CHAP. I.
Of the Division, and Original of all the Jewish Rites; and, wherein they differ among themselves.

THe Rites which are at this day obser­ved, and in Use, among the Jewes, are not all of them of equall Authori­ty, nor equally practised by all, af­ter one and the same Manner. For we are to understand, that they are divided into three Sorts: The first, are Precepts of the Written Law, (as they use to speak,) namely, such as are contained in the Pentateuch, or Five Books of Mo­ses; [Page 2] which are in all 613. in number; that is to say, 248. Affirmative; and 365. Negative: and these they call [...] Mizuoth de Oraita, that is to say, Praecepta Legis, Precepts of the Law. The second sort are, of the Law given by Word of Mouth; by which they un­derstand all the Declarations and Expo­sitions, which have been given by the Rabbines, and Doctors, in all ages, up­on that which was written by Moses; besides many other of their Ordinances, and Institutions, which are not to be numbered: and these they call [...], Mizuoth de Rabbanan, Praecep­ta Sapientum, Precepts of the Wise men: all which are collected toge­ther in a large Volume; a more particular Account whereof, we shall give you, in the second Part, cap. 2. The third sort are, certain things, which at divers times, and in divers places, have been brought into Use; or else have been any where lately introduced; and are therefore called [...], Minhaghim [Page 3] Consuetudines; Usances, or Customes. Now as these Usances have sprung from the Dispersion of the Jews into divers and severall Countries, and have conse­quently borrowed the Name, and Man­ner of Use, from the several Inhabitants: so on the other side we are to take no­tice, that as well in the Particulars of the Law Written by Moses; as in that other, received from the Mouth of the Wise men, there is very little, or no difference at all, betwixt any Nation of the Jews, how re­mote, or far distant soever their habitati­ons be: Onely in those things, that are of the third sort, concerning Usances, and Customes, there is no small Variety to be observed amongst them. And that chiefly, amongst these Three; the Le­vantines, or Eastern Jews, the Dutch, and the Italian: comprehending under the Levantine, not only all those that inhabit Eastwardly from us; but those of Barbary also, Moores, Greeks, and those of Spain: as, under the title of Dutch, we under­stand those of Bohemia, Moravia, Poland, [Page 4] Russia, and others. I am here therefore to advertise the Reader, that as I shall en­deavour, in this Discourse, to give a touch at whatsoever is observed by the Jews, both from the Written Law, and that of the Rabbines, and that other of Usance only; wheresoever any diversity of Usage is mentioned, it is not to be un­derstood either of the first, or second sort of Precepts, which they account Essen­tial, and wherein they All agree; but onely in those of the Third sort, to which the name of Precept agreeth not at all.

CHAP. II.
Of their Houses, and Places of Dwelling.

WHen any one buildeth a House, the Rabbines say, that he is to leave one part of it unfinished, and lying rude: and this, in remembrance that Jerusalem, and the [Page 5] Temple, are at present Desolate: and he must also use some expression of sorrow; as it is in the Psalm 137. Si oblitus fuero Jerusalem, &c. If I forget thee, O Jerusa­lem, let my right hand forget her cunning. Or at least, they use to leave about a yard square of the wall of the house unplaister­ed; on which they write, either the fore­mentioned Verse of the Psalmist, in great letters; or else these words, [...], zecher lachorban, that is to say, the memory of the Desolation.

2. At the doores of their houses, and of each particular Room in them, and in every part thereof, where they either dwell, or work, they write with very great diligence, in Parchment prepared for the same purpose, these words out of Deuteronomy, cap. 6. ver. 4. Audi Israel, Do­minus Deus Noster unus est, &c. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord: unto the 9. ver. Scribesque ea in limine, &c. And thou shalt write them upon the Posts of thy House, and on thy Gates: and to this they add that other passage of Deuteronomy, cap. [Page 6] 11. ver. 13. Si ergo obedieritis, &c. If there­fore you shall hearken diligently unto my Commandements which I command you this day, &c. unto ver. 20. And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: then rowling this Parch­ment up together, and writing upon it the name [...], Shaddai, they put it either into a Cane, or else into the like hollow piece of wood; and so fasten it to the wall, on the posts of the door, at the right hand of entrance: and thus, as often as they go in and out, they make it a part of their devotion to touch this Parchment, and kisse it: and this they call [...], Me­zuzah, that is, The Post.

3. They have neither Figures, Images, nor Statues, in their houses; much lesse in their Synagogues, and Holy places; observing that which is written, Exod. 20. Non facies tibi sculptile, &c. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven Image, nor the likenesse of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the Earth beneath, or in the waters un­der the Earth: and also in many other [Page 7] places. Notwithstanding, in Italy, many take the liberty of having Pictures and Images in their houses; especially if they be not with Releif, or Imbossed work, nor the Bodies at large.

CHAP. III.
Of their Utensils, and Vessels, in their houses.

THe Utensils of their houses, that is to say, the Vessels wherewith they dresse their Meat, and serve it in, must all be bought new. For if they should have been used by any, besides Jews; or if they be of Earth, or Wood, that hath been made use of in heating any thing; a Jew can by no means use them: And this they observe, from the prohibi­tion of eating divers kinds of Meats: as we shall shew in the 2. Part, cap. 6. for they presume, that some or other of these for­bidden Meats may have been dressed, or [Page 8] put into them, and so the fume of them have pierced into the very substance of the Vessel. But if it be of Metall, or of Stone, which do not suck so much, and receive in Vapours, they may then make use of it; provided they first put it into the fire, or into seething water.

2. When they buy any new, if they be of Glasse, Earth, or Metal, they wash it first throughly, plunging it under water, either in some River, Well, Bath, or Sea: and this out of the Abundant Cleannesse, which is enjoyned them, Numb. 31. 23. Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: neverthelesse it shall be purified with the water of separation.

3. They have different Vessels, for the use of the Kitchin, and of the Table; and, one dish for Cheese, and white-meats, and another for Flesh: it being unlawful for them to eat either Cheese, or Milk, with Flesh; as we shall shew in the second Part, cap. 6.

4. In like manner have they different [Page 9] Vessels also for the Passeover; such as have not touched any Leavened Bread: as shall be said in the Third Part, cap. 3.

CHAP. IV.
Of their manner of preparing to Bed, and their esteem of Dreams.

THe Counsel of the Rabbines is, that there should care be taken, that the Bed's head be placed toward the North, and the feet toward the South, or else the contrary way; but it must not stand from East to West; out of Reverence to Jerusalem, and to the Temple, which was indued with a grea­ter measure of Holinesse in both those parts: but there are few that take any heed to this.

2. When they are lying down to rest, they use to say some certain Prayers to God; beseeching him, that he would pre­serve them from all perils of the Night, [Page 10] and that he would give them comfortable Rest, that they may rise alive, and in health the next morning; saying more­over the aforenamed Verses out of Deute­ronomy, cap. 6. and the 91. Psalm. Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty, &c. and the 121. Psal. I will lift up mine eyes unto the Hills, from whence cometh my help, &c. and the 5. vers. Psal. 31. Into thy hands I commend my spirit. Some add moreover some other the like Prayers; every one, according to his own custome, and fancy.

3. They take very great heed to dreams; induced thereto by the Examples, which are found written in the Scripture, of Ja­cob, Joseph, Pharaoh, Nabuchadonosor, Da­niel, and others; and by that passage in Job, chap. 3. 14, 15, 16. For God speaketh once, yea twice; yet man perceiveth it not: In a Dream, in a Vision of the Night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed: Then he openeth the eares of men, and sealeth their instruction.

[Page 11] 4. And so great is the regard they have to Dreams, that if any one dream of any Ill, so that it causeth him to be sad, and melancholy; particularly, if it be any of the Four kinds of Dreams, which are spe­cified by the Rabbins; they Blesse them­selves; and so Fast all that day, as the manner is in all other Fasts; as shall be declared hereafter. Insomuch, that, even upon the Sabbath day also, whereon it is forbidden to Fast, for any other cause whatsoever, in this Case of a Dream it is lawful to Fast, as well on It, as on any other Feast day.

5. And in the Evening, when he hath ended his Fast, before he eareth any thing, he calleth unto him three friends: to whom he saith, seven times thus: May the Dream which I have seen be fortunate; and they answer him every time; May it be For­tunate; and God make it Fortunate. And then, repeating some certain Verses out of the Prophets; wherein are Promises of Life, Redemption, and Peace, they say unto him that of Ecclesiastes, chap. 9. 7. [Page 12] Vade ergò, et comede in laetitia panem tuum, &c. Go thy way, eat thy bread with Joy, &c. and so he goes to Meat.

CHAP. V.
Of their Habits, and Vestments; and of their Fringes, and Frontlets.

IT is unlawfull for a Jew to wear any Garment, that is mixed of Linnen and Woollen together; according to that of Levit. chap. 19. ver. 19. Veste quae ex duobus texta est, non induer is: Neither shall a garment ming led with linnen and woollen come upon thee: and also in Deut. 22. 11. And hence also they observe, not to sewe a Woollen garment with Linnen thread; nor contrariwise.

2. Likewise the man may not wear the woman garment; nor the woman the mans: as it is said, Deut. 22. 5. Non indue­tur mulier veste virili, nec vir utetur veste foeminea, &c. The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man; neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that [Page 13] do so, are abomination unto the Lord thy God. And hence also all effeminate Acts, as, to paint the face, to cause the hair to fall from the Privy parts, are forbidden to the man; and so likewise are those of the Man, to the Woman.

3. And perhaps it was from hence, that the Jewes were forbidden to shave the Corners of their Beard; which they un­derstand of the hair beneath the Temples, as well as the Beard it self: from that place in Leviticus, cap. 19. ver. 27. Nec radetis barbam, &c. Ye shall not round the Corners of your heads; neither shalt thou marr the Corners of thy beard.

4. They do not willingly imitate any other Nation in the fashion of their Ap­parell; unlesse their own make them there seem very deformed. Neither may they shave their Crown, nor wear Locks of hair upon their head; nor any the like things. And, in what Country soever they are, they generally affect the long garment, or Gown.

5. The Women also apparell them­selves, [Page 14] in the habit of the Countries where they inhabite. But when they are married, upon their Wedding-day they cover their own hair, wearing either a Perruke, or Dressing of some other hair, or something else that may counterfeit Natural Hair, according to the Custome of the Women of that place: but they are never to appear in their own hair more.

6. The men also have no very good opinion of going Bare-headed; neither do they use it, one to another, as an Act of Reverence; as, not esteeming it to be so: neither yet are they uncovered in their Schooles, or Synagogues. Not­withstanding, living as they do, among Christians, where this Custome is used in shewing Reverence to ones Superiors, they also use the same.

7. Every garment they wear, if it have Four Corners, that is to say, four distinct sides, they are bound to fasten to each of these Corners a Pendant, or Tassel, which they call [...], Zizitt; so that there [Page 15] must be four of these also: and they use to make them eight threads broad, each of them being knit, to the middle, with five knots; and of Wooll, spun of purpose for this use: this they do according to that Command in the Book of Numbers, cap. 15. ver. 38. Speak unto the Children of Israel, that they make them Fringes in the Borders of their garments throughout their generations; and that they put upon the Fringe of the borders a Ribband of blue; and also in Deut. cap. 22. 12.

8. This Injunction reacheth onely to the Men, and not the Women; neither is there any of them, which use it.

9. Now forasmuch as at present this Four-cornerd garment is not any where in common use among them, be­cause it would make them a scorn, and Laughingstock to the Nations among whom they live; they, instead thereof, wear only under their other Garments a kind of square Frock, with the aforesaid Pendants, or Tassels fastened to it; and this they call [...], Arbancanfod: [Page 16] and this they do, in remembrance of the Commandements of the Lord, as it is enjoyned them in the above-cited place of Numb. ver. 40. Quas cum viderint, re­cordentur omnium mandatorum Domini, &c. That ye may remember, and do all my Com­mandements, and be holy unto your God. Notwithstanding in their Schools, at the time of their Prayers, they put on a cer­tain square Woollen Vestment, with the said Pendants fastened at each Corner of it; and this they call [...], Taleth; as we shall shew hereafter, cap. 11.

10. The men also ought to wear con­tinually their Frontlets, which the Scri­pture calleth [...], Totafot, and are named by them, [...], Tephilin: com­manded them, Deuteron. cap. 6. ver. 8. & cap. 11. ver. 18. Et ligabis ea quasi signum in manu tua, &c. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart, and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as Frontlets between your eyes: the manner, and form of these, you shall have described, cap. 11. Not­withstanding [Page 17] at present, partly to avoid the scoffes of the Nations where they live, and also because they account of these, as of a Holy thing, and such as ought to be used with great Discretion, and not upon every Triviall Occasion, they neither put on These, but only in the time of Prayer.

11. Some of them observe in dressing themselves in the Morning, to put on the Right stocking, and Right shoe first, with­out tying it; then afterward to put on the Left, and so to return to the Right; that so they may begin, and end with the Right side; which they account to be the most Fortunate.

12. They hold it also an unbeseeming thing, for a man to make himself ready, without putting on a Girdle; or some­thing, that may divide the Lower part of the body, from the Upper.

CHAP. VI.
Of their Modesty in Evacua­tion.

THe Rabbins have delivered very many Circumstances to be ob­served, in Evacuation, or Easing the body, concerning the place, and man­ner how they are to order themselves in the Act; all which are tending to health, civility, and modestie. And they have been the more easily induced to treat of this Particular, because they found it spe­cified also in the Law, Deuteron. cap. 23. ver. 12. &c. Habebis locum extra castra, ad quem egrediaris ad requisita Naturae, gerens paxillum, &c. Thou shalt have a place also without the Camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad. And thou shalt have a Paddle upon thy weapon: and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thy self abroad, thou shalt dig there­with, and shalt turn back and cover that [Page 19] which cometh from thee. For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy Camp, &c. therefore shall thy Camp be holy, that he see no unclean thing in thee, &c.

2. And first They say, that they must accustome themselves to do this business in the Morning, as soon as they are up; and afterwards to wash their hands, that so they may go clean to their Prayers.

3. Whensoever a man feeles himself moved toward this businesse, he must not hold it: for in so doing, he should ren­der himself willingly abominable; against the Command given Levit. cap. 11. ver. 44. Nolite contaminare animas vestras, &c.

4. If the place be such, as that they may be seen by any, they must then use all possible Honesty, and Modestie. In Ancient times, when they had not the Conveniencie of doing this businesse within doores, but were fain to go abroad, they observed very many points, tending toward the Modestie of the Act: and be­cause the place might sometimes not be [Page 20] so safe, and free from dangers, they used a certain form of Prayer, or Invocation, to their Tutelar Angels, that they would defend them from all dangers: but at this time there is no such thing used.

5. After they have done, they must wash their hands, and give praise to God; acknowledging his great Goodnesse, and Wisedome, in that he hath made Man in so Wonderful a manner, and so preserves him: Whereas if the passages for the Evacuating the superfluities of the body should be stopt up never so little a while, he would die. And this Benediction they use to repeat, as often in the day, as their Necessitie calls them to this Act.

CHAP. VII.
Of the manner of their Washing in the Morning.

THey wash their Hands, and Face, every Morning, as soon as they are up: and before they have so done, they take speciall care that they touch not either Bread, or any thing that is to be eaten; neither any Book, or Holy thing.

2. As concerning the Quality of the Water, and the manner of Washing, the Rabbines have written, and enjoyned ma­ny Subtilties, and nice Circumstances: and they also say, that the water must not be cast upon the ground; nor may they tread upon it; because they account it an Unclean thing.

3. While they are Wiping their hands, and face, they say a Benediction: as we shall see in the 9. Chapter following.

CHAP. VIII.
Of Uncleannesse.

IT was ordained in the Law, as ap­peareth out of Leviticus, that whoso­ever touched a Dead body, or the Carcasse of any Creeping thing, or a Leaper, or Menstruous person, and the like, should be Unclean: but for as much as the reason of this was, because such persons were forbidden to enter into the Temple: now that the Temple is de­stroyed, They say, that all these Precepts of Uncleannesse are ceased also. Only this one remained some time in force, by the Appointment of Esdra; namely, that he, whose seed of Copulation hath gone from him, should be Unclean: as it is commanded Levit. 15. 16. Vir de quo egre­dietur semen Coitus, &c. And if any mans seed of Copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in Water, and be Un­clean [Page 23] untill the Even. But this being af­terwards found to be too full of trouble, and difficultie, to be observed, by reason of the frequent Commerce betwixt Man and Wife, it was at length wholly dispen­sed withall.

CHAP. IX.
Of their Benedictions, or Laudatory Prayers.

WE are here to understand, that it is ordained by the Rabbines, that they should say a Benediction, and render particular praise and thanks to God, not onely for every Benefit that they receive, and in all their Prayers; but even upon every Extraordinary Accident also that befalls them, and in every action that they do; and likewise for every Meat they eat, and every Liquor they drink, and every Good Smell; for all the Precepts of the Law, [Page 24] and of the Rabbines that they observe; for everie New thing, and every Strange thing that happens: and for each of these particulars, they have a Proper Benedicti­on, and which is fitted, and appropriated to such, or such a thing. But seeing these several Benedictions are so many, as that it would be too tedious a businesse here to rehearse them, I shall onely touch at some of them, referring you to the Wri­tings of the Rabbines, for fuller satisfacti­on herein.

2. In the Morning then, as soon as they are up, they say this; Blessed be thou O Lord our God, who raisest the Dead to life; who givest sight to the blind; who stretchest forth the earth upon the waters: and many other the like. If they Wash, according to the Precept, they use this Benediction: Blessed be thou O Lord our God, King of the World; who hast sanctified it in thy Pre­cepts, and commanded us to wash our hands: if it be for the Study of the Law, they say; Blessed, &c. who hast given us the Law: If in rejoycing, when they Eat Bread; Blessed, [Page 25] &c. who bringest bread out of the Earth: if in Drinking; Blessed, &c. that hast created the fruit of the Vine: for the Fruit of other Trees; Blessed, &c. that hast created the Fruit of the Trees: for the Fruits of the Earth; Blessed, &c. that hast created the Fruits of the Earth: for any pleasant Smell; Blessed, &c. who hast created such an odori­ferous thing: when they behold the high Mountains, or the Vast Sea; Blessed, &c. who hast created all things from the begin­ing: when they see, eat, or put on, any New thing; and likewise, at the begin­ing of every Solemn Feast; Blessed, &c. who hast given me life, preserved me, and brought me up to see this day: if any one die; Blessed, &c. thou Judge of Truth. In a word, both in all Things, and Actions whatsoever, either before, or after; and in some, both before, and after, they say some Benediction to God: accounting it a high point of Ingratitude, if they should enjoy, and make use of any thing in the world, without having first made a Thankful Acknowledgment of it to God, [Page 26] the Creator of all Things.

3. And they are bound to say, at least, a Hundred Benedictions, every day: and because they use to say the most of them in the morning, when they go to their Devotions in the School; these first morn­ing Benedictions are therefore called, [...] Meah Beracoth; that is to say, The Hundred Benedictions.

CHAP. X.
Of the Form of their Synagogues, or Schooles.

THey make their Synagogues, which are called by them, Schooles, either little, or great, on the ground, or above staires, standing by themselves, or in part of another house, according as their best opportunities will give them leave: it being Impossible for them now to erect any starelie, or sumptuous Fa­bricks.

[Page 27] 2. The Walls within are onely whited, or else wainscoted, or lined with boards: and round about them are written certain Verses, or Sentences, exhorting to At­tention in Prayer. And round about the School are Benches made, to sit on; and, in some, there are also certain Chests, to lay books, cloaks, and other things in. Over head are many Lamps, Candles, and Lights, both of Waxe, and of Oyl, to enlighten the place. At the doors are Boxes, or little Chests, into which, who so pleaseth, putteth in Money; which is afterward distributed to the Poor.

3. In the East part is placed an Ark, or Chest, which they call [...] Aron; in Imitation of the Ark of the Covenant, that was in the Temple: and herein is laid up the Pentateuch, that is to say, the Five first books of Moses, written most exactly, in Parchment, and with Ink prepared for the same purpose, in a large square letter, which they call [...], Merubaath, Ma­juscula, in imitation of one of those Books, which was written by the hand of Esdra, [Page 28] (whereof such a one is said to be at Cairo,) who copied out that which was written by Moses his own hand; as we read in the Cap. 8. of Esdra. And there must be so much exactnesse used in the Writing of this book; as that if there should chance to be but one of the least letters, as a Vau, or a Jod, more or lesse, then the just num­ber, it must be thrown aside, as uselesse, and not fit to be read at all: and many other Particulars there be, wherein the Transcriber may thus dangerouslie erre; which are all set down at large by the Rabbines. Now this Book is not made up in the form of other books now in use, but in manner of a Rowl, as all books were anciently used to be made; that is to say, Large pieces of Parchment are sewed to­gether at length, with Thongs made of the skin of some Clean Beast, and not with Thread; which they rowl up, and unrowl at pleasure, upon two staves of Wood. For the better preserving of this Book, it is alwaies covered with a Case of Linnen, or of Silk, which the [Page 29] Women use to beautifie with Needle­work, and Imbroyderie, with all the art they can, and so present it; and also with another Silken cover about it, by way of Ornament. And he that is of abilitie, will cover the Ends of the Two Staves, whereon his book is rowled up, which are called [...], Etz chaijim, Ligna vitae, with something of silver, either in the form of Pomegranats, which they yet for this reason call [...], Rimonim; Pomegranats; or of Bells, or some other the like: or else they encompasse them about at the top with a Coronet of silver, either that goes round about them, or else hanges as it were in the midst before them: and this they call [...] Chata­rath, or [...] ▪ Cheder torah, Corona legis, The Crown of the Law: according to the Use and manner of the place, and the Fancie of the Owner of the Book. And there are in this Ark, or Chest, some­times Two, sometimes Four, Ten, Twen­tie, or more, of these Books: and they are called all of them [...], Sepher [Page 30] torah, The Book of the Law: and out of These, they read, on every Festival day, and other set Times; as we shall shew hereafter in its proper place.

4. In the Midst, or else at the Upper End, there is a kind of Woodden Table raised up something high, on which they lay the said Book, when they read in it; and on which they lean, when they either preach, or otherwise speak to the Con­gregation upon any Occasion.

5. There is also a place either above the rest of the Congregation, or on one side of it, separated from the rest by Lat­tises of wood, for the Women; who there stand at their Devotions, and see whatever is done in the School, though they are themselves unseen of any man, neither do they at all mix with them; that by this Means, their Minds may not be led aside by any Sinful Thought, during the time of Prayer.

6. Notwithstanding, the Situation, and Ordering of all these Particulars is di­verse, according to the different Customes [Page 31] of the severall Countries, Nations, and places where they inhabite.

7. There is One, that sings out the Prayers lowder then the rest, whom they call [...], Cazan; and Another, that hath the charge of looking to the School, and keeping it Clean, and Orderly, to set up Lights, and to attend all other needfull Offices that may occurre, during the time of Prayers; and he also keepeth the Keys of the School. This Officer is called [...], Schamash, that is to say, a Minister, or serving Officer. And both of these, as well the Cazan, as the Shamas, have sti­pends allowed them, out of the Com­mon stock of the School they are of.

