together The Diet of the Indians As to what concerns the Meat and Drink of the Indians it is several according to the Situation of the Countrey but most Indians use boyl'd Rice in stead of Bread The Coco-tree is the chief and onely thing of their subsistence for it affords Fruit Oyl Milk Honey Vinegar and Wine The greatest Delicacy amongst the common People is Rice boyl'd with green Ginger and mix'd with a little Pepper and Butter Their ordinary Food is of wheaten Flowr but of a certain course Grain though well tasted which they make up into great round and thick Cakes and bake them on thin Iron Plates which they carry with them from one place to another when they travel they spread a little Butter on these Cakes and so eat them They have also a certain Dish call'd Massack or Matsack which is made of two parts Water and one of Brandy some Eggs beaten Cinamon Sugar and Bread which is boyl'd like a Posset Baril is a Broth which the Indians make of the Juice or Milk of Coco-nuts and Butter with all manner of Spices and amongst others Cardamom Ginger Herbs Fruit and several other Ingredients The Christians especially the Portuguese adde to the same the Flesh of Hens and Chickens chopt in small pieces which they lay upon the Rice that is boyl'd onely with Water and Salt They also boyl the Root Curcuma with their Meat and almost throughout all India they boyl no Meat without a little Bundle of Cammels Hay in Greek call'd Schoenanthos to give it a savory taste and to fortifie the Stomach as also a quantity of Calamus Aromaticus or Nard in the Malaian Tongue call'd Diringo The Indians in many places have also a delicate Dish or rather Sawce to procure an Appetite which is call'd Achor or Astjar and is us'd there after the same manner as here our Gurkins Olives and Capers it is likewise brought from thence into Europe where many People eat it with much delight it being made of Cucumbers Mangos or long Pepper Garlick green Ginger Roots and the young juicy Sprigs of Canes which are laid in Pickle with Vinegar Pepper and other Spices The Bunches of green Pepper are also laid in Pickle and brought to the Table either with roast or boyl'd Meat as likewise the Roots of green Ginger and Galanse besides the Fruit Manga Carambolas Astjae Billinbing Curcuma likewise Gurkins Melons and Pumpions in stead of Capers and Olives which in Zurratte and other places are also in great abundance Some Indians also eat that kind of Apple call'd in Latine Pomum Amoris and Pomum Aureum and by the Portuguese Pomod ' Oro which is a sort of Mandragora or Mandrake cold in the third degree though some put Achay or Brasilian Pepper in the Malaian Tongue call'd Lada Chili that is Pepper from Chili which is very hot to temper the extraordinary Cold thereof and pouring Oyl and Vinegar over them eat the same with roasted Flesh or Fish Some accustom themselves to chew Achay just as some People chew Tobacco These golden Apples are sometimes Preserv'd with Sugar but the Chineses on the Island Java roasting them in Ashes eat them with Pepper and Vinegar The Fruits Carambolas are also for the same purpose laid in Pickle Their several sorts of Liquor The Drink which is commonly drunk by the Vulgar is Water but People of note especially Moors mix Cinamon Juice and Sugar with their Water which being a pleasant Liquor is call'd Scherbet In many places they drink in stead of Wine a Liquor which is tapt out of the Palm-tree into a Pot which hangs at it a whole Night The Portuguese call this Wine Vinho de Palma that is Palm-wine the Indians in Cambaya Tari or Terri others Sura and Toddy and the Amboynans Towack This Liquor is of a white colour and somewhat thick and of a tart yet pleasant taste intoxicating the Brain like Wine if drank to excess but if moderately it is accounted an excellent Medicine against the Dropsie They generally tap this Liquor out of the Tree after Sun-set letting their Vessels hang to the same till Sun-rising for then it keeps sweet and pleasant all the day after for that which is tapt in the day-time is not so delightful to the Palate but is flat and eager which is occasion'd by the heat of the Sun and is good for nothing but to make Vinegar for which it is us'd by the Indians Of this Liquor Tara or Terri which of it self drops out of the Trees they make another sort of Wine by the Indians call'd Uraca which is the onely Wine of all India and being of a white colour is very hot and strong which the Indians nevertheless drink like Water The Portuguese temper this Wine by putting ston'd Raisins into the Vessel which they do not stop close but leave the Bung-hole open least by reason of the extraordinary heat and strength the Fat should flie asunder because it ferments like boyling Water Every day for a fortnight together they stir this Liquor after which it becomes of a deep Red and is of a sweetish taste They also drink abundance of the fresh Juice which is inclos'd within the Coco-nuts Another sort of Liquor call'd Zaguer brought from Banda and the Molucko Isles which drops out of a Tree not unlike the Coco But this Liquor is very unwholsom to drink especially for Strangers for it not onely occasions a great Loosness but also a kind of dead Palsie call'd by the Indians Beribery They have likewise a very strong Liquor like Brandy call'd Arack made of the Moisture that is inclos'd in the Coco-nuts and also of that which drops out of the Tree it self which they burn with Rice The Chineses to make the most of their Rice adulterate the same by putting into it a sort of poisonous Weed which drives upon the Sea whereby the Arack receives a corroding Heat very prejudicial to the Lungs and causing Consumption vomiting of Blood and other deadly Distempers especially to all Strangers that drink thereof The Hollanders in many places have a Liquor which they make of spring-Spring-water Javansagar Tamarinds and Lemmons which they put all together in a Vessel hoop'd with Iron Hoops and stopping it very close let it stand twenty four hours in the Sun whereby throwing the Dross and Filth upwards it becomes a most excellent Liquor almost like March Beer Moreover in most places of India a certain Liquor is made call'd Palipuntz which by some is made after this manner viz. they take half Brandy and half Water into which they put Nutmegs Cinamon Sugar and Line Juice This Liquor by the English call'd Punch is very hurtful to European Bodies if drank excessively for it occasions Loosness Some also drink a Brewage made onely of clear Water and brown Sugar which if drunk in hot Weather is very unwholsome but is much temper'd if a Draught of the Liquor Palipuntz be taken after it Moreover they distill a kind
and building their Nests of long withered Grass make them fast to the Boughs of Trees that so they may be freed from Vermin These Parrots do great mischief to all Fruits and Corn especially Rice The Ancient and Modern Inhabitants of Surratte The ancient Inhabitants and Natives of Surratte being formerly all Heathens were by a general Name call'd Hindous but are at present either Heathens distinguished by the Names of Benjans and Brahmans Mahumetans or Moors which have Setled here since this Countrey hath been brought under the Mogols Jurisdiction The other Inhabitants are Persians Tartars Arabians Armenians and many other People of Asia and Europe except Chineses Japanners and Jews which are seldom found there In most Places of Surratte dwell a sort of Persians or People derived from the ancient Persians which the Benjans and other Heathens call Garoisdees and Persees or Parsis which last Name according to the testimony of Bollayle le Gouz they give themselves the Moors Guenure the Persians Atech Peres Zarduzts Kebbers and Gauri They boast their Extract from Persia and have for several Ages before Mahomet been Governed by peculiar Kings of their own Countrey till the Wars which commonly occasion great Revolutions in States and Empires reduc'd them at last under another Government which hapned after the Birth of our Saviour Anno 640. in the twenty ninth Year of the Reign of the last Persian King call'd Jazdgerd or Yesdegerd otherwise Jesdagird Son to Xarear who resided in the City Yesd near the old Ispahan The Turks coming from Turkestan or Turky through the Province Naohaad into Persia ruin'd all the Countrey and forced Jasdagird who went with an Army to meet them with the assistance of the Arabians who fell into Persia at another Place to retreat to Corazan where after a Reign of twenty nine years he deceased when most of the conquer'd Persians which would not embrace Mahomet's Doctrine nor suffer themselves to be Circumcised left their native Countrey and travell'd towards India there to enjoy Liberty of Conscience under the Rajaâ— and coming to the Persian Gulf a Fleet consisting of seven Ships was order'd to carry them and their Followers which some affirm consisted in eighteen thousand Persons Men Women and Children as Merchants over to India Five of the said Fleet arriving safely at St. Johns-Land in the Haven of Swaly they resolv'd to go to the Raja who then resided at Nuncery where they declar'd the Occasion which forc'd them to come thither and requested the Raja that he would please to receive them as a People that would willingly live under his Government provided they might enjoy their own Religion whereupon they were received on paying Tribute and taking the Oath of Allegiance One of the remaining two Ships went to a Raja residing at Baryacy near Surratte where the People aboard her were receiv'd upon the same Conditions as the former But this Raja being at Wars with another Raja was defeated his Countrey taken from him and all the Persians as his Abetters destroy'd by his Enemies The seventh and last Vessel Sailing along the Coast touched at Cambaya where the People that were in the same were receiv'd on the same Conditions as the former So that these People after what manner soe're spread through India had certainly their Extract from one of the foremention'd Places where they liv'd so long that they forgot their Original and Religion nay they could not remember from whence they were Extracted till at length after the expiration of many years the Name of Persians was made known to them by those that having remain'd in Persia disclos'd to them the History of their Predecessors instructed them in their ancient Religion and taught them how to serve God for the future so that at present wheresoe're they are they strictly maintain their ancient Religion or Sect and many Persians have since Setled themselves along the Sea-shore where they have liv'd quietly among the Natives But Herbert contrary to the opinion of all Historians tells us that King Jazdgerd banish'd them to India because they refus'd to embrace the Mahumetan Doctrine and to be Circumcised The Apparel or the Persians of Surratte As to what concerns the Apparel of these Persians they are Clothed after the same fashion as the Inhabitants except that they ware a Girdle or Sash of Camels Hair or Sheeps Wooll which going twice about their Middle is ty'd behind with two Tassels This Sash or Girdle is by them call'd Cushee and worn as a publick testimony of their Faith in the nature or our Baptism or the Circumcision of the Mahumetans and is given them at their being initiated into their Religion in the seventh year of their Age. When accidentally they lose one of these Girdles or Sashes they are not permiâ—ted to eat drink work speak or stir before they have obtain'd another And these Girdles are to be bought of their Priests As well Women as Men are obliged to wear these Sashes from the seventh year of their Age or as others affirm from their twelfth year which is from the time of their being initiated They live here like the Natives free and undisturbed and drive what Trade they please They are very ingenious and for the most part maintain themselves with Tilling and buying and selling all sorts of Fruits tapping of Wine out of the Palm-trees which Wine they sell in Houses of Entertainment for their Law debars them not from drinking strong Liquor so it be not the Juice of the Grape Some also Traffick and are Exchangers of Money keep Shops and exercise all manner of Handicrafts except Smiths-work for they are not allow'd to quench Fire with Water In point of Eating and Drinking their Law hath given them great Priviledge Their Diet. but to avoid displeasing of the Benjans amongst whom they live and the Moors under whose Jurisdiction they stand they abstain from Wine that is the Juice of the Grape and Swines-flesh but of the palm-Palm-Wine they drink very greedily insomuch that it is usual among some making up a Palm-leaf in form of a Tunnel to let the Palm-Wine run through the same into their Throats They always eat alone by themselves judging that they are able to live pure and undefiled that if they should eat with any person they would certainly be defiled They also drink out of several Cups and if any Person chances accidentally to drink out of anothers Cup they wash the same three times and set it away for a considerable time before they use it again Some affirm that their Law forbids them to eat of any thing that enjoyed Life except in times of War or great Necessity for then they are permitted to eat Mutton Goats-flesh Venison Poultrey and Fish and all manner of Flesh except that of Cows Oxen Horses Camels Elephants and the like Beasts which they account a deadly sin to kill but they chiefly abstain from Cows or Ox-flesh affirming that they will rather eat their Father or Mothers
Flesh In which Point of Religion they agree with the Benjans Most of their Liquor is Water because their Law forbids them to drink any Liquor made by the Fire but they have free leave to drink of the Juice of the Grape or any other Wines tapt out of Trees but not to that excess as to inebriate themselves which nevertheless oftentimes happens amongst them in private but if it be discovered either in Men or Women they are sorely punished and if they do not heartily repent at least seemingly and do Penance they are banished and disown'd by their Tribe As to what concerns their Fasting after each Fast-day they eat but once for five days after in commemoration that God rested five days after each of his Labors If they at any time eat Flesh or Fowl they carry a piece thereof to their Eggaree or Temple as an Offering to beg pardon of their Gods and to testifie the dissatisfaction which they have in being forc'd to kill his Creatures for their Food The Description of the People The shape of their Bodies is of a middle size their Faces are pale and generally fairer than ours in Europe especially the Women which exceed all other Women of these Countreys in beauty The Men wear great round Beards long black Hair on their Heads and are generally hook-nos'd which makes them to be known amongst thousands of People yet there are some that wear short Hair with a Lock onely on the top of their Crown There are few amongst them that serve other People alledging That if any one dies in another Man's Service it will be very difficult for him to go to Heaven as having sinned against God wherefore those that serve are accounted unclean and Unbelievers They are for the most part a covetous and hard People very deceitful in their Dealings but no way inclin'd to Whoring or Theft meek and compassionate in their Conversation They dwell in very dark Houses meanly furnish'd in one Street or Ward by themselves They have no supreme Governor amongst them Their several Feasts They have six Festival Times in a year which by virtue of their Law they are oblig'd to maintain in commemoration of the six days wherein God created the World and for the Benefits which they receive every Month from God Each of these Feasts lasts five day The first of these Feasts call'd Meduserum begins on the fifteenth of â—ere or February in commemoration that God made Heaven and appointed it to be a Place of Bliss and Happiness for the reception of all such as fear him The second Feast call'd Petusathan begins on the twenty sixth of Sheruar or April in commemoration that God made Hell for the Devils and bad Angels and to deter Men from living wickedly The third call'd Yatrum begins on the twenty sixth of Nahar or May in remembrance that God created the Sea and Earth and made them fit for the production of such Creatures as preserve the Life of Man The fourth nam'd Medearum begins on the sixteenth of Foz or July in remembrance that God made Trees and Plants whose Fruits serve for the Sustenance of Mankind The fifth call'd Homespotamadum begins on the thirteenth of Spindamud or August in commemoration that God created Beasts Fowls and Fishes for the Food of Man The sixth call'd Medusan begins on the thirteenth of Ardehert or December in token of joy that God about that time created a Man and a Woman from whom the whole Earth was peopled The Original Fire-worship Amongst all things which they possess nothing is of such veneration amongst them as the Fire on which their Belief is grounded and which they worship and herein they differ from all other Sects This worshipping of Fire hath its original from one Zertoost their Law-giver who as their Tradition goes ascended to Heaven and brought down a portion of Fire which God gave him together with the Book of their Laws They alledge moreover that Zertoost ascending to Heaven saw not God in his full glory but that he spoke with him over a great Fire out of which God gave him the said portion and also endued him with some of his Divine Power They say likewise That the Fire which he brought out of Heaven was a living Fire which could not be extinguish'd by any means and therefore that it had Divine Worship ascrib'd to it But it is not certainly believ'd amongst them that the foremention'd Fire hath hitherto been preserved however they are permitted to make another Fire of severall Materials which they are to keep always burning and to worship according to the Commands of their Law Their Ceremonies of Fire-worship Their grand Ceremonies of Fire-worship are at present perform'd in Surratte on a Place call'd Nuncery where the chief Priesthood of this Sect reside and according to their relation have kept the Fire constantly burning above two hundred and fifty years This Fire is by them in their Language call'd Antisbehur that is Sacred Fire The worshipping of this Fire which the Distoor or Herbood that is the High-Priest keeps so carefully that he never lets the same go out is perform'd in the following manner As often as the Persians meet to worship the Fire the Distoor or Herbood tells them That the Fire was given from God to Zertoost as a part of his Power and Glory and that he had also given him a Law which taught him to worship the same and was confirm'd by many Miracles therefore they must esteem it sacred and holy and worship and reverence the same as being a part of God himself and of the same Essence and likeness with him or at least differing little from him that they must love all things that resemble the as the Sun and Moon which were made of the same and are two testimonies of God and would come to be Witnesses against them if they neglected this their Duty to which they were so strictly commanded Moreover he admonishes them to worship God and beg pardon of him if accidentally they should spill any Water in the foremention'd Element of Fire which being so useful for Mankind might thereby happen to be extinguish'd and not to spit in the same or throw any unclean thing into it to make it burn They therefore keep always Fire in their Houses and will never blow out a Candle Lamp or any other Light or quench Fire with Water though their Houses should be all in a Flame but endeavour to smother the same with Earth for they account it an ill omen and a sign of God's anger when the Fire in their Houses chances to go out and they be forc'd to fetch Fire out of other Houses to kindle it again The initiation of their Children As to what concerns the Initiating of their Children so soon as a Child comes into the World the Daroo or Priest goes to the Parents House and having enquired into the Hour and Minute of the Infants Birth he first erects a Scheme
