'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.' [‎348] (371/448)

Bacehus hiOrgyes.
alluding to its feveral operations,through moft noted Kingdoms of the World this Wine.
God has been acknowledged 5 as in part may be collefted from Blias Venem,
Orgya me Bacchum vocant.
Ofyrim ^gypti putant.
Myftae Phanacem nominant,
Dionyfium Indi exiftimant»
Romana Sacra Liberum,
Arabici Adonem.
Leucantati Pentheum.
Graeci Nydileum.
Perfae Jacchum.
Temulcnti Lyaeum^
Fremibundi Bromium, Eluleum, Cfc.
A few of many (were not thefe too many) might be enumerated.
Some of thefe neverthelefs bid the World farewel when the corps of their, deceafed
Husbands are incendiated: albeit lome Virago's rather chufe to out-brave Death's ter-
rours by going quick with him into the Grave: A dreadful Exit! but fuch, as they fay"
exprelfes moft affedion. Such, and fo many, fad deMons Satan pradifes amongft his
deluded Votaries; and for his greater variety finds that Vimlh monftrous brood of Dei^.
ties are here exceeded : for not only the Cow is equally adored with the old *y£?yptian
Afs or pide Bull, but the Sun, Moon, and Stars as fouls celeftial •, and very much refem-
blingthofemiferableIdolatersregiftred m libra SapiemU cap. 13. Qui Ignem, Spirirnm, ant
citatum Aerem> autgyrum Stellarum, <uelnimiam Aquam, am Solem & Lunam-, Reftores'orbis
Terrarumq-, Deos put aver unt^ Who acknowledged the Fire, the Wind, thefwiftAir the
courfe of the Stars, the great Waters, or the Sun and Moon to be the Gods and Gover-
nours of the World. Not content with which, others there be who have Rivers and
Trees in like veneration^ parallel with the Celts our Neighbours defcribed by Tacitus
uhi nwlta Simulacra, multum peregrine fuperftitionis vefligium videre lice at: Deities or ra
ther Demons of another nature than thofe the Heathen Romans adored, mentioned bv
Cicero l.i. Nomothefu, where amongft the clafles of thofe they worfhipped were mens
virtus, pietas, fides, ps, fudicitia, concordia, pax, quies,falm, felicit as, liberty, &c. Quo
rum laudihm (propter qua datur afcenjm in Cesium) delubrafunto, &c. Scarce credible are
fome folemnFeftivals they keep : in one of them they had a lewd cuftome to fallen tick
or needy men (ftupid by too much zeal) to an Engine, which being hoifed elevates him
equal with the Pagod: the blood trickling from his wounded ftioulders (it may be faid
Exceftt medicina modum) at his defcent (as a meritorious facrifice) isdafhed againft a
Tree-, and after he has invocated the Deumo to accept his offering, returns with hope
to thrive the better ever after. This bloody, or rather butcherly, facrifice is mentioned
in 2 lib. Virg. *y£n. Sanguine placafiis: and of old was ufed by the Rhodians,Cretans^nd Car*
thaginians-, who when their City was befieged, caufed two hundred of their principal
youths to be flam as a double Heptomb: In Africa and America the like hellifh cuftome is
to this very day obferved, as we read in Acofta. They oft offer in the night ^ but firft make
the ftreets bright with lights, and then ftuff their hands with Rice, and glomerate in dan
ces ^ in every corner (where a Poppet fits) throwing Rice or fruits v but being once out
of the ring, hafte away, not daring to lookback left the Devil tear them by wavof grati
tude. To which poor wretches give me leave to apply that in Ecdus. 30. 19. Quid pro*
dent fibatio Wo ? nec emm manducabit nec odorabit. This, Tuledenfts and others witnefs *
but many of thofe abominable pradifes are prohibited and difcontinued fince the Maho
metans have born rule •, who as bad as they are have neverthelefs expreifed their abhor-
rencyagainft that cuftome.
They have a different kind of Burial to what we find in moft other places * for here
*t f ? a 5 C M fs 1S plaCed e r lther irl a . dee P Cave which is lon S and narro or elfe betwixt two
Walls built on purpofe; wherein the fimplerelid voluntarily immures her felf, by that
felf-lcqueftration never after fpeakingto any, but expeding death by that Arrow ofFa-
mme, which of all forts of Deaths, as it is the moft languilhing, is the moft formidable.
Their HabiUs for the moft part nakednefs, the zone by reafbn of its diftemperate
heat well excufingcloathmg They delight in fifhing, and to fport upon the Water in
Boats or Curncurriesrefembling the Venetian Gondaloes thus fhaped.