of his Order conspiring against God to gaine the Soueraignety and command ouer all God threw him from the Orbe of his happinesse together with his confederates and accomplices dambd him to hel the place that was made for offenders and turned them from their glorious shapes into shapes blacke vgly and deformed till the times of the world should be consummate when al offenders in generall should receiue their sentence of punishment and condemnation So God hauing accomplished this second labour desisted from the worke of the creation fiue dayes more After this the Almighty begunne the third labour of the creation which was to make the Earth which together with the Waters called Seas make this lower world like a Globe or Ball so agreeing together that the Seas humidity maketh the Earth fruitfull and the Earths soliditie boundeth the waters in their due confine which worke thus finished God suspended the worke of the Creation for fiue dayes more and rested The fourth labour was to make the Trees Plants and Hearbes that so the earth might bring forth fruites pleasant to the eye and taste and for the comfort of the Creatures liuing in the earth this also done God rested and gaue the former respite to his labours The fift worke was to make Creatures fit to abide in the places forementioned as Beasts of all sorts to forrage in the greene pastures Fowles to cleane the Ayre with their nimble Pencions Fishes to swimme in the vnknowne depths of the watery Ocean The world thus replenished with creatures God resumed his wonted rest and intermission from this labour And lastly vndertooke his sixt labour which was the forming of Man and Woman to whom the rest of the Creatures were made ministratory and seruile whose name their Records deliuer to be Adamah and Euah who being the first two by whom the multitudes of mankinde should be propagated God as they affirme did cause Euah to bring forth two twinnes every day for a thousand yeeres together death did diminish none of the numbers of mankinde by mortality But Lucifer thus deposed with the rest of his Order grew malignant both to God and man and as God did good so he laboured to doe euill and to perturbe his actions and tempt men to sinne and wickednesse labouring to make man odious to his Maker as also making himselfe an enemy to all goodnesse which God yet did not fully reuenge as knowing nothing but euill to bee in him and his confederates But the better to preuent his mischiefe set certaine superuisors ouer his creatures to preserue them in that state wherein they were at first created Thus to one Hamull was committed the charge of the heauens to Acrob the ouersight of the Angels that they relapsed not as Lucifer had done to Ioder the ouersight of the Sunne Moone and Starres to Soreh the care of the Earth to Iosah the command of the Waters Sumbolah had the charge of the beasts of the field Daloo of the Fish of the Sea Rocan of the trees Cooz of Man and Woman and Sertan and Asud to whom God had giuen strength and power were made the guardians of Lucifer and the euill spirits to master and conjure them from mischiefe to Gods creatures who yet notwithstanding the watch of Sertan and Asud did much mischiefe in the world by suggestion and temptation to wickednâ—sse which made God offended with mankinde for their wickednesse The sinnes of men growing great they say it appeareth in their Records that there came a Flood or Inundation which ouerflowed the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof some few onely God preserued to propagate the generations of the times following that so there might not bee an vtter ruine of mankinde These generations were dispersed to people the earth againe from which all Nations haue had their descent And as their Historiographer Mircond reporteth in times not long distant from the Flood these Persees had a Race of Kings that were their proper Gouernours continued for aboue a thousand yeeres by the succession of fiue and forty Kings The first whereof was Guiomaras who as Mircond reports was the son of Aram the sonne of Sem the sonne of Noah by the Persees called Adam Asseny that is the second Adam the last in whom the Monarchie of this people concluded as is before shewed was Yesdegerd The Abridgement of which Chronicle I would haue gathered from them but that I found it to agree punctually both iâ— matter and order with that translation of Mr. Grimstones called Estates and Empires c in the Chronicle of the Kings of Persia to whom I referre those that desire information therein What Religion this people had in the Reignes of Guiomaras Syameck Ouchang Thamull Iimshed Zoack Traydhun and Manoucher vnto Lorasph which was their fifteenth King is not the scope of this present worke though then they had a peculiar kinde of worshippe But the Religion that is the Subiect of this booke is a Religion that was receiued in the Reigne of Gustasph the sonne of Lorasph their sixteenth King in succession concerning the worshippe of Fire in the defence of which Religion Gustasph was so zealous that hee made warre against Ariaseph King of Turron for that he reprehended him