8. Of these Synagogues, or Schooles, there are perhaps one, two, sixe, ten, or More, in a City; according to the Pro­portion of the Jews there inhabiting: al­lotting to each School such a number of persons, as it will receive; and according to the different customes of the Levan­tines, Dutch, and Italians: because there is more Diversity found amongst them, in [Page 32] this Particular, and in what else relates to their Prayers, then in any other thing whatsoever; every Nation following herein its own particular Fancy.

CHAP. XI.
Of their Prayers, square Vestment called Ta­leth, their Frontlets, and Book of the Pentateuch.

THey repair to their Devotions in their Synagogues, or Schools, three times a day; that is to say, in the Morning, from Sun-rising, till about the Fourth hour of the day; and this they call [...], Schacrith: in the After­noon, about the Ninth hour; which they call [...], Minchah: and in the Even­ing, at the beginning of the Night; and this is called [...], Arbith. But in many places, except it be upon Festivall daies, they say their Afternoon Prayers, and their Evening, all together, about the [Page 33] time of Sun-set, as being the more conve­nient time.

2. They alwaies wash their hands, be­fore they enter into the School: and in the Morning, they must neither eat nor drink any thing before they go, nor do any manner of businesse, nor so much as go to salute any friend, nor do any reve­rence to any.

3. In the Morning, as soon as they are entred, they put on each man his Taleth, or square Vestment, mentioned before, chap. 5. 7. 8. & 9. saying the Benediction, Blessed be thou, &c. which is used, when they put on their Zizith, or Pendants. And some put it onely on their head; others turn it back about their neck, that so they may be the more attentive at their Pray­ers, without looking aside any way.

4. After this they put on their [...], Tephilin, mentioned before, chap. 5. pa­ragr. 10. Which are made after this man­ner: They write upon two pieces of Parchment, with Ink prepared for the same purpose, and with verie great exact­nesse, [Page 34] in a fair square letter, in each of them these Four passages out of the Law. The First is out of the Chap. 6. Deuteron. ver. 4. Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, &c. the Second out of the 11. Chapt. ver. 13. And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto my Com­mandments which I command you this day, &c. the Third out of Exodus, Chap. 13. ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, say­ing; Sanctifie unto me all the First born, &c. and the Fourth, out of the same Chapter, ver. 11. And it shall be, when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Ca­naanites, &c. And these they rowl up in a black piece of Calves skin; that is to say, in One of them they put all the afore­said passages of Scripture together in one Rowl, made up pointed at the end, which they fasten to a square piece of the said Calves skin, in the hardest part of it; out of which skin there comes a certain String, or Thong of the same Leather, being an Inch broad, and about a yard and a half long: so that it may be tied [Page 35] upon the Brawnie part of the Left Arm; and the said string, after a small knot made up, in the fashion of a Jod, may be turned round about the Arm, and so reach down to the middle Finger of the Hand: and this they call [...], Tephilah shel jad, that is to say, The Pendant of the Hand. In the other, the aforesaid four places of Scripture are divided into four several parts, each from other; and being afterwards fastened together again, they make a kind of square, with the fi­gure of the letter Schin upon it: and then fastening it to the like square piece of hard Leather, as the other was, there are cut out of it two such Strings, or Thongs, as the other had: and so the said Square is to be placed upon the midst of the Forehead, the two strings encompassing the head, and being tied in a knot behind, in the figure of a Daleth, and the rest of them hanging down before, upon the Breast: And this they call [...], Tephilah shel roseh, The Pendant of the Head. These are the Frontlers, which [Page 36] together with the Taleth they generally put on every Morning, and onely then: although there are some of the more De­vout among them, that put them on at the Afternoon Prayers also: but there are not many that do so; unlesse it be the Ca­zan, or Chaunter, who alwaies puts on the Taleth, or Square Vestment.

5. When they see, that there are Ten men, of the age of Thirteen years and a day, assembled together, (for if they be under the number of Ten persons, they may not begin to sing Prayers solemnly:) the Cazan, or Chaunter goes then to the Table, or Woodden Altar before spoken of; and there begins the Prayers in a loud voyce, all the rest of the Congregation saying after him, in a softer Tone.

6. The Manner of saying their Pray­ers is very different among the Three se­veral Nations above specified: and indeed there is not any thing wherein they differ more, then in this; as was intimated be­fore. In their singing, the Dutch far ex­ceed all the rest: the Levantines, and Spa­niards, [Page 37] use a certain singing Tone, much after the Turkish manner; and the Italians affect a more plain, and quiet way, in their devotions. The formes and words are more, or lesse, according to the day, whether it be a Festival, or otherwise; and yet there is some difference among them, on their Festivals also.

7. Neverthelesse the main Bodie, and substance of their Prayers, wherein all in a manner agree, is this. In the morning they say certain Psalms, especially the 145. Exaltabo te Deus meus Rex, &c. I will magnifie thee O God my King, &c. to the end: and all those following Hallelu­jahs: then a certain Collection of Prai­ses to God, which is often repeated in all the Prayers, and at all times: a short pray­er called [...], Cadisch, that is to say, Ho­linesse: a Prayer of Thanksgiving to the Creatour of the Light, and of the Day; which they call, Jozer: that of Deuteron. Audi Israel, &c. Si ergo Obedieritis, &c. di­verse times mentioned before: together with those words out of Num. cap. 15. [Page 36] [...] [Page 37] [...] [Page 38] Loquere filiis Israel, ut faciant sibi fimbrias, &c, These three Lessons are called Chi­riat Scheman: then followeth the Veiaziu, &c. the Nineteen Benedictions to God: the Schemonah Asre, wherein giving praise to God, they crave at his hands all things that are most necessary for them, as Food, Health, Understanding, Liberty, For­givenesse of sins, &c. which they first say in a low voice, and is afterwards repeated aloud by the Cazan; adding thereto the 145. Psalm, and some certain verses out of the Prophets; and that of Isaiah, cap. 6. Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus exercituum: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, &c. with the interpretation of the said words in Chaldee: and after all this is said, there followes one Lesson more; and in the last place they give thanks to God, who hath enlightened them to do him service; beseeching him, that he would be pleased to bring all men unanimously to the knowledge, and wor­ship of Him: And so saying, the Haleno lesabeah, they make an end of their Morn­ing Prayers.

[Page 39] 8. On Mundayes, and Thursdays, they adde in their Prayers, after the Schemonah Asre, certain Confessions, and Penitential Prayers. And these two dayes they ac­count the fittest of the whole week, for a man to indict himself either a Fast, or any manner of Abstinence; calling these two days, Days of Justice: because that Anciently, the Magistrates, and Ministers of Justice were wont in their several Ci­ties; to sit on these dayes, and administer justice; and the Villages, and places ad­jacent, came all in, as to a Market, to the chief City, or Town, as it were in a kind of relation to the divine Justice.

9. In their Afternoon Prayers, they begin with the 145. Psalm; then the Ca­disch; the Nineteen Benedictions; the Sche­mona Asre, first in a low voice, and after­wards aloud: and so repeating the Ca­disch again, they make an end.

10. In the Evening they say certain Praises to God, who bringeth on the Night; and, who loving Israel, gave them his Precepts: then the Three Lessons, [Page 40] called Chiriath Scheman: an acknowledg­ment of his mercie, in bringing them up out of Egypt; after that, a prayer, that he would vouchsafe to preserve them that Night from dangers: then 18. verses out of the Prophets, the Nineteen Benedictions, the Schemona Asre, in a plain Tone onely, the Haleno Leschabeah; and lastly, the Ca­disch, with which they end their Evening Service.

11. These are the principal parts, of which their three daily Services do con­sist always: and although that on their Solemn and Feastival days, there are cer­tain other pieces added, suitable to the day, and the present occasion, as shall be declared in its proper place; yet is this the Base and Ground-work of the busi­nesse, both for the Order, and substance of the whole. And thus farre there is no great difference, betwixt the three princi­pal Nations above specified; but they do, in a manner, all conform to this Method in their Devotions.

12. The whole Pentateuch they divide [Page 41] into 48. or 52. Lessons, which they call [...], Paraschoth, that is to say, Divi­sions: and one of these is read every week in the School; so that by this meanes, throughout the whole Year, though it should have thirteenth Moneths in it, it will notwithstanding all be read. On Mondaies, and Thursdaies, after the peni­tential prayers, they take the Sepher Torah, or Book of the Law before spoken of, chap. 10. out of the Chest or Ark; and saying the Third verse of the 34. Psalm; O magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together; and some others the like, they lay it upon the Table, or wood­en Alter: and then taking it out of the Covers, and opening it, there are three persons invited up, to read the beginning of the Parascha, or Lesson for the day; One, one piece; and another, another: and these say a Benediction, at the begin­ning, and another at the end. Then the Cazan, or Chanter, giveth a blessing up­on them; and so each of them promiseth to give something, either to the Poor, or to [Page 42] the use of the School; or else to the Chan­ter himself, or to the Schamas, or Mini­string Officer. After this, the said Sepher Torah is lifted up on high, open, and the Holy Scripture, contained in it, is shewed to all the Congregation; saying these words out of Deuter. cap. 4. ver. 44. Ista est Lex, quam proposuit Moses coram filiis Is­rael, &c. This is the Law, which Moses set before the Children of Israel, &c. But the Levantines use to hold up the Book, in the sight of the People, before they begin to read in it. After this is done, they shut it up, and put it into its Covers, and so lay it up in the Chest again.

13. This Ceremonie, of Reading in This Book, and of Inviting, in this man­ner, more, or fewer, up to the Reading in it, is said to have been ordained by Esdra; and it is done every Feastival, and every Fast day; as shall be hereafter declared in order.

14. And because every one desires, out of Devotion, to have a hand in some or other of these Religious Acts, either of [Page 43] taking forth, or laying up the Book again, or other the like Occurrences, during the time of Prayers; these Favours are there­fore bought of the Chaunter; and he that biddeth most, shall have a share in them: and the Money, which cometh in this way, goes either to the use of the School, or else to the Poor mans Box.

CHAP. XII.
Of their Priests, and Levites; and of their Wives, and Titles.

IN Ancient Times, while the Temple stood, their Priests were onely such as were descended from the stock of Aaron; as we read in Exodus, chap. 29. and in other places. And these served at the Altar, in offering all their Sacrifices and Oblations, burning Incense, and what­ever other Religious Duties were to be performed: and to them was given, not onely those Portions of the Sacrifices [Page 44] there set down; but, of every Beast also that was killed, they were to have the Shoulder, the Head, and the Inwards and likewise the Firstlings of all their Flocks, and Herds; the Price of Redeem­ing the First-born of their Sons; the First Shearing of their Sheep; Two in the Hun­dred, at the Gathering in of all their Fruits; a Piece of Dough, when they made their Bread; and all other things, set down at large in the Scriptures.

2. The Levites were to sing, at the times appointed, in the Temple: and their Portion was, the Tithe of their Fruits; which they gathered up, going from place to place, throughout the seve­ral Villages.

3. But now that they are no longer bound to the payment of these Gifts, ex­cept those Jews only, that inhabite with­in the Territorie of Jerusalem, and other parts of Judaea; and also because there are very few of them that have either Lands, or Flocks; it is hence come to passe, that notwithstanding there are many [Page 45] among them, that pretend to have it deli­vered over unto them by Infallible Tra­dition, that they are descended of the Stock of the Ancient Priests, and Levites; yet since the Transmigration hath been so long, and so Universal, these men have no Priviledge at all above the rest: save onely, that the Price of Redeeming the First-born of their Sons, belongs to Them; and besides, they have the Privi­ledge of being the First in Reading in the Pentateuch, when they are invited up to it among others: as was declared in the Pre­cedent Chapter, Part 12. They also Blesse the People, upon solemn Feastival daies, saying those words out of Numb. chap. 6. vers. 24. Benedicat tibi Dominus, & custo­diatte, &c. The Lord blesse thee, and keep thee, &c.

4. They may not touch, not stand un­der any Roof, or Covered place, where any Dead Person is. The First-born of their Males are also redeemed from Them: as we shall shew, Part. 4. Chap. 9.

[Page 46] 5. A Priest may not take to wife any woman that hath been put away by a former Husband; nor any Kinswoman, that hath had the Caliza, or been refused by her Husbands Brother: as shall be declared, Part. 4. cap. 7.

6. Lastly, in some few Cases, the Levites follow in their order, next after th [...] Priests.

CHAP. XIII.
Of their Flocks, and Tillage of the Ground.

THey may by no means sow two sorts of seed together, as Wheat and Barley; and the like: much lesse may they sow them together with the stones of Grapes: as it is written, Le­vit. chap. 19. ver. 19. Agrum tuum non sere [...] diverso semine, &c. Thou shalt not sow thy field with Mingled Seed, &c. Neither may they Graffe any Tree, or Plant; as a Nut-tree [Page 47] upon a Peach-tree; or an Apple-tree upon an Orenge-tree; and the like: nei­ther may they plant young Graffes a­mong their Ploughed Lands: notwith­standing it is lawful for them to eat of the fruit that growes upon the said Graffes, or Trees.

2. If a Man plant any Tree that bear­eth fruit, he may not eat of the fruit of it, till after the Third year that it had been planted: notwithstanding that Anciently it was the Fourth year also to be brought unto the Temple: and Now it is redeem­ed, with some little Ceremonie. And this they observe, out of the said Levit. 19. 23.

3. They may not put together any Beast with another, that is not of the same kind; as an Asse and a Cow, or the like, that they may engender one upon the other: as it is said, Levit. chap. 19. ver. 19. Jumentum tuum non facies coire cum alte­rius generis animantibus, &c. Thou shalt not let thy cattel gender with a diverse kind. Neither may they yoak them together, [Page 48] either in plowing their Land, or drawing a Cart: as it is enjoyned, Deuter. cap. 22. ver. 10. Non arabis in Bove simul, & asino, &c. Thou shalt not plow with an Oxe, and an Asse together.

4. In reaping their Corn, they were to leave a part of their field uncut: and so likewise in gathering in their Vintage, they were commanded to leave some Grapes behind them.

5. Every Seventh year their land was left Untilied; and whatsoever sprung up of it self that year, went to the Poor: as we find, Levit. cap. 25.

6. The Firstlings of the Males of eve­ry Clean Beast, as of Cow, Sheep, and the like, if they be without blemish, they may neither eat nor keep for their own use; because Anciently they were to be given to the Priest, or else they were to be redeemed of him. And so, at this time, they may not make any use of them, nei­ther for food, nor any other service, ex­cept they should chance to be some way Defective. An Asse must be redeemed [Page 49] with a Lamb, given to the Priest; as it is written, Exod. 13. 13.

7. If any one find a Nest, in the field, of Clean Birds, that is to say, such as it is lawful for them to eat, and the Damme sitting either upon the Egges, or the young ones, he may not take the Damme with the young; but if he will take away the Egs, or the young ones, he must let the Dam flie. And this is commanded in the Chap. 22. ver. 6. Deuteron. Si nidum avis inveneris, &c. If a Birds nest chance to be before thee in the way, in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or Egs, and the Dam sitting upon the Young, or upon the Egs, thou shalt not take the Dam with the Young.

CHAP. XIV.
Of their Charity to the Poor, and their Tendernesse shewed to their very Beasts.

IT cannot be denied, but that this Na­tion is very full of Pitie, and Com­passion, toward all people in want whatsoever: seeing that, notwithstanding there must necessarily a very great num­ber of them be such; the greatest part of them being Poor, and the whole Nati­on exposed to more Misfortunes, then any other People in the world; and be­sides, those few Rich men, that are found amongst them, having neither any Reve­nues, or Possessions, which are onely pro­perly to be called Riches: yet notwith­standing do they relieve all their Own Poor, principally; and besides these, what other Person soever they find to be in want; and that upon all occasions.

[Page 51] 2. In great Cities, the Poor go every Friday, and on the Eves of every solemn Feastival, to the houses of the Richer sort, and of others also that are but of Indiffe­rent Fortunes, collecting their Benevo­lence; and to all of them is given some­thing, according to each man's Abilitie: besides, that there are the [...] Parnas­sin, or [...], Memunim, men that are deputed to be Overseers of the Poor, and which send their Allowances home to their houses; especially to such as have been men of Esteem, as also to those that are ashamed to ask, to the sick, and to poor Widows, who do not so much as stirre abroad all the week long.

3. In each School, or Synagogue, all the Offerings are put together, and Part of That also, which is given for the Fa­vour of being an Assistant in any of the Religious Ceremonies before mention­ed, cap. 11. paragr. 14. and that which is cast into the Poor man's Box: and all this is distributed among the Poor.

4. But in case of any extraordinary Oc­casion; [Page 52] as when any Poor man, either of that Citie, or a Stranger, is to marry a daughter, or to ransome slaves, or the like; the aforesaid Overseers procure a Promise to be made him, from each par­ticular man in the Congregation; that is to say, the Chaunter upon the Sabbath day goes about the School, and saies to each particular person; The Blessing of God be upon the man; that shall give so much, to such a Charitable Work. And because it is unlawful so much as to touch any mo­ney upon the Sabbath day, therefore eve­ry man in particular makes a Promise to give what he pleaseth; and this is called [...], Nedabah, Oblatio Voluntaria, a Vo­luntary Offering, or Free Gift: which each man very willingly payeth, the week fol­lowing, according to the sum which he had formerly made Promise of. And so, all the Particular Sums, being put to­gether, are delivered to the Poor man, for whom they were collected.

5. There are moreover, in every Great Citie, several Fraternities, or Companies [Page 53] of select Officers, who have the charge of many Works of Charitie: as for example, some that take care of the sick; and for the Burial of the Dead; and this is com­monly called, [...], Ghemi­luth hassadim: Others, for Simple Alms, cailed [...], Zedacah: Others, for the Redeeming of Slaves, called [...], [...] Pidion Shebim; and some, that have the Charge of marrying Poor Vir­gins, called [...], Hassi betuloth: and many others; either more, or lesse, according to the number of the Jews, that inhabite in the said Citie.

6. If any Poor man have any Extra­ordinary Necessitie, greater then the In­habitants of the Citie where he lives are able to supply; he then goes to the Prin­cipal Rabbines of the Citie, and they give him a Testimonial under their hands, that he is an Honest man, and one that de­serves their Charitie; and withal intreat, that every one would lend him his as­sistance. Then goeth He, with this Te­stimonial, to all places where any Jewes [Page 54] dwell; and whether it be a Castle, Vil­lage, or other small place, he is there en­tertained, a day, or two, with Meat, Drink, and Lodging; and money, at his departing. And if he come to any great Citie, he there procures a Confirmation of his Testimoniall, by the Subscriptions of the Rabbines of that place; and so is sent to the School, from the Parnassim, or the Publick Officers, that have the charge for the Relief of the Poor in that place; and thus, in some one of the foremention­ed Manners of Collection, he is Relieved, and receives their Assistance.

7. The Jews send their Almes yearly, from all parts wheresoever they inhabite, to Jerusalem, for the Maintenance of the Poor that live there, and spend their time Praying for the Well-fare of the Whole Nation: as they also do to other Parts of Judea; as namely to Saffet, Tiberias, and to Hebron, where the Sepulchres are of the Patriarks, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their Wives.

8. Each man in particular may, besides [Page 55] all this, give Alms, when, and how much he pleaseth, according as he shall think fit.

9. They account it also a Work of Pietie, to relieve any one whatsoever that is in Misery, although he be no Jew; and especially those of the City, or place, where they inhabite: esteeming it an Act of Charitie due to all Mankind, Indiffe­rently; the Rabbines having also expresly enjoyned them so to do.

10. And the Greatnesse of their Cha­ritie, and Pity, appears in this; that they are very careful not to torment, or abuse, or put to any cruel death, any Brute Beast; for as much as, they are all of them created of God: according to the Psalmist, Psal. 145. ver. 9. Et Miserationes ejus super omnia Opera ejus: And his mercy is over all his Works.

CHAP. I.
What Language they use in their Ordi­nary Speech, Writings, and Preaching.

THere are at this time ve­ry few among them, that are able to dis­course Perfectly in the Hebrew, or Holy Tongue, which they call [...] Laschion hacodesch, wherein the Twentie four Books of the Old Testa­ment are written: nor yet in Chaldee, [Page 57] which is the Language of the [...] Targum, or Chaldee Paraphrase of the Bible, and which they commonly spake before their Dispersion: because they all generally learn, and are brought up in the Language of the Countries, where they are born: So that, in Italy, they speak Italian: in Germany, Dutch: in the Eastern Parts, and in Barbary, they speak the Lan­guage of the Turks, and Moors; and so of the rest. And they have made these Strange Languages so much their Own, as that Many of them that have gone out of Germany, into Poland, Hungary, and Rus­sia, to inhabit, have notwithstanding pre­served the Dutch Tongue in their Fami­lies, and made it their Mother Tongue to all their Posterities: as likewise those that have gone out of Spain into the Eastern parts, for the most part speak the Spanish Language: But in Italy they use both the one, and the other; according to the place, from whence the Fathers are de­scended. So that the Common people every where conform themselves to the [Page 58] Language of the Nations, where they in­habit; onely mixing now and then a broken Hebrew word, or two, in their discourse one with another: although the Learneder sort among them are some­what more Perfect in the Language of the Scripture, and have it, as it were, by heart. Notwithstanding it is a very rare thing to meet with any among them, ex­cept they be their Rabbines, who are able to maintain a Continued Discourse in He­brew, Elegantly, and according to the Proprietie of the Language.

2. And besides, in the Pronunciation of the Hebrew, they are so different among themselves, that a Dutch Jew can hardly be understood by an Italian, or an Eastern Jew: neither is there any among them that speak more clearly, and exactly ac­cording to the Rules of Grammer, which they call [...], Dikduk, then the Italian doth.

3. And indeed the Pure Hebrew Tongue being of little extent, and very barren of words, there being no other [Page 59] Bookes, anciently written, to be found now, save onely the aforenamed Twentie four Books of the Old Testament, whence the whole Language was to be fetched; the Rabbines have since thought good to enlarge it, by borrowing many words from the Chaldee, and some few from the Greek, and other Languages, and invent­ing also severall words for the names of things; in like manner as Writers in all Ages have done, fitting Terms of Art, for the better Understanding of their Philo­sophy, and other Sciences.

4. This Language is still in use among them, in writing of Books; in all kinds of Contracts; in Bills, either Private, or Publick, and the like. But their Ordi­narie Letters of Complement, or Busi­nesse, are written, for the most part, in the Vulgar Language of the place where they are; although sometimes they use the Hebrew Character: Onely those of Morea still retain the Hebrew Tongue also, and use it in their Familiar Letters.

[Page 60] 5. In their Preaching they likewise use the Language of the Countrie, that they may be understood by All; that is to say, they cite the Texts of Scripture, and say­ings of the Rabbins in Hebrew; and after­wards interpret the same in the Vulgar Tongue.

