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
did sustain him, and now his body is dispersed, take thy part in him. This being done, the Brammane reads (to the Son or nearest of kin to the deceased) the Law of mourners; That for ten days he must eat no Beetle, nor oyl his head, nor put on clean clothes; but once a month make a Feast, and visit the River whose water drank up his Fathers ashes. Besides this, there was a Custom which is brought into a Law, for the Wives of the deceased to accompany their Husbands in death, by burning themselves with his body; and this is still used among persons of greatest worth, the Women voluntarily exposing their bodies to the flames. And this is the sum of the second Tract of the Book delivered to Breman.
The third Tract consisteth of their being distinguished into Casts and Tribes, with peculiar observations for each. The Brammanes being first, have their name either of Brammon, who was the first of that Tribe; or else from Breman, who was the first of the second Age, to whom the Law was delivered, of which there are two sorts, the common, and the more special; the common Brammane hath eighty two Casts or Tribes; which are distinguished by the names of the places of their first habitations. These discharge the Ministerial function, in praying and reading their Law to the People, in which they use a kind of minical fantastical gesture, and a singing tone. They are first received into that Order at seven years of age, using the ceremony of washing and shaving their heads, only leaving one lock; they are bound to a Pythagorean silence, and prohibited haulking, spitting, or coughing, wearing about their loyns a girdle of an Antilop’s skin, and another thong of the same about their neck, descending under the left arm: At fourteen years of age they are admitted to be Brammanes, exchanging those leather thongs for four sealing threads that come over the right shoulder, and under the right arm, which they sleep withal, in honour of God and the three persons; they are enjoyned to keep all things in the Brammanes Law.
The more special sort of Brammanes are of the Cast of the Shudderys or Merchant-man, who for devotion take this condition; He wears a wollen garment of white, reaching down to the middle of the thigh, the rest is naked: his head is alwayes uncovered; they do not shave, but pluck off all the hair from their heads and beards, leaving only one lock.
There are several Casts of these, that live more strictly than the rest; for these never Marry, are very moderate in their Diet, and drink nothing but water boyled, that so the vapour, which they suppose to be life, may go out; they sweep away and disperse their dung, lest it should generate worms that may have life, and be destroyed, they keep an Hospital of lame and maimed flying fowl, which they redeem with a price; they have all things common, but place no faith in outward washings, but rather imbrace a careless and sordid nastiness.
The second Tribe or Cast was Cutteryes, who had their name from Cuttery, the second son of Ponrous, who having Dominion and Rule committed to him; therefore all Souldiers and Kings are said to be of his Tribe.
That particular of Bremans Book that concerned this Cast, contained certain precepts of Government and Policy, which being of common import, I chose to omit, and shall only tell you, that in their flourishing estate they were the ancient Kings of India, especially of that part that is called Guzzarat, and were called by the name of Racabs, which signifies a King; they are said to have thirty six Tribes, and none were admitted to rule or govern but out of these Tribes. But in time these Racabs were most of them put from the Government, and destroyed by the Mahometans, who oppressed them; some of them still remain, and are called Rashpootes, which I have before named; some are as yet unconquered, and sometimes fight with and against the great Mogul.
The third Son of Ponrous being called Shuddery, and Merchandizing being appointed him, all Merchants therefore are comprized under this Name. The particular of Bremans Book that concerned this Cast, was a Seminary of Religious advertizement, enjoyning them to truth in their words and dealings. These are they that are most properly called Banians, which name signifies a harmless People, that will not endure to see a fly, or worm, or any living thing to be injured, and being themselves strucken, bear it patiently without resistance; they are equal in number of their Casts to the Brammanes, and being like to them, do more strictly follow their injunctions. Their form and contract in buying and selling is something notable; for the Broaker that beateth the price with him that selleth, looseth his Pamerin that his folded about his wast, and spreading it upon his knee, with hands folded underneath, by their fingers ends the price of pounds, shillings or pence, is fixed, as the Chapman is intended to give: The seller in like manner intimateth how much he purposeth to have; which silent composition their Law enjoyneth.
Lastly, as the Son of Ponrous was called Wyse, and was Master of Merchants or Handicrafts, so all Handicrafts are of that Tribe. The directions that were in Breman’s Book for these, were touching their behaviours in their Callings: The name Wyse signifies one that one is servile or instrumentary; these People are now commonly called Gentiles, which are of two sorts; first, the purer Gentile, such as diet themselves as the Banians, not eating flesh, fish or wine; and the impure eat of all sorts, and are commonly Husbandmen, and usually called Coulees. Those of the purer sort have thirty six Casts, according to the number of the Trades practised among them; in which, they make as few instruments serve for the effecting of divers works, as may be; and whatever they do, is contrary to the Christian form of working, for the most part. This is the substance of the the third Tract of the Book delivered to Breman, concerning the manner of the four Tribes.
This Book was by Breman communicated to the Brammanes to be published to the People, who did give absolute obedience to these injunctions; but in time, fraud, violence and all manner of wickedness being committed, God grew angry, and acquainted Breman that he would destroy the world: who acquainted the People herewith, but to little purpose, for soon after they fell to their wickedness, and God took Breman up into his bosome who had interceeded for man-kind; then also Vistney (whose nature and Office it was to preserve the People) did interceed, but God would not be pacifyed, but gave charge to Ruddery (whose Office it was to destroy) to cause the bowels of the earth to send out a wind to sweep the Nations as the dust from the face of the earth: this command was accordingly executed, and all people were destroyed saving a few that God permitted Vistney to cover with the skirts of his preservation, reserved to propagate mankind in the third age, and so this Age concluded.
The wickedness and ill government of the Kings and Rulers, being the chief cause of destroying the last age: therefore all those of Cutteries Tribe were all destroyed. Now because it was necessary that there should be some of that Cast as well as others, wherefore God raised that Tribe again out of the Cast of the Bramanes: the name of him who renewed and raised this Tribe was called Ram, who was a good King and lived piously; but his successors did not so, but committed so much wickedness that God again destroyed the world, by the opening of the earth, which swallowed up all mankind, but a few of the four Tribes who were left to new-people the world again, and this was the conclusion of the third Age.
At the beginning of the fourth Age, there was one Kistney, a famous Ruler, and pious King, who wonderfully promoted Religion. Vistney was now taken up into Heaven, there being no further need of his preservation; for when this Age is concluded, there shall be a full end of all things. The Brammanes suppose this Age shall be longer then any of the rest, in the end whereof Ruddery shall be taken up into Heaven: these four ages they call by these four names, Curtain, Duauper, Tetrajoo and Kotee; they hold the manner of these last judgements shall be by fire, when all shall be destroyed; and so the four Ages of the world shall be destroyed by the four Elements. And then shall Ruddery carry up the souls of all people to Heaven with him, to rest in Gods bosome, but the bodyes shall all perish: so that they believe not the resurrection; for they say Heaven being a place that is pure, they hold it cannot be capable of such gross substances.
This is the sum of the Banians Religion, wherein you find much of fancy and conceit as to make it be so antient, and the number four to be used so often, as you have heard the meaning of the three creatures, I suppose alludes to the Trinity; but instead of a confirmation and proof of a Trinity, they would make a Quaternity thereof, in the name; I suppose, they (as well as other Nations who differ from us