rebel against or at least Revolt from him Fort St. George January 1st Anno 1679 80. A Collection of Coyns now Currant in the Kingdoms of Indostan Persia Gulcondah Vizapore Japan Syam Pegu Atchein Quedda Arabia c. With their several Weights Fineness and Values here at this present c. N o Ps.  oz. dw gr  Matts Pa fa ca Pa fa ca Pa fa ca       Indostan            1 1 The Gold Mohurpo  7 2 fine 9 7 8    3 22 3    2 1 The Silver Rupee  6 19  9 ½     10 3     1 The Copper Pice             3 33    The Cowree Shell                      Persia            3 1 The Silver Abass 5 sh  5 20  9      8     4 1 Ditto of 4 Shahees  4 16  8 ½     6 3    5 2 The Silver Mamoode  2 8  7 ¾  2 4  4 8          Golcondah          19 5 6 1 The Silver Rupee  7 2  9 ½     11     7  Ditto Half  3 13        5 3    8 4 Quarter  1 18½     2 5  11     9 4 Eighths   21¼     1 2½  5 3    10 8 Sixteenths   10 5 8      4¼  5 3                   1 2 3   The Pagoda of             Â
a Rage retreat for a day or two 'till they give them time to cool and when they find the Passion asswag'd form their Addresses in the most affable manner and obliging Respect The Orientals are generally much more tender and insinuating in their Language and more prompt easie in their Deportment than those that are bred in the Tempestuous Regions and Northerly Air of Europe The Tempers of Men alter by the Climate they live in which has a certain Influence upon their Spirits to render them boisterous and irregular in respect of that submissive temper and affable Carriage of the Eastern Nations He that has convers'd for any time among these can hardly bear the roughness or be brought to digest the rudeness of the others For the sudden Changes and uncertainty of the Weather in all Seasons of the Year affect both the Heads and Hearts of such as are Conversant in these uneven Climates it makes them suddenly heated into Passions and as hardly brought to an warmth of Affection it makes them both unlike other Nations and inconsistent with themselves by raising unequal Humours and unconstancy in the Passions unfixt Desires and uncertain Ends. And were the Bannians to be transported hither who hold a Transmigration they would be apt immediately upon their Arrival to conclude that many of the Men had really invaded the Natures of some of the most savage Brutes were animated with no other Souls than those of Tygers and Bears and that the Irish and French Opinion of the Lougaroos or Men turn'd into Wolves was as true and authentick a Notion as any that prevail'd among them But that Opinion of the Bannians The Reasons of the soft Temper of the Bannians which possesseth them with an Horror of Blood does quite discourage them from all Hostile Attacks and thoughts of War and their Despotick Government breaks their Spirits and the feeble phlegmatick Aliments with the consumptive Heat of the Sun all contribute to weaken and effeminate their Constitutions to the producing a tractable Disposition and smooth regular Deportment They are mainly addicted to prosecute their Temporal Interest Much given to Riches and the amassing of Treasure and therefore will fly at the securing of a Pice tho' they can command whole Lacks of Roupies I know those among them computed to be worth an Hundred Thousand Pounds whose Service the Prospect of Sixpence Advantage will command to traverse the whole City of Suratt For they are always upon the Thoughts of increasing their Wealth and plodding for Gain which they lay hold on upon the least occasion tho' by never so minute and inconsiderable Advantages By which Diligence they generally secure a comfortable Subsistence and some of them amass a prodigious Treasure The Bannians are by much the most numerous and by far the wealthiest of all the Pagans of India whose Distinction in Religion argues a difference of their various Vocations Each Trade of a different Opinion in Religion and each single Trade is diversified by some particular Opinions the Goldsmith and Scrivan the Joyner Barber and Merchant c. as they have different Employments so are they of divers Sentiments and distinguish'd in the Ceremonies of their Worship and mix no more in their Sacred Sentiments of Religion than in their Civil Arts. Therefore all their Arts are Hereditary and their Employments confin'd to their own Families The Son is engag'd in the Father's Trade and to maintain the Profession of it in his Posterity it is transmitted always to the succeeding Generation which is obliged to preserve it in a lineal Descent uncommunicated to any Stranger Upon this account all Marriages are restrain'd to one Sect No Persons whose Parents are of contrary Trades marry together and contracted only between Persons of the same Perswasion and Profession The Merchant is debarred from entring into any League of Love with the Daughter of a Goldsmith Shoemaker or of any other different Employment and all Persons are under a strict Confinement in their Matrimonial Ties and Addresses to direct their Passions and Affections to those only of their own Opinion and Trade Which Custom has formerly prevail'd even in the most Western Island of this Hemisphere and several Great Men in the Septs of Ireland had heretofore their Physicians Poets Smiths and such like who always continued in the same Races The Indians