6. Their manner of Preaching, or ma­king Sermons is thus: the Whole Con­gregation sitting quietly in the School, He that hath a Mind to Preach, (which is ea­sily granted to any that desire it,) either putting on the aforenamed Taleth, or else going, without it, up to the Wooden Al­ter, or Table, spoken of Par. 1. cap. 8. be­gins his Speech there, repeating some Verse or other, out of the Lesson for the day, and this is called [...], Nosè: that is to say, the Text, or Subject, whereof he in­tends to treat: adding after it some Sen­tence out of the Wisemen, or Rabbins; and this is called [...] Maamar: and so ma­king a kind of Preface, and proposing some certain Subject, suitable to the sense of the aforesaid Passage out of the Lesson [Page 61] for the Day, he proceeds on to his Ser­mon; alledging Texts of Scripture, and the Authoritie of the Rabbines in his Dis­course, every man as he is able, both for the Style, and Method: which is very dif­ferent, among the several Nations.

7. And this is done every Sabbath day, and at all the chief Feastivals, for the most part, and onely then: unlesse there be some Funeral Sermon to be made, at the death of any Person of Note, which useth to be done upon any of the Week daies, or working daies, according as the Occasion requireth.

CHAP. II.
Of their Academies, and Studies, and of the Originall, and Continuation of the Gemara.

THey account it the most Pious work that may be, to studie either the Holy Scripture it self, or any Expositions of it: having regard to that Command, Deuteron. cap. 6. ver. 7. Et Me­ditaberis sedens in domo tua, & ambulans in itinere, &c. Thou shalt teach (these words) diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

2. Some few among them studie the [...], Cabalah, that is to say, Revealed Speculation, and the Secret Theology of the Scripture: Others studie Philosophie, and other Sciences, both Natural, and Moral; notwithstanding applying all of [Page 63] them to the Understanding of the Scri­pture: for otherwise they would account the studie of these points of Learning a most Dangerous, and Pernicious thing: unlesse it were in reference to the studie of Physick, which some of them professe. But the most usuall, and Common studie among them, is, that of the [...], Gema­ra, which was properly, and Originally called the [...], Talmud, where the use of it is permitted them; or, where it is forbidden them, they studie the Writings of the Wisemen, or Paraphrases, and A­bridgments of the Talmud.

3. And for this cause have they their Academies also, called by them [...], Jesiboth, where they meet together to Dispute, the Rabbines with their Schol­lers; but talking all together confusedly, and without any Order at all: and this is usually done in the Mornings, after pray­ers are ended, every day of the week, ex­cept Fridaies, the Sabbath day, and their Feastival daies, and their Eves.

4. And because that all the Rites, Pre­cepts, [Page 64] and Customes of the Jewes, and their Authoritie, are all grounded upon This Book of the Talmud, I shall here give the Reader a short Account of the Origi­nall, Order, and Continuation of it.

5. In the first Chapter then of this Book is declared, how that the Written Law, which they call [...], Tora She­bichthab, Lex quae in Scripto, was given by Moses: and the Exposition of this Writ­ten Law, and Other of their Ordinances, they have received from the Mouth of their Rabbines. Now no Part of this La­ter was to be put into Writing, so long as the Temple stood: and it was therefore called [...], Torah Schebeal peh, Lex quae per os, The Law delivered by word of Mouth, because it was Traditional, and delivered over from one to another, by word of Mouth only.

6. But afterwards about one Hundred and Twentie Years after our Saviour Christ, when the Temple was now de­stroyed, there was a certain Rabbine, na­med Rabbi Juda, who, for his sanctitie, and [Page 65] Holinesse of Life, was honoured by the Jewes with the Title of [...], Rab­benu haccadosch, Magister noster sanctus, Our Holy Master, who was very intimate with, and greatly respected by Antoninus Pius the Emperour, and was also a very Richman. This Rabbi Jehuda, percei­ving, that since the Transmigration, and Dispersion of the Jewes, the Traditionall Law began by degrees to be lost, and to be in danger of being quite forgotten; he makes a Collection, in Writing, of all the Decrees, Opinions, and Traditions of all the Rabbines, that had ever been, down to his own time; and this Collection, be­ing made in as good a Method, and as short as he could, he called [...] Mish­nah, that is to say, Lex secundaria, or a Re­peating of the Law: and he divided it into Six Tracts, or Parts. The first of which treated of Seeds, and of Tillage: The se­cond, of the Feastivall daies: The third, of Marriages, and things appertaining to Women: The Fourth, of Dammages, and Suites of Law, and all Civil Matters: [Page 66] Ths Fift, of Sacrifices: The Sixt, of Clean­nesse, and Uncleannesse. And because this Collection of his was so very brief, and therefore the harder to be understood, in so much that it gave occasion of many Disputes, and Controversies, which were raised upon It; therefore about some Three Hundred and Fifty Years after Him, there were two other Rabbines, dwelling in Babylon, the one of them na­med Ravenà, the other Ravascè, which collected together all the Expositions, Disputes, and Additions, that had been made upon the Mischnah, down to their own time; adding besides many Reports, Sentences, and sayings of their own, which they found to make any thing to the businesse in hand, and thus making, as it were, the Mischnah to be the Text, and all the rest to serve as a Comment, or Exposition upon It, they made all up into a Book, which they called [...], Talmud Baveli, the Talmud of Babylon, or the [...] Gomarah, which they divided into Sixtie Sections, called [...], [Page 67] Massactoth; but following the Order, and Method of the fore-mentioned First Six Tracts. And although that one Rabbi Jochanan had, not many Yeares before, made the like Collection, at Jerusalem, which Book is therefore in like manner called [...], Talmud Jerusal­mi, the Jerusalem Talmud; Yet by reason of its being too Compendious, and also because of the Roughnesse, and Unea­vennesse of the Style, That of Babylon hath onely obtained, and is now in use; as being both the Larger, and the easier to be understood. Upon this Later there is a Comment made, by one Rabbi Solomon Jarchi, called also [...], Raschi, by way of Abbreviation: and there are also extant upon it the Disputations of a certain A­cademie of Rabbines, which they call [...], Tossaphoth: and many are the Extracts that have been made out of this Book; especially Three of the aforesaid Six Tracts; those other Three, concern­ing Seeds, Sacrifices, and of Cleannesses, be­ing at this day not to be found any where.

[Page 68] 7. This Talmud, we have here descri­bed, was afterwards prohibited to the Jewes, by some certain Popes; and then again the use of it was permitted them, by some others: but now it at length con­tinues utterly prohibited; and, in Italy especially, it is not read, nor so much as any where to be found.

CHAP. III.
Of the Manner how their Rabbines are created; and of their Autho­rity; and Power of Excom­munication.

THe Rabbines use not to make any means, for the Procurement of the Title of Doctor; yea they rather account it an Argument of Pride, and a shameful thing, to endeavour any such thing; and therefore neither do they put themselves upon the Examination of any. But, when any one is known to be of suf­ficient [Page 69] knowledge, and an Apt Person for the Dignity of a Rabbine, that is to say, such a one as is sufficiently well skilled in the Traditional Law, or that which was delivered by Word of Mouth, how lit­tle knowledge soever he hath of the other Humane Sciences; he is by a Common Consent of all, in the Eastern parts, ac­counted a Rabbine, and called by the name of [...], Cacham, that is to say, a Wiseman. But in Germany, and Italy, they are to be honored by the Ancientest Rab­bines, (and that either in Writing, or by calling them so,) with the Title either of [...], Caber di Rab, that is to say, a Master's Fellow; which is a kind of a Middle Title of Dignity, and is usually given to Young Men, or to such persons as are not thoroughly versed in the Law; or ese of [...], Morenu, or [...], Rab, that is to say, Master, or Doctor; and so are they from thenceforth called.

2. These men, that is to say, the Ca­cham, Rab, or Morenu, decide all Contro­versies concerning the Things that are ei­ther [Page 70] Lawful, or Prohibited, and all other Differences; they execute the Office of Publick Notaries, and give Sentence al­so in Civil Controversies; they Marry, and give Bills of Divorce; they Preach also, if they can; and are the Chief men in the Academies before mentioned; they have the uppermost Seats in their Syna­gogues, and in all Assemblies; and they punish those, that are Disobedient, with Excommunication: and there is generally great Respect shewed unto them in all things.

3. When they Excommunicate any one, they Curse him, and declare him Open­ly to be Excommunicate; and in this case it is not lawful for any other Jew, ei­ther to speak to him, or come within Four Yards of him: neither may He come within the Synagogue, or School; but he is to sit upon the Ground with his shoes off, as if he mourned for some of his dead Kindred; and this must he do, till such time as he shall have been absolved by the Rabbine, or Rabbines, and shall have re­ceived [Page 71] their Benediction.

4. And if it be the Solemn, and Grand Excommunication, then do the People all repair to the School, and lighting Black Torches, and sounding Hornes, they Curse Him that shall do, or that hath done such, or such a thing. And all the Children and the People answer, and say, Amen.

CHAP. IV.
Of their Oathes, and Vowes.

THey are utterly forbidden to swear in Vain; or, so much as to name, without special occasion, any one of the Many several Names of God: according to that Commandment in the Decalogue, Exod. Cap. 20. ver. 8. and Deuteron. cap. 5. ver. 11. How much more unlawful then is it, to swear Falsly by it, and to defraud any thereby: as it is written Levit. 19. ver. 12. Non perjura­bis [Page 72] in nomine meo, &c. Thou shalt not swear by my Name falsly; neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God.

2. Neither are Vowes very Commend­able, in their Esteem; yet when they are made, they ought to be kept. Never­thelesse the Husband may dispence with, or break any Vow of Abstinence, that his Wife shall have made, and that without her Consent too; provided he do it with­in the space of 24. houres, after he heard of it. And the Father may in like Man­ner break, or dispence with a Vow made by his Daughter that is a Virgin: accord­ing to that of Num. 30. where these things are spoken of at large.

3. They have a Tradition also, that, if a Man, or a Woman, make a Vow, or take any Oath whatsoever; if it be not to the Prejudice of of any Third Person, that it should be broken; and if it may, upon any tolerable pretence, or reason, be wisht unmade again; in this Case any one of the Principal Rabbines, or any other Three men, though they have not any Title of [Page 73] Dignity, may absolve, and discharge them from it. So that, He that would be ab­solved from any Vow, by him made, go­eth either to a Rabbine, or to any Three other Men; and they, hearing his reasons why he repents himself of having made such, or such a Vow, if the thing seem but Reasonable, they say unto him thrice, Be thou absolved from this Vow, &c. and so he is discharged.

CHAP. V.
Of their dealing in Worldly Affaires, and of their Usury.

THey are commanded, both by the Law of Moses, as also by that of the Rabbines, or the Traditionall Law, to carry themselves most Uprightly in their Dealings, and to defraud, or co­zen no man, neither Jew, nor other: ob­serving alwaies, and with all sorts of men, those Just Waies of Dealing, which are [Page 74] commanded them in many places of the Scripture; and particularly in Levit. cap. 19. ver. 11, 13, 15, & 33. to the end of the Chapter.

2. And those men, that have given out, of Them, some in Speeches, and o­thers in Writing, that they swear every day, (and account it a godly work,) to endeavour to defraud, and cheat the Christians, is a most Grosse Untruth, and scattered abroad by these men, onely to render them more Odious among the Nations, then they are. Whereas, in truth, many of the Rabbines have com­manded them the clean contrary, in their Writings: out of which, Rabbi Bechai hath made a full Collection of the passa­ges, that concern this particular, in his Book Intituled, Cad hachemah, under the Letter, Ghimel Ghezelah: where he saith, that it is a far greater sin, to defraud one that is not a Jew, then to defraud a Jew; in respect of the scandal, which by this means is given; besides the wickednesse [Page 75] of the Act it self: and this they call [...], Chillul haschem, To profane the Name (of God.) which is one of the Grea­test sins that can be. So that if there chance to be found any among them, who is a Fraudulent, Cheating person; it must be imputed to the Dishonestie, and Base­nesse of that Particular mans Disposition; and not, that he is any way prompted thereto, by any Encouragements, either found in the Law, or any way given him by the Rabbines.

3. True it is, that by reason of the Distresse, into which their so Long Cap­tivitie hath brought them, and their not being suffered to enjoy any Lands, or Pos­sessions at all, or to exercise many other kinds of Merchandisings, and waies of Traffick, that are of Reputation, and Pro­fit; they are at length become much aba­sed in Spirit, and have degenerated from the Ancient Israelitish Uprightnesse, and Sinceritie.

4. In like manner as, for the same rea­son, they have made it Lawfull to take [Page 76] Use-money: notwithstanding that which is said, Deuter. 23. ver. 19, & 20. Extraneo foenerabis, & fratri tuo non foenerabis, &c. Thou shalt not lend upon Usury to thy Brother, &c. Unto a Stranger thou mayst lend upon Usury, &c. Where, by the word Stranger, it is clear, that no other could be meant, but onely those Seven Nations, of the Hittites, Amorites, Jebusites, &c. from whom God commanded them to take even their Lives also. But for as much as, Now, they have no other way of Live­lihood left them, but onely this of Usury; they allege it to be Lawful for Them to do this, as well as for the rest of their Bre­thren by Nature.

5. And These Seven Nations are one­ly meant, in all those places, where ever the Rabbines permit any Usurie, or any Extortion to be used; seeing that the same is so often permitted unto them in the Holy Scripture, and, without all doubt, none of those Nations, among whom they are at this Present dispersed, and suf­fered to inhabite; and do likewise receive [Page 77] all Courteous Usage, from the Princes of the several Nations; especially among the Christians: seeing that, This would be a Crime, not onely against the Writ­ten Law, but against that of Nature al­so.

CHAP. VI.
Of their Contracts, Evidences, Wit­nesses, Judges, and Judg­ments.

EVery Contract, or Agreement, is concluded by each of the Parties touching the skirt of a Garment, or other Cloath of Witness: and this is done, as it were, in form of an Oath, and is cal­led, [...], Kinian Sudar, Possessio per Sudarium, (sive Pannum:) a Bargain by a Cloath, or Handkercheif.

2. The Writings drawn by a Publick Notary, are of no Authoritie at all among Them, unlesse they are subscribed by One [Page 78] Witnesse: and any writings whatsoever, either of Bargaines, Wills, Marriage, Di­vorce, and whatever other Businesse Ima­ginable, if they be signed by Two Witnes­ses, they are of Force and Validitie.

3. If any man would have his Wri­tings to be of Force, for ever after, and in all places whatsoever; he then adds, a Confirmation to them, by adding Three Others, to the Former; and These are cal­led Judges of that Case.

4. When any Witnesses are, in any bu­siness, to be examined, their examinations must be taken, in the presence of the per­son Accused, or of the Adverse partie.

5. When any Differences, or Contro­versies of what nature so ever, do arise, the principal Rabbines are the Judges of them, in most parts of the World: or else, they refer the Business to Arbitration, putting it into the hands of Two or Three of their Friends, that are Indiffe­rently ingaged to both parties.

6. Their manner of Giving Judg­ments is agreeable to the Rules set down [Page 79] by the Rabbines at large, in many of their Books: and particularly in a Book called by them, [...], Chosen hammisch­pat, Pectorale Judicij, The Breast-plate of Judgment: and in many of their Resolu­tions of Cases Proposed, which they call, [...], Scheeloth, Teschivoth; Questions and Answers: which are taken, for the most part, out of Exod. cap. 21. Haec sunt Judicia, &c. Now these are the Judg­ments, which thou shalt set before them: and the following, cap. 22. & 23. and Deuter. cap. 22. 23. 24. 25. and lastly, according as the Judge, in Reason, shall think meet, who is to have regard both to the Per­son, the Case in Controversie, and the Circumstance of Time.

7. In Criminall matters they, in all places, submit themselves wholy to the Punishment of the Prince, under whose subjection they live. Onely in Case of offending against any Rites of their own Law, they are liable to Excommunication by their Rabbines, as hath been formerly said, chap 3.

CHAP. VII.
Of Meats that are Forbidden them; and how they eat their Flesh.

THey may not eat of any Beast, that is not Cloven-hoofed, and which cheweth not the Cud; as Oxen, and Sheep do: but not either Co­nies, Hares, or Hogs. Neither may they eat any Fish, that hath not Skales, and Fins: nor, that is covered with a shell: Nor any Birds of prey, nor any creeping thing: as is specified at large, Levitic. cap. 11.

2. And for this reason, they eat not any thing that is dressed by any other, then of their Own Nation: nor use any of their Vessels, or Kitchen Implements: least haply they might have been for­merly used, in the Cooking of some or other of the Meats Forbidden them: as [Page 91] hath been formerly touched, Part. i. Cap. 3. Neither do they use any other bodies Knife.

3. They eat not the Fat, either of an Oxe, Lamb, or Goat: according to the Command given Them, Levit. cap. 3. ver. 17. Nec sanguinem, nec adipem omninò co­medetis, &c. It shall be a perpetuall Statute for your Generations, throughout your dwel­lings, that ye eat neither Fat, nor Blood. Nei­ther do they eat of the Sinew of the thigh: observing that which is written, Genes. 32. ver. 32. Quamobrem non comedunt ner­vum filii Israel, &c. Therefore the Children of Israel eat not of the Sinew which shrank, which is upon the Hollow of the Thigh unto this day, &c. and therefore of what Beast soever they eat, they are very carefull to take away all the Fat, and the aforesaid Sinew. And hence it is, that in many pla­ces of Italy, and especially in Germany, they eat not at all of the Hinder Quarters of the aforenamed Beasts: because there is, in these parts of the Beast, both very much Fat, and also the Forbidden Sinew; [Page 92] and it asketh so much care to cleanse the parts of these, that there are few that are able to do it, or dare undertake it.

4. They may not eat the Blood of any Beast of the Earth: as it is written, Levit. cap. 17. Repleatur omnis anima ex vobis, non comedet sanguinem, &c. and in many other places: neither yet will they eat an Egge, least happily there should be some string, or small thread of Blood within eat. And perhaps it was for this reason, that they were forbidden to eat any Beast of the Earth, or any Bird of the Ayr, except they first cut the Throat of it, that so the Blood might go out.

5. This Act of Cutting the Throat, or Sticking of any Beast, must be performed by the hands of one that is very well ver­sed in it, and skilled in all the Necessarie Circumstances that belong hereto: for example, he must slit the Gullet, with a sharp Knife, that hath no Notches, or Cracks in the Edge of it, thrusting it nim­bly in, as far as needs, that so the Blood may issue out in a free Uninterrupted [Page 93] stream: which Blood is poured upon some dry part of the Ground, or into Ashes; and afterwards covered with the said Ashes, or part of the Earth: as it is commanded, Levit. cap. 17. ver. 13. Fun­dat sanguinem ejus, & operiat illum torr'd▪ He shall pour out the Blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

6. They may not cut off a Joynt of any Living Beast, and eat it, either Boyl­ed, or Raw.

7. They may not kill, in the same day, a Cow, and her Calf; nor an Ewe, & her Lamb; nor a Shee-goat, and her Kid; nor the Sire of any Beast, with the Young, if they know it: as it is commanded, Levit. cap. 22. ver. 28. Sive illa bos, sive ovis, non immolabuntur una die cum foetibus suis: And whether it be Cow, or Ewe, ye shall not kill it, and her young, both in one day.

8. If any Beast, or Bird, of the number of those which it is lawful to eat, die of it self, or were killed in any other manner, then hath been said, they may by no means eat of it.

[Page 94] 9. And if by chance it should have had any Bone broken in its Life-time, in cer­tain parts of the Bodie, which are speci­fied by the Rabbines; or if it were any way hurt, so that it might have died of That hurt, they must not eat of it.

10. So likewise, if in the Bowels of any Bird, there should chance to be found any Thorn, or sharp Prick, that had got into the Bodie of it; or, in the Bodie of any Four-footed Beast, any Impostuma­tion, or Swelling, or that the Lungs grew to the sides, (all which Particulars they very diligently search into, after they have killed it:) they must not eat of it: Observing all these Circumstances, from that which is written, Exod. cap. 23. to­ward the End of the Chapter; and like­wise in other places.

11. From this Prohibition of Eating of Blood it is, that they put all their Flesh into Salt, letting it lie in it for the space of an Hour, before they put it into the Pot, or Pipkin, to be boiled; that so it may be the more throughly cleansed from the [Page 95] Blood: for, otherwise they may not eat of it, unlesse it be rosted. And for this rea­son also they never boil the Liver, be­cause it is wholly made of Blood: but they either broil it upon a Gridiron, or upon the Coles; or else they rost it throughly.

12. But in the several Kinds of Fishes which it is Lawfull for them to eat, they observe none of all these things afore­said: because they are not forbidden to eat these in their Blood; or to eat them, though they die of themselves, or other­wise.

13. They may not eat Flesh, and Cheese, or Milk-meats, together: obser­ving this, from what is delivered Exod. 23. ver. 19. Non coques haedum in Lacte Matris suae, &c. Thou shalt not seeth a Kid in his Mothers Milk: that is to say, Thou shalt not seeth Any Beast, in Any Milk. Whence it is, that they not onely ob­serve, not to eat them together, either boyled, or otherwise; but they also for­bear to eat them, at the same Meal; nor [Page 96] yet will they eat Cheefe within an hour, after they have eaten Flesh: because they conceive, that haply some of the Flesh may stick betwixt their Teeth, and so may chance to mixe together with the Cheese: But if they eat Cheese first, by it self, they may afterwards eat Flesh, if they please.

14. And for this reason every one hath several Vessels, for the dressing, and ser­ving in of their Meat; and likewise seve­ral Knives; one for Cheese, and another for Flesh; which have their different Marks too, that they may be known by: as hath been formerly said, Par. 1. cap. 3. And if by Mistake any one chance to dresse either of These in the Vessels ap­pointed for the other; or in case it should be put into it while it is Hot, they may not eat thereof; and the Vessel, or Dish, if it be of Earth, must not be used any more.

15. They eat not any Cheese, which is not of their own Making, or which they have not seen made, and with their [Page 97] Own Rennet too: lest by chance there should be mingled together in it, the Milk of some Forbidden Beast, or that some of the Skin had been mixed together with the Rennet; and so there would be both Flesh, and Cheese, in one: or else lest it might have been boiled in a Kettle where­in some Forbidden thing had formerly been dressed. And That Cheese, which they have seen the Making of, they set a Mark upon; that so they may know it again.

16. The Rabbines have delivered also in their Traditions, that it is not Lawfull to eat Fish, and Flesh, together; because it is not unwholesome so to do: but, now, there are very few that observe this.

CHAP. VIII.
Of their Drink.

THere are some, who observing an Ancient Tradition of the Rab­bines, hold it unlawful for a Jew, to Drink any Wine that is made, or or­dered by any, but a Jew: and this is still observed, amongst the Dutch, and Eastern Jews. But in Italy, they observe no such thing; alleging for themselves, that haply This might have been an Ordi­nance made by some of those Rabbines, who lived among Idolatrous Nations; that by this means they might avoid all Commerce with Them: but it cannot have respect unto the People, amongst whom They live; whom Themselves confesse, to be no such Men.

2. There are Many Ceremonies used, in their Drinking; as namely, at the Be­ginning, and End of their Feasts, at their [Page 99] Marriages, Circumcisions, and at other times: at which times they use a Certain Thanksgiving, over a Vessel of Wine, and so Drink of it: and every time that they Drink, both before, and after they have drunk, they say a Benediction: as having this Liquor in grert Veneration, of which it is said, Psal. 104. ver. 15. Et Vinum quod laetificat cor hominis, &c. And Wine that maketh glad the heart of Man, &c. and in the book of Judges, cap. 9. ver. 13. Vinum meum, quod laetificat Deum, & homines. And the Vine said unto them; Should I leave my Wine, which cheareth God and Man? &c.

