month in which his Father deceased must make a feast and pay a visitation to that Riuer that drunke vp his Fathers ashes Since these lawes and iniunctions there hath sprung vp a Custome amongst them that the women that suruiue their husbands should offer themselues vp aliue to be sacrificed in the flames with them which to this day is obserued in some places for some persons of greater worth though the examples be more rare now then in former times of which custome Propertius thus speaketh Foelix Eois lex funeris vna Maritis Quos Aurora suis rubra colorat aquis Namque vbi mortifero iacta est fax vltima lecto Vxorum suis stat pia turba Comis Et certamen habent laethi quae vina sequatur Coniugium pudor est non licuisse mori Ardent victrices slammae pectora praebent Imponuntque suis or a perusta viris The English A happy funerall Law those Indians hold Where bright Aurora shines with beames of gold For when in fiery brands the Husbands lye The Women stand with hanging tresses by And striue who to their Husbands first may turne A body chast into the flaming vrne Whilst to the fire they yeeld a constant brest And with parcht mouthes do kisse their loues to rest But though Propertius maketh this to bee a witnesse of their coniugall chastity yet Strabo maketh the ground thereof to bee the Indian womens disloyalty to their husbands who in former times by secret meanes vntimely poysoned them to enioy their Paramours The Raiahs therefore to restraine this practise did procure the Bramanes to make it an act of Religion to interdict second Marriages to the women and that after the decease of the husband the woman should no longer suruiue that so they might become more carefull of their preseruation The chaster sort to gaine an honour out of the infamy cast vpon their Sexe did by voluntary sufferance remooue all suspition of such machination of euill since they were so ready to cope with the terror of death to confirme their loue The Ceremony whereof is this When their husbands dye they array themselues in their best ornaments and Iewels and accompany the body to the funerall pit singing all the way encomiasticke Songs in praise of their deceased husbands expressing a desire to be with them the body then being layd in the Graue the woman with a chearefull countenance imparteth her Iewels to her dearest friends leapeth in to the Corps whose head shee layeth in her lappe the musicke sounding aloud the pile is kindled by the fire and set on a flame whilst she maketh herselfe a Martyr to approoue her loue These obseruances partly inioyned by their law and by themselues instanced in their present practise may haue beene sufficient to giue you information what might be the substance of the second Tract of the booke deliuered to Bremaw what the third Tract imported and how it is confirmed by their present Manners and Customes wee shall glance at in the following Chapters CHAP. X. Of the third Tract deliuered to Bremaw concerning their foure Tribes or Casts their iniunction to follow that order of Gouernment and so touching the first of those Tribes called the Bramanes the deriuation of the name their kindes the number of their Casts their Ministeriall discharge Studies and Schoole discipline AFter the consideration of the Ceremonies enioyned and obserued by them in matters of their worshippe as it was the Subiect of the second Tract of the booke deliuered to Bremaw Now followeth the third Tract declaring in what manner of order or distinction they should liue and what was meete for euery one to obserue in his owne particular Tribe And because there could bee no inuention more commodious for the gouernment of the world then was vsed by the foure Tribes in the first Age as to haue Bramanes to instruct the people in matters of Religion to haue Cutteryes that should sway the Scepter and keepe men in obedience to haue Merchant men that should vse Trafficke and Trade as did Shuddery to haue seruile and manufactory men that should serue the vses of the world in the handicrafts as did Wyse Therefore they were by this Tract bound to keepe their owne peculiar Tribe or Cast and to obserue what was proper to the faculties of each in seuerall which accordingly was done and is yet continued so farre as it lyeth in their power to conserue this Ancient forme of gouernment and policie wherein if I shall somewhat digresse from their iniunctions which for the most part present things lesse pertinent to be knowne to a more particular display of their manners I shall better discharge the parts required in this Tract The Bramanes then being the first of these Tribes something shall be noted in particular touching them and first of the name Bramane Suidas is of opinion that they are called Bramanes of one Brachman that was the first prescriber of their Rites Postellus lib. d. Origin Cap. 13. 15. affirmeth them to bee descended from Abraham by Cheturah who seated themselues in India and that so they were called Abrahmanes the word suffering a Syncope they in the tract of time for breuity of pronunciation became called by the name of Bramanes But they neither know of any such as Brachman neither haue they heard of Abraham but affirme they receiue this name of Bramanes from Brammon which was the first that euer exercised their Priestly function as they finde by record or else from Bremaw by adiection of this particle nes who was the first of the second Age to whom the Law was deliuered Touching the kindes of these Bramanes taking them for such as discharge the Priestly office amongst the people they are of two sorts First the more common Bramanes of which there are a greater number in India or the more speciall of which there be fewer and these be called by the Banians Verteas by the Moores Sevrahs The common Bramane hath eighty two Casts or Tribes assuming to themselues the names of that Tribe which were so many wise men or Schollers famed for their learning amongst them called Augurs or Southsayers of such a place of dwelling Thus the prime of them was called Visalnagranauger that is the Augur of Visalnagra the 2 Vulnagranauger that is the Augur of Vulnagra a towne so called and so of the rest according to these 82 Casts to be distinguished being Bramanes of the discipline of such an Augur These Bramanes as they discharge their Ministeriall function in praying with the people or reading their Law haue some peculiar iniunctions As first that they should straine their bodies into certaine mimicall gestures so as may most face the people to gaze vpon them and listen to them that they pray with both their hands open to heauen as ready to receiue the things they pray for that they pray with demissiue eyelids and sitting with their knees deflected vnder them to shew their feare and reuerence Next that
a place called Sythepolalpore which being finished with great curiositie of Art and cost correspondent to that curiosity being pleased with the worke and desiring to keepe his Fathers memory and his owne lasting by that Monument hee consulted with the Bramanes to know whether that Temple should long abide or if that pile of goodly workemanshipâ—e shâ—uld suffer ruine by whom it should be defaced It was diuined to him by one Madewnauger one famous in the discipline of the Bramanes that one Sultan Alaudin a Patan King of Delee should deface the same as also gaine some great conquest in Guzzarat Syderaijsaldee hopefull to preuent the defacement of this Temple by some timely composition dispeeded his Bramane Madewnauger and his Pardon to Delee to inquire out the said Alaudin and by a summe of money to procure the peace of his Fathers bones and the sparing of the Temple But comming thither they could finde no such man of any eminency but another in the gouernment onely by strict inquisition they met with a wood-gatherer there who had a sonne so calleâ— thither they repaire to the amazement of Alaudins poore parents They make knowne the reason of their comming and finde the boy administring food to a young Kid in his Fathers backeside The Bramane proposing to him the high fortunes that should betyde him in being King of Delee and in the conquest of Guzzarat as also the end of their Message that Syderaijsaldee did greet him and did desire him that when those things should happen and he should inuaâ—e Guzzarat that hee would forbeaâ—e to deface the Temple and Monument of his Father erected at Sythepolalpore as a motiue to which fauour Syderaijsaldee did freely present him with a summe of money which summe they tendered to Alaudin Alaudin boldly answered that hee was not in appearance capable of any