Purchas his pilgrimage. Or Relations of the vvorld and the religions obserued in all ages and places discouered, from the Creation vnto this present In foure partes. This first containeth a theologicall and geographicall historie of Asia, Africa, and America, with the ilands adiacent. Declaring the ancient religions before the Floud ... With briefe descriptions of the countries, nations, states, discoueries, priuate and publike customes, and the most remarkable rarities of nature, or humane industrie, in the same. By Samuel Purchas, minister at Estwood in Essex.

CHAP. VII.

Of Cambaia, and the neighbouring Nations.

CAmbaia is also called Guzarat a 1.1 , containing in length, from the Riuer Bate to Circam, a Persian Region, fiue hundred myles of Sea-coast, being on other parts enuironed b 1.2 with the Kingdomes of Dulcinda and Sanga on the North; Mandao, on the East; on the West, Nauta∣cos, or the Gedrosians. The Sea and the Confines of Decan are the Southerly bounds. It hath in it, by estimation, threescore thousand Populations, or inhabited Places, watered with many streames, the chiefe whereof is Indus, which diuideth it in the middle, running from Caucasus, or Naugrocot, and af∣ter nine hundred myles iourney, with two nauigable mouthes disemboquing it selfe into the Ocean. This Countrey is very fertile, not yeelding to any other in India, in the fruites which the Earth and Trees bring forth, besides their store of Ele∣phants, Gemmes, Silke, Cotton, and such like. The people are of an Oliue-colour, and goe naked, except about their priuie parts. They eate no Flesh, but Rice, Milke, Barley, and other life-lesse creatures. The inhabitants are, for the most part. ••••••∣tiles; and so were their Kings, vntill the Mahumetane Superstitions preuailed. There are c 1.3 vp, within the Land, People called R••isbuti, which are the naturall Nobles of this Kingdome, chased by the Moores to the Mountaines, whence they make often excursions and spoyles in the Countrey, and the Cambayans pay them tribute, that they might liue in peace. Their chiefe Sea-Townes are Daman, Bandora, Curate, Ravellum, Bazuinum; and within Land, Cambaia, Madabar, Campanel, Tanaa, &c.

Cambaia hath bestowed the name on the whole Kingdome, which they call the Indian Cairo, for the excellencie thereof: it standeth three myles from Indus. The Tides here d 1.4 encrease not, as with vs, at the full, but at the decrease of the Moone they are at the highest. It is not a hundred and threescore yeares since Macham••••, a Moore, expelled the Guzarat King.

This Machamut deserueth mention for one thing, wherein the Sunne hath scarce beheld his like. He so accustomed himselfe to poysons, that no day passed wherein he tooke not some: for else he him selfe had died, sayth Barbosa, as it fareth with Am∣sian, or Opium, the vse whereof killeth such as neuer tooke it, and the difuse, such as haue. And beyond that which we reade of Mithrodates in the like practise, his Na∣ture was transformed into so venomous a habit, that if he did meane to put any of his Nobles to death, he would cause them to be set naked before him, and chewing cer∣taine Fruits in his mouth, which they call Chofolos and Tambolos, with lime made of shells, by spitting vpon him in one halfe houre, depriued him of life: if a Flye sat vpon his hand, it would presently fall off dead. Neither was e 1.5 his loue to be preferred to his hatred, or with women was his dealing lesse deadly. For he had foure thousand Con∣cubines, of whome none liued to see a second Sunne, after he had carnally knowne them. His Mustaches (or haire of his vpper lippe) was so long, that he bound it vp on his head, as women do with a haire-lace; and his beard was white, reaching to his Waste. Euery day when he arose, and when he dined, fiftie Elephants were brought into the Pallace, to doe him reuerence on their knees, accompanied with Trumpets, and other Musicke.

Caelins Rhodiginus f 1.6 mentions the like of a maid, thus nourished with poysons, her spittle (and other humours comming from her) being deadly: such also as lay with her carnally, presently dying. He cites out of Auicenna a like example of a man, whose nature, infected with a stronger venome, poysoned other venomous creatures, if any did bite him. And when a greater Serpent was brought for triall, he had by the biting thereof a two-dayes Feuer; but the Serpent died: The other did not harme him.

