'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.' [‎53] (74/448)

%eligton of the "Perfees EattAndia. 5 ?
The laft Sed or Caft of Gentiles are the Wifes, a name, albeit derived from Wife the
youngeft fon of Pourous and Parcootee, yet in their tongue properly fignifies a labour
ing man : Thefe be of two forts, the Wife arid the Cootee', the firft agrees with the
nyan in abftinence f the other of late years not forbearing to eat any manducable Crea
ture *, the purer fort are fubdivided into other 3 6 Cafts.
The refult of all is, that thefe four Cafts in time grew fo impious that God required
Riiddery to command ablaft of wind to fweep away that Generation y which accordingly
he did : That tempeft raged fo violently that the Mountains and Rocks were hurled and
tolfed to and fro like duft or tennis'-balls •, the Seas were turned out of their courfe, yea
holy Ganges out of her Channel, wherein all (fave a very few honeft men and women
which were fpared and left to replenilh) in that tempeft perifhed: this was the fecond
confufion. Soon after, God gave them a King (propagated from the feed of the Bray*
myns) called Ducerat who begat Ram, fo famous for piety and high attempts, that to
this day his name is honoured v infomuch that when they fay Ram Rame, 'tis, as if they
fhould lay, All good betide \on.
Now to Ihew the imbecillity of mans nature, in procefs of time the world again grew
abominable; fo that Ruddery commands the earth to open and fwallow down quick thofe
ungodly wretches, a few excepted, who the third time people the Earth with humane Inha
bitants; Then (as Bremavo had formerly) Fiftney the Mediator of mercy afcended flike
another Aflrea) into Heaven, hming Rnddery to over-rule this Age of Iron-, at the
end of which he alfo will be rapt into Paradife. Thefe four Ages they call Curtain^ Viu
anper, Tetrajoo, and Kolee.
Touching the laft Judgment they hold it fhall be more dreadful than the other •, the
Moon will look red as blood, the Sun will fhed his light like purling Brimftone *, after
which will follow an universal flalhing of fire with loud thunders •, then a flamy rednefs
will orefpread the Heavens, and the four Elements (of which the world confifts) fhall
maintain a dreadful fight, fo long and fo fiercely one againft another, that at laft all
will be revolved into a dark confufion. The fouls of fuch as were good men Ruddery is
to tranfport into Heaven, the wicked muft perilh j but the bodies of both rife no more,
as they teach, being too incredulous of the Refurredion,
Now albeit thefe people, in a continued feries of ignorance, believe that their
was immediately from God •, yet that it is grounded upon tradition, and patched out
of Hiftories Jewilh and gentile, I have already fhewed^ both what is in imitation of
the holy Scripture, and from the rule and pradife of other Nations: and we may add,
that their burning the dead is borrowed from Amos 6. 10. their marriage after death
from Cerinthm and Mar cyan old Hereticks who ufed to baptize after death in cafe they
were not pre-baptiz'd: the thread tripartite hung about their neck, is a myfterious
denotation of the TrinityRice and painting in their forehead not only a fymbol of
Baptifmbut in imitation of the Star Remfham fixed in the brow of the idol Moloch or of
Julm Cafar as an embleme of immortality. See alfo in how many things they concur
with Pythagoras (to this day famous among them.) Thefe Bramins in moft places affed
filence *, for five years they are not fufFered to fpeak in the Schools, but underftand one a-
nother very much by dumb fignes, they adore toward the Sun -, honour Angels*, ob-
ferve a Munday Slbbath ^ abftain from fecond marriages, (fome from the firft) affed
white garments, loath coughing, fpitting and the like *, forbear fwearing and blafphemy,
flmn pleafure, drink water, believe the tranfmigration of mens fouls into beafts, offer
inanimate facrifices, deny the bodies refurredion, hate to touch a pot or cup with
their mouth but rather pour the liquor in at a diftance, reverence Elders, eat nor drink
with men of other Religions, ufewafhings much, touch no unclean thing ^ and many
other, in little or nothing differing with the Pythagoreans as may be gathered out of
Jofeyhm, Suidas- Philo-, Laertim and Others*
For variety fake, turn we now to another fort of Gentiles in Surrat and GHzx.Hrat ^
called Perfees, who are a people defcended out of Perfia, banifht hither (to avoid Ma-
hometry and circumcifion) upon the death of valiant JezJgird the Per pan King who died
Anno Dom, 63^. or thereabouts j whofe life and dodrine (as it is gathered from the
Daroe or Priefts of this Sed, by Mr. Lord, a Minifter for fome years refident in the
Fadory of Surrat, with what I gathered there my felf) take briefly as followeth.
Into India thefe Perfees came (fiich time as Omar the fecond Chaliph after Mahomet flib- «/
jeded Per fid) in five Junks from failing to Surrat, where after treaty with the t;e p<r J eeSt
Rajeaes and Bannyans they got leave to plant", and living peaceably to exercife their Re
ligion. A Religion, if 1 may fo call it, deduced from the reign of Guftafy who was King
of Perfia Anno Mmdi 3500, before our Saviours Incarnation 5Q0 years, written in their
%mdavaftavp(Qi Law-book) tothispurpofo Such