such fortunes but if the heauens had so set it downe in their great volume he could not alter it but must lay waste the Temple and in the Maiesty of his nature refused the gift and treasure brought him His Parents better instructed by their owne necessitie what was meete for him to doe then his heroicke disposition would be taught importuned him to take the treasure vrging their owne needes and how conuenient a helpe it might bee to raise him to those fortunes that were to him diuined So apprehending the counsell to bee but reasonable hee tooke the treasure and gaue an Escript or writing that albeit the heauens had decreed that he should scatter some stones of that building yet hee would picke them out of the Corners thereof in such manner as should fulfill his fortune and make good his promised fauour to Syderaijsaldee in the sparing of that Temple and Tombe of his Father By this money of composition Alaudin gathered Souldiers and betooke himselfe to Armes wherein he prooued himselfe so resolute that hee gained great fame whereunto his diuining fortunes became such a Sparre that he was made King of Delee and after that made inuasiue conquests on Guzzarat fulfilled his promise to Syderaijsaldee in treatie on the fore mentioned businesse In which conquest hee ouerthrew many Raiahs to the great ruine and decline of the Banian State But growing weary of this long warre and many Raiahs flying to places inaccessible led with a desire to returne to Delee his natiue place hee committed the further managing of these warres to one Futtercon that was his Cupbearer in this manner For Alaudin considering how great he was grown from nothing and that accidentally he determined as accidentally to heape this fortune vpon another purposing ouer night with himselfe that whosoeuer did first present him the next morning with any gift on him to confirme the gouernment of that part of Guzzarat hee had conquered It so fell out that whilst this secret was lodged vp in the Kings brest that the fore mentioned Futtercon the Kings wine keeper by the rising Sunne tendered a Cuppe of wine to the Kings hand who smiled and looked fauourably vpon him and in the presence of his Army comfirmed him his Successor in the Gouernment of that he had wonne inioyning them all so to acknowledge him and to doe whatsoeuer he should command in the further prosecution of that conquest so Sultan Alaudin departed to Delee and the said Futtercon did further inuade Guzzarat and so did the rest of the Mahoometans that succeeded him to the decline of the Banian State and Regiment Now for their present estate some of the Raiahs yeelded others flying to retyrements impregnable lay in the Mawe of the Countrey and could not be conquered euen to this day but making outroades prey on the Cassaloes passing by the way and sometimes come to the skirts of their strongest and most populous townes hauing many resolute Souldiers to goe on in these attempts of rapine called Rashpootes which implyeth as much as the sonnes of Kings for being of the Cast of the Cutteries it is like they were nobly descended and some of the Progeny of those that were ouerrunne in the Guzzarat conquest Of those that liue vnconquered at this day such a one is Raiah Surmulgee liuing at Raspeeplaw Raiah Berumshaw at Molere Raiah Ramnagar Raiah Barmulgee and the great Rannah who hath fought many set battels with the Moguls forces This may be obseruable concerning the Cast of the Cutteryes CHAP. XII Of the third Tribe or Cast called the Shudderyes of the meaning of the name Banian of their Casts and the forme of their Contracts in buying and selling THE third sonne of Pourous being called Shuddery and the Profession appointed him to follow being Merchandize all such as liue in the nature of Merchants are comprized vnder this name and belong to this Cast that which the booke deliuered to Bremaw contained concerning this Tribe was no other then a summary of religious aduerâ—isements prâ—per to the carriage of this Profession enioyning them tâ— truth in their words and dealings and to auoyd all practises of circumuention in buying and selling What may be further worthy of note concerning this Tribe being those that are most properly called Banians at present is either concerning the name Banian the number of their Casts or the forme of their contracts of buying and selling First vnder the name of Banians is comprized either such as are Merchants onely or Brokers for the Merchant for nothing is bought but by the mediation of these who are called Banians which importeth as much in the Bramanes language wherein their Law is written as a people innocent and harmelesse because they will not indure to see a Fly or Worme or any thing liuing iniuryed and being strucken beare it patiently without resisting againe Next for the number of their Casts they are equall to the Bramanes being the selfe same Casts chusing either to be vnder their discipline that are Visalnagranaugers or Vulnagranaugers from the peculiar instruction of which Bramanes they are guided in matters belonging to religious worshippe for being most like
vnto the Bramanes in their Law they more strictly follow their iniunctions then the other Tribes Lastly their forme of contract in buying and selling is something notable and distinct from the custome of other Nations for the Broaker that beateth the price with him that selleth looseth his Pamerin that is folded about his waste and dispreading it vpon his knee with hands folded vnderneath by their finger ends the price of pounds shillings or pence is pitched as the chapman is intended to giue The Seller in like manner intimateth how much he purposeth to haue which silent kinde of composition they say their Law enioyneth as the forme of their contract CHAP. XIII Of the fourth Cast called the Wyses the meaning of the name their kindes and seuerall Casts Bâ—emaws time is expired he is tooke vp to heauen the second Age is concluded by the destruction of Winde and Tempest LAstly as the fourth Sonne of Pourous was called Wyse and was the Master of the Mechanicks or handy-crafts â—o all manufactory men were to belong to the Cast of the Wyses Those directions that were in Bremawes booke for these were in precepts touching their behauiours in their callings This name Wyse implyes as much as one that is seruile or instrumentary for this cause as it may be supposed because they are seruile or helpefull to such as neede their Art as was Wyse and those descended from him who were indued with diuers inuentions these people are at this present most ordinarily called by the name of Gentiles Which Gentiles are of two sorts or kindes first the purer Gentile such as liueth obseruant of the dyet of the Banians abstaining from flesh and wine or vsing both very seldome or else the Gentile Visceraun called the impure or vncleane Gentile which taketh a greater liberty in dyet eating flesh or fish or things animate such are the husbandmen or inferior sort of people called the Coulees The purer sort of Gentile as they hold greatest relation in their religious liberty with Cutteryes so they agree in the number of their Casts hauing sixe and thirty according to the number of the trades or professions practised amongst them In the particular of their handycrafts this is obseruable that they make as few instruments serue for the effectuating of diuers workes as may bee and whatsoeuer they do is contrary to the Christian forme of working for the most part Such is the substance of the third Tract of the booke deliuered to Bremaw concerning the foure Tribes or Casts somewhat accommodate to their present manners This booke comprizing in it the Platforme of Religion and Gouernment thus deliuered to Bremaw was by him communicated to the Bramanes of those times and by them published to the people shewing what Religion they should obserue and how they should liue in their seuerall Tribes or Casts After which according to the prescriptions therein the Rulers did keepe the people in the order of Gouernment The Priests or Bramanes did giue aduise in matters of Religion The Merchants did follow Traffique and Merchandizing And the Handycrafts men did follow their seuerall professions seruing the needs of all men that had vse of them all things hauing a good beginning in this second Age Religion was embraced Prayers were made to God and the three persons Bremaw Vistney and Ruddery the bankes of the Riuers were frequented and daily washings were not neglected But after the people were multiplyed the succeeding Generations were not of the primitiue integrity but the lower the