A Voyage to East India, Account of voyage · Section 9
SECTION IX.
Of their buildings in Villages, Townes, and Cities. How their Houſes are furniſhed. Of their Sarraes or houſes for the entertainment of Paſſengers. Of their Tents, Wells, and of their places of pleaſure, &c.
I Obſerved before the Richneſs of their Soyl, and how thoſe Provinces are watered by many goodly Rivers, fed with abundance of Springs and how their fields are clothed with very much plenty of Corn of divers kind, ſold there at ſuch low rates that every one may there eat bread without ſcarceneſs.
Now I come to take notice of their buildings; and here I muſt tell my Reader, that this people are not much taken or infected with that plague of building (as the Italians call it) wiſhing the love of it as a Curſe to poſſes the thoughts of them they moſt hate; and therefore, as the ſtones in India are not all precious, ſo the houſes there are not at all Palaces; the poor there cannot erect for their dwellings fair Piles, and the Grandees do not cover their heads under ſuch curious Roofs, as many of the Europeans doe; the reaſon, firſt, becauſe all the great men there live a great part of the year, (in which their Moneths are more temperate, as from the middle of September, to the middeſt of April) in Tents, Pavilions, or moveable habitations, which, according to their Fancyes, they remoove from place to place, changing their air as often as they pleaſe. And ſecondly, becauſe all the great men there have their Penſions and whole ſubſiſtence from the King, which they hold upon very fickle and uncertain tearmes; for as they are ſetled upon, and continued unto them by the Kings favour, ſo are they forfeited and loſt by his frown. Of which more afterward.
Yet though they make not much uſe of them, they have in plenty, excellent good materials for building, as Timber, Bricks, ſtone and marble of divers kinds and colours, of which I have ſeen ſome very good Vaults and Arches, well wrought, as in their Moſquits or Churches, ſo in ſome of their high erected Tombos, (of which more afterward) and ſo in ſome other places likewiſe.
For their buildings in Cities and Towns, there are ſome of them handſome, others fair, ſuch as are inhabited by Merchants, and none of them very deſpicable.
They build their houſes low, not above two ſtories, and many of their topps flat, and thick, which keep off the violence of the heat, and thoſe flat topps ſupported with ſtrong Timber, and coated over with a plaſter (like that we call plaſter of Paris) keep them dry in the times of the Raines.
Thoſe broad …araſes, or flat Roofs, ſome of them loftie, are places where many people may ſtand (and ſo they often doe) early in the morning, and in the evening late, like Camelions, to draw, and drink in freſh ayr; and they are made after this faſhion, for proſpect, as well as pleaſure.
After this manner (as it appeares in the ſacred ſtorie) the Jewes were wont to build, for David from the Roof of his houſe, 2 Sam. 11. 2. eſpies an object, &c. ſuch a one, as if God had not been very mercifull, was ſufficient to have undone him for ever, as they write of the Baſilisk, that it kills by ſight.
By the way, let me here further adde, that Davids eyes thus wandred to fetch home a temptation, immediatly after he had riſen from the bed of idlleneſs and eaſe; for while he was imployed in buſineſs, he was innocent and ſafe. The induſtrious have not ſuch leiſure to ſin, as the idle have, who have neither leiſure, nor power to avoid it. Exerciſe, as it is wholeſome for the body, even ſo for the ſoul. The remiſſion whereof breeds diſeaſes in both.
David from the roof of his houſe ſees Bathſheba, when probably ſhe ſaw not him; luſt is quick-ſighted. David had no ſooner ſeen that object, but his eyes preſently betray, and recoyl upon his Heart, ſmiting it with ſinfull deſires, which made him to covet her; and preſently to ſend for her, that he might enjoy her.
That which David here did, (and afterward grievouſly repents for ſo doing,) ſhall one day be the wofull ſong of many a wretched ſoul; as the Laſcivious mans ſong; the Covetous mans ſong, the ſong of Theeves, Idolaters, Gluttons, Drunkards, as of others. I ſaw, I coveted, I took, for all theſe receive their death, by their eye.
There Bathſheba was waſhing herſelf from her uncleaneſs, and preſently after in an Adulterous bed, became more unclean than ever ſhe was before; never was Bathſheba more foul than when ſhe was newly waſhed, the worſt of nature being cleanlineſs to the beſt of Sin. But I proceed.
