These Men Usually Dwell About The Outskirts Of The Cities And
Towns, Like The Man Mentioned By Our Blessed Saviour At The City Of The
Gadarens, Who Had Devils, And Wore No Clothes, Neither Abode In Any
House, But Dwelt Among The Tombs.
They make little fires during the day,
sleeping at night among the warm ashes, with which they besmear their
bodies.
These men never suffer a razor to come upon their heads, and
some of them let their nails grow like to bird's claws, as it is written
of Nebuchadnezzar, when driven out from among the society of men. There
is also a sort of men among them called mendee, who often cut and
slash their flesh with knives, like the priests of Baal. I have seen
others, who, from supposed devotion, put such massy fetters of iron on
their legs, that they are hardly able to move, yet walk in that manner
many miles upon pilgrimages, barefooted, upon the parching ground, to
visit the sepulchres of their deluding saints; thus, tantum religio
potuit suadere malorum, taking more pains to go to hell than any
Christian that I know does to attain heaven. These do not marry. Such
Mahometans as choose to marry, are allowed four wives by the law of
Mahomet, but they keep as many concubines as they can maintain. The
priests content themselves with one wife.
Notwithstanding their polygamy, such is the violent jealousy of these
lustful Mahometans, that they will scarcely allow even the fathers and
brothers of their beloved wives or concubines to converse with them,
except in their own presence. Owing to this restraint, it has become
odious for such women as have the reputation of virtue, to be seen at
any time by strangers. If any of them dishonour their husbands beds, or,
being unmarried, are found incontinent, even their own brothers will put
them to death rather than they should escape punishment; and for such
unnatural actions they shall be commended, rather than called in
question. Yet is there full toleration for harlots, who are as little
ashamed of receiving visits as the men are of frequenting their houses.
The women of any fashion are waited upon by eunuchs instead of
women-servants; and these eunuchs are deprived in their youth of every
thing that can provoke jealousy. Their marriages are solemnised in great
pomp. After the molah has joined their hands, with certain ceremonies
and words of benediction, they begin their revels at the first watch of
the night. Whether the man be poor or rich, he mounts on horseback,
attended by his friends, having many oressets, or great lights,
carried before him, and accompanied by drums, and wind-instruments of
music, and various pageantry. The woman follows with her friends, in
covered coaches. And having thus paraded through the principal places of
the city or town, they return home and partake of a banquet, the men and
women being in separate apartments. They are mostly married at the age
of twelve or thirteen, the matches being made by their mothers.
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