overgrown with Brambles and Thorns which the Inhabitants wanting Wood use for Fewel But in the low Grounds where the most Villages are built it is green and fertile for the Inhabitants convey the Brooks which are not above four or five Foot broad and spring out of the Mountains about and through all their Lands and Gardens which they water therewith for as we said before there is little Rain falls in Persia Their Fields are generally ten or twelve Rods in the square which being surrounded with Water and inclos'd with Banks about a Foot high they stopping their Sluces drown the same when they please and can let the Water out of one Trench into another nay oftentimes when occasion requires they let their Lands lie under Water in the Night and in the day-time drain it off again to be dry'd by the Heat of the Sun Every Chile of Land affords ten Truss of Hay Plants Plants and Grain THe Grain which the Persians commonly Sowe are for the most part Rice some Wheat Barley Rye and Oats though of no great esteem they have also French Wheat Tares and Pease which are of two sorts the best they call Nagud and the worst Culul and likewise whole Fields of Ricinus by the Arabians call'd Kicaion Santjone Alcaroa and Kerva by the Persians Cuntzut by the Italians Gira Sole and with us The Sun-Flower which in those Countreys continues many years but with us dies every Winter Out of the Seed they press a sweet and delicate Oyl call'd Schirbache which the Persians poure on certain Meats The Rusticks eat the Seed whole mix'd with Currans in stead of Sweet-meats Cotton by the Persians call'd Pambeh by the Indians Algodon Cotton abounds in Persia and by the Arabians in Egypt Gotne Mesegiar is Planted in most Provinces in great abundance and grows on a Sprig of a Yard long having Leaves like those of the Vine but much bigger On the top of the Stalk grows a Cod about the bigness of a great Walnut which when ripe opens in three or four places through which the Cotton appearing is gather'd and much thereof made into Cloth and the rest sold in Bags There are several Villages which do nothing else but plant and sell Cotton which most of all grows in Armenia Iran Nachzuan Carabach Adirbeitzan and Chorazan In Kilan because there grows no Cotton they Sowe much Line-seed which they Spin into Thred and make Linnen thereof The Plant Gontscheh There is also a sort of Grass in the Countrey Language call'd Gontscheh which being Sow'n grows a Yard and a half high and having Leaves like Clover bears blue Flowers and being twice Mow'd in eight Weeks grows up again six years one after another without new Manuring but in the seventh Year the Land must be turn'd up and Sow'd afresh This requires also as much Moisture as that of Rice or Wheat Of this Grain they make Hay for Great Mens Horses as their best Food but in some places where it is warm and moist especially in Muscur near the Caspian Sea where there is no want of Grass either in Summer or Winter they have no occasion to make such Hay Here also are whole Fields of Faenum Graecum Fenugreek or Fenugreek in the Persian Tongue call'd Schembebile It is excellent Fodder for Oxen Cows and Buffalo's which are fatned therewith The Persians say that if Butter lose its taste and become rank being melted with the Seed of this Plant and a piece or two of Onion put therein it recovers its former rellish By reason of the Heat in Persia where it is more Summer than Winter and in the Summer much constant and Sun-shiny Weather there are many excellent Garden Fruits not onely for the Kitchin but to delight the Palate as also all manner of Herbs which we have in Europe and among others great and delicate Colliflowers In the Province of Tarum grow Onyons of three pound weight Several sorts of Melons The Persians esteeming Melons Plant them in great abundance and being very delicate eat them before Meals There are several sorts of Melons viz. Summer and Winter the first call'd Kermeck from Kerm that is Warm are the sweetest and ripen in July the Harvest Melons call'd Charbusei Pasi are ripe in September and weighing from thirty to fifty pound not onely keep good all Winter but the whole Year if hung up between green Canes or Reeds where they are well preserv'd till they have new ones and are not known from them but by the softness of the Rind After the same manner they keep Grapes and other Fruits a whole year so that they have them fresh as if from the Trees in the midst of Winter There is yet another sort of Melons call'd Schammame about the bigness of an Orange with red yellow and green Spots between which the Rind glitters exceedingly and though they smell very sweet yet taste unpleasantly and therefore they are onely carry'd in the Hand for their curious colour and smell which hath given it the Arabian Name of Schammame There is also a sort call'd Tochmesksems being half Persian and half Arabian and signifies Grain or Seed of the Sun which is of an excellent scent and taste There are likewise Water-Melons nam'd Hinduduane from their original out of India as also many sorts of Calabashes among which one call'd Cabach is bigger than a Mans Head with a long Neck and round Knob on the top The outermost Rind of the ripe ones areas hard as the Bark of a Tree and tough as Leather The Pulp dry'd affords nothing but the Seed which taken out they use the Shells in stead of Bowls or Cups to put Water or Drink in The Fruit Badinstan There is another sort of Fruit not known to us in Europe call'd Badinstan in bigness form and manner of growing like our lesser Melons the Fruit is commonly grey except at the end of the Stalk where it is of a Violet colour the Seed is round and long and by reason of the bitterness not eaten raw but being boyl'd or fry'd with Butter is a pleasant Dish Many Vines grow also in Persia and in all the Provinces thereof which bear large and sweet Grapes of which Texeira says the Inhabitants make excellent Wine in the Turkish Language call'd Xarao or Charab But the Mahumetans are forbidden either to make or drink it The Persians of the Lees of this Wine compose a Syrrup The Persian Composition Duschab by them call'd Duschab after this manner viz. They boyl the Lees a sixth part away till it comes to a thick Oyl which being mix'd with Water and Vinegar makes an excellent Liquor and sometimes they boyl their Duschab so thick that it may be cut with a Knife which Travellers commonly carrying with them and putting the same in Water to dissolve Drink Moreover the Persians often put this Duschab in their Wine especially those of Kileck because their Wine there is not so sweet as that in
for him but no Woman will shew her Face either to her Equal or Inferior And on the contrary the Women of inferior Rank expose their Faces to open view both at home and abroad If the Clothes of Noble Persons be never so little soil'd or spotted they immediately leave them off but the poorer sort wash theirs every Week Foot-boys or Pages wear no Liveries there because it is not the Fashion but are Clothed in various colour'd Stuffs unsuitable one to another though one Mans Servants Their Oeconomy or House-keeping Their Hourse-keeping very mean THe Persians House-keeping is generally very mean and the Utensils belonging to their Larder Kitchin and Cellar if they have not many Wives require no great Charge Besides Rice their chiefest Food is Flesh which is to be had every where in great abundance except at Ispahan because that is a very populous Place Bizarro avers them to be great Gluttons but it seems to be without cause Justin and Athenaeus say the Persians eat little Flesh but have store of Confections which Alexander ab Alexandro also affirms Olearius tells us that the Persians keep but one set Meal a day besides which they eat a little Bread Butter Cheese and Fruit. Pilao their chief Dish The chiefest Dish and always brought first to the Table is boyl'd Rice by them call'd Plau or Pilao with Mutton After that they bring roasted Fowl Fish Spinnage and white Cabbage for brown they esteem not to the Table Ispahan hath little fresh but plenty of salt Fish because of its great distance from the Sea and the Brook which runs about Ispahan having no manner of relation to the Caspian Sea There are likewise abundance of Fowls of all which they eat Their Dyer except Turkeys whereof a Georgian Merchant in the time of Schach Abas brought some from Venice to Ispahan and sold them for Sixteen Crowns apiece Though they use Rice in stead of Bread yet they have Rouls or Loaves made of Wheat one sort thereof call'd Comasch is three Fingers thick and a Yard long the Lawash are round Cakes of an Inch thick the Peasekean are also a Yard long baked in the Tenurs or House-Ovens and being five Inches broad have their name from thence The Senged are hollow the Jucha are thin like Parchment or Wafers about a Yard long and as broad which being used first as Napkins to wipe their greasie Fingers on for they take the Rice out of the Dish with their Finger with which they also pull their Meat asunder seldom using either Knives or Forks they pull the same to pieces and rouling Rice or Pieces of Flesh into them eat them up with a great Appetite They sup their Broaths or Pottages with woodden Spoons made after an Oval fashion with a small Handle but a quarter of a yard long like short Ladles The Grandees going to Dinner spread a Sofra on the Floor Their manner of eating that is a painted Cloth as big as the whole Room They use no Napkins but every one according to the Countrey fashion makes use of his Handkerchief tuckt at his Girdle being very large made of painted Linnen and either wrought with Silver or Gold Noblemen though they have good Kitchins to cook their Meat in yet oftentimes they will have it drest where they please not so much out of curiosity as suspition of being poison'd Their Drink The meaner sort of People for the most part drink Water sometimes mixt with Duschab and a little Verjuice to make it good Beverage and though Wine by very cheap yet many abstain from it because it is forbidden in the Mahometan Law Moreover the Hatzi which have been at Mecha and Medina by Mabumets Tomb are also debarr'd from Wine all their lives Nevertheless many of the Courtiers drink Wine freely and are of opinion that the Sin committed by the drinking thereof may be pardon'd by the same means as their other Sins neither are they concern'd the next morning at their being over-taken The Cups out of which they drink are woodden Skiffs or little Dishes They never force any to drink and though according to our Custom they give the Cup round yet those that are unwilling may pass it by without any breach of Drinking-Law A Prohibition against the drinking of Wine Anno 1620. King Abbas falling into a great Fit of Sickness at Ferhabad occasion'd by a Potation of too much Wine he caused an Edict to be publish'd with the sound of Trumpet wherein all the Mahumetans in Ispahan were forbid to drink Wine yet the Armenians Georgians Franks and other Christians may Carouse as much Wine as they please provided they neither sell nor give any to the Mahumetans upon pain of death This Law was with great strictness observ'd publickly by all the Mahumetans not onely in Ispahan but through all the Kings Dominions insomuch that some for violation thereof were put to death This seem'd to be too severe a Law for the Mahumetans especially the Courtiers wherefore they address'd themselves to the Aga Chizi the Kings greatest Favorite and other great Lords at the Kings Court to implore the King to Repeal it with promise that they would raise him a great Sum of Money but all prov'd in vain for the King continu'd firm in his Resolution Della Valle who at that time was at Ispahan in Persia tells us that he had more Visitants especially of the Grandees than usual because the King had not onely given him a Toleration for drinking Wine himself but to distribute to those Mahumetans that Visited and made Addresses to him provided he suffer'd them not to use any such excess as to be seen inebriated in the Street repairing home Moreover the King himself drank Wine privately yet very little that so he might not be an ill Example to his Subjects to which he pretended that his Distemper forc'd him according to the directions of his Physicians who prescrib'd him to drink onely what might be conducible to his better Health The Inhabitants in the Province of Persia of which Sciras is the Metropolis drink Wine publickly and the rather because being far from the Court they are become as it were Lawless But in the other Provinces the Laws are so observ'd that it is dangerous to mention Wine In all the Country about Ardebil are no Vines partly by reason of the Cold and partly because the Sceichavends that is Scheicks Successors would not plant any there because it was a sacred Place where Scheich Sofi set up a New Sect which next to Mahomets at Mecha and that of Aly and Hussein is most follow'd Kitchin Furniture In their Kitchins they use Pots or Kettles of Clay and some of Copper Furnaces Tin'd over Their Dishes are also of Copper most curiously wrought and being Tinn'd over feem to be of Silver besides which they use abundance of China Dishes and other Vessels but in the Villages they have Earthen Ware In all the Towns of the Kingdom are
of Cloth-of-Gold or embroider'd Sattin with rich Fringe The Dishes wherein the Meat is brought to the Table are of massie Gold as also their Drinking-Cups which hold about a Pint and a half But Schach Abbas had all his serv'd up in Glass for a distinction from others They deliver with every Cup a great woodden Spoon or Ladle with a long Handle which they use more to drink out of than to eat withal neither do they make use of any other Spoons but what are made after that manner and of sweet-smelling Wood which having been once us'd are never brought to the Table again They never use Forks or Knives but the Steward who performs the Office of a Carver cuts the Meat with a great square Golden Slice which he always carries in his Hand How their Meat is serv'd up In the setting the Meat on the Table the Servants bring not the Dishes together but standing in a row from the Kitchin they hand them from one to another to the Table They commonly have but one Mess for they set all their Dishes at once upon the Table Each Person also receives Wine from a Waiter in order according to his Quality out of a golden Tumbler Every one is permitted to rise from Table without shewing Reverence to any and if their Occasions chance to call them out of the Room they go away without taking leave of any though the King himself be present The Water with which they wash their Hands is brought in gold en Basons The King and other great Persons seldom drink any Wine without Ice or Snow The Ice which they use is made of the clearest Water after this manner viz. Not far from the City in a great Plain a Bank is rais'd or cast up directly from East to West which being about a hundred and fifty Foot long and very thick is so high that it shadows the Plain from the Sun-beams when the Sun is at the heighth At the end of this Bank are two Arms which extending from the South to the North are full as high as the main Bank and about twenty four Foot long and keep off the Morning and Evening Sun so that this Plain lies shaded all the day long In this shady place is a Moat of about twenty or thirty Foot deep extending from the one Arm of the Bank to the other In the midst of Winter when it Freezes hardest they Plough this Plain which lies open to the Northern Winds full of small Furrows about three or four Fingers deep and so letting in the Water overflow it which in one Night freezing to the bottom is the next Morning before the rising of the Sun thrown into the Moat and Water pour'd upon it to make it condense the harder and this Practice they continue for a whole Moneth together or longer till the Moat is fill'd to the top with Ice then they cover it with Straw to prevent the melting thereof by the heat of the Sun and to keep it from Rain In the Summer this Ice being broken with Pick-axes is carry'd through the City to be sold on Horses or Mules two or three pieces being a sufficient Burthen The Ice being broken with a Hammer into greater or lesser pieces is either put into the Vessel with the Wine or into the Cups when they drink They also lay pieces of Ice in their Dishes with Fruit and other Cates which is very pleasing to the Eye especially if that which lies under the Ice appears through it The King's Dishes Urns and Drinking-Cups which he uses at his Table are all of massie Gold The Chans and other Nobles have their Pilao or Rice colour'd black and yellow and made savory with Herbs or else dulcifi'd with Sugar brought on their Tables also in Gold and Silver Dishes The Government of the peculiar Provinces How the Provinces are Govern'd ALl the Provinces in Persia which are remote from the King's Court are Govern'd by Chans Sultans Calenters Darago's Visiers and Caucha's The King chuses the Chans who are as much as Princes or Vice-Roys and makes them Governors of what Provinces he pleases but commonly he elects them who by their valiant Exploits Piety or other noble Vertues have gain'd the love of their Countrey wherefore many in hopes to attain to that Honor behave themselves very valiantly in any Engagement and desperately venture their Lives for the Title of Chan. But the Children of those who are thus chosen Inherit not amongst the Persians for though they are held in great Respect and enjoy their Father's Goods yet they are not honor'd with his Title nor succeed him in his Office except they are judg'd worthy thereof by their own Merits But Della Valle tells us that the King gives the Dignity of Chan to one of his Subjects not onely for his Life but also permits his Children to succeed him after his Death and that there are Families found that have enjoy'd this Title above two hundred years As soon as the King hath made any one a Chan he immediately gives him Lands and Men to support his Grandeur which he enjoys as long as he lives but if at any time he chance to be suspected by the King he is immediately turn'd out of his Employment and all his Goods seiz'd Each Province hath a Chan and a Calenter who resides in the Metropolis thereof The Chan being the King's Vice-Roy Executes the Law doth Justice to all and passes Sentence of Death on Criminals without any special Order from the Court. The chiefest Chan is he who Governs Sciras the Metropolis of the Province of Persia properly so call'd who is able to bring an Army of thirty thousand Men into the Field the Countrey which he Commands being said to be bigger than Portugal The Calenter is as a Collector or Treasurer of the Province gathering all the Revenues and giving an Account thereof either to the King or Chans A Darugo or Darago otherwise Hacom is like a Governor or Mayor of a City every City having one A Caucha is as much as an under Sheriff The Equipage of Ambassadors The King usually sends the Chans and Sultans as Agents to foreign Princes and fits them out after this manner viz. The King orders them to give great Presents to those Princes unto whom they are sent of which the one half is given out of the King's Treasury and the other part as also all other Necessaries the Province which the Chan Governs is to provide which often causes great disturbance and confusion In some Provinces the Chans must maintain a certain number of Soldiers for the King which besides their own must be ready for Service on all occasions but then the King receivs no Tribute from them The Chans make great Presents to the King The Chans commonly on New-years-day make great Presents to the King Some Provinces especially where there are no Chans but onely Darago's and therefore no Soldiers kept as in the Towns of Caswin Ispahan