times grewe the worse they were at the bottome The Bramanes grew hypocriticall and lip-laborious the Cutteryes or Rulers swelled with pride and ambition cryed out for larger Territories meditating vniust ampliations of Gouernment The Merchants grew full of fraudulency in their dealings And the Handycrafts grew idle and ouervaluing their labours In this vproare of vngodlinesse the Lord grew angry and full of indignation and descended on Mount Meropurbatee acquainting Bremaw with the wickednesse of the world who descended and premonished them of the iudgement to come which a while husht the cry of their wickednesse but they fell to their old euils againe Bremaw then interceded for them but the Almighty would not be pacified but took Bremaw vp into his bosome the time of his aboad on earth being expired that he might not behold the euils of the time to come Then the Lord made knowne his purpose of destroying the world to Vistney whose nature and office being to preserue the people did intercede for them but the Lord would not be pacified but gaue charge to Ruddery whose office was to bring iudgement and destruction on sinners to cause the bowels of the earth to send out a winde to sweepe the Nations as the dust from the face of the earth So Ruddery enraged the windes in the bowels of the earth which brast forth into Eruptions and the great body of the world had her trepidations and wauerings the day seemed to change colour with the night the Mountaines and hils were hurled from their foundations and as some report the Riuer Ganges was carried from her wonted Rote to runne in a new Chanell so the Tempest destroyed all people sauing a few that the Lord permitted Vistney to couer with the skirt of his preseruation reserued to be the Propagaters of mankinde in the third Age and so this Age concluded CHAP. XIIII Shewing the beginning of the third Age the Restauration of the same by Ram new euils bring a iudgement concluding the third Age by an Earthquake or Chasma RVddery hauing restrained the windes from their former violence all now was husht but miserable and lamentable it was to behold the earth so desolate and voyd of inhabitants more miserable to see the carkeises that were scattered on her surface some blowne from the tops of high Mountaines others bruised to mash all ruined and destroyed so that the Almighty repented him of his owne worke and Ruddery was sorry that he should be an instrument of so great fury and destruction But because the head of all the former disorders was from the wickednesse and ill gouernment of the Kings and Rulers therefore the Lord vtterly raced out all of the Tribe or Cast of the Cutteryes those that were preserued from destruction by the skirt of Vistneys preseruation being some few of the other three Casts or Tribes Now because these foure Casts were so necessary to the worlds gouernment that it could not subsist without them though the Cast of the Cutteryes perished intyrely for their wickednesse yet that they might be renewed againe from a holier beginning the Lord appointed that from the Bramanes the line of the Kings should bee renewed So the Chiefe of the Bramanes that was then preserued by Vistney was called Ducerat the next child that was borne after this destruction and which was the youngest of foure was chosen to propagate the race of their Kings and Rulers who being religiously educated might as well fauour piety as pollicy
the foure Sonnes of the first Man met shall be vnderstood in the sequeale of their seuerall stories in the Chapters following CHAP. II. Of Brammon the eldest Sonne of Pourous his Trauaile towards the East he meeteth with the Woman appointed for him the passages that happened in their Accoast their Marriage and peopling of the East THis eldest sonne of the first Man called Brammon grewe in stature and had the preheminence of his birth both in place and in respect aboue the rest of his brethren as also in regard of his neere relations to God in religious seruices was highly honoured of his Brethren and was an Instructor vnto them and the Almighty communicated himselfe to him in presence and vision he gaue himselfe therefore much to reading and conuersed with the booke that God gaue him containing the platforme of diuine worshippe Being therefore growne to mans age and as it should appeare by circumstances man being created in the middest of the earth in some pleasant place where the Sunne at high Noone depriued substances of their shadowes for it was fit that man should be produced out of such a place as might be the Nauell of the World God who would now disperse the Brethren from the Center as it were to the Circumference for propagation commanded Brammon to take his booke in his hand wherein was written the diuine law and to direct his Iourney towards the rising of the Sunne in the East As soone as that glorious light of heauen had discouered his splendor from the toppes of the Mountaines he tooke his iourney that way for the East being the most noble part of the world it was likely that had the preheminence in plantation vntill he arriued at a goodly Mountaine before the proud face whereof lay prostrate a valley through which there passed a Brooke in the descent of which there appeared a Woman satisfying her thirst from the streames of the Riuer and they were both naked Innocence not being then ashamed to publish her retyrements and priuacies nor hauing faulted so much with those immodest parts as to neede a shrowd to veile them from the sight This Woman was of haire blacke of complexion yealowish or Saffrony as on whose face the Sunne had too freely cast his beames the remembrance of whose heate was too surely conserued in her countenance she was indifferently sized whose pitch could neither challenge the name of lownesse or high stature modest were her Aspect and her eyes Indices of so melancholly sobernesse and composed lookes as if shee seemed to bee sampled for him that met her But her eyes vnaccustomed to view such an Obiect as was before her hauing neuer seene a creature of proportion like her selfe betwixt wonder and shame shee was vncertaine whether she should flye or please her sight with such a vision But Brammon no lesse abashed at such intrusion which by retyring he could not well shunne with a downe-cast countenance suppressed with shame they both aboad one anothers presence with tongue-tyed silence whose backwardnesse gaue incouragement to the Woman to question the cause of his comming thither who answered That by the command of him who had made the world him her and all creatures visible together with the light that gaue them the comfort of their meeting he was sent thither The Woman to whom God had giuen that vnderstanding to be capable of the propernesse of his speech and inquiring further into this Accident said that there was an agreement in their likenesse and composition that declared they had one maker that it may be he that had made them and had his ends in their disposall had thus brought them together that some neerer bond might make them inseparable from each others society and casting her eye vpon the booke that Brammon bare in his hand asked what it was who acquainting her with the contents thereof was desired to sit down and communicate the religious Counsels of the same vnto her whereunto hee condescended and being both perswaded that God had a hand in this their meeting they tooke counsell from this booke to binde themselues together in the inuiolable bond of Marriage and with the courtesies interceding betwixt Man and Wife were lodged in one anothers bosome For ioy whereof the Sunne put on his nuptiall lustre and looked brighter then ordinary causing the season to shine vpon them with golden ioy and the siluer Moone welcommed the euening of their repose whilst Musicke from heauen as if Gods purpose in them had beene determinate sent forth a pleasing sound such as vseth to fleete from the loud Trumpet together with the noyse of the triumphant Drumme Thus proouing the effects of generation together they had fruitful issue so peopled the East and the womans name was Sauatree CHAP. III. Of Cuttery the second Sonne of Pourous his Trauaile and the meeting hee had with the Woman appointed for him their conflict appeasement coniunction and the peopling of the West by them SVccessiuely the second Brother Cuttery was by the Almighty consigned to the West about the charge of making men so taking the sword in his hand that God had giuen him the instrument on whose edge lay the hopes of a kingdome rowsing vp his courage which hiherto wanted occasion of exercise