The King of _Calicut_ (in the _East-Indies_, the most powerful of all the _Malabar_ Princes) causes little Cottages to be erected for sacred Serpents, to guard them against the Inclemency of the Weather, and ’tis made Death to hurt them, being they are look’d upon as heavenly Spirits; and they believe them to be such for this Reason, because _they kill Men so suddenly by the Wound they give, which is only a little Puncture, and would not prove fatal if given by other Creatures_. It is observed by some, that Serpents at this day are highly honour’d in the Kingdom of _Calicut_, on this side the _Ganges_, where the Inhabitants call their King _Samori_, or _Zamorin_, that is, Sovereign Emperor, and God upon Earth. The Dragon being a Serpent of the vigilant Tribe, was constituted and made Guardian of their Houses, of their oracular Temples, and of all their Treasures. These Protectors of Places and Possessions, they call’d Tutelary Gods, and were worshipp’d by them under the Symbol of _Serpents_, without whose Sanction no Methods of Protection were available. It is remarkable, that where the Figure of two Serpents was erected in any place, it was look’d upon as a Sign of consecrated Ground; that is, that the Place was holy, being dedicated to some God; for which Superstition they are ridiculed by one of their own Writers, _viz._ _Persius_ the Satirist, that lived under _Nero_, who tells us, that Children were forbid to empty themselves in those Places, and not so much as make-water, for the Place is holy, as appears by the _Picture of the two Serpents_; the Language of which is, Profane not holy Ground. Would you, Sir, have your Poem pass for a sacred Composure, then paint two Serpents in the Front of it. Behold here the Original of that Popish Superstition, which forbids Men to make-water in the Church-Yard[398]. Footnote 398: Pinge duos angues, pueri, sacer est locus, extra Meite—— _Satir._ i. At _Alba_, in a Wood not far from _Juno_’s Temple, is a Dragon worshipp’d by the Inhabitants, and for their greater Honour, fed by Virgins, thereby intimating, that Innocence was a proper Attendant on the Gods. In _Epirus_, south of _Macedonia_, is a certain place sacred to _Apollo_, and wall’d about, within which are kept _sacred Dragons_, fed likewise by a Virgin Priestess, uncloathed, which they believe to be most acceptable to their idol Gods[399]; called by _Juvenal_, one of their own Poets, _wenching Gods_. Footnote 399: Ælian. lib. ii. cap. 2. ἱερεια γυμνη παρθενος. The _Epiroticks_, who highly venerated _Apollo_, honour’d his Temple with a _consecrated Dragon_, which they worshipp’d in solemn remembrance of his killing the _Pythonic Serpent_. It were well if the same Spirit of Gratitude reign’d amongst _Britons_, towards the Heroes that deliver’d their Country from the great Ecclesiastical Dragon, by the glorious Revolution.