A Voyage to East India, Account of voyage · Section 5
SECTION V.
Of the Inhabitants of Eaſt-India, who they are, of their moſt excellent ingenuity expreſſed by their curious manufactures, their Markets at home to buy and ſell in, and their Trade abroad.
THe Inhabitants in generall of Indoſtan were all antiently Gentiles, called in generall Hindoes, belonging to that very great number of thoſe which are called Heathens, which take up almoſt two thirds of the number of the people who Inhabit the face of the whole earth: But of this more hereafter. There are ſome Jewes (but they are not many) here and there ſcattered and loſt as it were, in thoſe other great numbers of people; the greateſt company of Jewes now to be found together in any one place of the world (as I have been made to believe from the obſervation of others) are to be ſeen at Grand Cairo in Egypt, whither they are returned, and where ſetled, to take their fill of their fore-fathers Fleſh-pots. For the Inhabitants of East-India, ever ſince they were ſubdued by Tamberlain, they have been mixed with Mahumetans, which though they be by far in reſpect of their number leſs than thoſe Pagans, yet they bear all the ſway, and command all in thoſe Countreys.
There are beſides theſe, (now become as it were natives there) a great number of Perſians and Tartars (who are Mahumetans by Religion) that there inhabit, very many of which the Mogol keeps for Souldiers to ſerve on horſ-back called there Haddees: There are of both theſe many daring, ſtout, hardy and valiant men. For the Perſians there are of them many comely perſons, not ſo ſwart as thoſe of Eaſt-India. But for the Tartars I have there ſeen, (and I have ſeen many of them) they are more to be commended for their valour than beauty, a ſquare, ſtout, ſtrong people, having pla…ter faces, and flat Noſes. There are many Armentans and ſome Abiſſins amongſt them, who wear the Livery of Chriſt in being called Chriſtians, the greateſt part of whoſe Chriſtianity lyes in their Name. Thoſe Armenians there make ſome wine to ſell, of Reyſons, Sugar, and other ingredients, that is ſtrong and heady, and luſcious, taſted too much by many Chriſtians that Come thither, as by thoſe too that make it. Of the green grapes there, though they have abundance and they great, and ſweet, and good, yet they make no wine at all: The Mahumetans (in obedience to a precept of Mahumets which forbids wine) neither make, nor drink it, and others are not ſuffered there to make it of thoſe green grapes, for fear (as I ſuppoſe) they ſhould make, and drink too much of it.
To thoſe I have named of other nations, (that are to be ſeen in Eaſt-India) there are beſides ſome few almoſt of every people in Aſia, and many Europeans of divers parts (that uſe to ſtirre from their own fires) to be found amongſt them; and among that great variety of people and nations there to be obſerved, I have taken ſpeciall notice of divers Chineſaas, and Japaneſaas there, and thoſe I have ſeen of them for the generality, are a people of no large ſtature, with little eyes, and noſes ſomething flatted, de tribus Capillis, with a few black hayres that ſtand ſcattered on their upper lipps, which make them as handſome beards as are to be ſeen on our Hares, or Catts.
There are ſome Jewes here (as before I obſerved) whoſe ſtubbornneſs and Rebellion, long agoe, cauſed Almighty God to threaten them, that they ſhould be after ſifted, and ſcattered aamong all the Nations of the world. So the Prophet Jeremy ſpeaks Jer. 24. 9. That God would deliver them, to be removed into all the Kingdomes of the earth, for their hure, to be a reproach, and a Proverb, and a taunt, and a curſe, in all places whither he ſhould drive them. And Jer. 42. 18. they were threatned to be made an execration and an aſtoniſhment, &c. and ſo after it came to paſs, For, there is no word of the Lord that ſhall fall to the ground, unfulfilled. And ſince thoſe propheſies, that antient imprecation of their own ſpoken againſt themſelves in deriſion of our Bleſſed Saviour, Mat. 27. 25. His Blood be on us, and on our Children▪ followes them cloſe all the world over, they beeing every where ſtrangers, but no where beloved, though they be a people that get wealth whereſoever they come, yet this frees them not from being a Proverb (as was long before propheſied) of contempt and reproach.
Thoſe ancient Satyriſts Perſius, and Juvenal, after that moſt horrid act committed by them in Crucifying our B. Saviour (though not in reſpect unto that moſt cruell action, for they were Heathens) yet they call them Verpos, that is circumciſed, Worms, vermin. Tacitus after gives thē a moſt unſavoury Epit…ite, calling them foetentes Judaeos, ſtinking Jewes. Marcus the Emperor obſerving them well, concluded that they were a generation of men worſe than ſavages or Canibals, to be even the worſt of men, as if they were the very refuſe and dreggs of mankind.
