The history of all religions in the world, from the creation down to this present time in two parts : the first containing their theory, and the other relating to their practices ... : to which is added, a table of heresies : as also a geographical map, shewing in what countrey each religion is practised ... / by William Turner ...

Chastity.

Jews.

FOrnication, Adultery, Drunkenness, Gluttony, Pride of Apparel, &c. are so far from being in request amongst the Jews (in Barbary) that

they are scandaliz'd at the frequent Practice of these Sins in Christians. Dr. Addison.

Christians.

The Chastity of the Primitive Christians ap∣peared in these particulars,

1. They would not Marry. Justin Martyr saith, There were many Christians in his time, who for Sixty or Seventy years kept themselves uncorrupt.

'Tis very easie to find many amongst us, both Men and Women, who remain unmarried even in old Age. Athenag. leg. pro Christian.

Yet this without the Obligation of an Oath of perpetual Virginity.

2. When they did Marry,—it is for no other end, but the bringing forth and bringing up of Children,—As Husbandmen Till the Ground with respect to the Crop at Harvest. Just. Mart.

3. They seldom married twice. Chrysostom's Mother at forty years old had lived twenty years a Widow.

Tertullian, Cyprian, Hierom, Athenagoras, &c. did inveigh bitterly against second Marriages, as little better than Adultery.

The ancient Canons (as Zonaras tells, in Can. 7. Conc. Neocesar.) suspended such as married twice from the Communion a whole year.

The Council of Laodicea requires, That they should spend at least some small time in Penance, in Fasting and Prayer, before they be received to the Communion.

The Canons of the Apostles appoint, That who∣ever after Baptism engaged in second Marriages, is rendred uncapable of any Degree in the Ministry. Can. 17.

• Note, Digamy is 1. Two Wives at once.
• Note, Digamy is 2. One after the Death of ano∣ther.
• Note, Digamy is 3. One after Divorce. Of this some understand the Canons.

• Note, Digamy is 4. They shunned all Occasions, &c.

1. Going to Feasts, &c. Cyprian severaly chides with some Virgins for being present at Weddings, where they laughed freely, could not but hear loose Discourses, see uncomly Carriages, feed upon Luxurious Dishes, all which must needs, not only kindle, but add Fewel to the Fire. De Discipl. & had. Virg.

Constantine made a Law, That Matrons should not be forced on the account of Debt to appear at publick Tribunals. Cod. Theod. l. 1. Tit. 10. l. 1.

St. Hierom doth as much commend some whom he knew, who always kept at home on Festival∣days, to avoid the Crowd and Gazes of the People. De Virg.

The Council of Laodicea forbids all Christian Men using the same common Baths with Women. Can. 30.

Photius saith, Justinian the Emperor made it a sufficient cause of Divorce, and loss of Dowry, for a Woman to Feast or Bathe in the Company of Men, without her Husband's leave.

Cyprian would not have Ecclesiastick Persons, and professed Virgins, sleep near one another, nor dwell together in the same House: He commends Pomponius for suspending the Deacon and others for such Familiarity, and ordered, That they should not be absolved till after a sufficient Re∣pentance, &c.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, were Women brought in as Do∣mestick Assistants to Ecclesiastick Persons; espe∣cially such as were sent up and down to preach the Gospel:—Neither Wife, nor Concubine, but Attenders.

The Council of Antioch (A. 272.) under Aure∣lian Emperor, condemns Paulus Samosatenus, with his Presbyters and Deacons, for keeping these in∣troduced Women, with horrible Inconveniencies, Suspicion and Scandal.

St. Basil writes to a Presbyter seventy years old, to abstain from the Company of a Woman he used to dwell with, to avoid Scandal.

The Council of Nice forbids the same, and uni∣versally the whole Clergy to have any Woman near them, unless Mother, Sister, Aunt, or such of whom there could be no Suspicion. Can. 3.

Honorius Emperor, prohibits by a Law any Clergy-man whatsoever to keep company with these (Extraneae) strange Women, limiting their Converse and Cohabitation within the very same Relations, as the Nicene Canon. Cod. Theod. l. 16.

Bishops were to be deposed, that entertain or cohabit with any Woman whatsoever, Relation or Stranger. Synops. Basil. l. tit. 1. c. 41.

St. Augustine would not cohabit with his own Sister. Textor.

Domestick Marriage not openly made in the face of the Church, were accounted no better than a State of Adultery and Fornication. Tertull. de pudic. c. 4.

