'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.' [‎306] (329/448)

jod 'Painting. Eunuchs
efteemed of even in the rudelt Times, and amongft thofe Nations which were accounted
barbarous. And albeit the Men affed not to dance themfelves, (though anciently dan
cing was in requeil with men, as Stories tell us,) neverthelefs, dancing is much efteemed
there: forthe Ganymedsand Layefians (wanton Boys and Girls) foot it even to admi
ration. Mymallonian dances I may properly call them, feeing the Bells, Brafs Armolets
Silver Fetters, Timbrels, Cymbals, and the like fo revive Bacchus : in this kind of dance
being fo elaborate, that each limb feems to emulate, yea, to contend which can exprefs
the molt motion ^ their hands,eyes,and bums gefticulating leverally and after each other
fwimming round, and now and then conforming themfelves to a Doric ftillnefs ^ the Gantf-
meds with incanting voices and distorted bodies fympathizing, andpoefie, mirth, and
wine railing the fport commonly to admiration. But were this all, 'twere excufable •
for though Per Ions of Quality here have their feveral Seraglio's, thefe dancers feldome
go without their wages: and in a higher degree of bafenefs, thePasderafts afFed thofe
painted antique-robed Youths or Catamites (compleating the Proverb, odi
Puer apparatus)) a vice fo deteftable, fo damnable, fo unnatural as forces Hell to fliew
its uglinels before its fealbn. HearS Chryfoflom: Cogitato, quam grave illud fit peccatum
m qnod ipfam Gekennam etiam ante tempm apparere coegerat. And for the deteftation where
of, Alexander, is honoured to all polterity.
r aP 1 - 6 J ^ rt P^ n ^ n S t ^ e ^ ace ^ as ^ een a wode more ancient than commendable, and
fufficiently blemifhed by Jezebel, as lately mentioned. Xenophon by an example he gives
makes it appear that Men likewifeufed it: for, in the defcription of Afiyages the Median
King, he tells us, That hk Face was fanguined with Vermilion, his Eyes ftruck with a
femicircle of Azure, and his Neck adorned with a Carcanet or Rope of Pearl, and fome-
times with a Chain of Gold, in ufe then amongft fuch as were Favourites or Princes of
the Blood, An Ornament more ancient than Afiyages amongft other Nations^ for Pha-
raoh when he promoted Jofeph to be fecond in the Kingdom of ^£gyph amongft other
the regal attire was put about his Neck a Chain of Gold, 6^.41.42 . Daniel zt Babylon
nad the like by order of Beljhaz,z.ar, Dan. 5.29. Zorobabelhy Darim, Efdr. 3.6. and by like
order of the Syrian King Alexander, there wasfent unto Jonathan the High Prieft a Chain
ot Gold, as the cuftome was to fuch as were of the Kings blood, 1 Macchab. 10.18.
continues the ancient cuftome of emafculating youths^ pradifed to preferve
the excellency of their voice, but principally for guarding the Seraglio's of great Perfons:
wnicn, though it fufficiently effeminate them, yet fome Eunuchs have neither wanted
courage nor reputation, feeing that both in Barbary and other Mahometan Countrevs
out of them they have eledted Generals for the field : But in the execution of their ordi
nary truft about Women find them mifchievous enough; for, being armed with Sword
ancuarget. Bow and Arrows, theyexprefstheirjealoufie too oft to the prejudice of k-
norant and carelefs Travellers. They are of moft ancient ftanding, for we read of them
m Scripture in oldeft times, efpecially in this Empire. So that Donates in Terence and
Fetromm Arbiter fparenot to aver. That Perfia made thefirft Eunuchs. By which word
f time underftood Chamberlains, or thofe great Officers whofe neareft attendance
was "Pon the King: but thofe other that wait upon the Harams have their Tefticles cut
0H-, which fo enervates Nature, or at leaft the exercife, that they are utterly difabled as
to procreation. And yet it is the opinion of fome, That when the Tefticles are forced
away, there is fuch a remainder of Seed ftored up in the Glandules of Generation which
fee ipermatique, that it is poffible for Eunuchs to generate. Notwithftanding which, un-
pradifec? 118 Served a Gelding to cover a Mare, the extreme now ufed was not
" Women rarely ffiew their Faces toftrangers, eclipfing by a white Sheet (the
rhat-w ? cei } c ^ Beauties which are exquilite^ no Man daring to praife any of
that Sex, efpeciallyanothers wife : fuch is their jealoufie.
rmf iV^nn^oii 111 ^ it is here ufed, and accounted fo neceffary, that with-
Vlen fnr rr 11111 u ^ l, ^ man ' ^ en > andfometimes Women, conform toit^ the
f the Women for honours fake, or Ben-fidLAlly Fables whofo para^
fhic Ha.; iV nine t i 0 teen t ^ e Females may; and in Cairo and the adjacent parts, at
cafe mJlri t) P r ^ifed : nor is this a recent cuftome, for Strabollb.~ 16. in that
eriam m ^ 118 0 ^^ rv ation, Quemadmodum viripr&pmium habent, midieres habent
CirruUrT ^ X^dMloJam carnem quam Nympham vQoant, non inept am accipiendo charatteri
lo V pfj\ .■^ a ^ e 5 s a t Izmael's age (whom they imagine was Abraham's beft be-
beit rh^ArTo S-V 6 / 6 ^ve hoping he may be able to fpeak his profeffion. How-
not'eirmmrir^? 1 " ? lt 1 ^ e ( Gre Mahmefs time*, yea, fome think he himfelf was
' Ilor ^at he impofed, but fuffered it only to pleafc the Arabians*
A fee