'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.' [‎342] (365/448)

3 4-^ Their Idolatry .Qolumho. Tradition of A dam ^w^/Eve.
So great, that fcarce any Village or Mount without its inanimate Pagod) their fuppofed
Deities or Mali Genii fudf as LaBantm and Prudent ins defcribe, Cum portis, domihus^
thermtSj ftahulis foleatis ajjignme fnos Genios perq, omnia membra Vrhtsferq, locos Geniorum miL
Ua midt a finger e: And are to obferve, that Genii locorum fmt Damones. Amonglt others,
(which i mention only for the impofture) was that infamous Hanimant or Apes-tooth
God which was highly efteemed and reforted to by millions of Indians, till Conflantine a
late Goan Vice-roy landing five hundred men at Gokmbo firft forcibly took away that
Apilh Idol; and albeit the Idolaters proffered a vail ranfome of three hundred thoufand
Duckets he burned it to aihes: his 'zeal againft that grofs impiety expreffing therein a fa-
cred indignation. Notwithftanding, a crafty Bannyan fo well forged another counterfeit,
as was believed by the Joguesto be the fame (willing to be deluded 0 thereby exceed
ingly enriching himfelfj and joying not a little thefe llmple Zeylonians.
Another was that not far from Mattacala, confpicuous in its ftanding; concerning
which, the Singales and Jogues report, That many years ago Johna their King nourifh-
ed a conceit, That this DUbolo was no better than a fenfelefs Idol: But lo, a Jogue (fo-
catis imferat arte DUs) by the Devil's craft fo wrought, that upon a time when Johna en-
tred he beheld (as he thought) the Pagod breath out fire, his eyes feeming to be co
loured with rage and the Scimiter in his hand wrathfully bent againft him ^ at which,
the amazedkingcriesout for help, accufes his infidelity; and having fatisfied for his
errour, ever after became a zealous Idolater. The place where this grand Pagotha
Hood was inveloped with a Cloud of Arms for its defence : And not without good
reafon, feeing it was their belief. That upon the fall of that Idol the final mine of
the Univerfe fhould immediately follow by fire or otherwife. Now (without any
countenancing that impofture) that the World lhall be confumed, is credited:, but
not till he that made it ihall pleafe to order the diffolution. Lucretius hath that
obfervation, Infr hrevi jpatio mutantw Stela Anmantiim^ &c. And the like another Ro
man Poet,
Effe quoqj in Fatis rcminifcitur affore Tempus, The Time Jhall come ^ when Sea,when Land,when all
Quo Mare, quo Tell us, correptaq*, regia Coeli The Heavens vafl moving Regions burning Jhall
Ardeant, & Mundi m®ies op erofa laborer. Confame, and to their ancient Chaos fall.
Certo die & hora a fato devincli, nec hominibm tantum fed oppidis, terris, dementis, & qulc-
quidhoc nos fufliket, magno illo die vertetur & peribit. And albeit of the ancient Heathens
we may fay. They had fome feeming devotion, drawn from the very didates of Nature
likethofe mentioned in Rom. 2. 14. who had a Law written in their hearts *, fo as it was a
Maxirp, There was not ^any who had not fomefpark of civility to men, and zeal to fome
one or other Deity: that principle nevertheless now feems extinguiihed amongft the Gen
tiles we meet with in thefe Regions.
Upon Cohmbo's high peak (a place dearly bought by the Portugal) was (hewed and cre
dited thefoot-fteps of old Adam : born and buried here if we will believe them. Here al^
fo they fhew a Lake of Salt water upon a high hill, faid to be no other but the tears af-
flided Eve fhed a hundred years together for the lofs of her righteous Son Abeh A Ca
bala, how ftrange foeveritbe,FriarOimcof Frmli not only believes but vehemently per-
fwades others to give credit to it. The foil is good and abounds with fundry forts of Spi
ces*, as Pepper, Ginger, and the like*, but in moil plenty with Cinamon, which gave the
occafion to Ptolomy and Strabo to call it Cinamomifera regio. Cinamon is a precious bark ^
the Tree is ftraight, and the branches are no way ruinous but grow in comely order. It
refembles the Olive Tree in height, but the leaves are more like the Bay or Orenge. The
bloffoms are exadly white; the fruit globous, hard, and dark coloured. It is apparelled
with a thick rind, which in Summer (when it may beft difebver its Virgin nakednefs)
'tis difrobed of, and by the churlilh Peafant cut in many pieces •, and being hardned in
the Sun, fo gathered. I might here prefent you many other rarities this noble Ifle af
fords, as Orenges, Dates, Coco's, Anana's, Plantanes and Mailick (which Coriat er-
roneoufly believed grew no where but in 5)^,) Elephants, BufFoloes, Cows, Sheep, Hogs,
&c, Smaragd, Rubies, balafs Diamonds, Amber-griefe, and the like *, which gave the
D^r afair invitation for commerce unto this place, their Ships ufually riding near the
Port of Candy: and put together feemed foattradive to the vidorious Lufitanian ^/wfjy-
^jthat in defpight of her united Heptarchy he landed An. Dom. 1 506. and for Emanuel his
King exaded an Annual Tax of two hundred and fifty thoufand pound weight of their beft
Cinamonjwhich Soufa hcgm to load away the third year after: But the King(more rich than
crafty) to fhew hpw little he regarded the lofs of fo much ufelefs barks of Trees^and to fet a
better