of Brandy out of Dates Sugar and palm-Palm-wine Persons of Quality in the Mogol's Countrey drink Chirassan Wine for they have no Wine of their own there being no Vines planted in all India They take strong Tobacco and chew Betel Most of the Indians take very strong Tobacco but after a peculiar manner agreeing most with the Persians All Indians likewise as well Moors as Pagans constantly chew the Betel Leaf with Areca and a little Chalk or Ashes of burnt Oyster-shells Have good skill in Herbs The Pagan Indians especially those of Zuratte and the Coast of Cormandel have extraordinary understanding in the nature of Herbs knowing how to distinguish the good from the bad for as these People according to the Pythagorean manner do not eat of any thing that hath Life but onely Roots and Herbs so they know by daily experience how to distinguish the eatable Herbs from the medicinal or venomous The Indians never use any Table-cloths but in stead thereof lay a great Leaf of the Tree Mauz which also serves them for Dishes and Trenchers neither do they use Spoons but wholly make use of their Hands and Fingers They commonly wear Jewels and Pendants in both Ears especially all the Idolaters who also highly esteem all Strangers or Christians that wear them Their Apparel The Apparel of the Indians is for the most part of Cotton or Callico either fine or course according to every ones Quality for Linnen they wear none because India produces no Flax. These Clothes are put on over their bare Skins and from the Middle upwards serve at once for Vest and Shirt being very narrow at top wide at bottom and reaching down to their Knees From the Middle downwards they wear a pair of Drawers of the same Stuff which reaching below their Legs touches their Feet All the Indian Women who for the most part are swarthy and have long Legs but short Bodies go barefoot both at home and abroad Women of Quality have commonly great Umbrella's carry'd over their Heads to keep off the Sun As to what concerns the Men some go barefoot others that are of higher Degree either wear Slippers or Sandals but in most places they go barefoot Their Sandals are very easie because of the extraordinary Heat of the Countrey They wear likewise according to the Custom of their Predecessors very long Hair quite contrary to the manner of the Mahumetans who shave it all off as also the lower part of their Beards On their Heads they wear a fine Turbant flat on the top and almost square The whitest People generally wear a Turbant whipt with divers colour'd Ribbons upon a white Ground and sometimes also Gold Their Girdles are of white Cotton but the richer sort have silken ones stitch'd with Gold They ride on Horseback with a Simitar by their Sides a Shield about their Necks and a little broad Dagger sticking at their Girdle They anoint their Bodies The Indians both Men and Women anoint their Bodies against the heat of the Sun as also to make their Joynts nimble and pliable This Ointment is made by the Women of all the sorts of Sandal Wood pulveris'd the Leaves of Chanpock the Flowers Mogori of each a handful Camphire so much as will give it a scent all these Ingredients being ground like Colours are mix'd with Oyl of Coco-nuts or Roses which is brought thither from Persia and made thick like Paste and though these People look very strangely with this Ointment as if colour'd with Saffron yet the smell thereof is very pleasant For the same purpose also they make another Ointment of the Flowers of a certain Tree which is not very high and hath Leaves like a Peach-Tree both Leaves and Flowers are by the Indians call'd Sampaga otherwise Champacka and Champe which are of great esteem amongst them for the Indians especially the Moors are extraordinary lovers of sweet and pleasant Smells and chiefly those of Flowers wherefore there are scarce any Women that walk along the Streets but wear those or the like Flowers in their Hair to render them the more acceptable to their Husbands or Suitors Through all India are likewise highly esteem'd the Leaves of a Tree by the Arabians call'd Alcanna of which we have spoken before at large Moreover in the hot Seasons Persons of Quality whether lying on their Floors or sitting have several Servants stand by them who continually fan them with Leather Fans with which they not onely cool them but also keep off the Flies whil'st they cause their Barbers to rub their Backs Shoulders and other parts of their Bodies so to cause the motion of the Blood Places of Recreation Their places of Recreation consist in Woods and Orchards in which grow many pleasant Fruit-trees as also in their Gardens wherein amongst other Plants grow small Vines which bear extraordinary sweet and delicious Grapes which they eat green or dry'd for Wine they make none because most People by their Law dare not drink any There are also many Pomegranate-trees besides divers other excellent Flowers In the middle of their Gardens are livers Springs or Fountains which are considerably rais'd above the Ground From these Springs the Water is convey'd through narrow open Channels for they know not the use of Leaden Pipes to all parts of the Garden in the droughty Season of the Year Moreover there are round Cisterns to Bathe in rais'd up and pav'd with Free-stone and cover'd with fine Plaister The Furniture of their Houses very mean In their Houses they have neither Stools Tables Beds or Bedsteads for all their Ornaments consist in the Floors which are made very even of fine Earth or Plaister on which they lay rich Carpets as well in their Houses as in their Tents laying a worse Cloth underneath to preserve the other On these they sit both when they eat and drink after the Eastern manner with their Legs across under them and without their Sandals which are left off partly for neatness and partly to keep their Feet cool They also sleep in the Night on these Carpets or else on a hard Quilt or Hammock call'd Cot but whereever they lay themselves to sleep they stretch themselves out to their full length and for the most part lie on their Backs without either Pillow or Bolster under their Heads The common People sleep on the Floor in the dry Season of the Year covering themselves from Head to Foot with a white Cotton Cloth so that they appear like dead Bodies laid out The Hammocks or Cots hang by two Ropes a little above the Floor which being made fast at four corners are by the Servants mov'd to and again to rock them asleep They go always Arm'd The Indian Pagans as well as Mahumetans go always Arm'd whether walking in the City or way travelling with a Sword Shield Bowe and Arrows nay perform all manner of Offices though in their own Houses thus Arm'd never leaving their Armor off but when
but that is onely when they are hot after Generation which lasts commonly forty days and is for the most part in Winter during which time they eat little foam at the Mouth and are very fierce and angry and therefore the Owners are forc'd to Muzzle them with an Iron Muzzle call'd Agrab These Ners are generally sold for a hundred Crowns apiece but if they chance to couple with the Female then they lose their Strength and grow lazy and disobedient chusing rather to stay at home wherefore the Turks call them Jurda Caidem which signifies Those that think of their Stable and may be bought for thirty or forty Crowns The third sort call'd Lohk though they are also sensible and hot for Procreation yet they are not so good as the Bughurs neither do they foam at the Mouth as the Ner but in stead thereof they blow forth a red Bladder out of their Throats and swallow the same in again hold out their Heads and gruntle being neither so hardy nor so strong as the Ner they are sold for sixty Crowns The Persians from these two Beasts call a stout or vaâ—iant Man Ner and a Coward Lohk The fourth and strongest sort they style Schutturi baad and the Turks Jeldowesi that is A Wind-Camel which is smaller and much swifter than the other being able to out-run a Horse The Sophy and his Chans or Vice-Roys keep several Teams of these lesser Camels which are employ'd either to fetch in Ambassadors at which time they are caparison'd with Crimson Silks and Bells and other Ornaments about their Necks and before their Breasts and have rich Embroider'd Saddles or else they are us'd as we our Post-Horses and carry Goods from Place to Place like Pack-Horses and moreover they use them in their Wars for if a Party chance to be defeated they with more speed convey away their Baggage but some of them Trot so hard and as it were Jumping that no Man would be able to endure it long One Man is able to manage seven or more for he makes them fast one behind another and either rides upon or walks before the foremost It is very convenient travelling in Persia by the help of these Camels for by them Merchants have their Goods carry'd at reasonable Rates and if any Persons are not minded to travel alone The Camels Diet. they go for their better security with the Cavila or Caravans A Camel is for the most part fed with Nettles Thistles and other Weeds On the Thistles oftentimes breed poysonous Snails in the Countrey Language call'd Mohere by which if a Camel be stung in the Nose he dies soon after therefore when the Persians are angry with them they wish the Mohere to sting them in the Nose They also mix Chaff and Barley together and make Dough thereof in form like a long Loaf about three Pound weight which they give them to eat Sometimes they mix the Seed of the Cotton-Tree which is about the bigness of a Pease with it which makes it very sweet and with which a Camel being well fed will travel two days without Drinking which is a great Providence in Nature because in the Wildernesses and Sandy Desarts through which they often travel there is no Water to be found The Camels of Persia are according to Della Valle fed with Barley Meal mix'd with Straw and made into Balls for if they eat Grass it debilitates them both for Travel and Service They are very willing to take up their Loads for striking them onely on the Knees with a Switch they immediately kneel-down and lying with their Bellies on the Ground suffer themselves to be loaden They go much faster They are pleas'd with Musick and carry their Burdens with delight as Mr. Sandis affirms when their Drivers Whistle or Sing to them or make them any other Musick wherefore the Owners of them tie two Bells above the Knee of one of their fore Legs and a Collar of small ones about their Necks Mr. Purchas relates That the Arabians for the foremention'd Reason never travel without a Drum and Drummer through the Desarts The same is justifi'd by Leo Africanus who adds That when Travellers have tir'd their Camels they need not beat them which they regard not to make them go forward but onely Sing or Whistle a pleasant Tune which so animates and refreshes them that they go faster than a Man is able to run to the end of their Journey These Beasts have a strong Memory Are revengeful are vindicative and do not easily forget an Injury done to them wherefore the Persians commonly say That a revengeful Man hath a Camels Spleen But that there should be an Antipathy betwixt a Camel and a Horse as Xenophon writes is a mistake because it is very common in Persia in one Caravan to have Camels Horses and Asses which are often put in one Stable together without offering the least hurt to one another The she Camels carry their Young twelve Moneths and do not Generate backward as some will have it though it be true that when they stand in the Stable they Urine backwards which perhaps hath been the occasion of that mistake for they Couple like other Beasts onely the Female falls on her Belly Now in regard a Camel is a Beast that may be kept at a small charge they are seldom kill'd in Persia except they are stung by a Mohere or fall down tir'd on the Road as it often happens in deep Ways and then they kill and eat them Very good Breeds of Horses Persia is also stor'd with plenty of good Horses most of them having very handsom Heads Ears Crest and Legs In ancient time the Province of Media was famous for breeding of excellent Horses which were call'd Nisean Horses from a City of that Name and as Strabo tells us the Kings of Persia us'd no other But though at this day the Median Horses especially those in Erscheck near Ardebil are good yet the Arabian far exceed them and are now us'd by the Kings because they have very handsom Heads Crest Breast and Feet are long Winded and have all the good Qualities else that Nature can bestow on a Horse Next these the Turkish Horses are in great esteem especially those that are bred in Turcomania of which there are many in Persia The King hath several peculiar Places for the breeding of Horses especially at Erscheck Schirwan Carabach and Mocan where the best Pasturage is They generally use them to Ride on but in Muscur they also draw in Carts for Wagons with four Wheels they use none And because they are great lovers of Horses and Riding and their chiefest Force consists in their Cavalry therefore they breed them with great care But in stead of Straw they Litter them with their own Dung dry'd in the Sun and strew'd a Foot thick under them on which the Horses lie as soft as on Cotton and if any of it become wet it is taken from the rest and
descended from Mahomet's and Aaly's Family and accordingly to their Successors wherefore they have great Priviledges and are honor'd by several Titles The Turks call those of Mahomet's Extract Emirs and the Arabians Scherifs The Persians nevertheless distinguish the Successors and Relations of Scheich Sofi from all others of Mahomet's Relations and honor them by a peculiar name of Scheichavend that is the Line of Scheich being as the say two thousand in number and most of them resident in Ardebil because that City was the Habitation and Birth-place of Scheich Sofi The Seyds in Persia shave their Hair two Fingers breadth above their Ears Their Habit. but let it grow long on their Crowns and in their Necks they wear a white Habit and a kinde of Pumps as also a peculiar sort of Mendils or Turbants They may not marry out of their Families nor drink Wine yet are free to go to Feasts where in stead of Wine they drink Water The Seyds which dwell in the Cities are generally rich People for they possess whole Villages and are free from all manner of Taxes which makes them not a little proud There are another Sort that pretend themselves Seyds that go from Town to Town shewing their Marks and living on the Alms of People but these are commonly Deceivers and are call'd Cherseyds that is Cherseyds what they are Holy Asses some carry Hair in a round silver Box alledging that it was cut from Mahomet's Head which through a little hole they shew to the People This Hair is sold at a great Rate and laid on their Books when they read or pray At Kisma in Kilan was one of these Deceivers who with a piece of Crystal held in the Sun would fire Cotton or Paper and perswaded the People that he was of Mahomet's Race and had made a Contract with the Heavens There are also a Sort of these who boast their original from Aaly and are here as the Dervises among the Turks which are such as live retir'd lives like Recluses There are others call'd Abdalles Abdalles what they are and their Habits resembling Monks wearing course Coats stitch'd like quilts and girt about them with a Copper Serpent which when they are made Abdalles is given them by their Masters as a Testimony of their Learning and Wisdom At Ardebil they are receiv'd into this Order by the Sofi-Chans at Ispahan and Meschet by the Sofi-Baschi or Chief of the Sofy's These Abdalles are frequently seen in the Markets and other places where calling the people together they preach of the Miracles wrought by their Saints Aaly and others railing against Abubeker Omar Odsman and Hanifa the Saints of the Usbekes or Tartars wherefore these Abdalles dare not approach the Turk's Borders These are for the most part a vile debauch'd thieving and sodomitical People yet there are several little Chappels built for them near the Metzids or Temples wherein they reside in Ardebil they are the most numerous A general Tolleration All Strangers of what Religion soever have according to antient Custom in Persia Liberty of Conscience being permitted to live after their own Manner and after the Laws of their several Princes Admit discourse of Religion The Persians also speak with great freedom concerning the Mysteries of their Belief to strangers and are also very curious in matters of Religion willingly spending their time to discourse thereof nay harken with patience to such as argue against their Religion which is quite contrary to the nature of the Turks They hold Christ our Saviour in great Reverence and call him Isael Messih that is Holy Messiah thus much of Scheich Sofy's Doctrine The Heathen Persians are call'd Mayucy Heathen Persians or Maurigy and Gaoryasdy of which the last Name is very common the Pagans of Zuratte and Cambaya by a general Name call'd Banjan have among other superstition Customs that of worshipping Cows which the Persians call Gao and he that keeps them Gaopon and call and these kind of Idolaters Gaor They also call them by another Name Zarduxt that is Friend of Fire though Zar in the general Language signifies Silver and the Fire is call'd Attex These People worship the Sun and Fire which last they have kept above three thousand years on a Mountain call'd Albors Cuyh or Atez Quedah that is The Residence for Fire lying a days Journey from Yazd These Idolaters are very numerous and the more because all the Kingdoms in Persia were such before the Arabians coming thither How they dispose of aged People They also have a Custom not to suffer aged People to die a natural Death but to carry them to the beforemention'd Mountain where they set them in a kind of Cage in which they can but just stand upright and leave them there without any other Subsistence than what the Air will afford them till they die and because there blows a continual Wind and the Air being very thin the Bodies keep entire a long time But if any one dies young they take the Corps and tie it on an Ass in a sitting posture setting on his Head a Pot full of Cream in the Persian Tongue call'd Mast with which they wash his Face and Eyes and then drive the Ass with a Whip cross a Field where generally the Ravens coming about the Corps pick out the Eyes whil'st the Followers narrowly watch which Eye is first pickt out for if it happen to be the right they judge that the Deceased's Soul is happy but if the left that it is in a state of perdition Great numbers of Jews in Persia There are likewise above nine or ten thousand Families of Jews in Persia who have a general Toleration as also many Christian Armenians and Nestorians brought in by King Cozroe when he was conquer'd by the Emperor Heraclius whom he suppos'd to vex by being of that Opinion destroying at the same time all the Roman-Catholick Churches throughout his whole Dominions for the Persians once embrac'd the Catholick Religion first Preach'd there by St. Thomas Chistianity Preach'd in there by St. Thomas till such time as their King Sapor put to death seventeen thousand of them with the most exquisite Tortures imaginable Whereupon Constantine the Great sent Letters to perswade him to be favorable to them wherein when he could not prevail he proclaim'd War against him But when Christianity was by these Persecutions in a manner extinguish'd it was restor'd again in the time of Maruthe Bishop of Mesopotamia and Abdias Aclatus Bish of Persia and though many oppos'd it yet about the Year 411. the Churches were re-built as before but since that by the Mahumetans again utterly extirpated There are also Melchites in Persia Melchrites and their Opinions who have spread themselves quite to the Countrey of Chorazan These People are infected with the ancient Opinion of the Greek Church condemn'd in the Council of Florence which Doctrine is also follow'd by the Georgians Mengrelians and Circassians who
