I.OR.d’s DISCOVERY OP THE BANIANS AND PERSEE5.

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that are of the caft of the Bramanes, are not only wafhed with water, but anointedwith oil, with certain words of confecration, in this manner : “ Oh Lord, we prefentunto thee this child, born of a holy tribe, anointed with oil, and cleanfed with water ;’unto which adding the former ceremonies, they all pray that he may live a righteousobferver of the; law of the Bramanes: fo enquiring out the exaft time of the child’sbirth, they calculate his nativity, gathering by the pofition of the twelve figns of heaventhe chances or mifcbances that may happen unto him; all which they conceal, and atthe day of the child’s marriage (which they account one of the happieft days in his life)publifli the. dangers paft, and the conjectural evils to come in the fequel of his life.

In the ninth place, concerning their marriages, it is confiderable, that the time isdifferent from the cuftom of other nations, for they marry about the feventh year oftheir age, becaufe they account marriage one of the moft blefl’ed actions of man’s life jto die without which they account it a great unhappinefs, which often happeneth by >protraction or delay of time ; as alfo that the parents might, before their death, feetheir, children difpofed, which cometh to pafs by thefe early conjunctions. Next, fortheir contract in marriage ; the parents of the children do prepare the way by privateconference, the intention and purpofe being made known, and betwixt them agreedupon ; then there are meffengers and prefents fent to. the parents of the maid to bemarried, with the noife of trumpet and drum, and the finging of fongs in the praife ofthe,perfections of the bride, which may truly give her the merit of one worthy to becoveted and fought unto : which prefents being accepted, then there are gifts fent backto the bridegroom, in token of their acceptance of the nuptial proffer, with like fingingof encomiafticks in praife of the bridegroom, fetting him forth to be fo well compofed,as may well deferve acceptation. So the Bramanes appointing a day for the folemni-Eation of the marriage, then there is a certain fhew, to publifh to the whole towm thismarriage intended. This fhow is firft by the bridegroom, w T ho, in nuptial pomp, attendedwith all the men’s children in the town, of the fame tribe, fome on horfeback, fbme inpalanquins, fome in coaches, all adorned with jewels, fcarfs, and pageant-like habili-ments, make their curfitation round about the mod public ftreets in the town, withtrumpets and kettle-drums, and gilded pageants. The bridegroom is diflinguiflied fromthe reft by a crown on his head, decked with jewels very rich. And having thuspublifhed himfelf, the next day followed the bride in like pomp crowned, attended withall the girls of the fame tribe, in no lefs bravery and.triumphant accommodation, expofedto view of the fpectators. The day drawing to his decline, they repair home to accom-plifh the full rites of marriage. The ceremony obferved in their marriage, is, that-they never are conjoined together but at the going down of the fun, at which time afire is made, and interpofed between the married couple, to intimate the ardency thatought to be in their affections.; then there is a filken firing that enclofeth both their■bodies, to witnefs the infoluble bond of wedlock, that in marriage there ought to beno defertion or forfaking one another. After this bond there is a cloth interpofed-betwixt them, {hewing that before marriage they ought not to make their nakednefsknown one to another. This cuftom, they fay, was taken from the meeting of Bram--mon with Sauartree, who, becaufe they were naked, covered their immodeft parts tillthe words of matrimony were uttered. So the Bramanes pronouncing certain words,jCDjoining the man to afford all things convenient to the woman, and charging the.-woman to loyalty in the marriage vow, with pronunciation of a bleffing of fruitful ifTue: to them both ; the fpeeches concluded, the cipth interpofed, reft away ; the bond by:which they were engirt, unloofed ; and after that, full freedom to communicate them-ifelves to each other. Dowry there is none given, that the drifts of marriage might not