'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.' [‎308] (331/448)

^08 Weddings and
nefs. After which, the Caddi enrolls their names, the hour, day, month, and year of
Nuptial^ and with an Enge difmifles them. The firft day vapours away in Tabaco
Feafts, and other jovialty, Men and Women being fevered: at night, the Bride en
ters a Stove, where flie is waftied and perfumed, that her degree may the better appear
and her Perfon be the better accepted of. Next night they bathe together, and feven
dayes after : during which, the feafting holds in fome meafure, according to the old
cuftome of fepem ad Convivimn ; in which time if he difcover her to be no Virgin flie
is returned to her Parents with difhonour ^ otherwife kept till Death make the divorce.
The Alcoran agreeable to the ancient pradice of thofe Eaftern Countries allows ince*
ftuous marriages, pretending that thereby love is better contraded and conferved.
In cafe the Man be weary, or thatfhe be barren, he acquaints the Mulay therewith, who'
(Jew-like) gives a Bill of Divorce upon his allowing her a Dowry: after which,' if he
require her again and fhe agree, they are fecondly married •, yea, five, fix, feven times
rejeding and returning, as hate or love ftimulate : by that diforder, love vanifhin?
jealouiie budding, rage advancing, clamours roaring; and by which confufion manv
times the Fathers neither know their own Children, nor they their Parents. They mar
ry none of another Religion, but ufe fuch as SlaVes, or Concubines refrain them in their
Difeafes: Four Wives the Law tolerates, Concubines are unlimited^ never wed com
mon proftitutes ^ give fuck two years*, and permit not Widows to marry again, till an
hundred and twenty dayes be expired.
Their Burials revive fome ceremonies that of old were ufed amongffc the Jem and Gen
tiles : at his farewel to the World the next of Kin clofe the Eyes, as did Jofeph in the
46. of Genffis'-, and Telemachm in Ovid, Ille meos oculos cornerimat, illetms. The nobler
fort of People had their Sepulchres in the fides of Mountains or Hills about Perfepolis:
Howbeit, fome ufed to embalm, the Brains being exhaufted by a Silver Engine, the
Belly (fo loon as dilfeded and the Bowels extraded) cleanfed with Wine, farced with
Caffia, Myrrhe and other Spices, was then clofed and buried in extraordinary deep Pits
or Vaults *, or in places bored in the fides of Mountains. But the poorer fort ufed onely
Bitumen, or elfe the juice of Cedars, which refills putrefadion. Howbeit the moft ufual
way of burial is this: Firft, they waih the Corps with clean Water, (as we find pradi-
fed to Tahitha in AB. 9.) they carry it orderly and with filence to the Grave» then lodge
the Carcafs not in the Machits or Churches but Church-yards, and where none lay for
merly j fuppofing it a vile part to difturb the dead, whom in the Grave they think fenfi-
ble of torment: they place his Head towards Medyna, and (according to the old Cep-
tem ad luthm} for feven dayes the next of Kin watch, to keep if poffible the evil An-
gel trom his Grave, mceifantly warbling out Elegiac Threnodies, as the lad expreffion
or love they can mew. But Fidi enim lachrymas, & eft pars frauds in illis.
Others thus: In the firft place go thole of his Blood; next them his Varlets naked to
the walte, the reft in troozes; who to exprefs their zeal burn or fcratch their Arms
U-u- Brealts,and cut and print circles in their Flefh,(a mode borrowed from the %tw,pro
hibited by Levit. 19.28. and in Dent. 14. 1.) fo that the blood oft trickles down
in many places; next them are ranked youths whofe fhonlders bear fome Texts out of
i e r J c ° ran ' mixing with them Eulogies of the defunct, which they ingeminate. Next
thefe folio w many Perfons of bell rank, each putting his hand to the cord that drawsthe
Hearfe : and onevery fide throng the multitude, fome bearing in their hands Lawrel or
Cyprefs, others Garlands of Flowers, Fruits, and what belt befits the feafon: fome femi-
naked Horfcmen play along, and oft-times, to demonftrate their love, fparenot to wound
1 • U uir S n the Prtfic*, or Women hired to weep and howl, who
n. ' ai1 .' probably fmell to Onions and ufc fuch impo-
rnnnferfrlt f a iawho n,ade it: an Art mourn; and by their
wp fin^ ^nrll 5 ^ J leks t0 P rovoke oth « rs to Paflion and like lamentation. Thefe
rhp p fi 11 j erem ' y- I7 ." which a,fl:ome 1:116 People of God borrowed from
s. rapca icmtur mnlieres conduBa ad lamentandiim mortuum* ana dant ceteris
mdum plangeridt, ^ Nonius Marcelling aifo noted by Ovidm his Jrt. Land.
difcunt laciymare decenter,
Quoque voiunt plorant tempore, quocji modo.
And