of Pythagoras Plato Empedocles Apolonius Tyanius and Proclus and might in Liber Paters discoueries of those parts bee dispersed amongst this people as well as by a Scholler of Pythagoras who spread it in Italy where it found fauour with Numa Pompilius that superstitious Emperour and was maintained by the Albanienses and Albigenses confuted by Athanasius Secondly touching the substance of this opinion that gained the Patronage of so great Schollers They did hold that there was a passage of soules of one Creature into another that this Transmeation was of the soules of men into beasts and of beasts into men hence Pythagoras auerred himselfe to be Euphorbus Empedocles in his verse affirmed himselfe to bee a Fish This made it an abominable crime to eate flesh least as saith Tertullian in Apologet. Cont. gent. Cap. 48. Bubulam De aliquo Proauo Quispiam obsonaret Some should eate vp the Oxeflesh that had swallowed vp his great Grandfathers soule This opinion gayned propugnation and defence by Pythagoras and Plato by this meanes because that beleeuing the soules immortality it might gaine assent with others by this thought of its suruiuing in other bodies after its relinquishment of the deceased as Greg. Tholoss affirmeth in his Syntax Art Mirab. lib. 8. cap. 12. Thirdly the reasons by which they doe induce assent to this Transanimation of soules were these because the soule was impure by the sinnes and corruptions of the body therefore it was needfull it should bee sublimed from this corruption by such transmeation out of one body into another as Chymicall spirits gaine a purer essence by passing through the Still or Limbecke diuers times euery Distillation taking away some of his grosse part and leauing it more refined Againe because it was meete the soule should make a satisfaction for the filthinesse it had contracted by remaining in the prison of the body an exile from blessednesse a longer time till this passage from one body to another had so purified them that they might be fit to enter into the Elysium or place of blisse Lastly in confutation of this opinion for prohibition of eating of flesh from supposall of a Metempsychosis we maintaine that there is no such Metempsychosis or transanimation of soules First the immortality of the soule wee euince without this Chymera of the fancy by an argument drawne from mans dissolution this is the nature of all things that are compounded that they should bee resolued into that which they were at first before their coniunction Man is compounded of soule and body the very dissolution of these two in death declareth this for that cannot be separated that was not before conioyned This composition was by life and a creature without life being in the soule alone it is manifest that the soule had it before euer it came to the body or else that which was dead could neuer haue liued by the meanes of that which was likewise dead If the soule had this life before the body it must needes haue the same after in his separation and by consequence is immortall Next in confutation of their reasons for this opinion We answer First that the soule is not cleansed by such Transmeation from body to body but rather defiled by that filthinesse those bodies contract as water becommeth defiled by infusion into an vncleane vessell Much more since they affirme the soules of men enter into beasts which are creatures of greater impurity Besides those spirits that are subtiliated by Stils and Lymbecks the fire is effectuall to their subliming but the bodies haue not the goodnesse in them that may tend to the soules greater purity in such Transmeation To conclude it is improbable the soule should be enioyned to such a satisfaction for sinne as tendeth to its greater defilement These reasons therefore auaile little to confirme the soules Transmeation in the manner premised We in the last place shall prooue this Metempsychosis to be no other then a vaine imagination by the reasons following 1. Then that the soules are not deriued from one another per traducem by way of traduction appeareth by Adams speech to Eue Gen. 2 23. This is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh he doth not say soule of my soule and spirit of my spirit It appeareth then that though shee receiued her body from Adam yet she had her soule from God And this is that which Zachery affirmeth Zach. 12.1 The Lord formeth the Spirit of a man within him whence Augustine saith Eam infundendo creari creando insundi That the soule being put into man was created and by creating was into man infused if therefore God created some why not all 2. Of spiritual things corporal there shold seeme the same manner of increase but the bodies haue new beings therefore the soules 3. If the soules were purified by their passage from one body to another then that man that had the soule last should be capable of all that knowledge that was enioyed by them that had it before and so the Infant should be an experienced creature in past occurrences but we discerne no such extraordinary ripenesse of knowledge in one more then another but that all our habits are gained by industry which whilst Plato would excuse saying that the wandering soules did receiue from the diuell a draught of the cuppe of Obliuion and so were forgetfull of that which is past Irenaeus thus taunteth him Iâ— Plato had tryall that his soule was obtused with such a draught I wonder that he could remember that his soule had lost her remembrance Lastly if this were true it would follow that the soules of beasts should be immortall which would be absurd to thinke in these better knowing times Hauing therefore proued this opinion of passage of soules out of one body into another to be a fancy and nothing reall this may bee no iust cause to detaine them from eating the flesh of creatures that haue had life in them Neither would they if there were great reason to the contrary permit it as they doe in the Casts of Cuttery and Wyse whom if they pleased they might restraine by the like iniunction All which thus euidenced this already deliuered may be sufficient to publish concerning the first Tract in the Booke deliuered to Bremaw touching the Morall Law CHAP. IX Of the second Tract of the Booke deliuered to Bremaw containing their Ceremoniall Law in their Washings Annointings Offerings vnder greene Trees Prayers Pilgrimages Inuocations Adorations together with the formes of their Baptizings Marriages and Burials customary amongst them THe second Tract of the booke deliuered to Bremaw comprized certaine ceremoniall iniunctions by them to be obserued in the particulars following the knowledge of which being something materiall to set forth the Religion of this people shall be the Subiect of this present Chapter First then they are enioyned to frequent washings of their bodies in Riuers The originall of which custome they say began with this second Age of the