CHAP. IX.
Of their Making their Bread.

WHen they have made any Bread, that is to say, any Lump of Dough, of the Bignesse of Fourtie Egs; they first take a Cake out of it; as it is commanded, Num. cap. 15. ver. 20, &. 21. De primitiis pasta­rum vestrarum dabitis Domino, &c. Ye shall offer up a Cake of the First of your Dough, for an Heave-Offering, &c.

2. This Cake was Anciently given to the Priest: but Now, they take and cast it into the Fire, and burn it.

3. And This is one of the Three Pre­cepts, which the Women are enjoyned to observe; because They commonly make the Bread,

CHAP. X.
Of their Manner of sitting at Meat.

BEfore they sit-down to Meat▪ they are bound to Wash their Hands ve­ry carefully; wherein the Rabbines have delivered very many Subtilties, and nice Circumstances to be observed: as they have likewise done, about the Washing of Hands every Morning; as hath been before touched, Part. 1. cap. 7.

2. After they are sate down, they use to say, for the most part, the 23. Psalm, Dominus regit me, &c. The Lord is my Shepherd, therefore can I lack nothing, &c. and afterwards the Master of the House takes a Loaf of Bread▪ and faies a Bene­diction over it; which having done, he breaks it, and gives to each person at the Table, a piece of it, about the bignesse of a great Olive: and afterwards, every one [Page 102] eats, as much as he pleaseth. And so, the first time that any one drinketh, he sayeth the Benediction before set down, Part. 1. cap. 9.

3. The Rabbines have delivered many particular Circumstances, relating to Ci­vilitie, and Modestie, which are to be observed, during the time of sitting at Meat: and in particular, that they must not cast upon the ground, nor trample under feet, any Bread, or other Meat, that they seem not to despise Gods gifts.

4. When they have done Eating, they Wash their Hands, and take up their Knives from off the Table: because, say They, the Table represents the Altar, upon which no Iron Tool was to come: and many use to say the Psalm, that was used to be said by the Devites in the Tem­ple, on that day of the Week: and like­wise the 67. Psalm, Deus misereatur nostri, &c. God be mercifull unto us, and blesse us, and cause his face to shine upon us, &c. And if they be Three, or More, that eat toge­ther; then doth one of them command a [Page 103] Glasse to be Washed, and filling it with Wine, he taketh it up from off the Table, saying with a Loud voice; Sirs, let us Blesse his Name, of whose good things we have been filled: and they answer him, and say, Blessed be his Name; who hath filled us with his good things, and by whose goodnesse we live. And thus they proceed, in gi­ving Thanks to God, who giveth Food to everything: who gave the Land of Promise to the Ancient Fathers: beseeching him, that He would again build up Jerusalem. After this, the Master of the House blesseth them, and prayeth for Peace: and having so done, he giveth to each of them a little of that wine, which he hath in his Glass; and he himself also drinks of it: and so they rise from Table.

CHAP. I.
Of the Feast of the Sab­bath.

THe Jewes have the Sab­bath in very great. Ve­neration, and far a­bove all the Other Feastivals; as being in so many several places of the Scripture made mention of, and commanded to be kept, even from the very Creation of the World: as namely in Gen. cap. 2. and Twice, in the Decalogue; besides very [Page 105] many other places; where the doing of any manner of Work is forbidden, and a Rest upon that day enjoyned to All.

2. The several Works, forbidden up­on that day, are reduced by the Rabbines to Thirtie Nine Heads; under which are comprehended all kinds of Work what­soever. And the Heads are these; to Plough, to Sow, to Mow, to bind up in Sheaves, to Thresh the Corn, to Win­now it, to Try it, to Grind it, to sift the Meal, to Knead dough, to Boile, to Lop or Shread, to Whiten any thing, to Card, to Spain, to Wind in Scaines, to Warp, to Weave, to Die, to Tie, to Un­tie, to Sewe, to Tear asunder, to Build, to Break down, to Use a Hammer, to Chase any Beast, to Kill it, to Flea it, to Dresse it, to Fetch off the Hair of the Skin of it, to Cut it out into Joynts, to Write, to Cancel, to Rule Paper, or the like, to Kindle a Fire, to Quench it, and to Carry any thing from a Private place to a Pub­lick. These are the General Heads, un­der which are comprised all the particular [Page 106] Kinds, that are Reducible to these Gene­rals: as for Example; To Use a File up­on any thing, is comprehended under the Title of Grinding of Corn: because that, in Both these, One Body is reduced into Many. So likewise to make any thing to Coagulate, or to gather into a Curd, is comprised under the. Title of Building: because that in both these, One Body is made up of Many: and so in all the rest. And all these things, that are herein to be observed, are with very great Subtiltie, and Punctualitie delivered by the Rab­bines; who have declared at large, how, and in what manner these Particulars are to be observed.

3. They may not either Kindle, or Put out a Fire: according to that which is commanded, Exod. cap. 35. ver. 3. Non succendetis ignem in omnibus habitaculis ve­stris, die Sabbati: Ye shall kindle no Fire throughout your habitations, upon the Sab­bath day: and therefore neither do they meddle with any Fire, nor touch any Wood that is on fire, nor Kindle any, nor [Page 107] put it out; nor do they so much as Light a Candle upon the Sabbath day. And if the place be Cold, where they dwell, except they have any Stowes, or Hot-houses; or else, have some one that is no Jew, to kindle a Fire for them; or, had so ordered the matter aforehand, that the Fire should kindle of it self at such a time; they must even be content to sit in the cold all that day.

4. And therefore they Dresse not any Meat upon the Sabbath day themselves, neither do they cause any others to do it for them: neither may they eat any thing that is either Dressed, brought forth into the World, or any Fruit gathered in, up­on that day.

5. They may not carry any Burthen upon that day; and therefore no man is to have upon his back anything, that is not of his Necessarie Apparel, and tied on: for otherwise, they say, it is to be accounted as a Burthen, or Load. And the same is observed by the Women, in their Dressings, and in that of their Children, [Page 108] and Servants; and even of their Beasts also: seeing it is so commanded, Exod. cap. 20. and likewise Deuter. cap. 5. ver. 14. Non facies in eiquicquam operis, &c. In it thou shalt not do any work, Thou, nor thy Son, nor thy Daughter, nor thy Man-servant, nor nor thy Maid servant, thine Oxe, nor thine Asse, nor any of thy Cattel, &c.

6. It is not lawfull to treat upon any Publick Affairs, or to make any Bargain, or to make any Order, touching Buying, Selling, Giving, or Taking into Possessi­on: as it is written, Isaiah, cap. 58. ver. 13. Si averteris a Sabbato, &c. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my Holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the Holy of the Lord, Honourable; and shall honour Him, not doing Thine Own ways, nor finding thine Own pleasure, nor speaking thine Own words, &c.

7. They may not touch, or handle, any thing of Weight, or burthen, nor any Tool, or Instrument, of any Act, or Work, that may not be done upon the Sabbath.

[Page 109] 8. They may not walk above a mile from the Citie, or place where they dwel, that is to say, Two Thousand Yards.

9. There are besides these things, ma­ny other Particulars, Forbidden by the Rabbines, for the more certain avoiding of all manner of Businesse, or Work of Han­dicrafts to be done that day: as for exam­ple, The handling of any Money, which is the Cause, and Occasion of all manner of Trading: as likewise Riding on Horse­back, Going by Water, Playing upon any Musical Instrument, or Bathing.

10. In case of any Persons being Ill or Diseased; if the Grief require onely the Chirurgeons hand, there are many, and severe Restraints laid upon them by the Rabbines. But if the Physicians help be necessarie, if he esteem it a sicknesse of any danger, although it be not great, and so likewise in Case of any Woman being newly brought to bed, the Physician hath Libertie to do any thing.

11. On Friday then, every one provides himself of whatsoever he shall need the [Page 110] day following: as the Children of Israel did of old, in gathering their Manna: as it is written, Exod. cap. 16. ver. 5. Die au­tem sexto, parent, quod inferant, &c. And it shall come to passe, that on the sixt day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily. And they account it a Good Work, to spend Liberallie that day, in honour of the Feast: as it is written in Isaiah, cap. 58. ver. 13. Et glorificaveris eum &c. and shalt honour Him, &c. and they willinglie em­ploy themselves, even in the Meanest Of­fices, that are any whit tending to the Ho­nour of the Sabbath.

12. They do not begin any kind of bu­sinesse, or work, upon the Friday, unlesse they are very well able to finish it fully, some while before the Evening comes on: and when it is now within an hour of Sun-set, they set their Meat on the Fire in the best manner they can, that so it may be readie to eat, against the next day: and having done this, they make an end of working any more, till the Sab­bath [Page 111] be over. In many Cities there is one that is appointed to go about, and pro­claim the Approaching of the Sabbath, about some half an hour before the time that it is to begin: that so they may di­spatch, and quit their hands of all manner of businesse whatsoever, before the be­ginning of the Feast.

13. When the 23. hour then of Friday is now come, about half an hour before Sun-set, the Feast is understood to be be­gun; and then also the Forbearing from all Works that are Forbidden, begins to take place. And now the Women are bound to set up a Lamp in the house lighted, which used to carry Four, or Six Lights at least: and this Lamp burneth the greatest part of the Night. They also spread the Table with a Clean Table­cloath, and set bread upon it; and over the Bread, they spread a long narrow Towel, which covers it all over: and this is done, say They, in Memorie of the Manna in the Wildernesse, which in like manner de­scended upon the Earth, being covered [Page 112] beneath, and having a Dew on the top of it; and on the Sabbath, it fell not at all.

14. There are many that shift them­selves at that time, putting on clean shirts, and washing their Hands and Face; and so go to the School, where they say the 92. Psalm: Bonum est confiteri Domino, &c. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Thou most High, &c. together with the ac­customed Prayers; withall, naming the Sabbath in their Prayers: and rehearsing those Verses of Genesis, cap. 2. Igitur perfe­cti sunt Coeli, & Terra, &c. Thus the Hea­vens, and the Earth were finished, and all the Host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his Work, which he had made, &c. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, &c.

15. Then do they return, each man to his home; and if they salute any one that night, they do dot say unto him, Good Even; Nor the next day, Good Morrow; but alwaies their salutation is, A good Sab­bath to you: and so the Fathers blesse their [Page 113] Children, and the Masters their Scho­lars; and some use to say certain Verses, in Praise of the Sabbath, either before, or after Meat, according as the Custome of the place is.

16. When they are set down to Meat, the Master of the Familie takes a Bowl of wine in his hand, and saying the afore-ci­ted Verses of Gen. cap. 2. Igitur perfecti sunt Coeli, & terra, &c. he giveth thanks to God, who hath given them the Com­mandment of keeping the Sabbath: and so he blesseth the Wine, and drinketh of it; and afterwards gives a little of it to each person at the Table with him. Then doth he rehearse the 23. Psalm: Dominus regit me, &c. The Lord is my Shepherd, therefore can I lack nothing, &c. and so blesseth the Bread, and giveth of it to all: and after this they eat, every one as much as sufficeth him: as they likewise do, each Meal the day following. When they have done, then do they wash their hands; and so perform all those other ce­remonies, that we have before set down, [Page 114] Par. 2. cap. 9. speaking of their Manner of sitting at Meat. Some use to say, after Meat, the 104. Psal. Benedic anima mea domino, &c. Blesse the Lord, O my Soul, &c.

17. The next Morning they rise later, then they usuallie do on the Week daies, and go to the School; where, after the singing of many Psalms, and the Accusto­med Prayers, together with certain Lau­datory Prayers, in honour of the Sabbath, they take out the Book of the Law, before spoken of, and read the Lessons, or Porti­on of it, appointed for that day; and this is done by seven persons: after this, they read some place or other, out of the Pro­phets, which they find to be most suita­ble to the Ordinarie Lesson for the day: and this is called [...], Haphtarah, Le­ctio Dimissoria, a Dimissory Lesson: and this is read by some Child, for the most part, to exercise him in Reading the Scri­pture.

18. After this, they take the said Book, and holding it up on high, that it may be [Page 115] seen by all, they blesse all the Assist­ants.

19. Then is there a solemn Benedicti­on said, for the Prince of that State, under which they live; wherein they pray to God, that he would preserve Him in Peace, and Quietnesse, and that he would prosper Him, and make Him Great, and Powerful, and that he would also make Him Favourable and Kind to their Na­tion: observing to do thus, from that Passage in Jerem. cap. 29. ver. 7. Et quaeri­te pacem Civitatis, &c. And seek the peace of the City, whither I have caused you to be carryed away Captives; and pray unto the Lord for it: for, in the peace thereof, shall ye have peace. After this, they say another Prayer, called [...], Musaph, Addita­mentum, an Additional Prayer; wherein is read the sacrifice that was wont to be of­fered in the Temple: and thus is their Morning Prayer ended.

20. They have their Sermons also, or Preaching; which is performed, either in the the Morning, or in the Afternoon, in [Page 116] the School, or some other place designed for that purpose: wherein they treat of Good Manners, and reprove Vices, fitting their Discourse to the Ordinarie Lesson for the day, that was taken out of the Pen­tateuch, and citing many Sentences out of the Rabbines: as hath been formerly de­clared, Par. 2. cap. 1.

21. In the Evening they repair to the School again; where, after the Ordinarie Prayers are said, there is added a Comme­moration of the Sabbath; and the Begin­ning of the Lesson for the Week follow­ing is read, out of the Pentateuch, by three persons.

22. They use to make three Meals, that is to say, they sit down to meat three times, during the time that the Sabbath lasteth: namely once, on Friday night, and twice the day following: doing this, in Honour of the Feast. And the Table­cloth continues laid all the day long.

23. In the Evening, when the time is come that they can now see three stars of the middle Magnitude, they account the [Page 117] Sabbath to be at an end; and it is now lawfull to do any manner of work, so soon as ever the Evening Prayer is be­gun; to which they make the lesse haste, that they may not seem to Anticipate, or end the Sabbath before the due time.

24. They adde, to the Ordinarie Eve­ning Prayers, a certain Commemoration, or Acknowledgment of the Sabbaths, be­ing a day distinguished, and set apart, from the Week-daies: saying also the 91. Psalm. Qui habitat in Adjutorio Altissimi, &c. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty, &c. and many other Verses out of the Scripture, treating of Blessings, and Prosperitie, and the like.

25. Then returning, each man to his own home, they light a Torch, or Lamp, with two wicks in it at least; and taking a Bowl of Wine in one hand, and sweet spices in the other, they say certain verses out of the Prophets, touching Prosperitie and Blessings; and also out of the 116. Psalm. Calicem salutis accipiam, &c. I will [Page 118] take the Cup of Salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord: and likewise out of Esther, cap. 8. ver, 16. Judaeis autem nova lux, &c. The Jewes had Light, and gladness, and joy and honour: and the like; praying withall, that the week following may be prosperous unto them. After this they blesse the wine, and the sweet spices, withall smelling to them, that so they may seem to begin the week with de­light, and pleasure: then do they also blesse the Light of the Fire, which as yet hath not been made any use of; withall looking upon their own heads, because now they may fall to their work again. And all these things are, with them, of ve­ry mysterious signification. Now the meaning of all this is, to signifie, that the Sabbath is now ended, and that that In­stant of time divides it from the Working­daies: and having so said, it is quite finish­ed. Now all this Ceremonie is, for the same Reason, called [...], Habdalah; which is as much as to say, Distinction: which being now ended, they cast a little [Page 191] of the wine upon the ground, in token of joy, and gladnesse; and some use to sing certain songs, and verses, Ominating Pro­speritie, and good Fortune the week fol­lowing. And from henceforth it is lawfull for them to do any work.

26. When they salute one another that night, they do not say, God give you a good Night; but, God send you a good week.

CHAP. II.
Of the Beginning of their Moneths; and of their Order, and Names: and of the Thirteenth Moneth.

THe Jewes reckon their Moneths, according to the Revolution of the Moon: so that every Moneth contains 29 daies, and the third part of a day: and every New-Moon is the Begin­ning of a moneth.

[Page 120] 2. Heretofore in Ancient times, they were used to send forth two, out of the Sanhe­drim, that is to say, the Judges of Jerusa­lem, to be Witnesses of the New Moon's Appearance: which as soon as they had discovered, they presently returned, and gave notice thereof to the rest of the Judges; who immediatly appointed, and published that day to be, Caput Mensis, the Head, or Beginning of the Moneth: and in this manner did they Order the businesse, for the finding out the Times, that all their Feastivals were to be kept at. But now since the destruction of the Temple, it is done by Computation; and there is Yearly a Kalendar, or Monethly Alma­nack made, and Printed, by which they may find out the Age of the Moon, toge­ther with the time of its Change, and the four Quarters, with all the Feastival daies throughout the Yeer, and all other the like things. And they Now set down in their Kalendars, the Feastival daies of the Christians also, for the better Ordering of their businesse, and Affairs, wherein they [Page 121] have to deal with Them.

3. Their Caput Mensis, which some­times is two daies together, that is to say, the End of One Moneth, and the Begin­ing of the Next, is a Feastival Time with them. as it is commanded, Num. 10. ver. 10. Also in the day of your gladnesse, and in your solemn daies, and in the Beginnings of your Moneths, ye shall blow with the Trumpets over your Burnt-Offerings, &c. and also be­cause there was then a New Sacrifice to be Offered: as is enjoyned in the 28. Chap. ver. 11. And in the beginnings of your Moneths, ye shall offer a Burnt-Offering unto the Lord; Two Young Bullocks, and One Ram, &c. But yet it is Lawful, on these Daies, to do any manner of Work, or Bu­sinesse: Onely the Women use to abstain from working, on these daies. The So­lemnitie of these Feasts is shewed, chiefly in Feeding more Plentifully, and being more Frolick at their Meat.

4. At the time of Prayers, there is no­tice given to all, that That day is the Be­ginning of the Moneth: and so they say [Page 122] certain Psalmes, from the 113. unto the 118. Then do they take Out the Book of the Law; and the Lesson is read by Four persons. After this they adde the Mu­saph; wherein they make mention of the Sacrifice, that was wont to be offered up­on that day.

5. The next Sabbath Eve, after the Change of the Moon; or else, the next Evening after the New Moon hath first appeared, they all meet together, and say a Laudatorie Prayer to God, who hath created the Planers, and that renew­eth the Light of the Moon: and leaping uptowards Heaven, they pray that they may be defended from their Enemies, re­peating that Verse out of Exod. cap. 15. Fear and Dread shall fall upon them, &c. and they commemorated the Prophet David: and so saluting each other, they depart, each man to his several home.

6. The Names of the Moneths are these, [...] Tisri, Hassuan, Kisleu, Tebeth, Schebath, [Page 123] Adar, Nisan, Jiar, Sivan; Tamuz, Ab, Elul: answering to our Moneths, September, October, November, December, January, February, March, Aprill, May, June, July, August: beginning to reckon them, from Tisri, that is, September: as we shall shew hereafter more fully, Chap. 5. when we come to speak of their Caput Anni, or Beginning of the Year.

7. Now that they may make the Solar, and Lunar Year Equal; every Revoluti­on of Nineteen Years, they make seven to consist of thirteen Moneths; that is to say, every second, or third Year, one: and this they call [...], Meubar, or [...] Schanah Meubereth, Annus In­tercalaris, or a Leap-Year: and they make the moneth Adar, which falls betwixt our February, and March, to be Double, the First Adar, and the Second Adar; and this Later they call, [...], Veadar.

CHAP. III.
Of the Feast of the Passe­over.

UPon the 15. of the Moneth Nisan, which is, for the most part, of our Aprill, the Feast of the Passe­over, called [...], Pesach, begins; which was instituted, in memory of their Come­ing forth our of Egypt; and was com­manded to be kept Seven daies together: But they keep it Eight daies, all those Jews that inhabite not in Jerusalem, and the Country thereabout; following the Ancient Custome of Keeping it, which was in Use, before they had any Kalen­der, or Way of Computation, to be di­rected by; but were informed by the Sanhedrim, when the Beginning of each moneth was to be kept; as we have shew­ed, in the Precedent Chapter. This Feast is commanded to be kept, Exod. cap. [Page 125] 12. ver. 14. which Command is also re­peated in many other places, where they are continually put in mind of it, and ur­ged to the Keeping thereof.

2. The two First daies, and the two Last, are Solemn Feastivals; insomuch, that, upon these daies, it is Unlawfull to do any manner of Work, or Businesse; in like manner, as it is on the Sabbath: One­ly they are permitted to kindle Fires, and to Dresse Meat; and likewise to carry any thing from one place to another: and as for the Four middlemost daies, they are onely in them forbidden to Labour; but they may handle money: and there are onely some few other things, wherein they are different from the rest.

3. In all the time of these Eight daies, they may not either eat, or have in their House, or in their Power, any Leavened Bread, or Leaven; but they are to eat Un­leavened Bread onely: as they are com­manded, Exod cap. 12. ver. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Septem diebus fermentatum non inve­nietur in domibus vestris, &c. Seven daies [Page 126] ye shall eat Unleavened Bread; even the first day you shall put away Leaven out of your houses, &c. For whosoever eateth that which is Leavened, even that Soul shall be cut off from the Congregation of Israel, &c.

4. And therefore they begin, before the Passeover, with all the diligence, and care they can, to put away all Leaven, or any thing that hath had Leaven in it, out of their Houses, and out of their Power; searching all their Cupboards, and Bins, and cleansing the whole house, and white­ing it all over: and they provide them­selves also of New Utensils for their Kitchin, and Table; or else they New­make the Old again, and scowr them well▪ or else they have a select number of Vessels, set apart for the Use of the Passeover onely: that so they may be cer­tainly assured, that they use not any thing, during those Eight daies, that hath had Leaven in it. And for this cause al­so, the evening before the Vigil, or Eve of the Passeover, do they use to lay, up and down, in certain places of the house, [Page 127] little pieces of Bread; which the Master of the Familie, having a Wax Light in his hand, is to go about searching after; to see, if by this means, he may chance to light upon any other Morsels, or Scraps of Bread, lost in some Hole or other: which pieces of bread they take, about the Fift hour of the day following, and cast into the Fire, and burn it: in token that the Prohibition of eating Leavened Bread now begins to be in force; saying withal some certain words, Intimating the putting away of all Leaven out of their houses, and out of their Power; if not Effectually, yet at least Intentionally, and to the utmost of their Power.

5. And now do they begin to make such a Quantitie of Unleavened Bread, which they call [...] Matzoth, as may serve for their whole Houshold to eat, during those Eight daies; having an espe­cial care of their Meal, so soon as ever it comes from the Mill, that it neither take VVet, nor be over-heated; least by this means it should chance to rise, or prove [Page 128] Leavened: But when they make their Unleavened Bread, they mixe Water and Meal together, and so Kneading it into Dough, they make it up into Flat Cakes, of divers forms, and shapes, and immediately put them into the Oven to be baked: and these Cakes they keep, as neat and clean as they can; eating them instead of bread, so long as the Feast of the Passeover lasteth. They also make, for those that are Daintie, and of Tender Stomacks, and such as are sick, a Richer sort of Cakes, with Egs, and Sugar mixed amongst it; but these Cakes are to be Unleavened also: and these are called [...], Matzah aschirah, Rich Un­leavened Bread.

