and doing of Penance Out of the City Cambaya saith Peruschi go many Heathens in Pilgrimage to the River Ganges in Bengala sometimes to the number of forty or fifty thousand all those accounting themselves happy that have been bath'd in the foremention'd Stream and they certainly believe they shall be sav'd if on their Death-beds they can but get some of the Water of the Ganges to drink Since the Benjans have a peculiar Opinion of the Creation and Original of Men and differ in this point from the Brahmines notwithstanding they account them to be their Teachers it will not be amiss to declare the same as it is taken out of their Law-book call'd Shaster The Opinion of the Benjans concerning the Creation God seeing himself alone he studied after what manner he might manifest to others his Splendor and Power for he foresaw that his Greatness and Glory would remain obscure and never be known if he did not communicate them to Mortals The most convenient means therefore to attain to this his desire was to Create the World and all the Creatures which are in the same And in order hereunto he first made the World beginning with the four Elements which were to be the Foundation thereof viz. the Earth Air Water and Fire which in the beginning being mix'd together were separated after this manner First he blew on the Water with a large Sarbatane or the like Instrument which thereupon bubling up came to be a great Body in the form of an Egg which by degrees extending became the light and clear shining Firmament of Heaven which surrounds the whole World This separation being made the Earth remained mix'd with a Matter like Sediment of Water of which God afterwards made a round Ball and call'd the Lower World of which the firmest part became Earth and the other being the weakest the Sea both which making the exact Figure of a Globe God plac'd the same in the midst of the Firmament which surrounds the Sea and Earth After this God Created a Sun and Moon which he placed in the Firmament to make a distinction of the Times and Seasons And by this means the four Elements which before were confusedly mix'd together were separated and distinguish'd and each confin'd to its proper place The Elements thus setled each perform'd its Office The Air fill'd all things that were empty the Fire by its Heat gave warmth to all and the Earth and Sea produc'd their several Creatures God giving a generative Power to all to multiply and increase according to their several kinds And thus the great World being perfected was divided into four Parts viz. East West North and South This World was to last four Ages and to be inhabited by divers sorts of People which were to be produc'd from four Men and four Women as we will instantly relate God having thus created the World and the Creatures he proceeded to create Man and thereupon commanded the Earth to produce that excellent Creature out of its Bowels First it put forth the Head and soon after all the other Parts into which God breathing Life the Lips grew red the Eye-lids open'd and made two sparkling Stars to appear the other Parts of the Body began to move and his Senses with Wisdom knew their Creator and worshipp'd him And because this Creature which was made for Society should not be alone God gave him a Woman for his Companion which resembled him as well in his Sense Reason and Spirit This first Creature was call'd Pourus and his Wife Parkoute they liv'd together like Man and Wife and fed upon the Fruit of the Earth without killing any living Creature These two Persons living thus together begat four Sous the first whereof was call'd Brammon the second Kutterey the third Schuddery and the fourth Wyse These four Brothers were of different Constitutions the four Elements giving to each a different Temper Brammon having participated of the Earth was Melancholly Kutterey being hot of Temper had a Warlike Spirit Schuddery being of a cold moist Constitution was of a meek Spirit and Wyse being of an angry Disposition had a quick Wit Moreover God endu'd Brammon according to his Nature with Wisdom and through him publish'd his Laws and Commandments for he judg'd his reserv'd Life and serious Countenance most fit for that purpose and therefore he gave him a Book wherein was set down how he would be serv'd and which also treated of other things concerning Religion God also according to the Constitution of Kutterey gave him Power to rule Kingdoms with a Scepter to keep the People in awe and make the Commonalty work and labor for the Publick Good And as a sign of this Power God gave him a Sword in his Hand the proper Instrument of his Victory and Dominion Schuddery according to his natural Inclinations God judg'd fit for Traffick whereby he might furnish all parts of the Earth with such things as they stood in need of by means of Navigation and as a Token of what he was appointed for as also to mind him of his Employment God gave him a pair of Scales with a Bag full of all sorts of Weights as proper Instruments of his Calling Wyse according to his Disposition God endu'd with a Genius of inventing all manner of Mechanical Arts giving him a Bag full of Tools and Instruments for the working of such things withal as his Fancy should direct The World being thus far compleated God gave not Pourous and Parkoutee any Daughters lest Works which hitherto he had preserv'd from all Uncleanness might be defil'd by the incestuous Conjunction of the Brothers with the Sisters wherefore God being willing to preserve the Innocence and Holiness of their first Parents resolv'd to ordain such means for the propagating Mankind as might correspond with the Work of the Creation by making four Women for the Sons of Pourous anst Parkoutee whereof one was sent to the East another to the West a third to the North and a fourth to the South that being thus separated one from the other the Propagation of Man kind might be the sooner compleated in all Parts of the Earth The eldest Son of the first Man call'd Brammon became Great being highly esteem'd by his other Brothers as well for his Age as his great Merits but especially for the Converse he often held with God concerning Religion and the manner of Worship wherein he instructed his Brethren reading the Book which was given him by God containing the Secrets and Manner of worshipping him with great Care and Reverence God revealing himself to him very often in Person And as God had created Man in a pleasant and delightful Place situate in the Belly and Navel of the Earth where the Sun makes no Shadow at Noon so he resolv'd to send the Brothers which were come from the Centre of the World to the Circumference thereof to People it Wherefore he commanded Brammon to take the Book wherein were written the Laws of God
affirms their right Name to be Vaneans but their common Name is Benjans Some ascribe a peculiar Country to the Benjans and border the same on one side of the Kingdom of Brampous from which it is separated by the River Tynde and on the other at the Country Surratte The Towns of this Country are Daytaote near Surratte and a Days Journey from Naubonne Netherbey and Saylote five Leagues from Netherkey The Country yields all sorts of Grain and Fruit in great abundance especially Lemmons Sugar-Canes and Cotton Under the Name of Benjans are comprehended all those that are Merchants and Broakers for there is nothing bought but by the Mediation and Approbation of those which are call'd Benjans which in the Language of the Brahmines signifies An Innocent and Just People for they cannot endure that a Wasp or Flye or any other living Creature should be hurt enduring patiently to be beaten without resistance They manifest themselves to be a very Just and Pious People for which reason and because they are well acquainted with the Country the English and Dutch Merchants employ them as Broakers to Buy and Sell for them They range all over Asia in great numbers to Traffick but reside chiefly in Surratte Moreover they Buy and Sell after a strange and peculiar manner quite different from any other People for the Benjan or Broaker that treats with the Seller making a Price of the Goods appears with a little Board full of Figures which is ty'd about his Waste and laying it on his Knee points to the number of Guilders which the Buyer is willing to give after which the Seller in like manner expresses his Mind by pointing to the Number which he will have for his Commodity Thus they Buy and Sell without speaking a word according to the Commandments of their Law The fourth