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
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
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
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
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