from the heart and bosome of the earth in which his youth had conuersed he turned his backe on the rising Sunne euery morning whose swister course ouertook him euery day in his decline presented himself in his setting glory before him As he thus trauailed towards the West he chafed with himselfe as he passed along that no aduenture presented it selfe that might prouoke him to giue a probate of his Courage wishing that an Army of men or a troope of wilde beasts would oppose him that hee might strowe the surface of the earth with dead carkeyses and giue the sowles of heauen flesh to feede on And not knowing to what purpose God had directed him to â—end his course that way as onely sensible of his owne heroick stomacke hee said To what end hath God infused such Magnanimity into my brest if it shal want a Subiect whereon to worke my glory and renowne shall I lose the end of my Creation God forbid Thus carried on with the hopes of some Aduenture hee intended that whatsoeuer should first cope with him should haue the sense of his fury when being come to a Mountaine whose height might make things farre distant visible to the eye he might perceiue a creature of goodly personage like himselfe stalking forward with a Martiall steppe no lesse slowe then maiesticke in pace which two approaching as desirous to make experiment of each others fortitude vpon their meeting together it appeared to bee a Woman whose tresses in a comely fertility hung downe by her shoulders which by motion of the ayre turned into a carelesse disorder euery blast that made an alteration in the same gaue a new grace to her excellent Person and made her presence more
certaine glimpses of his glory hee magnified himselfe to Bremaw telling him that the cause why hee brought destruction on the former Age was because they did not obserue the Instructions contained in the Booke deliuered to Brammon so deliuering a booke out of the cloud into the hand of Bremaw commanded him to acquaint the people with those things contained therein So Bremaw made knowne the Sanctions and Lawes vnto the dispersed Generations Of the contents thereof if any desire to be informed the Banians deliuer that this Booke by them called the SHASTER or the booke of their written Word consisted of these three Tracts The first whereof contained their morall Law or their Booke of precepts together with an Explication vpon euery precept and an Appropriation of the precepts to their seuerall Trybes or Casts The second Tract vnfolded their ceremoniall Law shewing what ceremonyes they were to vse in their worship The third Tract distinguished them into certaine Casts or Tribes with peculiar obseruations meete to each Cast or Tribe such was the summe of this Booke deliuered to Bremaw of which particulars if any desire more distinct knowledge we shall propose the pith and substance of this in that which followes First then the Tract that containeth the Morall Law and was by Bremaw published to the Nations comprised in the same eight Commandements which are these following The first Commandement Thou shalt not kill any liuing Creature whatsoeuer it bee hauing life in the same for thou art a Creature of mine and so is it thou art indued with a soule and it is indued with the same thou shalt not therefore spill the life of any thing that is mine The second Thou shalt make a Couenant with all thy fiue senses First with thine eyes that they behold not things that bee euill Secondly with thine eares that they heare not things that bee euill Thirdly with thy tongue that it speake not things that bee euill Fourthly with thy pallate that it taste not things that bee euill as wine or the flesh of liuing Creatures Fifthly with thy hands that they touch not things defiled The third Thou shalt duely obserue the times of deuotion thy washings worshipping and prayers to the Lord thy God with a pure and vpright heart The fourth Thou shalt tell no false tales or vtter things that bee vntrue by which thou mightest defraud thy Brother in dealings bargaines or Contracts by this cosenage to worke thine owne peculiar aduantage The fift Thou shalt be charitable to the poore and administer to his need Meate drinke and Money as his necessity requireth and thine owne ability inableth thee to giue The sixt Thou shalt not oppresse iniure or doe violence to the poore vsing thy power vniustly to the Ruine and ouerthrow of thy Brother The seuenth Thou shalt celebrate certaine Festiuals yet not pampering thy body with excesse of any thing but shalt obserue certaine seasons for fasting and breake off some houres of sleepe for watching that thou mayest be fitter for deuotion and holinesse The eight Thou shalt not steale from thy Brother any thing how little soeuer it bee of things committed to thy trust in thy profession or calling but shalt content thy seife with that which hee shall freely giue thee as thy hyre considering that thou hast not right to that which another man calleth his These eight Commandements are bestowed amongst the foure Tribes or Casts appropriating to each two Commandements in seuerall First Brammon and Shuddery the Priest and the Merchant man are bound in greatest strictnesse of Religious obseruance and hold the greatest agreement in their worshippe and Cuttery and Wyse the Ruler the Handy-crafts man do most correspond in theirs To the Bramanes which are the Priests they giue the first and second Commandements as placing the strictest parts of Religion in these two things First in the preseruation of liuing Creatures from destruction Next in Abstinence from things forbidden as in the eating of Flesh or drinking of Wine to which obseruance they doe also strictly enioyne the Merchant-men Next more particularly they apportion to Shuddery as most proper to his profession the third and fourth Commandements which two precepts inioyne to Deuotion and binde from cosenage in their dealings a sinne too incident to those that are conuersant in the ballance and waights who are so mysterious in that particular as may well neede an Act of Religion to restraine them from such fraudulency To Cuttery their Rulers or Magistrates they attribute the fift and sixt Commandements as knowing oppression to bee a sinne most common to the Mighty and inioyning them to Charity who are best able to relieue the necessities of the poore To Wyse the handycrafts man they referre the seuenth and eight Commandements who haue neede of some free times of enioyment yet giuen to lauishment of their gettings if they were not admonished by their Law as also binding them from theft a sinne to which they may be inuited by opportunity as they discharge the duties of their callings in other mens houses In fine to all these they owe a generall obseruance but are more particularly cautious in keeping the Commandements appropriated to their owne peculiar Tribe or Cast. Since then the Lawes or Precepts of any Religion are no further to be allowed than they seeme to be well grounded and to carry truth and good reason with them Me thinks by the way here is something to be excepted against in this Banian Law which distinguishing them from men of other Religions may bee examined whether it may haue allowance or no. The principall part of their Law admitting nothing prodigious to opinion we passe ouer onely that which commeth into exception is that which is laid downe in the first and second Commandement and is enioyned the Bramanes and Banians to obserue viz. First that no liuing creature should be killed Next that they should not taste wine or the flesh of liuing creatures Concerning the first that they should not kill any liuing creature the reason by which they confirme this precept is because it is endued with the same soule that man is This we deny for the Banians here seeme to halt in their Philosophy and the learning of the Ancients who haue deliuered that there is a threefold kinde of soule First a vegetant soule such as is in hearbes and plants Secondly a sentient soule such as is in beasts Thirdly a reasonable soule such as is in man which soule hath more noble Acts to distinguish it selfe from the other two As also that when the other doe interire cum corpore perish with the body this suruiueth and therefore is not the same soule as shall hereafter be prooued But that this Tenent of theirs denying the slaughter of liuing Creatures for Mans vse is nothing soueraigne may appeare by Scripture which after the Flood declareth Gods allowance in this particular Gâ—n 9.3 Euery moouing thing that liueth shall be meate for you euen as the greene hearbe haue I
