'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.' [‎169] (498/1024)

Book II.
Travels in India.
i
T
ether Sweet-woods. But the Idolaters do not only burn the Bodies of the dead,
but the Bodies of the living. They fcruple to kill a ferpent, or a loufe, but ac
count it a meritorious thing to burn a living Wife with the body of the deceas’d
Husband.
C H A P. X.
How the Wives are lurnt in India with the Judies of their
deceas'd Hus hands.
I T is alfo an ancient cuftom among Vbt Indians fhaX. the Husband happening todye*
the Wife can never marry again. So that as foon as the Man is dead,the Wife
retires to bewail her Husband ^ fome days after that, they lhave off her hair *
fee lays afide all the ornaments of her apparel j fhe takes off from her arms and
legs the Bracelets which her Husband put on whenheefpous’d her,in token of her
fnbmifGon, and her bein£ chain’d to him : and all the reft of her life Ihe lives
ilighted and difpis’d, and in a worfe condition than a Slave in the very Houfe
where Ihe was Miftrefs before. This unfortunate condition caufes them to hate
life, fo that they rather choofe to be buri’d alive with the body of their deceas’d
Husbands, then to live in the fcorn and contempt of the World. Belides that,
the Bramins make them believe, that in dying after that manner, they lhall re
vive again with him in another World, with more honour and more advantages
than they enjoy’d before. Thefe are the motives that perfwade the Woman to
burn with their Husbands} belides that, the Priefts flatter them with a hope,
that while they are in the midft of the flames, before they expire, Ram will
appear, and reveal wonderful vilions to them; and that after their Souls
have tranfmigrated into various Bodies, they fhall at length obtain a high degree
ofHonour to eternity.
However, there is no Woman that can burn her Husband’s body, till fhe
has the leave of the Governor of the place where fhe inhabits, who be ing a Ma~
humtanfind abhorring that execrable cuftom of Self-murder, is very fhy to per
mit them. Befides,there are none but Widows that have no children, that lye
under the reproach that forces them to violent death. For as for the Widows
that have children, they are by no means permitted to burn themfelves; but
quite the contrary, they are commanded to live for the education of the chil
dren. Thofe Wom^n whom the Governour will not permit to burn themfelyes,
fpend the reft of thir lives in doing Penance, and performing works of Charity.
Some make it their bulinefs to fit upon the Road to boyl certain Pulfe in water,
and to give the liquor to Travellers to drink. Others fit with fire always ready
for them to light their Tobacco. Others make vows to eat nothing but the un-
digefted grains which they find in Cow-dung.
The Governour finding no j)erfwafions will alter the Woman’s refolution,but
more efpedally perceiving by the fign which his Secretary makes him,that he had
receiv’d the Coin, in a furly manner Ogives the Woman leave, biduing the Devil
take her and all her kindred. ,
_ When they have got this leave,their Mufick begins to ftrike up,and away, they
ding to the Houfe of the deceas’d,with Drums beating,and Flutes playing before
them j and in that manner they accompany the peffon that is to be burnt, t© the
place appointed. All the kindred and friends of the Widow that is to dye,come
t° her, and congratulate her for the happinefs fhe is to enjoy in the other World.*
and for the honour which the Cafie fhe is of receives by her generous refolution,
fhe dreffes her felf as fhe were going to be marri’d, and fhe is conduced in tri
umph to the place df execution. F'or the noife is loud of Mufical Inftruments,
and Womens Voices, that follow her finging Songs in honour of the miferable
creature that is going to dye. The Bramins that accompany her, exhort her to
&v r e publick teftimonies of her conftancy and courage .* and many of our Europeans
* 2 airs