Tribe or Family which is that of the Wyses hath its Denomination from Wyse the fourth Son of Pourous and Parkoutee who was sent to invent all Arts and Handicrafts wherefore all Artists and Mechanicks are comprehended under this Tribe The Commandments relating to them and contain'd in the Book deliver'd to Bremaw tend chiefly to instruct them how to behave themselves justly and honestly in their Employments The Name Wyse signifies A Hireling or one that is us'd like a Servant because these People work for those that have occasion for them as Wyse did and all those that deriv'd from him This Tribe consists of two sorts of People for some like the Benjans abstain from Flesh and Wine or use them very sparingly The others are the Heathens of Visceraun which they call Defil'd or Unclean Pagans because they allow themselves the liberty of eating Flesh Fish and other Creatures that had Life These are generally the Rusticks and meanest sort of People which are Coulees And as the most zealous of these Heathens have the greatest resemblance in Points of their Religion with the Kutteries so do they likewise agree in the number of their Tribes which are thirty six equal to the Trades among them In all Mechanical Operations they use as few Tools as is possible performing every thing they do in a contrary manner to that of the Europeans and Christians This is in short the Contents of the third Treatise of the Book of Bremaw concerning the four Tribes or Families according as they live to this day This Book which contain'd the Grounds of their Religion and Rules of Government being first given to Bremaw and by him deliver'd to the Brahmines who publish'd the same among the People by teaching them the Precepts of Religion and Rules of Life which each Tribe were to observe in order to which those who had Power to Govern kept their People in subjection causing every one duly to perform his Office the Priests or Brahmines instructed the People in their Religions the Merchants drove the Trade and the Handicrafts follow'd each their several Callings to the great satisfaction of all those that made use of them Affairs being thus manag'd in the second Age all things went very well Religion was strictly observ'd and honor'd Prayers were directed to God and the three Persons Bremaw Wistney and Ruddery the Banks of Rivers were frequently visited and the daily and usual Cleansing never neglected But after the World increased the Inhabitants thereof grew wicked and degenerated from their first Principles the Brahmines became Dissemblers the Kutteries or Governors grew proud and ambitious oppressing their Subjects and abusing their Authority the Merchants dealt fraudulently the Handicrafts grew idle and set too high a Price upon their Lahor The World thus degenerating God was extremely incens'd thereat and descended on the Mountain Merapurbatee where he acquainted Bremaw how hainous the Sins of Mankind were that he might admonish them to turn from their wicked Ways and warn them of the approaching Judgments which their Offences had justly merited The World hearkned a while to his Admonitions but soon after slighted them and return'd to the commission of their former Crimes which oblig'd Bremaw to intreat God for them but God being unwilling to be reconcil'd to them took him away his limited time being expir'd that so he might not be a Witness of those dreadful Judgments that soon after were to fall upon the Children of Men. Then God acquainted Wistney with his Resolution to destroy all humane Creatures wherefore Wistney interceded for them but God not hearkning to him commanded Ruddery who was appointed to punish all Offenders to raise a great Wind out of the Earth to destroy the People and blow them away like Dust from the Ground Ruddery hereupon provok'd the Winds which were imprison'd in the Bowels of the Earth causing them to break forth with great violence insomuch that they shook the Foundations of the Earth the Day grew as dark as the Night the Hills and Mountains were turn'd topsie-turvy and the River Ganges remov'd out of its place so that this terrible Storm destroy'd all Mankind except a few Persons whom God permitted Wistney to preserve for the propagating and re-peopling the World in the third Age the second being ended in this dismal manner When Ruddery had asswag'd the rage and fury of the Winds all things were still and quiet yet in a deplorable Condition to see the World thus depriv'd of its Inhabitants and utterly ruin'd some were bruis'd against the Rocks others lay heap'd one upon another in the Fields which the Almighty seeing was troubled at it and Ruddery also very much griev'd to have been the Instrument of so great a Destruction Now since these great Misfortunes and Punishments proceeded from the bad Conduct of the Kings and those who Govern'd God utterly destroy'd the Tribe of the Kutteries Those that were sav'd by the Prayers of Wistney consisted in a small number and were only of the three other Tribes But because the four sorts of Tribes were so perfectly necessary for the Governing of the World insomuch that it could not be without them and
Philosophy Notwithstanding there are not so many in Persia as in Europe which learn the Liberal Arts and Sciences yet they highly esteem those that study therein which they corruptly call Filosuf The Persian Phylosophers in Matters of Phylosophy and other Sciences highly esteem the Christian Books especially such as treat of Morality natural Phylosophy and Religion They also hold Disputations with great Confidence concerning the Mystery of their Religion with People that are or another Opinion quite contrary to the Turks who out of stubborness will not admit any to speak thereof Their Universicies For the Instruction of their Knowledge there are several Universities or Schools in the Cities which they call Madresia or Madressa and the Scholars Mederis the Chiefest whereof are at Ispahan Schiras Ardebil Mesched Tebris Casbijn Com Jest and Schamachie to all which the Sedder or Governor must allow a sufficient Maintenance which he receives from such Countreys as are free from Tribute and other Taxes to the King as Cochtzeh by Erwan Utzatznik near Carabach Tabachmelick lying between Georgia and Carabach and also Agdasch and Kermeru What they study The Learning in which they instruct them is Geometry Surveying Poesie Astrology moral and Natural Phylosophy Physick and Law They have all Aristotle's Works translated into Arabick and call him Danja piala that is The Cup of the World for as we may use the Cup to refresh our selves so we may likewise to inebriation so according to their opinion we may use and misuse Phylosophy for they say that strong Liquor and Phylosophy make good Orators but excess of both makes wise men Fools They teach their Youth Arithmetick so soon as they can write and read the Common-people use the Indian Figures but the Learned the Arabian Their Poesie and Orations are comprised in short Lessons and are studied both together because their Histories and Disputations are mixt with Verses and other Eloquent Expressions Their chief Book is as we said before Culustan that is Rose-Valley made by the famous Poet Schich Saadi Their chief Books and some Years since Translated into the German Tongue by Olearius it consists not onely in pleasant Prose but delightful Verses and therefore every Persian hath this Book in his House nay some there are which carry it in their memory and are therefore accounted very learned this they repeat at all Feasts and other Merry-meetings Delight in reading Histories Moreover they delight much in reading of Histories especially those of Aly's Life and Death as also of Hossein Aly's Son which are written in a lofty Style They have likewise several other Books as Chronicles as well of their own Kings Reigns and Wars as other eminent Transactions and these are term'd Mirchond Emveri Tzami Walehi Nussegri and the like amongst which the chiefest is Mirchond who in an excellent Style hath written a Persian Chronicle in Four Volumes which are there sold for two hundred Crowns but we cannot credit the Persians much in their Histories and Matters of Religion because they often mix fabulous Invention with real Truths The number of Books that treat of Philosophy are but small in these Countreys and those few are in the Hands of the most learned Persons who keep them as a great Treasure The Books that are generally sold there are either Romances or Verses treating of their Law besides which they have no Books worth