painting them with divers colours which makes them look more like Devils than Men. These Giogi are undoubtedly the same with the ancient Gymnosophists who liv'd after the same manner Vertiaes their manner of life There are also Indians call'd Vertiaes which shave their Heads Peruschi tells us That the Vertiaes live together in great numbers go cloth'd in White with bald Heads and bare Chins for they pluck out the Hair by the Roots leaving onely a little Tuft on the Crown of their Heads They live poorly upon Alms remain single and drink warm Water because they believe the Water to have a Soul and that they should kill that Soul which God hath created if they should drink it cold For the same reason they constantly carry little Brooms or rather Mops in their Hands made of Cotton Thrums with which as they walk they sweep the Ground so to prevent accidental treading on any Animal Wherefore some will not sit down before they have swept the place very carefully where they intend to rest themselves They are under one Supreme Head to the number of a hundred thousand and wear a piece of Cloth of about four fingers broad before their Mouthes with a hole on each side through which they put their Ears Their Opinions They say that the World hath been created many hundred thousands of years and that God in the beginning sent twenty three Apostles and a four and twentieth in this third Age which is not above two thousand years past since which they receiv'd written Laws which before they had not The Opinion of their Sect is written in Books with Surat Letters and Characters There are several other Sects which differ very little from those beforemention'd as the Janjema the Giaugami c. and therefore we will not here any farther particularize concerning them Priviledges of the Brahmans The Brahmans have four things allow'd them in their Vedam or Law-book First They may freely keep the Feast Jagam And Secondly They are permitted to instruct others therein whereas the Weinsja's and Soudra's may neither keep nor learn the manner thereof Their third Privilege is to read the Vedam and teach it to others which is forbidden to all else but especially to the Family of the Weinsja's which may neither read it speak any Words that are in it nor hear them spoken by others nor may they look into the Jastra by which Name all Books are understood which treat of Religion Their fourth Privilege is That they may give Alms if they please and ask the Charitable Benevolence of others And though those of other Families may give Alms yet they are not allow'd to beg They give many Alms. In their Books they write much of giving Alms highly extolling all Charitable Acts though they themselves seldom practise it unless perchance among some few of their fellow Brahmans And if any other Sect happen to come to their Gates or Doors they have nothing but the Word Po Po that is Away away because the Brahmans believe they should be defiled if they should admit the Conversation of any other Tribe Their Office The Office and Exercise of the Brahmans agrees very much with that of the Levites amongst the Jews yet some of them study Astronomy others Physick others are put into Offices by Princes and Governors some teach Children to read write and cypher and all this without receiving any Reward for their Pains But those that are poor and have little to live on may take a small Reward from their Scholars The Brahmans also govern and serve in the Pagodes and notwithstanding the large Munificence of their Kings and though they swallow a third part of the Revenue of the Countrey yet by reason of their great number many of them are very poor and forc'd to beg However the greatest Necessity must not compel them to learn any Trade nor perform any servile Office though for the King himself For if any Brahman should offer to do the same he would not onely be despised by his Companions but excommunicated Nevertheless they are permitted to be employ'd as Secretaries Agents Counsellors and the like for which Businesses they are very fit and few Persons else follow those Employments In former Ages in the time of King Rama-raia the Brahmans according to his Command receiv'd onely one half of the Revenues of the Villages which had been given them before by his Predecessors the other half being receiv'd by the Lords of the Countrey but they have since retriv'd the whole Revenue into their own Hands The Policy of the Brahmans to keep what they have got Sometimes the Countreys or Villages are taken from them which to prevent they use this means viz. When the King hath given them a Village they desire to part it amongst some of their Poor which if granted they have a Letter of License graven on a Copper Plate by vertue of which they make their intended Division And after this such Places are never taken from them by the King or any of his Successors For as they suppose it to be a Duty to do good to the Brahmans which is a Work acceptable to their Gods Wistnow and Eswara whom they serve so they believe likewise that by doing them any prejudice they should offend their foremention'd Deities and incur their heavy displeasure Ceremonies at the Birth of Children The Brahmans never marry out of their own Tribe for those which do so are accounted to be no Brahmans And though any one out of Zeal or to be accounted a Saint be permitted to lead the same course of life as the Brahmans yet they cannot be made Brahmans but must be so born The Brahmans account all Children unclean during the space of ten days after their Birth after the same manner as the Infants and Women in Child-bed amongst the Jews none daring to touch them but those which tend them Moreover the House wherein the Child is born is accounted unclean during the foremention'd time wherefore no Stranger or Friend is permitted to go in till ten days are expir'd after which viz. on the eleventh day the House is made clean and all the Womans Clothes being of Cotton are wash'd all Earthen Vessels are thrown away and the Copper ones scowr'd On the twelfth day they make a Hamam or Fire which they account Holy and throwing Myrrhe into it say several Prayers After the Fire is extinguish'd they give the Child such a Name as is usual amongst them as Mainopa Naraina Beiaewa Damersa Padmanaba Ragoa Tirrenata Marlepa Dewela Tannopa Carpa Wellopa Rama Goyenda Warreda Weinketi or others of that kind The Child thus nam'd they make Holes in the Ears wishing it also much joy and felicity This making Holes in the Ears is not done to hang Jewels therein as many do but is done in compliance with a Promise of Obedience made to Wistnow and Eswara and for a Testimony that they will ever acknowledge them as their
