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THe people called Bragmans, lead a simple life, and are not led with any inticements; they desire no more then very Nature doth require: they have plenty of all things for life, the which their earth bringeth forth without tillage. Their tables be furnished with wholesome dishes, and therefore they nei∣ther know diversities of names in sicknesse, nor their kindes, but they have good health very
long. One desireth no helpe of another, for they live in com∣mon, amongst those that are e∣quall, there is no place for en∣vy, seeing that none is superi∣our; they have no judgements, because they doe nothing wor∣thy of correction: their onely Law is not to doe any thing a∣gainst nature, which nourisheth labour▪ exerciseth no covetous∣nesse, and flyeth from filthy idlenesse. This Nation hurteth it selfe in the Sunne, it getteth moisture in the dew, it extin∣guisheth thirst with water. The ground is instead of beds, care∣fulnesse breaketh no sleepe, nor pensivenesse troubleth not the minde: their habitation is in digged Caves upon the Mountaines sides, they feele no rage of winds nor tempests, they thinke themselves better de∣fended
in a cave then in a house, from the injury of weather, be∣cause their cave hath two uses, one for a mansion place, another for a Sepulchre or grave when they dye. They have no preci∣ous garments, but they cover their members with a thing like paper, rather for shamefastnesse then otherwise.
The women be not trimmed as they please, but they are ig∣norant how to encrease beauty more then Nature giveth: the man and the woman use naturall conjunction, not for libidinous pleasures, but for love of pro∣creation. No Parent followeth the Funerals of his childe, they have no Sepulchers in Chur∣ches for the dead, but in vessels made of precious stones, they lay up the ashes of the dead.
Their best remedy in Phy∣sicke
is abstinence and sparing, which doth not onely cure their griefes, but also prevent those which might come▪ they have no common playes nor games▪ but when they assemble toge∣ther, they read the Monuments of things done, wherein if they heare any thing to bee laughed at, they weepe, they are not delighted in old fables, but in the goodly disposition of naturall things▪ they learne no Eloquence, but have a sim∣ple kinde of speech, onely com∣manding not to lye.