[397]. Conrad. Gesner. p. 44, 45. Gyllius.
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]].
Pinge duos angues, pueri, sacer est locus, extra
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