Philosophy Notwithstanding there are not so many in Persia as in Europe which learn the Liberal Arts and Sciences yet they highly esteem those that study therein which they corruptly call Filosuf The Persian Phylosophers in Matters of Phylosophy and other Sciences highly esteem the Christian Books especially such as treat of Morality natural Phylosophy and Religion They also hold Disputations with great Confidence concerning the Mystery of their Religion with People that are or another Opinion quite contrary to the Turks who out of stubborness will not admit any to speak thereof Their Universicies For the Instruction of their Knowledge there are several Universities or Schools in the Cities which they call Madresia or Madressa and the Scholars Mederis the Chiefest whereof are at Ispahan Schiras Ardebil Mesched Tebris Casbijn Com Jest and Schamachie to all which the Sedder or Governor must allow a sufficient Maintenance which he receives from such Countreys as are free from Tribute and other Taxes to the King as Cochtzeh by Erwan Utzatznik near Carabach Tabachmelick lying between Georgia and Carabach and also Agdasch and Kermeru What they study The Learning in which they instruct them is Geometry Surveying Poesie Astrology moral and Natural Phylosophy Physick and Law They have all Aristotle's Works translated into Arabick and call him Danja piala that is The Cup of the World for as we may use the Cup to refresh our selves so we may likewise to inebriation so according to their opinion we may use and misuse Phylosophy for they say that strong Liquor and Phylosophy make good Orators but excess of both makes wise men Fools They teach their Youth Arithmetick so soon as they can write and read the Common-people use the Indian Figures but the Learned the Arabian Their Poesie and Orations are comprised in short Lessons and are studied both together because their Histories and Disputations are mixt with Verses and other Eloquent Expressions Their chief Book is as we said before Culustan that is Rose-Valley made by the famous Poet Schich Saadi Their chief Books and some Years since Translated into the German Tongue by Olearius it consists not onely in pleasant Prose but delightful Verses and therefore every Persian hath this Book in his House nay some there are which carry it in their memory and are therefore accounted very learned this they repeat at all Feasts and other Merry-meetings Delight in reading Histories Moreover they delight much in reading of Histories especially those of Aly's Life and Death as also of Hossein Aly's Son which are written in a lofty Style They have likewise several other Books as Chronicles as well of their own Kings Reigns and Wars as other eminent Transactions and these are term'd Mirchond Emveri Tzami Walehi Nussegri and the like amongst which the chiefest is Mirchond who in an excellent Style hath written a Persian Chronicle in Four Volumes which are there sold for two hundred Crowns but we cannot credit the Persians much in their Histories and Matters of Religion because they often mix fabulous Invention with real Truths The number of Books that treat of Philosophy are but small in these Countreys and those few are in the Hands of the most learned Persons who keep them as a great Treasure The Books that are generally sold there are either Romances or Verses treating of their Law besides which they have no Books worth mentioning Arms. THe Persian Horse-men are arm'd with Bowes The Housemens Arms. Arrows and a bending Sword like a Scymetar their main strength consists in the Cavalry and though their Horses are small and lean yet they are strong and swift The Hilt of their Swords is onely a cross Bar yet sufficient to defend the Hand and for the most part set forth with inchased work the Scabberds are either of red or black Leather and plated after the same manner as the Hilt their Belts are narrow and plain without any other Ornament or Colour than the skins naturally bear their Bowe-men are call'd Curtschi and their Musquettiers Tufenktschi for they have Musquets and also Pistols which they say Schach Abbas first brought in use among them They also have some great Guns which they use more in their Fortifications and Sieges than in a Field Battel Yet Anno 1604. Schach Abbas had one hundred and fifty Cannons when he beat off Vlutzali Bassa from Cigale They use many Stratagems In former times the Persians always engag'd their Enemies on Horse-back but since the use of Musquets was brought amongst them they have made a Body of Foot which in these last Wars hath done them great Service Moreover they are very subtile in contriving Plots and Stratagems to circumvent their Enemies At the Siege of Iruan Anno 1633. the Persians had a sort of Poyson in little Glasses which they shot with Darts into their Enemies Forts by which means they so infected the Air that it swell'd the Inhabitants Arms and Legs to an extraordinary thickness and by that means made them unable to resist Their defensive Arms are Brest-plates Shields Coats of Mail and Helmets The Soldiers of Persia made up of three Bodies The Soldiers