The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part. Richard Head
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part
and they lived together as man and wife, feeding on the fruits of the earth, not destroying any living Creature.
These two had four sons called Brammon, Cuttery, Shuddery, and Wyse, who were of different and distinct nature from each other, for Brammon was of an earthly constitution, and therefore Melancholly; Cuttery fiery, and therefore Martial; Shuddery flegmatick, and therefore Peaceable; Wyse airey, and therefore full of contrivances and inventions. Brammon being melancholly and ingenious, God gave him knowledge, and appointed him to impart his Laws, and therefore gave him a Book containing the form of Divine Worship and Religion; Cuttery being Martial, had power to govern Kingdoms, and therefore had a Sword given him; Shuddery being mild and conversable, it was thought fit that he should be a Merchant and Traffick, and therefore had a pair of Ballances and a bag of Weights hung at his girdle; and Wyse being airey, was appointed for a Mechanick or Handicrafts man, and therefore had a bag of several sorts of tools.
These were the first men, and these their qualities, (according to the Banian tradition) that peopled the Earth; Pourous and Parcoutee had no daughters, because the sons should go elsewhere to find them wives, which were made for them, and placed at the four winds; the four sons being grown up to mans age, were commanded to travel; And,
First, Brammon with his Book in his hand took his journey towards the rising of the Sun in the East; for the place where they were born, and their Parents created, was in the Middle or Navel of the world, the Sun at Noon-day casting no shadow. Brammon taking his journey, as is said, towards the East, arrived at a goodly Mountain, before which was a Valley, through which there passed a Brook; in the descent of which there appeared a Woman a drinking. This Woman was of black hair, yellow Complexion, of an indifferent size, and a modest aspect, and indeed in every thing made, as if made for her beholder; who being naked, and seeing her to be so, was more bashful than the Woman, who first brake silence, by questioning the cause of his coming thither.
Brammon hearing her spake, and that in his own Language, thus reply’d, That the great God, who made all things had sent him thither: The Woman seeing his Book, asked the use of it; whereupon he opening it, shewed her the Contents thereof; and after some other discourse the consented to be married to him, according to the form prescribed in that book; which being done, they lay together, and had many children, who peopled the East part of the world: this Womans name was Savatree.
Cuttery the 2d. Brother, was sent upon the same account to the West part of the world, and taking his sword in his hand, he advanced on his journey; but not meeting with any adventure or occasion to make use thereof, he was much troubled; desiring above all things, that he might meet with some people whereon he might exercise his courage: thus impatiently did he proceed on his journey, till he arrived near a high Mountain, where he might behold a Personage who was walking with a Martial pace, and coming nearer, found to be a Woman armed with a weapon call’d a Chuckery: They were no sooner met, but they encountred, and set upon one another; but though he expected a sudden conquest, yet was he deceived therein, for his adversary held him in play all that day, till night parted them. The next day also they wholly spent in fight; he gained no advantage over his female enemy, only at the cloze of the day, he had the fortune to cut her weapon in two; but the night coming on, she escaped from him, without any further damage.
The next day she was provided with Bow and Arrows, and then had a great advantage over him, because she could wound him at a distance, and he could not hurt her without a close fight; he being sensible of this odds, clozed with her, and by main strength threw her down, holding her by the hair of the head; when having a perfect view of her beauties, instead of an enemy, he became a lover of this beautiful object; and that he might gain her affections, he threw by his weapons, and applyed himself to her in fair speeches, to which she was attentive; and he at length became so prevalent, that they at present plighted troths to one another, and of enemies, not only at that instant became friends; but in short time after, living together, and Nature dictating to them what must be done for the procreation of their like, they tasted the fruit of Loves garden, and had many children, who peopled the West part of the World; this Womans name was Toddicastree.
Chuddery the 3d. Son, who was the Merchant-man, was sent to the North with his ballance and weights, and he after much travel happened on a place where he found Pearls, and a Rock or Mine of Diamonds; and believing them (by reason of their great luster in the dark) of some extraordinary value, took some of them with him, and special notice of the place, that he might find it again; and so proceeding on his journey, came to the place where was the Woman that was to be his Wife, who was wandring by the side of a Wood; she, seeing him, became fearful; but he coming to her, and giving her good words, won upon her to stay and receive him into her company; and after an account of his journey, which she concluded was purposely designed to her, because they understood one anothers speech, he bestowed some of his Pearls and Diamonds upon her; in time they proving the comforts of the conjoyned state, had several children, who peopled the North part of the World, and became Merchant-men: he afterwards travelling with them, shewed them the rock of Diamonds; this Womans name was Visagundah.
Wyse, the 4th. and youngest of the Brethren, went also to the South parts of the World, and carried his tools with him, whereby he was able to build a house, or perform any other piece of work needful for the use of man; he was forced to pass over seven Seas, at each place making a Vessel, and leaving it behind him: the last Sea was called Pashurbatee, and brought him to a Land called Derpe, where he built him a house to live in, which he did with much content, till the Woman appointed for him came thither to behold the same: She was very amiable and white, and her hair was powdred with Saunders and other Odours: She first spake to him, demanding how he came thither; He answered her, that the Almighty had sent him, and he had taken great pains by coming over seven Seas to wait on her: She was displeased with his discourse and house, telling him that she needed him not; and notwithstanding all his perswasions, left him: he afterwards met her walking in the Woods; but could not prevail with her to continue with him; but left him much troubled. After this, he being in a profound melancholy, walking abroad, came to a parcel of trees, under which he placed himself, and there prayed to his Creator, that he might not lose his labour, in coming so far to find a Woman that would not converse with him: To this prayer he had answer, that his request should be granted, on condition, that for the future he would erect Images, and adore, and worship them under green trees: To this he consented, and at the next meeting he gained the good will of this Woman who was named Jejunnogundah, so that she became his wife, by whom he had several children that peopled the South.
These Four Brethren being thus dispersed at the 4 several parts of the earth, and having peopled the same, were all desirous of returning to their own Country from whence they came, to see their Father and Mother, and recount their several adventures to them, and to that end, leaving their children behind, they and their wives travelled so long, till they came to the place; where they were first joyfully received of their Parents; and then of each other; there they likewise had several other children, begetting several generations, that all the world might be instructed in their several qualities, by Brammon in matters of Religion, by Cuttery in Rule and Governments, by Shuddery in Traffick and Merchandize, and by Wyse in matters of Handicrafts; of which four Casts the world consisteth, every one of them living in his several quality, keeping his tribe free from confusion or interfeering; and thus the world was peopled: but in time, multitude begat difference, and disorder, and mischief, and every person disagreed with the other, every one producing new and various differences, as well in matters of Religion and Worship, as in all other affairs, when the Almighty for the wickedness of mankind sent a flood which came and destroyed all the Creatures of the earth; and this according to the tradition of the Banians, was the first Age of the world.
This world of Creatures being destroyed, others were made in this manner: The Almighty first made out of the earth these three Creatures, Breman, Vistney and Ruddery, and gave great power to them; to Breman he gave the power of making Creatures, because say the Banians, as great persons do not their work but by Deputies, so neither was it fit that God should be servile to his Creatures, but give to them their being by his Instruments. To the