^Part III Travels into I N D I E S. 6 i 
Labors is one of the largeft and moft abundant Provinces of the Indies -, The produa of 
the Rivers that are in it- render it extreamly fertile , it yields all that 
is neceffary for life -, Rice, as well as Corn and Fruits are plentiful there j 
there is pretty good Wine in it alfo , and the beft Sugars of all Indo- 
fian. There are in the Towns Manufadures , not only of all forts of Manufaaures 
painted Cloaths , but alfo of every thing elfe that is wrought in the 
Indies ; and indeed, according to the account of my Indian^ it brings The yearly Re-^ 
in to the Great Mogul above thirty feven Millions a year ^ which is a venue ofL^^»»-? 
great Argument of its fruitfulnefs. I have already faid, that the great 
walk of Trees (which begins at Agra ) reaches as far as Labors , though 
ithefe two Towns be diftant from one another an hundred and fifty 
Leagues , that lovely Alley is very pleafant , becaufe the Achy Trees ^chy. Tree, 
(wherewith it is planted) have long and thick Branches which extend 
on all lides , and cover the whole way -, there are alfo a great many 
*Pagods upon the Road îicom Labors to Dehly , and efpecially towards 
the Town of TamJJar , where Idolatry may be faid to be freely pro- Tanafar, & 
fefled. . Town. 
There is a Convent of Gentiles there , who are called Vartias^ that have a Convent of 
their General , Provincial and other Superiours , they fay that it is a- v'artm. 
bove Two thoufand years fince they were founded. They vow Obedience, The Vows of - 
Chaftity and Poverty \ they ftridly obferve their Vows , and when any vanias. 
one trefpafles againit them , he is rigoroully punifhed. They have 
Brothers appointed to beg for all the Convent \ they eat but once a 
day, and change their Houfe every three Months , they have no fixt 
time for their Noviciat j fome perform it in two years , fome in three, oftj,i^^I/" 
and there are- others who fpend four years therein , if the Superiour 
think fit. The main point of their inftitution is not to do to others 
what they would not have others do to them -, that precept they ob- '^^^ condua of 
ferve even towards Beafts, for they never kill any , and much more f^^rtias, . 
towards Men , feeing if any body beat them , they do not refift , and 
if they be reviled, they make no anfwer. They obey the leaft Signal 
of their Superiour without murmuring , arid it is forbidden to them to 
look a Woman or Maid in the face -, they wear nothing on their Bo- 
dies but a Cloath to cover their Privy Parts , and they bring it up to 
their heads to make a kind of a Coif like that of a Woman ^ they 
can poffefs no Money , are prohibited to referve any thing for to mor- 
row to eat, and how hungry foever they may be , they patiently wait The Fartias 
till their Purveyors bring them the Alms , which are daily given ^^''^ °" 
them at the Houfes of the Gentiles of their Tribe -, they take but lit- 
tle , that they may not be troublefome to any body , and therefore 
they receive no more at every place but a handful of Rice , or fome o- 
ther eatable matter , and if more be offered them , they'll refufe it -, they 
take nothing but what is boyled and dreft, for they kindle no Fire in 
their Houfe , for fear fome Flie may burn it felf therein -, when they 
have got Charity enough , they return to the Convent , and there 
mingle all the Rice , Lentils, Milk, Cheefe, and other Provifions they 
have got together. Then an Officer diftributes all equally among the 
Vartias^ who eat their Portions feverally cold or hot, as it is given them, 
and drink nothing but water. 
They make their meal about noon,which ferves them for the whole day^ TheVartias 
let hunger or thirfl: prefs them never fo much, they muft wait till the fame eat but once a 
hour next day, before they either eat or drink. ^^y* 
The reft of the day they employ in Prayers, and reading of Books \ and The Fanias 
when the Sun fets, they go to fleep, and never light a Candle. They ail dormitory, 
iie in the fame Cnamber.and have no other Bed but the Ground.They can- 
. pot of themfelves leave the orders after they have once taken theVows-, yet 
if they commit any fault contrary to their Vows,and efpecially againft that 
of Chaftity , they are expelled, not only the order, but alfo their tribe. 
The General, Provincials, and all the Officers change their Convent every The officers of 
four Months:their Office is for Life -, and when any of them dies, he Names ^"^^^f'' 
to the Religous, him whom he thinks fitteft to fucceed,and they follow his 
choice. 