mentioning Arms. THe Persian Horse-men are arm'd with Bowes The Housemens Arms. Arrows and a bending Sword like a Scymetar their main strength consists in the Cavalry and though their Horses are small and lean yet they are strong and swift The Hilt of their Swords is onely a cross Bar yet sufficient to defend the Hand and for the most part set forth with inchased work the Scabberds are either of red or black Leather and plated after the same manner as the Hilt their Belts are narrow and plain without any other Ornament or Colour than the skins naturally bear their Bowe-men are call'd Curtschi and their Musquettiers Tufenktschi for they have Musquets and also Pistols which they say Schach Abbas first brought in use among them They also have some great Guns which they use more in their Fortifications and Sieges than in a Field Battel Yet Anno 1604. Schach Abbas had one hundred and fifty Cannons when he beat off Vlutzali Bassa from Cigale They use many Stratagems In former times the Persians always engag'd their Enemies on Horse-back but since the use of Musquets was brought amongst them they have made a Body of Foot which in these last Wars hath done them great Service Moreover they are very subtile in contriving Plots and Stratagems to circumvent their Enemies At the Siege of Iruan Anno 1633. the Persians had a sort of Poyson in little Glasses which they shot with Darts into their Enemies Forts by which means they so infected the Air that it swell'd the Inhabitants Arms and Legs to an extraordinary thickness and by that means made them unable to resist Their defensive Arms are Brest-plates Shields Coats of Mail and Helmets The Soldiers of Persia made up of three Bodies The Soldiers of Persia are made up of three sorts The first sort are Turkomans which are like Hirelings and have Ziefs that is Pensions which the Sons inherit from their Fathers and are bound to furnish the King with a certain number of Horse as often as occasion shall require The second sort is that which Leunclaivus and Soranzo call Corrises or Coridsches but in the Turks Language might more properly be call'd Curchins or Georgians which receive no pay but have onely their Dyet Horses Apparel Arms Tents and all other Necessaries The third sort are Friends and Allies viz. Armenians and other Georgians who are Enemies to the Turks Four Degrees in their Militia In Persia are four Orders or Degrees in their Militia the first are Musquetiers or they that use Fire-arms not many years since brought in by King Abbas through the perswasions of Sir Anthony Sherley one of our three famous Sherleys so much celebrated in former times All the Musquetiers are Natives and Inhabitants of the Cities Musquettiers Towns and Villages though more dwell in the Villages than the Towns or Cities and they are accounted Tat or ignoble and may not wear the Tag but the common Turbant Formerly they continually fought on Foot yet march'd on Horseback like our Dragoons All the Captains of these and other Companies are by a Turkish Name call'd Juzbassi that is The Head of a Hundred for Juz is a Hundred and Bassi the Head notwithstanding they often have above two hundred and sometimes under one hundred in their Companies Those that dwell in several Provinces or Places meeting at a general Rendezvouz march together to the Army either with the Chans of the Province or else alone especially those that have no Chans Those of Mazanderan are accounted the best Musquettiers but there are more beside them
Tomams Ten Besorchs make a Pays which is Copper and made like a Dutch Doit four Pays a Chay or Four-pence-halfpeny English twenty Pays a Mamoudy or Nine-pence English twenty five Pays a Laryn five Laryns a Crown and a hundred Mamoudies a Tomam which is sixteen Crowns How they value Commodities Rich Commodities are valu'd by Tomans or Tumains each Toman reckon'd at fifty Abascies and notwithstanding this sort of Money which amounts to so much is not stamp'd yet they reckon them by the number as the Russians do their Rubbles and we here by Pounds Sterling A Toman is six Rixdollers or Three Pound twelve Shillings English Anno 1644. according to the Kings Command no Person whatsoever durst carry or convey any Ryals Ducats or new Money to Hindostan on pain of extream Punishments because the old Money was much lighter and of worse Metal than the new Their Weights and Measures AS for their Weights and Measures they are of two sorts the one is the King 's and the other that of Tebris the King's Weight or Measure is double to that of Tebris though the last be much more us'd First there is a Weight call'd Patman which according to the Measure of Tebris weighs compleat nine Venetian Pounds This Patman is divided into nine Cehareck or four Quarters the Quarters into Siahs the Siahs into Mithicali But Manchia is a Weight about ten Pound and a half Texeira also makes mention of a Weight call'd Man or Men perhaps one and the same with Patman which the Portuguese in the East-Indies call Mano but the value and weight thereof is distinct according to the several Countreys and is by Zacharia King of Chorazan who made a great Book of the Weights and Measures of Persia call'd Mim Davity will have this Mano to be the Batman which Vincent Della Alexandri makes mention of in his Relation of Persia and that ten of them make forty Venetian Pounds each Pound being twelve Ounces so that one Batman should make four such Pounds Others will have three sorts of Man viz. a Man which contains seven Pound Dutch a Man Cha of twelve Pound and a Man Sarat of thirty Pound Olearius tells us that they weigh their Goods all with Batmans which according to the several Places are different A Batman of Tebris contains six Pound a Schach's or King 's Batman which is most us'd in Kilan is twelve Pound a Schamachies or Carabachs Batman is sixteen Pound Howi they reckon the distances of Places The distance of Places from one to another through all the parts of Persia is reckon'd by Miles which they call Ferseng deriv'd from the old Name Parasanga of which Herodotus Xenophon and others make mention The length of a Furlong is according to Della Valle about one Spanish or four Italian Miles as also in the time of Herodotus who affirms that a Parasanga compris'd thirty Furlongs of which according to Strabo's Account eight make an Italian Mile In the Turkish Language which is spoken through the whole Countrey the Miles are call'd Agag that is Trees Their Trade What Merchants Trade into Persia with the Commodities they carry thither and what they bring back in Return THe English Netherlanders and Portuguese Trade through the whole Countrey of Persia onely the Portuguese though having the same Trade are not permitted to come to Ormus Gamron Lareca Cismy c. At Bander-Gamron the Netherlanders have their Factories as also in Lar and Ispahan The Persian Trade being very considerable to the Holland East-India Company doth not a little add to their Gain from the Indian Commodities for the Trade which the said Company drives from the Island Ceylon and the Coast of Malabar to Persia is not onely for the utterance of their Pepper Cinamon Cardamom and other Commodities which are Transported to Persia and turn to a good Account but chiefly for the ready Money which they carry from Persia to Ceylon for they Import yearly unto Persia about eight hundred thousand Pound weight of Cardamom seventy thousand of Japan Wood and between twenty and thirty thousand of Cinamon The Hollanders us'd also from Taiowan to send Chinese Commodities to Persia as Pepper Sugar-Candy Japan Camphire Porcelane Preserv'd Ginger China Roots China Anniseeds Tee c. They also carry'd thither Cloves Nutmegs Mace round and long Pepper Cinamon from Ceylon Gum Wax Benjamin Sandal Ebony and Aguil Wood Copper Cubebs Cauna and most of the Indian Commodities but especially Cloves Tin and Sugar The Merchandise which the Netherlanders bring in Return from Persia to Batavia consists in Pearls which are purchas'd in Barain and Congo red Skins dress'd red Earth from Ormus pack'd up in Bales several Jewels compos'd of Diamonds and Rubies Emeraulds Rings Rose-water and other Commodities but especially Silk which is most plentiful in the Northern Provinces of Persia and also their so much esteem'd Persian Carpets But they are not the onely Traders there for the Banians Moors and other Eastern People supply their Markets with the like Merchandise For the promoting of Trade in Ispahan the Hollanders are forc'd every year to make great Presents to the King and his