Thoſe houſes of two ſtories, have many of them very large upper roomes, which have many double doores in the ſides of them, like thoſe in our Balconies, to open and let in freſh air, which is likewiſe conveyed in unto them, by many leſſer lights made in the walls of thoſe roomes, which are always free and open; The uſe of glaſs windows, or any other ſhuttings, being not known there, nor in any other very hot Countreyes.
Neither have they any Chimneyes in their buildings, becauſe they never make any uſe of fire but to dreſs their food, which fire they make againſt ſome firm wall, or without their Tents againſt ſome bank of Earth, as remo…e as may be from the places where they uſe to keep, that they may receive no annoyance from the heat thereof.
It is their manner in many places, to plant about, and amongſt their buildings, trees which grow high and broad, the ſhadow whereof keeps their houſes by far more cool; this I obſerved in a ſpecial manner when we were ready to enter Amadavar, for it appeared to us, as if we had been entring a Wood, rather than a City. That Amadavar is a very large and populous City, entred by many fair Gates girt about with an high and thick Wall of Brick, which mounts above the topps of their houſes, without which wall there are no ſuburbs. Moſt of the houſes within the City are of Brick, and very many of them ridged & covered with tiles.
But for their houſes in their Aldeas, or Villages, which ſtand very thick in that Country, they are generally very poor and baſe. All thoſe Countrey dwellings are ſet up cloſe together, for I never obſerved any houſe there to ſtand ſingle, and alone. Some of their houſes in thoſe villages are made with earthen walls, mingled with ſtraw, ſet up immediatly after their Raines, and having a long ſeaſon after to dry them throughly, ſtand firm, and ſo continue; they are built low, and many of them flat: but for the generality of thoſe Countrey Villages, the Cottages in them are miſerably poor, little, and baſe; ſo that as they are built with a very little charge, ſet up with ſticks rather than Timber, (if they chance to fire, as many times they do) for a very little they may be reedified.
Thoſe who inhabit the Countrey Villages, are called Coolees, theſe till the ground, and breed up Cattel, and other things for proviſion, as Henns &c. Theſe they who plant the Sugar, the Cotten-wooll, and Indico &c.—for their Trades and manifactures they are kept in Cities and Towns, about which are their choiceſt fruits planted. In their Cities and Towns, without their dwellings, but fix't to them, are pendhouſes where they ſhew and ſell their proviſions, as bread, and flower-Cakes made up with Sugar, and fruits, and other things, and there they ſhew their manifactures, and other Commodities, ſome of which they carry twice every day to ſell in the Bazar or Market.
I ſaw two houſes of the Mogols, one at Mandoa, the other at Amadaver, which appeared large and ſtately, built of excellent ſtone well ſquared and put together, each of them taking up a large compaſs of ground, but we could never ſee how they were contrived, within becauſe there▪ are none admitted, ſtrangers or others, to have a ſight of thoſe houſes, while the Kings wives and women are there, which muſt not be ſeen by any but by himſelf, and his ſervants the Eunuchs.
The Mogols Palace Royal is at Agra his Metropolis (of which more afterward) but for the preſent I ſhall take a little notice of a very curious Gro… I ſaw belonging to his houſe at Mandoa, which ſtood a ſmall diſtance from it, for the building of which there was a way made into a firm Rock, which ſhewed it ſelf on the ſide of an Hill, Canopied over with part of that Rock. It was a place that had much beauty in it by reaſon of the Curious work-manſhip beſtowed on it; and much pleaſure by reaſon of its cooleneſs.
That City Mandoa I ſpeak of, is ſituated upon a very high mountain, the to whereof is flat, and plain, and ſpecious. From all parts that lye about it but one, the aſcent is very high, and ſteep; and the way to us ſeemed exceeding long, for we were two whole dayes Climbing up the Hill, with our Cariages, vvhichwhich vve got up vvith very much difficulty; not far from the bottom of vvhichwhich Hill, vve lodged at a great tovvn called Achabar-pore, vvhere vve ferried over a broad River (as vve did in other places) for I obſerved no bridges made there, over any of their Rivers vvhere their high-vvayes lye. That Hill on vvhichwhich Mandoa ſtands, is ſtuckround (as it vvere) vvith fair trees, that keep their diſtance ſo one from and belovv the other, that there is much delight in beholding them either from the bottom or top of that Hill.
In thoſe vaſt and far extended woods, there are Lions, Tygres, and other beaſts of Prey, and many wild Elephants. We lay one night in that wood with our Carriages, and thoſe Lions came about us diſcovering themſelves by their Roaring, but we keeping a very good fire all night, they came not neer enough to hurt either our ſelves, or cattel; thoſe Cruel Beaſts are night-walkers, for in the day they appear not.
