them in that Science The third which contained their Law and matters of Religion called Zertoost was deliuered to their Darooes or Churchmen that they might know how to worshippe God themselues and also instruct others in the knowledge of the same worshippe of such three Tracts did this booke or volume consist These Tracts were likewise diuided into certaine Chapters whereof seauen were contained in the Wisemans or Iesopps booke seauen in the Physitians booke and seauen in the Darooes or Churchmans booke But because that which was giuen to the Augur or Southsayer as also that which was giuen to the Physitian containeth nothing concerning the Religion to be declared the vses of the former whereof are vnlawfull and the knowledge of the latter in these experient times seemeth vnnecessary we make addressment to the third Tract called Zertoost which layeth downe their Law or Religion as most appertinent to our present drift in that which followeth CHAP. VII Containing the particulars of the Booke of their Law as they are apportioned first to the Behedin or Layman Secondly to the Herbood which is the ordinary Churchman And lastly to the Distoore which is their Arch-Bishop THe common diuision of men being of such as are of the Layetie or such as are of the Clergie and those of the Clergie being either such as are ordinarie or such as are extraordinary it pleased God say the Persees to apportion and diuide his Law amongst these three sorts of men First then vnto the Layman or Behedin God gaue fiue Commandements who being by secular occasions drawne from the seruices of Religion had therefore a lesse difficult iniunction laid vpon him First to haue shame euer with them as a remedy against all sinne for a man would neuer oppresse his inferiors if hee had any shame a man woald neuer steale if hee had any shame a man would neuer beare false witnes if he had any shame a man would neuer bee ouercome with drink if hee had any shame but because this is layd aside men are ready to committ any of these and therefore the Behedin or Layman must thinke of shame Secondly to haue feare alwayes present with them and that euery time the eye twinckled or Closed his leddes together they should stand in feare at those times of their prayers least they should not goe to Heauen the thought of which should make them feare to committ sinne for that God sees what maner of ones they are that looke vp towards him Thirdly that whensoeuer they are to doe any thing to think whether the thing be good or badd that they goe about whether commaunded or forbidden in the Zundavastaw if prohibited they must not doe it if allowed by the booke of Religion they may embrace and prosecute the same Fourthly that whosoeuer of Gods Creatures they should first behold in the morning it should bee a Monitour to put them in minde of their thankesgiuings to God that had giuen such good things for mens vse and seruice Fiftly that whensoeuer they pray by day they should turne theire faces towards the Sunne whensoeuer they prayd by night they should inclyne towards the Moone for that they are the two great lights of heauen Gods two witnesses most contrarie to Lucipher who loueth darknes more then light These bee the fiue Precepts enioyned to the Layman or Behedin now follow those that are to bee obserued by the ordinary or common Churchman called their Daroo or â—erbood who as his place required a greater holinesse then the Laymans so his charge was greater for not onely is he by the booke of their Law inioyned to keepe the Behedins precepts without violation but also to fulfill these eleuen Precepts more as particular to himselfe First to know in what manner to pray to God obseruing the rites prescribed in the Zundauastaw for God is best pleased with that forme of prayer that he hath giuen in his owne booke The second to keepe his eyes from coueting or desiring any thing that is anothers for God hath giuen euery man what he thinkes meete for him and to desire that which is anothers is not onely to dislike of Gods disposure of his owne gifts but to chalenge to himselfe that which God hath denied him and whereof hee seeth him vnworthie The third to haue a care euer to speake the truth for all truth commeth from God and as it is most communicated to men of God so they should most shew it in their words and Actions but Lucifer is the Father of falshood and whosoeuer vseth it it may be a signe that the euill spirit is powerfull with such a one the Herbood therefore shall shew himselfe to bee contrarie to him by his speaking the truth for all men must giue credite to his words The fourth to bee knowne onely in his owne busynes and not to enquire after the things of the world it belonging onely to him to teach others what God would haue them doe Therefore the Behedin or Lay-man shall see that hee want nothing needfull but shall affoord it him and hee shall seeke nothing superfluous The fift to learne the Zundauastaw by heart that hee may be ready to teach it to the Behedin or Layman wheresoeuer he meeteth him for from him must the people fetch their knowledge concerning God The sixt to keepe himselfe pure and vndefilâ—d from things polluting as from the Carkeyses of the dead or touching meates vncleane for God is pure whose seruant hee is and it is expected hee should be such abhorring the sight of all things that are foule and loathsome and stopping the passages of his breath least theire