like ours, which with an Ecclesiasticall terme wee call, Pluuialia. In their Seruice they often recite the name Tolome, which themselues confesse to be ignorant of. But they denie eter∣nitie in their Heauen and Hell, ascribing a new birth after I know not what reuolutions of time, in some other of their conceited Worlds, then and there to be penitentially purged; with other fooleries. They prohibite to eate of liuing creatures, but few impose on themselues this absti∣nence, and they finde easie absolution from this and other sinnes, if they giue to the Priests, who professe to deliuer from Hell by their Prayers or Recitations, whom they will.
This Sect came in at first with great applause, as clearely professing the Soules immortalitie: but nothing more disgraced it, then that that King and these Princes which first embraced it (which the Literate often obiect) died miserably with violent death, and publike losse and mis∣fortune followed. By writing of many Bookes they haue entangled it in inextricable Laby∣rinths. [ 10] The notes of Antiquity appeare in the multitude of their Temples, and most of them sumptuous: in which huge Monsters of Idols of Brasse, Marble, Wood, and Earth are seene; with Steeples adioyned of Stone or Bricke, and in them huge Bells, and other ornaments of great price.
The Priests of this Sect are called Osciami, they shaue their head and beard, against the fashion of the Countrey: some trauell, as is said, some leade a very austere life in Mountaines and Caues, but the greatest part which amount to two or three millions, liue in Monasteries, sustayned with their antiently-giuen Reuenues, and Almes, and also by their owne industry. These Priests are accounted, and iustly, the most vile and vicious in the whole Kingdome, sprung of the basest ple∣beians, sold in their childhood to the elder Osciami, and of Slaues made Disciples, succeed their Masters in Office and Benefice, a course which they haue found for their propagation. For, few [ 20] are found which voluntarily by desire of sanctitie doe adioyne themselues to those Monkes. Ig∣norance also and illiberall education makes them liker their Masters, few of them learning Let∣ters or ciuill rites; and daily growing worse. And although they haue no wiues, they are much addicted to women, and cannot but by grieuous penalties be kept from them.
The Colledges of the Osciami are diuided into diuers Stations, in euery of which is one per∣petuall Administrator, to whom his seruants or as many as he brings vp, succeed. They acknow∣ledge no Superior in those Cells, but euery one in his owne Station builds as many Lodgings as he can (most of all places, in the Court) which after they let to strangers, so that they are rather Innes then Monasteries, as full of tumults as empty of deuotion. Although they bee of base e∣steeme, yet are they employed to Funerals and other Rites, by which wilde beasts, and fowles, [ 30] and fishes are set at liberty, by the professors of this Sect with opinion of great merit. In this our age this Sect hath much reuiued, and many Temples are built and repaired, by Eunuches, Women, and the rude vulgar, and especially by the Ciaicum, or Fasters, which all their liues ab∣stayne from Flesh, Fish, (Egges, and Milke) and worship a multitude of Idols with set prayers at home, and are by hire to be called to any other mans. Nunnes also obserue the same Monasti∣call rules, being single and shaued; they call them Nunnes, nothing so many as the Monkes.
The third Sect is called, Lauzu, deriued from a Philosopher which liued at the same time with Confutius, whom they fable to haue beene carried 80. yeeres in his parents wombe before he was borne, and therefore called, Lauzu, that is, the Old Philosopher. He left no Bookes of his Opi∣nion, nor seemes to haue intended any new Sect, but certaine Sectaries, called Tausa, made him [ 40] the head of their Sect after his death, and wrote diuers elegant Bookes gathered out of diuers Sects. These also liue single in their Monasteries, and buy disciples, base and wicked as the for∣mer. They weare their haire as the Lay-men, differing herein, that where they weare their haire tyed on a knot, these haue a Cap on the crowne of Wood. Some also are married, and say ouer their Holies in their owne houses. They say, that with other Idols they worship also the Lord of Heauen, whom yet they imagine Corporeall, and to haue suffered many things. They tell, that the King of Heauen which now raigneth, is called Ciam, and he which before ruled was named Leu. This Leu came one day to the Earth riding on a white Dragon, and Ciam a Wizard enter∣tayned him with a Feast, where whiles Leu was eating, Ciam gat vp on the white Dragon, and [ 50] was carried to Heauen, and excluded Leu from that soueraignty; only he obtayned of this new King, that he might rule ouer a certaine Mountaine in his Kingdome, where they say he still li∣ueth: thus confessing (as the Greekes of Ioue) themselues to worship an Vsurper and Traitor. Besides this Deity of Heauen, they acknowledge three others, one of which they say, Lauzu is, hauing some dreame also, as the former of the Trinitie.
They also speake of places of rewards and punishments, but differing from the former: for they promise a Paradise for soule and body together, and haue Images of some in their Temples which haue so gone thither. To obtayne this, they prescribe certaine exercises of sitting in di∣uers postures, set Prayers, Medicines by which the life is lengthned, if not made immortall. Their Priests exorcise Deuils, and driue them out of houses, by painting horrible shapes of them [ 60] in yellow Paper on the walls, and making horrible cryes as if themselues were become Deuils. They arrogate also to bring downe or to stay Raines, and other publike and priuate fortunes, most impudent impostors, either Lyars or Magicians. They assist the Kings sacrifices in those Temples of Heauen and Earth (thereby acquiring much authority) being Masters of the Musike therein: