The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part. Richard Head
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants: The Second Part
That the sight of God’s creatures, in the morning put them in mind to give God thanks for them.
5. That when they pray by day, they turn their faces towards the Sun; and by night towards the Moon.
These are the precepts enjoyned the Lay-men, those of the common Church-man follow, who are bound to keep, not only these appropriated to him, but the preceding precepts.
1. To pray after the manner is described in Zundavestaw, for God is best pleased with that form.
2. To keep his eyes from coveting any thing that is anothers.
3. To have a great care to speak the truth alwayes, because Lucifer is the Father of falshood.
4. To meddle with no bodies business but his own, and not meddle with the things of the world; for the Lay-man shall provide all things needful for him.
5. To learn the Zundavestaw by heart, that he may teach the Lay-man.
6. To keep himself pure as from dead carcases, or unclean meats, lest he be defiled.
7. To forgive all injuries, in imitation of God, who daily forgives us.
8. To teach the common people to pray, to pray with them for any good: and when they come to the place of worship, to joyn in common prayer together.
9. To give Licence for Marriage, and to marry men and women, the Parents not having power to do it without the consent of the Herbood.
10. To spend the greatest part of their time in the Temple, that he may be ready on all occasions.
11. And last Injunction is, upon pain of Damnation, to believe no other Law but that of Zertoost, and not to add to it, nor diminish it.
These are the precepts enjoyned the Herbood, the Distoore being the High Priest, who commands all the rest, is enjoyned not only these of the Layman or Behedin, these of the Herbood or Churchmen, but 13 more of his own, which are these that follow.
1. That he must never touch any of a strange Cast or Sect, of what Religion soever; nor any Layman of his own Religion, but he must wash himself.
2. That he must do all his own work, in token of humility, and for purity, viz. Set his own hearbs, Sow his own grain, and dress his own meat, unless he have a Wife to do it for him, which is not usual.
3. That he take Tyth or Tenth of the Behedin, as Gods due, and dispose of it as he thinks fit.
4. That he must use no Pomp or superfluity, but either give all away in charity, or bestow it in building of Temples.
5. That his house be near the Church, where he must retire himself, living recluse in Prayer.
6. That he must live purer than others, both in frequent washings and dyet, and also sequester himself from his Wife in time of her pollutions.
7. That he be learned, and knowing all the several Books of Zertoost, as well the Astrological and Physical parts, as the other.
8. That he must never eat and drink excessively.
9. That he fear no body but God, and sin; and not fear what Lucifer can do to him.
10. That God having given him power in matters of the soul; therefore when any man sins he may tell him of it, be he never so great; and every man is to obey him, as one that speaketh not his own cause, but Gods.
11. That he be able to discern in what manner God comes to reveal himself, in what manner Lucifer.
12. That he reveal not what God manifesteth to him by Visions.
13. That he keep an ever-living fire, that never may go out; which being kindled by that fire that Zertoost brought from heaven, may endure for all ages, till fire shall come to destroy all the world, and that he say his prayers over it.
This is a Summary of those precepts contained in the book of their Law, that Zertoost is by them affirmed to bring from heaven; and that religion which Gustasph with his followers embraced, perswaded by the afore-mentioned Miracles wrought by Zertoost among them.
The 3d. particular in this Tract is the rights and ceremonies observed by this Sect, differencing them from others.
First, Though their Law allows them great liberty in meats and drinks; yet because they will not displease the Banians and Moors, they abstain from Kine and Hogsflesh; they eat alone, and drink in several Cups.
2. They observe 6 Feasts in the Year, according to the 6 works of the Creation.
3. As for their Fasts, after every one of their Feasts they eat but one Meale a day for 5 days together; and when they eat Flesh they carry part of it to the Temple as an offering.
Their worship of Fire is taken from Zertoosts bringing it from Heaven, and it being enjoyned them: for the nature of it, that which he brought, could not be extinguished; whether that be preferred is unknown, but upon effect thereof they are licensed to compose a fire of several mixtures, which is of seven sorts; when they meet about that ceremony bestowed on this Fire, the Destoore or Herbood, together with the Assembly encompass it about, and standing about 11 or 12 foot distance, the Destoore or Herbood uttereth this speech. That forasmuch as Fire was delivered to Zertoost their Law-giver from God Almighty, who pronounced it to be his vertue and excellence, that therefore they should reverence it, and not abuse it in the ordinary use thereof, as to put water in it, or spit in it, &c.
At the birth of a child the Daroo or Churchman is sent for, who calculates the nativity of the Child, and the Mother names it without any ceremony; after this it is carried to the Church, and water is poured thereon, and prayer used, That God would cleanse it from the uncleanness of the Father, and menstruous pollutions of the Mother. At 7 years of age he is led by the Parents into the Church to have Confirmation, where he is taught Prayers, and instructed in Religion, and being washed, he is cloathed in a linnen Cassock, and other habits, which he ordinarily wears, and so is admitted into their Sect.
They have a five-fold kind of marriage, for which they have several terms; the most singular, is that of hiring a mans Son or Daughter to be marched to their dead Daughter or Son, with whom they are contracted. The ceremony observed in their Marriages is performed at Midnight, not in the Church, but upon a bed, by two Churchmen, one in behalf of the Man, the other in behalf of the Woman, who ask if they are willing to be married, and they joyn hands, the Man promising to provide for the Woman, and give her some Gold to bind her to him; and the Woman promiseth all she hath is his; then the Churchmen scattering rice, prays that they may be fruitful, and so they conclude, celebrating the Marriage feast for 8 days together.
As for burial they have two places or Tombs, built of a round form, a pretty height from the ground; within they are paved with stone, in a shelving manner, in the midst a hollow pit to receive the consumed bones; about the walls are the shrowded and sheeted Carkasses laid both of Men and Women, exposed to the open Air. These 2 Tombs are distant from one another; the one is for the good livers, the other for the wicked. When any are sick unto death, the Herbood is sent for, who prays in the ears of the sick man: and when he is dead he is carried on an Iron biere; all who accompany them are interdicted all speech; only the Churchman, when the body is laid in the burial place, saith thus, This our Brother whilst he lived consisted of the 4 Elements, now he is dead let each take his own, Earth to Earth, Air to Air, Water to Water, and Fire to Fire. This done they pray to Sertun and Asud, that they would keep the Devils from their deceased Brother when he repairs to their holy fire to purge himself; for they suppose the Soul wandreth three days on the earth, in which time Lucifer molesteth it; for security from which molestation, it flyes to their fire, seeking preservation there; which time concluded, it receiveth justice or reward, Hell or Heaven; and therefore they for those three days offer up Prayers Morning Noon and Night, that God would be merciful to the Soul departed, and forgive his sins. After three days are expired they make a festival, and conclude their mourning.
CHAP.