at the place of their birth their diuisions and dissentions the great euils amongst their generations bringing a Flood which destroyeth them and so the first Age of the world concludeth EVery thing by naturall motion passeth to his owne place so the Brethren hauing peopled the world in these foure parts turne their course to the place where they first breathed their vitall ayre for Brammon hauing peopled the East with all such as was of his Cast or Tribe was carried with a naturall desire to goe and conclude his dayes where he began and to possesse the people of that place with the true forme of diuine worshippe that so all the world might retaine one vniformity of Religion not rending Gods worship into parts with the Factions of vnsetled opinions as also not willing to lose so great a ioy as his eies should conuey vnto him in the sight of his Parents and his Brethren to the former of which Religion had enioyned him to the latter all expressions of a Brothers loue Cuttery also the next that had accomplisht the end of his trauaile began to long after the sight of the place that brought him forth that he might there to his Father Mother and Brethren shew the blessings of God in his wife and Progeny and acquaint them with the story of his Occurencies and leaue a race of Souldiers there also in his posterity Shuddery turned also by the same inclination had his desires bent to his birth-place being bigge with the eminency of his accidentall fortunes which had lost their greatnesse if his Parents and Brethren had lost the knowledge of them to feede which humour as accompanied with other respects formerly mentioned drew him to giue his appearance amongst the rest Lastly Wyse to communicate his Arts whose aduenturous trauaile was no lesse memorable then the rest transporting his sonnes and daughters ouer the seuerall Seas left them in seuerall places and repaired to his birth-place to pay his duty to his Parents and his loue to his Brethren It so happened that God that would not crosse any part of their intentions with euill successe did reserue them to finde the happinesse of their meetings in their seuerall turnes and successions as their works were in order accomplished their seuerall arriuals being congratulated with Feastings and Triumphes meete welcome for such Guests It was not to be doubted but Pourous and Parcoutee grew young againe hauing such a season of happinesse reserued to smile vpon them towards the Sunset of their Age such as were able to make their forewasted powers spent with yeeres to renew their vigour Euery one of them when their ioy grew stale giuing a fresh renewance of gladnesse to their Parents by their successiue arriuall Neither could it bee imagined but that the Brethren accounted that the blessed time that lost all remembrance of trouble which wee thinke too importunate a disturber of our ioyes But ioy is neuer of long lasting but after the passage of little time hath his abatement this the Brethren being sensible of laid aside the thoughts of their Trauailes and the remembrance of their late comforts and as men newly transplanted to bring forth the fruites of their being in that place begetting new generations there that the world might bee compleately populous and instructed in their seuerall qualities by Brammon in matters of Religion by Cuttery in matters of Rule and Domination by Shuddery in matters of Trafficke and Merchandizing and by Wyse in the inuention of the handycrafts of which foure Casts the world consisted euery one of them liuing in his seuerall qualitie keeping his Tribe free from confusion or enterfeering and thus the world became peopled But multitude and concourse that vseth to be the nurse of mischiefe for where there are many men there will be many euils and prosperity that makes vs forgetfull of our selues and length of time that renders to vs the worst at our latter endings began to confound all goodnesse and turne euery thing out of order For Brammon grew neglectiue of his piety and Cuttery grew cruell and full of vsurpation and Shuddery grew deceiptfull in the waights and ballances and practised cosenage amongst his brethren and Wyse lost his conscience in his dealings and became a spend-thrift making the profits that came by his inuentions but the furtherers of ryot and excesse and as they were thus euill in themselues so they were euill one towards another For Brammon stomacked Cutteryes greatnesse and Cuttery forgat to giue Brammon the preheminence of his birth and as if his might had beene sufficient to giue him the right of Priority placing all excellency in Rule and Authority condemned the still and solitary spirit of his brother as vnworthy of respect and eminence yea prized his owne lawes and gouernment before Gods Lawes because they came from Brammon whom hee disesteemed On the other side hee pleased himselfe with the slaughter of those that displeased him layd Taxations vpon Shuddery and drayned the profit of Wyses labours and like a great Tide made all runne along with his owne Current whilst they requite his iniuries in cosenage and griping vpon their brethren in fraud and circumuention these euils of Example were seedes of wickednesse that no doubt would grow in their Posteritie And this dissention among themselues did boade a breach of that sweete harmonie that concurred to the worlds first constitution Wyse likewise seeing Brammon to lose his respect the more to make him despised sought to bring in a new forme of Religion communicated to him in vision concerning the worshippe of Images and bowing to Pagods vnder greene trees with other new ceremonies which since Brammons booke contained not the dispute was great whether they should be receiued as Canonicall but vpon Wyses asseueration that they were receiued from God they were receiued as part of the Ceremoniall Law Thus euery day presenting new platformes of wickednesse and sinnes that made a noyse God grew angry and the heauens were cloathed with blacknesse and terror the Seas began to swell as if they meant to ioyne with the cloudes in Mans destruction great noyse was heard aloft such as vseth to dismay mortall wretches and thunder and lightning flashed from the Poles such as seemed to threaten a finall wracke to the Earth but as if the world needed cleansing of his defilement and pollution there came a Flood that couered all Nations in the depths Thus the Bodies had their iudgement but the Soules were lodged in the bosome of the Almighty and so concluded the first Age of the world according to the Tradition of the Banians CHAP. VII Of the second Age of the World begunne by Bremaw Vystney and Ruddery of their Creation Assignation to their seuerall workes their time of Continuation vpon Earth and the meanes vsed for the Restauration of the World againe IT had now saith the Banian beene to little end for God to disanull his owne creatures for now his wisedome and power must haue againe layne obscured
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
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
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