'Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan: interwoven with such remarkable occurrences as hapned in those parts during these later times. As also, many other rich and famous kingdoms in the oriental India, with the isles adjacent. Severally relating their religion, language, customs and habit: as also proper observations concerning them.' [‎115] (136/448)

j B annyans. Carmania. 115
Yet this Morifcodrefs 5 together with their intolerable impudence, rendred them
(atleaft tomy view) no othet than Ovids rfemedy of love 4 fo as pity it is.-the Terfians
have not fuch as the Gymcocofmi were amongfl: the Athenians, whole care it was to fee
that Women in their attire and behaviour carried themfelves modeftly : And albeit thefe
are as bad as bad can be, they make me call to mind a Rabbi's dodrine which maintains.
That fuch as be defperately naught do not fo corrupt good manners, or be fo great ene
mies to good life, as thole hypocrites who are but half evil or corrupted in part, per-»
fwading others that they have fome feeming goodnefs in them by a dilfembled fandity:
No lefs well obferved by John de Lery, That the naked American Women do not io
much incite to wantonnefs, or appear ib libidinous as Europaan Women do by the ma-
gick of their eyes, mimickdrefs, painting, patching and geftures of feveral immodelt
faftiions and loofe inventions. Howbeit the better ibrt of that fex here wear
linnen Drawers or Calzoons ofpantado, and want not Jewels and Bracelets for further
ornament •, but, when they go abroad they are covered with a white Iheet from top to
toe, fo as they are not eafily known to any. The men are of the fame dusky complexion j
'upon their heads they wear Shalhes, about their waftes girdles of many ells of linen
cloth i elfewhere naked: and t (to exprefs vagaries) Jiave the imprelfion of
round circles, and pink their skins in way of bravery. Mela alfo has this defcription,
Carmani fnnt fine vefie, fnige & pecore *, fedihm pfcum fe cute velant, vefcmtur came-, &c.
Which laft exprellion puts me in mind of another fort of people that mn vefcmtur came,
who being the aborigines of thefe parts, fwarm throughout the Orient*, the Bannyans I
mean, who are here purfuing trade in infinite numbers: Concerning whom I have but
little more to fay, feeing they were fo unfociable that with us they would neither eat
fleih, eggs, raddifli, or other root that had a red colour, nor drink wine, for that itre-
fenibled \vhat it is called, the blood of the grape. No, not Wine-vinegar, in that
agreeing with the Na^arites 6 Numb. 3. They believe the tranfanimation of fouls into
beafts and vegetables; and as the Lord notes, have this objedion. That mans
body amongft all natural bodies is found to be moft variouily compounded *, feeing
herbs and plants are nourillied by ^ater, beafts by herbs and fruits *, but Man, by
beafts, birds, filh? herbs, fruits, grains, juice, and other things, which (fay they)
both alters and weakens his primitive nature. For before the Flood, when men were
longeft liv'd and had molt experience, 'tis thought they lived upon the fame abftemi-
ous diet thefe Bannyansmw do, without deftroying for food the life of any creature. But
on the contrary we find, that mediocrity in diet ufually enervates nature •, for albeit a
temperate diet (in hot Countreys efpecially) preferves health, 1 obferved that the
Bamyans though healthy through their abftemioufnefs are but of weak bodies and
fmall courage , yet well enough agreeing with their condition. And indeed, how
univerfally foever the contrary is pradiled, yet befides Pythagoras, Empedoclesy Lu~
cretins and others who were earneft advocates for prefervation of the lives of innocent
creatures, give me leave to prefent you with what Tthnllm elegantly did unto his Miftrefs,
hinting therein fomewhat of this perfwafion.
Quinetiara mea tunc tumulus cum texerit offa,
" Seu matura dies fato properat mihi mortem,
Longa manet feu vitaj tamen mutata figura,
Stu me finget Equum rigidos percurrere campos,
Dodum feu tardi pecoris fim gloria Taurus;
Sive ego per liquidum Volucris vehar aera pennis,
In quemcunque Hominen me ionga receperit jetas,
Inccptis de te fubtexam Carmina chartis.
About three miles from Gombroon I rode to fee a Tree we commonly call the Bannyan The
Tree : 'Tis not far from that Fort called the great Moftango, oppofite to Or mm. A Tree Bannyan
well worth the view: for fpreading its boughs, which by their weight fall, root, and Tree,
rife again, they fo circle the bole or trunk that it refembles an arch'd circumference
affording umbrage and refrefhment to fome hundred men that without crowding may
well fit under it: I meafur ed and found it to be two hundred and nine paces. The arch
ed Fig-tree fome, arbor de rays or Tree of roots others call if, other fome the Indian
and de Goa but we the Bannyan, by reafon that they adorn it according to fancy; fome-
times with ribbons, fometimes with ftreamers of varicoloured Taffata: Which how
ftrange foever it appear to novices, fuch a drefs we read of in Ovid, U 8. Metamorph. in
the Story of Baucis and Thilemony where
Qji &
When furthermore the grave my bones Jhall hide.
Or ripened days to fw ft-foot Death jhall glide.
Or lengthened life remains, in jhape exchanged
Making me Horfe well managed to range
The field ; or Bull, the glory of the herd ?
Or through the liquid air I jiie a Bird
Into what man joe 1 re long time me makes,
Thefe Works begun of Thee, frejh Ferfes takes.