of Persia are made up of three sorts The first sort are Turkomans which are like Hirelings and have Ziefs that is Pensions which the Sons inherit from their Fathers and are bound to furnish the King with a certain number of Horse as often as occasion shall require The second sort is that which Leunclaivus and Soranzo call Corrises or Coridsches but in the Turks Language might more properly be call'd Curchins or Georgians which receive no pay but have onely their Dyet Horses Apparel Arms Tents and all other Necessaries The third sort are Friends and Allies viz. Armenians and other Georgians who are Enemies to the Turks Four Degrees in their Militia In Persia are four Orders or Degrees in their Militia the first are Musquetiers or they that use Fire-arms not many years since brought in by King Abbas through the perswasions of Sir Anthony Sherley one of our three famous Sherleys so much celebrated in former times All the Musquetiers are Natives and Inhabitants of the Cities Musquettiers Towns and Villages though more dwell in the Villages than the Towns or Cities and they are accounted Tat or ignoble and may not wear the Tag but the common Turbant Formerly they continually fought on Foot yet march'd on Horseback like our Dragoons All the Captains of these and other Companies are by a Turkish Name call'd Juzbassi that is The Head of a Hundred for Juz is a Hundred and Bassi the Head notwithstanding they often have above two hundred and sometimes under one hundred in their Companies Those that dwell in several Provinces or Places meeting at a general Rendezvouz march together to the Army either with the Chans of the Province or else alone especially those that have no Chans Those of Mazanderan are accounted the best Musquettiers but there are more beside them
will not suffer them to come into their Houses nor touch any thing that belongs to them The Brahmans have their Denomination from one Brahma or Bramma Original of the Brahmans from whom they boast their Extract and though they ascribe the original of the other Tribes likewise to him yet they affirm that they have gotten the Name or Bramma because they proceed from the chiefest part of him viz. the Head as the Settrea's out of the Arms the Weinsja's out of the Thumb and the Soudra's out of the Feet The Vedam is the Book of their Law How and from whence this Brahman had his original some of his Sect relate out of their Vedam after this manner Before the World was created Wistnow that is God had some inclination to have a new place to recreate and delight himself in are and that upon the Leaf of a Tree he swam on the Water for according to their opinion there was nothing but God and Water before the Creation like a little Child with his great Toe in his Mouth in the form of a Circle in testimony that he is without beginning or end and that God caus'd a Flower in the Countrey Language call'd Temara and by us a Water-Llliy to grow out of his Navel and not long after out of that this Bramma sprang So soon as he had receiv'd Life he stood with great admiration and consider'd from whence lie was deriv'd which because he could not possible find out God declar'd it to him whereupon he shew'd great signs of thankfulness and obedience wherewith Westnow was so well pleas'd that he gave Bramma power to create the World who thereupon created the same and gave Life to all things in it Barthruerri an Indian Writer in his Book of the Way to Heaven confirms this and says One of great prudence and understanding created this World and more plainly in another place Why hath Bramma made the Mountain Merouwa and again in another Bramma hath made nothing in the World that is constant by which it appears that this is really these Pagans opinion viz. That this Bramma was the first Man as they say that by the power which God gave him created the World with all things therein Yet nevertheless few amongst them positively ascrib'd the Creation of the World to one Man but either to God himself or his Son whence we may suppose that the Brahmans judge their foremention'd Chief to be the Head of the Angels or the Son of God These further affirm that this Bramma had anciently five Heads but from the power which had been given him growing more ambitious he attempted to defile Eswara Wistnow's Consort which when he heard he was so enraged that he caus'd her to bring forth the Daemon Beirewa the chief of the Devils who with his Claws scratch'd off the middlemost Head of Bramma as a punishment for his bold attempt so that he kept onely four Heads with which he is represented in their Pagode Not long after which Bramma made many Verses in praise of Eswara who was so delighted therewith that she promis'd to let him live in great Honor and Repute with his four Heads and put the fifth on her own The same Bramma as the Brahmans affirm shall in the other World serve in a lower Degree and that Annemonta a faithful Servant to Wistnow shall enjoy his Place all which will be inflicted on him as a punishment for his ambition But the Brahmans do not onely ascribe the Creation of the World to this Bramma but also the Government thereof God as they say not once taking cognisance of it for they alledge that as a King will not take the trouble upon him to Govern his Realm himself but appoint Vice-Roys or Lieutenants for that purpose so likewise God doth not concern himself with the Government of this World but gave the Charge thereof to Bramma The same Brathrouherri in the foremention'd Book ascribes the limitation of time which a Man is to live here on Earth to Bramma saying The longest time which Bramma hath granted Men to live is a hundred years and All things which happen to Mankind on Earth is by the appointment of Bramma which in his Book of good Conversation he thus expresses According as Bramma designs so it shall be for it is with a Man as with the Bird Tzataca who whether it Rains much or