THE 
PREFACE 
THE 
READER 
0 ST of the Modem Eaft-India Voyages that haVe been puh- 
liped of Ute years, being yery defcBiVe either in refpeB of the 
many fabulous ^lations that are inferted frequently, rather to 
pleafe the (^ader^ than to purfue the flricl %ules of Truth ( not to mention 
the Errors in the Computation of the dijlances of Places, and frequent un- 
neceffary Digrefjtons ) it is no wonder if the moft curious in Hiflory haVe 
conceiyd a "Very indiffermt opinion, tf not an entire ayerfion to them. It 
wo/s upon this Conftderation, that the enfuing Treatife coming to our hands, 
TVe thought it ahfolutely worthy the publick yiew, it being agreed by all who 
haye had the opportunity of tra.yelling in thofe Countries, that the fame may 
in refpeH of its fmcerity and cxaBmfs challenge the Trerogatiye before any 
other hitherto puhlifl^d upon the fame SubjeB, For, confidering that the 
Author thereof hy^d not only in the Station of a Mmifler in dtyers places of 
Malabar and Coromandel, and efpecially for feyeral years in the I{ing- 
dom of Jafnapatnam in the Ifle of Ceylorij but alfo afftfted in Terjon in 
diyers Sieges and Expeditions, and thereby had more than ordmary opportunity 
to be infornid concerning the Nature and Conftitution of thofe Countries, 
their TroduHs, Inhabitants, Manners, Cuftoms, ^\eligion, Ceremonies, Oe- 
conomy, Traffck, ManufaBuries, Ctyil and Military Exploits, and what 
elje may he requifite for the accompliflmient of a good Hiflory, founded upon 
the Faith oj one who had been an Eye-witnefs of thofe TranfiHions, con- 
fequmtly he might challenge the Preference before many, who relate matters 
chiefly upon hearfay* As to thoje thmgs which are not grounded u^wn his 
Ocular Tefiijnony, the fame were taken from Authentick ^cords and 
Mantfcripts, and illuflrated with Maps and Draughts of thoje feyeral 
Countries, Cities, ISlations, &c. done to the Life. What relates to the Ido- 
latry of thefe Pagans, we are conyinc^d by his own Teflhnony, that he fides 
the opportunity he had of Vfiting their Pagodes^ or Tmfks ( a thing rare- 
Vol.nL Dddd 1 h 
