"رحلات في مناطق مختلفة من أفريقيا وآسيا العظمى لبضع سنوات. وصف إمبراطوريات بلاد فارس وهندوستان خاصةً: بالتداخل مع بعض الأحداث الهامة كما دارت في تلك المناطق أثناء تلك العصور اللاحقة. كذلك الأمر بالنسبة إلى الممالك الشهيرة الغنية الأخرى في الهند الشرقية والجزر المجاورة. والربط بين ديانة ولغة وعادات وأعراف كل منها على حدة: بالإضافة إلى ذكر ملاحظات صحيحة عن كل منها." [‎١‎٦‎٨] (٤٤٨/١٨٩)

i6S
Spahawn.
Their Marriages are fuch as I have related amongft the banifhed Terfees that live in
India ^ but their Burials differ: For, in reverence to the Fire thefe not onely forbear to
burn the Dead, fearing to offer it an unclean things but even hold it a crime to Ipit into
the Fire, which yet they repute facred. Howbeit, in the Oriental parts of amongft
the Erachmam, the Dead are expofed to the Fire*, albeit in the Occident it came firft
in requeft by Sylla the Didator; who having abufed the dead Corps of Cam Mariw,
fearing like fauce ordered that his dead Body fhould be burned; which was done, and
after pradifed by the fucceeding Roman Princes. But whereas the Egyptians powder
the Dead with Salt and Spices to preferve them from putrefadion, the Perfa in India
expofe the Dead to the Sun's rage till he have eaten them. And thefe Cowers oft-tiines
put them in the hollow of a Tree ftanding upright liipportcd by the bole, tillobferva-
tion releafe them: For if the Vultur pick out his right eye firft, then they conclude that
he is inParadife *, if the left, then a vexes him *, and they feaft or fait by that
obfervation, as joy or forrow is occafioned. Contrary to the Perfan Satrap* who had
their
but give a pretty good reafon •, For (lay they) no place on Earth could be fufficiently
capacious, feeing that Mmdm miverfus eft Templum Soils. Zertooft was their Law-giver,
and no other than Zoroaftery whofe alhes (if the Greeks may be believed) were confumed
by lightning, invocating Orion. Neverthelefs, fome think that he was Nimrod-. But
more certain it is. He was that Zoroafter who firft taught the Terfians Magick and Judi
cial Aflrology. Howbeit, fome there be that imagine Zertooffl was that the Gre
cian Heroe who firft gave Per ft a the Name, and upon his Pegafits is faid to fetch that
Fire from Heaven which they after idolized. Albeit the Mahometans apply tiie Name
Gomr to Chriftiansf feeing it iignifieth an unbeliever. Thefe Cowers adore the Sun called
Mythra, believing it to be a globe of fire, a reprefentator of a more powerful Deity:
Their Flamens were a fort of Platonifts', for albeit they acknowledged many Creatures to
be excellent, yet are they no way comparable to the Creator, who is (even as they ac
count) the center of all perfedion. Pulcmm Caelum, fulcra Terra, fed pulcrior qui fecit ifia,
&c. Neverthelefs they have declined that, and at this day deifie an elemental Fire, which
(like that of the Veftalsif
Q oil Inhahitant
(Persia-.