little he gets not above one drop thereof His meaning is That though a Man strive never so much to raise his Fortune it will be in vain for whatever Bramma hath appointed for him he shall attain to and no more The Bird Tzataca as the Brammans relate drinks not of the Water which falls on the Earth but in rainy Weather holds open his Bill to receive the Drops so that whether it Rains much or little it avails not the Bird not being able to take above a Drop at once The same Author affirms in another place that whatever Bramma hath decreed for Mankind that will happen to him and if any one be poor it is by his appointment For saith he he hath appointed the Winds to feed the Serpents and the Grass for Beasts whereby it appears that this Bramma is the principal who hath some others under him to whom he commits the care of some peculiar Places but these are not accounted Gods but onely Geweta's or Angels The most eminent of them is a Dewendre who bears great sway and is chief over all the Heads of the eight Worlds to seven whereof they say those that have liv'd well here go after their Decease and are all commanded by Dewendre otherwise call'd Indre as the supream Governor besides whom every Place hath a peculiar Tutelary Angel who Commands one of the eight Worlds which are plac'd above the Earth Next follow the foremention'd eight Worlds lying between ours and Bramma-lokon that is The Residence of Bramma the one in the North the other in the South the Brahmans call them as followeth viz. the first Indre-Lokon where Dewendre or Indre hath his Residence the second Achmi-Lokon the third Jamma-Lokon which is Hell wherein the Wicked are punish'd the fourth Niauti-Lokon the fifth Warronna-Lokon the sixth Cubera-Lokon the seventh Wajouvia and the eighth Isangja-Lokon But these Worlds are not such as we inhabit onely places of happiness like the Elysian Fields Besides the care which these Governors have of their peculiar Places they have other Concerns to look after viz. Achmi hath the Charge over the Fire Warrouna commands the Waters Wajouvia the Wind Cubera Riches c. Some account this Bramma to be the same with Pythagoras and accordingly the Brahmans have some Books which they firmly believe to be Pythagoras's own Works which agrees with what Jarchas according to Philostratus told Apollonius Thyaneus viz. That the Indians believ'd that which Pythagoras taught them concerning the Soul and instructed the Egyptians therein But Diogenes Laertius who writ the Life of Pythagoras makes mention in no
World which we inhabit they call Boulocon This Boulocon say they comprehends seven Worlds more each separated from the other by a Sea The World seated at the Center they say is surrounded with a Sea of clear sweet Water the next to it with a Sea of Milk on which they make the Mountain Tricoweta stand which is 10000 Leagues high and as many broad the third with a Sea of Butter the fourth with a Sea of Tayer or Cream the fifth with a Sea of Wine the sixth with a Sea of Syrrup the seventh with a Sea of Salt Water which is our World all which have their Names from those Seas which surround them According to others there are seven Seas in this our World alone viz. one of Water one of Milk one of Cream one of Butter one of Salt one of Sugar and one of Wine Matsjas of Matx autaer d'eerste Kaurams of Kourmas autaer de tweede In the Watery Sea they place five Paradises in the Milky Sea the Spiritual Priests which are call'd Jogues in the third by them nam'd The Glory of Divenderen those which are inclin'd to Bodily Pleasures in the fourth which is The Glory of Brama the Happy and Fortunate in the fifth which is The Glory of Wistnow the Unfortunate in the sixth call'd The Glory of Kailasan the Poor and in the seventh call'd The Glory of Vajacandam the Rich. The Mountain Merowa In this World they place the Mountain Merowa which they affirm higher than the eight foremention'd Worlds which are above Boulocon and extends a vast way downwards below Patalam or The Infernal Pit and that the Sun Moon and Stars move about it and that those which shall taste of the Fruits which grow thereon will never be hungry dry nor grow old On this Mountain come no Humane Creatures except the Deweta's which are the Sons of Diti Wife to Cassiopa And notwithstanding they ascribe the Beginning and Creation of the World to Bramma yet they seem to make the World in a manner perpetual ascribing to it four Ages The four Ages of the World The first they call Critaigom or Cortesuigke the second Tretasuigke or Treitagom the third Duaparugam or Duapersuigke the fourth Caligom or Calisuigke The three first are already expired but the last is still in being The first Age say they continu'd 17 Lak and 28000 Years each Lak they reckon to be 100000 Years the second 12000 Lak and 96000 Years the third 8 Lak and 64000 Years the fourth Age which is yet running will last 4 Lak or 432000 Years of which according to their Annual Accounts are already expir'd to this present Year 1671 4772 Years So that the World according to their Calculation will scarce ever have an end for they certainly affirm That a thousand times turning of the Four Ages Cotesuigke Tretasuigke Dwapurâ—gam Callisuigke is but onely one day in the Account of Bramma who they say is to live a hundred Years of such Days and that fifty thereof are already past and the one and fiftieth running on They believe a general Conflagration of the World After the expiration of this time they believe the World shall be consum'd by Fire after which the surface of the Earth will be cover'd with Water and the Rain fall in such abundance as if it were powr'd out of the Trunk of an Elephant and not long after Bramma will die In these four Ages great Miracles and Wonders have as they affirm been perform'd by four of their Idols of which they make mention in their Writings call'd The Ten Altars The ten Appearances of Wistnow