How uſuall is that Proverb, that when men are ſuſpected to do otherwiſe than they ſhould, to anſwer, what, am I Jew, that I ſhould do ſo, and ſo? I have obſerved ſomething to this purpoſe, from the people of Eaſt-India, who are very valiant at tongue-fights, though not ſo with their weapons (as you will hear afterward) that people I ſay, who have a very nimble but a baſe quality in rayling at, and miſcalling one another, and their language is ſo full, and ſignificant, that they can call a man in it, two or three baſe things in one word; But when they come to call him, whom they miſcall, Judeo Jew, they believe (as I have been often told) that they can goe no higher, eſteeming that, above all other tearms, the heigheſt name of obloqu….
Yet we do believe, (becauſe the Lord hath promiſed it) that he will finde a time to call home this people again to himſelf, when they ſhall receive honour above all the contempt they have been long under, after they ſhall ſee with ſorrow, and with the eye of faith, Him, … their Forefathers, out of ignorance, a… and unbelief Pierced.
For the ſtature of the Natives of Eaſt-India they are like us, but generally very ſtreight, for I never obſerved, nor heard of, any crooked perſon amongſt them. And one reaſon may be, becauſe they never lace nor g…rt in their b…dyes, and when they ſleep, they accuſtome themſelves to ſtretch out their bodyes at their full length without any thing to raiſe up their heads. And further amongſt many other things I take ſpeciall notice of there, I never obſerved any deformed perſon, nor Idiot, or naturall fool in thoſe parts.
Now for the cōplexion of this people, they are all of them of a ſad tawney or Olive colour, their hair black as a Raven, very harſh, but not curl'd. They like not a man or woman that is very white or fair, becauſe that (as they ſay) is the colour of Lepers common amongſt them. Moſt of the Mahumetans except the Moola…s (which are their Prieſts) or thoſe which are very old and retyred, and have (as it were) given the world quite over, keep their chinns continually bare, but ſuffer the hair on their upper lipp… to grow very long; and they keep it in its naturall colour by combing it continually with black-lead combes, till they be of good yeares; but afterward, when time hath ſo ſnowed upon them, that they can no longer keep in nor conceal their gray haires, … uſe the Raſor (as they did) no more but let … of their chins to grow long and large, which makes many gray-beards amongſt them, and I conceive that there are of thoſe, many old men.
And further it is the manner of the Mahumetans to ſhav… all the hair from off their heads, reſerving only one lock on the crown of them for Mahume… to pull them up to heaven (as they fondly conceit). The Hindooes ſhave their heads likewiſe, but cut all off, and both of them, ſhave thus and that very often, but however their baldnes appe…res not at all, becauſe their Heads are continually covered with a ſhaſh, or a wreath of narrow▪ Callico-cloth many times wrapt about them (uſually for the colour white, or red) which they never pull off as we doe our hatts in complements. Their much and often ſhaving makes many excellent Barbers amongſt them, who beſides their Sizers and Raſors uſe a little inſtrument about the length of a ſhort bodkin, very ſharp, made like a chizell, but not broader at the cutting end than the ſhank of a ſix-penny nayl, with which they pare and cleanſe the nayles on their fingers, and toes. Every Barber carryes alwayes about him, a round looking-glaſs made of ſteel, about the compaſs of a large tr…ncherplate, made ſomewhat hollow, and kept by them exceeding clean and ſleek, ſo that it will repreſent the face of him that beholds it on the convex ſide very well. Theſe Babers, as they walk up and down, often preſent theſe glaſſes unto men whom they finde ſitting ſtill, which is a tender of their ſervice if they ſhall pleaſe to make uſe of them.
The people there often waſh their bodyes, and keep their feet as clean and as ſweet as their hands. The better ſort annoint themſelves very much with ſweet oyles, which makes their company (as before I obſerved) very ſavoury.
The Natives there (of which there is ſomething before in my third Section) ſhew very much ingenuity in their curious manifactures; as in their ſilk ſtuffs which they moſt artificially weave, ſome of them very nearly mingled either with ſilver or gold, or both. As alſo in making excellent quilts of their ſtayned cloth, or of freſh coloured Taffata lined with their Pintado…t, or of their ſatten lined with Taffata, betwixt which they put Cotton wooll, and work them together with ſilk. Thoſe Taffata or Satten quilts, are excellently ſtitched by them, being done as evenly, and in as good order, as if they had been drawn out to them, for their direction, the better to work them. They make likewiſe excellent carpetts of their Cotten-wool, in fine mingled colours, ſome of them more than three yards broad, and of a great lenghth. Some other Richer Carpets they make all of Silk, ſo artificially mixed, as that they lively repreſent thoſe flowers, & figures made in them. The ground of ſome other o their very Rich Carpets is Silver or Gold, abou… which are ſuch ſilken flowers, and Figures (as before I named) moſt excellently and orderly diſpoſed throughout the whole worke.
Their skill is likewiſe exquiſite in making of Cabinetts, or Boxes, or Trunks, or ſtandiſhes, curiouſly wrought, within, and without; inlaid with Elephants tooth, or Mother of Pearl, or Ebony, or …ortoyſe ſhell, or wire; they make excellent Cupps, and others things of Agate, and Cornelian, and curious they are in cutting all manner of ſtones Diamonds as well as others.