Courtiers who believe that they are oblig'd thereto if they receive but a Grant to buy thirty or forty Cara's or such inconsiderable quantities of Silk from peculiar Persons for else they are bound to Deal onely with the King for their Silk which they Transport without paying any Custom The Portuguese having a Factory on the Island of Barain receive half the Custom there as also divers Sums of Money of all Moorish Vessels and Arabian Pearl-Ketchers extending their Trade into the Persian Bay near Bassora Congo Bander-Gamron Cabo de Jaques and several other Places From Persia are likewise Transported to India abundance of Tukoises which are to be had there at reasonable Rates What the Persian Metchants carry out and whither The Persian Merchants carry also great store of Wine in Flasks and Cases to Mogostan and Ormus whither they Travel in like manner with great Cafiles or Caravans from the particular Provinces to Trade with the Christians and other People there resident The Merchandise which they carry thither are Gold Silver Silk Silk-Stuffs Brocades Carpets Horses Allom Tutty Rhubarb Rose-water and the like which they barter for Cinamon Cloves Pepper Cardamom Ginger Nutmegs Mace Sugar Tin Sandal and Japan Wood Chinese Porcelane Musk Amber Aloes Precious Stones Pearls Indigo Wax and the like The Inhabitants and Foreigners may travel whither they please and Trade to all Places paying onely the Custom and some small Imposts to the Crown But this is of special remark that by virtue of an Agreement made between the Turks and Persians they drive an unmolested Trade both in or out of the Countrey as well in times of War as Peace the Caravans travelling from place to place without any disturbance to the great advantage of both Countreys Their Artificers Manufactures and several Employments THe Employments which
to follow it Sofy's are as much as Clergy-men The Clergy as we may so call them are term'd Sofy's living poorly and receiving daily Alms from the King's Court they dwell altogether under one Superior call'd Basci-Sofi with great appearance of Humility so that they are highly esteem'd not onely by the Common-people but by the King because they are the Successors of Schach Ismael Sofi whom Schach Abbas accounted the Head of their Sect which he manifested in his Prayers for having nam'd God then Mahomet and Aaly he addeth Sofi Sciah Imam Dinum that is Sciah Sofi the High Priest of my Law They live at the King's Allowance At all times there are two or three hundred of these Sofy's with the King where so e're he goes Every Evening they have several Dishes of Meat brought them out of the King's Kitchin which they eat either in publick in the first Court or some other place appointed for that purpose whither many of the Nobility repair to see them at Supper There are some Zealots which fall down at the feet of these Sofy's confessing their Sins They confess their Sins and imploring Absolution for the same whereupon he gives the Penitent several blows on the back with a small Cane by means whereof they believe their Sins to be pardon'd how great so ever they are This kind of Absolution is in the Persian Tongue call'd Astaraet There are also amongst them several Sects Other Sects viz. Camaraths and Mutazelis which allow of nothing but what they can make out by Natural Reason like our Scepticks There are also Mahadelis or according to Ananias Molochadis which denying the divine Power affirm that all things are govern'd by the Starrs especially the Planets The two chiefest Teachers after Sofi and in high esteem amongst the Persians were Xeque Aydar and Imam Harust these the Turks and all other Mahumetans in Barbary and other Parts of Africa and also in Tartary abhor more than all others being transported with much fury against the whole Nation so that they think they do God and Mahomet greater Service in killing one Persian than a hundred Christians nor do the Persians less resent the Turks upon the same account holding them a hundred times more pernicious and less Believers than the Christians The Parties that follow the Persians are spred over all Armenia Assyria Diarbeck Hierack The Followers of the Persians Persia Corassan Hircania Carmania Sagistan and a Part of India It is very common in Persia to see the Metzids without a Roof yet notwithstanding they are very large nay some that were built by King Abbas at Ispahan are yet uncover'd Their High-Priests They have also a High-priest call'd Mustaed Dini that is the Head of the Law who is like the Mufti of the Turks and hath his Seat in the Metropolis Ispahan In the lesser Towns are others nam'd also Mustaed Dini but they are inferior to the first Their inferior Priests yet he hath not power to elect them because they are onely chosen by the Grand Sophy under these Mustaed Dini are the Califs who perform daily Service in their Temples Two other Sects and their Opinions In several Provinces of Perfia especially in that of Lar are two other Sects the first was introduc'd above two hundred years since by one Magmud of Babylon and these have the most Disciples which are call'd Ehl el Tabquid that is Men of Truth These affirm that there is no other God but the four Elements which they conclude out of the Name Allah that is God in the Arabick as also from the four Parts of the World They hold also that there is no rational Soul nor another life after this but that each Creature is a mixture of the Elements of which likewise Man is compos'd during his life after which the Soul who kept he Elements together being fled they return to their first Principles They mock at all things that have either been written or said by the Prophets Saints or ancient Law-givers alledging that they were either ignorant in the Truth or else would not reveal it to them Paradise and Hell they affirm is in this World for he that hath once enjoy'd the Nature of Man returns again into the World after Death either in the shape of a Beast Plant happy or unhappy man great and powerful or poor and despicable according to his Merits and this is all the Reward or Punishment of a good or bad life What Books Novices may read The Followers of this Sect have many Books which they will not permit people differing from their opinion to read If it happens that any one of their own Sect which is not fully instructed therein or another desirous to embrace their Religion requests to see the Books they first give him an Oath of Secrecy which they call the little Oath and then give him such of them as contain the lesser Mysteries upon perusal whereof if he continues in his Resolution then they give him another Juramentum magnum a greater Oath which impowers him freely to receive all their Books for his better Satisfaction and Instruction in the more mysterious parts of their Tenents They bear great respect and kindness to each other dealing with the greatest Amity imaginable and shew extraordinary obedience to their Governors or Chiefs in the Persian Tongue call'd Pir that is old men whom they also furnish with all things necessary for their Subsistance The greatest part of the Inhabitants of a Village built near the way to Sciras hold many of their opinions so also do the Provinces of Arak and Persia proper Another Sect and the Tenets of it's Disciples The other Sect hath not so many Upholders and is call'd Tarick Zena Deca that is the way of the Covetous they deny the transmigration of Souls and believe that God is in all places and performs all things from whence they conclude that whatever appears to the eye is God These resemble either the Saduces or Manichees Della Valle thinks that this Sect may be a Relict of the Saduces because they are of the same opinion concerning Transmigration or else are Manichees for Manes as Suidas relates had his Original from the Indian Brachmans and was flead alive by Behram King of Persia and therefore this Sect is sometimes call'd Manei Zendick that is Manes the covetous Reverence old Trees The Persians shew peculiar Reverence to old and great Trees out of a superstitious belief that they are the Residence of happy Souls and therefore call a Tree Pir that is old man from the signification which that word hath in the Persian Language wherefore when they call a Place or Tree Pir they mean thereby the Soul of a happy Person residing therein The Seyds have great Priviledges Amongst the Persians are also many Mahumetans call'd Seyd which in the Arabick signifies Lord which name is onely given to those in Persia who boast themselves to be
