Qui pediculum Sabbato 'treat, tam reus eat, quam qui camelum Sabbato necaret. After these it would be unne cessary to -mention the Flagellantes, who gave them selves a sound whipping, which they richly deserved, but which unfortunately ceased to be a mortification, by being voluntary. .See Jortin's Remarks, vol. ii.
That these absurdities and abominations may not be fixed on Christianity, we shall proceed to shew that they prevail in all their force, where its influence has never been felt, and its name never heard. They have ob tained from time immemorial in India, and are still dis played in their full extent. By a strange coincidence, we often find the same mortifications practised in the East, which disgraced the dark ages of Europe, and which either point to a common origin, or indicate it, greater uniformity in human folly, than we thought con sistent with its endless variety. A short enumeration or the austerities practised by the Indian Fakirs or Fa quirs, will prove that the most mortified of the monks of Syria have never equalled them in their atrocious violations of nature. We shall mention a few of these to satisfy the curiosity of our readers. 1st, The prac tice of dancing with threads, canes, or bamboos, passed through the sides, called the Pursvoban. 2d, The pass ing spits, or other instruments of iron, through the tongue or forehead, called Zuhba Phooron. 3d, The practice of swinging over a fire, called Jhool Sunyoss. 4th, The practice of climbing naked a tree armed with horrid thorns, called Kanta l3hanga. Sec Buchanan's ,Memoir on India, Appendix.
But this list of torments is far from filling up the measure of their absurdities. Some make a vow never to sleep night nor day ; and this vow they contrive to keep sometimes for many years, till the sleep of death surprises them. Others make a vow to keep their hands
continually extended above their heads, and never to take them down, even on the most urgent occasions. In this situation they remain day and night, summer and winter, exposed to the stinging of the flies, and determi ned to perish with hunger, rather than use their hands to feed themselves : indeed they very soon lose the use of them ; for the joints contract a stiffness, by this unna tural position, which renders it quite impossible to bring their hands below their heads. All these maniacs are complete Gymnosophists, without any covering but what nature affords. In this state they are regarded by the infatuated natives, as saints of the highest eminence. They go, purls naturalibus, into the midst of cities ; the women approach them with the greatest reverence, touch the ends of their fingers, et tegenda deosculantur: sed fanatici nee tactic nee asnectu inoventur. See Taver nier's Travels in India.
But foreign countries must not have all the credit of producing these worthies : we can mention one of true British growth, who may dispute the laurel with the Fakirs of India. About the beginning of the twelfth cen tury, lived St Godric. He had always an iron shirt next his skin, and wore out three by constant usd. He min gled ashes with his flour ; and lest this should be too luxurious a repast, he kept the bread formed of this composition, four months, before he used it. in winter he would pass whole nights at his devotions, up to the neck in water. The temptations which he essayed from evil spirits in the form of beautiful damsels, obliged him to curb evil thoughts, by rolling himself naked in bri ers ; and he improved the wholesome discipline, by pouring brine into the wounds. See Andrews' Hist. of Britain, vol. i. p. 233.