6. Upon the Vigil, or Eve of the Pass­ever, which is on the 14. day of the Moneth Nisan, all their First-born use to fast; in Memorie, that, the Night fol­lowing, God smote all the First-born of Egypt.

7. In the Evening they all repair to the School, to Prayers; which being ended, [Page 129] they return home to their houses, and sit down to Meat, the Table having been laid before, in the day time, and furnished with the greatest Varietie, and Pomp, that possibly they can. And instead of those Ceremonies that were Anciently to be used, at the eating of the Pascall Lamb, expresly set down, Exod. cap. 12. where they are commanded to eat it with Bitter Herbs; Et edent, &c. et Azymos panes, cum lactucis agrestibus, &c. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, rost with fire, and Unleavened Bread, and with Bitter Herbs shall they eat it, &c. they have now onely some part of a Lamb, or a Kid, brought in, in a Dish, with certain Bitter Herbs about it, as Smallage, Endive, Lettice, and the like; together with another little Vessel, with a certain Sauce in it: in me­morie of the Brick, which they were for­ced to make for the Egyptians. And so the Master of the House, taking a Bowl of Wine in his hand, makes a certain Nar­ration, called [...], Agadah, wherein are reckoned up all the Miseries they un­derwent; [Page 130] and all the Miracles, with which God brought them up out of Egypt; giving Thanks to God for the many Great Benefits, which they had re­ceived at his hands: and then do they be­gin the 113. and all the five following Psalmes, which they call [...], Hallel; and so they fall to their Meat. After Supper they say the rest of the foremen­tioned Psalmes, together with some cer­tain Praises, and Songs, tending to the same purpose; and so they go to bed: doing all the same things, the day follow­ing.

8. The Prayers in the Morning, are Here, as in all the other Feastivals, Onely the Ordinarie, Daily Prayers; adding withall some certain passages, that are Pertinent to the Present Occasion; and repeating the aforesaid Psalmes, from the 113. to the 119. Then do they out take the Book of the Pentateuch, and Five Persons read in Exodus, cap. 12. and in other places where mention is made of the Sacrifices which were to be performed at the Passe­over, [Page 131] as in Num. cap. 28. and these they af­terwards repeat over again, in their Mu­saph, or Additional Prayer: and then do they read, out of the Prophets, some Pas­sage, which is suitable to the Ordinarie Lesson for the day, which was taken out of the Pentateuch, called the [...] Haph­tarah, as they use to do on the Sabbath: and they likewise do the same in the After­noon, making withall a Commemoration of the Feast; and they also blesse the Prince, under whom they live; as upon the Sabbath.

9. The very same things are done, the two last daies of the Feast: save onely; that they do not, on the Last Evening, do the same, which they did on the First.

10. At the End of the Feast, they use the same Ceremonies, which they do on the Sabbath, which they call Habdalah; of which we have formerly spoken. Onely they use the Words barely, without the Ceremonie of Smelling to any sweet spi­ces; and so they return to their Eating of Leavened Bread again.

[Page 132] 11. From the Second Evening of the said Passeover, they begin to reckon 49. daies, unto the Feast of Weeks, which then followes; accounting from the day, whereon they Offered the Sheaf of Wheat, called [...], Omer, Manipulus, a Sheaf: and therefore this they called, Numerare Omer; To reckon Omer; or, the Daies before Harvest: as it is commanded, Levit. cap. 23. ver. 10, & 15. Numerabis Ergo ab altero die Sabbathi, in quo Obtulisti Mani­pulum Primitiarum, septem hebdomadas ple­nas, &c. And ye shall account unto you from the Morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the Sheaf of the Wave-Offer­ing; Seven Sabbaths shall be compleat, &c. And every Evening following, after they have said a Benediction to God, for gi­ving them This Precept, they say, To day are so many dayes past of the Omer.

12. And during the space of the first 33. daies of the Omer, they make shew of a kind of sadnesse in their Countenances; neither doth any of them either marry a Wife, or make himself any New Clothes, [Page 133] or cut his hair, or publickly make shew of any Mirth at all: because they have a Tradition, that at this time, that is to say, betwixt the second day of the Passeover, and the 33. day after, there was a very great Mortalitie happened, among the Disciples of a Great Person, named Rabbi Hachiba, wherein some Thousands of them died: and that on the 33. day, it ceased: and therefore they call This day, [...], Chag, Dies Festus, a Feastivall day; wherefore they make Good Chear upon it, and are merry; neither do they any longer shew any tokens of sorrow, as they did before.

CHAP. IV.
Of the Feast of Weeks, or Pen­tecost.

WHen the Fiftieth day of the aforesaid Account is come, which falls out to be upon the sixth of the Moneth of Sivan, they then celebrate the Feast of Weeks, called [...], Schebuoth: which is so called, because it is kept, at the End of seven full Weeks, accounted from the Passeover, as hath been formerly said. It is also called in the Scripture Festum Primitiarum, The Feast of the First Fruits: because at this time they were commanded to bring an Offering, to the Temple, of the First of their Fruits: as you may see, Deut. cap. 26. It is also called Festum Messis, or, the [Page 135] Feast of Harvest; because they now first began to put the Sickle into their Corn. This Feast is commanded to be observed, Exod. cap. 23. & Levit. 23. and in Num. cap. 28. and in divers other places, where it is mentioned, under several names. At this time, they keep it Two daies toge­ther.

2. These Two daies they keep Holy, in like manner, as at the Passeover; ab­staining from all manner of Work, or Businesse, as they do upon the Sabbath: Onely they may make Fires, and dresse Meat; and also carry any thing from one place to another.

3. They have a Tradition, that, at this very time, the Law was given, upon Mount Sinai: according as it is delivered Exod. cap. 19. And therefore they use to adorn, and trim up their Schooles, and places where they read the Law, and their houses also, with Roses, Flowres, Gar­lands, and all manner of Florishing Boughes, and the like.

[Page 136] 4. Their Prayers they use, are the same that at other Feasts: and they also take out the Book of the Law, reading the Sa­crifice, that was to be done at this Feast; then the Haphtarah, out of the Prophets; adding a Benediction, for the Prince un­der whom they live: and in the After­noon there is a Sermon made, in Praise of the Law.

5. When the Evening of the Second Day is come, they use the Ceremonie of the Habdalah▪ as hath been said, touching the End of the Passeover; in token, that the Feast is now ended.

CHAP. V.
Of their Caput Anni, or Beginning of the Year; and of the First Moneth, called Elul.

IT was once a Great Controversie a­mong the Talmudists, at what time of the Year the World was created: some of them said, it was in the Moneth Nisan, or March; that is to say, in the Spring: Others again maintained, that it was rather in the Moneth Tisri, or Sap­tember; because Autumn then begins. And this Opinion prevailed, so that it was thenceforth concluded, that the World began in the Autumn, on the moneth Tisri: which Moneth they also ordained to be accounted the Beginning of the Year. So that notwithstanding that we find in the Holy Scripture, that they were commanded by God, to account Nisan, [Page 138] the First moneth of the Year: as appears plainly out of Exod. cap. 12. ver. 2. Men­sis iste vobis principium Mensium, &c. This Moneth shall be unto you the Beginning of Moneths; it shall be the First Moneth of the Year to you, &c. and so, following this Or­der of reckoning Nisan the First, they would end with Adar, which would be the Twelfth, and Last Moneth of the Year: Yet notwithstanding it was after­wards decreed, that Tisri, or September, should be the First moneth, and the Be­ginning of the Year.

2. The First, and Second daies then of the moneth Tisri, are a Feastival to them, which they call [...], Rosch haschanah, Caput Anni, the Head, or Be­ginning of the Year: as it is enjoyned Li­vit. cap. 23. ver. 24. Mense septimo, prima die Mensis, erit Vobis Sabbatum, &c. Speak unto the Children of Israel, saying; In the Seventh Moneth, in the First day of the Moneth, shall ye have a Sabbath, &c. and all manner of Work, or Businesse, is pro­hibited, in like manner, as at the Passeover, [Page 139] and the Feast of Weeks: as hath been de­clared in the Precedent Chapters.

3. And for as much as they have a kind of Ancient Tradition, that God, at this time especially, judgeth all the Works of Men, that they have done the Year pas­sed; and also disposeth of, and Ordereth all that is to happen the year following; as if, This Day being, as it were, the Na­talitium, or Birth-day of the World, He at this time Examined, and considered more strictly, of all the Accidents that had come to passe: Therefore do they begin, on the first day of Elul, which is the moneth immediately going before, to think of Acts of Penance; and, in some places, they rise before day, and say Pray­ers, make Confession of their Sins, and rehearse the Penitentiall Psalms. And there are many among them, that Indict themselves Fasts, do Penance, and give Alms to the Poor; continuing on this Course, till the Day of Pardon comes, which we shall speak of in the following Chapter; that is to say, for the space of [Page 140] Forty daies. And on the first day of the moneth Elul, they sound a horn; for the reasons, which shall be hereafter speci­fied.

4. But these things are generally done by All of them, at least a Week before the Feast, and especially upon the Vigil, or Day before the said Feast begins: at which time many among them wash themselves, and cause themselves to be beaten, and whipt; observing, not to ex­ceed the Number of Scripes, set down, Deuter, cap. 25. ver. 3. Et plagarum Modus ita dunta [...]at, ut qua [...]r agenarium numerum non excedat, &c. Fourty stripes he may give him, and not exceed, &c. and therefore in whipping one another, they give but 39. Stripes▪ and this they call [...], Mal­cuth, Regnum, The Kingdomè of severi­ty.

5. The Eve before the first day of this Feast, they go to the School, where salu­ting each other, they say, one to another, Be thou written into a Good year▪ and the other answereth; And thou also. And they [Page 141] use, at this Feast, to have alwaies upon the Table, Honey, Leaven, and diverse other things to signifie Increasing, and growth, and to ominate a sweet, and a happie yeer to follow; and many the like Ceremo­nies do they use, all to the same end.

6. The morning of the first of these Two daies, they go to the School, and many of them apparel themselves all in white, in token of Cleannesse, and as a sign of Penitence: and many also, espe­cially of the Dutch Jewes, apparel them­selves in the same habit now, that they have provided for their Funerals, and in­tend to be buried in: and they do this, in sign of the Greater Contrition. When they are met together in the School, they say a greater number of Prayers, then or­dinarily they use to do; praying that the succeeding Yeer may be prosperous unto them, and begging pardon of all their sins. Then is the Book of the Pentateuch taken out, and the Lesson for the Day is read by five persons: then the Sacrifice that was wont to be performed on that [Page 142] day, described, Num. cap. 28. after this, the Haphtarah out of the Prophets is read, and so they say a Benediction for the Prince.

7. After this, they blow a horn, which is to be a Goats Horn, giving with it Thirty Blasts in all; of which, some are to be held out in length, and others to be short Broken ones. This they observe, from that passage in Levit. cap. 23. ver. 23. re­peated also, Num. cap. 29. ver. 1. And in the seventh Moneth on the First day of the Moneth, ye shall have an holy Convocation, ye shall do no servil work; it is a day of Blowing the Trumpets unto you. And this is done, They say, to strike a Terrour into themselves, and to put themselves in mind of the Judgment of God, and to induce them to repent them of their sins. After this, they say the Musaph, or Additionall Prayer: and many other things they add, which are proper to the day, and the bu­sinesse in hand: and then, lastly, they sound the Horn again, in the same man­ner as before. Then returning home each man to his house, they sit down to [Page 143] meat; and so spend the rest of the day in hearing Sermons, and other Religious Exercises: And all these things are in the same manner done over again, the day following. And upon the second day, in the Evening, when the Feast is now end­ed, they say the Habdalah; as in all the Other Feasts, before-mentioned.

CHAP. VI.
Of the day of Pardon of sins, or Expiation, called Chipur.

IMmediately after the Two daies of the Feast of the Beginning of the Year, they fall to doing of Penance, rising to Prayers before day-light: and this they continue doing, untill the Tenth day of the said Moneth Tisri: Which Tenth day is a Fast, for the obtaining Pardon of their Sins, and is called [...], [...] Jom hachipur, Dies Expiationis, The Day of Expiation, or Pardon of Sins: as we [Page 144] find written, Levit. cap. 23. ver. 27. Deci­mo die mensis hujus septimi dies Expiatio­num erit, &c. Also on the Tenth day of this seventh Moneth there shall be a day of Atonement, it shall be an Holy Convocation unto you: and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an Offering made by fire unto the Lord, &c. And they are prohibited from doing any manner of Work, or Businesse, as up­on the Sabbath: and they Fast all day without Eating or Drinking any thing.

2. The Vigil, or Evening before this Fast, they were wont heretofore to use a certain Ceremonie with a Cock, swing­ing it about their Head, and giving it up in Exchange of Themselves, and this they called [...], Caparah, or Reconciliation. But this Custome is now left off, both in the East, and in Italy, as being a thing both Superstitious, and Groundlesse.

3. On this day they feed very plenti­fully, considering that they are to Fast all the next: and many go into Bathes, and wash themselves; and they cause them­selves to be whipt also, undergoing the [Page 145] aforementioned Discipline, of the 39. Stripes, called Malchuth. And there are some among them so conscionable, as that if they have wronged any one in any thing, they make Restitution; and ask Pardon of all that they have offended; and also pardon all persons whatsoever, that have injured Them at all. They also give Alms to the Poor: in a word, they do all things whatsoever, that can be re­quired to True and Hearty Repentance.

4. Two or three hours before Night, they go to their Afternoon Prayers; and after this, to Supper: and they make an End of Eating before Sun-set. After­wards, many of them put on white Gar­ments, or else the Habit they intend to be buried in, as hath been said before: and so they go, Bare-footed, to the School, which on this day is all hung about with several Lights, as Lamps of Oyl, and Wax Tapers: and now do they say ma­ny Penitentia Prayers, and make Confes­sion of their sins; Every Nation accord­ing to their own Custome, and Usage; [Page 146] but these Devotions last for the space of three hours, at the least: and thus ha­ving finished here, they go home to bed. Yet some there are, that stir not out of the School all night long, but continue say­ing their Prayers, and now and then Psalms, sleeping very little, nor not at all.

5. In the morning following, as soon as it is day-light, they all repair to the School again, in the aforesaid habits; and there they stay till night, continually praving and saying of Psalms, and making their Confessions, and craving pardon of God, of the sins they have committed. The Devotions of this day consists of Four Parts: the first, is, that of the morning, which they call [...], Shackrith: the second, the Additional Prayers, called [...], Musaph: the third, the Afternoon Service, called [...], Mincha: and the fourth and last, the Evening Prayers, which they call. [...], Nehilah. At the Schakrith, and Mincha, they take out the Book of the Law; and in the morning, six [Page 147] persons are invited to read in it; but in the Afternoon, they call but Three to it: and after this, they read the Haphtarah, or Les­son out of the Prophets.

6. At the Musaph, or Additional Prayers, they read the Sacrifice of that day; & then do they make a Commemoration of the Great Solemnitie that was wont to be ce­lebrated by the High Priest on that day; at which time onely, throughout the whole Yeer, it was lawfull for him to en­ter into the Sanctum Sanctorum, or Holy Place, to burn Incense, and to cast Lots upon the Two Goats; one Lot for the Lord, and the other Lot for [...], Aza­zel, the Scape-goat: as it is commanded, Levit. cap. 16.

7. When it is now Night, and that they can see the stars appear, they then blow the Horn, as they did at the Feast of the Beginning of the Yeer; to signifie, that the Fast is ended: and so going out of the School, they salute one another, wishing each other that they may live many Yeers: and then do they blesse the [Page 148] New Moon; as hath been touched be­fore, Par. 3. cap. 3. and so going home to their houses, they say the Habdalah, and so go to their meat.

CHAP. VII.
Of the Feast of Boothes, or Taber­nacles.

VPon the Fifteenth day of the said moneth Tisri, is the Feast of Boothes, Tabernacles, or Tents, cal­led [...], Succoth, Tuguria: in memorie, that the Children of Israel, at their com­ing up out of Egypt, made use of such, in the Wildernesse: as you may find, Levit. cap. 23. ver. 42, & 43. Habitabit is in Umbra­culis Septem diebus, &c. Ye shall dwell in Boothes seven daies: all that are Israelites born, shal dwell in Boothes: that your Gene­rations may know, that I made the Children of Israel to dwell in Booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. And there­fore [Page 149] every man maketh him one of those Boothes, in some place about his house, in the Open Air, covering it at the top with Green Boughes, and walling it about, and trimming it up as handsomely as he can. There are many nice Circumstances set down by the Rabbines, to be observed, concerning the Height, Bignesse, and Form, or Manner how they are to bee made: which we shall here omit. In these Boothes they Eat and Drink, and some there are that sleep in them, and keep al­together in them, (during the eight daies of the Feast) as at other times they do in their houses.

2. This Feast continueth Nine daies, that is to say, seven daies, which are com­manded in the Law; and One more, which they adde, out of an Ancient Cu­stome: as hath been formerly said, in the Feast of the Passeover. Par. 3. cap. 1. and One more, commanded Num. 29. to be a more Solemn Assemblie, then any of the seven. Dies quoque Octavus erit celeberri­mus, &c. On the eighth day ye shall have a [Page 150] Solemn Assemble: ye shall do no servil work. The two first, and the two last daies, are solemn Feastivals; but the five Inter­mediate are not so: like as hath been for­merlie said, in the Feast of the Passe­over.

3. The Form of Prayers is the same, that upon Other Daies; onely there is some Commemoration made, of the Reason of the Feast, and Its Original: they also say the six Psalmes, from the 113. to the 119. called Hallel: then do they take forth the Book of the Pentateuch, and read in it; afterwards they say the Haphtarah, and say a Benediction for the Prince, under whom they live: then the Additionall Prayer, called Musaph, wherein they Com­memorate the Sacrifice, that was wont to be Offered that day, described, Numb. cap. 29. namely, on the First day 13. Bul­locks; on the Second, 12. on the Third, 11. &c. till it came to 70. in number, throughout the whole Seven daies: and on the Eighth, they sacrificed One Bul­lock onely.

[Page 151] 4. They also take a Branch of Palme­tree, and three Boughes of Mirtle, and two of Willow, and a Citron which must be a fair one, and every way Per­fect: and binding all these Boughes to­gether, when in their Prayers at the School they come to the aforesaid Psalms, called Hallel, holding the Boughes in their Right hand, and the Citron in their Left, clapping them together, they shake them about, holding them forth toward the four Quarters of the World, and moving them Upwards, and Down­wards: this they do, observing the Com­mand given, Levit. cap. 23. S [...]metis (que) vo­bis die primo fructus arboris pulcherrimae, &c. And ye shall take you on the First day the Heb. Fruit. Boughes of Goodly Trees, Branches of Palm-trees, & Boughes of Thick Trees, and Willowes of the brook, and ye shall rejoyce before the Lord your God seven daies. Then do they all go round about the Table, or Woodden Altar, where­on they use to lay the book of the Law, when they read in it, every day Once; [Page 152] singing withal certain Hymnes, and swing­ing their Boughet about in one hand, and the Citron in the other: because, thus they were of old used to do in the Temple, round about the Altar.

5. On the Seventh day, which they call [...], Hos [...]anah rabbah, the Great Hosanna, they adde to their Former bundle of Boughes, other branches of Willow, and go round about the School seven times, and say the 29. Psalm, Afferte Domino fidei Israel, &c. Give unto the Lord, (Oye sons of the Mighty.) give unto the Lord glory and strength. And they keep That day somewhat more solemnly, then they do the Five Intermediate daies.

6. The Ninth, and Last day of the Feast, is called [...], Shimchah Torah, Laetitia propter Legem; that is to say, Their Joy for having finished the Law: because that at this time they make an End of reading over all the Pentateuch, according to the Division of it into so ma­ny Lessons, or Sections, as there be weeks in the year: as hath been formerly said, [Page 153] Part. 1. Cap. 11. it being so ordered, that the Reading over of the whole Pentateuch, should be finished, at the same time that the year also ends.

7. There are at this time, chosen, in every School, Two, which are called Sponsi Legis, Bridegrooms of the Law: One of which, is to read the End of it, called [...], Kathan torah, Sponsus The Bridegroom of the Law (ended:) and the Other is presently to begin it again; and He is called [...], Kath [...] Beres [...]hith, Sponsus Principi; the Bride­groom of the Beginning (of the Law.) Which Two persons are to expresse some tokens of Joy; and thus they do, in all the se­veral Schools: and so this Whole day, is a Day of Rejoycing.

CHAP. VIII.
Of their Fasts; Commanded, and Voluntary.

Upon the 17. day of the Moneth Tamuz, or June, they observe a Fast; in Memorie of certain Disasters, that have befallen the Citie Jerusalem upon That Day: and particu­larly, because they have a Tradition, that it was upon This Day, that the First Tables were broken in pieces by Moses, upon the Children of Israel's making to themselves the Golden Calf.

2. All their Ordinarie, Commanded, Fasts begin upon One Evening, and end upon the Evening following; during which space of time, they neither Eat, nor Drink any thing, little or much; till such time as the Stars begin to appear.

3. In the Morning, at their Prayers in the School, they adde to the Usual Pray­ers [Page 155] of the day, certain Confessions of sins, and withal make a sad Rehearsal of the Disasters that had befallen them upon This Day: then do they take out the Book of the Law, and read in Exod. cap. 32. ver. 12. &c. Et Oravit Moses, &c. And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said: Lord why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy Peo­ple, &c. In the Afternoon, at the Min­cha, or Afternoon Service, they read the same things again: and for the Haphtarah, or Lesson, out of the Prophets, they read that Place in Isaiah, cap. 55. ver. 6. Quaerite Dominum, dum inveniri potest, &c. Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found: call ye up­on him while he is near.

4. There are some, that will neither eat Flesh, nor drink Wine, from the said 17. day of Tamuz, or June, till the 9. of the Moneth Ab, or July; that is to say, for three full weeks together: but this is more then they are bound to do: and they do it, because that All These Daies have been Unfortunate to the House of Israel.

[Page 156] 5. Upon the 9. of the said moneth Ab, or July, they observe a more severe Fast then Ordinarie; and they call it, by the name of the Day of the moneth, [...] Tischah beab, Nona Mensis Julii, The Ninth of July; because that, upon This Day, the Temple was twice burnt down, at the Taking of Jerusalem; the First time by Nabuchadonozar, and the second time by Titus, Son to the Emperour Vespasian. They begin This Fast, an hour before Sun-set, or thereabout; and neither eat, nor drink any thing, but go Barefooted, and forbear also to Wash themselves, till the Evening following, when the Stars now begin to appear.

6. At Night they repair to the School, at the Ordinarie time of Evening Pray­ers: and there, they all sitting upon the ground, the Lamentations of Jeremy are read: and the Morning following they do the like, adding withal many other Passages, tending all to Sorrow, and La­mentation. And thus they continue all that day; neither may they any way re­fresh, [Page 157] or recreate themselves, nor so much as studie, or read the Law, nor any other book; except it be the Book of Job, or Jeremy, or the like Melancholy, Sorrow­ful Discourses.