Cashan Theheran Hamadan Meschet and Kirman pay great Tributes to the King Della Valle affirms that in Ispahan and several other eminent Cities there are no Chans because they are Royal Cities and the King many times keeps his Court there On the Feast of Neuruz all annual Officers are chosen especially the Darago's the chiefest whereof enter upon their Employments in great State with the sound of many Instruments How they reverence the Kings The King 's Vice-Roys whither Sultans or Chans of what Degree soever when coming out of any remote Province to make their appearance before the King or when they take leave or are to return to their own Countreys they kneel on both Knees before the King and kiss his Feet and in testimony of Honor squeeze the same against their Foreheads which they do three several times This Ceremony they perform divers times as they walk about the King which they commonly do three times one after another thereby to manifest that those who perform this Ceremony make themselves Sureties against all Misfortunes whatsoever that may befall the King It is also a Custom amongst them to make a Circle with their Hands about the Heads of those whom they would shew Honor to and wish that all future Misfortunes and such as have already hapned unto them may fall on themselves This Action is accounted by them a sign of a perfect and faithful Friendship Thus much of the modern State and manner of Government in Persia now it will be necessary to give you a short Account after what manner it was Govern'd in former times THe King of Persia anciently styl'd himself The Great King especially at that time when they had conquer'd the Greeks But Suidas tells us that these Monarchs were not satisfi'd with this Title but assum'd to themselves the Title of The King of Kings as appears by the Inscription on Cyrus's Tomb. Their order of Succession The Sons of these Kings succeeded them which was also observ'd amongst the Parthians when they had made themselves Masters of this Realm and when the Persians were afterwards restor'd they still maintain'd the same Custom The eldest Son according to the Laws of Nature Inherited before the younger but if he was born before his Father came to the Crown then he that was first born after his being King succeeded him in the Throne They never gave the Crown to a one-ey'd squint-ey'd or deformed Person as appears by the squinting Son of Cahade or Robad who notwithstanding he was a valiant Man yet for the Blemish in his Sight was disinherited But when the Persian Monarchy began to decay this Custom was laid aside and the Crown became elective but the Nobility who had Voices therein still reserv'd it for those who were of Royal Extract Natural Sons succeeded not their Fathers in the Throne so long as there remain'd any that were legitimate yet notwithstanding the illegitimate Darius was chosen before Isogee lawful Son to Artaxerxes When the King at any time went out of his Dominions he was oblig'd to nominate a Deputy to Govern during his absence Ceremonies at Installing the King The Kings were by the Priests of their Countrey with great Ceremony Inaugurated after this manner viz. They were led into a Temple of a warlike Goddess where they pull'd off their Clothes and put on those which Cyrus us'd to wear when he was but a private Person which done they are a few Figs chew'd a little Turpentine and drank a draught of sower Milk They incircled the Heads of these new Kings with a Crown or Mitre and a Cydaris which was made of Purple and ty'd with a blue Ribbon mix'd with white King Sapor instead of a Crown wore a Cap made like a Rams Head beset with Precious Stones They also wore a Tiara or Turbant like those which the Magistrates of the several Provinces wore but with this distinction that those of the Kings stood upright and the other bended behind The Honor of putting the Crown on the Kings Head belong'd to a peculiar Person call'd Surene who was the second Nobleman in the Kingdom The Habit or Robes of the King The Kings of Persia also wore a long Vest hanging below their Ancles which was embroider'd with several Representations of Birds Beasts and the like and beset with Gold and Precious Jems They likewise wore a Coat with Sleeves call'd Candis differing from those of the other Persians both in colour being Purple and value moreover the Subjects durst not approach any Man without hiding their Hands in their Sleeves but the Kings held them out The Kings Habit as Xenophon says was also half purple and half white which none else might wear They likewise wore long Hair Pendants a Girdle and long Stockings like the other Persians They were honor'd like Gods for those that approach'd them bow'd not onely their Heads and Bodies but fell flat on their Faces with their Hands upon their Backs in which posture they lay as long as they suppos'd him to be in sight which was also perform'd by Strangers who were not permitted to see the King unless they promis'd to worship him after the Persian manner for otherwise they were forc'd to let him know their Business by Proxy or else in Writing which when he perus'd he return'd his Answer without being seen Those that Saluted the King wish'd him Everlasting Life and perpetual Government but he seldom appear'd to his People who were not permitted to set a Foot into the Royal Palace without his Majesty's leave but his Noblemen waited without at the Door to receive his Commands His Throne was of massie Gold which none durst touch and if at any time the King went abroad they strew'd the Streets and Ways which he was to pass with Flowers and every where burnt Perfumes They likewise kept the Kings Birth-day every year with making of Offerings and other great testimonies of joy and whence dy'd the whole Kingdom Mourn'd for five days together during which time all Courts of Judicature were shut up Their Câ—urts very unâ—â—â—taiâ— but magnificent These great Princes had no setled place of Residence but spent the Winter in Babylon the Lent at Susa and the Summer at Ecbataue besides which they had several other Royal Palaces as at Pasargades and Persepolis but when the Parthians were Masters of Persia Chusistan was the chief Seat of the Realm Their Royal Palaces were very stately and magnificent having many great Officers attendant insomuch that Apuleius call'd them The Houses of Gold They would never eat of any other Bread but what was brought out of the Province of Aeolia Their Diâ—â— and of all things the Kingdom afforded the First-fruits were sent to the King also their Salt Armoniack was brought to them out of Egypt They drank of the Wine Chaliboonien brought from Assyria and no other Water but what was taken out of the Stream Choaspes which glides by Susa The Inhabitants of those Places through
made by one to another in the presence of one single Witness without any farther Ceremony How they order their Children The Women being generally Deliver'd of their Children on Beds of Straw and Chaff made for that purpose carry the Child to the next River though full of Ice and washing it give it the Name of the next strange Person that comes into the House When a Noblemans Child comes to the age of three or four years it is given to one of his Servants to be brought up and instructed after their manner Their manner of living They live for the most part upon Sturgeon and other Fish though sometimes they eat both tame and wild beasts Their Bread is principally of Barley and the usual Drink of the common People is Water but they make a Liquor of a sort of Grain which they call Boeza or as John de Luca saith they mix their Water with Honey and Barley which letting stand ten days to soak they afterwards boyl whereby it becomes pleasant to the taste and as strong as Wine In stead of Cups or Glasses the Vulgar use the Horns of wild Buffalo's or other Beasts but the Nobles drink out of Golden Cups worth from three to five hundred Ducats some also are of Silver out of which they drink with great deliberation and Ceremony and commonly in the Name of God and their Saints or deceased Friends They commonly sleep with a Coat of Mayl under their Heads in stead of a Pillow and with their Arms by them As soon as they rise they put on the foremention'd Coat of Mayl The Men and Women lie together but Head to Feet yet on one Bed which is commonly made of Leather and fill'd with Rushes and Rose-Leaves John de Luca affirms That the Houses are made of two rows of Poles stuck in the Ground between which they lay plash'd Boughs which they cover with Mortar and Straw nor are the Princes Palaces built of better Materials though bigger The Circassians often Engage with the Tartars for there is not a year passes but the Tartars as well Mogaians as others make Incursions into their Countrey on purpose to get Slaves The continual Alarms in which their Enemies keep them Their Arms. hath made them the best Horsemen in all these Parts They use Arrows which they shoot forward and backward and wear a Sword by their Sides and a Helmet on their Heads which covers their Faces they also use Lances and Javelins all which they handle with extraordinary dexterity They never make any difficulty to rob one another Thievery encourag'd which makes Stealing common here for they never punish those which are taken in the Fact may ancient People and Persons of Quality never proffer any Drink at Meals to young Folks if they have not committed some notable Robbery Their Opinions in Religion The Circassians are of different Opinions for some follow Mahumetanism others the Greek Church but the number of the Mahumetans is far the greater for though the Priest who is at Derki Baptizes yet he instructs them little in Matters of Religion wherefore they daily turn Turks and retain nothing of the Greeks but the Custom of carrying Meat to the Graves of the Dead and to keep some Fasts In the Countrey of Cudosci or Holy Places are abundance of Rams Heads which be Relicks of the Curbans or Offerings made there On the Trees also hang Bowes Arrows and Swords which are sighs of the Promises they made to the Deceased and therefore are so revereric'd that the greatest Robbers will not touch them The Circassians incline much to Paganism and though they suffer themselves to be Circumcis'd and Believe in God yet they have neither Scripture Priest nor Temple but at some set-times make their own Offerings especiallyon Elias's day Ceremonies at the Death of a Nobleman Upon the Decease of a Nobleman both Men and Women coming into the Field kill a Goat at for an Offering and hanging his Skin Upon a Pole having first made Merry with the Flesh some Men stepping forth Pray to the Skin one after another which done they all depart home The Skin remains on the Pole till such time as they take it down to make room for another After this they raise a great Bed of Earth in the Fields on which they lay the Corps having first been imbowel'd and for the space of eight days his nearest Relations Friends and Vassals come to visit him and bring him Presents of Silver Cups Bowes Arrows and other things then they take a great Tree hollowing the Body into the form of a Chest into which they put the Corps with the foremention'd Presents and so carry it in great State to the Burying-place Some of these Circassians as Soranzo affirms are free others pay Tribute to the Precopenses or Crim Tartars but as others assert they neither acknowledge the Turks nor Tartars but are Govern'd by five prime Heads George Interian attests Their Degrees that there are Nobles Subjects and Slaves amongst them the Nobles being the chiefest have many Vassals under them whom they Govern by an arbitrary Power allowing none to be above them but God neither have they any Judges nor any written Laws but make use of their own Authority in deciding of Differences Some affirm that they Serve the Turk Persian and Muscovites for Pay They have no Money in this Countrey especially in those Places lying up into the Land No Money here but value all things by Bokissins which are pieces of Linnen or Woollen Cloth They Fight on Horseback Arm'd with Bowes Arrows Swords and Lances There are no Fotts in all the Countrey but onely a few old Towers to which the People repair in time of War They Fight daily against the Tartars who inclose them in all parts but are so much valianter that a few Circassians are able to put a considerable number of Tartars to flight because they are much nimbler stronger and generally better Arm'd Albania EAstward from Georgia lies Albania so call'd from the River Albanus by Nicephorus Zuirie and by others Chipiche and Zitracha as also according to Castaldus Garzena because the Inhabitants are inclin'd to Prognostications which the Hebrews call Garazenes But the Names Dhipiche and Zatracha are given them from two great Cities whose Jurisdictions were very large Cluverius tells us that Albania is the Eastern part of Georgia between Iberia and the Caspian Sea Dagestan is also accounted a part of Albania which borders in the East upon part of the Caspian Sea in the West at Georgia in the North faces a part of the Asiatick Sarmatia near Mount Caucasus and in the South looks upon part of Great Armenia towards the side of the River Gur or Chiur anciently Cyrm It lies between very high and almost inaccessible Mountains which soon lose the Way out of Tartary into Persia The Cities and chief Towns of Albania The Towns of this Territory according to Niger are Chipicher Tarracosia
Journal ten thousand Curdes Subjects to the Turk deserting their Countrey went and desir'd other Lands of Schach Abbas King of Persia who giving them a sufficient Maintenance occasion'd a War between the Turks and Persians They have absolute Command in some parts of their Territory as in Gozire a City of Mesopotamia built on an Isle in the River Tigris and in the Mountains by the Inhabitants call'd Tor. The Inhabitants are very valiant and are look'd upon to be able to do great prejudice to the Turk against whom they commonly maintain War Their Arms are Bowes Arrows Shields and Simiters Their Religion Their Religion is that of the Mahumetans either according to the Turkish or Persian way as they see convenient Moreover they are strongly inclin'd to divers Superstitions which are peculiar to them and savor much of Idolatry Some affirm that they worship the Devil because he should not do them or their Cattel any hurt Many Chaldean Christians of the Sect of the Nestorians or Jacobites live in the Dominion of the Curdes and Serve them in the Wars THE EMPIRE OF THE Great Mogol AND INDIA Of India in general India why so call'd INDIA is so call'd from the River Indus and the Word East generally added to India because it is the most Easterly part of Asia and hence America or the New-found World has borrow'd the Name of West-India in opposition to it It s Division Extent and Bounds Ptolomy affirms that anciently and to this day India is divided into two great parts whereof one which extends from the River Indus to Ganges is by the Persians call'd Indostan that is The Countrey of Indus and by the Greek and Latine Writers India intra Gangem or India within Ganges The other part is call'd Mangi or India extra Gangem or Without Ganges The first comprehends all the Countreys under the Great Mogol's Jurisdiction as also the Kingdom of Narsinga or Bisnagar Kannara Orixa the Coast of Cormandel and Malabar the Kingdom of Golconda and many others The second part without Ganges contains the Kingdom of Bengala Arracan Pegu Siam Malacca Cambaya Champa or Tzampa Lao Cochinchina besides many lesser and lastly the vast Empire of China Both these parts also comprehend divers Islands amongst which Japan if so it be is the most Eastern as also the most eminent This whole vast Countrey according to the ancient and modern Writers conterminates on the West with the River Indus the Countrey of Arachosia and Gedrosia on the South with the Indian Sea on the East with the Eastern Shore and on the North with some Branches of Mount Taurus or Imaus a part of Taurus Texeira tells us that India begins at the end of the Kingdom of Macran The largeness of its Circuit lying in 106 Degrees of Longitude and extends to 159 from East to West a Degree being reckon'd to be fifteen Leagues a Tract of eight hundred Leagues in a direct Line India also extends from North to South from the Equinox to the Cape of Malacca almost to the 40. Degree the utmost part of China a Tract of about six hundred Leagues not reckoning the Indian Isles some of which lie a great way to the Southward of the Equinoctial The most eminent Rivers of India are the Indus and Ganges Rivers which come from the Northward out of the Mountains Imaus and Caucasus by the Inhabitants according to Castaldus call'd Dalanguer and Nangracot and both as the Inhabitants affirm spring from one Head though some Geographers make the distance between them to be a hundred and eighty Leagues and others but a hundred and thirty though the first seems most probable because the Ganges takes its course Easterly and the Indus Westerly Philostratus places the Head of the River Indus in Mount Caucasus and makes the same in some places to be a League and a half broad and transplanting abundance of Soil along with it which like the Nile in Egypt makes the adjacent Grounds exceeding fertile MAGNI MOGOLIS IMPERIVM The Course of the River Indus The Indus or Send thus enrich'd with the Waters of other Rivers takes its course Southward through the Provinces of Attack Backor and Tatta and near the City Dul which gives its Denomination to the same it discharges its Water through two Mouths into the Ocean and not through seven as Texeira affirms These Openings are in 23 Degrees and 35 Minutes Northern Latitude Most Maps and many Geographers are greatly mistaken in placing this River as if it fell into the Sea near the utmost Point of the Gulf of Cambaya but this is a great error and as wide from the truth as the whole Countrey of Zuratte is broad for the Indus runs not from the East to Zuratte as it should do if it disembogu'd at Cambaya but the River which discharges its Water into the Bay of Cambaya is another call'd Mehi The River Indus hath divers Isles especially near its Mouth which are very pleasant and fruitful and one City nam'd Varaxes Pliny affirms that nineteen Rivers contribute their Waters to the Indus the chiefest whereof are the Hydaspes now call'd Moltan which receives four other lesser Streams the Catabra the Hypasis and Acesina The Course of the River Ganges The River Ganges now call'd Gangia arises from Mount Caucasus and bends its course to the South through or between the Rocks of the Province of Siba and soon after becomes very broad then proceeding on its course Southward it receives by the way the Waters of thirty Rivers as Ananias saith or according to Pliny ninety so that it swells exceedingly and spreads above four Miles in breadth yet not above eight Fathom deep and at last after a long course falls through many Mouths into the Sea the chiefest whereof and most Westerly is Satigan or Satiguam so call'd from a City of that Name built on its Banks a Sea-port Town where the Portuguese us'd to drive a great Trade the other being the most Easterly is also near a famous Sea-Harbor and is call'd Chatigan both which are under the Jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Bengala The Ganges at last discharges its Water through two noted Mouths into the Bay of Bengala These Mouths Ptolomy places in the eighteenth and nineteenth Degree of Northern Latitude but Barros and Linschot set them in twenty two or twenty two Degrees and a half Accounted holy and why Those of Bengala as the same Linschot writes affirm the Head of Ganges to be in the terrestrial Paradise and therefore account the Water thereof holy and for that cause the Benjans and other Indian Heathens go thither in Pilgrimage to bathe themselves and to drink of it and the Inhabitants of Bengala lying on their Death-beds cause themselves to be thrown into the said River or at least to have their Feet dipt in A Pint of Water a thing very remarkable of the Ganges Lighter than other Water is not above half so heavy as that of
Skin glittering Eyes sharp Teeth Claws with Talons and long Hair upon the Lips which is so poisonous that if either a Man or the Beast it self should swallow one of them it would certainly kill him and the Inhabitants have observ'd that it never goes to drink in any River but always with its Mouth before the Stream and never against it that so the Water infected by its poysonous Hair may not occasion its own death and for the same reason it never drinks out of Lakes Pools or any standing Waters and therefore all Persons are forbidden by the Great Mogol to keep any of the Bristles of a dead Tyger but on pain of death must send them all to his Court where by the King's Physician most poisonous Pills are made thereof which are given to those whom the King condemns to die at his pleasure The Tygre exceeds all Beasts in ravening for he is said to be the most voracious and fiercest Creature in Bengala and that he will follow a Ship from which he receives the least injury above thirty Leagues along the Shore and therefore the Inhabitants are greatly afraid of him and call him by several Names Pliny saith the Tyger is a Beast of wonderful swiftness which Bontius contradicts affirming that he is very flow and therefore lurks or rather watches for Man-kind who are not so swift as Stags wild Swine and other Beasts which may easily escape from him by flight wherefore he never catches any Beast except it be by surprize lying sculking in a Hedge or Thicket from whence he leaps suddenly upon them and if he chance to miss his prey then he returns growling back and runs into the Wood to see what he can find there he generally strikes his Tallons into the Necks of those Beasts he seizes and beats the strongest down with one stroke and having first suck'd out the Blood drags the remaining part into the Wood to satisfie his Hunger with the Flesh by Meals He keeps generally in the Woods water'd by Rivers that when other Beasts come to drink he may surprise and prey upon them There are likewise Jackalls in the Greek call'd Hyena Camelions and Lizzards besides vast numbers of Ravens which flying into the Houses if the Windows be open carry away the Meat from the Table The Rats of this Countrey are as big as sucking Pigs which do much mischief to the Houses by undermining the Foundations and eating through the Walls Another fort of Rats which are lesser and have red Hair smelling like Musk also molest this Countrey and therefore the Inhabitants set their Chests and Cupboards on four Pillars a good distance from the Wall placing Tubs with Water underneath for else they would immediately swarm with the said Insects Besides these there are other Pismires which being a Finger long do great mischief to Plants This Countrey stor'd with Plants This Countrey is stor'd with all manner of Plants and though there grows little Wheat yet it abounds with Rice and Barley as also Maiz or Indian Corn and abundance of Shell-fruit There are few or no Apples Pears Cherries Plums Peaches and fewer Grapes except in China But in stead of them there are many other Trees Plants and Fruits unknown in Europe The chiefest of the Trees is the Coco-tree which bears Coco-nuts and affords many other Commodities The other Plants Fruits and Drugs are Banana's or Pisang