in a letter about this worshippe Hauing then limited this Booke to his proper Subiect three things in generall are to be treated of in this worke First to declare who was their Law-giuer how their Law was deliuered and came to bee receiued of Gustasph King of Persia. Next to shew the substance of their Law Lastly to proceede to other Ceremonies obserued by them not improper to this present Tract CHAP. III. Concerning Zertoost the Law-giuer of the Persees his Parents the Omens that did forerunne his Natiuity their interpretation his perils in his Birthplace his escape into Persia and the Accidents happening in his Trauailes thither COncerning the Law-giuer of this people it is left recorded in their old writings that there liued in Chyna two poore people of honest fame and reputation married together as man and wife the man was called Espintaman the woman Dodoo these two hauing long liued in the state of marriage without issue the woman earnestly prayed that God would giue her a sonne her request was heard and much time passed not ere shee conceiued and grew pregnant About the time of this womans Conception shee saw a vision presented to her in a dreame that filled her with great feare and terrour for she conceiued that the heauens were of a light fire ouer her head and that a flaming rednesse had ouerspread the firmament which droue her into a great Agony when on a sodaine there rushed into her sight foure Griffins of grimme and horrid appearance who seazing on her body did from her wombe seeme cruelly to teare out the child she had conceiued to her great feare and despaire of life when on a sodaine stept in a man of person goodly and of warlike Aspect with a truncheon on in his hand in
on the thirtyeth day in remembrance that God made the Beasts fish and foule Creatures ordained for the sustenance of Man The sixt is called Medusan falling in the eleauenth of their Month Ardebest which is December for ioy that then the Lord made Man and Woman from whence all mankind had their Originall In the third place touching their fasts After euery one of their feasts they obserue a fiue dayes Abstinence eating but one meale a day in memory that the Lord after euery one of these labours rested fiue dayes and whensoeuer they eate of any foule or flesh they cary some part of it to the Eggaree or Temple as an offering to appease God that for the Sustenance of man they are forced to take away the life of his Creatures and these are the rites most notable touching their meates and drinkes Now in the second place for their worshippe of fier because this is an Idolatry most notably distinguishing their worshipp from the worshipp of other Sects First for the ground of this their worship of fier it is fetched from their Lawgiuer Zertoost who as they affirme being rapt vp to heauen had fier deliuered vnto him from God brought it thence together with the Booke of their Law as the worship by them to bee embraced and by their law enioyned moreouer they affirme that Zertoost being in the forementioned rapture in the place of Glory did not see God but heard him speaking to him out of the fire and when the fire was deliuered receiued it as the vertue of God and his first borne of excellencie and for these causes to bee worshiped and reuerenced Next for the nature or qualitie of this fire The first fire thus worshipped and idolized was that Zertoost brought from heauen with him which was a liuing fire that nothing could extinguish but whether this haue certainly bin preserued in the succession of time to be communicable to all is vnknowne vpon defect hereof they are licenced to compose a fire of diuers mixtures to bee kept liuing from time to time to which they are to performe their inioyned worship such is that which iâ— idolized in India where this Sect remaineth in a place called Nuncery that hath not beene extinguished for the space of two hundred yeares as they affirme First then this fire consisteth of that fire that is made by the sparkes flying from the flint by the smiting of a steele Secondly of that fire that is made by the rubbing of two peeces of wood together a custome much vsed amongst the heathens of ruder manners by which they kindle their fiers in all places where they neede Thirdly of such fire as is occasioned by lightning falling on some tree or thing accendible Fourthly of such fire as is called wildfire which flying from place to place and lighting on matter combustible consumeth it Fiftly of artificiall fier made by Coles or wood most ordinarie in vse Sixtly of the fire wherewith the Banians vse to burne the bodies of their dead Seauenthly of the fire that is made by burning Glasses and the Beames of the Sunne of all these Ingrediences they compose their idolatrous fire which they call their Antisbeheraun or Religious fire Lastly for their Ceremonie or rite bestowed about this fire so variously composed and by their Distoore or high priest so tended that it may not extinguish whensoeuer the Persees assemble themselues together to this worshipp the Distoore or in his absence the Herbood together with the Assembly encompasse the fire