Mengrelians for accounting them delicate Meat They have no Corn neither do they make use of Salt There are an innumerable company of Hawk sand Falcons which they teach so well in eight days that letting them flie at the Game they return with the same upon the gingling of a Bell and are from thence lent to Constantinople Persia and Georgia Their manner of living Hunting and Hawking is their chiefest Business and Recreation They inhabit neither in Towns nor Castles but fifteen or twenty Families together who erect Tents or Huts on the top of some pleasant Hill which they fortifie with a kind of Pallisado's that they may not be suddenly surpris'd and taken by their own Natives Some affirm that the Woods are their places of Residence and that when once they setlte themselves in any one place they never desert the same They endeavor to take away and sell one another for Slaves to the Turks who highly esteem these Countrey People Riches and Trade Their Riches and Merchandise consist in all manner of Skins Wax Honey and Slaves Their Nobles commonly sell their Vassals to the Turks in Barter for other Commodities There come yearly into the Haven of Eschissumuni several Ships from Lazi Trebizonde Constantinople and Caffa where they stay sometimes all the Winter The Merchants which come in them go not ashore with their Commodities but sell them aboard having beforehand given Oath or Hostages not to hurt one another Amongst other Customs peculiar to these People one is That they neither bury nor burn their Dead but put the Corps into the Body of some hollow Tree hanging up the Arms and Garments of the Deceased about it They go Cloth'd after the manner of the Circassians onely their Hair they wear otherwise Habit. They let their Mustacho's grow but shave their Beards On the contrary the Papari let all their Beards grow They maintain constant Wars against the Circassians and Mengrelians Wars and are good Soldiers both on Foot and on Horseback knowing well how to manage Fire-arms as also Simiters Bowes and Arrows The Alans and Zichi agree for the most part in their manner of Living with the Sovanians and Abcassians The Caracholians dwell also to the Northward of Mount Caucasus Some call them Caraquirquez that is Black Circassians for Cara is Black in the Turkish Language But they are of a fair Complexion and therefore we may rather suppose that this Name was given them because the Air of that Countrey which they inhabit is always dark and cloudy and full of Snow They speak the Ottoman Tongue notwithstanding they dwell in the midst of so many several forts of People but so exceeding quick that they can scarce be understood The Jesuite Archange Lamberti affirms that these People had their original from the Hunnes At the Black Sea dwell a sort of Mahumetans call'd Lesgi who acknowledge no Prince abroad but being divided amongst themselves are under many petty Governors in their Language call'd Myrza or Princes of which some have scarce twenty Men under their Command Moreover they are a robust and rude kind of People chusing rather to live in Villages in the Countrey than in wall'd Cities They are salvage and cruel and implacably hated by their Neighbors as a People that live by robbing and stealing The People call'd Lazi or Curten The Curten are Herdsmen THe People call'd Lazi otherwise Curten border upon Georgia and the Countrey of Trebizonde They inhabit the high Mountains along the Shore of the Black Sea They are a laborious People bred in the Woods and spend their whole Lives in no other Employment but keeping of Cattel The Black Sea The several Names of this Sea THe Water known to us by the Name of the Black Sea perhaps from the Example of the Greeks who according to Bellonius call'd the same Maurothalassa that is Black Sea or as Niger affirms by the Grecian Navigators Maurum is by the Inhabitants of Mengrelia and by the Italians call'd Mar Majore that is The Great Sea and by the ancient Greek and Latine Writers is mention'd under several Denominations for Herodotus sometimes calls it The Cimmerian Sea then The North Sea and in his fourth Book Auxiotheaton that is Worth the seeing Plutarch in the Life of Pompey and Eumenes and after him Ptolomy and Jornandes call it The Pontick Sea Pliny Pontus Axenus that is A Sea without Harbors But the common Name which the Latine Writers give it is Pontus Euxinus which in the Greek signifies A Sea with Harbors and is so call'd per antiphrasin as Ammianus Marcellinus affirms or that afterwards her Shores were provided of Harbors Towns and other Accommodations whereas before it was inaccessible and desolate and that so this Sea from Axenus or Harborless became Euxenus or Receptive It is subject to Storms The Black Sea is subject to many Storms and tempestuous Weather especially in Winter when the North Wind blowing cross the same fills the Skie over this Sea with Clouds and Darkness whenas inother Countreys it makes a serene clearness so that Horace justly said Illic umbrosiae semper stant aequare nubes incerta dies that is There always lie dark Clouds on this Sea from whence probably the Name of The Black Sea which is given to it proceeds There are no Islands in this Sea unless some small Rocks mould be nam'd Isles which lie near the Coast The Cossacks from Poland come into this Sea as Pyrates to meet with the Turks Frequented by the Cossacks and are absolute Masters thereof their place of Residence is at the entrance of the River Niger beyond the Mouth of the Black Sea Aelian tells us that there are many Tunneys caught in the Black Sea though Archangel Lamberti during his stay in Mengrelia never saw more than one of them which was brought as a strange Fish to the Patriarch's Table neither did the Fishermen of the Countrey know it but Aelian may perhaps have mistaken a Sturgeon for a Funny The Province of Circassia Who the Circassians are THe ancient People Zyches or Zyges according to Stephanus and Strabo whom Pliny places in the Asiatick Sarmatia about the Lake Meotis are at this day as George Interian and Scaliger affirm call'd Circassi or Circassians but amongst themselves Adiga and by the Poles Pient-Zorsti that is Inhabitants of the five Mountains Bronjof calls them Pythagoreans Ananias Pitorses Ramusco Comans and their Countrey Comania but Comania comprehends Colchis or Mengrelia Georgia and Albania These Circassians are those which are call'd Mamelus or Mamelucks and by the Turks in the time of the Soudans Zerhars There are two remarkable Streams The Rivers the one call'd Pisi which falls into the Lake Calbane the other Sil glides by Cabarta There are many other Rivulets of little note because a Man may wade over them The Countrey of Circassia shews it self like a Semi-circle from the South-West to the North Bounds where a large Inlet
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
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-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
through whose Countreys the River runs The Brahmans derive the Sanctity of this River from Heaven and confirm their Fancy with many ridiculous Fables yet they firmly believe the same because their Vedam or Law-book doth confirm it All the foremention'd ways the Heathens practise to obtain remission of their sins and if any chance not to have endeavor'd the same yet they believe that their Friends or Relations which survive may do something for their benefit after Death particularly they carry and throw the Bones of the Deceased into the holy River Ganges which they firmly believe will turn much to the Deceased's advantage who for every year that their Bones lie in the said River they shall enjoy a thousand years of pleasure in Dewendre Thirty Leagues Southward from Casi lies a City call'd Goya where it is said that God setting his Foot on a great Stone left the print thereof behind him which is yet to be seen Round about this City is a Fort for the preservation of the foremention'd Relick Those that go in Pilgrimage to Preyaga commonly spend a whole month there and wash themselves daily before the Sun rises in the River Ganges after the expiration of which they go from thence to Casi where also they spend a considerable time they come again to Gaga where making a Paste of fine Flour they lay several pieces thereof on the foremention'd Stone naming at the laying down of each piece one of their deceased Friends who as their Vedam or law-Law-book affirms are deliver'd out of Jamma Locon or Hell and convey'd to the place of Dewendre They maintain that the Wicked shall meet