world and was made a part of their worshippe to keepe in memory the destruction that was brought vpon the world for their defilement and sinne The Ceremony obserued in their washings is this First to besmeare their bodies in the mudde of the Riuer the Embleme of mans filthinesse and corruption by nature then walking into the Riuer and turning their faces towards the Sunne the Bramane vtters this prayer Oh Lord this man is foule and polluted as the Clay or Mudde of this Riuer but the water thereof can purge off the defilement doe thou in like manner cleanse away his sinne so diuing and plunging himselfe three times in the Riuer whilst the Bramane iterateth the name of the Riuer wherein hee washeth called Tâ—ppee with the names of other Riuers in India celebrated for these customary washings as Gonga and Nâ—rboda with other like Riuers the party shaking in his hand certaine graines of Rice as his offering on the water receiuing absolution for sinnes past is there dismissed Secondly they vse a certaine Vnction in the forehead of red painting that hauing certaine graines stucke in the glutinous matter is as their testimony that God hath marked them for his people this is no other then to keepe in minde the memory of their Baptisme which accordingly as the Marke vanisheth is daily by them renewed according to their Washings with the vtterance of certaine words accompanying the action to put them in minde to bee such as becommeth Gods marke Thirdly they are enioyned to tender certaine Offerings and Prayers vnder greene Trees the originall of which custome they deriue from Wyse to whom they say God appeared by vision vnder a Tree as is formerly mentioned with iniunction of worshippe in those places so that the Bramanes vnder such greene Trees erect Temples to Pagods in which they giue attendance to performe Religious Rites and Ceremonies to such as repaire thither The Tree peculiarized for this worshippe is called by some as by Pliny and others Ficus Indica the Indian Figtree and by Goropius Becanus affirmed to bee the tree of life that grew in the Garden of Eden how farre sorth to be beleeued I referre to St. Walter Raleighs 1. Booke of the History of the World Part 1. Chap. 4. Parag. 1.2.3 where the more probable opinion is giuen Certaine it is that to this Tree much is attributed by them and they suppose some notable mischance shall happen to that party that violateth or iniureth the leaâ— bowe or branch of the same It is a Tree of fertill growth whose branches be spreading ample and spacious from whose boughes so dispred doe descend certaine stemmes that rooting themselues anew in the earth propagate an ofspring and so dilate it that it seemeth beyond the custome of other Trees to be capacious To this Tree when they repaire they thither bring Offerings there they receiue Vnctions and there are sprinklings of seuerall coloured powders there they pay their Adorations which they number by the clapper of a little Bell there they pray for health for riches for fruitfulnesse of issue for successe in affaires there they often celebrate their Festiuals with great concourse In which May-game of superstition to make further inquiry would be but vaine and fruitlesse Fourthly they are enioyned to certaine prayers in their Temples which may hold some resemblance with common Seruice were it purged of superstitious Ceremonie the summe of which deuotion is the repetition of certaine names of God dilated and explained where also they vse processions with singing and loud tinckling of Bels which chaunting is of their Commandements with offerings to Images and such like impertinent seruices Fiftly they are enioyned to Pilgrimages to Riuers farre remote as to the Riuer Ganges there to wash their bodies and to pay their offerings that the concourse of people repairing thither is great and the golden offrings of Treasure and Iewels throwne into his siluer waues vnualuable hee is likewise esteemed blessed and purified from sinne that can dye with a pallate moystned with that water Sixtly another portion of their worshippe they bestow in Inuocation of Saints to whom they attribute the powers of giuing successe to seuerall affaires they therefore that would bee happy in Marriage inuoke Hurmount they that are to begin the workes of Architecture Gunnez they that want health Vegenaut the Souldier in his assault in feates of Armes cryes Bimohem the miserable inuoke Syer and they that are in prosperity giue their Orisons to Mycasser Seuenthly their Law bindes them to giue worshippe to God vpon sight of any of his creatures first presented to the eye after the rising Sunne Especially they pay their deuotion to the Sunne Moone which they call the two eyes of God as also to some beasts which they hold more cleane then others they giue extraordinary kinde vsage as to Kine and Bussalaes to whom they attribute so much innocence and goodnesse by the soules of men entring into them that they besmeare the floores of their houses with their dung and thinke the ground sanctified by such pollution In the eighth place touching their Baptizings or naming of their Children the Ceremony thereof is different in the Cast of the Bramanes and other Casts For those that are of the other Casts are onely washt in water then some of the kindred of the party deliuered menaceth the point of a writing penne against the forehead of the Child with this short prayer That God would write good things in the front of that Child All those then that are present saying Amen to that prayer they giue to the Child the name by which hee shall bee called and so putting an Vnction of red oyntment in the middest of his forehead as a signe that the Infant is receiued into their Church and marked for one of Gods children the Ceremony is absolued But then the Children that are of the Cast of the Bramanes are not onely washed with water but annointed with oyle with certaine words of consecration in this maÌ„ner Oh Lord we present vnto thee this Child borne of a holy Tribe annoynted with oyle and cleansed with water vnto which adding the former Ceremonies they all pray that he may liue a righteous obseruer of the Law of the Bramanes so enquiring out the exact time of the Childs birth they calculate his Natiuity gathering by the position of the twelue signes of heauen the chances or mischances that may happen vnto him all which they conceale and at the day of the Childs Marriage which they accoumpt one of the happiest dayes in his life publisheth the dangers past and the coniecturall euils to come in the sequeale of his life In the ninth place concerning their Marriages It is considerable that the time is different from the custome of other Nations for they Marry about the seuenth yeere of their age because they accoumpt Marriage one of the most blessed actions of mans life to dye without which they accoumpt it a great vnhappinesse which often
leane on Though then the Nouelty of this Relation may make it gratefull to any who like an Athenian desireth to heare some thing strange or new I know not wherein it may be more profitable then to settle vs in the solidnesse of our owne faith which is purged of all such leuities for the vainnesse of Errour makes truthes greatest opinion which duely considered may well moue vs to say Micat inter omnes Iulium Sydus velut inter ignes Luna minores That our great light outshines all these as farre As Siluer Moone outshines each lesser Starre FINIS THE RELIGION OF THE PERSEES As it was Compiled from a Booke of theirs contayning the Forme of their Worshippe written in the Persian Character and by them called their Zundavastaw Wherein is shewed the Superstitious Ceremonies vsed amongst them More especially their Idolatrous worshippe of Fire LEVIT 10.1.2 And Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded them not and there went out a fire from the Lord and deuoured them TERTVL d. Praescript c. 22. Scripturae ignem alienum imponentes hoc est Intelligentiam alienam à Deo introducentes Incensum Domino non suaue sed execrabile offerunt Printed for FRA. CONSTABLE 1630. To the most Reuerend Father in God GEORGE by the Prouidence of God Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate of all ENGLAND and Metropolitane May it please your Grace HAuing in the former Booke presented the Banian with his Errours and Superstitions to your Censure I haue in this second Booke brought the Persee also to the same Barre to be arraigned vpon like Guilt This Superstition of the Persee as your Grace well knoweth by the Relation of Socrates in the seauenth Booke of his Ecclesiasticke History Cap. 8. was much weakned in