corrupted aire should enter into him to defile him The seauenth to forgiue all Jniuries shewing himselfe the patterne of meekenes that hee may bee thought one that cometh from God for wee offend God euery day yet hee giueth vs things that are good when wee deserue that hee should recompence euill for euill The eighth to teach the common people to pray according to the directions in the booke of theire Law to goe and pray with them for any good they desire to obtayne and when they come to the place of worshipping to ioyne in common prayer together Ninth to giue lycense for marriage and to ioyne the man and woman together and that no Parents match theire Children without the consent and approbation of the Herbood The tenth to spend the greatest part of their time in the Temple that he may be ready for all that come to him for to that God hath appointed him and to that hee must binde himselfe The eleauenth and last Jnjunction is vpon paine of damnation to beleeue no other Lawe then that which was brought by Zertoost to add nothing to it to take nothing from it for therefore was it so miraculously deliuered and such gifts giuen to Zertoost that it might bee beleeued to come from God These are the Precepts that are to bee obserued by the Herbood or ordinary Church man contained
of Pythagoras Plato Empedocles Apolonius Tyanius and Proclus and might in Liber Paters discoueries of those parts bee dispersed amongst this people as well as by a Scholler of Pythagoras who spread it in Italy where it found fauour with Numa Pompilius that superstitious Emperour and was maintained by the Albanienses and Albigenses confuted by Athanasius Secondly touching the substance of this opinion that gained the Patronage of so great Schollers They did hold that there was a passage of soules of one Creature into another that this Transmeation was of the soules of men into beasts and of beasts into men hence Pythagoras auerred himselfe to be Euphorbus Empedocles in his verse affirmed himselfe to bee a Fish This made it an abominable crime to eate flesh least as saith Tertullian in Apologet. Cont. gent. Cap. 48. Bubulam De aliquo Proauo Quispiam obsonaret Some should eate vp the Oxeflesh that had swallowed vp his great Grandfathers soule This opinion gayned propugnation and defence by Pythagoras and Plato by this meanes because that beleeuing the soules immortality it might gaine assent with others by this thought of its suruiuing in other bodies after its relinquishment of the deceased as Greg. Tholoss affirmeth in his Syntax Art Mirab. lib. 8. cap. 12. Thirdly the reasons by which they doe induce assent to this Transanimation of soules were these because the soule was impure by the sinnes and corruptions of the body therefore it was needfull it should bee sublimed from this corruption by such transmeation out of one body into another as Chymicall spirits gaine a purer essence by passing through the Still or Limbecke diuers times euery Distillation taking away some of his grosse part and leauing it more refined Againe because it was meete the soule should make a satisfaction for the filthinesse it had contracted by remaining in the prison of the body an exile from blessednesse a longer time till this passage from one body to another had so purified them that they might be fit to enter into the Elysium or place of blisse Lastly in confutation of this opinion for prohibition of eating of flesh from supposall of a Metempsychosis we maintaine that there is no such Metempsychosis or transanimation of soules First the immortality of the soule wee euince without this Chymera of the fancy by an argument drawne from mans dissolution this is the nature of all things that are compounded that they should bee resolued into that which they were at first before their coniunction Man is compounded of soule and body the very dissolution of these two in death declareth this for that cannot be separated that was not before conioyned This composition was by life and a creature without life being in the soule alone it is manifest that the soule had it before euer it came to the body or else that which was dead could neuer haue liued by the meanes of that which was likewise dead If the soule had this life before the body it must needes haue the same after in his separation and by consequence is immortall Next in confutation of their reasons for this opinion We answer First that the soule is not cleansed by such Transmeation from body to body but rather defiled by that filthinesse those bodies contract as water becommeth defiled by infusion into an vncleane vessell Much more since they affirme the soules of men enter into beasts which are creatures of greater impurity Besides those spirits that are subtiliated by Stils and Lymbecks the fire is effectuall to their subliming but the bodies haue not the goodnesse in them that may tend to the soules greater purity in such Transmeation To conclude it is improbable the soule should be enioyned to such a satisfaction for sinne as tendeth to its greater defilement These reasons therefore auaile little to confirme the soules Transmeation in the manner premised We in the last place shall prooue this Metempsychosis to be no other then a vaine imagination by the reasons following 1. Then that the soules are not deriued from one another per traducem by way of traduction appeareth by Adams speech to Eue Gen. 2 23. This