Around the Forum, or square, were galleries, placed for the reception of the spectators; and previous to the two combatants meeting together, in the way of engagement, the sentence was read, namely, that the conqueror was to be held as innocent, but the vanquished, was to suffer death, as a perjured blasphemer. Both parties were mounted on horseback, and covered with coats of mail, from the head to the feet. They had lances in their hands, fixed to the end of a wooden pole, with which they pushed furiously against each other, and it appears that their horses were trained to the combat. If one of the parties was unhorsed, he was again replaced in the saddle, and the combat renewed afresh; but the circumstance of falling from the horse, was always considered as a bad omen by the superstitious crowd. At last, the conqueror was crowned with garlands, and the person conquered, was obliged either to spend the remaindtr of his days in a convent, as a monk, or to be put to an ignominious death. Of this we have many shocking instances in the history of England, and such as are too numerous to relate. When Henry II. invaded Wales, 1157, the earl of Essex, a gallant young commander, challenged a Norman baron to single combat, for having accused him of cowardice. The contest was long, and obstinate, and although the king would have willingly dispensed with the rigour of the law, in favour of Essex, who was defeated, yet such was the popular clamour, such was the strength of superstition, that all the favour the king could grant to the unfortunate nobleman, was to permit him to become a monk in the abbey of Waltham. This barbarous custom continued so late as the reign of queen Elizabeth,. but from that time it gradually decreased; only, that we find an instance of a gentleman challenging another to single combat, in Tothill-fields, near Westminster, 1632, but the Court of King's-Bench ordered them both to be taken into custody. Upon the whole, to imagine that the approbation, or the anger of God, is to be known by any external circumsnces, is the most horrid blasphemy that can be thought of, and renders us unworthy of his provi dential care. The RELIGION of JAPAN. THE HE people of Japan have in all their religious ceremonies, such an affinity with the Chinese, that many have been induced to consider them as originally one people; which is not at all improbable, especially as they are situated in almost the same corner of the world. Although there are many religious sects among thein, yet they may be all comprehended under the two following, viz. proepicureans, who deny God's moral government of the world. They are called Xenxi, and they pay adoration to the memory of such great men as have been honoured for their heroic actions, but they laugh at a future state of rewards and punishments. This sect, however, is not numerous, and most of its professors consist of drunkards, debauchees, and such others as would mock at religion in any nation whatever. The other sect is much more respectable, and men of the best understandings belong to it. According to their own traditions, their founder was one Xedo rius, a prince of the blood royal, who had two sons; but his wife dying, he lamented for her in the most pathetic manner, and afterwards ranked her among his idols, commanding all his disciples to pay her divine honours. The lesser sects are extremely nu merous, and although they differ in the objects of their worship, yet they are all idolators, and, in many respects, as far from the truth as any in the world. One of these sects are called the disciples of Amida, of whom we have the following account from the best authorities extant, as well as from the testimonies of our voyagers. He is the sovereign iord and absolute governor of paradise; the protector of human souls; the father of all those who are to partake of happiness; and the mediator and saviour of all those who are accounted worthy of eternal life. He has such an influence over Jemma, the Japanese god of hell, that by a stern look, he can mitigate the pains of the damned; and sometimes not only releases them, but sends sends them once more into the world. This idol is sometimes represented as mounted on horseback; the horse having seven heads, denoting so many thousands of years, and the figure is placed on a stately altar. The head of the idol resembles that of a dog, and in his hand he holds a gold ring, or circle, which he bites, thereby pointing out that he is eternal. Like most other heathen nations, they have their gods for almost every thing. Thus the goddess of their riches or treasures, is called Ben Saiten, and of her they give the following account: When a mortal, she was called Bunso, and not having anychildren by her husband, she prayed earnestly to the gods of the country, and with such success, that she soon found herself pregnant, and was brought to bed of five hundred eggs. Being extremely surprized, lest should the eggs be hatched, they would produce some monstrous animals, she packed them all Amida, is also worshipped under another form, which is properly represented in one of our copper plates, and some of his devotees voluntarily drown themselves in his presence. In performing this hor-up in a box and threw them into the river Riusagarid ceremony, the victim enters into a small boat, and dances to the sound of several musical instruments; after this he ties a heavy stone to his neck, and another to the lower parts of his belly, and then jumps into the water. On such occasions he is attended by all his relations and friends, with several priests, who all consider him as a saint, and as one who is gone into everlasting happiness. Some of them, who are rather timorous of throwing themselves into the water, get one of their friends to bore a hole in the keel of the boat, so that it sinks gradually; the devotee all the while singing hymns to Amida. Others of these enthusiasts shut themselves. up in a small enclosure in the form of a tomb, where they eat nothing but a morsel of bread and water once in the day, and keep calling on their god Amida till they expire. wa; but with this precaution, that she wrote the There is another of their inferior sects, distinguished by the name of Jammabos, or Jammabugi, a This message was carried to their mother, who term which signifies captain of the moutain, because sent out to know concerning the word written on this