7. The Next Sabbath after This Fast, is called [...], Nachamu, that is to say, a Day of Consolation; and therefore reading the 40. Chapter of Isaiah, for the Haphtarah; Consolamini, consolamini Popule meus, &c. Comfort ye, comfort ye my People, saith your God: Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, &c. they go on, comforting one another with the Hopes, that they shall yet see Jerusalem, and the Temple, built up a­gain.

7. On the Third day of the Moneth Tisri, or September, which is the next day after the Feast of the Beginning of the year, they have another Fast, keeping it after the Usual manner, from Evening to Even­ing: And the Reason of their observing this Fast, is, because that this is the day, on which Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, who was onely left remaining for the Defence [Page 158] of the Residue of the House of Israel, and was a Just man, was slain. And because it is one of the Daies of Penance; which happen at this time of the Year, therefore do they take occasion, in their Prayers, to make a solemn Commemoration of this Just Person; and keep a Fast: calling the day [...], Tzom Gadaliah, Jejunium Gadaliae, The Fast of Geda­liah.

9. After this, followeth the Fast of Chipur, or Day of Expiation: spoken of, formerly, Chap. 6. where it is described at large.

10. Upon the 10. of Tebeth, or Decem­ber, there is another Yearly Fast; because that, upon that day, Nebuchadnezzar be­gan to lay siege to Jerusalem, and after­wards took it.

11. On the 13. of Adar, or March, which is the day before the Feast of [...], Purim, which is kept in Memorie of the Things which Queen Esther did for the Jewish Nation, they observe also a Yearly Fast; because that Esther her self [Page 159] Fasted also, at that time; as you find it written in the book of Esther.

12. And these are all the Fasts that are Commanded them in the Law: but they have besides, Other, which the severall Nations use to observe: as the Dutch, for example, after the Feast of the Passeover, and that of Tabernacles, make Three Fast­ing-daies; one Monday, one Thursday, and another Monday again: and the reason they give, for so doing, is, because the Precedent Feast being Eight daies long, they might haply have committed some sin or other, during that space of time. And so they likewise Fast, the Eve before the Feast of the Beginning of the Year: and some there are among them, that keep a Fast the Day before the Beginning of every Moneth.

13. And if any man have a mind, out of particular Devotion, or Penance, to Indict himself a Fast, besides all these; he then, on the Evening before the day he intends to Fast, before the going down of the Sun, (except it be, in Case of Fasting [Page 160] upon any Dream; as hath been formerly declared, Part. 1. cap. 4.) saith thus: I take upon my self to fast to morrow. And ha­ving so said, he continues, without eating, or drinking, till the Evening following; as the Usual manner of Fasting is: and in his Devotions, he adds a Prayer to God, that he would be pleased to accept This Fast of his, instead of Sacrifice.

CHAP. IX.
Of the Feast of Lights, called also Chanucha.

VPon the 25. day of the Moneth Kislein, which is our November, by an Ancient Ordinance of the Wise-man, is kept the Feast of the Dedica­tion of the Altar, which is celebrated for the space of eight daies together; and at Evening, upon each of these eight daies, they set up Lights; One, upon the First day: Two, upon the Second: Three up­on the Third, and so forward, till the Eighth. And this Feast is observed in Commemoration of a Great Victorie obtained by the Maccabees, against the Greeks, who had possessed themselves of the Citie of Jerusalem, and had entred in­to the Temple, and profaned it: but were afterwards overcome by Judas, and his Brethren, and driven out again. Now, [Page 162] there being no Pure Oyl, which had not been defiled by the Heathen, to be found, for the lighting of the Lamps that were to be set up of Course in the Temple, they at last found by chance a smal Vessel seal­ed up, wherein was Oyl hid, but onely as much as was sufficient for Lights one Night onely; which Oyl notwithstand­ing miraculously lasted for Eight whole Nights: and therefore, for this reason, it was decreed, that the said Feast of Lights, should ever afterward be observed. They have a Tradition also, that in Ordaining this Feast to be kept, they had an Eye also upon that famous Exploit, performed by Judith, upon Holofernes: although many are of opinion, that this happened not at this time of the Year; and that they make a Commemoration of that piece of Gal­lantrie of Hers, Now, because she was of the stock of the Maccabees.

2. During the time of these eight daies, it is lawfull for them to do any manner Businesse, or Work: neither is there any kind of solemnitie observed at this time, [Page 163] save onely of the said Lights; and that, at their Prayers, there is added a Panegyrick, or Laudatorie Oration, in memorie of that Great Victorie obtained by Them against the Heathen; and besides, every morning they say the six Psalms, called Hallel, beginning at the 113. Psalm: and likewise the 30. Psal. Exaltabo te Domi­ne, &c. I will extol thee O Lord, for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me, &c. and they also use some certain Ceremonies, more then Or­dinarie, at their Meat.

3. This Feast is called [...], Chanu­cah, which is as much as to say, The Feast of Dedication, or Initiation, and their being restored to the Exercise of their Religion again; having now purified the Temple again anew, which had been de­filed by the Heathen.

CHAP. X.
Of the Feast of Purim, or Lots.

VPon the 14. day of the Moneth Adar, or March, they celebrate Yearly the feast of [...], Pu­rim: in memorie of what we read in the book of Esther, concerning the children of Israels escaping the danger of a Totall Extirpation, by the Machination, and subtle Devices of Haman, who was after­wards hanged together with his ten Sons. This feast is called the feast of Purim, or Lots, for the reason set down, cap. 9. of the said book of Esther: Dies isti appellati sunt Purim, &c. Because Haman the Son of Hammadetha the Agagite, &c. had de­vised against the Jewes to destroy them, and had cast Pur, (that is the Lot) to consume them, &c. Therefore they called These daies Purim, after the name of Pur.

2. This Feast continueth two daies, [Page 165] although they keep the first onely, so­lemnly; fasting the day before it, as hath been formerly said. And notwithstand­ing that they are not forbidden to do any manner of Businesse, or Work, upon the aforesaid two daies of the Feast: yet do they voluntarily forbear, upon the first of the two daies, and make it a solemn Feastival.

3. Upon the first Evening they all re­pair to the School, where saying the Or­dinarie Prayers, they adde also a Com­memoration of the great deliverance at that time, when they were now at the Jawes of Death: and then do they read the whole storie of their Escape, that is to say, the whole book of Esther; which they have in their Schools, fairly written in Parchmet, in a long Roll, as the Penta­teuch is: and this they call [...], Me­ghillah, that is to say, Volumen, a Volume, or Roll. And while this is reading, there are some, that, as often as they hear Ha­man named, they beat the ground, and make a great murmuring noise, in token [Page 166] of Cursing him, and execrating his me­morie: and they do the like at their Mor­ning Prayers also: and withall read out of the Pentateuch, Exod. cap. 17. ver. 8. Venit autem Amalech, &c. Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim, &c.

4. On this day they give much Alms to the Poor, publickly: and they likewise send Dishes of Meat one to another, every friend, and kinsman, to each other, and Scholars send Presents to their Masters, or Tutors, and Masters give to their Ser­vants; and generally, all Superiours to their Inferiours. And they use all expres­sions of Mirth, and Joy, that may be; in­viting, and feasting one another: as it is commanded, Esth. cap. 9. Esséntque dies isti Epularum, &c. That they should make them daies of Feasting, and Joy, and of sen­ding portions one to another, and gifts to the Poor.

5. And this they observe chiefly upon the second Evening; at which time every one makes as great a Feast, as he is able; eating, and drinking more freely, then at [Page 167] other times. And after supper, they go on visiting one another, entertaining their friends with Banquets, Pastimes, and all manner of Jollities, and Entertainments of mirth.

6. They do not make so great Chear, or Expressions of Joy, upon the second Day: nor is any thing read in the school: yet do they on This Day also make shew of some kind of joy.

7. When there are thirteen Moneths in the Yeer, that is to say, when the Moneth Adar is doubled, or there are two Moneths of March, as hath been touched formerly, Par. 3. cap. 2. they call the 14. of the first Adar, the lesser Purim. Not­withstanding they, at this time, observe nothing at all, that is essentiall to the said Feast: neither have these Daies any thing in Common betwixt them, save onely the bare Name.

CHAP. I.
Of the several Kinds, and Degrees of Adulterie, and Forni­cation.

THe Severall Degrees of Adultery, and Fornica­tion, are these that fol­low: The First, is, to Lie with Another Man's Wife; or, with any Woman, that is but onely Betroathed to Another man. And This is, among the Jews, account­ed for one of the Greatest, and most Hai­nous Crimes, that can be committed. [Page 168] The Next to this is, to Lie with any of ones Kindred, that is to say, with any of those specified, Levit. cap. 20. and the Children, that are begotten by any such Unlawful Copulation, are to be esteem­ed Bastards, whom they call [...], Mam­zer, Spurious: neither may they acknow­ledge, or make Alliances with them: ac­cording to that which is written, Deuter. 23. ver. 2. Non ingredietur Mamzer, hoc est, Spurium, in Ecclesiam Domini, &c. A Bastard shall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord: even unto his tenth generation shall he not enter into the Congregation of the Lord. Next to the aforesaid Degrees of Adulterie, followes the Having Carnall Knowledge of a Woman, that is not a Jew; because, they say, this was Forbid­den by Esdra: or to Lie with any Strum­pet, that is a Jew; the Publick Tolerati­on of which kind of People is not in rea­son to be thought of, amongst the Jewes; seeing it is against the Expresse Text of the Scripture, in the aforesaid Deut. 23. ver. 17. Non erit Meretrix de filiabus Israel, [Page 154] &c. There shall be no Whore of the Daughters of Israel, &c.

2. It is also a Sin, to have to do with any Woman whatsoever, although she be free from all the aforesaid Particulars; unlesse she be a Mans own Wife; or to deflowr any Virgin, unlesse he after­wards marry her: because all these things are accounted Fornication.

3. They may not lie with any Menstru­ous Woman: as you may find written, Levit. cap. 18. ver. 19. Ad mulierem quae patitur menstrua non accedes, &c. Also thou shalt not approach unto a Woman to uncover her Nakednesse, as long she is put apart for her Uncleannesse: neither may they have knowledge so much as of their own Wives, so long as they are in this Condi­tion; as we shall shew hereafter.

CHAP. II.
Of their Marriages.

Every Jew is bound by the Law to Marry: and the most Convenient time to do this, is determined by the Rabbines to be, at Eighteen Years of Age: But they must by no means live Unmarried, after Twentie: and what man soever is not Married, after he is of This Age, he is accounted as One that lives in Sin. The reasons of this are: First, because all men are bound to En­deavour the Procreation of Children; ac­cording as God Commanded Adam, Gen. cap. 1. ver. 28. Crescite & Multiplicamini, et replete terram, &c. And God said unto them, Be fruitful, and Multiply, & replenish the Earth, &c. and they conceive them­selves not to have fulfilled this Precept here given, till they have begotten One Son, and One Daughter, at least. And [Page 172] besides, they say, they are bound to mar­rie, that by having Wives of their own, they may by this means the easier avoid all Occasions of falling into the sins of Adulterie, or Fornication; which, if they should live Unmarried, they would be apt to fall into.

2. They may marrie as many Wives, as they please, as we find practised by the Ancient Hebrewes: Examples whereof, we frequently meet withall in the Scri­ptures: and this Custome is in Use still, among the Levantines, or Eastern Jewes: But the Having of Many Wives is not at all, either permitted, or practised, among the Dutch: and among the Italians also it is very Rare; and seldome, or never used; save onely, in case that a man hath lived many Years with his Wife, and hath not been able to have any Children by Her.

3. A man may marrie his Niece; that is to say, the Daughter of his Brother, or Sister: and yet a man may not Marry his Aunt, to whom he is Nephew. In like manner may Cousen-Germans marrie; that [Page 173] is to say, Brothers and Sister's Children, both by Father and Mother. All the Other Degrees of Alliances, specified Le­vit. cap. 20. are Prohibited, from marry­ing with each other.

4. There are many among them, that will not Marrie a Woman, that hath had Two, or More Husbands before; calling Her, a Husband-killer: but however, This is not any where Forbidden. And the like is to be understood of a man, that hath had more then Two Wives.

5. A Widow, or a Woman, that hath been put away by a Former Husband, cannot marrie, within the space of Nine­ty daies, after the Death of her Husband, or of her Divorce: to the end, that it may be known, whether or no she be with Child by her Former Husband; and, that there may not be any Controversie, whose the Child is.

6. If a man die, and leave behind him a Young Child, sucking at the Mothers breast; his Widow may not marrie a­gain, till the Child be full Two years old. [Page 174] And this is so Ordered by the Rabbines, that the Infant might be sure not to be neglected, till it should come to be of some strength.

CHAP. III.
Of their Contracts, and Manner of Marrying.

THe Manner of their making of Contracts, or Espousalls, is thus: There is a Writing drawn be­twixt the Man, and the Kindred of the Woman; and then doth the Man take the Woman by the Hand, and acknow­ledgeth Her for his Spouse: and the busi­ness is done, as to the Matter of Contract. In some places they use, at this time, to put a Ring upon her finger, and so betroath her: but in Italy, and in Germany, they do not use this Ceremony, for the most part, when they are Contracted onely. Af­terwards they continue thus, Promised; [Page 175] some, a Year; others, Two, Four, Sixe Moneths; more, or lesse, as they please themselves, and according as they con­ceive it to be most Convenient for them: during which time, the Man hath libertie to visit, and to sport and toy with his be­troathed Mistresse; but he must not know her Carnally.

2. When the time of their Marriage approacheth, and the Day is now set, (which useth to be in the Increase of the Moon; and for Virgins, on Wednesday, or Friday; and for Widowes, on Thurs­day:) if the Bride hath passed the time of her Monethly Courses, she then goeth to a Bath, and washeth her self: as we shall shew more fully hereafter, Chap. 5. Other­wise, she may not lie with her Bride­groom, although the Marriage may how­ever be solemnized betwixt them; till such time as she shall be in case to go, and wash her self.

3. It is a Custome with many, that the Bridegroom and his Bride should both fast, upon their Wedding day, till such [Page 176] time as the Ceremonie of the Benediction is finished.

4. Upon the Marriage day, the Parties to be married are brought into some large Hall, or Chamber; and there placing themselves under a kind of Canopie, they have Musick brought before them: & in some places they have little Boyes, with lighted Torches in their hands, that sing before them. When the people are now gathered together in the place where the Wedding is to be celebrated, there is one of the afore-mentioned Square Vestments, called Taleth, with the Pendants a­bout it, put over the head of the Bride­groom, and the Bride together. Then doth the Rabbine of the place, or the Ca­zan, or Chaunter of the School, or else some one that is the nearest of their kin, take a Bowl of Wine in his hand, and say­ing a Benediction to God, Who hath created the Man, and the Woman, and hath ordained Marriage, &c. he giveth the Bridegroom, and the Bride, of this Wine to drink. Af­ter this, the Bridegroom putteth a Ring [Page 177] upon her finger, in the presence of Two Witnesses, which commonly use to be the Rabbines, saying withall unto her: Be­hold, Thou art my Espoused Wife, according to the Custome of Moses, and of Israel. Then is the Writing of her Dowrie produced, and read; wherein the Bridegroom is bound, in lieu of her Dowrie by Him re­ceived, both to feed, cloath, and cherish her, &c. and he binds himself to the per­formance of all these things. After this, they take another Bowl of wine, and sing six other Benedictions, making up the number of Seven in all: and then do they give of this Wine also to the New mar­ried couple to drink: and having so done, they pour out the rest of the Wine upon the Ground, in token of Joy, and Glad­nesse: and the emptie Vessel being deli­vered into the Bridegrooms hand, He takes and dasheth it with all his might a­gainst the Ground, and so breaks it all to pieces: signifying hereby, that in the midst of all their mirth, and jollitie, they are to remember Death, that destroies, [Page 178] and breakes us in pieces, like Glasse: that so we grow not proud. And when this done, then doth all the people with a loud voice crie out, [...], Mazal tob, which is as much as to say, Good fortune to them. And so they all depart.

5. In the Evening they make a Feast, and invite their kindred, and friends: and the Custome in some places is, that after supper is ended, the Guests present the Bride with several Gifts, some with Gold, others with Silver, &c. and some do this before Supper. Afterward they again sing over the seven Benedictions, before spoken of, at the Solemnitie of the Mar­riage; having first said the Ordinarie Be­nediction, used after meat: and so they rise from Table.

6. After this, if the Bride hath found her Monethly Courses to be over, and hath washed her self, (as we have touch­ed before) if they go to Bed together: and if she were a Virgin before, so soon as e­ver he hath made her a Woman, he riseth from her, and may not touch her any [Page 179] more, till such time as she hath fulfilled the time required in married women for their continuing Clean, and hath washed her self again in a Bath: as shall be shew­ed, Chap. 5.

7. The Sabbath following, at Morning Prayers, the Bridegroom goeth to the School, as his Bride also doth, accompa­nied with other women. And when the book of the Pentateuch is now taken forth, the New-Married man is invited up to read in it: who presently maketh a Pro­mise of giving Great Alms to the Poor; as likewise do all the Invited Persons af­ter him in Order. And when Prayers are ended, the men accompanie the Bride­groom, and the women the Bride, home to their house: where after Comple­ments passed betwixt them, they take their leave, and depart.

In some places they have a Custome, that the Bridegroom is to keep within doors, seven daies after the Espousals, or Contract, made betwixt both parties: du­ring which time he is visited by his [Page 180] friends and acquaintance; among whom he entertaineth the Time with Pastimes, and pleasing Recreations.

8. And this is the most usuall manner of their making Contracts of Marriage, and celebrating of Nuptials among them: although the Customes of the severall Countries are herein, though not very much, yet something different.

9. If the Bride should chance to die, after the Marriage, without having brought forth any Children, the Dowrie which she brought, her husband must in this case be disposed of, according to the Agreements before made betwixt both Parties: which are very different, accor­ding as the Customes, and Usages, of the several Countries are.

CHAP. IV.
Of the Liberty a Woman that was Married young hath, to refuse her Husband: and of the Penalty of For­cing, or Deflowring a Virgin.

IF a young Girl, under the age of ten Years old, (being an Orphan, or Fa­therlesse: or though she had a Father then, who is now dead) be espoused by the consent of her mother, or of her bro­thers, to a man that she liketh not; after that she hath the Tokens of Woman­hood upon her, and hath now arrived to the age of Twelve Years, and a day, she may refuse this man for a Husband: And so making Open Protestation, that she will not have him, before two Witnesses, they are bound to testifie this her Renun­ciation, in Writing. And having so done, [Page 182] it is lawfull for her to leave him, and to marry whom she pleaseth.

2. Whosoever, either by Force, or by any Enticements, or fair Promises, so far prevaileth upon a Virgin, as that he know her Carnally; if her Father, and she be so pleased, the Judges must force him either to marry her, (neither may he ever after be Divorced from her: as it is expresly commanded, Deut. cap. 22.) or else they must make him give her Reparations, for her Honour, and the Injurie he hath done her, in robbing her of her Virgi­nitie.

CHAP. V.
How their Women behave themselves, during the time of their Courses, and after Child-birth.

WHen a woman perceiveth, that her Monethly Courses are now upon her, she is bound to give notice of it to her Husband: who immediately separateth himself from her, and toucheth her not any more: nei­ther may he deliver any thing into her hand, nor receive any thing from her, nor sit near her, nor eat with her in the same dish, nor drink with her in the same cup.

2. And thus she continueth, during the time that her Courses are upon her; which lasteth, in most women, for the space of five daies: but in case this Flux should continue upon Her longer, she must expect, till it stops. At which time, she changeth her smock, and the sheets of [Page 184] the bed; and thus continuing clean, for se­ven other daies, she cutteth her Nails, and cleanseth them throughly, and washeth her self in a Bathing Tub, and also comb­eth her Head. After this she goeth to a Bath, made for the same purpose; which is to be, either of Springing Water, or of Rain-water, (but it must not, by any means, have been brought thither by Man's hand:) and the water must be at least Three Yards deep, and one Yard over; for otherwise, the washing in it, would be Insufficient, and of no force. But in those places, where they have not any such Bathes, made for the Purpose, they in this case go, either to some River, Well, Sea, or Pond: and there must they duck themselves in, all over head and ears, stark naked; so that, there may not the least part of their bodie scape being washed by the water. In so much that, if they should chance to have a Ring upon any of their Fingers, that sate close to their Flesh, so that the water could not perhaps get under it, their washing is ut­terly [Page 185] to no purpose; and they must even return, and bath again. And while she is at her work, she must have another woman to stand by her; who is to see, that she be wholly covered over with water: and ha­ving thus done, she putteth on her cloaths again; and so returning home, she may lie with her Husband again, till such time as her Courses return again upon her: at which time, she must cleanse her self as formerly; and so as often as Occasion re­quireth.

3. When a woman hath been delive­red of a Child, she is to continue, separa­ted from her husband, in the like manner, as hath been declared: and if she hath brought forth a Male-child, her husband may not touch her for the space of seven weeks; but if it be a Female, for Three Moneths space: although in some places they continue separated a lesse while, ac­cording as the Custome of the place is. And thus, seven daies before the said time of Separation is expired, the woman useth to shift her self; and on the Eight day she [Page 186] washeth her self, in the manner before de­livered: and having so done, she may ac­company with her Husband again.

CHAP. VI.
Of the Manner of Putting away their Wives, and of Jealousie.

IN Ancient times, when a Husband was Jealous of his wife, he brought her to the Priest; who, giving her a certain water to drink, if she were Inno­cent, it did her no harm; but if she was Guiltie of the Offence she was suspected for, she then presently had a swelling in her bellie, and her flesh rotted; as we find it written, Num. cap. 5. But now, if a Man have forbidden his wife, and charged her, saying; Let me not see Thee any more in such a Man's Company: if He afterwards find, that she still keepes the said person com­panie; [Page 187] or if there be a publick Fame a­broad, that she is dishonest; or if there be any sufficient Arguments, to prove that she is naught; and especially if she be ta­ken in the act; the Rabbines have power to force him, whether he will or no, to put her away, and never more to have to do with her: the manner of which Divorse, or putting away a Man's wife, is hereafter set down. And a woman that is thus Re­pudiated, or put away, hath libertie after­wards to marry with any other man whatsoever, save onely with him, for su­spicion, or certain knowledge of too much Familiarity with whom she had be­fore been put away by her husband.

2. A man hath power, according to the strict Letter of the Law, to put away his wife, not in case of Adulterie onely, but for any other dislike that he hath to­ward her: as it is said, Deuter cap. 24. ver. 1. Si acceperit uxorem, &c. When a Man hath taken a Wife, and married her, and it come to passe that she find no favour in his Eyes, because he hath found some Unclean­nesse [Page 188] in her; then let him write her a Bill of Divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. Howbeit a Man should not take hold of the bare Letter of the Law, so as to put away his wife, upon any slight Dislike, but onely in the afore­mentioned case of Jealousie; or else, for some other notorious wickednesse, that he hath found in her. And to the end that this businesse of Divorce, and put­ting away of a Man's wife, may not so ea­sily be put in practice, upon every light Occasion: therefore have the Rabbines so intangled it with difficulties, and brought in so many nice Circumstances, to be observed both in the Writing, and the Delivering of this Bill of Divorce to the woman; that by his means the time being protracted, the Husband may have opportunity to repent himself of what he is going about, and so may haply re­turn, and be reconciled to his wife.