are in many things of matchless Ingenuity in their several Imployments The Indians Ingenuity and admirable Mimicks of whatever they affect to copy after The Bannian by the Strength of his Brain only will sum up his Accounts with equal exactness and quicker Dispatch than the readiest Arithmetician can with his Pen. The Weavers of Silk will exactly imitate the nicest and most beautiful Patterns that are brought from Europe And the very Ship-Carpenters at Suratt will take the Model of any English Vessel in all the Curiosity of its Building and the most artificial Instances of Workmanship about it whether they are proper for the Convenience of Burthen or of quick Sailing as exactly as if they had been the first Contrivers The Wood with which they build their Ships would be very proper for our Men of War in Europe A sort of Wood that never splinters for it has this Excellence that it never splinters by the Force of a Bullet nor is injur'd by those violent Impressions beyond the just Bore of the Shot The Tailers here fashion the Cloaths for the Europeans The Indian Tailers either Men or Women according to every Mode that prevails and fit up the Commodes and towring Head-Dresses for the Women with as much Skill as if they had been an Indian Fashion or themselves had been Apprentices at the Royal Exchange But they are tainted with a superstitious Fancy that mending old Cloaths in a Morning is of very ill abode and therefore they rather are willing to employ that time in fashioning of New and reserve the Afternoon as most proper for the other The Indians have not yet attempted an Imitation of our Clock-work in Watches and may be it is because they seldom continue their just Motions for any long time by reason of the Dust that flies continually in the Air which is apt to clog and stop the Wheels But the Chinese have undertaken to take our Clocks and Watches in pieces to form new ones themselves The Chinese imitate our Clock-work and may be in some time produce some fresh Improvements in those Mechanical Operations The Siamese measure their time by a sort of Water-Clock The Water Clock at Siam not like the Clepsydra of old wherein the Water descended from above but by forcing it upwards through a small Hole in the bottom of a Copper Cup plac'd in a Tub of Water When the Water has sprung up so long that the Cup is full it sinks down and those that stand by it forthwith make a noise with Basons signifying that the Hour is expired The extraordinary
carried in the Womb who provided such convenient Food and innocent Diversions such pleasing Entertainments of their Senses and Fancy for the Teeming Women at that time that the Minds of the Children might participate thereby of those Delights might be chearful and serene and free from all dismal Impressions from their Parent and so their Lives afterwards might be composed and exempt from all anxious Thoughts from all turbulent Desires and vexatious Agonies of Spirit And from hence I will proceed to one of the last things I shall take notice of concerning the Bannians and that is their Burials As every Man 's coming into the World necessarily infers his going out of it and consequently a Separation of Body and Soul all the World therefore seems much concern'd what will become after Death of that other part of themselves in the Sepulture of their Bodies Five ways of disposing of the Dead And as there have been five ways of disposing of the Dead one to put them into the Ground another to cast them into the Water the third to leave them in the open Air the fourth to burn them the fifth to suffer them to be devoured by Beasts So of these Five two have principally obtain'd in the World that of committing their Bodies to the Earth and the other The Bannians burn the dead Bodies near the Water-side to the Flames The last of these is made choice of by the Bannians who carry their dead Bodies to a Pile of Wood near the Water-side not far from Suratt which is presently kindled after the Corps is laid upon it and when the Flame has reduced it to Ashes the Remains are thrown into the River They likewise if they are able Fragrant Wood burntt with the Corps burn some fragrant Wood of great Value with the Corps to sweeten the Air and mix its Perfumes with the black Exhalations Burning more honourable than burying And were it not for the Tyranny of Custom it seems more Honourable to have our Bodies consum'd by that lively Element than to have them devour'd by Worms and Putrefaction whereof Fire being an Enemy and the Emblem and most sensible Hieroglyphick of Immortality there can be no better Expedient to secure our Friends from Oblivion than that of burning their Bodies whereof we have either the Bones or Ashes Left which may be preserved whole Ages The several Nations of the World had Customs of their own Custom a second Nature which commencing upon uncertain Principles have been deriv'd to their Posterity and receiv'd with a Religious Fancy and they would rather die than do an Act of Violence to them and believ'd it the greatest Impiety in the World to break them Whereof Herodotus gives a full Instance in a Trial made by Darius to the Indians and Greeks He askt the Greeks what they would take to do as the Indians did who eat their dead Parents and Friends and accounted it the