sect reside chiefly in rocks and deserts, where the box, and being answered, that the word Fosgothey spend most of their time in the study of magic. roo was on it, she found they were her own chilMost of these persons procure a subsistance, by pre-dren, and received them as such. She was aftertending to tell people's fortunes, and, in a great measure, resemble those whom we call gypsies, or Egyptians. They have an almost incredible number of idols, and yet there is a general toleration granted to all sects and parties, and it is difficult to distinguish which is considered as the established religion. Abbuto, one of their idols, is noted for curing many different sorts of inveterate diseases, and also for procuring a favourable wind, and a quick passage at sea. For this reason, sailors and passengers generally tie some small pieces of coin to sticks, and throw them into the sea, as an offering to this idol. His priests tell the people that these offerings are always conveyed to the god, although it is evident, that they have the art of picking them out of the water as soon as the ship has sailed. Nay, it often happens that the god Abbuto himself, dressed in the habit of one of his priests, comes in a boat to demand this offering, and he remains near the shore till the ship is out of sight of land. wards taken up to heaven, among the gods, where she is now, and always will be, attended by her five hundred sons. There is in this story something of an allegorical nature; for, by the five hundred sons being the offspring of one woman, who was incessant in her prayers to the gods for only one, points out, that unwearied industry, in private or public life, will procure more than perhaps we ever thought of at first, so that there is nothing unnatural in these idolators worshipping this woman as the goddess of riches. Another of their most celebrated idols is named Budsdo, which signifies the worship of foreign idols: for this god was first imported among them from some other part of Asia. The natives of the country give the following account of this idol, and how his religion was first established. He was born at Siaka, which signifies the country of the heavens, about a thousand years before the commencement of the Christian Era, and at nineteen years of age, he be came came a disciple, or scholar to a famous hermit, whose name was Arara Sennin, and who lived on the top of a mountain called Dandokf. Under this holy man, he lived in the most austere manner, spending most of his time in the contemplation of divine things, and sitting cross legged with his hands in his bosom, so placed, that the extremities of his thumbs touched each other, a posture considered by these heathens as the most proper to meditation. By this means he penetrated into the most secret and important points of religion, which he afterwards communicated to his followers. He taught, that the souls of beasts, as well as those of men, are immortal, and that both will be rewarded, or punished hereafter, according as they have acted in this life. He prescribed five precepts of a general nature, and all negatives, being almost similar to those in the kingdom of Siam, and in many other parts of the cast. These laws, or precepts are as follow: I. Thou shalt not kill. II. Thou shalt not steal. III. Thou shalt not commit adultery. V. Thou shalt not drink strong liquors. It is upon these precepts that all their political moral, and religious discourses are delivered, but like the people in other countries, they have put strange constructions upon some of them, and in many cases, that which is murder in reality, is considered as a virtue, rather than a crime; so that although their laws are good in themselves, yet they perverted to the worst of purposes, are Two of his disciples, Annan Sonsja, and Rosia Sonsja, collected his wise sentences; which were found after his death, written with his own hand on leaves of trees, and made up into a book, called Fohekio, that is, the book of flowers, as being the most perfect performance in the world, and esteemed by them, as we do the bible. The two disciples who compiled it, are now ranked among their gods, and are worshipped along with their master, in all his temples, one being placed on his right hand, and the other on his left. Before the doctrine of Budsdo, or as he is sometimes called Siaka, was introduced into Japan, the people were extremely simple in their manners, having very few temples, or festivals, living consistent with the dictates of reason; and aiming chiefly at the practice of moral duties. But this new religion taught them to build stately temples, and to offer up the most pompous sacrifices, imagining that the No. 6. whole of piety consists in rites and ceremonies. They have many convents and temples, in honour of this idol, but the priests never walk in procession, for they confine themselves to their own limits, and subsist on the voluntary contribution of the people. Canon, the god who presides over the waters and the fish, as represented in their pagods, has four arms, and the lower part of his body is swallowed up by a large sea monster. His head is crowned with flowers, in one hand he holds a scepter, in another a flower, a ring in the third, and the fourth is closed, with the arm extended. Over-against him stands the figure of a humble penitent, one half of whose body is concealed within a shell, and the temple is adorned with arrows, and all sorts of warlike instruments. As all false religions have something in them of a pretended miraculous nature, so we find the people of Japan, joining with other Heathens, in this sort of artificial impiety. Debis, one of their idols, is represented in the shape of a man of gigantic stature, in an image of brass, but without a temple, or pagod, for he is placed on the most conspicuous part of a high road. To this idol, young women repair to know when they will get husbands, and as the image itself is hollow, a priest stands within it, and answers all the questions proposed. He takes care that the virgin shall not go away in despair, and in return for the favour, she leaves something of value; not doubting, but that it was the god himself who spoke to her. Daiboth, another of their idols, has many temples erected to his honour, and vast numbers of devotees resort there to worship. Before you come to the temple of this idol, you pass through a gate, on each