add to their beauties deformity to slash their faces in several places They adore those two glorious Planets the Sun and Moon believing they livein Matrimony They are much addicted to rapine and theevery and they chuse to commit any villany rather by day than night because they suppose thereby the Moon and Stars will never give testimony against them Their heads are long and their hair curled seeming rather wool than hair Their ears are very long being extended by ponderous bawbles they hang there stretching the holes to a great capacity Both men and women hideously slash their flesh in sundry forms their brows noses cheeks arms breasts back belly thighs and legs are pinkt and cut in more admirable than amiable manner They contemn apparel and indeed the heat of the Climate will not permit them to wear any very few have nothing on to cover their secrets Most have but one stone the other is forced away in their infancy that Venus may not too much allure them from Martial exploits wherefore the women take great delight in strangers One of them so strongly besieged my modesty that more for fear than love I yielded to her incontinency I was displeased at nothing but the fight of her for her flesh no Velvet could be softer There are in this place great quantity of Lions which in dark weather use great subtility to catch and eat some Savages They again in the day-time dig pits and covering them with boughs do train the couragious Lions thither where they receive destruction eating them to day who perhaps were Sepulchres to their friends or parents the day before I have seen these well-bred people descend in a morning from the Mountains adorned with the raw guts of Lions or other wilde beasts serving for an hour or two for chains or neck-laces and afterwards for their breakfast of which good chear if I would not participate I might fast for them so that my squeamish stomack was forc'd to give entertainment to that unwelcome guest to keep starving out of doors The Ship that brought us hither was now ready to set sail being bound for Goa the Master whereof was a Portugal who understood Latine and French very well of which I was not ignorant I addrest my self to him in the French tongue desiring him to accept of mine and my Comerades service which he condescended to with much willingness At Goa we stayed not long but from thence passing towards Surrat a vehement and unexpected storm overtook us for three dayes raging incessantly so that those which were acquainted with those parts very much feared an Hero-cane a tempest commonly of thirty dayes continuance and of such sury that Ships Trees and Houses perish unavoidably in it once in nine years it seems it fails not to visit them It chanc'd that my Comerade being heedless and unexperienc'd in Sea-affairs was washt off by a wave into the Sea and so was buried in the large and deep grave of the vast Ocean a sure treasury for the resurrection The foulness of the weather fore'd a Junk-man of War full of desperate Malabars a bloody and warlike people in view of us but the Seas were too losty for them to board us After three watches the Sea changed colour and was calmer and by the swimming of many snakes about our Vessel the Sea-men knew we were not far from shore landing shortly after safely at Surrat CHAP. LXIX From hence be sct sail to Swalley-Road and so from thence coasted till be arrived at Delyn a Town that belongs to the Malabars be gives an account of what be there saw and observed SOme two hours after we set fail we were becalmed having not the least breeze of winde the weather withall being exceeding hot and sultry at length we arrived in Swalley-Road where was riding an English Vessel there we east anchor the English men came aboard of us whom our Captain welcomed with the best of his entertainment I could not forbear embracing my dear Country-men shewing them so many demonstrations of joy that by their looks they seemed to question whether I was in my right wits Their Masters-mate calling me aside askt me how I came to be ingaged in this Vessel how long since I came from England with many other questions too redious here to relate To all which I gave him such satisfactory answers that he seemed very well pleased I gave him a summary relation of what I had suffer'd since my departure from my own Country the report whereof seemed to extract much pity from him In fine I told him I had a great desire to see England again and to that end desired him to make use of what interest he could to remove me into their Ship he promised he would and accordingly giving a Present to our Captain he so far prevailed upon him to let me go and perswaded the chief of whom he was concerned withal to entertain me which they did with much willingness I was so like a Sea-man in this short time that none could distinguish me from one that received his first rocking in a Ship I carried about me as deep an hoguo of Tarpawlin as the best of them and there was no term of art belonging to any part of the Ship or