Mamudius, the successor of King Machamut, was a great enemie to the Portu∣galls. Badurius succeeded in State and affection, and exceeded in greatnesse and am∣bition. He inuaded g 1.7 Mandao, and Sanga, where he besieged Citor, then gouerned by a warre-like woman, which not able to hold out longer against him, fledde, and left the people in forlorne plight, who in a desperate resolution (like Sardanapalus) hea∣ping vp their Treasures, set fire thereto, and then cast themselues therein. This fire continued three dayes, and consumed threescore and tenne thousand persons.

Hence Badurius triumphantly marched against the Mogor, whome Maffaens calleth Miramudius, (it seemeth to be Echebars Grandfather, whome some h 1.8 call Baburxa, famous for his Indian victories) with an Armie of a hundred and fiftie thousand horse, whereof thirtie thousand were barded; and fiue hundred thousand footmen: of great Brazen Ordinance, a thousand; whereof foure Basiliskes were drawne (such was their weight) by so many hundred yokes of Oxen: with Shot and Powder he laded fiue hundred Waines, and as many with Gold and Siluer, to pay his souldiors. These Forces, with this prouision, might rend the Ayre with thunders, might make the Earth to shake with terrour, might drie and drinke vp Ri∣uers of water, might frame another fierie Element, of Arts inuention, but could not eyther terrifie the Mogor, or saue Badurius from a double ouerthrow, first at Doce∣ri, next at Mandoa, where the looseth his Tents and Treasures, and shauing his beard, fleeth disguised to Diu, in which, that the Portugalls might be engaged in the same Warre, he gaue them leaue to erect a Fortresse: A thing of such moment vnto them, that Iohn Botelius (confined before vnto India, for crimes obiected) thought, by being the first messenger thereof in Portugall, to purchase his libertie: whereof he might well be reputed worthie, who in a little Vessell, scarce eighteene foot long, and six wide, with vndaunted courage contemning that wide, long, & tem∣pestuous Ocean, arriued with his small companie, great newes, and greater admiration at Lisbone. Badurius after alteriug his minde, and therein entertaining a treacherous proiect against the Portugalls, coloured the same with kindnesse, and he (which feared all i 1.9 men no lesse thē he was feared as guiltie to his own tyrannie, which somtime made Dionisins of a King a Barber, & now this, a King of others, & his own Cook, trusting no

man to dresse his meat) aduentured to visit the Portugall Viceroy in his shippes, pro∣fessing great friendship with great dissimulation, and by a meane Mariner, at his re∣turne, was slaine; whereupon the whole Island submitted it selfe to the Portugall yoke. And because we haue in this Chapter mentioned so many wonders, let this also haue place among (if not aboue) the rest, which presently happened k 1.10 Whiles the Portugals were busie in their buildings, a certaine Bengalan l 1.11 came to the Go∣uernour, which had liued, as he affirmed, three hundred thirtie fiue yeares. The olde men of the Countrey testified, That they had heard their ancestors speake of his great age, and himselfe had a sonne fourescore and tenne yeares old, and not at all booke∣learned, yet was a speaking Chronicle of those passed times. His teeth had sometimes fallen out, others growing in their places; and his beard, after it had beene very hoa∣rie, by degrees returned into his former blacknesse. About a hundred yeares before this time he had altered his Pagan Religion into the Arabian or Moorish. For this his miraculous age, the Sultans of Cambaia had allowed him a stipend to liue on, the continuance of which he now sought, and did obtaine of the Portugalls.

Mamudius, Successour to Badurius, sought with all his forces to driue these new Lords out of Diu, as Solyman had done before, by a Nauie and Armie sent thither, but both in vaine: of which Warres, Damianus à Goes m 1.12 hath written diuers Commen∣taries. But this whole Countrey is now subiect to the Mogor. It was, in Alex∣anders time, peopled by the Massani, Sodrae, or Sabracae, Praestae, and Sangada, as Ortelins hath placed them, where Alexander (as in diuerse other places hee had done) erected a Citie of his owne name, called Alexandria. Daman, another Key of this Bay, and entrance of the Riuer Indus into the Sea, fell to the Portugalls share.

The Land of Cambaia n 1.13 is the fruitfullest in all India, which causeth great trafficke of Indians, Portugalls, Persians, Arabians, Armenians, &c. The G••zarates, or Cam∣baians, are the subtillest Marchants in all India. They haue o 1.14 amongst them many Histories of Darius and Alexander, which sometime were Lords of this Indian Pro∣uince. The Portugalls p 1.15 haue at diuerse times conquered diuerse of the chiefe Townes in this Kingdome, some whereof they keepe still. There are women in Diu, which by art dye their teeth blacke, esteeming themselues so much more beautifull, and therefore goe with their lippes open, to shew the blacknesse of their teeth. When a Cambayan dieth, they burne his bodie, and distribute the ashes vnto the foure Ele∣ments (of which man consisteth,) The wiues are burned with their husbands, being addressed thereunto in pompous attyre.

