8i4 
A Def^riftim of 
4re lit't' 
The Brah^ 
frsm 
tf hence dc 
■rinded. 
commonly in the Spring \ as the Romans 
did formerly in May^ and the Perfiam 
in the Spring : if it happens to be a 
fruitful Year, they are the more inclined 
to marry» They are very litigious, and 
will go to Law for a Trifle, becaufethey 
are conftantly envious at one another. 
The Brahmans living in Jafnapatnam, 
or any other part of the Indies, are for 
the moft part Men of great Morality, 
fober, dean, induftrious, civil, obliging, 
and very moderate both in eating and 
drinking j they ufe no ftrong Liquors, wafli 
or bathe twice a day, eat nothing that 
has had or may have Life, yet are much 
addifted ( like all the reft of the Indians) 
to Pleafure. Notwithftanding they are 
Chriftians, they carry ftill certain Beads, 
and (as Rogerim obferves, /o/. 7 1 . ) like 
thofe of Coromandel, never marry out 
of their Families, but frequently their 
Brothers and Sifters Children j tho elfe 
they are great Enemies to Inceft, but 
excufe this near Alliance by the great 
Value they put upon their Generation, 
which they deduce from Bramma, and 
, fome Learned Men from j4braham and 
Ketmaj whofe Children, according to 
Gen] 25. V.6. went into the Eafiem Coun- 
try. 
Tho they bear the Name of Chriftians, 
and know how to difcourfe rationally of 
the Ten Commandments, and the other 
Points of the Chriftian Dodrine, they fime pa- 
flill retain many of their Pagan Super- gan Super- 
ftitions. If you tell them of the Chri- 
ftian Liberty in Viduals and Drinks, they 
reply, that they are not ignorant of it, 
but as the Effence of Chriftianity does 
not confift in eating and drinking, fo 
they did not think themfelves oblig'd to 
feed upon fuch things as are contrary to 
their Nature and Education, being from 
their Infancy ufed to much tenderer Food, 
which agrees beft with their Conftitu- 
tion, and makes them generally live to 
a great Age. 
They are not ignorant in the Courfe of Their rea- 
the Stars, in calculating the Eclipfes of Ms for ir, 
the Sun and Moon, know the feven Stars, 
which they call Arramien^ i. e. Six-fi/hesy 
becaufe, fay they, we fee no more than 
fix. They underftand alfo the Names of 
the Planets, and chiefeftof the fixed Stars, 
but this muft be underftood from the moft 
Learned among them. 
Tho 