And as they affirm their Supreme God Wistnow or Mahadeu performed these Miracles in this lowermost World in ten peculiar Bodily Shapes which is also mention'd by Barthrouherri in his Book of Conversation where he saith Wistnow hath taken the trouble upon him of being reborn ten times and that these Births were in the manner following First Wistnow was born and appear'd as a Matja or Fish Secondly As a Gourma or Tortoise Thirdly Like a Warraha or Hog Fourthly Like a Narafimha half Man half Lion Fifthly By the name of Wamana a little Brammasary Sixthly By the name of Paresje Rama a Settrean Seventhly By the name of Deserratha Rama An Ajot-ja Eighthly By the name of Cristna Brother to Bella Rama a Settrean Amongst all the ten Appearances this is accounted the most eminent for when Wistnow came into the World by the name of Cristna he was accompanied with his whole Godhead and left the Heavens empty when as in the other Appearances he came onely with a part of his Godhead like a Spark which flies from a Great Coal of Fire Ninthly By the name of Boudha And tenthly In the shape of Kelki or a Horse Kircher relates from the Information of Henry Roth a Jesuit long conversant in these Parts That the Heathen Indians which live about Ganges acknowledge in some measure a Trinity They acknowledge in some measure a Trinity and affirm that the second Person hath already appear'd nine times in the Flesh and is to appear once more The Persons of the Trinity are by them nam'd Brahma Bexno and Mahex which are all one and the same in Nature though distingush'd by several Names as Acher that is Immovable Paramanand or Supreme Lord On s or Being and many such like Moreover that which Mahadeu perform'd in the World in each of the formention'd Bodily Shapes some relate more at large and being written in their Vedam or Law-book is to this effect Matsjas or Matx Altar the First The charge of Bramma BRamma who is represented sitting on a Water-Lilly with four Heads and as many Arms and resides in the Air hath the charge of the Vedam or Law-Book which the Giant Sancasoor otherwise call'd Bhensasar taking from him dived with them into the Sea whereupon Bramma complain'd to Mahadeu or Wistnow and desir'd his Assistance who granting his Request descended into the Sea in the shape of a Fish and swam through the Ocean to find out the Giant Sancasoor whom he slew and brought back the Book of the Law to Bramma wherewith Matx Altar which had lasted 2500 Years ended Caurams or Courmas Altar the Second The Riches of the Sea THe Sea with its Surging Billows swelling up to the Clouds burst forth in these Words viz. Who is so powerful as I and possesses as many Riches as lie hid in my glased Halls the Moon hath her habitation there The Water of Everlasting Life which being drunk makes all Men happy is hid therein There is Hierawanhsti the Elephant with seven Trunks the seven-headed Horse Exmognogora or Sepmogroot and whole Fields of Corral c. This highly incens'd Mahadeu who commanded the Deytes a Family of the Giants and the four-headed God Bramma to go to the River Siamboerwetty and the Golden Mountain Meerparwat or Merouwa 40000 Leagues high and lying in the Center of the World near the foremetion'd River
and to throw the same into the Sea and further that they should cause therein such violent emotions as should force it to throw up and disgorge that Wealth which was the occasion of its Pride Whereupon Mahadeu himself assisted on Bramma's side and the Deytes or Giants on the other so moved the Sea by shaking this Mountain that first it threw up the Money call'd Lecseny secondly the invaluable Jewel Consenchmany or a Carbuncle which in the night gives as great a Light as the Moon Thirdly the Tree Paersatich Fourthly her Silver Pot with the Water Sora Fifthly the Physician Dannewanter Sixthly Indema or the Moon Sevently the white Cow of Superfluity Camdoga Eighthly the Water of Everlasting Life call'd Ammaril Ninthly the Elephant with seven Trunks call'd Hierawanesti Tenthly the beautiful dancing Maid Remba Eleventhly the seven-headed Horse Exmognogora Twelfthly the Bowe Dennock Thirteenthly the Horn Sank And lastly the Poyson Sahar The Sea having by this great motion vomited up all these things became very calm Whereupon Mahadeu commanded the Mountain Meerparwat to be carried again to its place and left the Serpent Signage or Soesja to perform the same Then giving the conquer'd Treasures to several Countreys and People he return'd to Heaven Thus Kaurams Altar ended having lasted in the first Age 2500 Years Waras or Warrahas Altar the third WHen in the First Age the World was wholly spoil'd and no Belief amongst Men the Serpent Signage or Seesja with a hundred Heads who supported the World fainted through the weight of the Peoples sins insomuch that not being able to bear the same up any longer he went from it and thereby turning the whole World topsie-turvey at last thrust it into a bottomless Sea where all the Creatures were drown'd Thereupon Bramma the four-headed God implor'd Wistnow to fetch the World out of the bottomless Water and place it on the dry Land again Mahadeu's strange shape in his third appearance Mahadeu consenting to his Request descended in the following Shape viz. He had a Head like a Hog with two mighty Tusks bigger than those of an Elephant a Body like a Man with four Arms and Hands in one of which he held the great and terrible Sword Godda and on the first Finger of the other Hand a Ring in the third the before-mention'd great Horn which they call Sank and in the fourth the Book Kittaep In this manner Mahadeu descended first no bigger than a Dwarf but grew ere long to that horrible bigness before he came quite down that had the Earth been above the Waters and he stood upon it he would undoubtedly have touch'd the Heavens with his Head In this horrid Shape he div'd into the Deep where he kill'd the Monstrous