with more or less punishment after this Life according to their deserts and that some after Death are punish'd in this World and others in some other place They also believe that the Souls of some when they die transmigrate into other Bodies Amongst those whose Souls are transmigrated into the Bodies of Beasts they account those which enter into a Cow the most happy because of all Beasts that is most acceptable to their God Some they believe are for their sins condemn'd to be evil Spirits flying up and down in the Air till the time of their punishment be expir'd Those that are not punish'd in the World are tortur'd in Jamma or Hell though some are releas'd after the expiration of many years and coming again into this World enter into one or other Body yet some never return from thence but are for ever punish'd there viz. those that are put into the Antam Tappes that is The Pit of Darkness out of which none can come but must remain there for ever and undergo perpetual torments the place being full of Thistles and Thorns Crows with Iron Bills devouring Dogs stinging Worms and all things else to make them miserable Moreover they affirm that there are five deadly Sins never to be forgiven viz. 1. To commit Incest with their Mother by the word Mother they not onely understand their natural Mother but also their Mother-in-law and the Wife of their Masters or Tutors 2. To kill a Brahman 3. To steal Gold 4. To be a Drunkard and 5. To converse with them As to what concerns the condition of those that are esteem'd happy after Death they give this Account That some of them return again to the World after the expiration of a certain limited time though others attain a perpetual and everlasting happiness at the first That such as are ordain'd to come a second time into the World have seven places appointed for them viz. Indre-Locon or Dewendre-Lokon Agni-Locon Niruti-Locon Wajoiva-Locon Cubera-Locon Isanja-Locon and Wasrouna-Locon all of them so call'd from the Persons which Govern them Those which come into these Places enjoy so much happiness in them that they wish for no greater and every one accounts his own Place the best But besides these seven which are call'd by the general Name of Dewendre-Locon or Surgam there is another call'd Bramma-Locon the place where Bramma resides and is the nearest Heaven Those which go thither after Death must after the expiration of some years return again into the World where having stay'd their appointed time they certainly go to Heaven for ever to enjoy all manner of Delights and Pleasures Those that inhabit the Surgam they name Deweta's which are of two sorts some staying there onely for a time return again into the World after which they enjoy all manner of Pleasures Other Deweta's stay for ever in the Surgam as also the Sun Moon Stars c. They also beget Children in the Surgam where they affirm no sins are committed because God himself appearing therein instructs them Moreover the happiest that depart from hence are those which attain to the Weicontam which is Heaven it self But the Brahmans make mention of two Weicontams a Lila-Weicontam that is The Delightful Heaven and a Singel-Weicontam where God himself hath his Residence Thus far of the Religion of the Brahmans and other Heathen Idolaters The Religion Customs and Constitution of the Hassenists or Moors MAny years since the Mahumetan Religion was brought by the Arabians Persians and Moors into India where it hath gotten no small footing having gain'd many Proselytes insomuch that most of the Nobility nay the Great Mogol himself is a Mahumetan as also the Kings of India Cambaya and Bengala which sprang from hence The Moors which were brought as Slaves into India after some time making themselves Masters of the Countrey forc'd the Idolaters to embrace their Religion Yet although these Mahumetans have the Alcoran like the Turks and use it yet they differ in many-things for the Turks onely worship God and Mahomet but the Indian Mahumetans reverence also Aaly and his Son Hassan but chiefly Hassan whom they account their chiefest Mediator yet they agree in all outward Ceremonies of Marriage Burying Eating and Praying with the Persians and Arabians They also go without Shoes into their Metzids or Temples where when many of them are in company they stand in Rows with their Faces towards the South whil'st the Molla or Priest standing before them fixes his Eyes on a place in the Walk which hath an Inscription upon it and shakes both his Arms up and down like a Bird that is going to flie which all die Congregation imitate in silence after which the Priest and People falling down on their Knees bow their Heads down to the Ground which some kiss and standing up again perform the same five several times together which done they salute God and their Prophet Hassan in these words Ssalom Alecum then they Pray aloud after the Molla after which some go away again and others staying in the Temple discourse one with another about worldly Affairs as if on an Exchange and also take Tobacco in the same to which purpose many carry a Steel Flint and Tinder with Pipes and Tobacco at their Girdle Amongst them are commonly two or three Barbers who carry Raisins a Steel Mirror and a Copper
Persons of Quality drink is Persian Wine they also drink Spirits distill'd out of Dates and Sugar also Palm-Wine call'd Terri or Tori which they drink when fresh tapt out of the Palm-trees The Habits of the Mogollans The Habits both of Men and Women are almost of one and the same fashion and made either of Cotton-Linnen or Silk or Cloth of Tissue each according to his Degree and Quality Their Coats call'd Cabaya are narrow at the top and close about their middle hanging down to their Knees Their Breeches hang in divers Pleits down to their Feet Their Shoes made after the fashion of the Countrey either of Leather or rich Silk they tread down at the Heels that they may pull them off with the more ease when they go into their Temples or Houses or sit down on their Floors which are cover'd with white Carpets On their Heads they wear Turbants after the Turkish manner generally made of fine white or red Callico wrought with Silk and Gold which they never take off when they salute one another About their Shoulders both noble and ignoble wear in stead of a Cloak a yellow red green white or other colour'd Cloth call'd Pomerys against the Cold or Rain About their Middle they wear a Girdle wrought with Gold and Silk and over it another small white Linnen one pleited Persons of Quality wear a short Sword or Dagger by their Sides the Hilt and Scabberd being of Gold and often beset with Precious Stones this Weapon they call Ginda or Kitteren The Women commonly adorn themselves with Diamonds and Pearls and also wear Gold and Silver Pendants and Armlets each according to their Qualities Christians disperced all over India In divers places of India are many Christians from all parts of Europe as also Jews and native Heathens converted to Christianity by the Catholicks and Protestants residing amongst them Moreover there are Thomists or Followers of St. Thomas in the Countrey Language call'd Armenians Abyssines c. each of a peculiar Sect. In Zurratte is a Sect or Tribe of Heathens which the Moors call Guenure the Persians Atexperes Zarduxt Kebbers and Gauri and the Indians Persi which Name they give themselves because they derive their original out of Persia Thus much concerning India in general we shall now give a Description of the Mogol's Realm and Kingdom in particular running through all the Provinces in order into which this whole Kingdom is divided The Realm of the Groat Mogol otherwise Hindostan or Indostan The Bounds of the Kingdom THe Kingdom of the Great Mogol or Mogor which for its bigness and Power over the Substitute Kingdoms deserves the Name of Empire is on the West bounded by the River Indus and Eastward by the Ganges in the South it verges with one part at the Ocean and with the other at the Kingdom of Cuncan or Visiapour in the North it borders at Usbeck the Mountains of Tibeth and the Kingdoms of Srinagar Caparangue and Radock and lastly in the East at the Kingdom of Neckbal Edward Terry makes this Kingdom border in the East at the Kingdom of Maug or Mavy in the West at Persia in the South at the Ocean the Kingdom of Decan and Gulph of Bengala and in the North at the Mountains of Caucasus and Tartary Texeira conterminates the same on one side onely with the Indus and on the other with the Ganges According to Peruschi the Mogols Kingdom