aster, but they are all lost, and most of them were probably forgeries. Fragments of a work entitled "The Oracles" of Zoroaster are still extant. A small collection of them, consisting of only sixty verses, was published by Pletho, at Paris, 1538 and 1589, and at Amst. 1689. Patrizi afterwards made a much larger collection, containing 323 verses, with the commentaries of the Platonic philosophers. Several other editions of these verses have been published, and much pains has been taken by various writers to explain them. Stanley has subjoined to his account of “The Lives of Philosophers" a correct translation of them. They are quoted, with the highest respect, by all philosophers of the Alexandrian school, as genuine remains of Chaldean. wisdom. But they abound so much in the ideas and language peculiar to that school, that it is probable they were written by some Platonist, about the beginning of the second century.

Hyde, Prideaux, and others, mention ancient books of Zoroaster, which are at this day extant among the Gheuri and other professors of the Zoroastrian superstition, and made use of in their sacred worship, copies from which have been brought over to England and France. A catalogue of these and other Persian MSS. lodged in the library of the king of France, was published by M. Anquetil du Perron, in his travels, and is copied in the Journal de Savans for July 1762. But these books, written partly in the Zendic or sacred, and partly in the vulgar Persian language, are, for the most part, a narrative of miracles and revelations, by which Zoroaster is said to have established his religion, or a collection of precepts for religious ceremonies. Some of them indeed treat of fundamental doctrines of theology, taught among the worshippers of fire: but it is probable, from the tenets contained in these books, many of which seem to have been borrowed from the Jews and Mahometans, from the entire silence of Greek authors who wrote after the time of Alexander concerning these books, and from other considerations, that they were written at a later period, for the purpose of appeasing the resentment of their Mahometan persecutors. }

ZOSIMUS, an ancient historian, who lived at the end of the fourth, and the beginning of the fifth, century, was a man of quality and place, having the title of count, and

Brucker. Gen. Dict.-Chaufepie.-Maurice's Indian Antiquities.

being advocate of the treasury. There are extant six books of history, in the first of which he runs over the Roman affairs in a very succinct and general manner, from Augustus to Dioclesian: the other five books are written more largely, especially when he comes to the time of Theodosius the Great, and of his children Arcadius and Honorius, with whom he was contemporary. Of the sixth book we have only the beginning, the rest being lost. Zosimus drew his narrative from historians now lost, viz. Dexippus, Eunapius, and Olympiodorus. His style is far superior to that of the writers of the age in which he lived, and he is an historian of authority for his account of the changes introduced by Constantine and Theodosius in the empire. He contains, however, many superstitious accounts, and being a zealous pagan, he must be read with caution as to what relates to the Christian princes. Photius says, "that he barks like a dog at those of the Christian religion:" and few Christian authors till Leunclavius, who translated his history into Latin, made any apology for him. "To say the truth," says La Mothe le Vayer, "although this learned German defends him very pertinently in many things, shewing how wrong it would be to expect from a Pagan historian, like Zosimus, other sentiments than those he professed; or that he should refrain from discovering the vices of the first Christian emperors, since he has not concealed their virtues; yet it cannot be denied, that in very many places he has shewn more animosity than the laws of history permit." Some have said that his history is a perpetual lampoon on the plausible appearances of great actions. The six books of his "History" have been published, with the Latin version of Leunclavius, at Frankfort, 1590, with other minor historians of Rome, in folio; at Oxford, 1679, in 8vo, and at Ciza the same year, under the care of Cellarius, in 8vo. This was dedicated to Grævius, and reprinted at Jena, 1714, in 8vo. But the best edition is that of Jo. Frid. Reitemeier, Gr. and Lat. with Heyne's notes, published at Leipsic in 1784, 8vo. The prolegomena are particularly valuable. '

ZOUCH, or ZOUCHE (RICHARD), an eminent civilian, descended from an ancient and noble family of that name, was born at Ansley in Wiltshire about 1590. He was edu

1 Photii Bibliotheca.—Fabric. Bibl. Græc.-Reitemeier's edition.-Saxii Onomast.

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cated, on the foundation, at Winchester school, whence in 1607 he was elected to New college, Oxford, and chosen fellow in 1609. Having studied the civil law, he took his bachelor's degree in that faculty, in June 1614, and in Jan. 1618 was admitted at Doctors' Commons, where he became an eminent advocate. In April 1619, he commenced LL.D. and upon the death of Dr. John Budden in June 1620, was appointed regius professor of law at Oxford. At the latter end of king James's reign, he was chosen more than once member of parliament for Hythe in Kent by the interest of Edward lord Zouche, warden of the cinque ports, to whom he was nearly related. In 1625 he was appointed principal of St. Alban's hall, being then chancellor of the diocese of Oxford, and afterwards made judge of the high court of admiralty by king Charles I. He had a considerable hand in drawing up the reasons of the university of Oxford against the solemn league and covenant and negative oath in 1647, having contributed the law part. Yet he chose to submit to the parliamentary visitors the following year, and therefore held his principal and professorship during the usurpation. In 1653, he was appointed by Cromwell to be one of the delegates in the famous cause of Don Pantaleon Sa, brother to the Portuguese ambassador, who in November of that year, had killed a gentleman in the New Exchange within the liberties of Westminster, for which he was afterwards executed. On this occasion Dr. Zouche wrote his celebrated piece, entitled "Solutio quæstionis de legati delinquentis judice competente," 1657, 8vo. In this he maintained, with Grotius, the general impunity of ambassadors, but denied the application of that rule to the case of Don Pantaleon.