most honourable Burial They answered They would not do it at any Price And when he askt the Indians upon what Account they would be induced to burn the Bodies of their Fathers and not to eat them They desired him not to speak to them of any such horrid Impiety as to burn their Fathers Carkasses and to deny them the Honour of a Natural Burial in the Bowels of their dear Children This shews how Custom is the Spirit and Genius of a Man's Actions and introduces a Nature and Religion it self and were the Prejudice of that remov'd other civiliz'd Nations might doubtless be as zealous for burning their dead Friends as the Bannians are now-a-days Four ways of disposing of their Dead among the Siamese The Four Elements were formerly worshipped by the ancient Siamese who committed their Bodies when dead to what they ador'd when they were alive He therefore that worshipped the Earth made choice of that for his Interrment the Fire consum'd the Corps of its Adorers the Worshippers of the Air were expos'd to the Birds to devour them and those that reverenced the Element of Water were drowned in it at their Burial This Care of Mens Bodies after Death seems natural to Mankind All Nations take care of their Dead and almost universal which Osiris King of Egypt taking notice of made use of as an Encouragement to Vertue and an Argument for the practice of Morality among his People Those whose Vertues were Illustrious and whose Characters were unblemisht were appointed by him to be buried in Beautiful Fields near Memphis verdant with all manner of Flowers whilst the others were assign'd to places of Punishment and Ignominy whose lives had been Dissolute and Vicious The Gentiles of India The Corps Burnt sometimes before 't is quite dead as it they were weary of their Friends when alive and loath to harbour them when dead burn the Body sometimes before it is quite dead and when they think it past recovery A Bannian who was Broker to the English was thus hurried away to the burning Place as he was just expiring but being happily met by the English Surgeon who felt his Pulse and gave some hopes of Recovery some kinder Friend among the rest disswaded the Company from proceeding and in a little time by the application of a few Cordials he was recover'd to his Health and by that Miraculous chance evaded an untimely end The Corps is carried upon a Bier The manner of carrying the Dead to be Burnt according to the Custom of the Moors attended by Friends and Relations who as they pass along the Road are incessantly repeating Ram Ram that is in their Language God! God! For Ram they say was formerly the name of a mighty Prince among them and is now invoked by them as if he were God or the name translated to the Almighty Shaving the Hair a token of deep mourning If a Rajah dies his Subjects and Dependants cut off all their Beards and shave their Heads as tokens of the deepest Mourning for his Decease which is such a solemn sign of Grief and extraordinary Sorrow that this nakedness and want of Nature's Covering and Ornament of the Head and Face is never shown but for a Prince a Parent or some nearest Relation Funeral expences costly Upon the Death of any Friend the Bannians are not sparing of their Cost but spend profusely in Banqueting and Feasts which are kept publickly for the two or three days following then they observe upon the same account the Twelfth the Twentieth the Thirtieth and the Fortieth besides once each Quarter of the succeeding Year ' til the Annual Solemnity returns And he who at these times is parsimonious and endeavours to contract his Expences is accounted if he be a Man of Wealth the most sordid Miser in the World The Impious Opinion which the Indians formerly entertain'd The Reason which the Indians had for burning themselves of having a power over their own Lives as they were Masters of themselves caus'd many of
a piece of Cloath fasten'd to a Beam for that purpose and continue dancing 'till he has quite exhausted his Spirits and he drops down as a Dead Man in the place Then is the Musick redoubl'd and all the Spectators second it with their Rejoicings and are ready to Envy him the happiness he then Enjoys supposing him all the while he lies in this Condition to Converse with the Idol This Exercise he is bound to repeat as long as the Feasting continues but if his weakness will not permit then must some near Relation succeed in his place and if at last the Person recovers after the Talagno is compleated he is carried to the Pagods and anointed with Oils and Odoriferous and costly Perfumes from the Head to the Foot But if notwithstanding all these Sacrifices and Vows the Sick Person die at last the Raulini have another fetch they tell them all these Sacrifices were well accepted by the Gods and the Reason why they granted not the Sick a longer life was because they design'd him a greater Favour by taking him to themselves and recompencing him in another World Not less Superstitious and absurd are they in their manner of Interment Funerals For the Dead Corps being brought into the middle of the House the Raulini walking round about it cant over certain Prayers whilst others perfume the place with Incense the greatest part of the Family in the mean time keeping strict Watch and beating upon a broad piece of