is properly the Main Land lying between the Indus and Ganges just like the Holy Land between the Tigris and Euphrates Others as Bulaye le Gouze and Daviti bound this Kingdom in the North at the Countrey of the Great Cham of Tartary and at Samarcan in the South at the Kingdom of Visiapour the Gulph of Bengala the great Indian Sea Diu and Damaon both Countreys lying under the Jurisdiction of the Portuguese in the East at the Kingdom of Pegou Edrabat and Thebet in the West at Agemistan or the Empire of the Schach or King of Persia But there can be no certain Boundaries ascrib'd to this Kingdom because of the continual losing of old and taking in of new Provinces Anno 1582. the Mogol's Dominions extended Northward to the Mountain Imaus now call'd Cumae which separates the Mogol's from the Tartars in the South it border'd at Calecut the Gulph of Bengala and the Indian Sea along Cambaya in the East at the utmost Borders of Bengala in the West at the Stream Indus and the Border of Persia This Countrey of the Mogols compris'd within these Bounds viz. from the River Indus to Ganges the Ancients call'd Inward India or India within the Ganges otherwise Indostan or Hindostan that is The Countrey of the Indus for Stan signifies Countrey The Circumference and Extent The Circumference of the whole Realm was at that time 900 French Miles the Length from East to West 600 and the Breadth from North to South 400. Others affirm That it is at least a thousand Cos from East to West two Cos being an English League or three Miles Terry tells That this Kingdom 1615. had in length from the North-west to the South-west above 2000 English Miles and from North to South about 1400 laying the utmost South Point in twenty and the utmost North Point in forty three Degrees of Northern Latitude And that the Breadth at that time from the North-east to the South-west was about 1500 English Miles The Division Purchas according to the Instructions of Mr. Hawkins divides the Realm of the Great Mogol into five Kingdoms the first whereof is call'd Pengab by Davity taken to be the Countrey lying near the River Hind otherwise call'd Pangab which signifies Five Waters the Metropolis whereof is call'd Lahor the second Bengala its Metropolis being Sonargham the third Malua with its Metropolis Vagain the fourth Decan whose Chief City is Barampor the fifth Cambay with the City Amadavar Boterus maintains That the Great Mogol Governs over forty seven Kingdoms According to Edward Terry the Great Mogol Anno 1615. had thirty seven Provinces anciently peculiar Kingdoms under his Subjection the Names whereof being by him copied out of the Mogol's Books of Account are these Candahor Cabul Multan Haiacan or Bolochi Buckar Tatta Soret Jesselmeera Attak Peniab Chismeere Banchish Jengapore Delii Bando Malway Gwaliar Ayra Sanbat Bakar Chytor Guzarat Chandis Berar Narvar Nagrakat Siba Cacares Gor Petan Canduana Patna Jesuat Mevat Udessa and Prugale A Province is by the Inhabitants call'd Soubach The South side of the Mogol's Countrey between the Bay of Cambaya and that of Bengala extends a vast way Southerly in the form of a Triangle There are neither Gold nor Silver Mines in Hindostan Bengala a fertile and rich Kingdom The Kingdom of Bengala is exceeding fruitful the whole Countrey being stor'd with rich Commodities as Silk Cotton Indico and the like This spacious Countrey possesses fruitful Plains and abundance of all sorts of Provisions it lying between the two great
as big as a Hens Egg about his Neck hung four Strings of Pearl each Pearl being as big as a Musquet Bullet When he sat on his Throne he us'd commonly to order his Elephants Horses Dromedaries Camels and Mules to be drawn by him to see if they were all fed and kept as they ought excepting onely the Tsam-days on which he gave audience to all Persons of what Degree soever Rising from the Throne he retires to a place call'd Gosselchanne where none but his chief Nobles may appear except those which are call'd by his Majesty The Walls of this Edifice are of white Alabaster inlay'd with golden Flowers and the Floors cover'd with Carpets Near this place stands a Pond of clear Water which runs into the same through golden Pipes very curiously made Near this Tank or Pond stands also an invaluable Throne though low made after the manner of a Footstool with four Feet This place also is the King's Treasury for his Jewels which he often looks upon there and also sits here in Council about State Affairs after which he repairs to his Haram or Seraglio where he spends his time commonly till Evening in seeing his Concubines Dance and hearing them Sing with other such like Pastimes then the King to delight himself the more causes two Elephants to fight after which he goes to the Gosselchane where the Nobles must again appear before him and wish him a good Night the King having first commanded one of them with ten or twelve of his trustiest Servants to watch at his Chamber His Entertainment of Ambassadors The King also to Entertain foreign Ambassadors causes Lyons Tygers and Bulls to fight one against another or with noble and valiant Men who would be accounted the Heroes of the Countrey or else fight to gain the Mogol's Favor Next a Tygar being let in a strong Person entred the Lists to encounter him but the Tygar being too subtil and nimble leap'd suddenly upon him first tearing out his Throat and afterwards his whole Body In the third place a little Man of mean aspect entring the Lists ran undauntedly like a Mad-man to the Tygar and at the first Encounter cut off both his fore Feet which forcing him to fall he gave him his mortal Wound Whereupon the King calling to him ask'd him his Name he answer'd Geiby then the King immediately order'd one of his Servants to carry him a Cloth of Gold Cambay or Coat who when he deliver'd it to him said Geiby receive this Coat which the Mogol of his Bounty hath sent you He receiving the Coat with great humility kiss'd it seven times pressing it each time upon his Eyes and Breast and soon after holding it up Pray'd to himself for the Mogol's prosperity which done he cry'd aloud God grant the Mogol to grow as great as Tamerlane from whom he is deriv'd may he live 700 years and his Generation continue for ever No sooner had he utter'd his Wishes but he was conducted by an Eunuch to the King and coming near the place where his Majestry sat he was receiv'd by two Chans and brought before him to kiss his Feet and at his going away the King said to him Be prais'd Geiby Chan for your heroick Exploit this Name you shall keep for ever I am your favorable Lord and you my Vassal The Mogol also keeps several tame Lions which walk up and down peaceably like Dogs at the Court amongst the People never hurting any yet they have Keepers that always have an Eye over them The Mogol possesses an incredible and unvaluable Mass of Treasure having according to report in ready Money in his Treasury seventeen Caroor or Caroras each Carora being a thousand Tun of Gold besides Jewels and other Rearities Purchas affirms the Revenue of his whole Realm to amount to fifty Crous Ropias or five thousand Lecks that is seven Millions and a half yearly of English Money The King's Revenuâ—s According to the testimony of the King's Books of Accompts the Countreys and Realms of Candahar Habove Cassamier Chasane Bannazad Guzeratte Sinde Hatta Ganday Barampour Bengala Orixa Odillo Maloveagra witht he adjacent Places and Delly afford him yearly six Areb and ninety eight Carroras or according to the Accompt of the Countrey a hundred and seventy Caroor and forty five Lack or Leck or a hundred seventy four Millions and five thousand Ropias or nineteen Millions a hundred ninety five thousand pound Sterling In the Treasury at Agra as it is suppos'd is in Gold six hundred Lecks of Eckbars Seraphins which are ten Copias and ten thousand more which are not above half that value besides all which there are thirty thousand Tols each worth a silver Ropie twenty five thousand pieces of another Coin each worth ten Tols and fifty thousand of another sort each worth five Tols In this Treasury likewise is thirteen Crous Eckbars Ropias fifty thousand pieces of another Coin each worth a hundred Tols forty thousand pieces each of thirty Tols thirty thousand each of twenty Tols twenty thousand more each of ten and a hundred thousand each of five besidâ—s two Lecks Savoys and one Leck Jagrys This Treasury incloses also a Batman and a half in Diamonds of which some are rough but the least two Carats and a half in