'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎160] (487/1024)

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60
‘travels in India,
Part H,
under that falfe pretence of Piety he cunningly made way to the Empire, w
indeed though he has a great many Perfiam under his pay, yet he will n 0
permit them to keep holy .the day cotifecrated to the memory of HoL and
Hewn* the two fons of who were put to death by the'. belide
that "they, to pleafe him, are willing et ough to confom.
CHAP. II.
Of the Faqmrs, or poor Mahometan Volunteers /V the Baft Incfe
' ✓ v ,',. -- v - •. • ; ' 1 , \ , • - \"
^ I ’Hey reckon that there are in the Indies eight hundred thoufand Faquirs
* and twelve hunder’d thoufand Idolaters} which is a prodigious Number*
They are all of them Vagabonds, and lazy Drones, that dazle the eyes of
the people with a falfe zeal, and make them believe that whatever comes oot
of their mouths is an Oracle.
There areTeveral forts of Mahometan Faquirs. The one fort go almoft naked
like the Idolatrous Faquirs, having no certain" abode in the world, but giving
themfelves up to all manner of unclcannefs. There are others whofe Garments
are of fo many different pieces and colours, that a man can hardly tell of what
they are made. Thefe Garments reach down to the half Leg, and hide the rags
that are underneath. They go generally in Troops; and have their Superior
of the Gang, who is known by his Garment, which is generally poorer, and
conhfls of mpre patches than the other. Befides, that he draws after him a
great Iron Chain, which is ty’d to his Leg, and is about two Ells long, and
P|oportionably thick. When he fays his prayers,, he does it with a loud voice,
and ratling his Chain all the while, which is accompany’d with an affeded gra
vity,, that draws the Veneration of the people. In the mean time the people
prepare Dinner for him and his company, in the place where he takes up his
Hand, which is ufually in fome ftreet or publick place. There he caufes hij
Difciples to fpread certain Carpets, where he fets himfelf down to giveaudi*
ence to the people. On the other fide, the Difciples go about publifhing through
the Country the vertues of their MaEer, and the favours he receives from
God,' who reveals his mofl important fecrets to him, and gives him power
to reli eve perfons 5 n afflidion by his counfel. The people, who give credit to
him, and believe him to be a holy man, approach him with a great devotion,
and when they come near him, they pull off their Shoes, and profhrate them
felves to kifs his feet. Then the Faquir, to fhew his humility reaches out his
hand to kifs; that done, he caufes them that come to confuk him, to lit down
by him, and Hears every one apart. They boafl themfelves to have a prophetick
Spirity and above all to teach barren women a way how to have ChildreH, and
to be belov’d by whom they pleafe.
There are fome of thefe Faquirs who have above two hundred Difciples, or
more, which they affemble together by the found of a Horn, or the Beat of
a Drum. When they travel, they have their Standard,Lances, and other Wea
pons which they pitch in the ground, near to their Mafter, when he repofes i«
any place.
The third fort of Eaff: Indian Faquirs, are thofe that being born of poor Pa
rents, and defirous to underftand the Law, to the end they may become Moaltis
or Dodors, retire to thewhere they live upon the Alms which is
given them. They employ all their time in reading the Alcoran, which they
get by Heart y and if they can but add to that ftudy the knowledg of fome
natural things, and an exemplary life withall, they come to be chief of the Mof
quees, and to the dignity of Moullahs, and Judges of th^ Law. Thofe FiiqMrs
have their Wives; and fome, out of their great zeal to imitate Mahomet, hare
three or four} thinking they do God great fervice in begetting many Children
to be followers of their Laws. n a d