Their Ears they stopt against all loose and idle Songs, filthy and obscene Discourses; their Eyes they shut against all uncomely Objects, wanton Pictures. Clem. Al.

Gorgonia, when she lay under an acute and most dangerous Distemper, yet resused to have any Physi∣cian come near her, as blushing that any Man should see or touch her. Nazianz.

2. Dancing and Musick.

The Fathers generally inveighed very bitterly against them.

None may Dance but the Daughter of an Adul∣teress; but she who is Chast, let her learn her Daughters Prayers, not Dances. Ambros.

What Modesty can there be, where the Dancers shrick and make a noise together? Idem.

Where the Timbrels sound, the Pipes make a noise; the Harp chatters, the Cymbals strike to∣gether, what fear of God can there be? Hierom. in libr. contr. Helvid.

Where wanton Dancing is, there the Devil is cer∣tainly present: for God hath not given us our Legs to dance, but that we should walk modestly, not skip like Camels; but if the Body be polluted by dancing impudently, how much more may the Soul be thought to be defiled? The Devil danceth in these Dances. Chrysost. Hom. 49. in Mat.

Men and Women together entering into com∣mon Dances, having delivered their Souls to the drunken Devil, wound one another with the pricks of unchast Affections: Profuse Laughter is pra∣ctis'd, and filthy Songs, meretricious habits invi∣ting unto Petulancy are there used. Laughest thou and delightest thou thy self with an arrogant De∣light; when as thou oughtest to pour out Tears and Sighs for what is past? Singest thou whorish Songs, casting away the Psalms and Hymns thou hast learned? Dost thou stir thy Feet, and caper furiously, and dance unhappily, when as thou oughtest to bend thy Knees to Prayer? Basil, in Orat. contr. Ebr.

Tzegedin cites several other Testimonies of S. Augustine, &c. and Councils and Canons against it. De Choreis.

5. They rather chose to suffer Torments and Death, than the violation of their Chastity.

Domnina, and her two Daughters, Bernice and Prosdoce, whom Chrysostom commends, who being eminent for Beauty and Vertue, were sought for as a Prey to Lust, under the Diocle sian Persecu∣tion, desired of the Souldiers leave to step out of the Road for some private occasion, which gran∣ted, they went and threw themselves into a River. Chrysost. Hom. 51. de S. Dom. Bern. &c. Prosd.

Eusebius tells of the Wife of the Praefect or Go∣vernour of Rome, a Christian, sent for by Maxen∣tius, who was passionately enflamed with the love

of her; the Officers broke into the House, to the terrour of her Husband: She begged only so much time, as that she might a little dress and adorn her self; so she retired into the Chamber, caught up a Sword, and by a fatal stroke left nothing for the Messengers but a dismal Spectacle.

Origen chose rather to commit Idolatry, than Fornication; though that too was his Enemy's Act rather than his own; they hailing him up to the Altar, and thrusting the Frankincense into his hand. Dr. Cave.

6. They accounted Uncleanness an heinous sin; and amongst all the sins that were punished sharp∣ly in the Ancient Church, Adultery was one of the chief.

Marcion being found guilty of lying with a Virgin, and therefore thrown out of the Church, betook himself to one Cerdon, a Master-Heretick, and espoused his Doctrines.

The Punishment for Adultery was perpetual Pe∣nance all a Man's Life, and scarce admission to Communion at the Hour of Death; 'till Pope Ze∣phyrianus, A. C. 216. ordered the Penance for a shorter space of time; which offended the Afric Churches; Tertullian inveighs bitterly against it, as a thing unfit in it self, and an Innovation in the Church.

The Council of Ancyra, A. 315. set Adultery at 7 Years Penance. Can. 20.

The Council of Illiberis decreed, for the second Fault, perpetual penance, not to be absolved at Death.

S. Basil, in his Rules of Discipline for Amphi∣lochius, sets Fornication at 7 Years Penance, Adul∣tery at 15.

His Brother, Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, sets For∣nication at 9 Years Penance, Adultery, and all o∣ther kinds of Uncleanness at 18, yet giving liber∣ty to Spiritual Guides to contract, &c.

Justin M. gives an instance of a Woman, that had lived lewdly with her Husband, but Repen∣ting,

and Reforming, became strictly chaste and sober, and would have persuaded her Husband to do the like; but he obstinately refusing, it begat a quarrel, and that quarrel at last became the Mat∣ter of publick cognisance; and was an occasion for Justin Martyr to write that excellent Apology for the Christians. Apol. p. 41.

