'Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan: interwoven with such remarkable occurrences as hapned in those parts during these later times. As also, many other rich and famous kingdoms in the oriental India, with the isles adjacent. Severally relating their religion, language, customs and habit: as also proper observations concerning them.' [‎56] (77/448)

5 6 %eligion of theTerfees
3. He is duly to receive the Tenth ot what the Laity pollefs. 4* He is to avoid vain
glory, and with his great in-come toexercife Ads of Charity. 5. His Houfe is to ad
join the Church fo as he may be oft there and go and come without being taken notice of.
6. Hiswaihingsare to be more frequent than others, his food purer, and to refrain his
Wives company during her pollution. 7. He is not only to be per fed in the Zertoofi,
but of greateft knowledge in Judicial and Natural Philofophy. 8- That his diet be mo.
derate. 9. That he fear none but God. 10. That he tell every Man his offences.
11. That in Vifions he diftinguifh 'twixt good and counterfeit, and give right judgment.
12. That whenfoever God communicates his goodnefs to him by nightly Villon he is
to admire his mercy and to keep them fecret. 13. That Pyre e be ever kindled till
Fire deftroy the llniverle, and that he pray over it. This is the fum and fubftance of
the Zmdavafi which Zertooft brought from Heaven. A word of their Feafts, Falls, Wed
dings, and Burials.
They are tolerated molt forts of Meat*, neverthelefs (in obedience to the Mahome
tan andBannyan, 'mongil whom they live) they refraiji Beef and Hogs-flefh *, howbeit
the Rafhboots eat the laft. They feldom feed together, left they might participate ope
anothers impurity *, Each has his own Cup, fb as if any of his own Caft chance to ufe it,
the other wafhes it three times and forbears it a while after. Six folemn Feftivals they
yearly obferve the firit called MedUferum is kept the 15. of Fov or 'February j 2. Petn-
fahan on the 26. of Shernar or Jlprii 3. Tatrism on the 26. of Mahar or May) 4. Mede-
anm on the 16. of Deh otAuguft 5. Homefpetamadnm on the 30. of Syindamud or Oclo-
ber) 6. Median on the 11. of Jdehefe or December ; all of them in memory of the Cre
ation and monthly benefits. After each of thefe Feafts they eat but one fmall meal a
day for five days after •, and whenfoever that Lay-men eat any Flelh, they bring part to
their Eggaree or Temple to pacifie the Lord, in that for their fuftenance the lives of
thofe good Creatures are annihilated. Now concerning the Fire they adore, 'tis in me
mory of that which Zertooft hronght from Heaven *, wherein they memorize the Veltals,
or rather apilhly imitate the Jewtjh Law (the Devil as near as may be defiring to counter
feit the belt) in Levlt.ch.o.v. 13. where'tis commanded that the Fire (that came from
Heaven) fliould be ever burning upon the Altar, and never go out. And as to this Fire-
worihip, we find in Story that it has been more anciently ufed in Perfia than what is here
afcribed by the Zundavaft to Zertoofts time ^ being probable, that as the Grecians bor
rowed that Idolatry from the Per/tans, fofrom the Greeks was it borrowed by the Veftal
Romans. In Perfia they had many Pyree *, moltof which were deftroyed by Heraclim the
Roman Emperor, during his Wars with Kozjrhoes (at which time Mahomet ferved in his
Army.) Some to this day are remaining, having (as they report) the Idolatrous Fire
from 1000 years unextinguilhed. In India alfo the banifht Perfee have their Eggarees
one of Which is at Nancery^ whofeFire has continued this 200 years, if report fay true.
Where note, that this their Godfire is not compofed of common combuftibles, as Wood,
Straw, Coals, Slates, &c. nor blown by any Bellows, Breath of Man, wafting or like
prophane things •, but compounded of Sparks flying from a hot burning temper'd Steel,
and kindled either by Lightning from Heaven, or by Beams from a Burning-glafs, and the
like ; for, fuch only-is proper for that their Antisheheraun or Idol-fire.
But if it chance the Fire have need of cherilhing, the Diftoore and other Lay-men (at
twelve foot diftance) furround their Deity, and after fome mimickgeftures thePriefts
add fome fort of Fuel, and returning to the other people fall to their worfhip, befeech-
ing that they may not only give it due reverence, but honour folemnly all other things
that refemble it •, as Sun, Moon, Stars*, yea, and common Fire, which alfo they fo di
vinely efteem of, that they hold it an impious thing to fpit upon it, throw water into
it, or put it to any vile or unneceffary ufe*, but give a more than common refped to
Wood, and fuch things as it receives life and vigour from. Ignis yerennis 'tis call'd by
Strabo lib. 15. Ignis Dem ante omnes Per'ps habetWy Fire was principally worfhipt by the
Per fans. JSfec Ignem in nfits ordinarios deftinatum yolluere audebant Per fee. immunditiis, not
daring to pollute with any unclean thing the Fire appointed for common ufes, faith the
Hiftorian. Now albeit thefe people fay their Anceftors firft pradifed this form of
Worlhip, we find in Story that the Fire was in divine efteem with the Caldeans fuch time
as Abram dwelt at Vr^ and then in equal veneration with the Per fans. This holy Fire
was carried by the Flamens in the Van of the Army when J^ir 'ms fought atArbela againft
Alexander, and continued un-put out for many Generations*, Epheftions Funeral ex
cepted.
Baptifm. The Baptifm of thefe Heathen Idolaters is of this nature: So foon as one is born, the
Varoo is called upon*, who delays not, but being - inftruded in the precife time of his
Nativity,