sed instead of bells, which they
cannot endure in their temples, to put religious persons in mind of
their duty. On one occasion, while Mr Coryat was residing in Agra, he
got up into a turret over against the priest, and on hearing these
words, he contradicted him, calling out, in a loud voice,--_La Alla illa
Alla, Hazaret Esa Ebn-Alla_; there is no God but God, and Christ, the
Son of God, is his prophet. He farther added, that Mahomet was an
impostor, in any other country of Asia, in which Mahomet is zealously
followed, this bold attempt had surely forfeited his life, with all the
tortures which cruelty could invent, or tyranny inflict; but in this
country every one is permitted to follow his own religion, and may even
dispute against theirs with impunity.

In regard to their burials, every Mahometan of quality provides a fair
sepulchre for himself and his family, in his life-time, surrounding a
considerable space of ground with a high wall, and generally in the
neighbourhood of some tank, or else near springs of water, that they may
make pleasant fountains. Within the enclosure, he erects a round or
square tomb, either on pillars or of closed walls, with a door for
entrance. The rest of the enclosure is planted with trees and flowers,
as if they would make the elysian fields of the poets, in which their
souls may repose in delight. They have many such goodly monuments built
in memory of those they esteem as saints, of whom they have an ample
calendar, in these there are lamps continually burning, and thither many
resort in blind devotion, to contemplate the happiness enjoyed by these
_peires_, as they call the holy men. Among many sumptuous piles
dedicated to this use, the most splendid of them all is to be seen at
_Secuadra_, a village three miles from Agra. This was begun by Akbar
Shah, the father of the present king, and finished by his son, the
reigning Mogul. Akbar lies here interred, and Jehanguire Shah means to
be here buried when he dies.

The molahs, or priests of the Mahometans, employ much of their time as
scribes, doing business for other men, having liberty to marry as well
as the laity, from whom they are no way distinguished by their dress.
Some live retiredly, spending their time in meditation, or in delivering
precepts of morality to the people. They are in roach esteem, as are
another set called _Seids_, who derive their pedigree from Mahomet. The
priests neither read nor preach in the mosques; yet