After (when through Gods moſt gracious aſſiſtance) we had overcome thoſe difficulties, and dange…s, we came into a plain and even Countrey in which travelling a few dayes more we firſt met with my Lord Ambaſſador marching towards Mandoa with that great King, with whom I then ſetled, and continued with him, till he was returned home.
We were in our journey to the Court from the beginning of January …ill the end of March, we reſting a while at Brampore, which is a very ſpacious and populous City, where we had a Factorie. And after that, we were violently deteined in our journey by Sultan Caroon the Prince, vvhom vve met in his march tovvards Brampore, & a very marvelous great retinue with him. The reaſon why he interrupted us in our courſe was, that he might ſee the preſents we had for his Father the King; but we having command from the Ambaſſador to tell him, that we durſt not open them, till we came to the King, we moſt humbly craved his pardon to ſpare us in that; ſo preſenting him with a pair of Rich Gloves (though they be things they wear not in thoſe hot Countryes) and a rich embrodered bag for perfume (which amongſt many other things of the like kinde were brought from England to be given away for preſents, after that he had carried us back three dayes journey, he let us go, taking further order for our ſafe Convoy.
And now Reader, thou mayſt ſuppoſe us almoſt ſetled in Mandoa, the place then of the Mogols reſidence, not much inhabited before we came thither, having more ruines by far about it, than ſtanding houſes. But amongſt the Piles of building that had held up their heads above Ruin, there were not a few unfrequented Moſquits or Mahometan Churches; yet I obſerved, that though the people who attended the King there, were marvailouſly ſtreightned for room, wherein they might diſpoſe of very great numbers of moſt excellent horſes, which were now at that place, they would not make ſtables of any of thoſe Churches, though before that time, they had been forſaken, and out of uſe.
One of thoſe deſerted Moſquites, with ſome large Tomb neer it, both vaulted over head (which ſhall be after deſcribed) were the beſt places there to be gotten for my Lord Ambaſſadour and his Company to lodge and be in, we carrying our bedding, and all things appertayning thereto, all neceſſaries belonging to our Kitchin, and every thing beſide for bodily uſe, from place to place, as we occaſionally remooved. Here we ſtayed with the Mogol from the middle of April, till the twentieth of September following and then began our progreſs with him, towards the City Amadavar.
Our abiding place at Mandoa, was very neer one of the ſides of that vaſt wilderneſs, out of which, ſome of thoſe wild beaſts ofttimes in the night came about our habitation, and ſeldom returned back without a Sheep or a Goate, or a Kid, ſome of which we always kept about us for our proviſion. And it was a wonderfull great mercy, thoſe furious, and ravening, and and hungerbit Creatures, did not make their prey ſometimes, in the dark and ſilent nights, while we were ſleeping, on ſome of our bodyes, the fore-part of our dwelling ſtanding upon pillars, and there was nothing in thoſe open diſtances, that had any ſtrength in it to keep them from us.
One night, early in the evening, there was a great Lion which we ſaw, came into our yard, though our yard was compaſſed about with a ſtone-wall, that was not low.) And my Lord Ambaſſadour having a little white neat ſhock, that ran out barking at him, the Lion prefently ſnapt him up, leapt again over the wall, and away he went.
But for a ravening and roaring Lion, as I believe that he cannot be made tame when he is old; yet certainly he may be bred tame, being kept full, and high fed. For the Mogol, at my being there, had a very great Lion (I often ſaw) which went up and down, amongſt the people that frequented his Court, gently as a dog, and never did hurt only he had ſome Keepers which did continually wayt upon him.
For thoſe wild and Cruell Beaſts, one of our Engliſh-men watching in a tree by night; (that ſtood not far from our dwelling) with a fire-lock charged with ſome ſmall bullets, ſhot a Tygre, and kill'd him ſtone▪ dead, as he was comming towards us. It was a large Beaſt, higher than an Iriſh-Greyhound, with Grizled hayr, a long head, and ſharp and ſhort picked eares, having a mouth filled with cruell teeth; after which (we uſually keeping a little fire without our houſe every night) were not ſo much troubled with thoſe night-walkers.