Anana's Jaca Mangas Kaions Jambes Jambolins Jangomas Carambolas Brindoins Durions Papaios Injâ—mes Areka Betel Cubebs Tamarind Myrobalanes Ambare Caranda's Mangostans Pepper Ginger Cloves Cinnamon Nutmegs Cardamom Galanga Cost Spikenard Aloes Camphir Calambak Sandal-wood Benzoin Amphion or Opium Indico Ambergreece Musk Civet Assafoetida China Roots Great Canes and many other Plants and Fruit. Chewing of Betel very common with its Description The chewing of Betel with Areca and Chalk is very common through India and therefore ought to be briefly described The Betel or Betre is by the Arabians as Avicenna testifies call'd Tembur or Tambul by the Turks Japrach Industani by those of Decan Zuratte and Canaria Pan. This Betel runs up by Poles like our Hops and also on the Bodies of Trees Some to their greater advantage permit them to grow up by the Pepper or Areca Trees They constantly water their Betel the Leaves whereof are like those of the Lemmon-trees but a little bigger longer and sharper at the end This Plant according to Garcias resembles that of the Pepper so exactly in Twigs Leaves and manner of growth that one who doth not very well know it cannot distinguish them The Betel also produces a Fruit like that of the White and Long Pepper or rather like a Rats Tail which the Malayans call Syriboa and is for its strange shape in greater esteem than the Betel Leaf it self The Description and Use of Areka The Fruit Areca or Arecka so called in general by the Indians and by the Portugues with a corrupted Name Arequero is in Zurratte and Decan call'd Suppary on the Island of Zeilan Paoz in Malacka by the Javans Pinang in Cotzyn Chacany by the Arabians Fausel and by Avicenna Filfel and Fufel on the Coast of Malabar by the Vulgar Pak but by the Nobles Areca Vartoman calls the Tree Areca and the Fruit Coffol The Tree it self on which this Fruit grows shoots up with a straight Body having so smooth a Bark that none can climb up without some help The Boughs shoot not downwards but upwards and also turn up at the ends and therefore at some distance seem Globular The Leaves thereof grow like the Teeth of a Comb one by another The Fruit grows on the undermost Boughs ten or twelve of them in a Cluster at a thick long Stalk and being cover'd with a rough yellow Shell is about the bigness of a Nutmeg or small Acorn and before it grows hard it is like a Date full of pale red Veins and flat at one end Yet nevertheless there are three several sorts of it the first is flat on one side and on the other broader and bigger the second being less blacker and harder is by the Indians call'd Checanum and grows for the most part in Cotzyn It draws the Rheum Its Vertues and makes the Mouth look of a reddish black colour like the Mulberry The third sort makes a man giddy and intoxicates the Brain though this quality is ascrib'd only to the unripe Fruit There is also a white sort which grows in great abundance in Zeilan Out of the great Fruit by the power of Fire and Glass Instruments the Inhabitants distil a Water which is a most excellent Medicine against a Flux The Fruit grows very plentifully in Malabar on the Island Zeilon and also in Zurratte Decan and Malacka but the best of all on the Island Mombain and in Basaim How they use it The Indians break this Fruit into four pieces if it be pretty big or else into two and roul them up in a Betel Leaf with a little Ashes
will not suffer them to come into their Houses nor touch any thing that belongs to them The Brahmans have their Denomination from one Brahma or Bramma Original of the Brahmans from whom they boast their Extract and though they ascribe the original of the other Tribes likewise to him yet they affirm that they have gotten the Name or Bramma because they proceed from the chiefest part of him viz. the Head as the Settrea's out of the Arms the Weinsja's out of the Thumb and the Soudra's out of the Feet The Vedam is the Book of their Law How and from whence this Brahman had his original some of his Sect relate out of their Vedam after this manner Before the World was created Wistnow that is God had some inclination to have a new place to recreate and delight himself in are and that upon the Leaf of a Tree he swam on the Water for according to their opinion there was nothing but God and Water before the Creation like a little Child with his great Toe in his Mouth in the form of a Circle in testimony that he is without beginning or end and that God caus'd a Flower in the Countrey Language call'd Temara and by us a Water-Llliy to grow out of his Navel and not long after out of that this Bramma sprang So soon as he had receiv'd Life he stood with great admiration and consider'd from whence lie was deriv'd which because he could not possible find out God declar'd it to him whereupon he shew'd great signs of thankfulness and obedience wherewith Westnow was so well pleas'd that he gave Bramma power to create the World who thereupon created the same and gave Life to all things in it Barthruerri an Indian Writer in his Book of the Way to Heaven confirms this and says One of great prudence and understanding created this World and more plainly in another place Why hath Bramma made the Mountain Merouwa and again in another Bramma hath made nothing in the World that is constant by which it appears that this is really these Pagans opinion viz. That this Bramma was the first Man as they say that by the power which God gave him created the World with all things therein Yet nevertheless few amongst them positively ascrib'd the Creation of the World to one Man but either to God himself or his Son whence we may suppose that the Brahmans judge their foremention'd Chief to be the Head of the Angels or the Son of God These further affirm that this Bramma had anciently five Heads but from the power which had been given him growing more ambitious he attempted to defile Eswara Wistnow's Consort which when he heard he was so enraged that he caus'd her to bring forth the Daemon Beirewa the chief of the Devils who with his Claws scratch'd off the middlemost Head of Bramma as a punishment for his bold attempt so that he kept onely four Heads with which he is represented in their Pagode Not long after which Bramma made many Verses in praise of Eswara who was so delighted therewith that she promis'd to let him live in great Honor and Repute with his four Heads and put the fifth on her own The same Bramma as the Brahmans affirm shall in the other World serve in a lower Degree and that Annemonta a faithful Servant to Wistnow shall enjoy his Place all which will be inflicted on him as a punishment for his ambition But the Brahmans do not onely ascribe the Creation of the World to this Bramma but also the Government thereof God as they say not once taking cognisance of it for they alledge that as a King will not take the trouble upon him to Govern his Realm himself but appoint Vice-Roys or Lieutenants for that purpose so likewise God doth not concern himself with the Government of this World but gave the Charge thereof to Bramma The same Brathrouherri in the foremention'd Book ascribes the limitation of time which a Man is to live here on Earth to Bramma saying The longest time which Bramma hath granted Men to live is a hundred years and All things which happen to Mankind on Earth is by the appointment of Bramma which in his Book of good Conversation he thus expresses According as Bramma designs so it shall be for it is with a Man as with the Bird Tzataca who whether it Rains much or little he gets not above one drop thereof His meaning is That though a Man strive never so much to raise his Fortune it will be in vain for whatever Bramma hath appointed for him he shall attain to and no more The Bird Tzataca as the Brammans relate drinks not of the Water which falls on the Earth but in rainy Weather holds open his Bill to receive the Drops so that whether it Rains much or little it avails not the Bird not being able to take above a Drop at once The same Author affirms in another place that whatever Bramma hath decreed for Mankind that will happen to him and if any one be poor it is by his appointment For saith he he hath appointed the Winds to feed the Serpents and the Grass for Beasts whereby it appears that this Bramma is the principal who hath some others under him to whom he commits the care of some peculiar Places but these are not accounted Gods but onely Geweta's or Angels The most eminent of them is a Dewendre who bears great sway and is chief over all the Heads of the eight Worlds to seven whereof they say those that have liv'd well here go after their Decease and are all commanded by Dewendre otherwise call'd Indre as the supream Governor besides whom every Place hath a peculiar Tutelary Angel who Commands one of the eight Worlds which are plac'd above the Earth Next follow the foremention'd eight Worlds lying between ours and Bramma-lokon that is The Residence of Bramma the one in the North the other in the South the Brahmans call them as followeth viz. the first Indre-Lokon where Dewendre or Indre hath his Residence the second Achmi-Lokon the third Jamma-Lokon which is Hell wherein the Wicked are punish'd the fourth Niauti-Lokon the fifth Warronna-Lokon the sixth Cubera-Lokon the seventh Wajouvia and the eighth Isangja-Lokon But these Worlds are not such as we inhabit onely places of happiness like the Elysian Fields Besides the care which these Governors have of their peculiar Places they have other Concerns to look after viz. Achmi hath the Charge over the Fire Warrouna commands the Waters Wajouvia the Wind Cubera Riches c. Some account this Bramma to be the same with Pythagoras and accordingly the Brahmans have some Books which they firmly believe to be Pythagoras's own Works which agrees with what Jarchas according to Philostratus told Apollonius Thyaneus viz. That the Indians believ'd that which Pythagoras taught them concerning the Soul and instructed the Egyptians therein But Diogenes Laertius who writ the Life of Pythagoras makes mention in no
painting them with divers colours which makes them look more like Devils than Men. These Giogi are undoubtedly the same with the ancient Gymnosophists who liv'd after the same manner Vertiaes their manner of life There are also Indians call'd Vertiaes which shave their Heads Peruschi tells us That the Vertiaes live together in great numbers go cloth'd in White with bald Heads and bare Chins for they pluck out the Hair by the Roots leaving onely a little Tuft on the Crown of their Heads They live poorly upon Alms remain single and drink warm Water because they believe the Water to have a Soul and that they should kill that Soul which God hath created if they should drink it cold For the same reason they constantly carry little Brooms or rather Mops in their Hands made of Cotton Thrums with which as they walk they sweep the Ground so to prevent accidental treading on any Animal Wherefore some will not sit down before they have swept the place very carefully where they intend to rest themselves They are under one Supreme Head to the number of a hundred thousand and wear a piece of Cloth of about four fingers broad before their Mouthes with a hole on each side through which they put their Ears Their Opinions They say that the World hath been created many hundred thousands of years and that God in the beginning sent twenty three Apostles and a four and twentieth in this third Age which is not above two thousand years past since which they receiv'd written Laws which before they had not The Opinion of their Sect is written in Books with Surat Letters and Characters There are several other Sects which differ very little from those beforemention'd as the Janjema the Giaugami c. and therefore we will not here any farther particularize concerning them Priviledges of the Brahmans The Brahmans have four things allow'd them in their Vedam or Law-book First They may freely keep the Feast Jagam And Secondly They are permitted to instruct others therein whereas the Weinsja's and Soudra's may neither keep nor learn the manner thereof Their third Privilege is to read the Vedam and teach it to others which is forbidden to all else but especially to the Family of the Weinsja's which may neither read it speak any Words that are in it nor hear them spoken by others nor may they look into the Jastra by which Name all Books are understood which treat of Religion Their fourth Privilege is That they may give Alms if they please and ask the Charitable Benevolence of others And though those of other Families may give Alms yet they are not allow'd to beg They give many Alms. In their Books they write much of giving Alms highly extolling all Charitable Acts though they themselves seldom practise it unless perchance among some few of their fellow Brahmans And if any other Sect happen to come to their Gates or Doors they have nothing but the Word Po Po that is Away away because the Brahmans believe they should be defiled if they should admit the Conversation of any other Tribe Their Office The Office and Exercise of the Brahmans agrees very much with that of the Levites amongst the Jews yet some of them study Astronomy others Physick others are put into Offices by Princes and Governors some teach Children to read write and cypher and all this without receiving any Reward for their Pains But those that are poor and have little to live on may take a small Reward from their Scholars The Brahmans also govern and serve in the Pagodes and notwithstanding the large Munificence of their Kings and though they swallow a third part of the Revenue of the Countrey yet by reason of their great number many of them are very poor and forc'd to beg However the greatest Necessity must not compel them to learn any Trade nor perform any servile Office though for the King himself For if any Brahman should offer to do the same he would not onely be despised by his Companions but excommunicated Nevertheless they are permitted to be employ'd as Secretaries Agents Counsellors and the like for which Businesses they are very fit and few Persons else follow those Employments In former Ages in the time of King Rama-raia the Brahmans according to his Command receiv'd onely one half of the Revenues of the Villages which had been given them before by his Predecessors the other half being receiv'd by the Lords of the Countrey but they have since retriv'd the whole Revenue into their own Hands The Policy of the Brahmans to keep what they have got Sometimes the Countreys or Villages are taken from them which to prevent they use this means viz. When the King hath given them a Village they desire to part it amongst some of their Poor which if granted they have a Letter of License graven on a Copper Plate by vertue of which they make their intended Division And after this such Places are never taken from them by the King or any of his Successors For as they suppose it to be a Duty to do good to the Brahmans which is a Work acceptable to their Gods Wistnow and Eswara whom they serve so they believe likewise that by doing them any prejudice they should offend their foremention'd Deities and incur their heavy displeasure Ceremonies at the Birth of Children The Brahmans never marry out of their own Tribe for those which do so are accounted to be no Brahmans And though any one out of Zeal or to be accounted a Saint be permitted to lead the same course of life as the Brahmans yet they cannot be made Brahmans but must be so born The Brahmans account all Children unclean during the space of ten days after their Birth after the same manner as the Infants and Women in Child-bed amongst the Jews none daring to touch them but those which tend them Moreover the House wherein the Child is born is accounted unclean during the foremention'd time wherefore no Stranger or Friend is permitted to go in till ten days are expir'd after which viz. on the eleventh day the House is made clean and all the Womans Clothes being of Cotton are wash'd all Earthen Vessels are thrown away and the Copper ones scowr'd On the twelfth day they make a Hamam or Fire which they account Holy and throwing Myrrhe into it say several Prayers After the Fire is extinguish'd they give the Child such a Name as is usual amongst them as Mainopa Naraina Beiaewa Damersa Padmanaba Ragoa Tirrenata Marlepa Dewela Tannopa Carpa Wellopa Rama Goyenda Warreda Weinketi or others of that kind The Child thus nam'd they make Holes in the Ears wishing it also much joy and felicity This making Holes in the Ears is not done to hang Jewels therein as many do but is done in compliance with a Promise of Obedience made to Wistnow and Eswara and for a Testimony that they will ever acknowledge them as their
Deities and ever be constant in their Religion Notwithstanding the Children of the Brahmans are Brahmans in respect of their Extract yet they are not so accounted before they have gotten the Cord call'd Dsanhem about their Necks This Dsanhem is like fine Packthred The Cord Dsanhem to be worn by the Children of the Brahmans consisting of three Strings each of nine fine Cotton Threds None but Brahmans make these Cords and onely with their Hands without a Wheel or any other Tools They wear the same like a Gold Chain letting it hang on their left Shoulder cross their Breasts under their right Arm. About the fifth Year of their Age the Brahmans Children begin to wear the said Cord though they may forbear till they are ten Years old and commonly those that are of a poor Capacity stay till the tenth Year before they wear the Dsanhem which cannot be put on without a considerable Charge for the foremention'd Fire Homam which is made on a rising Ground under a Canopy of stretch'd-out Linnen must be kept lighted four days with the Wood Rawasittow the Tree whereof they account very holy and believe that it is most acceptable to their Gods on which every Brahman throws Rice in the Ears also some boyl'd together with Butter the Seed Zingele Wheat and Myrrhe whilst they say several Prayers and use many other Ceremonies Moreover the Parents of the Children must during the time of four days entertain the Brahmans which attend the Ceremony which stands the Nobility in great Sums of Money The Children having received the Cord which is done in August on the Feast Traswanala Poudewa at the Full of the Moon are call'd Bramasory's which Name they hold till they marry Neither may they by vertue of the Vedam lie with any Women in that time nor chew any Betel or eat above once a day and then of no other Food but what is begg'd that by their Abstinence they may be the more capable of Learning This Cord is highly esteem'd amongst them insomuch that if age having worn it out it chances to break a Brahman is not allow'd to eat or drink before he hath another for he that hath not a Dsanhem though he be a Brahman is not accounted one amongst them so long as he hath no Cord Therefore by way of prevention they always yearly renew their Cords in August on the Feast Tsrawannala Poudewa in the time of the Full Moon Their Ignorance in Astronomy and Philosophy The Brahmans are very ignorant in Natural Philosophy and Astronomy not being able to give a Reason of the Sun or Moons Eclipse or any Conjunction of the Stars yet despise they the Europeans Knowledge in Astronomy and support their own with this ridiculous Fable A strange Fable Wistnow and Eswara call'd the Dewetaes and Raetsjasjaes to Council to find out an Elixir of which whoever drank should never die but become immortal After serious consideration it was agreed to throw the Mountain Merouwa into the Sea and there turn it round In stead of a Cord they took a great Serpent by them call'd Sesja After this there appear'd a most beautiful Woman admir'd and coveted by all but at last Wistnow took her to himself for his Wife she being call'd Laetsemi hath a place in the Temple of Wistnow wherein her Image stands The Immortal Liquor Not long after when they had turn'd the Mountain round several times there appear'd that which they had consulted about viz. the thing which should take away Hunger Drought and Faintness and procure Immortality to such as drank thereof This excellent Elixir by the Brahmans call'd Amortam is a Liquor like Milk wherefore the Brahmans which dare not drink Water in any House are allow'd to drink Milk When Wistnow had made this discovery resolving to refresh the faint and wearied Dewetaes and Raetsjasjaes he commanded them to stand before him giving some of the Amortam out of one Pot to the Dewetaes It is denied to the Raetsjasjaes but to the Raetsjasjaes to whom he had not so much kindness he gave somewhat else out of the same Pot which was of no value The Sedition of Kagou and Ketou But Kagou and Ketou two Raetsjasjaes suspecting the fallacy went and stood amongst the Dewetaes by which means they got also some of the Amortam which the Sun and Moon seeing inform'd Wistnow of Whereupon Wistnow inrag'd to think that they should drink of the Amortam caus'd both their Heads to be cut off Yet they died not because they had drank of this for the injury which they had suffer'd demanding why the Amortam was not given to them equally with their Companions Wistnow in answer to Kagou and Ketou commanded them henceforth to be without Bodies yet they should live as happy as others with Bodies Now by reason the Sun and Moon had made that complaint of them they were incens'd with a perpetual hatred against them and when ever either of those Luminaries are Eclipsed they affirm that Kagou and Ketou are in Battel with them and that the darkness proceeds from hence because they are swallow'd up for a little while by their Adversaries which have the shapes of Serpents Marriage of the Brahmans Children The Brahmans marry their Children very young especially the Rich many about their eighth year and some immediately after the receiving of the Cord Dsanhem in their fifth year for before the receiving of this Cord neither the Brahmans Settreaes nor Weinsjaes may marry The Maid must always be elder than the Youth which is strictly observ'd A Brahman takes special notice of all things that he meets with in the way when he goes to chuse a Wife for his Son and as often as he meets any thing which he judges ominous or unfortunate so oft he returns and defers his intent If those of the Family Weinsja meet a Serpent on the day when they go to make their first Visit they look upon it as an ill omen giving over their Suit and will never be brought to renew their Addresses judging that it will prove a most unfortunate and bad Marriage The Maidens Fathers to whom the Addresses for Marriage are made commonly desire to see the Young Man and make inquiry into his Estate which if they approve and like the Suitor then he is permitted to go to her Friends and to see the Maid After the Consent of both Parties is obtain'd for the Marriage then a time is appointed on a Good day for the Friends to meet to celebrate the Ceremonies When the appointed time of the Marriages is come then they kindle the Fire Homam made of the Wood of their consecrated Tree Rawasittow and a Boti or Priest repeats several Prayers After this the Bridegroom takes three Handfuls of Rice which he throws on the Brides Head who doth the same to him which done the Brides Father according to his Quality adorns the Bride and also dressing the Bridegroom washes his Feet Lastly