tackling but what I understood I could drink water that stunk as if stercus humanum had been steept two or three days in it as well as any of them and eat beef and pork that stirred as if it had received a second life and was crawling out of the platter to seek out the rest of his Members I say I could devour it with as much greediness scorning that my appetite should be ever again taxed with any of those Epithetes either nice or squea mish as if it had been but nine hours instead of nine Months in salt And to make me the more compleat I had forgot to wash either hands or face or what the use of a comb or shirt was neither did I know how to undress my self or if wet to the skin to make use of any other means than my natural heat to dry my self I never lookt on a hat or band but as Prodigies But to return to my purpose where I left off In three days time we set sail for Swalley-Road steering our course from them all along the coast of India Decan and Malabar I knew not whither they intended neither did I care now as thinking my self safe being amongst my friends on the 20 of April seven days from our weighing auchor in Swalley-Road we came to an anchor at Delyn a Town of the Malabars We durst not land the people being so treacherous and bloody yet we suffered them to come aboard us in their small Canooâ—… selling us for any trisles Coco-nuts Jacks Green-pepper Indian-pease Hens Eggs and the like They brought us likewise Oranges of so pleasant a taste the rinde vying with the juice which shall become most grateful to the palate We had likewise from them
was studying all imaginable wayes for my preservation such an opportunity presented it self that therein it was plainly seen the Fates had decreed of old to favour my enterprizes As I said walking the streets and ruminating what was best to be done I met with a young man of my acquaintance who seeing me ran and caught me in his Arms and with very much joy we congratulated each other and so as it is usual when Friends meet we must drink together Over our cups I began to inquire after his condition He shook his head and so related to me a sad story which in effect was to this purpose in his own words Dearest Friend since last I saw you never was young man so unfortunate as my self the cause thereof I can impute to nothing more than self conceit and over much credulity which by the sequel you will plainly understand For perceiving that my Mistress shewing me more then a common respect I concluded that she had entertained some private favour for me within her breast so that I began to be puft up with conceit neglecting my duty and now desposing the Chamber-maid who was before the only Saint I made nightly my oraizons to withall I carried my self so imperiously that my Master was not very well assured whether he durst command or no. My Mistress would sometimes heartily laugh to see how ridiculous I carryed my self which I looked upon as a singular favour mistaking her smiles for tokens of her love When they were no other than the apparent Symptomes of her derision Observing how affable and pleasing she was I never considered the generality of it so that my self flattering-noddle supposed this carriage particular to me and thereupon interpreted this her complacencie strong affection and by reason she was frequently merry and jocose I eoncluded her salacious or Lecherous Thus by the false lights of misconstruction and easie belief I was led into Loves Laborynth My Masters affairs was less regarded than my Mistress supposed affection In fine I judged it absoleutly necessary to make her acquainted with my Amorous Passion and no expedient better than by Letter My Mistress as it is customary with Citizens Wives to light the candle of their husbands estates at both ends had her Country-house to which I was sent by my Master with some bottles of Wine preparatory for a Feast intended for the accommodation of some special Friend arriving I found my Mistress had sent her maid to London about some business at which I bless'd propitious stars to direct me thither in such a foriunate and most desired hour After I had delivered my Message I began to talk very familiar with my Mistress she with a smiling countenance ask'd ne What I meant not in the least checking my presumption which made me more arrogant and bold telling her I was her eternally devoted Servant she answered me I was bound to be her Servant for a time and that I must when commanded obey her pleasure to which last word I added in my thoughts the Epithite Venereal supposing she meant not to have left it out with that I replyed Mistress I should not deem my self worthy to be your Servant if my resolution had not ingaged me to be so perpetually as for my affection it shall dayly anticipate your desires you shall not need to lay your commands on me since my thoughts shall be solely imployed in contriving wayes how we may injoy eath other to the mutual satisfaction of us both At which words she fell into an excess of laughter which I judged