Giant Hirnacks or Hirnacas which colour'd the whole Sea as red as Blood and Mahadeu made him his Footstool to tread on and striking his Tusks into the World pull'd up the same out of the Waters and calling the Tortoise and thousand-headed Serpent Signage to him he plac'd the Tortoise above the Waters and upon the Tortoise the Serpent Signage and above him the World This done he ascended again into Heaven and with one word Bramma created new Men. The Brahmans and other Tribes of the Indians seem highly to esteem this Appearance of Wistnow in the shape of a Man with four Arms and a Hogs Head for in the City Trimottam about Zinzi is a Pagode or Temple call'd Adi Warraha in which a Hogs head stands to publick view which the Brahmans affirm grew out of the Ground and worship as the Image of Wistnow in commemoration of his Birth in that shape Above Wistnow or Mahadeu sits the fair dancing Maid Remba with her Legs across under her The Giant Hirnacs representation The Giant Hirnacs lying under Mahadeu's Feet is represented in the shape of a horrible Demon with two Horns on his Haed mighty great Ears and bristly Hair on his Forehead and the Crown of his Head Cross his left Shoulder hangs a Black String his Body from Head to Foot full of bloody Spots His Fingers are like those of a Man but his Toes are rather Claws Thus ended Waras Altar having lasted 2700 Years in the First Age. Narsings Altar the Fourth WHen in the First Age the Giant Hirrenkessep had by great Penance and Religious Exercises moved Bramma the four-headed God to appear unto him and had obtain'd his Request he ask'd him what he desir'd whereto Hirrenkessep replied Hirenkessep's Request to Bramma Most powerful Bramma make me by your Favours a Monarch and mighty Prince on Earth and thereby grant that I may never be kill'd either by Heaven Earth Water Sun Moon Planets Clouds Wind Hail Snow Rain Thunder Lightning Birds Beasts Fishes Men Devils Serpents Adders Poyson Swords Arrows nor by any other Weapons neither without my House nor within it by Day nor by Night All which Bramma promising him the Giant Hirrenkessep raised himself and left off imploring Bramma any longer but marching into the Field conquer'd many Towns and Countreys and by Degrees subdu'd the whole World Which done he publish'd an Edict His Edict whereby he commanded all Men on pain of death to worship no Deity but him onely and that all those which should be found to do the contrary should die without mercy Waras of Warrahas autaer de derde Narsings autaer de vierde Wamans autaer de vyfde Mahadeu having perform'd all this in three days ascended up to Heaven again and so ended the fourth Altar in the first Age Cortesingke after a Reign of seventeen hundred twenty eight thousand years in which hapned all the foremention'd Wonders And notwithstanding the time of these Miracles doth not amount to more in all than seventy seven hundred years and three days yet it is to be understood that the seventeen hundred and twenty thousand years and three hundred and sixty two days were expir'd before between and after the Miracles Vanam's Altar the Fifth begins with the second Age Tretrsingke MAhadeu in the first Age had plac'd a Ragia Inder in Heaven to Govern the happy Souls as a Reward for his pious Life and continual Offerings which whil'st he liv'd on Earth he made every day in honor of Mahadeu with promise moâ—â—over that he should enjoy that place till some body else should exceed him for he had made a hundred Siasjas which are costly Offerings in honor of Mahadeu and besides all that forsook his Estate Wife and Children nay his own Life and spent all his time in Fasting and Praying Moreover in this second Age was born a Bell Ragia who growing up to a Youth betook himself to the reading of holy Books and amongst many other things read that a King was plac'd in Heaven to Govern the happy Souls till such time as some one should exceed him as abovesaid Since which this Ragia being a powerful King to exceed Ragia Inder in Piety spent whole days in searching and reading of holy Books nor
and doing of Penance Out of the City Cambaya saith Peruschi go many Heathens in Pilgrimage to the River Ganges in Bengala sometimes to the number of forty or fifty thousand all those accounting themselves happy that have been bath'd in the foremention'd Stream and they certainly believe they shall be sav'd if on their Death-beds they can but get some of the Water of the Ganges to drink Since the Benjans have a peculiar Opinion of the Creation and Original of Men and differ in this point from the Brahmines notwithstanding they account them to be their Teachers it will not be amiss to declare the same as it is taken out of their Law-book call'd Shaster The Opinion of the Benjans concerning the Creation God seeing himself alone he studied after what manner he might manifest to others his Splendor and Power for he foresaw that his Greatness and Glory would remain obscure and never be known if he did not communicate them to Mortals The most convenient means therefore to attain to this his desire was to Create the World and all the Creatures which are in the same And in order hereunto he first made the World beginning with the four Elements which were to be the Foundation thereof viz. the Earth Air Water and Fire which in the beginning being mix'd together were separated after this manner First he blew on the Water with a large Sarbatane or the like Instrument which thereupon bubling up came to be a great Body in the form of an Egg which by degrees extending became the light and clear shining Firmament of Heaven which surrounds the whole World This separation being made the Earth remained mix'd with a Matter like Sediment of Water of which God afterwards made a round Ball and call'd the Lower World of which the firmest part became Earth and the other being the weakest the Sea both which making the exact Figure