about and standing about eleauen or twelue foote distant therefrom for they hold it so holy that they feare to approach too neare the Distoore or Herbood vttereth this speech That forasmuch as fire was deliuered to Zertoost their Lawgiuer from God Almighty who pronounced it to bee his vertue and his excellencie and that there was a lawe deliuered for the worshippe of this fire confirmed by so many Miracles that therefore they should hold it holy reuerence and worshippe it as a Part of God who is of the same substance and that they should loue all things that resemble it or were like vnto it as the Sunne and Moone which proceeded from it and are Gods two witnesses against them if they should neglect that Religion and worshippe so enioyned as also to pray to God that hee would forgiue them if in the ordinary vses of this Element so seruiceable to mans neede they should either spill water which might in some manner quench it or spitt in it vnawares or put such fewell to it to keepe it burning as was impure and vnworthy of that holynes that was in that Element or whatsoeuer abuses els they should do as they vsed it in the necessary seruices of their life And this is the summe of their worship touching the Fier In the third place for their Baptisme or naming of Children when they enter them into the Church this is their forme As soone as euer the Child is borne the Daroo or Churchman is sent for to the parties house who obseruing the punctuall time of his Birth calculateth his Natiuitie after that consulting about the name of the Child at last the Parents and friends approuing the same name that the Churchman giueth the Mother in the presence of them all giueth the name to the Child there being no Ceremonie but the naming of the Infant as then vsed After this the kindred of the Child together with the Infant accompany the Church man to the Eggaree or Temple where he taketh faire water and putting it into the Barke or rynd of a tree called Holme which groweth at Yesd in Persia and is admired in this one particular as they affirme for that the Sunn of heauen giueth it no shadowe hee thence powreth the water into the Infant vttering this Prayer that God would cleanse it from the vncleanes of his Father and the menstruous pollutions of his Mother which done it departeth About the seauenth yeare of the Childs Age when the same is more capable of his entrance into their Church hee is led thither by his Parents to haue a further confirmation where hee is taught by the Church man to say some Prayers and to be instructed in Religion wherein when hee is prompt hee vttereth his prayers ouer the fire hauing a Cloath fastned about his head ouer his mouth nostrills according to their generall custome in that worshippe least the breath yssuing out of their sinfull Bodies should taint that holy fire Then after Prayers bee concluded the Darâ—â— giueth him water to drink and a Pomegranate leafe to chewe in his mouth to cleanse him from inward vncleanesse so washing his body in a Tanck with cleane water and putting on him a linnen Cassock which hee weareth next his skinne called Shuddero which descendeth to his waste as also a girdle of Cammells haire called Cushee which hee euer weareth about him and is wouen like Inckle by the preachers owne hand he vttereth these Prayers ouer him That
the Creation of the world the creation of the first Man and Woman and the Progeny from them descending as it is by the Banians deliuered THE great God say the Banians being alone bethought himselfe how hee might make his excellency and power manifest to others for his great vertue had beene obscured and hid if it had not beene communicated to his creatures What meanes might then bee better to giue euidence of both these then the creation of a world and creatures therein For this cause the Almighty consulted with himselfe about the making of this great worke which men call the World or Vniuerse and as the Ancients say they haue deliuered the Lord made foure Elements as the ground-worke of this mighty frame to wit Earth Aire Fire and Water which foure Elements were at first all mingled together in a confusion but the Almighty separated them in manner following First it is deliuered that by some great Cane or like instrument hee blew vpon the Waters which arose into a bubble of a round forme like an egge which spreading it selfe further and further made the Firmament so cleare and transparent which now compasseth the world about After this there remaining the Earth as the sediment of the Waters and some liquid substance with the same the Lord made of both these together a thing round like a ball which hee called the lower world the more solid part whereof became the Earth the more liquid the Seas both which making one Globe he by a great noyse or humming sound placed them in the middest of the Firmament which became aequi-distant from it on euery side Then he created a Sunne and Moone in the Firmament to distinguish the times and seasons and thus these foure Elements that were at first mixt together became separate and assigned to their seuerall places the Aire to his place