Theodosius, provided by a Law, That no Wo∣man should marry within a Year, at least, after her Husband's death, and ratified it by a double Penalty, Note of Infamy, and loss of Dowry, and whatever her Husband had bequeath'd to her.

Muscovites.

The postures of the Muscovites in Dancing, and the insolence of their Women, are infallible marks of their bad inclinations. We have seen at Moscou, both Men and Women, come out of the publick Brothel-Houses, stark naked, and incite some young People of our Retinue to naughtiness, by their fil∣thy and lascivious expressions. D. of H. Ambass. Trav. p. 60.

Yet Adultery is look'd upon as a Sin unpardon∣able. A Polander turning Greek, to marry a Mus∣covite Beauty, being forced to take a Journey into Poland, his Lady, in his absence, made a shift to be otherwise supplied, and had a Child; but fear∣ing her Husband's displeasure, retired into a Mona∣stery, and was shaved. Her Husband would fain have got her out again, and pardon'd the offence, but it would not be permitted; it being, accord∣ing to their Theology, a Sin against the Holy Ghost, not to be pardon'd in this, nor the other World. Ibid.

Mahometans.

The Law of Mahomet allows four Wives to any, and as many Concubines as they please: The Great Mogul is said to have four Wives, and a thousand Concubines; yet had but six Children: yet the Mahometan-Priests, and some others, con∣tent themselves with one.

Sultan Coob-Surroo, one of the Mogul's Sons, a Prince of a lovely Presence, had but one, which accompanied him in all his straits; for in his younger Years he had been tempted to Rebellion. Anon.

The Turks, in their Bagnio's, separate Men from Women.

The strict Votaries of that Religion marry not at all. 'Tis observed, those Mahometans who have most Concubines and Wives, are most jealous; and will not suffer their Wive's Brothers, or Fathers to come to them, except in their presence.

Honest Women, of reputed Chastity, will not at any time be seen, but by their Husbands: but if they are found Incontinent, their own Brother's Hands shall be first against them, to take away their Lives, rather than they shall not be punish∣ed.

In Indolstan is, notwithstanding, a free Tolerati∣on for Whores; who are inrolled, before they can have liberty to keep such a House. Some of them appear before the Mogul, singing wanton Songs, playing on Timbrals, &c.

Heathens.

The Hindoes take but one Wife, and are not jea∣lous as the Mahometans, who have many; suffer∣ing their Wives to go whither they please. Their Widows cut their Hair, and live as Creatures, neg∣lected

by themselves and others; some are am∣bitious to dye with honour in their Husband's Fu∣neral pile, and she that is thus resolved, never starts back, but goes singing to her Death; and al∣tho' not bound, yet never offers to stir out of the Flames.

The Persees in Indostan have but one Wife, who likewise is permitted to go abroad.

The Mogul one day found one of his Eunuchs kissing one of his Women,—Put her in a hole in the Ground up to her Head; there she died in tor∣ment, parch'd with the Sun, after she had lain a Day and a Night, crying out,—Ah! my Head, &c. The Eunuch, in the same place, in her sight, was cut in pieces.

The Women of Deyly are handsome, and the Gentiles very chaste; insomuch, that if the Maho∣metan Women did not by their wantonness disho∣nour the rest, the Chastity of the Indians might be proposed as an Example to the Women of the East. M. de Thevenot,—Trav. l. 3. c. 25.

The Persian Women, when they go abroad, veil their Faces. Sir Th. Herb.

The Persees severely punish Adultery and For∣nication. Mandelslo's Travels.

Haron Wathic Billak, a Turkish Chalif, kill'd himself with immoderate Venery. Hottinger.

Armenians.

One Mariage, a Deputy from the King, and French Company, for Trade with Persia, at Zul∣pha, by the means of an old Woman, Mother of one of his Lacqueys, having debauch'd an Arme∣nian Girl, whom he kept privately to himself; so soon as it was noised abroad, all the Armenians were scandaliz'd at it, and sent to seize the Bawd, to punish her, by their Laws, as she deserv'd. Ma∣riage fled out of his Lodgings to her Assistance;— but seeing the People in an Uproar, and finding the Stones to fly too thick about his Ears, he was forc'd

to seek his own safety; was threatened by the Ar∣menians to be complained of to the King of France, and ever after lookt upon with Scorn and Con∣tempt. Tavernier's Collection of several Relati∣ons, &c. p. 36.