which might defile them by touching any dead thing neither as they believe can the Devil approach any that wear it The Water Tiertum they say cleanses them from all their sins which they have committed from their very Childhood When the Brahmans have thus wash'd and mark'd themselves they sprinkle a little Tiertum towards those that are near them and burn some Myrrh These Ceremonies perform'd they go again to their Idol strew Flowers upon him or else Toleje setting Meat that is dress'd for them before it for they are not allow'd to eat any Meat but what hath first been plac'd before the Idol After Dinner they cleanse themselves again Towards the Evening before the Sun set they wash and mark their Bodies as before and also say their Japon that is naming God twenty four several times and throw Water upon the Ground in honor of the Sun as in the Morning In this manner the Brahmans are by their Law oblig'd to behave themselves though many of them give themselves more liberty Those which do not perform all these ceremonies in stead of their Heads wash their Bodies and in stead of their Bodies their Hands and Feet but are by no means to neglect the repeating of Gods Name twenty four times nor the Tiertum yet if onely one Person in a House performs the foremention'd Ceremonies it is sufficient and look'd upon as if every individual Person had perform'd the Service The ridiculous Tale of Gasjendre Mootsjam The History of Gasjendre Mootsjam which the Brahmans Sing in the Morning doth briefly declare that the Heads of the Elephants are preserv'd for Gasjen signifies an Elephant Indre a Head and Mootsjam Preserv'd or Preservation of which they tell this ridiculous Fable viz. In the Sea which they call The Milky Sea is a Mountain call'd Tricoweta Parwatam very high and ten thousand Leagues broad with three Spires the first of Gold the second of Silver and the third of Iron each adorn'd with all manner of Precious Stones a Deweta call'd Indre Doumena who with a Charriot travell'd through the Heavens and all the World as swift as the Wind coming upon this Mountain to a Lake Bath'd himself with his Wives when at the same instant there pass'd by a Mouswara who are accounted a holier People than the Deweta's of whom the Deweta taking no notice so highly incens'd the Mouswara that he passionately said You shall become an Elephant and instead of your Wives You shall converse with the Elephants whereupon the Deweta terrifi'd with this Saying not onely shew'd him Reverence but begg'd his pardon for his neglect yet nevertheless he was transform'd on the Mountain into an Elephant and had ten Lack-Coti of Females each Lack is a hundred thousand and every Coti a hundred Lack with whom he liv'd a long time without fear of Lyons Tygers or other ravenous Beasts nevertheless it hapned that a Crocodile took fast hold of the Deweta's Foot as he was drinking out of the Lake in the shape of in Elephant yet after much pulling he got loose again but was afterwards seiz'd by the same Crocodile as he came to drink a second time and held so fast that the Deweta spent two thousand years in striving with the Crocodile whose power being in his own Element the Water still increas'd whil'st that of the Elephant decreas'd but when the Deweta was almost quite tir'd out Witsnow passing by on Garrouda came to him and gave him his Weapon call'd Jeckeram which was richly set with Precious Stones wherewith striking he broke the Crocodile's Head and immediately fell down and shew'd Reverence to Wistnow who seeing of him weary touch'd him and thereby restor'd him to his former strength and shape A vain Conceit of the Brahmans The Brahmans affirm also that God himself spake to them saying Those which read these your Histories daily shall have forgiveness of their sins for which words and promise of God they read the History of Gasjendre Mootsjam every Morning The Brahmans and other Indians never Let-blood when they fall sick though the abundance of Blood be the occasion thereof but they make their Patients Fast several days not permitting them to eat the least bit of any thing They Pray over the Dead When any one lies a dying a Brahman reads several Prayers by the Bed side for which he receives Alms from the sick Persons Relations whil'st the dying Man calls upon the Name of God till his Speech fail but if the sick Person dies with the Name of God in his Mouth not breathing afterwards he is certainly suppos'd to go immediately to Heaven for God according to their Vedam or Law-Book promises to be with those in their greatest extremity that call upon his Name If a Person that lies a dying hath not lost his Reason he asks his Wife if she will accompany him after his Death she according to the Custom of the Countrey is oblig'd not to refuse for the Women when they enter into the state of Matrimony promise to their Husbands in the presence of a Brahman and before the Fire Homam that they will never forsake them They also believe that a Woman cannot live after her Husband without great sin except she hath Children for whose sake she may be spar'd and if she seem to be afraid to leap into the Fire she cannot beforc'd for no honest Woman that loves her Husband will refuse it their Vedam affirming it the duty and part of an honest Woman to delight in all things that her Husband delights in and not to despise that though it be bad which pleases her Husband and to this purpose to work the more upon their easie Beliefs they tell us this fabulous Story viz. One Draupeti who in her life-time was a very religious Woman was withal affectionately loving to her Husband being never displeas'd at him although he had spent his whole Estate and so weakned his Body that he was no longer able to visit his Strumpets yet his inclinations were still such that he declar'd he could not live unless he might see his Mistresses whereupon Draupeti out of extraordinary affection taking him one Night on her Shoulders carry'd him to his Concubines but going along in the Dark she unawares ran against a Stake on which a holy Man nam'd Galowa sat and hit him with such force that she overturn'd and hurt him whereupon he cry'd He that did me this Injury let him die before the Sun rises which Draupeti hearing and pitying her Husband said Then let not the Sun rise and so it hapned the Sun not rising for several years after Hereupon the People pray'd to Indre and Deweta to permit the Sun to rise but they either could or would not grant their Request Then they address'd themselves to Bramma who with the Deweta's went to the fore-mention'd Woman saying What will you have and we will satisfie you that the Sun may rise whereto she reply'd The Sun may rise but I desire my
contrary opinion to make an advantage take any live Bird and bringing the same to sell amongst these Indians cry like mad-men I will kill it instantly I will wring of its Neck Whereupon the innocent Indians immediately come running and buy it above its worth onely to release it from death To this purpose they have Cages in many places to keep lame or hurt Birds and also for four-footed Beasts which with great care are cured and fed at the Publick Charge Cages for Birds like Hospitals Not very far from Cambava are according to Della Valle divers such Cages viz. one for wounded and sick Birds another for sick or lame Beasts as Goats Rams and Sheep and another for great Cattel as Cowes and Calves of which there were a great number some with broken Legs others sick old and â—an which were put in there to be fatned and cur'd Amongst these foremention'd Beasts was also a poor Mahumetan who for a Robbery which he had committed had both his Hands cut off but was by these Indians put in amongst the Beasts to be cured and fed Perusci also makes mention out of Emanuel Pinner's Letter of such Places for Birds in these words There are several Hospitals for Birds in Cambaya but none for Men or Women whom they suffer to perish without any relief In their own Cities they suffer no Indian to kill any manner of Beast Wherefore strange Merchants run a great hazard in killing a Sheep or any other Beast privately in their Houses to eat for if it should happen any way to be discover'd it would undoubtedly cost them their Lives The great esteem they have for Cows Amongst all Beasts Cows are the most highly esteem'd for they tip their Horns with Gold and beset them with Precious Stones Nay they hold them in such Veneration that when the Indians Trading with Christians or any other People are provok'd to swear their onely Oath is By the death of a Cow viz. He that swears having a Cow by him and a Knife in his Hand says that if he doth not speak the truth and the business be otherwise than he affirms he wishes that the Knife which he hath in his hand may kill the Cow A strange Marriage of Bulls and Cows These Heathens have another ridiculous and unheard of Custom about this Beast especially in Surat viz. they marry Bulls and Cows together publickly with many Ceremonies after this manner The Beasts having a Rope tied about their Necks are led to a River where the Priest washeth their Heads Then the Priest standing on the Shore makes strange Signs to them with his Hands whilst the Owners of the Beasts making a Fire of dry'd Cow-dung set themselves round about it Whereupon the Priest also drawing near the Fire throws in Sandal-wood Benjamin and Aloes Then going to the Water again the Beasts are brought before him and held so as that their fore-legs may stand on the Shore and the hindermost in the Water whilst the Priest taking off the old Ropes that a were about their Necks puts on new This done they hold the Beasts Mouthes close together while the Priest marks them with a yellow Stroke in the Forehead Mean while the Priest reads many strange Prayers out of a Book which done he throws several Perfumes into a Copper Pan full of glowing Coals with which he smokes the new-married Beasts under their Heads Bellies and Tails then he goes again praying about the Fire and at last perfumes the Tails of both which are held together If by chance the Beasts during this Ceremony happen to urine the Women strive one with another to catch it some with Pots others with their Hands and drink it for they esteem this Water holy and good for a barren Womb. After this Marriage and Ceremonies are perform'd the Beasts are led home again accompanied with a great number of Men Women and Children who make a Feast Texeira tells us That a Benjan Merchant spent 12000 Ducats at the Marriage of his Cow with a Bull of his Neighbors Moreover at some Seasons they have a Custom to feed their Cows with unthresh'd Rice which done they wash their Dung in a Sieve and dry those Corns which are undigested and remain in the Sieve which Corns being afterwards consecrated by the Priest are accounted holy and being made into Cakes and bak'd are given to sick People for a wonderful Medicine Why the Indians have Cows in great esteem The Indians shew this great reverence to a Cow for three special Reasons The first is Because they believe that the Souls of the Pious which have liv'd justly and such as God will not punish in this World are transmigrated into these Beasts Secondly Because with the Mahumetans they believe That the Foundation of the World is supported onely on the Horns of these Beasts by them call'd Behemoth which name they have taken out of Job and that when the Cow moves any faster than ordinary it occasions Earthquakes Thirdly When Mahadeu being on a time highly incens'd by reason of the many sins which the People had committed had resolv'd to destroy the World a Cow appeasing him obtain'd Pardon for all their sins and deliver'd the World from utter ruine Moreover this their abstaining from Flesh and from killing of Beasts the Indians seem to have suck'd out of Pythagoras's Doctrine if it was not customary amongst them before for Pythagoras after the same manner and by reason he believ'd the Transmigration of Souls forbade also his Scholars to eat Flesh The Brahmans forbid the eating of Flesh and why The Brahmans also maintain That the eating of Flesh is not to be allow'd because it cannot be done without forcing the Soul from the Body which they account a horrid sin And as it is accounted a sin to kill a Man or Woman because thereby is occasion'd a separation of Soul and Body for the same reason say they it is sin to kill any Beast since by the death thereof the Soul is separated from the Body and necessitated to pass to another whereby its condition is not made better but worse for the Soul which formerly resided in a Cow might chance to be transmigrated into the Body of some despis'd Beast or Plant For the Brahmans believe That not onely the Souls of Men transmigrate into Beasts but also into Trees and Herbs and that Humane Creatures Beasts Trees and Plants have all one and the same Soul and differ onely in the outward appearance of the Body The Sendra's and Settrea's condemn'd by the Brahmans And for this reason the Brahmans condemn the Soudra's and Settrea's declaring them guilty of unpardonable sins because both these Tribes kill all manner of Beasts for their Food except onely Cows from which they all abstain But the Settrea's on the contrary affirm That they do better than the Brahmans who disturb many Souls by plucking divers Herbs out of the Ground to feed one Person when as they by killing a
Beast disturb onely one to feed many People But the Brahmans answer That they by the pulling of many Herbs out of the Ground do not sin so much as the Settrea's by killing of one Goat because the Souls which reside in Herbs are in the meanest condition and by their transmigation remove into nobler Bodies as Men or Beasts Nevertheless they pretend that they would if it were possible live without Food so to prevent the disturbing of any Soul Yet few amongst them are so exact but freely eat of the Fruits Herbs Roots and Plants which the Earth produces judging they may do it without offence But they will never eat of any thing that had life chusing rather to die of Hunger The Brahmans are very moderate in their Diet and have no peculiar Dainties nor do they use to drink Wine or any other strong Liquor but their common Drink is clear Water without any kind of mixture yet sometimes with great delight they drink a Draught of Milk at Meals with which to supply them most People of Note keep Cows Their usual Food is Rice Plants and Herbs according to the Season of the Year They extremely abhor Drunkenness and account it one of their five Mortal Sins Those amongst them who perform the meanest Offices and do the greatest Lahor have the most freedom allow'd them in their Diet because they require the most Sustenance which makes many of them not scruple to drink Wine The Brahmans out of a high esteem or self-conceit of themselves will in no wise be perswaded to eat or drink any thing in a House inhabited by one of another Tribe but onely Teyer that is thick Milk because they account that to be a sort of Amortam or Nectar of the Gods Nay a Brahman will not eat in another Brahman's House that is of a different Sect and if a Byahman be Marry'd to a Woman of another Family she is not allow'd to eat with nor to see him eat but if a Man out of love to his Wife permit her to eat with him and other Brahmans are informed thereof they will not onely resent it very ill but shun the House of such a Person and account him unworthy of their Society The pride of the Pandite or Boten These Idolaters are very proud for those of any Quality will if possible avoid to eat with any of a meaner Degree There are some amongst the Brahmans call'd Pandite and Boten who being highly esteem'd will not eat in the House of a Brahman Sinai Naike or any other Nobleman because they eat Fish These Sinai or Naike are vulgarly call'd Mazarens and are of less esteem than the other eat freely with a Pandite or Boti and account it a great favor and so with the other Some are so vainly curious that they will not eat in a place where another of a contrary Sect or Tribe hath Din'd or Supp'd before the Floor is rubb'd over with Ox-dung which they believe cleanses it The Indians never eat with any of another Religion nor will they drink out of one Cup with them but shun their company and endeavor by all means possible to avoid touching of them fearing to be defil'd thereby nay an Indian of great Quality will not onely refuse to eat with another of a lower Degree out will not be touch'd by him and if he should accidentally he would immediately cleanse his Body by rubbing it with Herbs The common People shew great reverence and obedience to their Nobility for meeting them in the Street they not onely give them the Way but run from one side of the Street to the other like mad Men for fear of touching them nay the Noblemen if they did otherwise would beat them into better manners In regard no Indian will drink with another of a different Opinion out of one and the same Cup for fear of being defil'd therefore when they are in the Field and have but one Cup with which they are forc'd to make shift they have found out a means not to defile one another by drinking together viz. they touch not the Cup with their Lips but holding it with one Hand a pretty distance from their Mouths pouring the Liquor therein very dexterously not spilling a drop The Fast-days of the Brahmans The Brahmans are also very strict in keeping certain appointed Fast-days viz. they Fast the eleventh day after the full Moon and again eleven days after a new Moon when they eat no kind of Food not so much as Betel for the space of twenty four hours but spend that time in Reading and Praying In November the Brahmans of the Sect Seivia as also the Soudra's who are of the same Opinion with the Brahmans and in some Observances as religious as they Fast every Monday and abstain from all manner of Food till the Stars arise They are generally not allow'd during their time of Fasting to undertake any manner of Business though of never so small a Concern Some of them Fast eight others fifteen twenty and thirty days contenting themselves with very little Sustenance and a draught of Water Perushi relates that a certain penitent Person by long Fasting lost his left Eye which flew out of his Head The Fast Dauli They have also a Fast of nine days call'd Dauli or Davili during which whole time the Sammi otherwise call'd The Giogi or Spiritual Party utterly abstain from Meat and Drink sitting all that time on one place in a Pagode fearing if they should stir to provoke an appetite notwithstanding they do this freely and without any Obligation Commonly in the last Evening of the Fast a great number of Singers go with the noise of little Bells and other Instruments to the Pagods just as if they were going to a Funeral where finding the afroesaid Giogi sitting on Carpets on the Ground they place themselves round them in a Circle and having spent a considerable time in Singing and jingling their Bells one of the Sammi gives each of them out of a Dish two or three Kernels of Pomegranate with several little pieces of Quinces after this he plucks several Ears of Corn which is planted near the place where they sit whil'st the Singers fill the Air with their Voices and the jingling noise of their Bells and other Instruments The Sammi relate that this Corn which they cut was Sow'n with their own Hands in the beginning of their Fasting and that they had every day since water'd and bless'd the same with all their usual Ceremonies On the last Evening of their Fast they begin gain to eat a little so to bring their Stomachs by degrees to its usual appetite fearing that if they should eat too much at first they might prejudice their Healths and endanger their Lives We might justly suspect the truth of this their long Fasting did not very credible Eye-witnesses confirm the same All the Moneth of December the Brahmans eat a Pap made of Rice Sugar and some Fruit mixt