the effects of joy and then asked me Whither I was Mad I answered No unless too much love had made me so Dearest Mistress read but this Paper and I hope that will better inform you Here he stopt pulling out of his pocket a copy thereof which was to my best remembrance to this purpose Dearest Mistress FRequently revolving in my thoughts the condition I now am in Despair stands ready to seize me but the consideration and knowledge of your commiserating Nature draws me out of its ruinating Jaws When I reflect again on the disparity of our Fortunes and that it is your Indentured Vassal that thus prostrates his affection at your feet I fear one blast of your just Indignation will suddainly shiprack all my hopes I confess my error is overmuch confidence for which I may expect ruine which commonly attends rash Attempts especially daring to sail in the narrow Seas without any other Pilot than blind Love and if I should arrive at my desired Port I cannot deliver my Goods without stealing Custome But waving all difficulties of this nature consider that Love must needs be quintessential that is not drawn from any other interest than reciprocal enjoyment and it must needs be exceeding strong and eminent too that will force its way through the greatest hazards Signifie my Pardon by one gracious smile for what I have so boldly yet forceably discovered and I shall esteem my condition little inferior to what is Celestial which is no happiness to me without the auspitious beams of your favour shine on me And so subscribe my self according as your sentence shall be either the Most happy or most miserable The Verses that were annext to the Letter he told me he got a Rimer to compose for him which afterwards he found stoln out of several Authors a line out of one and a half out of another and so with the course thred of his brain botch'd together which were these Cupid did wound my heart I hid the grief Long time but durst not seek for your relief I found the smart increased on that score For wounds if not well search'd but rankle more O cure me quickly then or else I die Deny not since there 's none but you and I. I withdrew as soon as I had delivered my Paper giving her leave to read in private what my Love had dictated About a quarter of an hour after she called me to her assuring me in a day or two I should receive an answer to the purpose and so absconding her displeasure she sent me with all expedition home again After the expiration of three dayes she came home to her City-house at night she pretended some indisposition of body and desired to lie by her self which hearing I thought my joy would prove a Traytor to my supposed happiness she takes an occasion to tell me About twelve at night I might come to her Bed-chamber the door whereof she would leave open for me on purpose In the mean time she showed my Master the Letter acquainting him with the whole business According to the time appointed I entered the Chamber in my shirt approaching the Bed I began to pour out my Amorous Expressions and as I had one leg upon the Bed-side ready to enter the Bed where I thought my Mistress had attended my pleasure I thought the devil had waited on my Posteriors correcting mesor not making more haste The first lash
as a Motto to their doors A Couchant Cuckold and a rampant Wife A Cop'latives disjunctive all their life CHAP. LXX From Delyn he sailed to Zeyloon with what he there observed THe Isle of Zeyloon is very famous and not far distant from the Point of India called Cape Comrein it abounds with all sorts of odoriferous and Aromatical Spices the people are Pagans not owning a Deity some though have heard of Christ and others of Mahomet but such are rarely to be found They go naked not compelled thereunto by want or poverty but meer heat of the Sun They are greaet Idolaters worshipping things in monstrous shapes On the top of a high Mountain they have set conspicuously the Idaea of an horrible Caco-Daemon unto which Pilgrims from remote parts do resort and upon this account a King of Zeyloon coming once derided this Idol another time intending to make a second repetition of his former derifion the King was even frighted out of his wits for not onely he but his attendants all saw how this Daemon threatned him for so doing by shaking a flaming Cymeter and rowling his fiery eyes from his mouth gaping issued out fiery flames whereat this King returns with as much penitence as amazemenr resolving by his due respect and worship for the time to come to make an atonement for his former errors For my part had I not believed there was a Devil the sight of this horrid monstrous representation would have induc'd me into the belief that this was one really They have in another place a Chappel in which they adore the Devil whom they call Deumo the height whereof is about three yards and uncovered the wooden entrance is engraven with hellish shapes within their beloved Devil or Deumo is enthronized on a brazen Mount From his head issue four great horns his eyes of