opinion by one Marutha Bishop of Mesopotamia wherein Yesdegerd the last King of these Persees became so wauering that the Magies to reclaime him from Reuolt and vacillancy in the opinion of his holy fire did conuey one vnder ground where their liuing fire was kept that might tell Yesdegerd that if hee did reuolt from this worshippe hee should bee deposed from his Rule and come to a miserable ending at the hearing of which voyce conceiued to bee some diuine message Yesdegerd grew much troubled till Marutha brought the Imposture to discouery by aduising Yesdegerd to digge vnder ground where the feigned Cryer was heard and deprehended in a vault to the shamefull detection of this close deuise To your Grace then I referre the said Persee with his soyled and tainted worshippe hopefull your Grace will be pleased to sentence him to a publique Procession habilimented in the ridiculous vesture of his owne Superstitions that all good minded people vpon view of him may giue him his demerited shame and defamation Thus with the humble tender of my seruice to your Grace in these forraigne Collections and my prayers that you may liue long to doe worthy Acts in Jsrael I rest Bound to your Grace in all dutifull obseruance HENRY LORD To the Honourable and Worthy Knight Sr. Maurice Abbot Gouernor of the Companie of Merchants trading to the East Indies Christopher Cletherow Alderman of the City of London and Deputie of the said Company and to all the worthy Aduenturers Members of the same Society Right Honourable SJnce the purposed tender of my first Noueltie time that is sometimes propitious to gratefull Intentions hath made me fruitfull in a second producement As therefore I resigned to you my display of the Banian Sect so also may you be pleased to accept this of the Persees since by the strength of your fauours and the oportunities of your imployment I haue beene inabled to bring it forth also As for the strength of the Superstition why the Persees should make the Fire their God seemes to weake purpose as one Canopus an Aegyptian Priest once euinced For vpon a time when there was a publique Tryall and Contention amongst the Nations whose God was most powerfull and the Chaldeans and Persees as Ruffinus testifies in the second Booke of his Ecclesiasticke Historie ostentated their god of Fire affirming that it was able to destroy all the Aegyptian gods and Idols of gold siluer brasse wood stone or whatsoeuer and consume them to nothing Canopus to elude this Assertion brings in a stone vessell orbicular and full of holes like a Cullender filled with water and the ventages thereof so cunningly plastered with waxe that the fraud went vndetected which being set to mannage his contention with the Fire the heate melting the waxe gaue the liquid humour within liberty to extinguish the Fire which was the Persians god which proiect if it seeme but circumuentiue and deceiptfull to iustifie the power of the Aegyptian god of Stone aboue the Persians god of Fire yet who sees not that if so be any be pleased to make the Water his god it would quickly extinguish the Fiery god which these Persees worshippe and so by consequence wee may hold this a poore Superstition Howsoeuer then both these and the former seeme to bee issues illegitimate and branded in the Conception with the name of base begotten because they are Superstitious Yet since our Physitians in England haue learned to make the poysons in forraigne Countries medecinable and soueraigne in our owne J hope tâ—e good Christians in England haue learned also to conuert the Heresies of the Heathen though in themselues banefull and obnoxious to vses cauearie against relapse and defectious Apostasie Accept it then Right Honourable and take it according to his bâ—st Vse as men at some times of the yeere make of weedes things both healthfull and vsefull from him who would haue affoorded you some thing more worthy if there might haue come any thing good out of Gallile Jn defect whereof accept my dutie in this which shall be euer forward to witnesse it selfe in all good prayers and wishes for the flourishing and prosperous estate of your Affaires forraigne and Domesticke as becommeth Your thankfull Seruant and Minister Henry Lord. THE PROEME shewing the cause that moued the Author to produce the following Tract HAuing declared the Religion Rites Customes Ceremonies of a people liuing in the East Indies called the Banians a Sect not throughly publisht by any heretofore whilst my obseruation was bestowed in such Inquiry I obserued in the towne of Surratt the place where I resided another Sect called the Persees who because I did discerne them to differ both froÌ„ the Moore Banian in the course of their liuing in the forme of their Religion as also that the Scripture Dan. 6.15 speaketh of the law of the Medes Persians that might not alter finding these to bee that same people that are linked with the Medes I thought it would not be vnworthy of my labour to bring to the eyes of my Countrymen this Religion also especially since I neuer read of any that had fully published the same but that it hath remained oâ—scure and hidd from
common knowledge For this cause desirous to add any thing to the ingenious that the oportunities of my Trauayle might conferre vpon mee I ioyned my selfe with one of their Church men called their Daroo and by the interpretation of a Persee whose long imployment in the Companies seruice had brought him to a mediocrity in the English tongue and whose familiarity with me inclined him to further my inquirie I gained the knowledge of what hereafter I shall deliuer as it was compiled in a booke writ in the Persian Character containing their Scripture and in their owne language called their ZVNDAVASTAVV But because wee should bee better informed concerning the People spoken of before wee lay downe their Religion we will first declare who these Persees are and then proceed to their worshippe THE RELIGION OF THE PERSEES CHAP. I. Declaring who these Persees are their ancient place of aboad the cause of relinquishing their owne Countrey their arriuall in East India and their aboad there THese Persians or Persees of whose Religion we are now to speake of are a people descended from the ancient Persians in times not long after the Flood who then had their Natiue Kings and Gouernours but warre that causeth an alteration in States and Empires brought vpon them a forraigne Scepter About nine hundred ninety six yeeres elapsed one Yesdegerd was natiue King of Persia who had his residence in the City of Yesd neere vnto the old City of Spahaun which is somewhat remote from the new City known by that name this City of Yesd was a goodly City in those times as those vse to be where Kings keepe their Courts spacious for circuit sumptuous for buildings and populous for inhabitants where this people liued in flourishing prosperity What time the Arabian Captaines of the Sect of Mahomet made inuasion into his Countrey about the nineteenth yeere of his Reigne who hauing before beene newly assaulted by a great multitude of Turkes that came from Turquestan he was forced to flye to Karason where hee dyed sodainly in the twentieth yeere of his reigne being the fiue and fortith King that descended from the race of Guiomaras and the last in whom the ancient Persian Monarchie concluded The Mahometans vpon the death of Yesdegerd carried all in conquest before them and subiected the Natiues of the Countrey as vassals vnto them and as new Lords bring in new lawes they contented not themselues to bring them to their forme of gouernment in State subiection but also in matters of Religion to liue according to Mahomets Constitutions compelling them to bee circumcised according to the Mahometan custome contrary to the forme of their owne Religion and worship These Persees not enduring to liue contrary to the prescript of their owne lawe and lesse able to reiect their yoake many of them by priuie escape and as close conueyance as they might of their goods and substance determined a voyage for the Indies purposing to prooue the mildnesse of the Banian Raiahs if there though they liued in subiection for matter of gouernment they might obtaine liberty of conscience in course of Religion So repairing to Iasques a place in the Persian gulph they obtained a fleete of seauen Iuncks to conuey them and theirs as Merchantmen bound for the shoares of India in course of Trade and Merchandize It happened that in safety they made to the land of St. Iohns on the shoares of India and arriued together at or neere the Port of Swaley the vsuall Receptacle of such Shippes as