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
happeneth by protractation and delay of time as also that the Parents might before their death see their Children disposed which commeth to passe by these earely coniunctions Next for their contract in Marriage the Parents of the Children doe prepare the way by priuate conference the intention and purpose being made knowne and betwixt them agreed vpon then there are Messengers and Presents sent to the Parents of the Mayden to bee married with the noyse of Trumpet and Drumme and the singing of songs in the praise of the perfections of the Bride which may truely giue her the merite of one worthy to be coueted and sought vnto which presents being accepted then there are gifts sent backe to the Bridegroome in token of their acceptance of the nuptiall proffer with like singing of Encomiasticks in praise of the Bridegroome seeting him forth to bee so well composed as may well deserue acceptation So the Bramanes appointing a day for the solemnization of the Marriage then there is a certaine Show to publish to the whole Towne this Marriage intended This Show is first by the Bridegroome who in Nuptiall pompe attended with all the mens Children in the Towne of the same Tribe some on horsebacke some in Pallankins some in Coaches all adorned with Iewels Scarfes and Pageant like habiliments make their Cursitation round about the most publicke streets in the Towne with Trumpets and kettle Drummes and guilded Pageants the Bridegroome is distinguished from the rest by a crowne on his head decked with Iewels very rich And hauing thus published himselfe The next day followeth the Bride in like pompe crowned attended with all the Girles of the same Tribe in no lesse brauery and triumphant accommodation exposed to view of the Spectators The day drawing to his decline they repaire home to accomplish the full Rites of Marriage The Ceremony obserued in their Marriage is that they neuer are conioyned together but at the going downe of the Sunne at which time a fire is made and interposed betweene the Married couple to intimate the ardency that ought to be in their affections then there is a silken string that incloseth both their bodies to witnesse the insoluble bond of wedlocke that in Marriage there ought to bee no desertion or forsaking one another After this bond there is a cloath interposed betwixt them shewing that before Marriage they ought not to make their nakednesse knowne one to another this custome they say was taken from the meeting of Brammon with Sauatree who because they were naked couered their immodest parts till the words of Matrimony were vttered So the Bramanes pronouncing certaine words enioyning the man to affoord all things conuenient to the woman and charging the Woman to loyalty in the marriage vowe with pronunciation of a blessing of fruitfull issue to them both the speeches concluded the cloath interposed rest away the bond by which they were engirt vnloosed and after that full freedome to communicate themselues to each other Dowry there is none giuen that the drifts of Marriage might not be mercenary saue the Iewels worne on the Bridall day and to the Feast none repaire but those of the same Cast. To conclude in marriage they haue some particular legall iniunctions by which the Tribes are differenced as first that no woman may bee admitted to second Marriage except in the Tribe of Wyse which are in the handycrafts men Secondly that men in all Tribes are admitted to second Marriages except in the Bramanes Thirdly that euery Tribe do marry of such as are of his owne Cast Therefore the Bramanes must marry with such as are descended from the Bramanes and the Cutteryes with such as are descended from the Cutteryes so likewise the Shudderyes But the Wyses are not onely enioyned to match into their owne Tribe but into such as be of their owne Trade as a Barbers sonne to a Barbers daughter and so of others to keepe their Tribes and Trades from commixtion Lastly as for their burials this is their custome when any man is desperately sicke and past hope of recouery they inioyne him to vtter Narraune which is one of the names of God importing Mercy to Sinners of which mercy at that time he standeth most in need His spirits languishing they stretch out his hand pouring faire water into it as the offering of his life praying to Kistner uppon the God of the water to present him pure to God with this offering of his hand His life being departed they wash his body as a testimony of his cleannesse and purity this is the Ceremony obserued in the visitation of their sicke After this for the buriall of their dead it is after this manner First they beare the dead body to a Riuers side appropriate to such purpose where setting the Corps downe on the ground the Bramane vttereth these words Oh earth wee commend vnto thee this our Brother whilst he liued thou hadst an interest in him of the earth he was made by the blessing of the earth he was fed and therefore now hee is dead we surrender him vnto thee After this putting combustible matter to the body accended and lighted by the helpe of sweete oyle and aromaticall odours strowed thereon the Bramane saith Oh Fire whilst be liued thou hadst a claime in him by whose naturall heate he subsisted wee returne therefore his body to thee that thou shouldst purge it Then the sonne of the deceased taketh a pot of water and setteth it on the ground vpon which he setteth a pot of Milke when throwing a stone at the lower pot he breaketh it to sheards which rendereth the water to losse and perishing the vessell of milke aboue defrauded of his support powreth forth his humidity on the ground likewise vpon which the Sonne thus moralizeth the action That as the stone by his violence caused the vessels to yeeld forth their humour so did the assault of sicknesse ruine his Fathers body and bring it to losse as milke or water that is spilt on the ground neuer to bee redeemed The body then being incinerated or burnt to ashes they disperse the ashes abroad into the Ayre the Bramane vttering these words Oh Ayre whilst hee liued by thee he breathed and now hauing breathed his last we yeeld him to thee The ashes falling on the water the Bramane saith Oh water whilst he liued thy moysture did sustaine him and now his body is dispersed take thy part in him So giue they euery Element his owne for as they affirme man to haue his life continued by the foure Elements so they say he ought to bee distributed amongst them at his death After this funerall solemnity the Bramane presenteth to the sonne or neerest kindred of the deceased a Register of the deceases of his Ancestors as also readeth to him the law of Mourners That for tenne dayes he must eate no Beetle nor oyle his head nor put on cleane cloathes but once euery month throughout the whole yeere on the day of the
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