Six Leagues from Decan is a Hill, out of which the Diamond is taken. This Hill is kept with a Garrison, and walled about. A little from Ciauli is an old Temple (suppo∣sed to be built by Alexander the Great) adorned with Imagerie, now the habitation of Battes. Beneath it is a Riuer so deepe, that none haue yet found the bottome.

Garcius ab Horto thus writeth q 1.16 , That about three hundred yeares before his time, a mightie King in the Kingdome of Dely, depriued the Gentiles of the Kingdome of Balaguate. At the same time the Moores dispossessed the Reisbuti of Cambaya. These Reisbuti in Cambaya (once the Naturall Lords) and the Venezaras and C••lles, of like condition in Balaguate, to this day exercise Robberies in those parts: the Kingdome of Decan to these, and to the first the Kingdome of Cambaya, paying tribute, to be freed from the same. And the Kings suffer them, that they may share with them. The Kingdome of Dely is Northerly, subiect to Cold and Frosts, as in Europe. The Mo∣gores had possessed this Kingdome, but a certaine Bengalan (rebelling against his Master) slew him, vsurped his State, and by force of war••e added this also to his Do∣minion; he was called Xaholam r 1.17 . This King made his sisters sonne s 1.18 his successor, who was much addicted to Foreiners: he diuided his Kingdome into twelue parts, or Prouinces, ouer which he set so many Captaines: Idalcam, from Angidaua to Ci∣farda: from thence to Negarona, Nizamaluco: Ouer Balaguate, or the vp-Hill Countrey (for Bala in the Persian Language signifieth the toppe, and Guate a Hill) Imadmaluco, and Catalmaluco, and Verid••, &c.

These all rebelled, and captiued Daquem their King at Beder, the chiefe Citie of De∣can, and shared his Kingdome amongst themselues, and some Gentiles, partners in the conspiracie. They were all foreiners but Niza∣maluco. This and the other names, be∣fore-mentioned, were titles of honour giuen them, with their Offices, by the King, cor∣rupted by the vulgar in pronouncing. Idalcam is Adel-ham. Adel, in the Persian Language, signifieth Iustice; Ham is the Tartarian appellation, signifying a Prince, or King (which name might well be the Relikes of the Tartarian Conquests in those parts) so Adelham is, King of Iustice. Neza in the Persian (which Scaliger t 1.19 sayth is of like extent in the East, as Latine in the West) is a Launce: Maluco signifieth the King∣dome. Neza, or Nizamaluco, the Speare of Launce of the Kingdome. So Cota maluco the Tower of the Kingdome, Imadmaluco the Throne of the Kingdome, &c. Niza∣maluco is also called Nizamoxa: which Xa, or Seha, is a Persian title (signifying u 1.20 as Monsiour in France, or Don in Spaine) and giuen by Ismael the Sophi, and Tamas his sonne, to all those Kings that would communicate in their Sect, which Nizamoxa onely yeelded to. Other of them made shew, but soone recanted. Thus farre Garcias.

The Religion in Cambaia is partly Moorish, partly Heathenish. Vertomannus x 1.21 is author, that they worship not Idols, or Pagodes. Others report, That this way, and o∣thers, they are exceeding religiously deuoted. They obserue a strict kind of y 1.22 fasting, which lasteth with some eight dayes, with others fifteene, twentie, or thirtie dayes: in all which space they cate not a bit; onely, when they thirst, drinke water. One could not see when to make an end of this his penance, till his left eye fell out of his head, as both had done before out of his heart. In Cambaia they had one Bramene in such reputation of holinesse and honour, that they would salute him before they medled with their worldly affaires. One affirmed to this Iesuite, That if his Bramene should commaund him to distribute all his goods to the poore, he would doe it, yea, he would lay downe his life at his commaund.