Japonites.

In Japon, Adultery is only punished in the Wo∣men; Deflouring and Ravishing of Virgins in the Persons of the Criminals, and the next of Kin too. Idem. p. 4.

Here the Women live retir'd, and are very faith∣ful to their Husbands. Ibid. p. 4.

The Emperor having put to death one of the Lords of his Court, out of hopes to enjoy his Wife; she fearing Violence, besought the Empe∣ror to give her time to consider, which was granted for some few days; at the end whereof she shut her self up in a Room with her Children, and af∣ter she had delivered a Paper to one of her Servants, to carry to the Emperor, she set the Chamber on fire, and burnt both her self and her Children. The Emperor met with nothing else in the Paper but Reproaches of his Tyranny, and Attestations of Joy from the Lady, that she had the opportunity to sa∣crifice her self to the memory of her Husband. Ibid.

Lutherans.

At Bern, the third Adultery is punished with Death, which is also the punishment of the fifth Act of Fornication; of which, I saw an instance while I was at Bern: for a Woman, who confessed her self guilty of many Whoredoms, and designed to be reveng'd on some Men, that did not furnish her liberally with Money, was upon that account condemned and executed: the manner was solemn; for the Advoyer comes into an open Bench, in

the middle of the Street, and for the satisfaction of the People, the whole Process was read, and sentence was pronounced in the hearing of all: the Counsellors, both of the great and lesser Coun∣cil, standing about the Advoyer, who after Sentence took the Criminal gently by the Hand, and prayed for her Soul; and after Execution, there was a Sermon for the instruction of the People. Dr. Burnet's Letters.

Papists in Florence.

I was much scandalized to see Statues with Nu∣dities here, which I do not remember to have seen any where else in Churches. Dr. Burnet's Letters.

Bengal.

In Bengal, Adultery is punished, by cutting the Nose, yet is very common. Pacquet broke open, Vol. 2.

Siam.

'Tis burning alive for the Clergy in Siam to have to do with Women; but those that cannot contain, may quit the Priesthood, and be absolved from their Vow of Chastity.—There are also Nunneries of old Religious Women, situate near the Temple, that they may be present at the Offices and Pray∣ers there. Ibid.

Patana.

The Mahometans in Patana judge Fornication no Sin, but Adultery is capital; yet the Delinquent may chuse the manner of Death, and a near Relati∣on must be Executioner. Ibid

Moluques.

Polygamy among the Moluques, is lawful, and Adultery unpunished. Ibid.

Japanese.

The Ecclesiasticks in Japan make a vow of Cha∣stity so strictly to be observed, that the least breach of it is punished with the most cruel Death imaginable, fixing them in the Earth, up to the middle in a Road, and all the vulgar Passengers are to strike him in the Neck with a wooden Saw, which makes him three or four Days expiring: —But think them not Chaste for all this, for they are allowed the use of Men and Boys. Ibid.

Yet one Sect of the Ecclesiastics are allowed to marry. Ibid.

Fermosa.

Adultery, Theft and Murder, here are accounted no Crimes; the only Sins being their covering their secret Parts at set-times; to wear Silk, when they should wear Cotton; not to have destroyed Chil∣dren in their Mothers Womb, who cannot lawful∣ly bear a Child at 30, or 35 Years of age, Ibid.

Chinese.

In China, Polygamy is lawful. Ibid.

Candin.

In Candin they prostitute their Wives, Sisters and Daughters to Strangers, in honour of their Idols. Ibid.

Circassia.

They seem to adore a Goats-Skin, which at the Funeral of the Chief Lords of each Village, is set up at its entrance. The Privities they cut off, and cast against the Wall, and if they stick there, they worship them. Ibid.

Madagascar, &c.

In Madagascar, the Lower-Ethiopia, &c. they allow Polygamy. Ibid.

Mexico.

Some of the Priests in Mexico, to preserve their Chastity, slit their Members in the midst, and do an hundred things to make themselves Impotent, lest they should offend their Gods. Purchas.

Paria.

In Paria each Man is allowed as many Wives as he lists, at least, as he can maintain, tho they ne∣ver have the Maiden-heads of any; Prostituting them the first Night to the Piaco's (Priests) or to their appointment, who for small matters turn over that drudgery to Strangers: Nor do they at any time think their Guests welcome, unless they will do the Office of Men to their Wives, Sisters, &c. S. Clark.