side of which are erected two monstrous figures, with several arms, holding all sorts of warlike instru ments. In the centre of the pagod, the idol is seated, after the oriental fashion, on an altar table, raised a little above the ground; and he is of such a monstrous height, that his head reaches to the roof of the temple. This idol has the breast and face of a woman, with black locks, curled like those of a negro, and his hands are bigger than the body of a man of an ordinary size. He is encircled on all sides with gilded rays, in which are placed a great number of images, representing the inferior idols of Japan; and the altar is illuminated with a great number of lamps. The temple is supported by wooden pillars, not according to any of the rules of architecture, but by the trees as cut down in the woods, or gardens, which gives the whole a very romantic appearance. All the wooden work of the temple is painted red, and adjoining to it is a chapel, where the sacrifices are prepared, and where the people resort to worship, ex Ii cept cept on the great festivals. As for the idol itself, it attempts to convert the natives of Japan, from idolis gilt all over; its ears are large, and its hair curled, atry to popery, but these Fathers being rather too with a crown on its head, and a speck, or mark, inofficious, and having delivered their opinions con its brow; its neck and breast are naked, and its right hand is extended, pointing to the hollow of its left, which rests upon its belly. Their god of plenty, is named Daikokui, and he is represented as sitting on a bale, or sack of rice, with a hammer in his hand, and whenever he strikes the ground, they promise themselves a plentiful harvest; on all these occasions, many offerings are brought to the pagod, and the priests take care to appropriate them to their own use, while they keep the people in a state of profound ignorance. Before we proceed to give any further account of their idols, it may not be improper to take notice, that they have a sovereign supreme high priest, who is called Dairo, and entitled to the highest honours. His ancestors were formerly emperors, but the family having fallen into decay, they are now confined to the priesthood. But still the person of this sovereign pontiff is considered in so sacred a point of view by the people, that is feet are not permitted to touch the ground, nor his head to be exposed to the sun. He is never to have his head, beard, or nails cut; and his victuals must be carried to his table in new baskets, and served up on new plates. When he goes abroad he is carried in a magnificent litter, whose pillars are of nassey gold, and the outside enriched with figures carved on the same precious metal. It is covered with a thin transparent silk, so contrived that the priest may see every one without being seen by any. In this litter he is carried by fourteen persons of the highest rank, and the emperor's guards march before. A coach follows behind, drawn by two horses, whose housings are adorned with pearls and diamonds, after which his wives and concubines follow. Their god of physic, to whom the people under all bodily disorders are to apply, is called Jakusi, and he is placed in a small temple richly adorned, standing upright on a gilt flower, with one half of a large cockle-shell, over his head, encircled with rays of glory. This image is gilded all over, and in his right hand is something concealed, but in his left he holds a scepter. There are little bells hung up at the entrance into his temples, and all passengers going along ring them, and make a most reverential bow, holding their hands to their foreheads, and repeating some prayers. In performing this part of devotion, they believe that they will be preserved from the fatal effects of diseases, and that their lives will be prolonged to the latest period. The Jesuits, during the last century, made several cerning some affairs of state, the emperor ordered them to depart out of his dominions. In memory of this event. the Japanese observe at the close of every year, the following ceremony, which they call Jesumi, Certain persons appointed for that purpose, go from house to house, and take down the names of all the inhabitants in a book, after which they oblige every individual to appear before them, and declare upon oath, that they are not Christians. This being done, the form of the Virgin Mary, and a crucifix, are both laid on the ground, and every one is obliged to trample on them. From this circumstance, we may learn that the Jesuits are not the most properly qualified to teach the Christian religion; for had they endeavoured to inculcate the simple truth, without the use of images, the people might have been brought off from their idolatrous practices; but substituting one image instead of another, is only setting up a more refined scheme of idolatry, in the room of one, which to them, appeared more gross than their own. Ingen, one of their saints, is much adored by the vulgar, although he is but of a very modern original. They tell us, that he was born in China, and that he travelled to Japan, in order to make himself acquainted with all their mysteries in religion. He was received with the utmost respect, and there being, at that time, a violent drought in the country, the people applied to him for rain, which he did in so earnest a manner, that a flood ensued, which carried away all their bridges. They observe a festival in memory of him every summer, by offering sacrifices on the top of a high mountain, where, according to their tradition, he stood when he repeated the prayer, and such are the notions, that if one of their priests will annually ascend the same hill, they will have plenty of rain. Nor are the people of Japan without their nuns, for they have an order of female devotees named Bikunis, chosen from among their most beautiful women, and they take upon them a particular habit, either to please their parents, or gratify their own inclinations. In general they are very lewd in their deportment, so that they may be justly styled whores, or daughters of Venus. They travel round the country from place to place, and when they meet a passenger, they uncover their breasts, as an incentive to lust. So far we may consider them as so many licenced prostitutes, who have no regard to either modesty or decency. The secular priests in Japan, are called Canusis, and |