of a Globe God plac'd the same in the midst of the Firmament which surrounds the Sea and Earth After this God Created a Sun and Moon which he placed in the Firmament to make a distinction of the Times and Seasons And by this means the four Elements which before were confusedly mix'd together were separated and distinguish'd and each confin'd to its proper place The Elements thus setled each perform'd its Office The Air fill'd all things that were empty the Fire by its Heat gave warmth to all and the Earth and Sea produc'd their several Creatures God giving a generative Power to all to multiply and increase according to their several kinds And thus the great World being perfected was divided into four Parts viz. East West North and South This World was to last four Ages and to be inhabited by divers sorts of People which were to be produc'd from four Men and four Women as we will instantly relate God having thus created the World and the Creatures he proceeded to create Man and thereupon commanded the Earth to produce that excellent Creature out of its Bowels First it put forth the Head and soon after all the other Parts into which God breathing Life the Lips grew red the Eye-lids open'd and made two sparkling Stars to appear the other Parts of the Body began to move and his Senses with Wisdom knew their Creator and worshipp'd him And because this Creature which was made for Society should not be alone God gave him a Woman for his Companion which resembled him as well in his Sense Reason and Spirit This first Creature was call'd Pourus and his Wife Parkoute they liv'd together like Man and Wife and fed upon the Fruit of the Earth without killing any living Creature These two Persons living thus together begat four Sous the first whereof was call'd Brammon the second Kutterey the third Schuddery and the fourth Wyse These four Brothers were of different Constitutions the four Elements giving to each a different Temper Brammon having participated of the Earth was Melancholly Kutterey being hot of Temper had a Warlike Spirit Schuddery being of a cold moist Constitution was of a meek Spirit and Wyse being of an angry Disposition had a quick Wit Moreover God endu'd Brammon according to his Nature with Wisdom and through him publish'd his Laws and Commandments for he judg'd his reserv'd Life and serious Countenance most fit for that purpose and therefore he gave him a Book wherein was set down how he would be serv'd and which also treated of other things concerning Religion God also according to the Constitution of Kutterey gave him Power to rule Kingdoms with a Scepter to keep the People in awe and make the Commonalty work and labor for the Publick Good And as a sign of this Power God gave him a Sword in his Hand the proper Instrument of his Victory and Dominion Schuddery according to his natural Inclinations God judg'd fit for Traffick whereby he might furnish all parts of the Earth with such things as they stood in need of by means of Navigation and as a Token of what he was appointed for as also to mind him of his Employment God gave him a pair of Scales with a Bag full of all sorts of Weights as proper Instruments of his Calling Wyse according to his Disposition God endu'd with a Genius of inventing all manner of Mechanical Arts giving him a Bag full of Tools and Instruments for the working of such things withal as his Fancy should direct The World being thus far compleated God gave not Pourous and Parkoutee any Daughters lest Works which hitherto he had preserv'd from all Uncleanness might be defil'd by the incestuous Conjunction of the Brothers with the Sisters wherefore God being willing to preserve the Innocence and Holiness of their first Parents resolv'd to ordain such means for the propagating Mankind as might correspond with the Work of the Creation by making four Women for the Sons of Pourous anst Parkoutee whereof one was sent to the East another to the West a third to the North and a fourth to the South that being thus separated one from the other the Propagation of Man kind might be the sooner compleated in all Parts of the Earth The eldest Son of the first Man call'd Brammon became Great being highly esteem'd by his other Brothers as well for his Age as his great Merits but especially for the Converse he often held with God concerning Religion and the manner of Worship wherein he instructed his Brethren reading the Book which was given him by God containing the Secrets and Manner of worshipping him with great Care and Reverence God revealing himself to him very often in Person And as God had created Man in a pleasant and delightful Place situate in the Belly and Navel of the Earth where the Sun makes no Shadow at Noon so he resolv'd to send the Brothers which were come from the Centre of the World to the Circumference thereof to People it Wherefore he commanded Brammon to take the Book wherein were written the Laws of God
Moreover when they had all things granted them wanting nothing but to put in execution those Commandments which God had laid upon them Bremaw began seriously to consider with himself after what manner he might behave himself most honourably in the Employment that God had put him upon when on a sudden he felt a strange alteration in his Body accompanied with a general Pain through all his Parts such as that with a Woman in her Travel foretelling some strange and wonderful Event his Body was in an instant swell'd after a strange manner and his Intrails grew sensibly bigger than before At last his Body open'd in two Places viz. on his Right and Left Side out of which came two Twins the one a Male the other a Female both of their full growth Bremaw having receiv'd Strength again instructed them in things concerning Religion and call'd the Man Manow and the Woman Ceteroupa who after they had worshipp'd God thank'd Bremaw that brought them into the VVorld and having