an indifferent proportionable bigness having somewhat a larger circumserence than two sawcers his nose flat a mouth like a porteullice beautified with fours tusks like Elephants teeth his hands like claws and his feet not unlike a Monkeys beside him stand lesser Deumo's attending on this grand Pagod some whereof are represented or pictured devouring souls Every morning the Priest washeth them nor departing till he hath craved their malediction and when he takes his leave he is very careful of offending the Devil by shewing his posteriors and therefore goes from him retragrade stedfastly fixing his eyes on the Idol 'T is strange that a rational soul should be so much infatuated as to adore such a monstrous and ridiculous thing The people in way of mutual love and amity use to exchange their wives a thing though much hated by the jealous Spaniard yet would be very acceptable to other Europaeans or else to be rid of them altogether who are the daily murderers of their content and quiet Polygamy or plurality of Wives is here permitted and as the men are granted the liberty to have more than one wise so are the women allowed more than one husband However the woman hath the disposal lest her of her children giving them to him she hath the greatest affection for which he receives not questioning his interest or right by generation unto the infant Elsewhere the Fates decreed a Cuckol'ds lot To keep that child another man begot And by his joy therein he plainly shows He thanks the man that pay'd those debts he owes But these She-Blacks in justice thought it fit That he which got the child likewise keep it Therefore both love and custom made it so On the true Father they the child bestow By which good Law unto each man 't is known That he doth keep no other child but 's own Were this observ'd in England I durst swear Some what-d'ye-lacks would Heirs to Lords appear And half of what some own must be conferr'd On such who have a Fathers name deserv'd These Blacks do tax our women for they paint The Devil white and make him seem a Saint To let them know they are far greater evils For fairest females oft are foulest Devils We stayed not long here but having dispatcht what we came for we sailed along the coast of Choromandel and landed at Meliapor The people are much after the same complexion of those of Delyn only a little more duskie and go in a manner naked too Here are like wise great store of Bramins who are very busie and industrious to instruct these poor ignorant souls in the perfect way to damnation sor which they have the honour and estimation of all conferred upon them We man'd out our long-boat and went ashore upon our landing it was our hap to be eye-witnesses of one of their Funerals which was performed after this manner The husband was carried before the combustible Pile his most dearly loving wise closely following after him attended by her Parents and children musick such as they have which I cannot compare to that of the Spheres playing before behind and on each side of her She was drest both neatly sumptuously to the height of the rudeness of their art her head neck and arms not omiting her nose legs and toes each bedeckt and charged with Bracelets of silver with jewels every where about her distributed She carried flowers in her hands which she disposed of to those she met The Priest going backwards before her shewed her a magical glass which represented to her sight whatever might be pleasing to her sensual appetite The Bramin all along inculcating to her thoughts the sense-ravishing and affable joys she shall possess after her decease at which this poor deluded soul smiled and seemed to be much transported We followed them till they came to the fire which was made of sweet odoriferous wood As soon as her dead husband was committed to the flames she voluntarily leapt in after him incorporating her self with the fire and his ashes we wondred that the standers-by would permit her thus to destroy her self imagining this rash action proceeded from the ardency of her affection but perceiving her friends to throw in after her jewels and many precious things with much exultation and expressions of joy we concluded this to be the effects of custom Such as resuse to burn in this manner are immediately shaven and are hourly in danger to be murdered by their own issue or kindred looking upon them as strumpets and indeed many of them are so audaciously impudent that upon the least distaste or not having their luxurious expectations answered nothing more intended or indeavoured than the lives of their husbands They are in these parts so extreamly idolatrous and so over-swayed by the Devil that they adore a great Idol made of Copper gilded whose statue is carried up and down mounred on a glorious Charriot with eight very large wheels overlayed with gold the afcent or steps to the charriot are very large capacious on which sit the Priests attended by little young girles who for devotion sake proftirute themselves freely to the heat of