to return to the place where he gave up the ghost and dolefully to lament over his dear consort the body So soon as the man is dead they cast all the water in the house out of doors that they who pass by may be warned of the decease of some person there Others have recorded that they do this thing in memory of the Prophetess Miriam of whom it is written All the Congregation of Israel came into the wilderness of Sin in the first moneth and the people remainâ—d in Cades where Miriam died and was buried there And when there was no water for the Congregation they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron The Talmudists say that the occasion hereof is this the Angel of death who hath deprived the man of life washing his knife or sword in the water poisons it for they write that Satan or the messenger of death standing at the beds-head with a drawen sword in his hand upon which sword hang three drops of gall which as soon as the sick man beholds being terrified at the sight he opens his mouth whereupon these three drops fall into it By reason of the first he gives up the ghost the second makes him become yellow and pale the last causeth him to putrifie So soon as the sick man dieth the Angel runs to the waters washeth his sword in them by which means they being infected with poison are to be powred out Again this is one of the best grounds of the Jewish faith Antonius Margarita in his tract of Tabernacles or Booths writes that the Jews in ancient times were accustomed to pray unto God that he would not suffer the Angel of death any longer to appear in such a fearful shape at their bedsheads and that also they had their request granted and that they their ancestors put out his left eye conjuring and binding him by the holy names of God It is also recorded in the Talmud that great honour ought to be given unto them who have departed this life because they in the other world have perfect knowledge of all occurrences in this They write also that the soule doth not presently upon the dissolution return into heaven from whence it came but that for twelve moneths space it becomes a vagabond through the earth returns into the Sepulchre suffers many torments in purgatory and then twelve moneths fully expired it ascends up into heaven there taking its rest The question being proposed in the book called Schebhet Jehudah in a certain disputation betwixt a Jew and a Christian How it came to pass that the dead should know all things that are done here upon earth It is answered that the soule doth not gain an entrance into heaven untill the body that was buried be turned into dust and therefore it remaining so long a time upon the earth may without contradiction know the things which are done here below That the soule doth not presently goe into heaven is manifest out of the words of Solomon The dust shall return unto the earth from whence it was and the spirit to God that gave it In this place they say that by the dust is meant our bodie which of necessity returns unto the earth out of which it was taken and by the Spirit our soule which returns to God that gave it now then to conclude the body must first be made dust and ashes and then the Spirit shall return unto the Creator which if it were otherwise certainly Solomon had inverted his words and propounded them thus The Spirit shall return unto God that gave it and the body to the earth Elias the famous Grammarian in his dictionary called Tisbi expounding the word Chabat hath left it in record that it was the opinion of their Rabbines that so soon as any of the Jews do take their farewell of this tâ—r restrial paradise and the chamberlain death hath furnished him with a lodging in the lower parts of the earth that the Angel of death comes and sits upon his sepulchre and that at the same time the soule returns into the body reanimates and erects it Whereupon the Angel takes an iron chain the one part of which is hot the other cold with which he smites the dead corpes two times or more At the first stroke all the members of the body are torn one from another At the second all the bones are dispersed abroad at the third flesh and bones yea the whole carcass is turned into dust and ashes Then come the good Angels and gather the bones together honouring them with a second burial This punishment the Rabbines call Chibbut hakkeber which they do not only write of but also most absurdly believe in their common prayer petitioning that God would preserve them against this punishment and divert it from them as we may see in that petition which they call Benschen being in the number of those which they use upon the day of reconciliation It is written in the book Chasidim that who is much given to almsdeeds is a lover of reproof and honesty who entertains strangers willingly and from his very heart who prayes with an attent minde although he die without the land of Canaan he shall neither tast nor trie the violence of the grave but shall be certainly preserved against the Chibbut hackkeber Hence it is most evident that they who die in the land of Canaan are free from this torture but they who die in a strange land are subject thereunto Hither it is also to be referred that they who die in other lands are wont to wander through secret caves and holes of the earth untill they come to the land of promise otherwise they are not made partakers of the general resurrection which thing we have formerly made mention of in the first Chapter and other places of this book CHAP. XXXVI Touching the Jews Messias who is yet for to come THat a Messias was promised unto the Jews they all with one mouth acknowledge hereupon petitioning in their daily prayers that he would come quickly before the houreglass of their life be run out The only scruple is of the time when and the state in which he shall appear They generally beleeve that this their future Messias shall be a simple man yet nevertheless far exceeding the whole generation of mortals in all kinde of vertues who shall marry a wife and beget children to sit upon the throne of his kingdom after him When therefore the Scripture mentioneth a twofold Messias the one plain poor and meek subject to the stroke of death the other illustrious powerful highly advanced and exalted the Jews forge unto themselves two of the same sort one which they call by the name of Messias the son of Joseph that poor and simple one yet an experienced and valiant leader for the warrs Another whom they entitle Messias the son of David that true Messias who is to be king of Israel and to rule over them in