They paint ſtaves, or bedſteads or cheaſts of Boxes, or Fruit diſhes, or large Chargers, extreme neatly, which, when they be not inlayd (as before) they cover the wood (firſt being handſomely turnd) with a …hick Gumme, then put their Paint on, moſt artificially made of liquid ſilver, or gold, or other lively colours, which they uſe, and after make it much more beautifull with a very cleer varniſh put upon it.
They are excellent at Limning, and will coppie out any picture they ſee to the life: for confirmation of which, take this inſtance; It happened that my Lord Ambaſſadour viſiting the Mogol on a time, as he did often, He preſented him with a curious neat ſmall oval Picture done to the life in England. The Mogol was much pleaſed with it; but told the Ambaſſadour withall, that happily he ſuppoſed that there was never a one in his Countrey that could do ſo well in that curious Art, and then offered to wager with him a Leck of Roopies (a ſum which amounted to no leſs then 10000 l. ſterl.) that in a few dayes he would have two Coppies made by that preſented to him, ſo like, that the Ambaſſadour ſhould not know his own. He refuſed the great Wager, but told the King he would adventure his judgmēt on it: Two Coppies taken from that Originall were within few dayes after made, and brought & laid before the Ambaſſadour, in the preſence of the King; the Ambaſſadour viewing them long, either out of Courtſhip to pleaſe the King, or elſe unable to make a difference 'twixt the pictures being all exquiſitly done, took one of them which was new made, for that which he had formerly preſented, and did after Profeſs that he did not flatter, but miſtake in that choiſe. The truth is, that the Natives of that Monarchy are the beſt Apes for imitation in the world, ſo full of ingenuity that they will make any new thing by pattern, how hard ſoever it ſeem to be done, and therefore it is no marvell, if the Natives there make Shooes, and Boots, and Clothes, and Linnen, and Bands and Cuffs of our Engliſh Faſhion, which are all of them very much different from their faſhions and habits, and yet make them all exceeding neatly.
They have Markets, which they call Bazars, to ſell and buy their commodities, in all their great Towns twice every day, a little before, and an hour after Sun riſing in the morning, and ſo a little before and a little after Sun-ſet at night. The other parts of the day being too hot for thoſe great confluences of people to meet together; and thoſe are the ſeaſons we Engliſh-men there make uſe of, to ride abroad and take the air, the reſt of the day we uſually ſpend in our houſes. The people there …ell almoſt all their proviſions, as very many other things, by weight.
For the forein Trade of this people, it is uſually once a year into the Red Sea to a City called Moha in Arabia the happy, about thirty leagues from the mouth of it; It is a principall Mart for all Indian commodities, but the ſtaple and moſt principall there vented is their Cotten-cloth, either white, or ſteyned, and their Cotten-wooll. Hither they come from grand Cairo in Egypt, as from many other parts of the Turks Dominions to trafique; Hither they come from Preſter Johns Countrey which lyes on the other ſide of the Arabian Golfe (for ſo the Red Sea is there called) and not above fourteen leagues over at the City Moha.
The Ship or Junk (for ſo it is called) that uſually goes from Surat to Moha is of an exceeding great burden, ſome of them I believe fourteen or fifteen hundred Tunns, or more, but thoſe huge veſſels are bery ill built, like an over-grown Liter, broad and ſhort, but made exceeding big, on purpoſe to waff paſſengers forward and backward: which are Mahumetans, who goe on purpoſe to viſit Mahomets ſepulcher, at Medina neer Mecha, but many miles beyond Moha. The paſſengers, and others in that moſt capacious veſſell that went and returned that year I left India, (as we were credibly told) amounted to the number of ſeventeen hundred. Thoſe Mahumetans that have viſited Mahumets Sepulcher, are ever after called Hoggees, or holy men.
This Junk bound from Surat to the Red-Sea, as ſhe hath many people in her, ſo hath ſhe good Ordnance, but thoſe Navigators know not well how to uſe them for their defence. She begins her voyage about the twentieth of March, and finiſheth it, about the end of September following. The voyage is but ſhort, and might eaſily be made in leſs than three moneths, but the ſhip is very ſlow, and ill-built to abide foul weather, and in the long ſeaſon of the rain, and a little before and after it, the winds upon thoſe coaſts are commonly ſo violent that there is no comming but with much hazard into the Indian Sea. This Ship returning is uſually worth (as I have heard it faithfully reported and if my credit given to that report make me not to abuſe my Readers two hundred thouſand pounds ſter…g, and moſt of it brought back in good Gold and Silver; ſome fine Chamlets they bring with them home likewiſe, but that huge maſs of wealth thus brought home into India, is another eſpeciall thing, and might have been added to that I ſpake of before towards the continuall enriching of this great Monarchy: where, in the next place I ſhall ſpeak