3. Now the manner of putting away a mans wife, is this. There is a Notary called in the presence of one, or more of the [Page 189] chiefest Rabbines: then doth the Husband require, that a Bill of Divorce, which they call [...], Ghet, be written, for such a wo­man, his wife. This Bill of Divorce must be written in Parchment, exactly Ruled, and in a large square Letter: and it must not consist of either more, or fewer, then just Twelve Lines: and many other Pun­tilios, and Nice Circumstances are there to be observed, both in the Character, and the manner of writing it; and in the name and surname of the Husband, and of the Wife. And it is necessary also, that nei­ther the Notary, nor the Rabbines, nor the Witnesses be any whit of Kin, either to the Man, or to the Woman; nor yet among themselves: Neither may any one of all the aforesaid witnesses, that were present at the Delivery of this Bill of Divorce, af­terwards marry, and take to wife the wo­man thus Repudiated before Them.

4. The Form of this Ghet, or Bill of Divorce, is Briefly This: On such a day, of such a Moneth, Year, and place, &c. I such a One, do Voluntarily Repudiate, put away, and [Page 190] set free, Thee, such a One, Who wast former­ly My Wife; so that Thou mayest henceforth marry Whomsoever Thou pleasest, &c.

5. When this is written, in the Manner as hath been formerly delivered; then doth the Rabbine ask the Husband very Formally, whether or no he doth this Voluntarily, and Freely; and whether he hath made any Vow, or Oath to do this: if so, He is ready to dispence with him, and Absolve him from it: Or whe­ther he hath made any Protestation to her, against her Keeping Company with such a man: and many Other the like Tri­fling Questions are put to Him.

6. There must be Ten persons at least present, at the making of this Bill: and the Names of the Witnesses must be sub­scribed to it; and there must also be Two other Witnesses of the Delivery of it: to whom the Rabbine proposeth this Questi­on: Whether or no, there be any of them that knoweth any Impediment, why this Di­vorce should not go forward: if so, they must now speak.

[Page 191] 7. After this, the Rabbine commandeth the Woman to take her Rings off her fingers, and to open both her Hands, and to joyn them together, that she may re­ceive this Writing, and that it fall not to the Ground: and then asking some other Questions of them, the Husband gives the woman the Writing in her hand, and saies; Take here thy Bill of Divorce; behold thou art now put away from Me, and hast li­berty to marry any other man. Then the woman taking the Writing in her hand, delivers it to the Rabbine, who readeth it over again: which being done, She is from thenceforth, a Free Woman. There are many other Ceremonies, and Nice Circumstances to be observed, which are purposely made so Numerous by the Rabbines, to render the businesse of Di­vorce the more Difficult, and hard to be exactly performed; as hath been former­ly touched: a more particular Enumera­tion of all which Circumstances, I have not here set down, that I might not be too Prolixe, and tedious to the Reader.

[Page 192] 8. After this, the Rabbine gives the wo­man notice, that she is not to marrie, for the space of Ninety daies; for the reason before given, concerning a Woman that buries her Husband, who may haply have left her with Child by him. And from this time forward, it is not Lawfull for that Man and that VVoman to be toge­ther Alone in any place; and either of them hath thenceforth liberty to marrie again.

CHAP. VII.
Of their Ibum, and Calitzah; that is to say, of the Next Kinsman's Ta­king, or Refusing the Relict of his Deceased Kinsman.

IF a man die, without leaving any Children by his VVife which he last had, or by any Former, and hath any Brother surviving; the VVidow of the person Deceased must then come to the Next of Kin; who is either to take her to Wife, or else to release her, and set her Free; as it is written, Deut. cap. 25. Quan­do habitaverint fratres simul, &c. If Bre­thren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no Child, the Wife of the Dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her hus­bands Brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to Wife, &c. And if the person deceased, chanced to leave behind him [Page 194] more Wives then One; if his Brother Take, or Release One of them, he is Free from all the rest. And if the Deceased had many Brothers, they must begin with the Eldest, and so down in Order: and if any one of them either Take, or Release the woman, it serveth the Turn.

2. To take to VVife a Brothers Relict, is called [...], Ibem; that is to say, to take to wife a Kinsman's VVidow: and if any one resolve so to do, it is sufficient that he take her home to him, without any Formali­tie of Nuptials, or the like: although the Rabbines have Ordained, that a man in this case is to make a new Marriage of it. And if he take her to him, all the Goods of his Deceased Brother, and his Wives Dowrie are His; and she becometh to him, as any other VVife.

3. It was Anciently accounted the more Laudable thing to Take her, then to Release her: but now the Corruption of the times, and the Hardnesse of Men's Hearts is such, as that they onely look af­ter worldly Ends, either of Riches, or of [Page 195] the Beauty of the woman: so that there are very Few, that in this case will marry a Brother's VVidow; especially among the Dutch, and Italian Jews; but they al­waies Release her.

4. To Release her, is called [...], Chalitzah, that is to say, The Taking off the Shoe: as it is described, in the afore­mentioned Chapter of Deuteron. where it is said, that if a man refuse to take his Bro­thers VVife, she is to take off his shoe, and to spit in his Face, in the Presence of the Elders. Accedet mulier ad eum coram se­nioribus, & tollet calceamentum de pede ejus, spuétque in faciem illius, &c. The manner of this Ceremonie, is thus: Three Rab­bines, and Two other, who are to stand as Witnesses, are to go the Evening before, and appoint the place, where this busi­nesse is to be done: which being agreed upon, they say: In this place do we intend to morrow, God willing, to perform the Cha­litza: Then do they give notice to the VVoman, that she must Fast on the mor­row, and not eat any thing, till This be [Page 196] done. They also inform themselves by Other women, if the signes of VVoman­hood do not manifestly appear upon her, whether she be of that Age, which is re­quired, or not.

5. The next morning, when they come from the School, all the People gather together to the Place appointed: and there the Rabbines, and the Two Witnesses, placing themselves upon their Seats, the Kinsman comes before them, with his Right Foot Unshod, and Washed, and with some cloath wrapped about it: and the Kinswoman also cometh, being co­vered with a Mantle; and they both sit before the Rabbines. Then doth the Se­nior Rabbine gravely demand of them; What businesse have you in this place? Then the man answereth: I am come to perform the Chalitza; and to Release this my Kins­woman. Then saith he to the VVoman: And will you, Mistris, be released? She answereth, Yes, Sir. Then saith the Rab­bine unto them, Stand up then; and so turning himself to the VVitnesses, he ask­eth [Page 197] them, whether This be the Woman, and This Man her next Kinsman; and whether it be Ninety daies, since her hus­band died; and whether he had not any Children by Her; and many other the like Questions. After this, he tells the man, that if he will take his Kinswoman to wife, he shall do very well in it; and withal, exhorts him so to do: which the man utterly refusing: He then saith unto him: Wilt thou Release her then? he an­swereth, Yes Sir. After this he asketh them both, whether they have either of them made any Oath, or Protestation to this purpose; telling them, if they have so done, that they ought not to keep it, but should be absolved from it: but they deny, that they have done any such thing. Then do they set up a Plank or Board, a­gainst the wall, and they take a certain Shoe, which the Rabbines use to have, made for the same purpose, in such a manner, that it may be made wider, or Straighter, by certain buttons, and strings, fastened to it, as Occasion shall require. This shoe [Page 198] they give to the Kinsman; and then doth the Rabbine ask them again, saying; Are you still of the same mind you were? and they answer him, Yes. Let us proceed then to the Chalitza, saith the Rabbine. And so take­ing heed that the man put it not on, upon the Left foot, instead of the Right: nor, that the VVoman use the Left Hand, in­stead of the Right, the Man putteth the said Shoe upon his foot: which when it is well fitted on to his foot, and tied with the aforesaid Strings, then doth He walk Four Paces forward, and so returneth to his place again: where leaning against the aforesaid Planks, or Board, and the Wo­man being commanded to stand before him face to face, the Rabbine repeats those words out of the above named Chapter of Deut. ver. 7. My Husbands Brother re­fuseth to raise up unto his Brother a name in Israel: he will not perform the duty of my Husbands Brother: the VVoman saying it after him, VVord for word. Then doth He speak to the Man; who answer­eth him, as it followeth, ver. 8. I like not [Page 199] to take her. Then doth the VVoman stoop down, and with her Right Hand untyeth, and taketh off the shoe from off the man's foot; and lifting it up on high, she throweth it against the Ground, be­fore the place where the Rabbines sit; who presently command her to Spit in his face: then doth she spit upon Him: as it followeth, ver. 9. Then shall his Brothers Wife come unto him in the Presence of the Elders, and loose his Shoe from off his foot, and Spit in his face: and the Rabbine say­ing the words before Her, she goes on, and saith; So shall it be done unto that man, that will not build up his Brothers house. And his name shall be called in Israel; The house of him that hath his Shoe loosed: repeating these last words three times; and at eve­ry several time, all the People with a loud voyce answer, and call Him, One that hath had his Shoe loosed. Then doth the Rab­bine tell the man that he is at Liberty now to marry when he please: and if he de­sire a Certificate from them, of this setting Free his Kinswoman, they presently give [Page 200] him one: and if there be found any Writing, or Contract about her Dowry, it is presently torn in pieces. And as the people depart, many of them use to pray, and say: May it please the Lord, that the Daughters of Israel come not any more to such Acts as these. All these Circumstances, and many other the like petty Ceremo­nies, which they use to observe in this case, are grounded upon the aforecited passage, Deut. cap. 25. as may appear to any, that mark well the place.

6. And for as much as, when the Case of this Ibum happeneth, a Woman cannot have her Dowry, nor marry again, with­out this Release, or being set at Liberty; therefore do many of these Kinsmen, hold them off, and bear them in hand a long while, that so they may vex them, and get money of them for their Release. Many therefore, when they marry their Daugh­ter to a man that hath Brothers, do get the Brothers to enter into Bond, that if need require, they will give her a Release. Others there are, that cause the Husband [Page 201] to bind himself, that in case at any time he should be sick, if the Physitians con­ceive his sicknesse to be of any danger, he shall be bound to give his Wife a Bill of Divorce, that so she may be Dis-engaged from the next Kinsman.

CHAP. VIII.
Of their Circumcision.

WHen a Male Child is born to any one, his friends come to him, and make merry with him, wishing him much joy in it. Some of them use to set up certain Scrols, or Billets, in the four quarters of the Chamber, where the woman lies in, with these Four Words written in He­brew: [...] Adam, Chavah: Chutz Lilith: that is to say: Adam, Eve: Out Lilith. And they also write the Names of Three Angels: con­ceiving this to be a means of defending [Page 202] the Child from the Strix, or Night-Witch. But they that please, may chuse whether they will do this, or not; it be­ing grounded upon no Precept at all, but looks rather like an Act of Vanity and Superstition.

2. Upon the Eight day they are bound to circumcise the Child, according to the Command given to Abraham, Gen. cap. 17. Infans octo dierum circumcidetur in vobis, &c. He that is eight daies old shall be cir­cumcised among you: which is also reitera­ted, Levit. cap. 12. Et die octavo circumcide­tur infantulum, &c. And in the eight day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. This may not be done before the Eight day: and in case the Child should be sick, or very weak, it may be deferred lon­ger, till such time as he shall be in health, and able to endure it.

3. The Night before the Day of Cir­cumcision they call The Watching-Night: because that all the People of the house watch all that Night, to guard the young Infant: and in the Evening the Friends [Page 203] of the Father of the Child go to visit him; as the women likewise do to the Mother, and there they spend that Evening in Fea­sting and Mirth.

4. They are to be provided before­hand of a God-father, who is to hold the Infant in his armes, while it is circumci­sed; and also of a God-mother, who is to carry it from the House to the School, and to bring it home again; which for the most part use to be some Man and his Wife, of the Parents Kindred. They also use to make choice of a Circumciser, which they call [...], Mohel; which may be whomsoever they please, so he be but an Expert, skilfull man at the businesse: and they account it to be the most meritori­ous thing that can be, to be a Circumciser. And if by chance the Father of the Infant be one of These, he then circumciseth his own Child himself.

5. On the morrow morning there are Two Seats made ready in the School, or if they please, at Home, where they some­times use to circumcise them: These [Page 204] Seats are covered with Cushions of silk; and are provided, the one for the God-fa­ther to sit upon, while he holdeth the Child to be circumcised: the other, as some say, for the Prophet Elijah, whom they believe to be alwaies Invisibly pre­sent at All Circumcisions; as having been very jealous for the Observation of the Covenant of Israel: as it is written, Reg. 3. cap. 19. ver. 14. And he said: I have been very Jealous for the Lord God of Hosts, because the Children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, &c. At this time there useth to be a great Congregation of People together; and then comes the Circumci­ser, with a Charger in his hand, wherein are the Instruments, and other Necessaries for the present Businesse; as Namely, a Razor, Restringent Powders, with little clouts dipt in Oyl of Roses; and some also use to provide ready a dish full of Sand, to put the foreskin into, when it is cut off: then do they begin a certain Hymne, till such time as the God-mother, accompanied with a Train of women, [Page 205] bringeth the Child in her arms: where the Godfather meeteth her at the School door, and receiveth it of her: then do all the People present cry aloud, [...], Baruch haba, Benedictus qui venit: Blessed be he that coneth.

6. The God-father sitteth upon the seat, provided for him; and so taking the child in his arms, and fitly placing him upon his knees, the Circumciser unswathes him; and some use to have silver Pincers, with which they take up, as much as they mean to cut of the foreskin. Then doth he take his Razor, and saith: Blessed be thou O Lord, &c. who hast commanded Circumci­sion: then doth he cut off that Thicker skin of the Prepuce; and afterwards with his Thumb Nail he rends in pieces that other Thinner skin that remaineth. In the mean while the Father of the Infant giveth Thanks unto Almighty God, for giving them this Precept of Circumcisi­on and the people that are present forth­with presage unto him, that this will be much Advantagious to his Marriage: in [Page 206] the mean time, the Circumciser going on in his businesse, with his mouth sucketh the Blood, which abundantly floweth from the wound, doing thus two or three times, and so spitteth it forth into a Bowl of wine. Then doth he clap upon the wound some Sanguis Draconis, Powder of Corall, and other Restringent things, wrapping it about with plaisters of Oyl of Roses; and so binding it up close, the Child is swathed again.

7. Then doth he take a Bowl of wine in his hand, and blessing it, he saith ano­ther Benediction also upon the child, and so giveth him his Name, that the Father will have him called by; adding withall those words out of Ezekiel, cap. 16. ver. 6. Et dixi tibi, cum esses in sanguine tuo, Vive, &c. I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy Blood, Live: and having so said, he taketh of the wine, into which he had spit the Blood of the Infant, and besprinkleth the face of the Child. After this, they say over the whole 128. Psalm. Beati omnes qui timent Dominum, &c. Blessed are all [Page 207] they that fear the Lord, and walk in his ways, &c. which being ended, the God-father de­livers the child again to the God-mother, to carry it home to the Mother: and then do all the People depart; and taking leave of the Father of the child, they wish that He may live to see his Marriage, as he hath now seen his Circumcision.

8. After this, the Circumciser sendeth a Present of Smeet-meats, or the like, to the woman that lyeth in; and so doth the God-father also, and the God-mother, and all their Kindred, and Acquaintance: and if the Parents of the Child chance to be Poor People, they then send them Mo­ney, or what else they think best.

9. At noon the Father maketh a Col­lation, or Feast, for the Circumciser, and the God-father, and God-mother, and the rest of his Kindred, and Friends, accord­ing as the ability of the person is: and when they have dined, there is added to the Benediction a certain Prayer for the Child, that he may become Great and Prosperous, and one that feareth God.

[Page 208] 10. The Child useth to have his wound healed in a short space, and it is never a­bove 24. hours in healing: and therefore some use, the third day after the Circum­cision, to send to their Friends, and Kin­dred, some Present of Sweet-meats, or the like, in token of joy.

11. When a Girle is born, there is no Ceremony used at all about her; saving that at the Beginning of the Moneth, when the Mother of it is now up, and goeth to the School, the Cazan, or Chaunter, saith a Benediction over the child, and putteth a Name upon it, such as the Father plea­seth. It is the Custome in Germany, that the Cazan goeth home to the Parents house, and lifting up the childs Cradle on high, he Blesseth it, and so giveth it the Name. If an Infant chance to die before the Eight day, and Uncircumcised, some use to circumcise it at the Grave, with a Reed.

CHAP. IX.
Of the Redemption of their First-born.

IF a Mother bring forth at first a Male child, that is to say, if she never had any child before, although the Father might have had, or hath other Sons be­sides this; this First-born Male-Child falleth to the Priest: as hath been touch­ed formerly, Par. 1. cap. 12. and as it is specified, Exod. cap. 13. Sanctifica mihi omne primogenitum, &c. Sanctifie unto me all the First-born, &c. and again, Omne au­tem primogenitum hominis, &c. All the First-born of Man amongst thy Children shalt thou redeem.

2. This Redemption is performed af­ter this manner: Thirty daies being ex­pired, after the Birth of the Child, they call a Priest unto them, that is to say, one [Page 210] that is descended of the stock of Aaron, whom the Father of the child pleaseth: and so, many people being gathered to­gether at the time appointed, the Father of the child bringeth before the Priest in a Bowl, or Bason, a good quantity of Gold and Silver; and then they give him the child into his arms. The Priest then cal­ling the Mother of it before him, saith un­to her: Mistris, is this your Son? She an­swereth, Yes: then replieth He, Have you never had any Child before, either Male, or Female, or have Aborted, or Miscarryed any way? She saith unto him, No. Then doth the Priest say, This Child is mine, as being the First-born: then turning himself toward the Father, he asketh him, whe­ther he will redeem it, or not? who an­swereth him, saying: See, here is Gold, and Silver; take your own price: then saith the Priest unto him, You will redeem it then? the Father answereth, I will redeem it. It shall be so then; saith the Priest; and so turning about to the people assembled, he saith with a loud voice: This Child is [Page 211] mine, as being the First-born: as it is writ­ten, Num. cap. 18. ver. 16. And those that are to be redeemed, from a Moneth old shalt thou redeem, according to thine Estimation, for the Money of five Shekels, &c. I there­fore take this in Exchange, &c. and so he taketh the sum of two French Crowns, or thereabout, as he thinks good, and then delivers the child to his Father and Mo­ther again: And this day they make a Feasting day.

3. If either the Father, or the Mother of the child, be descended from the stock either of the Priests, or of the Levites, they shall not need then to redeem it.

CHAP. X.
Of the manner of their Education of their Children, and bringing them up in Learning.

WHen a Child hath now learnt to speak well, his Fa­ther putteth him forth to School to learn to read; and afterwards he is taught to render the Bible, in the Language of the Country, where he lives: and thus he is Initiated, and entered into points of Learning, without any Gramma­tical way, which they call Dichduch. And if he have any mind to it, when he is come to be about ten years of Age, he then sets him to learn his Grammar. But now, in these daies, there are very few, throughout the Whole Nation of the Jews, that take so much care, about the Education of their Children, as to make them so Learned: and, for the most part, [Page 213] they use to read, speak, write, and com­pose, whatsoever businesses they have to do, meerly out of Practise, and use; and especially the Dutch.

2. After this, they begin to read some Expositions upon the Bible, as, for ex­ample, Rabbe Salomon, and the like: and also certain Compendious Authors, who treat of Morality, and the Rules of Ver­tuous Life; as namely, Rabbenu Moseh, and others of the same kind: all which books being printed, and written with­out Pricks, which are instead of Vowels; and the Phrase of these books also being very different from that of the Scripture of the Bible, and therefore not to be learnt, without much pains, and practise; it rendreth the reading of these Books, the much more difficult.

3. Notwithstanding, some among them, that are more quick-witted, and of better Parts then ordinary, go on, from these books, to the Misnah, and to study the Talmud: which they account for the Ground-work of all Knowledge, and the [Page 214] best study they can betake themselves too: for, very few of them apply them­selves to the study of any other Sciences: as hath been said before, Part. 2. Cap. 2.

4. When a Son is now come to be Thirteen years, and a day old, he is then accounted a Man, and becomes bound to the Observation of All the Precepts of the Law: and therefore he is now called, [...], Bar mitzvah, that is to say, Filius Mandati, a Son of the Commande­ment: although some call him [...]. Bar de minian; that is to say, one that is of age to do any businesse, and may make One, in the number of the Ten, that are required to be present at any of their Pub­lick Acts of Devotion. And whatever Contracts he makes, they are of force; and if he were formerly under Tutors, he is now Freed from their Jurisdiction over him: and, in a word, both in Spirituall, and Temporal Affaires, he is Absolute Lord and Master of Himself.

[Page 215] 5. A Girle, when she is come to the age of 12. yeares and a half, is called a Woman.

CHAP. XI.
Of the Honour they account due to their Parents, Tutors, Rabbines, and Ancient per­sons.

THe Obligation is great, that they hold a Son hath, to honour his Father and Mother: observing the Command, given Exod. cap. 20. Ho­nora patrem tuum, & Matrem tuam: Ho­nour thy Father, and thy Mother, &c. And the Particulars of this Duty are at large set down by the Rabbines; who affirme, that we must honour them, not onely while they are Living, but when they are Dead also.

[Page 216] 2. They also instruct Fathers, how they ought to carry themselves towards their Sons; and especially when they now be­gin to be of years: that so they give them not Occasion to despise them.

3. They conclude also, from the afore­said passage in Exodus, That every man is bound to honour his Elder Brother, and his Step-mother also: and for his Master, or Tutor, who hath instructed him in the Principles of Religion, they account him worthy of more respect, and observance, then his Father that begot him: for, they say, that He hath given him onely his Be­ing; but the other, his well-being. After these, they have respect to all Religious, and Learned Persons, doing them all ho­nour, both in their words, and actions. They also reverence all ancient persons; as they are commanded to do, Levit. cap. 19. And the Rabbines say, that Honour is likewise due to any Ancient person what­soever, or of what Nation, or Religion so ever; as being one, that hath a long while [Page 217] been a Citizen of the World, and hath seen many Occurrences, and consequently must have much Knowledge, and Expe­rience, in things of this World: as it is written, Job, cap. 12. In antiquis est sapien­tia, & in multo tempore prudentia: With the Ancient is Wisedome, and in Length of Daies Understanding.

CHAP. I.
Of the Jewish Hereticks; and par­ticularly of the Karraim.

