Hakluytus Posthumus Volume 23 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ...praises in commendation of her husbands lire, putting her in comfort, II. x. 1763. and encouraging her to follow her husband, and goe with him into the other world. Then shee taketh all her Jewels, and parteth them among her friends, and so with a cheerfull countenance, she leapeth into the fire, and is presently covered with Wood and Oyle: so shee is quickly dead, and with her Husbands body burned to ashes: and if it chance, as not very often it doth, that any woman refuseth to be burnt with her Husband, then they cut the haire cleane off from her head: and while she liveth she must never after weare any Jewels more, and from that time shee is despised, and accounted for a dishonest woman. These Bramenes observe certaine Fasting dayes in the yeere, and that with so great abstinence, that they eate nothing all that day, and sometimes in three or foure dayes together. They have their Pagodes and Idols, whose Ministers they are, whereof they tell and shew many Miracles, and say that those Pagodes have beene men living upon earth, and because of their Holie lives, and good Workes done here in this world, are for a reward thereof, become Holie men in the other world, as by their miracles, by the Divell performed, hath beene manifested unto them, and by their commandements their formes and shapes are made in most ugly and deformed manner that possible may be devised. Such they Pray and Offer unto, with many divellish Superstitions, and stedfastly beleeve that they are their Advocates and Intercessors unto God. They beleeve also that there is a supreame God above, which ruleth all things, and that mens soules are Immortall, and that they goe out of this x 257 R 1583 world into the other, both Beasts and Men, and receive reward according to their workes, as Pythag...