Now to return to that from which I am occaſionally digreſſed. I told you before what their buildings are. And now for the furniture that the greateſt men have in them, it is Curta ſupellex, very little; they being not beautified with hangings, nor with any thing beſides to line their walls, but where they are beſt adorned, they are kept very white, and ſet off with a little neat painting and nothing elſe; for they have no Chaires, nor ſtooles, nor couches, nor tables, nor bedds, encloſed with Canopies, or Curtains, in any of their rooms. And the truth is, that if they had them, the extreme heat there would forbid the uſe of many of them; all their bravery is upon their ſloores, all which are made even with fine earth, or plaſter, on which they ſpead their moſt excellent Carpets in their Tents, as well as in their dwelling houſes, laying ſome Coarſe thing under to preſerve them; on which they ſit as …aylors on their ſhop-boards, when they meet together, putting off their ſhooes (which they uſually wear as ſlippers and their feet bare in them) when they come to tred upon thoſe ſoft Pavements, and keeping them off till they remoove thence, this helps to keep cool their feet, and is very pleaſant in thoſe hot Countreyes. On thoſe Carpets they ſleep in the night time, or elſe upon an hard quilt, or lying upon a ſlight and low bed-ſtead they call a Cot, bottomed with broad girt-web made of Cotten-Wool. But where ever they lye, they ſtretch themſelves out at their full length when they go to ſleep, uſually upon their backs, without any pillow, or bolſter, to raiſe up their heads. Very many of the meaner ſort of people (as I have often obſerved) lye thus ſtretched out to take their reſt upon the ground, in the dry ſeaſon of the year, with a white Callico Cloth ſpread all over them, which makes them to appear like ſo many dead corps layd forth for burial. This lying ſo even, and at length with their bodyes thus extended, may be one reaſon why the people there are all ſo ſtreight lim'd, having none crooked amongſt them, and another, becauſe they never girt, nor lace in their bodies (as before was obſerved). Some of thoſe ſlight bedſteads, they call Cotts, in their ſtanding houſes hang by rops, a little above ground, which are faſtned to the four corners thereof; moved gently up and down, by their ſervants, to lull them aſleep
They have no Inns in thoſe parts for the entertainment of ſtrangers, but in ſome great Townes large Houſes they call Sarraas very ſubſtantially built, with brick, or ſtone, where any paſſengers may find houſe-room and uſe it without any recompence; but there is nothing to be had beſide room, all other things they muſt provide and bring with them, as when they lodge in Tents.
Amongſt their buildings I muſt take ſpecial notice of their Wells and Tankes, upon both which in very many places they beſtow exceeding much coſt in ſtone-work; for their Wells which are fed with Springs, they make them round, but very wide and large. They are wrought up with firm ſtones layd in fine Plaſter; they uſually cover thoſe Wells with a building over head, and with Oxen draw water out of them, which riſeth up in many ſmall Buckets, whereof ſome are alwayes going down, others continually comming up, and emptying themſelves, in troughs, or little rills, made to receive, and Convey the water whither they pleaſe.
Their Tanks are made in low places, and many of them very deep and large, one mile, and ſome of them much more in compaſs, made round or four ſquare, or in more ſquares, about which there is a low ſtone-wall, that hath many doors in it, and within that wall ſteps, made one below the other round about it, that go down to the bottom thereof, (which is paved likewiſe) thoſe ſteps are made of well ſquared laſting ſtone, layd firm, and even in very good order, for people that have not plenty of water otherwiſe, to go down and take it. Theſe great receptacles of water, are made neer places that are very populous, fill'd when that long ſeaſon of rain (before ſpoken of) comes, immediatly before which time, they clenſe them, that the water may be more cleer, and wholſom. They hold water all the dry ſeaſon of the year.
For their places of pleaſure, they are in their Groves, where their curious fruit-trees (before deſcribed) grow; but eſpecially in their Gardens, wherein they plant little vineyards that afford marvailous fair & ſweet Grapes, which they cut green, for their eating, or make Reiſons of them. But for Wine, they make none, becauſe their Mahomet forbids the drinking thereof. In thoſe Gardens likewiſe, they have many Pome-Granat-trees, with all other of the choyſeſt fruits and flowers their Countrey affords; to which nature daily yields ſuch a ſupply, as that there is beauty to be ſeen in thoſe trees, and plants, and that continually. In the middle of thoſe Gardens, they have ſuch Wells (as before are deſcribed) the topps whereof ſtand a good deal higher than the planted ground, which lyes even, and flat below them, from whence water is conveyed in narrow open paſſages, (they knowing not the uſe of leaden Pipes) to all the parts of them in the dry ſeaſon of the year. In thoſe Gardens likewiſe they have little round Tanks to bath in; whoſe ſides and Bottomes are made firm and ſmooth with that plaſter before named; they are fil'd by aquaducts from thoſe Wells, and they can empty them when they pleaſe, as well as fill them. The water that is conveyed into thoſe ſmall Tanks, uſually runns down broad ſtone Tables, that have many Hollowes made in them, like to ſcollop-ſhels, with water in its paſſage, makes ſuch a pretty murmure, as helps to tye their ſenſes with the bonds of ſleep, in the hot ſeaſons of the day when they conſtantly keep their houſes, and then they lye down neer them on their Carpetts, to be lul'd aſleep. Thoſe Bathing places are within, or very neer their Garden-houſes, which uſually are by far more neat, than any other of their dwelling.