On the death of Dr. Gerard Langbaine, he offered himself as a candidate against Dr. Wallis for the place of custos archivorum to the university, but was unsuccessful. (See WALLIS.) On the restoration he was reinstated in his post of judge of the admiralty, and was made one of the commissioners for regulating the university, but did not survive that year, dying at his apartments in Doctors' Commons, March 1, 1660. He was interred at Fulham church, Middlesex, near the grave of his eldest daughter, sometime the wife of William Powell, alias Huison, esq. Wood says, "He was an exact artist, a subtle logician, expert historian, and for the knowledge in the practice of the civil law, the chief person of his time, as his works, much

esteemed beyond the seas (where several of them are reprinted) partly testify. He was so well versed in the statutes of the university, and controversies between the members thereof and the city, that none after (Bryan) Twine's death went beyond him. As his birth was noble, so was his behaviour and discourse; and as he was personable and handsome, so he was naturally sweet, pleasing, and affable."

2.

His works were, 1. "The Dove, or certain passages of Cosmography," Lond. 1613, 8vo, a poem composed in his, youth; but he was no great favourite of the muses. "Elementa jurisprudentiæ, definitionibus, regulis, et sen tentiis selectioribus juris civilis illustrata," Oxon. 1629, 8vo, 1636, 4to, and reprinted both at Leyden and Amsterdam. 3. "Descriptio juris et judicii feudalis, secundum consuetudines Mediolanæ et Normanniæ, pro introductione ad jurisprudentiam Anglicanam," Oxon. 1634, 1636, 8vo. Descriptio juris et judicii temporalis, secundum consuetudines feudales et Normannicos," ibid. 1636, 4to.

4.

5.

9.

Descriptio juris et judicii ecclesiastici, secundum canones et consuetudines Anglicanas," ibid. 1636, 4to. These two last were reprinted with Dr. Mocket's tract "De Politia Ecclesiæ Anglicane," Lond. 1683, 8vo. 6. "Descriptiones juris et judicii sacri; juris et judicii militaris, et juris et judicii maritimi," Oxon. 1640, 4to, reprinted at Leyden and Amsterdam. 7. "Juris et judicii fecialis, sive juris inter gentes, &c. explicatio," Oxon. 1650, 4to. 8. "Cases and questions resolved in civil law," ibid. 1652, 8vo. "Solutio questionis, &c." already mentioned, Oxon. 1657, and Lond. 1717, 8vo. 10. "Eruditionis ingenuæ specimina, scilicet artium, logica dialecticæ," &c. Oxon. 1657, 11. "Questionum juris civilis centuria, in decem classes distributa," Oxon. 1660, 8vo, Lond. 1682, the third edition. After his death, Dr. Timothy Baldwin, fellow of All Souls, Oxford, published a posthumous work by Dr. Zouch, entitled "The Jurisdiction of the Admiralty asserted against sir Edward Coke's Articuli Admiralitatis, in the 22d chapter of his jurisdiction of Courts," Lond. 1663, 8vo. This went through several editions. There is also ascribed to Dr. Zouch an anonymous piece, entitled "Specimen questionum juris civilis, cum designatione authorum," Oxon. 1653, 4to.

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1 Ath. Ox. vol. II-Biog. Brit.-Coote's Catalogue of Civilians.

ZOUCH (THOMAS), a learned divine, was born in 1737, at Sandal, near Wakefield, Yorkshire; and in 1757 removed from the school of the latter place to Trinity-college, Cambridge. In 1760, he was elected into one of lord Craven's scholarships, along with Mr. Joah Bates, celebrated afterwards for his skill in music. The year following, Mr. Zouch took his degree of B. A. and was classed as the third wrangler. Having been chosen fellow of his college in 1763, he was appointed assistant-tutor, which office he discharged with extraordinary credit; though his assiduity so much impaired his health, that he was obliged to quit the university; on which his college presented him in 1770 to the rectory of Wycliffe in the North Riding of Yorkshire. In this country retirement he continued till 1793, performing the office of a parish priest with great diligence, and augmenting his knowledge of natural history. His botanical excursions, in a pleasant and romantic part of Yorkshire, contributed not a little to invigorate his constitution. In 1791, he was appointed deputy commissary of the archdeaconry of Richmond; and in 1793 was chaplain to the master of the rolls, and rector of Scrayingham. By the death of his elder brother, the rev. Henry Zouch, in 1795, he succeeded to an estate at Sandal, where he resided till his death. On the demise of Dr. Smith, the master of Trinity college, one of the most learned mathematicians of his age, he was requested by the vice-master and senior fellows to deliver a Latin funeral oration in honour of his memory, which is said to have been much admired for the classical elegance of its language. In 1798, Mr. Pitt intended to have appointed him to the mastership of Trinity; but this design was set aside in favour of the present bishop of Bristol. On April 9, 1805, Mr. Pitt gave him the second prebend in the church of Durham, and in the same year he took his degree of D. D. In 1808, the see of Carlisle was offered to Dr. Zouch; but, in consequence of his advanced age and retired habits, he thought proper to decline the acceptance. Besides some anonymous publications, he was the author of, 1. "The Crucifixion, a Seaton prize poem," 1765, 4to. 2. "A Sermon preached at the primary visitation of William lord bishop of Chester, held at Richmond, in Yorkshire, August 21, 1789," 4to. 3. "An Inquiry into the Prophetic Character of the Romans, as described in Daniel viii. 23—25.” 1792, 8vo. 4. "An Address to the Clergy of the Deaneries of