From hence he set sail to Swalley-Road, and so from thence coasted till he arrived at Delyn a Town that belongs to the Malabars; he gives an account of what he there saw and observed.

Some two hours after we set sail, we were becalmed, having not the least breeze of wind, the weather withal being exceeding hot and sultry: at length we arrived in Swalley-Road, where was riding an English Vessel; there we cast anchor: the English men came aboard of us, whom our Captain welcomed with the best of his entertainment. I could not forbear embracing my dear Country-men, shewing them so many demonstrations of joy, that by their looks, they seemed to question whether I was in my right wits. Their Masters-mate calling me aside, askt me, how I came to be ingaged in this Vessel? how long since I came from England? with many other questions too tedious here to relate. To all which I gave him such satisfactory answers, that he seemed very well pleased. I gave him a summary relation of what I had suffer’d, since my departure from my own Country; the report whereof, seemed to extract much pity from him. In fine, I told him, I had a great desire to see England again, and to that end desired him to make use of what interest he could, to remove me into their Ship: he promised he would; and accordingly giving a Present to our Captain, he so far prevailed upon him to let me go, and perswaded the chief of whom he was concerned withal, to entertain me, which they did with much willingness. I was so like a Sea-man in this short time, that none could distinguish me from one that received his first rocking in a Ship. I carried about me as deep an hoguo of Tarpawlin as the best of them, & there was no term of art belonging to any part of the Ship or tackling, but what I understood. I could drink water that stunk (as if stercus humanum had been steept two or three days in it) as well as any of them, and eat beef and Pork (that stirred as if it had received a second life, and was crawling out of the platter to seek out the rest of his Members) I say, I could devour it with as much greediness (scorning that my appetite should be ever again taxed with any of those Epithets, either nice or squeamish) as if it had been but nine hours, instead of nine Months, in salt. And to make me the more compleat, I had forgot to wash either hands or face, or what the use of a comb or shirt was, neither did I know how to undress my self; or if wet to the skin, to make use of any other means than my natural heat to dry my self: I never lookt on a hat or band, but as Prodigies. But to return to my purpose, where I left off. In three days time we set sail for Swalley-Road, steering our course from them, all along the coast of India, Decan, and Malabar. I knew not whither they intended, neither did I care now, as thinking my self safe, being amongst my friends: on the 20 of April, seven days from our weighing anchor in Swalley-Road, we came to an anchor at Delyn, a Town of the Malabars: We durst not land, the people being so treacherous and bloody; yet we suffered them to come aboard us in their small Canoos, selling us for any trifles, Coco-nuts, Jacks, Green-pepper, Indian-pease, Hens, Eggs, and the like. They brought us likewise Oranges of so pleasant a taste, the rind vying with the juice, which shall become most grateful to the palate: We had likewise from them Plantanes, a fruit supposed by some, to be that which Eve was tempted withal; if a man gathers them green, yet will they ripen afterwards, coloured with a dainty yellow: the rind or skin will peel off with much facility; they melt in the mouth, giving a most delicious taste and relish. These Malabars are coal-black, well limb’d, their hair long and curled; about their heads they only tye a small piece of linnen, but about their bodies nothing but a little cloth which covers their secrets. Notwithstanding their cruelty & inhumanity, we man’d out our long-boat, and 15, whereof I was one, went ashore, carrying some Muskets and Swords with us, suspecting the worst: Landing, they fled from us, but not without sending good store of poysoned arrows & darts amongst us. It is no wonder that these people are so black, for they live under the scorching fire of the torrid Zone. We returned to our Ship, finding it no way safe to stay here longer; next morning hoisting sail, we came to Canavar, where we met with people more civil; whereupon we landed; and receiving things from the inhabitants of considerable value, for toys and trifles we gave them in lieu, we resolved to stay here a while. The better sort of these people are called Nairo’s, whose heads are cover’d with a low tulipant, & their middles with a party-coloured Plad, resembling a Scotch Plad: The poorer sort have nothing but a small vail over their privities, wholly naked elsewhere; which veil or flap the women in courtesie will turn aside, and shew a man their Pudenda, by way of gratitude for any courtesie received, as if they would render satisfaction with that, which could never receive plenary satisfaction it self. They have a strange custom in their Marriages, observed among them by the highest to