THere were, toward the later end of the se­cond Temple stand­ing, divers Sects of Hereticks among the Jewes: of which we shall not here dis­course; it being besides our purpose in hand, to give an Account, in this place, of any thing, save the present condition of things amongst them. And therefore the Reader is to take notice, that of all the [Page 219] ancient Kinds of Hereticks, there is at this time onely, one Sect remaining; who, though they are Jewes, and observe the Law of Moses, are yet accounted amongst the rest of that Nation as Hereticks, and are commonly called [...], Karraim: which Name is derived from [...], Ka­rah, Legere, to Read; whence [...], Mi­krah, Lectura, Scil. Sacra: that is to say, the Holy Scripture, or Writings: because these men keep themselves so strictly to the bare Text of the Bible, as that they hold, that we ought onely to observe the Pentateuch, as it lies in the bare Letter: neither do they admit, or will they hear of any Interpretation, Glosse, or Exposi­tion of the Rabbines whatsoever.

2. These are questionlesse some of the old stock of the Sadduces, though some­what Reformed; because they follow their Doctrine, in rejecting all things, save onely the Literall sense of the Scripture: Onely, whereas the Sadduces denied the Immortality of the Soul, and so consequent­ly both Hell, and Paradice, and Purgatory, [Page 220] and the Resurrection of the Dead, and the like these men therefore considering, that in holding these Opinions, they should stand at a distance with all the Religions in the World besides; seeing that, not onely the Jewes, but also all other Reli­gions generally acknowledge. This Truth, they have taken it into their Be­lief: as they have also admitted of some of the most Ancient Traditions; that so, by this their compliance, they might ren­der themselves not so odious even to their own Nation of the Jewes; under which Name they also passe; although it is most certain, that they are, in truth, descended from, and really are Sadduces.

3. There are many of them in Constan­tinople, in Cairo, and in other Parts of the East; as likewise in Russia, where they live, according to their own Rules, having Synagogues, and certain Rites of their own; but under the name of Hebrews, or Jews: and, which is more, they pretend them­selves to be the onely, True Observers of the Mosaicall Law.

[Page 221] 4. In all places wheresoever they live, they are beyond measure hated by the rest of the Jews; whom these men, by way of Reproach, call [...] Rabbanim, that is to say, Observers of the Rabbins. And the Hatred they bear to those men is so great, as that they will not contract any alliance with them, nor willingly have any man­ner of conversation with them at all; as conceiving them to be [...], Ma [...]ze­rim, that is to say, Bastards: because that in the businesse of their Marriages, and Divorces, and in the Purification of their Menstruous women, they do not observe the Ordinances of the Rabbins: And, which is more then all this, if any one of These men should be converted, and de­sire to be admitted into the number of the Rabbanim, that is to say, of the Other Jews, they would not by any means accept of him.

CHAP. II.
Of the manner of being made a Jew.

IF any have a mind to be made a Jew, he must first be examined strictly, by Three Rabbins, or other Persons in Authority, what it is, that hath moved him to take up this Resolution; and, par­ticularly, he is to give an account, whether it be any Worldly End, or no: and this they must be satisfied in, before he can be re­ceived. After this, they in very serious manner give him to understand, that the Mosaicall Law is a most strict, and severe Law; and that the Jewish Nation is, at present, in a very Low, and Abject Con­dition, and the Generall Scorn of Man­kind: and therefore they give him the most Earnest Exhortations that they can, that he would continue in the state he now is in.

[Page 223] 2. If, after this their strict Examinati­on, and their Earnest dehorting him from his purpose, he still continue stedfast in it; they then take, and Circumcise him: and, as soon as He is well of his Sore, He is to wash himself all over in water: and this is to be done, in the presence of the Three Rabbins, or other Persons in Authoritie before specified: and so, from thence­forth, he becomes as a Naturall Jew.

CHAP. III.
Of their Opinion, concerning all manner of Magick, Divination, and Augury.

THey account it a very great sin, to give any Credit to, or have any Faith in any Kind of Divination whatsoever, or to Judiciary Astrology, Geomancy, Chiromancy, or to any Fortune-tellers; or the like.

2. Much more do they abhor the Pra­ctice [Page 224] of any Necromancy, or receiving An­swers from the Dead, Magick, Witchcraft, Consuration of Devils, or of Angels, and the like: all which particulars are expressed, Deut. cap. 18. Nec inveniatur in te, &c. There shall not be found among you any one that ma­keth his Son, or his Daughter, to passe through the fire, or that useth Divination, or an Ob­server of Times, or an Inchanter, or a Witch, or a Charmer, or a Consulter with Familiar Spirits, or a Wizard, or a Necro­mancer, &c.

3. It is unlawfull for them to cut their Flesh, or to make any Figures in it with Ink, or any other Colour: as it is com­manded them, Levit. cap. 19. ver. 28. Ne­que figuras aliquas, aut Stigmata facietis vo­bis, &c. Ye shall not make any Cuttings in your Flesh, for the Dead, nor print any Marks upon you, &c.

4. Many other things are forbidden them by the Rabbins, which were supersti­ously used to be put in Practice by the Idolatrous Ammorites, which they call, [Page 225] [...], Darche Aemori: that is to say, The wayes of the Ammorites.

CHAP. IV.
Of their Slaves.

THere were many Particular Cir­cumstances to be observed, con­cerning the Slaves, which a Jew should chance to have; whether it were an Hebrew Slave, or a Canaanitish: but now if any among the Eastern, or Barbary Jewes chance to buy any Slaves, they keep them such; and either make use of them Themselves, or else sell them away to o­thers; according as the Custome of that Particular place is, where they inhabite. And, in case a Slave should desire to be made a Jew, they circumcise him, and wash him all over in water, and so make him Free.

CHAP. V.
What Precepts the Jewish Women are bound to observe.

THe Jewish Women are prohibi­ted all things, whatsoever the men are, by virtue of the Negative Pre­cepts: but as concerning the Affirmative, the Rabbins have determined, that the wo­men are not bound to the Observance of any of all those, that have any Prefixt Time upon them: and the Reason they give of this, is, the Weaknesse, and Imbe­cility of their Sexe; and also the Obedi­ence they owe to their Husbands, and the Necessity of their being employed in this Duty, of doing them service.

2. And therefore there are onely There Precepts, which they are particular­ly enjoyned to observe. The first is, to keep themselves with all diligence from their Husbands company, during the [Page 227] time of their Monethly Flux, till they are in a condition to wash themselves: as hath formerly been said, Par. 4. cap. 5. The se­cond is, to take forth a Cake out of their dough, when they make any bread: which cake was heretofore to be given to the Priest, as an Offering; as hath been said, Par. 2. Cap. 7. The third, and last, is, to set up [...]n Light in the house every Friday night, on the Eve of the Sabbath: as hath been declared formerly, Par. 3. Cap. 1.

3. Notwithstanding there are many women among them, that are much more devout, and pious, then the men; and who not onely endeavour to bring up their children in all manner of Vertuous Edu­cation; but are a means also of restraining their husbands from their Vitious Cour­ses, they would otherwise take, and of in­clining them to a more Godly way of Life.

CHAP. VI.
Of their manner of Confessing their sins, and doing Penance.

THey observe no other manner of making Confession of their sins, save only in their prayers to God: and they have a certain Form of Confession composed Alphabetically, which they call [...], Viddui: which proceeding in order of the Letters, comprehendeth, un­der every particular Letter, some one of the most principal sins, which men usual­ly commit. But, those that can do so, are wont to specifie the particular sin of such, or such a kind, which they remember they have committed.

2. This Confession they use to say eve­ry Monday, and Thursday, and every Fast-day, repeating it over many times, particularly at the Fast of Expiation, as hath been shewed, Par. 3. Cap. 6. and in all [Page 229] cases of sicknesses, or of eminent danger: and there are some, that use to say it, eve­ry morning, when they rise; and every night when they go to bed.

3. The ordinary daies, appointed for the doing of Penance, are from the first of Elul, to the aforenamed day of Expiation: but most people begin it, at the begin­ning of the year, and so continue it till the time aforesaid: and indeed, any time is convenient enough for this businesse, if a man find any thing to lie heavie upon his conscience. If he be an illiterate man, he hath Recourse to some Rabbine, whose Counsel he desires in the businesse: but if he be a man of any Learning, he may then examine the Writings of the Rab­bines, where he shall find some kind of Directions delivered, for the proportio­ning his Penance, to the quality, and great­nesse of his sins; whether he mean to ex­ercise himself either in Fasting, Whipping, Abstinence, Almes-giving, Prayer, Works of Charity, or the like; as he shall conceive to be most suitable, and proper to the sin he hath committed.

CHAP. VII.
Of their Sick, and Dead.

THey hold it for a very Great Work of Pietie, to Visit the Sick, and to lend them all manner of Assistance that Possibly they can, and as the Necessity of the Person shall require.

2. When any one thinketh he shall die, he then desireth, that Ten, or more Per­sons may be called unto him; among which, there is to be one Rabbine: yet sometimes they do not desire to have so great a Company called. When they are all met together, that are sent for, the sick Man begins then to say that Generall Con­fession before spoken of, in the hearing of these persons; and after this, he maketh a Prayer to God, beseeching Him to re­store him to his former health: or if it be His pleasure to deal otherwise with him, and to take him out of this World, he [Page 231] then beseecheth Him, that He would be merciful unto his Soul, and take it into His Protection; intreating withall, that this Bodily Death may serve as an Expi­ation of all his sins. If he have any de­sire to confer Privately with the Rabbine, or to ask his Counsel about any thing, or commit any Secret to his trust, he hath liberty so to do: Then doth he ask Par­don of God, and of all men, whomso­ever he hath at any time offended; and he himself also pardons all his Enemies, and all those, that have ever offended, or in­jured Him. And if he be the Father of a Family, and have Children, he calleth them to his Bed-side, and so giveth them his Blessing: or if He himself have either a Father, or Mother living; he then de­sireth Their Blessing. After all this is done, if he be a Person of Estate, and hath any thing to dispose of by Will, and Te­stament, he causeth one to be made; and so distributeth his Goods among his Friends, and Kindred, as he thinks best.

[Page 232] 3. Some of them, when they are Sick, desire that there may be Publick Prayers said for them in the School by the whole Congregation: and they also at the same time change their Names, and cause themselves to be called by New; in token of Changing their manner of Life, if it should please God to restore them: and they promise also to give Almes to the School, and to the Poor.

4. When the Sick man is now at the point of Death, and that he perceiveth he cannot live long; he is not then to be left alone, without some company by him; and there is some one to be by his beds side, Night and Day: and they account it a very great Blessing to be present at the Departure of a Dying person; espe­cially if it were a man of Learning, and an Honest man: observing that Passage, Psal. 49. Non videbit interitum, cum vide­rit sapientes morientes, &c. and he that is present, at the Departure of any Dying person, is to rent his cloathes in some part, or other; according to an Ancient Cu­stome they have.

[Page 233] 5. They have a Custome also, that when any one dies out of a house, the peo­ple of that house, and all the Neighbours also of the same place, or Village, throw away all the Water, that they have in their houses: it being conceived, that this they were Anciently wont to do, to give notice, that there was a Dead Person in that place, or Village.

CHAP. VIII.
Of their manner of Ordering their Dead, and Burying them.

WHen the Breath is now gone out of the Body, they take and lay the Corpse upon the ground, wrapping it about with a sheet, and covering the face; and so having placed the Feet of it toward the Chamber dore, they set up, at the Head, a Waxe Light, placed in an Earthen Pitcher, or Vessel, full of Ashes.

[Page 234] 2. Then do they presently prepare to shift the Corpse, & put it in Clean Linnen; and therefore they call in some friend to assist them in the businesse; and most wo­men esteem it a very Charitable Work, to help in such a Case. Then do they Wash the Dead body with warm water, with Camomil, and Dryed Roses in it: and having so done, they put a clean shirt upon his back, and other shifting gar­ments; & many use also to put upon him a long Linnen garment; and over all, his Taleth, or Square Vestment, with the four Pendants annexed to it; and lastly, a white Night-cap upon his head. Having thus apparelled him, they then take measure of his body, and make a Coffin for him ac­cordingly: and putting into it a sheet, or other white Linnen, they lay him in it, and cover him all over with the same. If the Person Deceased were a man of Note, they then usually make his Coffin sharp-pointed: and if he were a Rabbine, they use to lay many Books upon his Coffin; which having covered all over with [Page 235] Black, they forthwith carry it out of the house: and as soon as ever they are gone with him, One of the people of the house, that staies behind at home, takes a Broom, and sweeps all the house after them, even to the very dore.

3. When any one is to be buried, all the Jews of that place meet together, and ac­company the Corpse to the grave. And forasmuch as they account it a very Me­ritorious Work, to attend any of their Dead Brethren, and bear him to his Grave; you shall therefore have them en­deavouring, every one of them, to put his shoulder under the Coffin: and thus, ta­king their Turnes all of them, One after another, they bring him to his Grave. In some places they use to carry Lighted Torches, after the Hearse, and to sing cer­tain Hymnes of Lamentation: but in o­ther places they use it not. And as the Corps is carryed to the Grave, the Kin­dred of the Deceased person follow after it, making expressions of Lamentation, and Mourning.

[Page 236] 4. And in this manner is he brought to the place of Burial, which useth to be in some field, appointed onely for the same purpose: which Burial-place they call [...], Beth hachaijm, that is to say, The house of the Living: calling the Dead here, by the name of the Living, in re­spect of the Soul, which never dies: when they have now set down the Corps, if he were a Person of Note, or Quality, they use to have one that makes a certain Fu­nerall Oration, in Praise of the Party de­ceased: and after this, they say a certain Prayer, that begins with those words out of Deut. cap. 32. ver. 4. Dei perfecta sunt ope­ra, &c. He is the Rock; his Work is perfect: for, all his waies are judgment, &c. which Prayer they call, [...], Tzidduck, haddin, that is to say, Just Judgment. And so, laying a little bag of Earth under his head, and nailing up the Coffin, he is car­ried to the Grave, which useth to be, a pit dug up, according to the length of the Corps: and they take what care they can, to lay him as near the rest of his dead kin­dred, [Page 237] as may be. In some places they have a Custome, that, as soon as the Coffin is set down near the Grave, if it be a man that is dead, Ten persons are to go round about the Coffin seven times, saying a certain Prayer for the Soul of their De­ceased Brother: but this is not used in all places. This being done, the nearest Kins­man is to rent his cloathes a little; and so letting the coffin down into the Grave, they cover it with earth, every one of them casting a shovel-full, or a handful of earth upon it, till it is wholy cover'd over.

5. It is a sin for any of them, either men, or women, to scratch themselves, or tear their flesh, or to pull their hair off, in their mourning, or lamenting for the Dead, as well while the Corps is present, as after it is buried: observing the Text of Scri­pture, Deut. cap. 14. ver. 2. Ye shall not cut your selves, nor make any baldnesse between your eyes, for the Dead.

6. As they return from the Grave, every one of them plucks up grasse from off the ground, twice, or thrice, and casts it over [Page 238] his head behind him, saying withall those words of the Psalmist, Psal. 92. ver. 16. Et Florebunt de civitate sicut foenum terrae, &c. And they of the city shall flourish like grasse of the earth: and this they do, to signifie their hopes of the Resurrection of the Dead. After this, they wash their hands, and sit down, and rise up from their pla­ces again, nine times, saying withall the 91. Psal. Qui habitat in adjutorio Altissimi, &c. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty: And having done all this, they return home to their houses. And this is the most usuall manner of Burying the Dead in most places; although there may be, here and there, some little diversity found, as the Customes of the several countries, and places are.

CHAP. IX.
Of their Mourning, Praying for, and Commemorating of the Dead.

THe nearest Kindred of the Party deceased, that is to say, the Father, Mother, Sons, Husband, Wife, Bro­thers, and Sisters, when they are returned to their house, sit down all together upon the ground, without shoes upon their feet; any then is there sent them in, from their Friends, Wine, and Bread, and Hard Eggs; and so they eat, and drink: according to that which is written, Prov. cap. 31. Date Sichera morientibus, &c. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine un­to those that be of heavy hearts. Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his mi­sery no more: one of them first saying the Ordinary Benediction, which is used to be said at meat; adding withall, certain [Page 240] consolatory speeches, and comfortable Sentences. In the Eastern parts, and many other places, their kindred, and friends, use to send in, to the Mourners, every Eve­nin, and Morning, during the whole seven daies of Mourning, Dishes of Meat, and good chear, and go in and feast with them, and comfort them up.

2. The Bed, whereon the sick person died, as soon as ever he is carried out of the house, they take and rowl up together doubling up the coverlet also, and laying it all in a heap together, upon the same Bedstead: and, close by the Beds head, they set up a Lamp of Oyl, which is to burn continually, during the whole seven daies following. They also set a Bason of Water, and a clean Towel, near the Bed's head.

3. Those that are nearest of Kin to the deceased, as hath formerly been said, are to continue in the house seven daies toge­ther, sitting upon the ground all the day long, and eating their meat in the same po­sture. Onely, upon the Sabbath, they go [Page 241] to the School, being accompanied by o­ther of their friends; upon which day also they are more visited, and comforted by them, then upon any other. During the time of these seven daies of Mourning, they may not do any manner of work, or busi­nesse; neither may the husband lie with his wife. And every Evening and Morning during the said seven daies, there are to meet Ten persons together at the house of Mourning, to say the usual Prayers by the Mourners, who are not, during this time, to go out of the house, (save only on the Sabbath) and some use to adde, after the ordinary Prayers, the 49. Psalm, Audi­te haec omnes gentes, &c. Hear this all ye peo­ple, give ear all ye inhabitanns of the world, &c. and they also pray for the Soul of the party deceased.

4. All Mourners apparel themselves in black; but they do this, following the use of the Countries where they inhabit, and not from any Precept.

5. When the seven daies of Mourning are now ended, they go abroad; and many [Page 242] use to set up Lights in the School, and have Speeches made, and promise to give Alms for the Soul of their Dead Friend: And this they also do, at the Moneth's, and at the years end; and if he were a Rab­bine that is dead, or a person of quality, they then have Sermons, and Funeral O­rations, which they call [...], Hesped, made for him.

6. They have a Custome, that the Son useth alwaies to say in the School, for his Father and Mother, that Prayer which they call the Cadisch, every Evening and Morning, for the space of eleven Moneths together; and this he does, for the Soul of his Deceased Father, or Mother. And some use to Fast every Year, upon that day that their Father, or Mother died.

7. In many places they lay a Marble stone, upon their graves, writing Epitaphs upon them of divers kinds, some in Prose, and some in Verse: expressing the name of the person that lies buried there; and recounting withall his Praises, together with the Day, Moneth, and Year, of his Decease.

CHAP. X.
Of their Paradice, Hell, and Purgatory.

THere are some that have written, that for the space of Three daies together, after a Dead body is bu­ried, it is tormented by a certain Angel, or Spirit; the Soul returning again to the bo­dy, that so it may become sensible of these Torments: and this they call, [...], Chibut hakeber, Percussio Sepulchri: and this is believed too, by the simpler sort of people.

2. They hold, that there is a place, which they call, Paradise, for the Souls of Good men: and this they call, [...], Gan Heden: where the Soules of the Blessed enjoy the Beatifical Vision: and also, a Hell, which they call [...], Gehinam, for the Wicked; where their Soules are Torment­ed with Fire, and other sorts of Punish­ments: [Page 244] But they are of opinion, that some are condemned to Perpetual Torments in this place, and shall never be released from hence: but, that some are to conti­nue here, only till a certain time prefixed. And this is that they call Purgatory; being not distinguished, in respect of Place, but of continuance of Time.

3. They believe also, that no Jew that is not guilty of Heresie, or of some certain other of the like Crimes, specified by the Rabbines, doth stay in Purgatory, above a Twelve-moneth: and they conceive that the greatest part of those that die, are of this Rank, and Number; and that there are very few of them, that, for those afore­mentioned sins, are condemned to ever­lasting Torments in Hell.

CHAP. XI.
Of their Belief of the Transmigration of Soules, the Resurrection, and day of Judgment.

THere are many among the Jews, that are of that Pythagorical Opi­nion, of the Transmigration of souls, and its passing from one Body, into Ano­ther, believing, that after a man is depart­ed, his soul returns again into the World, and informs other bodies: and this they call [...], Ghilgul, that is to say, Revolu­tio; a Revolution, or coming about in a Circle. And to confirm this their opi­nion, they bring many passages of Scri­pture; and particularly out of Ecclesiastes, and Job: but there are very many also of them, that do not believe this; it being no Article of their Creed, that so, he that be­lieves it not, should be accounted an He­retick.

[Page 246] 2. The Resurrection of the Dead is in­deed one of the Thirteen Articles of their Belief, (as we shall presently shew) which all are bound to believe: and therefore they expect, that at the end of the World, all the Dead shall be raised up to Life a­gain, and that God shall judge, both the Soules, and Bodies; as it is written, Dan. cap. 12. ver. 2. Et multi de his qui dormiunt in terra, &c. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the Earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame, and ever­lasting contempt.

CHAP. XII.
Of the Thirteen Articles of their Faith.

SEing that we have now gone through all the Particular Rites, and Customes of the Jewes, and have shewed their whole Manner of Life, we shall here in the Last place give the Rea­der [Page 247] a view of the Thirteen Articles of their Belief, as it is delivered by Rabbi Mo­ses Egyptius, in his Exposition upon the Mischna, in sanedrin, cap. Helech: which Articles are generally believed by All of them, without any Contradiction. And they are These.

I. I believe that there is one God, the Creator of all things; the First Cause of of all Beings, who can subsist of himself, without the whole World; but that No­thing can, without Him.

II. I believe that this God, the Crea­tor, is One, Indivisible, and of a Unity, different from all other Unities.

III. I believe that He is Incorporall, and that no Corporall Quality can possi­bly be imagined to be in Him.

IV. I believe that He was, from all Eternity; and that all other things, besides Him, had a Beginning at some time.

V. I believe that He onely is to be worshipped, and served; and that we ought not to worship, or serve any other, either as Mediators, or Intercessours.

[Page 248] VI. I believe that there have former­ly been, and may yet be Men, so disposed, as to be fit to receive Divine Influence; such as the Prophets were.

VII. I believe that Moses was the Greatest Prophet, that ever hath been; and that He was indued with a Different, and Higher Degree of Prophecy, then any other.

VIII. I believe that the Law, which was given by Moses, was wholly Dictated by God; and that Moses put not one syl­lable in, of Himself; and so likewise, that That which we have by Tradition, by way of Explication of the Precepts of that Other, hath all of it proceeded from the Mouth of God, delivering it to Moses.

IX. I believe that this Law is Immu­table, and that nothing is to be added to, or taken from it.

X. I believe that God hath knowledge of, and observeth all Humane Actions.

XI. I believe that this God rewardeth those that keep his Law; and punisheth those, that are Transgressors of it; and al­so, [Page 249] that the Greatest Reward is to be ex­pected, in the World to come; and, that the Greatest Punishment, is the Damnati­on of a Man's Soul.

XII. I believe that the Messias is yet to come; who is to be Greater then any King, that hath ever been throughout the whole World: who, though he be long in coming, yet we ought not to doubt, but that he will come at last; neither may we prefixe a time for his coming, or endea­vour to collect, when it shall be, out of the Scriptures: Believing withall, that there never more ought to be any King in Is­rael, that is not of the Stock of David, and of Solomon.

XIII. I believe that God will raise the Dead to Life again.

These are the Fundamentall points of their Belief: with which I shall conclude this my History of the whole Manner of life, and Points of Faith, of the Jewes.