'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.' [‎295] (318/448)

Oriental mode concerning Hair.
Yea, the better to illuftrate his perfedions, amongft other his Provincial Titles thev
give him the Epithetes of Amber, Nutmeg, Rofes, and fuch fweet odours and flowers as
moft delight the Senfe^ which alio is the form of moft Countreys in the Orient. So that
upon the whole, under moit miferable fervitude thefe wretched Mahometans do live;
happy onely in not being fenfible^ which they the better endure, not knowing what a
free Subjed: means, and for that tl^y are indulged to the height of corrupted appetite
And yet, although the King himfelf be incircumfcriptible and have his Sic volo, Cic m
beo allowed him^ neverthekfs (well knowing that maxim true Sceptrorum vis tot J perk
cum verdere jufla Incept-, for 'tis Juftice that fupports the Crown*, and that fine Le?e
qmdfunt Regno, nifi latrocinia ? without law, what do Kingdoms differ from places of Rob
bery ? ) for the avoiding confufion and prefervation of the peace. Laws or rather Cu-
ftoms they have which are ftridly executed ; for the Souldiery they are fubjeded under
Ordinances of War ^ the reft under a kind of Imperial Law, which ferves to diitineuifh
meum and mum betwixt the Subjed: For which end in moft Cities and great Towns Caw-
fees and other Magiftrates are appointed, who have power from the King to call per-
fbns, examine witnelfes, and to hear and determine bulinefs 'twixt party and party, yea
to award judgment in caufes civil and criminal, with little charge and ftort attendance'
and in criminals, no place affords more fevere proceedings: which is the reafbn that
the Countrey isfofecure, and Travellers can fcarce find a more quiet place than Perfia.
But feeing the Cawfees have a latitude allowed them in Adjudications and accept of gifts'
I fear they may be corrupted and biaffed •, which too oft blinds the eyes and makes Inno
cence the Delinquent.
Now concerning the Natives they are generally well-limb'd, and ftraight-, the Zone
they live in makes them tawny •, the Wine cheerful, Opium falacious. The Women paint-
the Men love Arms^ all affed Poetry: what the Grape inflames, the Law allays, and
example bridles. The Verfians allow no part of their Body hair except the upper lip 7 which
they wear long and thick and turning downwards i as alfo a lock upon the crown of the
head, by which they are made to believe their Prophet will at the Refurredion lift them
into Paradife. A figment, whether proceeding from Mahomet's own brain or the Apo-
ftate Monk his Affociate, uncertain : but probable it is he had read the Scripture, and
there in Ezech. 8. 3. and in the Apocryphal ftory of Bel and the Dragon finds Ah acne io
tranfported from Jadea to Babylon, for elfewhere their head is fhaven, or made inca
pable of hair by the oyl Dowae, being but thrice anointed. This has been the mode
of the Oriental People fince the promulgation of the Alcoran, introduced and firft im-
pofed by the Arabians. But that the wearing hair and covering the head was other-
wife of old, appears in Hiftory very plainly.
Hair was worn according to the humour of feveral Nations, agreeable to the tempe
rature of the place and Natures didate: for in Countreys more inclining to the Poles
than the nAEqaimtiial ufually Men fence their Heads from cold with long hair; but in
more temperare climes hair is curt, and commonly expofed to the air for refreshment:
but within the torrid Zone their head was kept warm to ward off the penetrating beams
of the Sun^whofe ardour could not be endured- The Romans living in the mid-way 'twixt
.the Tropic and Polar Circle fhaved not their heads, yet wore their hair fhort according
to the modern fafliion of the Spaniard, as may appear by Medals and Other Antiquities,
in which the Cafars for the firft two Centuries are fo reprefentedalbeit the firft was
fo called for having a bufh of hair upon his head at the Birth. Amongft the Jews alfo
of old it was the cuftom to wear it Ihort, as may be gathered from 1 Cor. 11.14. where
by way of interrogation the Apoftle faith. Both not Nature it felf teach you, that if a Man
have long hair, it is a jhameunto him? with confideration had unto the Climate. Never-
thelefs in fome cafes long hair was aliow'd i as to the frfazjtritesy who feparating from
the World dedicated themfelves to the Lord, and by that Vow fiiffered no rafbur to come
upon their heads, but permitted their locks to grow to full length, Num. 6,5. as exem
plified in Samuel, the Baftift and others: For albeit our Saviour in 3/^/^.2.2 3.
is called a Nazarite, that was rather from the City Nazareth, feeing he refrained not
Wine, as may be fuppofed by the Marriage at Cana in Galilee and the Inftitution of the
Eucharift-, and by that the Jews detradingly imputed Luke 7. 34. But that Princes and
Perfons of Quality in thofe times wore long hair is evident by feveral prefidents: Ifhall
inilance Ahfalom, who wore his hair fo long and fo large that cutting it once every
year it is faid to weigh two hundred fhekels by the King's weight,which made fix pound
^nd four ounces allowing the fhekel half an ounce: notmentionedby way of reproach,
(albeit what he made his pride became his judgement, for it is faid. That none in Ifrael
^ fo praifedfor beauty, as Abfalom,) but rather an ornament. Nor can it be deny'd.