is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh he doth not say soule of my soule and spirit of my spirit It appeareth then that though shee receiued her body from Adam yet she had her soule from God And this is that which Zachery affirmeth Zach. 12.1 The Lord formeth the Spirit of a man within him whence Augustine saith Eam infundendo creari creando insundi That the soule being put into man was created and by creating was into man infused if therefore God created some why not all 2. Of spiritual things corporal there shold seeme the same manner of increase but the bodies haue new beings therefore the soules 3. If the soules were purified by their passage from one body to another then that man that had the soule last should be capable of all that knowledge that was enioyed by them that had it before and so the Infant should be an experienced creature in past occurrences but we discerne no such extraordinary ripenesse of knowledge in one more then another but that all our habits are gained by industry which whilst Plato would excuse saying that the wandering soules did receiue from the diuell a draught of the cuppe of Obliuion and so were forgetfull of that which is past Irenaeus thus taunteth him Iâ— Plato had tryall that his soule was obtused with such a draught I wonder that he could remember that his soule had lost her remembrance Lastly if this were true it would follow that the soules of beasts should be immortall which would be absurd to thinke in these better knowing times Hauing therefore proued this opinion of passage of soules out of one body into another to be a fancy and nothing reall this may bee no iust cause to detaine them from eating the flesh of creatures that haue had life in them Neither would they if there were great reason to the contrary permit it as they doe in the Casts of Cuttery and Wyse whom if they pleased they might restraine by the like iniunction All which thus euidenced this already deliuered may be sufficient to publish concerning the first Tract in the Booke deliuered to Bremaw touching the Morall Law CHAP. IX Of the second Tract of the Booke deliuered to Bremaw containing their Ceremoniall Law in their Washings Annointings Offerings vnder greene Trees Prayers Pilgrimages Inuocations Adorations together with the formes of their Baptizings Marriages and Burials customary amongst them THe second Tract of the booke deliuered to Bremaw comprized certaine ceremoniall iniunctions by them to be obserued in the particulars following the knowledge of which being something materiall to set forth the Religion of this people shall be the Subiect of this present Chapter First then they are enioyned to frequent washings of their bodies in Riuers The originall of which custome they say began with this second Age of the
too fast into the brest of the King for this cause hee suborned the Porter that kept the doore of Zertoosts house which was a Persian to conuey vnder the bed of Zertoost the bones of dead men and the dead carkeyses of dogs a creature loathsome to the Persians of which whilst Zertoost was vtterly ignorant the Kings Churchman put himselfe into the presence of Gustasph with some other of his Nobles that did not fauour Zertoosts innouation saying Oh King what new Religion is this to which thou standest so much inclined or what is this new strange Lawgiuer Zertoost whom thou so fauourest who the other day came in poore maÌ„ner into this land as a fugitiue from his natiue Countrey who as I heare also was hatefull to his Prince and the King of his People that he should finde such grace in bringing vp a new Religion false and fictious and not of that Authority it is pretended to be being as I am also informed a man of vncleane and beastly liuing in whose house at this time and vnder whose bed whereon hee hourely lyeth thou shalt finde the bones of humane bodies the carkeyses and limmes of dead doges and filthy Caryon an abhomination to the eyes of any cleane person continue thou then Oh King in the Law of thy Fathers and listen not to this Nouelist this speech being seconded with some of the great ones and the act reported being so odious and abhominable Gustasph commanded Zertoosts habitation to be searched and it being as the Churchman of Gustasph had reported effected by the wicked confederacy of Gustasphs Churchman and Zertoosts seruants Zertoost was cast into prison despised and hated of all people It happened in this time of Zertoosts imprisonment that Gustasph had a horse which hee much prized that fell very sicke and there was not any found that knew his disease or how to cure him this being told to the Iaylor that had Zertoost in custody and the King publishing great rewards to him that could restore him Zertoost came to the knowledge of it who told the Keeper that if the King pleased he would cure the horse or else be liable to the Kings displeasure the Keeper so fauored Zertoost that hee made knowne his words to the King so Gustasph sent for Zertoost who according to his promise did restore the beast which seruice was so acceptable to Gustasph that hee was had into new estimation againe and maintaining his innocency touching that same blot that was laid vpon him the King gaue him liberty and great rewards and by often conferences became neerely in respect with the King so that a way was again affoorded to publish this Religion of Zertoosts who working strange miracles amongst them gained credence