arriue there Treaty was made by some of them with a Raiah liuing at Nuncery publishing their aggreeuances and the cause of their commimg thither as also their suite to bee admitted as Soiournors with them vsing their owne Law and Religion but yeelding themselues in subiection to their Gouernment vpon payment of homage and tribure they were admitted to land the Passengers contained in fiue of their Iuncks The other two Iuncks remaining one of them put into the Roade of Swaley and treated with a Raiah that then resided at Baryaw neere vnto Surrat who entertained them on like conditions to the former but the Raiah of that place hauing warres with a neighbouring Raiah who got the conquest the Persees that resided with the conquered were all put to the sword as adherents to the Enemie The last Iuncke coasted along the shoares and arriued at Cambaya where they were receiued vpon the prementioned conditions so that howsoeuer this people haue beene dispersed in India since their arriuall it hath beene from some of these places Thus they liued in India till tract of time wore out the memory of their originall and the Records of their Religion being perished they became ignorant whence they were being assigned to the profession of husbandry or the dressing of the Palmitoes or Toddy trees till being knowne by the name of Persees they were agnized by the remnant of their Sect abiding in Persia who acquainted them with the Story of their Ancestors and communicated to them both their law and instructors in the worshippe according to which they were to liue And these bee the Persees of whose Religion we are to treate in the Chapters following CHAP. II. Containing the Opinion of the Persees touching the Creation of the world and the Creatures therein together with a short mention of the Flood and the generall diuision of the following discourse NOw after the consideration of these Persees of whose Religion we are to speake we proceede more particularly to the Subiect of this booke which is their worshippe and Religion wherein firsâ— commeth to bee rendred their opinion touching the Creation Touching this the Persees affirme that before any thing was there was a God that was the maker of all things who when he did determine to make himselfe knowne by his workes in the Creation of the Vniuerse and the creatures therein did diuide this great worke of the creation into a sixfold labour First then they say hee made the heauens with their Orbes a place most glorious and pleasant which he adorned with great lights and lesser as the Sunne Moone and Stars as also hee did make the Angels which according to their seuerall dignities he placed in their seuerall Orders one aboue another which place he made a habitation of blessednesse for such as should liue holily in this life and hauing thus done that he might teach vs to doe great designes with consideration and aduise he rested fiue dayes from the worke of further creation Next he made Hell in the lower parts of the world from which he banished all light and comfort that as heauen might be a place of happinesse to those that are good and please the Almighty so this might be a place of horrour and punishment to such as offend his Maiesty wherein as in heauen so God had made seuerall mansions that exceeded each other in dolour which were proportioned according to the degrees of offenders about which time Lucifer the chiefe of Angels with other
to bring them to Gods better worshippe did desire of God that hee might liue so long as the world should indure a publisher of that Religion which the Lord had promised to divulgâ— by him till he should make all Nations beleeue the Contents of that Booke But the Lord answered that if hee should liue neuer so long Lucifer would do more harme then euer he should doe good but if vpon better consideration he would desire to liue so long his request should be granted So the Lord presented to Zertoost in a Vision the state of all things past present and to come where he saw the troubles sicknesses and afflictions of Man more particularly the state of the Persian Monarchy how Ouchang was slaine by a stone how Thamull dyed of a pestilence how Iimshed was slaine by one of his owne Captaines how men followed diuers Religions and most their owne wayes ouerlabouring themselues in the workes of vanity ouer and aboue God presented to his eyes the seauen Ages or times of the Persian Monarchy the first was the golden Age that was in the dayes of Guiomaras the second the siluer Age that was in the dayes of Fraydhun the third the brazen Age in the time of Kaykobad the fourth the tynne Age in the time of Lorasph the fift the leaden Age in the time of Bahaman the sixt the steele Age in the dayes of Darab Segner the seauenth the iron Age in the reigne of Yesdegerd So Zertoost perceiuing time to render euery thing worse and worse desired to liue no longer then till hee should discharge the message about which the Lord should send him and that then he might be translated to that same place of glory againe So God reduced him to his owne proper sense from which hee was rauished to godlike speculations Being thus as he was before of humane capacity after he had remained in heauen many dayes the Lord deliuered to him the Booke before mentioned containing in it the forme of good gouernment and the Lawes of Religion that the Persians should follow conferring likewise on Zertoost the heauenly fire and other gifts that were neuer bestowed vpon any man before or since So Zertoost taking the heauenly fire into his right hand and the booke that God gaue him in his left he was deliuered to the conduct of the Angell that brought him thither who was called Bahaman Vmshauspan who taking vp Zertoost did cleaue the Ayre with his golden wings till he had surrendered him to the place where he found him and so left him CHAP. V. Shewing what happened to Zertoost after the Angell left him the deuill meeteth him and reuileth him he commeth to Gustasphs Court the ioy of his Parents for his returne the infamy Gustasphs Churchman seeketh to put vpon him the Miracles whereby Zertoost doth vindicate his fame Gustasphs foure demands and his foure grants ZErtoost was no sooner left by his heauenly Guardian but Lucifer an enemy to all goodnes met him called him a seeker after nouelties deluâ—â—ons and told him that God did not loue him in such manner as he beleeued otherwise he would haue kept him in heauen still not haue sent him away or else hee would haue granted him to liue to the end of the world when he desired it that that booke which hee had was stuft with falsehoods that he should come to trouble danger and shame about the publishing of it as also that he should bee laught at for his Fire as being a creature of destruction and a consumer of the workes of man and that there was no neede thereof in hot climates but that if he would depend on him he could giue him a Booke of better instructions and present to him Obiects of better delight could giue him long life and honour and power to worke great miracles that if he did not beleeue him he was a senselesse man and depriued of his wits by his late Visions But Zertoost hauing plac't his confidence better told Lucifer that hauing lost that glory that his eyes beheld he could not speake well of his Maker nor be pleased with that great fauour God had showne him but enuying at it sought not onely to disanull his but euery mans happinesse charged Lucifer by the great name of his Creator that put him into the darke dungeon of hell vnder the custody of Sertan and Asud by the truth of that booke by which he should in the end of the world be arraigned and condemned and by that fire in his right hand by which he should bee burned and tortured to auoyd his presence as a blacke mouthed defamer of God and goodnesse at which Lucifer vanished with great horror and feare from him Lucifer thus coniured from Zertoosts presence he proceeded on his way to the City where Gustasph had his residence and so to the place where his Parents had their aboad who with no small sorrow had bewayled the absence of their sonne and with vaine inquest had sought him but could not finde him in whom their hopes were reposited who now to their strange ioy and admiration told them of his Enthousiasmes and raptures wherein he had receiued that booke and heauenly fire that was so long before prognosticated by his mothers Vision and so truely interpreted by the Augur and Southsayer His parents blessed him and became instructed in this new Religion how to worshippe as God had reuealed to Zertoost These things could not