Then did I proceed in the thoughts of my former life, and considered the many dangers I underwent, all the time I followed my padding employment, and though I then usually wore money enough in my Pocket, and sometimes met with some female adventures, as the Farmers Daughter, the Poetick Widdow, and my Female Robbers, and others in whose converse I took much pleasure, yet I was in all these pleasures still accompanied with fear of being snapt, as indeed I was at last and likely to be trus't up: but that my penitence wrought so upon my friends as to procure my sentence of death, to be altered into that of banishment: which had through many miseries and cross adventures brought me hither, where I received the full enjoyment of all things: this consideration took me up much time, and possessed me with some virtuous thoughts, believing that I had not been preserved and reserved from so many hazards but for some good end; and now I had a fair opportunity of declining Vice, and living vertuously, I not being likely to be exposed to any such Roguish shifts or courses as formerly, these thoughts of virtue made way for those of Religion, and now it was that I seriously considered of that Word in general, and being (though little practised in) yet well enough acquainted with the Christian Religion, I wondered at the absurdity of the Religion of other Nations, especially of the Country wherein I now lived; and having been curious in the enquiry of the grounds thereof, I had received a good account, though little satisfaction; but since it is a Novelty, and may well enough suit with the following discourse, which will consist of several and variety of Knaveries and Cheatings, whereof I suppose this of this Countries Religion may very well bear a part: I shall give you a short account thereof in this following chapter. ---------------------------------------------------------------- CHAP. II. _The Original Religion and Worship of the_ Banians _and_ Persees, _with all their Castes and Tribes._