receiv'd his Blessing they travell'd towards the East setling on a Mountain call'd Munderpurvool to the end that those which they should beget might spread themselves East West North and South No sooner were they come to the foremention'd Mountain but Ceteroupa was deliver'd of three Sons and three Daughters whereof the eldest Son was call'd Priauretta the second Outanapautha the third Scomeraut the eldest Daughter was nam'd Kammah the second Sooneretaw and the third Sumboo As soon as they came to Age they were sent to several Places Priauretta and Kammah to the West to a Mountain call'd Segund Otanapautha and Soonurettaw to the North to the Mountain Ripola Someraut and Sumboo to the South to the Mountain Supars all which Countries they made very populous By this means Bremaw was the first Father of all the Inhabitants of the Earth whilst Wistney took care for all necessary things for the preservation of humane Creatures which Bremaw had made by affording them all the Blessings that make Men happy in this Life till at last Ruddery sent Sickness Death and a Curse among the Children of Men who by their wicked Lives had justly merited God's Vengeance This was the manner of Government which God us'd for the restoring of the World and all humane Creatures which were to inhabit in the second Age. Furthermore God according to the Relation of the Benjans taught Men to serve him after this manner When God saw that there could be no Order nor lawful Government in those Places where his Worship and Service was not Establish'd he resolv'd to make Laws for the preventing of Man's committing those Crimes which were the destruction of the first Age In order whereunto he descended upon the Mountain Meropurbatee to which Place he call'd Bremaw to whom he appear'd in his Glory through a dark and thick Cloud telling him That he was necessitated to destroy the first Age by reason Men would not obey his Commands which were contain'd in the Book he had given to Brammon At the same time God gave Bremaw another Book and commanded him to teach all things that were contain'd therein Bremaw to Execute his Office publish'd God's Commandments to all People on the Earth The Benjans call this Book Shaster that is The Book of Written Words which contains three Treatises or Parts the first whereof contains their Fundamental Laws with an Explanation of each Commandment The second treats of the Ceremonial Law and teaches them the Ceremonies which are to be observ'd in their Religion The third Treatise distinguishes all Men into certain Families or Tribes and comprehends the Commandments of each Tribe in particular which is all that is contain'd in the Book Shaster out of which we will here set down the chief Heads thereof The first Treatise in which is describ'd the Fundamental Laws which Bremaw taught contain'd the following eight 1. Thou shalt not kill any Creature that hath Life in it for thou art one of the Creatures and so is that thou art endu'd with a Soul as that is therefore thou shalt not take away the Life of any thing whatsoever it be which belongs to me 2. Thou shalt make a Contract with the five Senses First with thy Eyes that they may not see any thing that is ill Secondly with your Ears that they may not hearken to any bad thing Thirdly with your Tongue not to express any ill words Fourthly with your Pallat that you taste nothing unclean as Wine or the Flesh of living Creatures Lastly with your Hands that they may not touch any thing to defile them 3. Thou shalt exactly observe and keep all the Days and Times appointed for Devotion as likewise Cleansing with Worshipping and Praying which thou must perform with an upright and zealous Heart 4. Thou shalt not give any false Testimonies or speak Lies by means of which thou mightest defraud thy Brother and enrich thy self by fraudulent means when thou Tradest with him 5. Thou shalt be merciful to the Poor according to thy Power and assist them in their Necessities with Meat Wood and other things they may stand in need of for their support 6. Thou shalt not oppress the Poor and serve thy self with that Power which is given thee to destroy thy Brother unjustly 7. Thou shalt keep certain Feasts and Holidays without pampering thy Body and feeding thy self with Laciviousness but on the contrary spend certain Days in Fasting and in stead of Sleeping over much Watch often to be the better prepar'd for Praying and for the performance of all other Holy Offices 8. Thou shalt not take any thing from thy Brother whatever it be wherewith thou art entrusted but content thy self with what he shall give thee for thy Reward remembring thou hast no Right to that which belongs to another These eight Commandments are prescrib'd to all the four Tribes in general but besides them they have two more which are particular to each Tribe First Bramines and Schuddery that is the Priests and Merchants are strictly oblig'd to observe their Religious Commandments and have near Relation one to another in Matters of Religion as there is between those of Kuttery and Wyse that is the Magistrates and Handicrafts They ascribe to the Bramines which are the Priests the first and second Commandments because they place the chief of their Religion in these two things first to prevent the killing of living Creatures and next to abstain from all forbidden things as eating of Flesh drinking of Wine and the like which the Kutteries and Benjans are also strictly to observe They attribute particularly the third and fourth Commandments to Schuddery as being very suitable to his Office because it may possess the People with Devotion and prevent those fraudulent Practises which are common among Traders To Kuttery they prescribe being the Governors or Magistrates the fifth and sixth Commandments because they admonish the People of Love and Compassion to the Poor well knowing that Oppression is a common Sin among those that