weight two thousand Rubies Balais two Batmans in Pearls two Batmans of Rubies of all sorts and five Batmans of Smaragdes of all sorts besides a great quantity of Topazes Coral and the like almost invaluable There are also two thousand two hundred golden Swords beset with Precious Stones two thousand Ponyards full of Gold and Precious Stones besides an incredible number of Gold and Silver Arms and two thousand Batmans worth of Golden Dishes and other Vessels and a thousand Batmans more in other wrought Gold In Lahor is another very rich Treasury The Mogol keeps a great part of his Riches in six strong Castles viz. in that of Agra Guallier Ratomboe Hassier and Boughtaz His Throne in the Royal Metropolis Lahor is of massie Gold Inlay'd with Precious Stones and richly Enammell'd Likewise the Throne at his Court in Agra which Schach Selim made is beset with Precious Stones and Pearls worth many Millions The Architect of this last was one Augustine Hiriart a Frenchman All the Ground and Land of the whole Countrey is the Kings own so that no Man possesses a Foot of Land but through his favor The King gives to each of his Commanders and Grandees that are in his Countrey certain Lands Lordships and Revenues for which they are oblig'd excepting onely one Third which is the Kings to maintain a certain number of Soldiers as well in time of Peace as War as also some Elephants Horses Camels and Leopards When a Nobleman dies all his Goods not onely what was given him by the King but also what he purchas'd himself falls again to the Mogol who commonly leaves their Widows the Horses and Housholdstuff and gives to the Children some Place of note
Moreover when they had all things granted them wanting nothing but to put in execution those Commandments which God had laid upon them Bremaw began seriously to consider with himself after what manner he might behave himself most honourably in the Employment that God had put him upon when on a sudden he felt a strange alteration in his Body accompanied with a general Pain through all his Parts such as that with a Woman in her Travel foretelling some strange and wonderful Event his Body was in an instant swell'd after a strange manner and his Intrails grew sensibly bigger than before At last his Body open'd in two Places viz. on his Right and Left Side out of which came two Twins the one a Male the other a Female both of their full growth Bremaw having receiv'd Strength again instructed them in things concerning Religion and call'd the Man Manow and the Woman Ceteroupa who after they had worshipp'd God thank'd Bremaw that brought them into the VVorld and having receiv'd his Blessing they travell'd towards the East setling on a Mountain call'd Munderpurvool to the end that those which they should beget might spread themselves East West North and South No sooner were they come to the foremention'd Mountain but Ceteroupa was deliver'd of three Sons and three Daughters whereof the eldest Son was call'd Priauretta the second Outanapautha the third Scomeraut the eldest Daughter was nam'd Kammah the second Sooneretaw and the third Sumboo As soon as they came to Age they were sent to several Places Priauretta and Kammah to the West to a Mountain call'd Segund Otanapautha and Soonurettaw to the North to the Mountain Ripola Someraut and Sumboo to the South to the Mountain Supars all which Countries they made very populous By this means Bremaw was the first Father of all the Inhabitants of the Earth whilst Wistney took care for all necessary things for the preservation of humane Creatures which Bremaw had made by affording them all the Blessings that make Men happy in this Life till at last Ruddery sent Sickness Death and a Curse among the Children of Men who by their wicked Lives had justly merited God's Vengeance This was the manner of Government which God us'd for the restoring of the World and all humane Creatures which were to inhabit in the second Age. Furthermore God according to the Relation of the Benjans taught Men to serve him after this manner When God saw that there could be no Order nor lawful Government in those Places where his Worship and Service was not Establish'd he resolv'd to make Laws for the preventing of Man's committing those Crimes which were the destruction of the first Age In order whereunto he descended upon the Mountain Meropurbatee to which Place he call'd Bremaw to whom he appear'd in his Glory through a dark and thick Cloud telling him That he was necessitated to destroy the first Age by reason Men would not obey his Commands which were contain'd in the Book he had given to Brammon At the same time God gave Bremaw another Book and commanded him to teach all things that were contain'd therein Bremaw to Execute his Office publish'd God's Commandments to all People on the Earth The Benjans call this Book Shaster that is The Book of Written Words which contains three Treatises or Parts the first whereof contains their Fundamental Laws with an Explanation of each Commandment The second treats of the Ceremonial Law and teaches them the Ceremonies which are to be observ'd in their Religion The third Treatise distinguishes all Men into certain Families or Tribes and comprehends the Commandments of each Tribe in particular which is all that is contain'd in the Book Shaster out of which we will here set down the chief Heads thereof The first Treatise in which is describ'd the Fundamental Laws which Bremaw taught contain'd the following eight 1. Thou shalt not kill any Creature that hath Life in it for thou art one of the Creatures and so is that thou art endu'd with a Soul as that is therefore thou shalt not take away the Life of any thing whatsoever it be which belongs to me 2. Thou shalt make a Contract with the five Senses First with thy Eyes that they may not see any thing that is ill Secondly with your Ears that they may not hearken to any bad thing Thirdly with your Tongue not to express any ill words Fourthly with your Pallat that you taste nothing unclean as Wine or the Flesh of living Creatures Lastly with your Hands that they may not touch any thing to defile them 3. Thou shalt exactly observe and keep all the Days and Times appointed for Devotion as likewise Cleansing with Worshipping and Praying which thou must perform with an upright and zealous Heart 4. Thou shalt not give any false Testimonies or speak Lies by means of which thou mightest defraud thy Brother and enrich thy self by fraudulent means when thou Tradest with him 5. Thou shalt be merciful to the Poor according to thy Power and assist them in their Necessities with Meat Wood and other things they may stand in need of for their support 6. Thou shalt not oppress the Poor and serve thy self with that Power which is given thee to destroy thy Brother unjustly 7. Thou shalt keep certain Feasts and Holidays without pampering thy Body and feeding thy self with Laciviousness but on the contrary spend certain Days in Fasting and in stead of Sleeping over much Watch often to be the better prepar'd for Praying and for the performance of all other Holy Offices 8. Thou shalt not take any thing from thy Brother whatever it be wherewith thou art entrusted but content thy self with what he shall give thee for thy Reward remembring thou hast no Right to that which belongs to another These eight Commandments are prescrib'd to all the four Tribes in general but besides them they have two more which are particular to each Tribe First Bramines and Schuddery that is the Priests and Merchants are strictly oblig'd to observe their Religious Commandments and have near Relation one to another in Matters of Religion as there is between those of Kuttery and Wyse that is the Magistrates and Handicrafts They ascribe to the Bramines which are the Priests the first and second Commandments because they place the chief of their Religion in these two things first to prevent the killing of living Creatures and next to abstain from all forbidden things as eating of Flesh drinking of Wine and the like which the Kutteries and Benjans are also strictly to observe They attribute particularly the third and fourth Commandments to Schuddery as being very suitable to his Office because it may possess the People with Devotion and prevent those fraudulent Practises which are common among Traders To Kuttery they prescribe being the Governors or Magistrates the fifth and sixth Commandments because they admonish the People of Love and Compassion to the Poor well knowing that Oppression is a common Sin among those that