the Earth to his the Water to his place and the Fire to his place These Elements thus disposed each of them discharged his seuerall parts the Aire filled vp whatsoeuer was emptie the Fire began to nourish with his heate the Earth brought forth his liuing creatures and the Sea his And the Lord conueyed to these a seminall vertue that they might bee fruitfull in their seuerall operations and thus the great world was created This World as it had his beginning from foure Elements so it was measured by foure maine points of the Compasse East West North and South and was to be continued for foure Ages and to be peopled by foure Casts or sorts of men which were maried to foure Women appointed for them of which wee shall speake as order may giue occasion God hauing thus made the world and the creatures thereto belonging then God created Man as a creature more worthy then the rest one that might be most capable of the workes of God The earth then did at Gods voyce and command render this creature from his bowels his head first appearing and after that his body with all the parts and members of the same into whom God conueyed life which as soone as he had receiued witnessed it selfe for colour began to shew it selfe red in his lippes his eye liddes began to disclose the two lights of Nature the parts of his body bewrayed their motion and his vnderstanding being informed hee acknowledged his Maker and gaue him worship That this creature might not bee alone who was made by nature sociable God seconded him with a Companion which was Woman to whom not so much the outward shape as the likenesse of the minde and disposition seemed agreeing and the first mans name was Pourous and the womans name was Parcoutee and they liued conioyned together as Man and Wife feeding on the fruites of the earth without the destruction of any liuing creature These two liuing in this coniunction had foure sonnes the first was called Brammon the second Cuttery the third Shuddery the fourth Wyse These foure brethren were of Natures distinct each from the other the foure Elements claiming in each of them a different predominance For Brammon was of an earthly constitution and therefore Melancholly and Cuttery was of a fiery constitution and therefore of a Martiall spirit Shuddery was of a flegmaticke constitution and therefore of a peaceable or conuersable disposition Wyse was of an ayery temper and therefore full of contriuements and inuentions And because Brammon was of a melancholly constitution and ingenious God indued him with knowledge and appointed him to impart his Precepts and Lawes vnto the people his graue and serious looke best fitting him for such a purpose for which cause hee gaue him a Booke containing the forme of diuine Worshippe and Religion And because Cuttery was of a Martiall temper God gaue him power to sway kingdomes with the Scepter and to bring men into order that the Weale-publicke might thriue by vnited indeauours for the common good as an Embleme of which the Almighty put a sword into his hand the instrument of victory and domination And because Shuddery was of a nature mild and conuerseable it was thought meete that he should bee a Merchant to inrich the Common-wealth by Trafficke that so euery place might abound with all things by the vse of shipping and Nauigation as a monitour to put him in minde of which course of life he had a paire of Ballances put into his hand and a bagge of waights hung at his girdle instruments most accommadate to his profession Lastly because Wyse was of an Ayery temper whose conceipts vse to bee more subtle and apprehensiue he was indued with admirable inuentions and was able by his first thoughts to forme any thing that belonged to the Mechanicke or handy-crafts man For which purpose hee had a bagge of tooles or instruments consisting of such variety as were necessary to effectuate the workes of his fancy or conceipt Thus you haue the first Man and Woman and the Progeny from them descending according to Banians tradition and a world to be raised of so few the persons as they thinke could not be better fitted to the same the whole world being well considered consisting of and subsisting by such foure kindes of men The World being in this Mayden puritie that the generations of men might not be deriued from a polluted beginning of mankinde the Almighty gaue not Pourous and Parcoutee any daughters least some of these foure 〈◊〉 preferring the needes of propagation before piety and Religion should haue defloured their Sisters and haue blemished the world with impurity but prouiding better for the holinesse and sanctity of our Ancestors that the worke of generation might be agreeable to the worke of Creation God made foure Women for these foure Men and placed them at the foure Windes one at the East another at the West a third at the North and a fourth at the South that thus being diuided there might be a better meanes for the spreading of their generations ouer the face of the earth with which foure Women how
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
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