the lowest: who so marrieth, is not to have the first nights imbraces with his Bride, but is very well contented to bestow her Maiden-head on the Bramini, or Priests, who do not always enjoy it, being glutted with such frequent offerings, and therefore will many times sell them to strangers. Such a proffer I had once made me, and with shame I must confess, I did accept it, forgetting those sacred vows I made in Newgate, to live a more pious, strict and sober life. The Bride that night, was plac’d in one of their Fanes, as is customary, the Priest or Bramin coming to her; but instead thereof, according to agreement between this Priestly Paynim and my self, I went: I wondred to find her so low of stature, but I did not much matter it then, minding something else; which having performed, I departed. The next morning I had a great desire to see her, but was amazed to see her so young, believing it impossible (though I knew the contrary) a child (for I may so call her, being but seven years of age) could be capable of mans reception at that tender age. Afterwards, I was informed, it was usual for them to marry so soon: first, being extreamly salacious and leacherous, and as fit, nay, as prone to enjoy man at that age, as EuropÆans at fourteen. Next, they extreamly honour Wedlock, insomuch, that if any of their children die whilst very young, they will hire some Maiden to be married to him, and so lie with him the night after his decease. So soon as we arrived (which is a custom they use to all strangers, of what Country soever) we had presented us choice of many Virgins; our Boat-swain chusing one he fancied for a small price, she guided him to a lodging, where if he would have stayed so long, she would have performed his domestick affairs, as well at board as bed, discharging her duty very punctually: but he that undertakes any such thing, must be very wary that he be not venereally familiar with any other woman, lest that she with whom he hath contracted himself for such a time, doth recompence his inconstancy with mortal poyson. At his departure, her wages must be paid to her Parents, who returns then with much joy, and they receive her with as much credit and ostentation. The chiefest among them hold it a very great courtesie, if any one will save them the labour, pain & trouble, by accepting the Hymeneal rites of his Bride. I should have told the Reader, that the Bramins are so much respected and esteemed by the commonalty, that if any of them gets their wives or daughters with child, they believe that off-spring to be much holier than their own, being extracted from Pagan piety. Their Funerals they celebrate after this manner: Bringing the dead corps near to their Fanes or Churches, they consume it to ashes, by fire made of sweet smelling wood, unto which they add costly perfumes in Aromatick gums and spices; If the wife only (for here they will not hear of Polygamy) cast not herself into the flames voluntarily, they look upon her to be some common prostitute, having not any thing commendable in her natural disposition; but if she freely commits her self to the flames, with her husbands carcase, she from that noble act (for so it is esteemed of among these infidels) derives to her memory, reputation and glory amongst her surviving friends and kindred. They are deluded on to this resolution by their Bramins, who perswade them by so doing, they shall enjoy variety of perpetual pleasures, in a place that is never disturbed by alteration of weather, wherein night is banisht, there being a continual spring; neither is there wanting any thing that shall ravish each individual sense. This was at first a stratagem invented by some long-headed Politician, to divert them from murdering their husbands (which they were frequently guilty of, by reason of their extream leachery and insatiate venery) so by that means they were reduced to that good order, as that they tender’d the preservation of their husbands healths and lives equally with their own. For my part, I could wish the like custom enjoyn’d on all married English females (for the love I bear to my own Country) which I am confident would prevent the destruction of thousands of well-meaning-Christians, which receive a full stop in the full career of their lives, either by corrupting their bodies by venemous medicaments administred by some pretended Doctors hand (it may be her Stallion) unto which he is easily perswaded, by the good opinion he hath of his wifes great care and affection for him: or else his body is poysoned by sucking or drawing in the contagious fumes which proceed from her contaminated body, occasioned by using pluralities for her venereal satisfaction, and so dies of the new Consumption.

Or lastly, by pettish and petulant behaviour, she wearieth him of his life, and at last is willing to die, that he may be freed, not only from the clamorous noise of her tongue, but that the derision of his neighbours, and scandal that she hath brought upon him, may not reach his ears. That all such might be mindful of their duty, I would have (were it at my disposing) these two lines fixt as a Motto to their doors.