An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous EscapeKnox, Robert
History
An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies: Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous Escape
Knox, Robert
Sri Lanka -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Sri Lanka -- Social life and customs
[As to their Religion they are very indifferent.] There are few or
none zealous in their worship, or have any great matter of esteem
for their Gods. And they seldom busie themselves in the matters of
their Religion, until they come to be sick or very aged. They debar
none that will come to see the Ceremonies of their worship; and if a
stranger should dislike their way, reprove or mock at them for their
Ignorance and Folly, they would acknowledge the same, and laugh at the
superstitions of their own Devotion, but withall tell you that they
are constrained to do what they do, to keep themselves safe from the
malice and mischiefs that the evil spirits would otherwise do them,
with which, they say, their Country swarm.
[If their Gods answer not their desires, they Curse them.] Sometimes
in their Sickness they go to the House of their Gods with an Offering,
with which they present him, intreating his favour and aid to restore
them to health. Upon the recovery whereof they promise him not to fail
but to give unto His Majesty (for so they entitle him) far greater
Gifts or Rewards, and what they are, they do particularly mention;
it may be, Land, a Slave, Cattle, Money, Cloth, &c. and so they will
discourse, argue and expostulate with him, as if he were there present
in Person before them. If after this, he fails on his part, and cannot
restore them to their health, then the fore-promised things are to
remain where they were; and instead of which perhaps he gets a Curse,
saying, He doth but cheat and deceive them.
[They undervalue and revile their Gods.] It is a usual saying, and
very frequent among them (if their Gerahah, which is their fortune,
be bad) What can God do against it: Nay, have often heard them say,
Give him no Sacrifice, but shit in his Mouth, what a God is He? So
slight an estimation have they of their Idol-Gods; and the King far
less esteems them. For he doth not in the least give any countenance
either to the Worshipper, or to the manner of worship. And God's name
be magnified, that hath not suffered him to disturb or molest the
Christians in the least in their Religion, or ever attempt to force
them to comply with the Countreys Idolatry. But on the contrary,
both King and People do generally like the Christian Religion better
than their own: and respect and honour the Christians as Christians;
and do believe there is a greater God than any they adore. And in
all probability they would be very easily drawn to the Christian or
any other Religion: as will appear by this story following.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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