'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.' [‎224] (245/448)

Terfian Magi.
dnnters Fortune-tellers, or pretending Calculators of Nativities, Hydromantiques,
Pvromantiques, and other Diaboliques have cloaked their trumperies; altogether un.
worthy the name of the Perfian Magi which was an honourable Epithete, and peculiar to
Vcrfia Such as excell'd in Philofophy and Piety, Suidas terms them Phllofofhi & Philothei.
Which neverthelefs has been attributed though under other names to liich as amongft
other Nations were ftudious in Philofophy and the Liberal Sciences; fuch as after the
Dialed of their Countreys were called Gymmfophifti, Brachmanni, Tallapoy,ChaU<ei y Br Hi
des Bardhi, &c. who in their times were contemplative and 'ftudious in the fecrets
of Nature, which in the worft fence and vulgarly as commonly accepted is called Ma-
eique • but Judicial and Natural Aftrology in a more favourable, and by the moft learn-
ed* And in which, our moft ancient Philofophers the Druides (long before the Saxons
entrance) were excellent, as I might prove by many inftances i but that one out of Pliny\
Natural Hiftory Tlin.lib. 30. c. 1. may ferve. That the Britains were fo addided unto
' Masick as in that Art they were the firft that inftruded the Perftam ; an Authority that -
ferves well to reprove Tully-, who ralhly intitles the Britains barbarous, albeit I fiippofe
he did it upon the general account as they ufually ftiled all thofe Nations, Quihrn mc
linmam nec legem Romani dederint, who derived neither their Laws nor Language from
the Romans. ^ And in that the Greeks were even with them, when they comprehended
the Romans under that attribute. Now the difference 'twixt the Magi and Pfendo-Magi
are thefe. Common cuftom (faith S. Hierom) apprehends that Magicians are no better
than Enchanters ; fuch as impoftors now a days are rightly termed, who ufually delude
their cuftomers with fallacious words and fpecies, or other wife pradife an unlawful
correlpondence with Satan in his black Arts, like thofe Jannes and Jamhres who refifted
Mofes^ and either by a deceptio vifm or diabolical enchantments imitated Mofes, until by a
fupreme vindictive hand upon themfelves by that plague of Lice they were conftrained
to acknowledge the Omnipotency of God, and thatdigito thofe wonders were per
formed by his Servant Mofes, which they were not able to counterfeit, Exod. 8.19. In
which rank were Ely mas, i. e, the Perfian Sorcerer mentioned AB. 13 .8. and Simon fir-
damed Magus his Con-difciple, both which ufed infernal Arts, and were accordingly
difcovered and puniflied by the Apoftles. Whereas contrarily, it may be prefumed by
the charader given the right (fuch as thofe were who come with their offerings to
Chrift,) that theirs was lawful: For, faith Peter Martyr, By the word Magi we underftand
Wife and Honeft Men*, and is the more credible, feeing that the definition of Magia,
is no other than an elevated Wifdom and Science of the Harmony and concents of Uni-
verfals in Nature, in which the Magi took an unexprelfible delight. Now it will not be
denied that the pleafures of the Intelled do far exceed thofe of the Affedions; for iq
pleafure there is fatiety, which is not attained to in knowledge*, Satisfadion and Ap
petite (faith the Lord VeruUm) being perpetually interchangeable. And Apuleius with-
all in his Apol. tell us. That P erf arum lingua Magm eft, qui noftra, Sacerdos: Which is
probable, feeing that the Jews themfelves had it in fuch eftimation as it was a rule, how
that in Gemara-lege non adfcifci in Sanhedrim MagU non ignaros, & 70 linguarum peritos.
With which agrees that of another ; Is Magm eft qui Divinorum erat cultor & interpret
And Teucerm lib, de Divinit. Pra-erant Magi religioni Perfica ut in populo Dei Levita, ftu~
Miff, 'vena Philofophia erant dediti ; nec ufquam Rex Per far urn pot erat ejfe, qui non ante a M(t~
goram difciplinam fcientUmq^ percepiffet. Which we may the better credit, feeing Cyrus
in that memorable confpiracy he made againft his Brother Artaxerxes, perfwading the
Greeks to confederate with him, amongft other praifes vainly arrogated to himfelf,
one was, That he was more capable of Rule than his Brother for that he was the greater
Magician*, intending thereby Bonas Artes & Munera Lingua, Stellarumq-, vias & magni
Sydera Coeli, his proficiency in the Liberal Arts, Languages and Aftrology. Plutarch
alfo in the Life of Themiftocles acquaints us, that of fo high efteem were the Magi with
the Perfian Kings, as they frequently and delightfully heard their Ledures touching
Philofophy and Art Magick. Mantuan alfo very rightly thus defines them.
Ille penes Perfas Magus eft, qui Sydera novit^
Qui fciat Herbarum vires, cultu% Deorum.
Perfepolis facit ifta Magos, prudentia triplex.
A Perfian Magus caWd he is.
Who knows Herbs, Stars, and Deities,
All three learn'd in Perfepolis.
So as upon the whole it appears that the Magi were fo called from their laborious fcru-
tiny into hidden caufes ; by their pradice and experience in Aftronomy improving the
theory as well as pradique part. For by their careful obferving the celeftial motions,
they comprehend their probable influences*, and from thence divined manyftrange and
notable