e, her
friends throw oil upon her and sweet perfumes, while she endures the
fire with wonderful fortitude, loose not bound. I have seen many
instances of this. The first I ever saw was at Surat, the widow being a
virgin of ten years old, and her affianced husband being a soldier slain
in the wars at a distance, whence his clothes and turban were sent to
her, and she insisted on burning herself along with these. The governor
refused to give her permission, which she took grievously to heart, and
insisted on being burnt; but they durst not, till her kindred procured
leave by giving the governor a present, to her great joy. The kindred of
the husband never force this, but the widow esteems it a disgrace to her
family not to comply with this custom, which they may refrain from if
they choose: But then they must shave their heads, and break all their
ornaments, and are never afterwards allowed to eat, drink, sleep, or
keep company with any one all the rest of their lives. If, after
agreeing to burn, a woman should leap out of the fire, her own parents
would bind her and throw her in again by force; but this weakness is
seldom seen.

The Banian marriages are made at the age of three years or even under;
and two pregnant women sometimes enter into mutual promises, if one of
their children should prove male and the other female, to unite them in
marriage. But these marriages are always in the same cast and religion,
and in the same trade and occupation; as the son of a barber with the
daughter of a barber, and so on. When the affianced couple reach three
years of age, the parents make a great feast, and set the young couple
on horseback dressed in their best clothes, a man sitting behind each to
hold them on. They are then led about the city in procession, according
to their state and condition, accompanied by bramins or priests and many
others, who conduct them to the pagoda or temple; and after going
through certain ceremonies there, they are led home, and feasts are
given for several days, as they are able. When ten years of age, the
marriage is consummated. The reason they assign for these early
marriages is, that they may not be left wifeless, in case their parents
should die. Their bramins are esteemed exceedingly holy, and have the
charge of their pagodas or idol temples, having alms and tithes for
their maintenance; yet they marry, and follow occupations, being good
workmen and ready to learn any pattern. They eat but o