World which we inhabit they call Boulocon This Boulocon say they comprehends seven Worlds more each separated from the other by a Sea The World seated at the Center they say is surrounded with a Sea of clear sweet Water the next to it with a Sea of Milk on which they make the Mountain Tricoweta stand which is 10000 Leagues high and as many broad the third with a Sea of Butter the fourth with a Sea of Tayer or Cream the fifth with a Sea of Wine the sixth with a Sea of Syrrup the seventh with a Sea of Salt Water which is our World all which have their Names from those Seas which surround them According to others there are seven Seas in this our World alone viz. one of Water one of Milk one of Cream one of Butter one of Salt one of Sugar and one of Wine Matsjas of Matx autaer d'eerste Kaurams of Kourmas autaer de tweede In the Watery Sea they place five Paradises in the Milky Sea the Spiritual Priests which are call'd Jogues in the third by them nam'd The Glory of Divenderen those which are inclin'd to Bodily Pleasures in the fourth which is The Glory of Brama the Happy and Fortunate in the fifth which is The Glory of Wistnow the Unfortunate in the sixth call'd The Glory of Kailasan the Poor and in the seventh call'd The Glory of Vajacandam the Rich. The Mountain Merowa In this World they place the Mountain Merowa which they affirm higher than the eight foremention'd Worlds which are above Boulocon and extends a vast way downwards below Patalam or The Infernal Pit and that the Sun Moon and Stars move about it and that those which shall taste of the Fruits which grow thereon will never be hungry dry nor grow old On this Mountain come no Humane Creatures except the Deweta's which are the Sons of Diti Wife to Cassiopa And notwithstanding they ascribe the Beginning and Creation of the World to Bramma yet they seem to make the World in a manner perpetual ascribing to it four Ages The four Ages of the World The first they call Critaigom or Cortesuigke the second Tretasuigke or Treitagom the third Duaparugam or Duapersuigke the fourth Caligom or Calisuigke The three first are already expired but the last is still in being The first Age say they continu'd 17 Lak and 28000 Years each Lak they reckon to be 100000 Years the second 12000 Lak and 96000 Years the third 8 Lak and 64000 Years the fourth Age which is yet running will last 4 Lak or 432000 Years of which according to their Annual Accounts are already expir'd to this present Year 1671 4772 Years So that the World according to their Calculation will scarce ever have an end for they certainly affirm That a thousand times turning of the Four Ages Cotesuigke Tretasuigke Dwapurâ—gam Callisuigke is but onely one day in the Account of Bramma who they say is to live a hundred Years of such Days and that fifty thereof are already past and the one and fiftieth running on They believe a general Conflagration of the World After the expiration of this time they believe the World shall be consum'd by Fire after which the surface of the Earth will be cover'd with Water and the Rain fall in such abundance as if it were powr'd out of the Trunk of an Elephant and not long after Bramma will die In these four Ages great Miracles and Wonders have as they affirm been perform'd by four of their Idols of which they make mention in their Writings call'd The Ten Altars The ten Appearances of Wistnow And as they affirm their Supreme God Wistnow or Mahadeu performed these Miracles in this lowermost World in ten peculiar Bodily Shapes which is also mention'd by Barthrouherri in his Book of Conversation where he saith Wistnow hath taken the trouble upon him of being reborn ten times and that these Births were in the manner following First Wistnow was born and appear'd as a Matja or Fish Secondly As a Gourma or Tortoise Thirdly Like a Warraha or Hog Fourthly Like a Narafimha half Man half Lion Fifthly By the name of Wamana a little Brammasary Sixthly By the name of Paresje Rama a Settrean Seventhly By the name of Deserratha Rama An Ajot-ja Eighthly By the name of Cristna Brother to Bella Rama a Settrean Amongst all the ten Appearances this is accounted the most eminent for when Wistnow came into the World by the name of Cristna he was accompanied with his whole Godhead and left the Heavens empty when as in the other Appearances he came onely with a part of his Godhead like a Spark which flies from a Great Coal of Fire Ninthly By the name of Boudha And tenthly In the shape of Kelki or a Horse Kircher relates from the Information of Henry Roth a Jesuit long conversant in these Parts That the Heathen Indians which live about Ganges acknowledge in some measure a Trinity They acknowledge in some measure a Trinity and affirm that the second Person hath already appear'd nine times in the Flesh and is to appear once more The Persons of the Trinity are by them nam'd Brahma Bexno and Mahex which are all one and the same in Nature though distingush'd by several Names as Acher that is Immovable Paramanand or Supreme Lord On s or Being and many such like Moreover that which Mahadeu perform'd in the World in each of the formention'd Bodily Shapes some relate more at large and being written in their Vedam or Law-book is to this effect Matsjas or Matx Altar the First The charge of Bramma BRamma who is represented sitting on a Water-Lilly with four Heads and as many Arms and resides in the Air hath the charge of the Vedam or Law-Book which the Giant Sancasoor otherwise call'd Bhensasar taking from him dived with them into the Sea whereupon Bramma complain'd to Mahadeu or Wistnow and desir'd his Assistance who granting his Request descended into the Sea in the shape of a Fish and swam through the Ocean to find out the Giant Sancasoor whom he slew and brought back the Book of the Law to Bramma wherewith Matx Altar which had lasted 2500 Years ended Caurams or Courmas Altar the Second The Riches of the Sea THe Sea with its Surging Billows swelling up to the Clouds burst forth in these Words viz. Who is so powerful as I and possesses as many Riches as lie hid in my glased Halls the Moon hath her habitation there The Water of Everlasting Life which being drunk makes all Men happy is hid therein There is Hierawanhsti the Elephant with seven Trunks the seven-headed Horse Exmognogora or Sepmogroot and whole Fields of Corral c. This highly incens'd Mahadeu who commanded the Deytes a Family of the Giants and the four-headed God Bramma to go to the River Siamboerwetty and the Golden Mountain Meerparwat or Merouwa 40000 Leagues high and lying in the Center of the World near the foremetion'd River
Bason about with them proffering their Service Many also as soon as their Service is done in the Temple go immediately after to the publick Stews maintaining nevertheless that they are faithful Servants to God and their Prophet Some to be reputed zealous Pray on the Roofs of their Houses No Women are permitted to go to their Temples but are kept lock'd up in their Houses so that they neither know nor hear any thing of Religion more than what their Husbands acquaint them with They Circumcise their Children not before the eighth year wherein they differ also from the Persians who do it in the seventh eighth and ninth years They Pray five times every day like the Turks viz. first two hours before the Sun rises secondly about noon thirdly at four of the clock in the afternoon fourthly about six and fifthly at nine at all which times they are summon'd thereto by a kind of Sexton who cries aloud from the Steeple of their Temples But for what reason they Pray thus often they give this ridiculous Tale viz. In the Creation God created Mahomet's Light in the shape of a Peacock which Light God afterwards put into a great white Pearl hanging it on a Tree whereby the Creator was magnifi'd above a thousand years after which God made a Glass of life and set before Mahomet's Peacock who when he saw his curious shape worshipp'd God five times from whence it comes to pass that the Mahumetans Pray five times aday but the Persians Pray onely three times Amongst these Hassanists are also a sort of Monks who by the Arabians are call'd Derwis and by the Persians Abdalles they agree with those by the Heathen Indians call'd Jogues or Jogiis The Order of the Derwises amongst the Hassanists These Derwises range up and down through Towns and Countreys having no setled Residence in any place but sleep wheresoever they go in the Metzids their Bed being onely a Sheep-skin which in stead of an upper Garment they wear on their Backs They are of several Orders each bearing the Name of their chief Saint after the same manner as amongst the Persians No Person of whom they Beg may turn them away without giving them something They are for the most part ingenious and well learn'd in their Books They stand oftentimes in the Market-places where calling the People about them they extol their own Religion and despise that of the Christians and Heathens Some of them scruple not to affirm that by Hassan's means so much interest they are perswaded he hath with God the Devil may obtain mercy but not the Christians because they believe not in Hassein Any Man may enter into this Order as those that cannot live by their Trades commonly do and under that Name commit all manner of Villanies yet some of them voluntarily undergo very great hardships either living like Hermits on the tops of Mountains overgrown with Trees and Brambles and remote from all People where they spend their Lives without ever stirring from the place where they once seat themselves except it be to be to disburden Nature continually saying these or the like words I affect You and not the World I do all this for Your sake therefore look upon me O Almighty God Those People that betake themselves to this kind of Living never shave themselves nor pair their Nails but let them grow like Claws they will rather endure hunger than go out of their Huts wherefore those that know their Abodes out of compassion will send them Food and Raiment which must be of the meanest or else they will not eat it and no more than they can eat at once Some take up a resolution to Fast a certain number of days and will eat no kind of Meat during that time till they have in a manner quite starv'd themselves Others go stark naked except a Cloth before their Privities and beg for their Food These People by some strange means or other prognosticate wonderful things which makes the Vulgar flock about them and hearken with great earnestness to what they say There are some some amongst them call'd Mandees who as a pennance for their sins cut and slash their Bodies and others wear such Chains about their Legs that they are scarce able to stir going bare-foot on the hot Ground with blue Cloaks about them in Pilgrimage to the Burying-places of their Saints There are also a sort of Jogues amongst the Moors who according to Texeira are call'd Calendares that travel to colder and more populous Countreys especially through Persia and Turkestan and therefore taking greater care of themselves than the other Jogues cover their Bodies with Sheep-skins and also make Stockings and Shoes of them They also act the parts of Juglers carrying a green Purse with Flowers or the like in their Hands which proffering to those they meet with they read some Arabian or Persian Verses to them by that means to get some Alms. The Diet of the Hassanists The Hassanists eat onely once a day viz. about three a clock in the afternoon not sitting on Stools at high Tables like us but the Floor cover'd with a Carpet serves them not onely for Stools but a Table also sitting on the same with their Legs under them being thus seated especially at Feasts a Servant comes with a Bason and Ewer and going from one to another pours out the Water for them to wash their Hands after which the Meat is brought in Copper Dishes Tinn'd in the inside and about three yards in circumference they are commonly fill'd with Rice boyl'd with Butter Flesh Onions Garlick Pepper Almonds Raisins and the like They often colour their Rice green yellow brown blue and red according to the Persian way After the Meat is set before them they fall to eating thereof saying no other Prayer but this In the Name of God gracious and merciful which words stand before every Chapter in the Alcoran They have no Bread there growing onely a little Wheat and no Rye in all the Countrey and therefore eat scalded Rice in stead of Bread Their Trenchers are Cakes bak'd thin which many after they have Din'd also eat or put them up in their Handkerchiefs Their common Drink is Water which they drink not till after their Meals when it is brought to every one by a Servant in a Copper Cup they never drink standing but always sitting accounting it very unwholsom to do the contrary After Meals they have again warm Water brought them to wash their Hands which done some rise up and go away without speaking a word or returning thanks to the Master of the Feast others especially if they are Friends or intimate Acquaintance stay and smoak a Pipe of Tobacco and drink a Dish of Coffee Though the Hassanists are temperate at Meals yet most of them are inclin'd to Drinking in private and commonly in the Night that they may not be discover'd for to be Drunk is accounted an abomination amongst them The best Liquor which
Women and Oranchzef himself had intercepted several Letters sent from his Father to Darasja Others maintain that there was no such thing and that the Letter which Oranchzef shew'd in publick was onely to blind the People to labor in some degree to justifie himself in so strange an Action and to devolve the cause of it on Schach Jehan and Darasja as if by them he had been forc'd to these Proceedings But however it was so soon as Schach Jehan was shut up almost all the Omrahs were in a manner necessitated to go and shew Reverence to Oranchzef and Moradbech and which is almost incredible there was not one that had the Courage to stir or attempt the least in behalf of their King and for him that had made them what they were and rais'd them from the Dust and perhaps from Slavery it self which is common in this Court to advance them unto great Riches and Honor yet some few there were as Danechmendcan and others that took no side but all the rest Declar'd for Oranchzef Who thus assur'd of Schach Jehan and all the Omrahs took what Sums of Money he thought fit out of the Treasury and then having made Chabestcan his Uncle Governor of the Town he left Agra and march'd with Moradbeck to pursue Darasja Advice given to Moradbeck On the day that the Army was to march out of Agra the particular Friends of Moradbeck but especially his Eunuch Chah Abas who knew that excess of Civility and Respect is too often a sign of an Impostor counsell'd him that since he was King and every one treated him with the Title of Majesty and Oranchzef himself acknowledg'd him so to be he should let him go in pursuit of Darasja and stay himself with his Troops about Agra and Deli Which Counsel if he had taken he would certainly have perplex'd Oranchzef not a little but 't was fatal for him to neglect this good Advice and it was Oranchzef's good fortune that Moradbeck confided in his Promises and the Oaths of Fidelity they had sworn to one another on the Alcoran Wherefore setting out together they marched on their Way to Deli and coming to Maturas three or four small days Journey from Agra Moradbeck's Friends perceiving some things endeavor'd again to perswade him that he should be wary assuring him that Oranchzef had no good intentions towards him and that without all doubt he plotted mischief against him as they were inform'd by several and therefore desir'd him by all means not to go to see him that day but to prevent the Blow as soon as possible but whatsoe're was said to him he believ'd nothing of it being deaf to all the good advice that was given him and as if he had been enchanted by the Friendship of Oranchzef he could not refrain from going to Sup with him that very Night He Sups with Oranchzef No sooner was he come to his Tent but Oranchzef who expected him had already prepar'd all things with Murcan and three or four of his most intimate Captains nor was he wanting in Embracements and in redoubling his Courtship Civilities and Submissions insomuch that he gently wip'd off the Sweat and Dust from his Face with his Handkerchief also treating him still with the Title of King whilst the Supper being serv'd up they sat down and discours'd of various things as they us'd to do when at last a huge Bottel being brought full of Chiras Wine and some other Bottles of Cabul Wine Oranchzef like a grave serious Man and one that would appear a great Mahumetan and very regular rose from the Table and having with much kindness invited Moradbeck to be merry with Mircan and the other Officers withdrew as if he went to repose himself a little Moradbeck loving a Glass of Wine and rellishing that which was given him scrupled not to drink of it to excess insomuch that he fell asleep in the place where he sat This being the onely thing that was wish'd for some Servants of his that waited on him were sent away under pretence to let him sleep in quiet and also his Sword and Poniard were taken from him Oranchzef roughly coming into the Chamber wak'd him with a Kick which he gave him with his Foot and spake to him in this manner Is surpris'd and imprisoned What shame and ignominy is this that such a King should be so intemperate as thus to debauch himself Take this infamous Man this Drunkard tie him Hand and Foot and throw him into that Room to sleep out his Wine which was no sooner said but it was executed for notwithstanding all his out-crying five or six Persons setting upon him bound his Hands and Feet which was not done so secretly but some of his Men that were hard by hearing thereof made a noise and offer'd to break in upon him but Allah-Couly one of his chief Officers and Master of his Artillery who had been gain'd long before threatning made them draw back and immediately several Commanders rode through the whole Army to calm this first Commotion which might have prov'd dangerous had they not endeavor'd to perswade the People that Moradbeck being overcome with Wine rail'd against Oranchzef and abus'd all that were there which had forc'd them he being in that mad raging humor to lock him up in a Chamber apart and that the next Morning when he was come to himself they should see him abroad again Mean while Presents were sent to all the Commanders in the Army the common Soldiers Pay was rais'd and great Promises made them and as there were none but what long since apprehended some such thing so it was no great wonder to see all things quieted the next Morning The ensuing Night the poor Prince was shut up in a little close House which they commonly set on Elephants to carry Women in and being carry'd to Deli was committed to Slingar which is a little Fortress in the midst of the River His Army turnd to Oranchzef After all things were thus appeas'd and all Persons satisfi'd except the Eunuch Chah Abas who made great disturbance Oranchzef receiv'd the whole Army of Moradbeck into his Service and went after Darasja who was upon his March towards Lahor with an intention to fortifie himself and draw his Friends thither but Oranchzef follow'd him with that speed that he had not time to do any great matter finding himself necessitated to take the Way towards Multan where also he could do nothing considerable because Oranchzef notwithstanding the excessive Heat march'd night and day and to encourage all to make haste he often advanc'd alone two or three Leagues before the whole Army being often forc'd to drink unwholsom Water and be content to eat dry Bread sometimes to sleep under a Tree whilst he staid for his Army in the midst of the High-way laying his Head on his Shield like a common Soldier so that Darasja found himself necessitated to to abandon Multan also to be the farther from