In ſuch a Garden-houſe, with all thoſe accommodations about it, my Lord Ambaſſadour lay with his company at Surat, the laſt three moneths before he left Eaſt India.
And further, in thoſe hot ſeaſons of the day; the people of better quality lying or ſitting on their Carpets, or Pallats, have ſervants ſtanding about them, who continually beat the Air uppon them with Flabellas, or Fanns, of ſtiffened leather, which keeps off the flyes from annoying them, and cool them as they lye. Thus taking their eaſe, they call for Barbers, who very gently gripe their armes, and ſhoulders, and other parts, they can in any meaſure graſp, and they ſtrike likewiſe very ſoftly thoſe parts with the ſides of their hands; it is very pleaſing as they do it, and cauſeth their blood to ſtir in their veins, it is therefore very much uſed in thoſe parts, to ſuch as do not heat their blood by bodily motion.
For their paſtimes within doores, they have Cards, but much different from ours in the figures made in them, and in their greater number of ſuits. Thoſe Cards I have often ſeen and have been more often told, that they have very good skill in that moſt innocent and ingenious game we call Cheſts.
They delight themſelves ſometimes with the Company of Mountebanks, and Juglers; for their Mountebanks, they keep venemous Snakes in baskets, and will ſuffer themſelves to be bitten or ſtung by them; which part thus bitten, or ſtung, preſently ſwells, and immediatly after that, they cure themſelves again by Oyles and Pouders, which they apply unto the place, and then offer to ſell them unto the people ſtanding by.
Their Juglers are the cunningſt that ever I ſaw, to do ſtrange things by ſleight of hand; as in this trick I ſhall here name, where I have obſerved them to lay down ſcu…tles or broad open wicker Basketts upon the ground, three or four one upon another, all which appeared empty, as they laid them down; but taking them up again one after the other, in the bottom of them there would appear, three or four living Turtle-doves: which they would cover again with the ſame ſcuttles, and toſſing and turning them as they took them off, and up the ſecond time, none of thoſe pretty creatures were to be ſeen any more. But how they firſt conveyed them thither, and how after thence, we could not poſſibly diſcover.
For their Paſtimes abroad they have Hawks of divers kinds, greater and leſs, and Partridges, and other choiſe Fowl grear ſtore to fly at. They have Hares, and Antilops, with other wild Beaſts to hunt, and theſe not a few. Their doggs for chafe are made ſomewhat like our Greyhounds, but much leſs, who never open in the purſute of their game. They hunt likewiſe with Leopards train'd up and made fit for their ſport, who by leaping ſeize on that they purſue; but by reaſon of the heat of the Countrey, thoſe ſports are not there much uſed. The Mogol when he hunts, carryes Hawks and Doggs, and all things beſide with him, to make him Paſtime, that if one ſport fail, he may be pleaſed with another.
They ſay, that they have a curious deviſe to take wild fouls that uſe the water, into which a fellowgoes, with a foul of that kinde he deſires to catch, whoſe skin is ſtuſſed ſo artificially, as that with a noyſe he counterfets of that foul, it appears to be alive, the man keeps all his body but head under water, on which he faſtens that counterfet foul to ſtand foreright on the top thereof, and thus comming amongſt them, he plucks them (as they ſay) by their leggs under water at his pleaſure. But this I have only by tradition.
For other Paſtimes abroad, this I am ſure of, that when the weather is more temperate, they ſhoot much in their Bowes, and are very excellent Marks-men, ſomewhat like thoſe lefthanded men ſpoken of Judg. 20. 16. And with their Gunns in which they ſhoot ſingle bullets (for they have not the uſe of ſmall ſhot) they are ſomewhat long in taking their aim, but they will come very neer the mark.
Others delight themſelves very much in managing their excellent Horſes; But ſo ſhall not I delight my Reader, if I dwell too long in particulars. And therefore having ſpoken of their buildings, I ſhall now invite him, though not to eat, or taſte, yet to take notice