On the eight day of Ianuarie z 1.23 in that Citie, were giuen in almes twentie thousand Pardawes (which is in value about a Flemish Dollar;) one man had giuen fiue thou∣sand thereof, another three thousand, another fifteene hundred. The cause was, be∣cause that day (as their Bramenes affirmed) the Sunne departed from Sur to Horte. Of their Pilgrimages is spoken before; some Eastward to Ganges; some Westward to Mecca, to wit, the Moores; not men alone, but women also: and because Mahomet hath forbidden all vnmarried women this holy iourney, they will marrie before they set forth, and dissolue the same Marriage againe, after their returne. Hereby they thinke to purchase merit with GOD.

I went one day (sayth Pinnerus) to the publike Hospitall, which the Citizens of Cambaia had founded for all kindes of birds, to cure them in their sicknesse. Some Peacockes were there incurable, and therefore might haue beene expelled the Hospi∣tall. But (alacke for pitie of so rufull an accident) a Hawke had beene admitted thi∣ther for the cure of his lame legge, which being whole, he inhospitally slew many of these co-hospitall weaker Fowles, and was therefore expelled this Bird-Colledge by the Master thereof. For men they had not an Hospitall that were thus Hospitall to Fowles.

They haue certaine Religious persons, called Verteas a 1.24 , which liue in a Colledg•• together, and when I went to their house, they were about fiftie in number. They ware white Cloth, were bare-headed, and shauen; if that word might be applyed to them, who pull off their haire on their heads and faces, leauing only a little on their Crowne. They liue on almes, nor receiue they but the surplusage of the daily foode of him that giueth them. They are wiuelesse. The Orders of their Sect are written in a booke of the Guzarates writing. They drinke their water hote, not for Physicke, but deuotion, sup∣posing that the water hath a soule, which they should slay, if they dranke the same vnsodden. For the same cause they beare in their hands certaine little brushes, with which they sweepe the floore, before they sit downe, or walke, least they should kill the soule of some Worme, or other small Creature. I saw their Priour thus doing.

The Generall of this Order is said to haue an hundred thousand men vnder his ca∣nonicall obedience, and is newly chosen euery yeare. I saw amongst them little boyes, of eight or nine yeares old, resembling the countenances of Europe, rather then of In∣dia, by their parents consecrated to this Order. They had all in their mouth a cloath, foure fingers broad, let thorow both their eares in a hole, and brought backe againe thorow their eares. They would not shew me the cause; but I perceiued it was, lest some gnat or flie should enter thither, and so be slaine. They teach that the world was made many hundred thousand yeares agoe: and that GOD did then send three and twentie Apostles, and now hath sent the foure and twentieth in this third age, two thousand yeares since, from which time they haue had writing, which before they had not.

The same b 1.25 Author in another Epistle saith, That the most of the Inhabitants of Cambaia are Bramenes. They eat no flesh, nor kill any thing, yea they redeeme beasts and birds maimed or sicke, and carry them to their hospitals to be cured. In Guzza∣rat he had seene many Gioghi, a religious order of Monkes, which yeeld to none in pe∣nance and pouertie. They goe naked in cold weather: they sleepe on dung-hils vpon an heap of ashes, with which they couer their head and face. I saw the place where one of these Gioghi kept in the middest of the Citie Amadeba, to whom, in conceit of ho∣linesse, resorted more numbers of people, then to the shores of Lisbone, at the returne of the Indian Fleet. This Gioghi was sent for by the Prince Sultan Morad, son of the Mogor, and refused to come, c 1.26 bidding that the Prince should come to him: it is e∣nough that I am holy, or a Saint to this end. Whereupon, the Prince caused him to be apprehended, and (being soundly whipped) to be banished.

This people killeth not their kine, but nourisheth them as their mothers. I saw at Amadeba, when a cow was readie to die, they offered her fresh grasle, and draue the flies from her: and some of them gaue this attendance two or three daies after, till she was dead. A league and a halfe from this Citie, I saw a certaine Coemiterium or burying∣place, then which I had neuer seene a fairer sight, wherein had beene buried one Ca∣zis, the Master of a King of Guzarat, who had crected this Fabrike, and three other were buried in another Chappell. The whole worke and pauement was of Marble, containing three Iles: in one whereof, I told foure hundred and forty pillars, with their chapiters and bases of Corinthian worke, very royall and admirable. On one side was a lake, greater then the Rozzio at Lisbone; and that building was curiously framed with faire windowes, to looke into the lake.