then consults with the Father and Mother about naming of the Child which as soon as they have agreed upon the Mother in presence of the whole Company gives the Child its Name without any other Ceremony which done the Mother and Father taking the Child follow the Daroo to the Eggaree or Temple where the Priest takes clear Water which he stirs in the Bark of a certain Tree growing near Yesd in Persia call'd Holma on which it is affirm'd the Sun never makes any shadow and at last taking up a handful of the said Water sprinkles the Child therewith and prays to God that he would cleanse the Child from his Fathers and Mothers Uncleanness which said he leaves the Infant with the Parents When the Child is attain'd to the seventh year of its Age and judg'd fit to be receiv'd and made a Member of their Church the Parents carry it to the Temple to be instructed where the Daroo teaches the Youth several Prayers and instructs him in his Religion The Child being perfect herein repeats all the Prayers which he hath learn'd over a Fire with a Cloth ty'd about his Head which covers his Mouth and Nostrils so to prevent the Breath which comes out of his unclean Body from blowing upon and thereby defiling the holy Fire After performance of these Prayers the Daroo gives the Child Water to drink and the Rind of a Pomegranate to chew thereby to cleanse it from its inward uncleanness Then they wash his Body with clean Water and put him on a Shuddero or Cotton Coat which reaches down to his Ancles and also give him a Girdle made of Camels Hair by them call'd Cushee which the Youth must never leave off After all this the Daroo says this Prayer following God grant that you may be a faithful Maintainer all your Life of the Persian Religion of which your Habit is a Efficient Badge and never believe any other Law but that which Zertoost brought with him from Heaven Moreover that you may always remain constant in the worshipping of the Fire neither eat the Meat of others nor drink out of their Cups but undefil'd preserve the Ceremonies and Customs of the Persians This done the Youth passes for a real Persian and one of their Sect. They have five different kinds of Marriage among them which have each their proper Name Their Marriages The first call'd Shausan is a Marriage of the Son of one Man to the Daughter of another during their Minority which the Parents manage among themselves without the knowledge of their Children This sort of Marrying is highly esteem'd amongst them affirming That those who are thus Marry'd shall undoubtedly go directly to Paradise The second sort of Marrying call'd Chockerson is when a Widow Marries a second Husband The third nam'd Codesherahassan is when a Woman makes choice of a Man her self The fourth nam'd Ectsan is when a Youth or Maid dies after having been Betrothed before the consummation of the Marriage for in such Cases they have a Custom to give another Youth or Maid in Marriage to the Deceased because they account Marriage to be a great means to make Men happy in the other World Persons of Quality commonly Marry after this manner because with their Money they purchase such as will undertake such a Marriage as is before mentioned The fifth nam'd Ceterson is when a Father having no Sons but having a Daughter Married who hath Sons takes one of them to be his real Son and gives him in Marriage as his own Child for they esteem a Man most miserable who hath no Children to bestow in Marriage Their Burying Places Their Burying-places are built round a good heighth from the Ground pretty broad and pav'd with Free-stone In the midst of them is a deep Well into which drop the Bones of the Deceased the Bodies both of Men and Women being hung round the Wall in the open Air. These Burying-places are of two sorts and stand some distance from each other the one is appointed for those that have lived piously and honestly and the other for those that have liv'd viciously and wickedly and those that have committed Crimes and were punish'd for them whilst they liv'd When any Person amongst them lies upon his Death-bed they send for a Herbood or Priest who whispers this following Prayer in the dying Person 's Ear viz. O Lord thou hast commanded us not to sin yet nevertheless this Person hath sinned thou hast comanded us to do good yet this Person hath done ill thou hast commanded us to worship thee yet this Person hath neglected it but nevertheless good Lord pardon his Crimes and offences Their Funeral Solemnities As soon as the Breath is departed out of the Body the Priest keeps ten Foot distance from the same and commands the Nicesselars or Bearers to carry it away on an Iron Bier for by virtue of their Law they may not touch any dead Corps with Wood because it is a Material with which they keep in the Fire which they worship Moreover those that accompany the Corps are forbid to speak because the Grave according to their Opinion must be a Place of Rest and Quietness Coming to the place where the Defunct is to be buried the Bearers set down the Corps whilst the Priests who stand at some distance from thence speak the following words When this our Brother liv'd he was conjoin'd of four Elements now he is dead let each Element take his own the Earth the Earth the Water the Water the Air the Air and the Fire the Fire Next they implore Sertau and Asud whose Offices are to wait on Lucifer and some other Daemons that they would prevent all evil Spirits from doing the Deceased any harm when he shall go to cleanse himself by their celestial Fire for the Soul as they believe remains ranging up and down the Earth three days after during which time Jupiter they say would torment the same if it did not flie to the sacred Fire to avoid his punishments After this the Soul being try'd is according to her behaviour either condemn'd to go to Hell or convey'd to Heaven As this Opinion is firmly rooted in them so they forget not to meet every Morning Noon and Evening during the space of three days to implore God to shew Mercy to the Soul of the Deceased and to pardon the Sins which he hath committed in his Life-time After the expiration of the three days when the Soul hath received her sentence then the Relations make a great Feast on the fourth day and so end their Mourning One Twist tells us That they take the Sick from his Bed and laying him on the Ground or a Bed of Sand let him die there and about thirty or forty days after the Burying of the Dead they carry the said Bed of Sand and strew the same on his Grave But Herbert saith That they wrap up their deceas'd Bodies in a perfum'd Cloth and that the Relations which
another especially we that ought to be preserv'd Certainly your Valor will not be abated when I shall declare unto you my Condition and divide my Strength and Power with you nay rather being Friends we shall be capacitated for the Undertaking the greatest Enterprizes whatsoever and valiantly revenge all Injuries that shall be offer'd us Know then That the World is yet but like a young Child having far greater need of being replenish'd with People than bereft of them by force of Arms. Love and Nature teach us to study our own Preservation which may better be accomplish'd by being at Union than at Variance one with another Let us not therefore endeavor by forceable and unlawful Means to seek a Glory which may prove Mortal to both but let us rather study to settle a happy and everlasting Peace between us Toddikastre having with great attention hearkned unto a Proposal grounded on so much Reason after a little silence reply'd That notwithstanding she plainly discover'd sufficient marks of his Rage and Fury which might provoke her to Revenge yet she submitted to his Argument readily and freely consenting to his Proposal of Peace VVhereupon giving each other their Hands to confirm their new Friendship they of mortal Enemies became the greatest Friends in Nature and resolving to live and die together begat many Children producing a Race of Valiant and Heroick Spirits And thus was the VVestern Part of the World Peopled by these two Generous Enemies Shuddery the third Son of Pourous was sent Northward to Traffique as a Merchant taking with him his Weights and a Pair of Scales wherewith to weigh whatever was bought or sold Having travell'd a considerable way wishing to meet with an Adventure sutable to his Calling he came at last to a Mountain call'd Challa when beginning to Rain very hard he was necessitated to seek for shelter in a small Cave which was in the said Mountain The Rain ceasing the Sky began to clear up but the Water having cover'd most of the Ways kept Shuddery from Travelling that day But no sooner had the thirsty Earth drunk up the Water and the Sun dry'd up the remaining Moisture when in order to proceed on his Journey he leaves the Cave and scarcely arriv'd at the bottom of the Valley but he found several Shells which out of Curiosity opening he concluded by their Brightness and Beauty that they ought carefully to be preserv'd though altogether ignorant of the Value so putting them up very safe he went on and having scarce pass'd through the Valley he found himself near another Mountain upon which appear'd a Rock of Diamonds wich having been wash'd by the great Rain appear'd very glorious and sparkling causing a great admiration in Shuddery who judg'd it to have been a great Fire Passing on and perceiving the suppos'd Fire did not spread it self yet encreas'd in Lustre he was curious to be satisfied what it might be by touching the same with his Finger whereby he perceiv'd that though these glittering Diamonds sparkled like Fire yet they had not that Heat with them wherefore he resolv'd to expect the next Morning to see if he could make any further Discovery of this great Mystery But the Day caus'd a far greater alteration than he expected which no sooner appear'd but the Light of the Diamonds vanish'd nothing remaining but a Rock of whitish Stones of which he took as many as he could carry carefully observing the Place against his Return in case he should be better inform'd of the Value Whence proceeding he at last espy'd the Nymph that was ordain'd for him walking by the side of the Wood which border'd on the Plain he was crossing He directed his Course towards the Object which at that distance appear'd to him most pleasing and beautiful The Nymph was not a little surpris'd at the sight of him remaining in suspence whether to fly or stay till Shuddery approaching near her thus express'd himself Most admirable and beautiful Creature so nearly resembling me I beg your Company not onely for the likeness between us to our mutual admiration which I hope may oblige you to love me and entertain a good Opinion of one that follows you with no bad Intent but that I may be happy in your Conversation since the Similitude between us seems to challenge a more intimate Familiarity Visagondah for such was her Name express'd by her silence the pleasure she took in Shuddery's Presence no way distrusting her Safety at last she demanded of him how it came to pass that two Persons having never seen one another before could so perfectly understand each others Language To which Shuddery reply'd That God who had given their Bodies a like Shape had also endued them with one Tongue thereby to assist and discover their Secrets one to another Having thus shew'd great Testimonies of Friendship to one another staying some time in the Place Shuddery related to her his Adventures after which living many Years together they begat divers Children which grown up became Merchants with whom Shuddery work'd in the Diamond-Rock he had discover'd laying up great Quantities thereof and prizing them at a high Value made them so esteem'd of through the whole World And from the Issue of this Shuddery according to the Tradition of the Indians the Northern Parts of the World were Peopled Wyse the youngest of the four Brothers took his Journey towards the South taking with him the most useful Instruments which he had invented for the Benefit of Mankind for God had endu'd him with far more Understanding than any of his Brothers He was the Inventor of all Arts and taught his Children to Build Houses Towns and Castles to Till the Groud and all other things necessary to Humane Life for which reason he was call'd Viskarmah that is A Vertuoso because nothing was difficult to him that could be done Being endu'd with this great Knowledge and Skill in Husbandry and Building God order'd him to Travel Southward where in his way he pass'd by seven great Lakes leaving at each of them Marks of his Ingenuity and having pass'd the last he found himself in a Country call'd Derpe where he built a fair House near the Lake with many Apartments and a flat Roof Here he staid some time alone to refresh himself but he had not long enjoy'd the sweetness of his Repose when he was disturb'd by a strange Accident The Woman which was appointed for him passing by a neighboring Wood near the side of the Lake stood still to admire the Magnificent Form of the new-built Structure which she approach'd to view more narrowly having never before seen the like Wyse espying her so earnestly view his Habitation found himself struck with admiration at the sight of so surprising a Creature her Body being perfectly White and her Hair resembling the Colour of Gold wherefore he approach'd nearer the Person who at a distance had wrought a very great alteration in him whilst she was not a little abash'd to
utters the following words O Lord we present thee this Child born of a holy Tribe anointed with Oyl and wash'd with Water Besides they use several other Ceremonies after which they Pray that the Child may be a zealous observer of the Lives of the Bramines and set down exactly the Hour and Minute of the Childs Birth and observe under what Planet it is born that so they may know whether it shall be happy or unhappy keeping the Horoscope not shewing it to any till the Day of his Marriage which they account thâ— happiest Day of his Life and then publickly declare all the Dangers he has escap'd and those which yet threaten him The third Treatise of the Book which was given to Bremaw describes after what manner they ought to live what difference and dictinction they must observe in those things which are mention'd in their several Tribes They affirm that there can be no better way found to Govern the World than that which was us'd in the first Age by means of four Tribes that is to say to have Bramines to Teach the Law of God to the People Kutteries to Govern and keep the People in Obedience to the Law Schudderies or Merchants to Trade and lastly Wyses or Handicraft-men and Laborers to supply others by their Labors with such Necessaries as are wanting For this reason by virtue of this third Treatise of the foremention'd Book they are oblig'd in all their Tribes as much as in them lies to uphold this ancient manner of Governing The Bramines is the first Tribe and being lookt upon by the Commonalty as Priests are of two sorts first there are common Bramines which are more in number in India than any other secondly particular Bramines far lesser in number and are by the Benjans call'd Verteas by the Moors Scurahs The common sort of Bramines consist of seventy two Families or Tribes who are Govern'd by so many eminent Men who for their great Knowledge are highly esteem'd amongst them they call them Soothsayers of such and such and such a Place where they reside The chiefest of them bears the Name of Vikalnagranauger that is Soothsayer of Vikalnagra a City so call'd Likewise the next are denominated from the Places of their Abode by which means the seventy two Tribes are distinguish'd What concerns the Offices or Employments of these Bramines is already related at large As to what concerns the peculiar Bramines they are call'd Verteas and are generally Persons of the Tribe of Schuddery or Merchants and are a People who out of Zeal take upon them this Religious Office They go Habited in white Woollen Cloth which comes down to the Calves of their Legs the remaining part of their Legs being naked They never cover their Heads as a Testimony of their Obedience and Reverence they shew to God nor do they shave their Heads but pull it out by the Roots except a little upon the Crown of the Head They also pull out their Beards after the same manner There are several sorts of these Bramines whereof some are call'd Sonkaes which never go to the Temples but perform their Religious Offices by themselves Another sort nam'd Tappaes say their Prayers in the Temples A third sort call'd Kurthurs worship God in private without any Company The fourth sort are call'd Onkelaus which admit of no Images The fifth sort which is the strictest of all bear the Name of Pushaleaus these have a certain Festival Day nam'd Putcheson which they keep every Month for five Days together but between each Day of these five they observe a Time to Fast in This Feast is generally kept in a Person of great Quality's House and Charitable People commonly at that time give Money to the Poor that they may not kill any Beasts or other Living Creature This Tribe is much stricter in many things than the other Bramines for Marriage which is allow'd to others is forbidden them and they are satisfi'd with less Meat and Drink than the rest never eating any thing except on the foremention'd Feast-Day but what is given them and never keep any thing for the next Day or for another Meal They preserve and hold all things that have Life in greater Veneration than the other and never drink Water till it be boil'd to the end the Vapor which they account the Soul thereof should have time to evaporate and fly out They keep little Sticks constantly by them to spread abroad their own Dung so to prevent the Worms which might possibly be in the same from being trod to death They keep Hospitals for sick and lame Fowl which they buy for Money and endeavor to cure them All things are in common amongst them They have but a slender opinion of washing themselves in Water but rather delight in foul and ditty Bodies The second Tribe is that of the Kutteries which derives its Name from Kuttery the second Son of Porous And because God had given him Power to Govern others all Kings and Martial People pretend to be Extracted from them The place of the Book of Bremaw wherein the things concerning this Tribe was describ'd was fill'd with certain Commandments concerning Government and State-Policy but of little consequence These Kutteries may be describ'd these several ways viz. How they were formerly in their flourishing Estate how they liv'd after when first they began to decay and how they live at present In their flourishing Estate they were Kings and Governors of the Indians and especially of this Country of Surratte and were at that time call'd Rajas that is King or Prince of which some possess'd bigger Tracts of Land than others according as they were more or less Powerful These Rajas have commonly four sorts of Persons by them of Noble Aspect and Quality the first sort whereof were Bramines who by means of their Soothsayers acquainted their Kings with such Times as were by them accounted fortunate for any Design The second was call'd Pardon that is A Politician or one experienc'd in Matters of State who dispatch'd all the King's Edicts and had the general Care of the King's Business The third was call'd Moldar who perform'd the Office of Gentleman-Usher to the King being continually with him and his Company The fourth call'd Disnache manag'd all Martial Affairs and Commanded as General over all the Militia They say that the Rajas were Extracted out of thirty six illustrious Families some deriv'd of the Family or Tribe of Chaurah others out of that call'd Solenkees some of Vaggela others of Dodepuchaes and others from the Paramars so that a Person of mean Extract can never attain to any great Dignity but only those which were Extracted from one of these thirty six Tribes In this manner the Rajas liv'd in their flourishing Estate as to what concerns their Fall according to the testimony of their Histories a certain holy and vertuous Woman nam'd Rannedvil prognosticated on her Death-bed viz. That the State of the Rajas would decline under the Government