Judah the son of Simeon did avouch Ziz to be a bird of that bigness that when he spreads abroad his wings he hides the body of the sun and wraps the world in darkness Furthermore on a certain time a certain Rabbine was upon the sea in a little ship in the middle of which he saw a bird standing of such an height that water came only to her knees which the Rabbine observing bespeaks his companions that there they might wash themselves seeing the water was not deep But a voice from heaven hindred the attempt saying unto the Rahbine see that thou do it not for now seven whole years are gone and past since a certain man let a hatchet fall in this very place which hath been ever since a falling and is not as yet come to the bottome By which a man may easily gather how long legs this bird had and how great her body ought to be in proportion to her feet Without doubt these birds keep their residence in the wood Ela in which a Lion is reported to live of such an unheard of portraicture that only to relate would strike a man with astonishment Of this Lion the Talmud thus fables When upon on a certain time the Emperor of Rome asked Rabbi Josuah the son of Hananiah what the reason was why their God compared himself unto a Lion and whether he was of so great strength that he could kill a Lion the Rabbine made answer that God did not compare himself unto an ordinary Lion but unto such an one as lived in the wood Fla to whom the Prince replied shew me that Lion Then the Rabbine by prayer obtained of God that the lion should leave the wood and come when hs was yet foure hundred miles distant from the Emperour he roared so terribly that all the women with child in Rome became abortive and the walls of the City fell flat unto the ground When he had come an hundred miles nearer he the second time roared so fearefully that all the teeth of the Romanes fell out of their heads the Emperour falling from his throne lay prostrate upon the earth half dead who with vehement entreaties begs of the Rabbin to send back the Lion which was likewise put in execution But these fables draw us too far from the smell of that fast which the Messias hath provided for the Jews in the land of promise The flesh of the foresaid Behemoth and Leviathan will not digest well without a Cup of older wine therefore the Messias shall broach that wine and give it unto his guests which was made in Paradise and was kept from the begining of the world to that time in Adams Cellar as it is written In that day sing you unto her a vineyard of red wins I the Lord do keep it I do water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day again There is a cup in the hand of the Lord and the wine thereof is red it is full mixt he shall poure it out and the dregs therof all the ungodly of the earth shall drink and suck them up Before the supper be served in the Messias after the manner of Kings and Princes and others celebrating Festivals and Marriages shall present the Jews with pleasant sports and plaies to make them merry He will cause Behemoth and Leviathan to meet in some spacious place and there they shall play before the Messias to pass away the time and for his minds refreshing as it is written Surely the Mountains bring him forth food where all the beasts of the field play And again There go the ships there is that Leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein Then the oxe running hither and thither shall bend his hornes against the Leviathan which will greatly affect the Messias according to that It will be more grateful to the Lord then a bullock that hath borns and hoofs The Leviathan also shall come to encounter the oxe armed with his fins as an helmet not easie to be seen as it is written Who can open the doors of his face his teeth are terrible round about His scales are his pride shut up together as with a close seale Here shall be the summons to the battle and the first encounter begin most hot and furious but to small purpose for they being of equall strength neither can overcome the other but at last wearied out both shall fell upon the ground Then the Messias drawing out his sword shall slay them both as it is written At that day will the Lord with a sore great and strong sword punish Leviathan Now comes the Cooks part nothing but boyling and roasting and great provision for this sumptuous supper as it is recorded The Lord of hosts shall make unto all people in this mountain a feast of fat things of fat things full of marrow The fish shall be served up in parcels to the guests which done every one shall greatly rejoyee as it is written shall thy companions make a banquet of him shall they part him among the merchants This donative supper being ended the messias shall marry a wife the scripture being witness Kings daughters were among thy honourable women upon thy right hand stood the Queen in a vesture of gold So the Jews themselves interpret and the meaning is this as Kimchi professeth in his great gloss Among the honourable women which the Mossias shall have shall be the daughters of Kings For every King of the earth shall esteem himself highly graced so that he may give his daughter in marriage unto the Messias But the genuine and rightly so named wise of the Messias properly signified by the word Schegal shall be one of the most eminent beauties among the daughters of Israel she shall sit at his right hand without intermission abide in the Kings closet whereas the other shall stay in the supping room or house of the women not approaching the King unless it be his pleasure to send for them In this bond of Wedlock the Messias shall beget children after he shall die as other mortals and his children shall sit upon his throne after him as it is written He shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hands that is as a Rabbine expounds it The Messias shall live to a good old age and last shall be brought to his grave with great solemnity and his son shall reign after him and after his death his posterity shall possess his seat For the manner of life which the Jews shall have under their Messias First of all the remnant of the Christians and other people which fell not by the hand of the Jews shall make hast and build the Jews houses and Cities not for hire but of free accord till their ground plant them vineyards yea bestow their very goods upon them moreover