be long hid for the ioyes of mothers are not silent but in euery eare did Dodoâ— powre forth her Visions in her sonnes conception and the Southsayers interpretation of them how true the particulars had fallen out the late raptures her sonne Zertoost had in heauen his Reuelations there whereof a booke written by Gods owne hand and the strange fire hee brought from thence were liuely euidences These rumours being strange to all eares and not testified by hearesay but confirmed by one whose eyes had beheld the things auerred got passage and were carried to the eares of Gustasph then King of Persia who therefore sent for Zertoost of whom he inquired the further truth of this matter who affirmed the same to bee such as it was reported that God had deliuered him a booke concerning his worshippe and other secret knowledge inducing the worshippe of fire whereof hee gaue some touches in particular to the King the King admiring these things and yet so certainely informed in the Circumstances grew wauering in his former worshippe and Religion and somewhat enclined to Zertoost so that hee diuers times sent for him and had much conference with him Gustasphs Churchman then perceiuing his Soueraigne to harken to this new Religion wherein hee had no knowledge and that by degrees he lost that grace he had wontedly froÌ„ him did seeke to put some infamy on Zertoost by which the King might become alienated from him and that new sprung Religion wherein he had no knowledge and that by degrees began as he thought to sincke
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
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
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
but though his Iustice were so great that he would not let wickednesse goe vnpunished yet he would againe haue a world of new creatures to whom his wisedome power and mercy might be declared Seeing therefore the first Age miscarried by their sinfulnesse for whose purity God had so well prouided the Almighty determined to beginne the second Age by three persons of greater perfection and excellency then the other called Bremaw Vystney and Ruddery The Almighty therefore descending from heauen vpon a great Mountaine called Meropurbatee vpon the top of the same the Lord pronounced his word and said Rise vp Bremaw the first of liuing Creatures in the second Age the earth then did render from her wombe Bremaw at the voyce of God who did acknowledge and worshippe his Maker and by a second and third Command from the same place raised Vystney and Ruddery who with no lesse reuerence adored their Maker likewise But God that maketh nothing without his vse or end did not make these to liue idle but to be seruiceable in the worlds restoring to the first therefore which was Bremaw hee gaue the power to make the Creatures because say the Banians as great persons doe not their worke but by deputies so neither was it fit God should be seruile to the Creatures but giue them their being by his Instruments To the second which was Vystney hee gaue the charge to preserue the Creatures for that as it was his mercy to cause them to bee so it was his prouidence to keepe them in their being But to the third which was Ruddery hee gaue power to destroy his Creatures because he knew they would bee wicked and deserue a Iudgement amongst them Now as God had giuen to these persons power to doe these great workes so it was meete they should bee fitted with meanes capable for the discharge of their seuerall charges That Bremaw therefore might haue power to make the Creatures hee indued him with the Abilities of Creation and production Secondly that Vistney might preserue the Creatures the Lord gaue all things into his power that might tend to the preseruation of those that Bremaw should make therefore hee made him Lord of the Sunne and Moone of the Cloudes Showers and Dewes that fall vpon the Earth Lord of the Hils and Valleies disposer of the changes of the yeare the conferrer of Riches health and honour and whatsoeuer tended to the well being of Man and the rest of the Creatures Lastly that Ruddery might bee a fit Executioner of Gods Iustice God gaue into his possession whatsoeuer might tend to the destruction of liuing Creatures therefore Ruddery was made the Lord of Death and Iudgment and whatsoeuer might tend to the punishment of Man whether it were Sicknesse Famine Warre or Pestilence or any thing else that might bee a plague for sinne According also to the seuerall Assignations of these persons to their particuler Charges they were alloted a determinate time of Abiding vpon Earth Because the worke of the Creation was concluded in the second of their Ages which was a worke assign'd to Bremaw therefore Bremaw was to be taken vp to the Almighty in the conclusion of the second Age. And because the other Ages were multiplied with people by some that were reserued frâ—m destruction therefore Vistney was kept on earth till he had doubled Bremawes tearme of time as of whose preseruation there was longer neede And because the world should end in destruction therefore the continuance of Ruddery was three times so long that when the great day of Iudgement should come hee might destroy all the bodies and carry the soules with him to the place of Glory Nought wanted now but that they should euery one in their seuerall turnes shew the powers conferred vpon them So Bremaw consulting with himselfe how he might fulfill the charge imposed vpon him grew extraordinarily afflicted in his body the strangenesse of which anguish vexing him in euery part boaded some alteration or vnexpected euent when loe such trauaile as happeneth to women in labour seazed him and a certaine tumour and swelling of his body withall according to the suddaine ripenesse of the burthen within distended his bowels more and more and gaue newer and greater extremities to him in this Agony till the burthen though Bremaw farre exceeded the stature of common men made two ruptures the one on the right side the other on the left when behold two Twinnes the one male the other female to wit Man and Woman did betray themselues to the world in full growth and perfect stature who thus produced and informed concerning God by the instructions of Bremaw the Man was by him named Manow and the Woman Ceteroupa So giuing worshippe to God the Creator and reuerence to Bremaw their producer with a blessing of multiplication pronounced vpon them they were sent to the East to a Mountaine called Munderpuâ—vool thence to dispread their generations to the West North and South so they departed and Ceteroupa brought forth three sonnes and three daughters the eldest sonne was called Priauretta the second Outanapautha the third Soomeraut the eldest daughters name was called Cammah the second Soonerettaw the third Sumboo As these grew in yeeres they were in their seuerall orders dispersed seuerall wayes viz. Priauretta and Cammah to the West to the Mountaine called Segund Outanapautha and Soonerettaw to the North to the Mountaine Râ—pola Soomeraut and Sumboo to the Mountaine Supars all which brought forth plentiful generations Thus Bremaw made Man and Woman and replenished the earth with the rest of the liuing Creatures Vystney likewise did prouide all things necessary that might be to the sustentation and preseruation of the liuing creatures that Bremaw had made giuing them in enioyment such blessings as were needfull to a wel being To conclude Ruddery did disperse afflictions sicknesse death and iudgement according as the Sonnes of men did by their wickednesse inuoke this smart vpon themselues And this was the order God tooke for the restoring of people to inhabit the earth in the second Age of the World Now how God prouided for the establishment of Religion in this second Age that these that liued might feare and worshippe him shall be declared in the Chapter next following as it is vnfolded by the Tradition of the Banians CHAP. VIII How God communicated Religion to the world by a Booke deliuered to Bremaw the particular Tracts of the same The first Tract thereof touching the morall Law laid downe with the appropriation of the same to the seuerall Casts and a Confutation of the Errours thereof GOD knowing that there would be but euill gouernment where there was not the establishment of his worshippe and feare after the world was replenished a new bethought himselfe of giuing them lawes to restraine that euill in them that was the cause of the destruction of the former Age. Descending therefore on the Mountaine Mâ—ropurbatee he called Bremaw to him and out of a darke and duskie cloude with