tn 2 Travels in India. Pareil. 



all ftretch'd out dead upon the place, without any mark in the world to be 

 feen that they had any way haften'd their own deaths. 



Two of the moft potent Raja's of India came to u4vra in the year 1642, 

 to do homage to Sha-jehan, who then reign'd ; who not havuig acquitted them- 

 felves as they ought to have done/in the judgment of the Grand Mafter of the Kings 

 Houfhold, he told one of the Raja's one day , in the prefence of the King, 

 that they had not done well, to behave themfelves in that manner toward (6 

 great a Monarch, as was the King his Mafter. The Raja liking upon himfelf 

 to be a great King, and a great Prince, he and his Brother having brought along 

 with them a Train of 15; or 16000 thoufand Horfe, wa„ netPd at the bold 

 reproof which the Grand Mafter gave him, and drawing out his Dagger, flew 

 liim upon the place, in the prefence of the King. The Grand Mafter falling at the 

 feet of his own Brother, who ftood clofe by him, he was going; about to re- 

 venge his death, but was prevented by the Raja 1 s Brother, who ftab'd him, 

 and laid him athwart his Brothers Body. The King, who beheld thefe twp 

 murthers one upon the neck of the other, retir'd into his Haram for féar. But 

 prefently the Omrahs and other people fell upon the Raja's, arid cut 'em to 

 pieces. The King incens'd at fueh an attempt committed in his Houfe and in 

 his prefence, commanded the Raja's bodies to be thrown into the River j which 

 their Troops that they had left about sigra underltanding , threaten'd to 

 enter the City and pillage it. But rather than hazard the City, the King was 

 advis'd to deliver them the Bodies of their Princes. When they were to be burn'd, 

 thirteen Women belonging to the two Raja's Houfes, came dancing and leaping, 

 and prefently got upon the Funeral pile, holding one another by hands, and 

 being prefently after ftifl'd with the fmoak, fell together into the fire. Prefently 

 the Bramins threw great heaps of Wood, pots of Oil, and other combuftible 

 matter upon them, to difpatch them the fooner. 



I obferv'd a ftrange paflage at ?atna y being then with the Governour, a young 

 Gentleman of about twenty-four years of age, in his own Houfe, While I was 

 with; him, in came a young woman, very handfome, and not above two and 

 and twenty years old, who defir'd leave of the Governour to be burnt with 

 the Body of her deceas'd Husband. The Governour compaffionating her youth 

 and beauty, endeavour'd to divert her from her refblution 5 but finding he could 

 not prevail, with a furly countenance, he ask'd her whether fhe underftood what 

 the torment of fire was, and whether fhe had ever burnt her fingers? No, no, 

 anfwer'd fhe more ftoutly than before, I do not fear fire, and to let you know 

 as much, fend for a lighted Torch hither. The Governour abominating her 

 anfwer, in great paflion bid her go to the Devil. Some young Lords that were 

 with the Governour, defir'd him to try the woman, and to call for a Torch ; 

 which with much ado he did, and a lighted Torch was brought. So fbon as 

 the woman faw the lighted Torch coming, fhe ran to meet it, arid held her 

 hand in the flame, not altering her countenance in the leaftj ftill fearing her 

 arm along up to the very elbow,, till her flefh Iook'd as if it had been broil'd 5 

 whereupon the Governour commanded her out of his fight. : -\. ; 



A Bramin coming to l } atna> and affembling all his Tribe together, told them, 

 that they muft give him two thoufand Roupies, and twenty-feven Ells of Cali- 

 cut. To which the chief among them made him anfwer, that they were poor, and 

 could not pofTibly "raife fuch a fum. However he perfifted in his demand, po- 

 fitively affirming to them, that he would ftay there without eating or drink- 

 ing till they brought him the Money and the Çloatîr. With this refomtion he 

 cHmb'd a Tree, and fetting in the fork between the boughs, remaind there 

 without eating or drinking for fèveral days. The noife of this extrava- 

 gance .coming to the ears of the Hollanders where we lay, we fèt Sentinels 

 to watch whether it were true, that a man could fèt fo long without victu- 

 als, which he did for thirty days together. The one and thirtieth day of fuch 

 an extraordinary Faft, the Idolaters fearing to kill one of their Priefts for want 

 of granting him his demand , club'd together, and brought him his twenty- 

 feven Élis of Calicut, and two thoufand Roupies. So foon as the Bramin faw 

 the Money and the Cloath, he came down from the Tree j and after he had 

 upbraided thofe of his Tribe for want of Charity, he diftributed all the Roupies 



among 