Linschoten d 1.27 affirmeth the same things of their Pythagorean errour, and addeth that they sometimes buy fowles or other beasts of the Portugals, which meant to haue dressed them, and let them flee or runne away. In the high-wayes also and woods they set pots with water, and cast corne or other graine vpon the ground, to feed the birds and beasts. And (to omit their charitable Hospitalls before mentioned) if they take a flea or a louse, they will not kill it, but put it in some hole or corner in the wall, and so let it goe: and you can doe them no greater iniury, then to kill it in their pre∣sence, which with all entreatie they will resist, as being a hainous sinne, to take away the life of that, to which GOD hath imparted both soule and bodie; and where words will not preuaile, they will offer money. They eat no Radishes, Onyons, Garlike, or any kinde of herbe, that hath red colour in it, nor egges, for they thinke there is bloud in them, They drinke not wine, nor vse vineger, but only water. They would rather starue, then eat with any, but their countrey-men: as it happened when I sailed from Goa to Cochin with them in a Portugall shippe, when they had spent all their store, the time falling out longer then they made account of; they would not once touch our meat. They wash themselues euery time they eate, or ease themselues, or make water. Vnder their haire they haue a starre vpon their foreheads, which they rub eue∣ry morning with a little white sanders tempered with water, and three or foure grains of Rice among it, which the Bramenes also doe as a superstitious ceremony of their law. They sit on the ground in their houses, vpon mattes or carpets, and so they eate, leauing their staues (which are piked and hooked) at the doore: for which cause the

heeles of their shooes are seldome pulled vp, to saue labour of vndoing them.

The Moores e 1.28 amongst them will sometimes abuse the superstition of these Cam∣bayans to their owne couetousnesse, bringing some Worme, Rat, or Sparrow, and threatning to kill the same, so to prouoke them to redeeme the life thereof at some high price. And likewise if a malefactor be condemned to death, they will purchase his life of the Magistrate, and sell him for a slaue. The Moores will sometimes make semblance, as if they would kill themselues, that these foolish Guzzarates may see them in like sort. They will goe out of the path, if they light on an Ant-hill, lest they might happily treade on some of them: they suppe by day-light, lest their candle∣light should occasion the death of some gnat or flie. And when they must needs vse a candle, they keepe it in a lanthorne for that cause. If lice doe much annoy them, they call to them certaine religious and holy men, after their account: and these Ob∣seruants f 1.29 will take vpon them all those lice which the other can finde, and put them on their head, there to nourish them. But yet for all this lousie scruple, they sticke not at cousinage by false weights, measures and coyne, nor at vsury and lies.

Some are said g 1.30 to bee zealous in their Idoll-seruice; as to sacrifice their liues in their honor, by a diuine cutting off their heads: the Priest meane-while muttering his damned holinesse, for which they are accounted Saints.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Maginus.
• b 1.2

  Mass.l.4.
• c 1.3

  Ioseph. Ind. Linsch.l.1.c.27.
• d 1.4

  L. Vertom.••.4.
• e 1.5

  ••d. Barbosa.
• f 1.6

  Cael Rhod. l.11 c.13.
• g 1.7

  Moff. l.11.
• h 1.8

  Rel.reg Mog.
• i 1.9

  Cicer. Offic.
• k 1.10

  Maff. Hist. Ind.l.11.
• l 1.11

  This same man appeared before Solyman the Turkish General, at the siege of Diu. Viag.divn Co∣mite Venetian••.
• m 1.12

  Dam. a Goes, op. Di. •••••• bell, Camb.
• n 1.13

  Linschot.
• o 1.14

  Od. Barbosa.
• p 1.15

  Gotardus Ar∣thus Hist. India Orient.c.23.
• q 1.16

  Gar••, ab Horte Hist. Plant.l.a.c.28.
• r 1.17

  Xaholam, i. Lord of the world.
• s 1.18

  Daquem.
• t 1.19

  Ios.Scal.de Emend.temp.l.7.
• u 1.20

  Ios.Scal.Can.Isag.l.3.
• x 1.21

  L.Veri.l.4.
• y 1.22

  ••man. Pinner.
• z 1.23

  An. Do.1595.
• a 1.24

  The Religi∣ous in Cam∣baia.
• b 1.25

  Em. Pinner.
• c 1.26

  One ficritus re∣porteth the like of the Gymnoso∣phists.
• d 1.27

  Linsch.c.37. Andrea Corsali.
• e 1.28

  Od. Barbosa.
• f 1.29

  The like low∣sie tricke is re∣ported in the Legend of S. Francis, and in the life of Igna∣tius, of one of the first Iesui∣ticall pillars, by Maffaeus.
• g 1.30

  N.di Cont.