to bee a man come from God This booke of Zertoosts gaining euery day a better opinion then other and his great workes really demonstrated shewing him to be a man of more diuine endowments then was found in ordinary men vpon a time the King sent for him and told him that if hee would grant him foure demands which hee would propound to him he would beleeue his Law and be euer a Professor of that Religion contained in the booke hee brought with him Zertoost then bade him propose his demands and if they were such as were reasonable they should be granted The King then proposed them The first whereof was that he might ascend to heauen and descend from thence when he list The second was that he might know what God would doe at present and in time to come The third was that he might neuer dye The fourth was that no instrument whatsoeuer might haue the power to wound him or hurt him Zertoost thus replyed that these were difficult and high demands neither did so great power rest in him as to grant them neither was it meete that any one man should haue them all for that therein hee should rather seeme to bee a God then man yet difficult though they were that the booke of Laws he had brought might bee knowne to proceed from God he would procure that these requests might bee granted to seueralâ— persons but not all to one So the first which was to ascend to heauen and descend thence at pleasure was obtained for Gustasph who they say had this power granted him The second which was to know what would fall out at present or hereafter was granted to the Kings Churchman that so hee might direct the King in his designes what should bee vndertaken what should be left vndone The third which was to liue for euer was granted to Gustasphs eldest sonne called Pischiton who yet liueth as they say if wee will beleeue them at a place in Persia called Demawando Cohoo in a high mountaine with a Guard consisting of thirty men to which place all liuing creatures else are forbidden to approach least they should liue for euer as they do that abide there who neuer suffer mortality The last which was neuer to be wounded with Instrument or weapon was granted to the youngest sonne of Gustasph called Espandiar who they say by Zertoosts prayers was made invulnerable that he might put himselfe into the danger of Battell without feare or hazard So Gustasph and the other three mentioned prouing the power of these seuerall gifts they all determined to liue according to the Precepts in Zertoosts booke wherein that they might bee informed Zertoost vnfolded to them the Contents thereof The matter or Subiect of which booke of what nature it was shall be declared in the Chapter following CHAP. VI. Wherein is shewed the maine Contents of the Booke deliuered to Zertoost and by him published to the Persians or Persees HAuing shewed who Zertoost was that was the Lawgiuer of these Persees in what manner according to their Assertion hee receiued the booke by strange Reuelation with what wonders as they affirme hee wrought Assent thereunto and beleefe thereon by Gustasph and his Nobles After this it will perhaps bee desired to know what this booke contained that this Sect deliuer to bee receiued after so wondrous a manner which will bee the drift of that which followeth They affirme then that this booke contained in it three seuerall Tracts The first whereof treated of that which wee call Iudiciall Astrologie foretelling the euents of things to come by iudgement of the Starres which by them is called Astoodeger The second did treate concerning Physicke or the naturall knowledge of things with their causes and the cuâ—es of the diseases incident to man The third was called Zertoost because Zertoost was the bringer thereof and this contained their Law and matters that concerned Religion which bookes according as their matter was diuers so they were deliuered to men of seuerall studies and learning The first of these bookes called Astoodeger which treated of Iudiciall Astrologie was committed to their Iesopps or wise men which are knowne by the name of Magies The second which treated of Physicke was giuen to their Physitians to instruct
in the booke of their Law Now their Distoore or high Priest whereof they haue neuer but one to which all the Herboods pay their obseruance as hee is aboue the rest in dignity so he is enioyned to bee aboue the rest in sanctity his Iniunctions therefore are transcending for not onely is he bound by their Zundaâ—astaw or booke of Religion to obserue all that is commanded the Behedin or Layman in his fiue Precepts and all that is commanded the Herbood in his eleauen Prâ—cepts but also to fulfill thirteene Precepts more as peculiar to himselfe The first is that he must neuer touch any of a strange Cast or Sect of what Religion soeuer nor any Layman of his owne Religion but he must wash himselfe because God hath made him especially holy to himselfe for which cause hee must not approach to God in prayer with the touch of others vncleannesse The second is that hee must doe euery thing that belongeth to himselfe with his owne hand both to witnesse his better humility as also the better to preserue his purity viz. to set the hearbes in his owne Garden to sow the graine of his owne field to dresse the meate that hee eateth vnlesse he haue his wife to administer to him in that which is not euer vsuall The third is that he take the tythe or tenth of all things