Brass This they tell you they do lest to the great Disgrace and Damage to the Party deceas'd a Black Cat should pass over him for then he would be constrain'd to return to life again with Ignominy and be depriv'd of that happiness they suppose him to Enjoy in another World Before the Deceas'd be carried out of the House they invite to a Banquet a sort of People called Graii of which if they are not at leisure to accept it causes a most doleful Lamentation among the Relations of the deceas'd taking that for a certain Sign that his Soul is Condemn'd to Hell which they call the House of Smoak The Coffin is adorn'd according to the Abilities of the Person and being firmly perswaded of the Transmigration of Souls into other Bodies they never fail to paint upon it the Figures of Horses Elephants Eagles Cows Lions and the most noble Creatures they can imagin as it were to direct the departed Soul to the best Lodging Unless out of pure Humility the deceas'd order before-hand Rats and Frogs and the vilest and most despicable Animals to be drawn in their stead as the most suitable Receptions for his polluted Soul In this manner the Body is carried out into the Fields and there burnt to Ashes the Raulini kindling the Fire and the Relations attending clad all in White which is their Mourning Attire except a black Hatband round their Heads Religion Their Religion in general is nothing else but an absur'd Heathenish Superstition and they are disturb'd at the most common things looking upon the Barking of a Dog or the like as the Omen and Presage of some notable Event Upon which the Raulini are immediately consulted who know how to Entertain them with a Thousand Fopperies They have their Domestick Idol besides those in their publick Temples which are so numerous that in one alone are said to be no less than Twenty Thousand To this Domestick God they constantly before they Eat offer a part of their Provision and wear his Mark burnt into their Arms or Sides or Shoulders with a hot Iron and by him Swear Those that are of ability send Portions likewise to the publick Temples which are built in the form of a Pyramid or Steeple higher or lower according to the Pleasure of the Founder In the Winter time they Cloath their Idols that they may not take cold in hopes of a mighty Recompence for such an act of Charity to them At a certain time of the Year they celebrate a Festival which they call Sansaporan in commemoration of the Dead wherein they make a solemn Procession in Honour of one of their Idols called Quiay Poragray which is carried in an heavy Chariot with Ninety of the Raulini clad in yellow Sattin attended thro' all the Streets of the City many as he passes throwing themselves under his Chariot Wheels and others hanging themselves upon Iron Hooks fasten'd for the purpose and Sprinkling him with their Blood And in such high Veneration are held these Martyrs of the Devil that every Man thinks himself happy on whom one drop of their Blood shall chance to light Nay the very Hooks on which they hang are with great Reverence taken down by the Raulini and as sacred Relicks carefully preserv'd in their Pagods Priests Their Raulini or Priests are divided into three Orders distinguish'd by the names of Pungrini Pangiani and Xoxom somthing resembling the Distinction of Bishops Priests and Deacons They are cloath'd in Yellow having their Heads Shaven and all below the Pungrini uncover'd but these wear a Yellow Mitre with the point turn'd and falling backwards They are tied to live single both by Vow and under Penalty of Degradation and being reduc'd into the number of Laicks and taxed as they They live partly in Cloisters founded by their Kings or great Men which are generally very sumptuous and partly in their own Houses and of their own Estates but all under one Head their Xoxom Pungri before mention'd To these are recommended the Children as well of the Nobility as of the inferior sort to be Educated in the Knowledge of their Religion and Laws and they are said to be exceeding Hospitable to Strangers They have amongst them many Hermites not unlike the Jogues before spoken of whom they divide into Grepi Manigrepi and Taligrepi who for some severe and rigorous Penances inflicted upon themselves are had in great Esteem among the People THE GOVERNMENT c. OF ARRACAN THIS King for the vastness of his Treasure and strength for War is as considerable as most of the Princes of the East and within less than an Hundred Years space has much inlarg'd his Dominions by his Conquests as well in Pegu Jarric l. 6. c. 29. as Bengala But in his Wars against the Portuguese he was never successful a Fleet of his of no less than five hundred and Forty Sail being defeated by them in the Year 1605. And not long after coming against the Fort of Siriam with a Fleet of Twelve Hundred Sail together with a Land Army of Thirty Thousand Men with three Thousand five Hundred great and small Canon he was thrice beat both by Land and Sea and forc'd to retire The Government is chiefly in the hands of Twelve Princes to whom he gives the Title of Kings residing in his Principal Cities in Twelve Magnificent Palaces built for the King himself in all which are great Seraglio's the Governour being oblig'd Yearly to chuse Twelve Girls born that year within their