from the Behedin as the Lords dues and imploy it to such vses as he thinketh meete since the Lord hath made him as his Almoner and dispenser of Charity The fourth is that as he must vse no Pompe or superfluity so of that great Reuennue that commeth yeerely to him hee must leaue nothing ouer-plus at the yeeres end that must not bee bestowed in good vses either in Charitable Contributions to the poore or in building of the Temples of God The fifth that his house bee neere adioyning to the Church where hee must keepe and make his abiding continuing in Prayer and abstinence not ostentating himselfe to publike view but liuing recluse and retyred from the world as a man wholy dedicate to God The sixt that hee must binde himselfe to greater purity then others both in his frequent washings and also in his dyet in feeding on meates accoumpted more pure by the Law as also that he liue sequestred from his wife in time of her pollutions The seauenth is that whereas the Herbood is enioyned only to be known in the Law or booke called Zertoost that the Distoore bee acquainted with all the learning contayned in the Zundanastaw both in that part which treateth of judiciall Astrologie committed to the Iesopp or wise man as also in that which concerneth the Physition and most especially in the booke of the Law for it is expected that hee should informe all men and none should bee found like him therin before hee bee admitted to be high Priest The eight that hee must neuer eate or drinke excessiuely for these are enemies to the high speculations required in a high Priest The Ninth that he stand in feare of no body but God nor feare any thing but sinne for hee is so to trust in God that hee must not feare what Lucipher can do vnto him The tenth that God hath giuen him pâ—wer ouer all men in matters of the soule that therefore when any man sinneth hee may tell him of it be he neuer so great and euery man is to obey him as one that speaketh not in his owne cause but Gods The eleauenth that according to the wisdome that God hath giuen him he be able to discerne in what manner God cometh to reueale himselfe in what manner Lucipher and how to descide betweene falshood and truth The Twelfth that when God manifesteth him selfe to him in visions of the Night and sheweth him in what manner hee made his workes in the Creation hee should not reveale Gods secretts but keeping them to himselfe should admire his power for God doth not publish himselfe to any as he doth to his Distoore or high Priest The thirteenth that hee keepe an euer liuing fyer that neuer may go out which being kindled by that Fyer that Zertoost brought from heauen may indure for all ages till fyer shall come to destroy all the world and that he say his prayers ouer it according as is enordered by the booke of the Law This is a Summary of those Precepts contayned in the Booke of their law that Zertoost by them is affirmed to bring from heauen and that Religion which Gustasph with his followers embraced perswaded by the forementioned Miracles by Zertoost wrought amongst them CHAP. VIII Declaring other Ceremonies amongst these Persees in their Feasts and Fasts in their Idolatrous worshippe of Fire Baptismes Marriages and Burials THe third particular concluding this Tract consisteth in the display of certaine Rites and Ceremonies obserued by this Sect differencing them from others in the Contents aboue mentioned the particulars follow in their order First then touching their liberty in meates and drinkes and their customes obserued in their Feast and Fasts Their Law alloweth them great liberty in meates and drinkes but because they will not giue offence to the Banians amongst whom they liue nor displease the Moores vnder whose gouernment they are they especially abstaine from eating of Kine and Hogs-flesh meates prohibited by the Lawes of the two former It is obserueable also amongst them that they eate alone as a meanes for greater purity and cleannesse for they suppose they participate of anothers vncleannesse by eating with him they likewise drinke euery one in seuerall cuppes proper and peculiar to theire owne vses for the same cause and if any chance to drinke in another mans cuppe they wash it three times and abstaine from the vse thereof for a certaine season after Secondly for their Festiualls inioyned by their Lawes they obserue sixe in the yeare and these feasts are celebrated for fiue dayes together each of them according to the sixe works of the Creation The first is called Meduserum which is vpon the fifteenth of their Moneth called Fere which is our Februarie for ioy that the Lord made the Heauens to be a place of glory to entertaine such as seare hm The Second is called Petusahan which is vpon their month Sheruar our Aprill the six and twentieth for that the Lord had made Hell to bee a place for the Diuell and his Angels That feast therefore is a memoriall to put them in minde that they take heed of that euill that may bring them thither The third is Yatrum celebrated vpon the sixe and twentieth of their Month Mahar which is our May in memory that the Lord made the Earth and Seas to bring forth Creatures for the vse of man The fourth is Medearum kept vpon the sixteenth of their Month Deh which is our August in memory that God made the plants and Trees by whose fruites man is sustained nourished The fift is Homespetamadum vpon the Month Spindamud which is our October beginning