of all their wants and necessities Now if God who early vouchsafeth his more especial presence in their Synagogue find not any man preventing his expectation then is he angry with his children saying Wherefore when I came was there no man when I called was there none to answer Blessed is he who comming early in the morning entertains discourse with his God How greatly will the Lord love that Servant who imploys all his care that by his negligence his Lord should not abide solitary and destitute of a companion In Masseches Berachos Rabbi Abhiu the son of Rabbi Ada in the name of Rabbi Isaac saith that if he who useth to frequent the Synagogue be but once absent then God instantly upon it proposeth the question Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his Servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light and trusteth upon the name of his God Esay 50. 10. The meaning is this that whosoever keeps his bed and comes not into the Synagogue abideth still in darkness In the Porch of their Schoole or Synagogue they have a certaine piece of Iron fastened into the wall against which every one is bound to wipe his shooes if they be unclean and dirty and they urge the authority of Salomon for it saying Keep thy foot when thou goest into the hâ—use of God whosoever useth to wear any pantoffles he ought to put them off at the door of the Synagogue lsst he pollute the same as it is written Loose thy shoes from osf thy foot for the place whereon thon standest is holy ground They ought to enter into the Synagogue with great fear and trembling even as he who is ready to approach the presence of some great King is accustomed to unbare his head and enter the Palace in a bashfull fearfulnesse according to that of the Prophet David Give the Lord the honour due unto his name worship the Lord with holy worship thou dost not read here Behadrath but Bechardath say the Rabbines that signifying comlinesse and ornament this fear and astonishment They being about to enter the Synagogue by the poreh thereof use to repeat some certain sayings hudled up together out of Davids Psalms the custome in it self being very good and laudable if it were seasoned with a judicious attention and servent devotion They may not begin their prayers instantly upon their entrance into the Synagogue but for a space ought to suspend the action in a pious meditation of him with whom they are to converse as also who he is that can see the very secrets of their hearts and hear their prayers for by this means they are possessed with the spirit of reverence and are pricked forward to a serious observation of what is spoken It is written in Masseches Berachos and that upon the Rabbines record that Rabbi Eliezer lying in his bed his Schollers visited him desiring him to show them the way to Eternall Life he willing to satisfie them in their request said unto them whensoever you make your prayers consider before whom you stand for by so doing you shall become heirs of life everlasting Every one of the Jews is bound to casâ—â—omething into the treasury though it be but a mite as it is written I will see thy face sin â—ustice where by Justice is understood Alms deeds which beareth witnesse thereunto In this theâ— fixt devotion of mind they are wont to bow themselves towards the 〈◊〉 in which the boâ—k of the Law is keâ—t saying How goodly are thy 〈◊〉 O Jacâ—b and thy Tabernacle O Israel In the multitude of thy 〈◊〉 I will enter into thine holy Temple Lord 〈◊〉 have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth and many moe such like sayings out of the Psalms of David These things premised in way of a proeme at last they begin their devotions accordingly as they are appointed in their book of Common-prayer and because the Petitions are very many they run them over by a cursory reading of them in their books although some be ignorant of Letters and cannot read at all yet it is his duty to be frequent in the Synagogue without any intermission diligently attending what is said by others and saying Amen at the closure of every prayer That we may the better understand what manner of prayers they use I will translate some of their prayers out of the Hebrew into Latine and withall explain them The first prayer they use begins thus Adon Olam ascher melech c. running all in rythme as all others of theirs do and is sung or read by them in a bouncing tone the form of which prayer followeth O Lord of the world who had rule and dominion before any thing now created was created who was called a King at the instant of their Creation according to his good pleasure and shall so remain after their return into their prime nothing to whom be given all honour and fear He was from everlasting and shall alwayes abide in his glory he is one alone and besides him there is no other who may be compared or be likened unto him by this reason they deny the Deity of the Son and repute him as a common simple man He as he is without beginning so he is without end In his hand is strength and power he is my God my protectour and redeemer by this saying they deride the belief of us Christians who do place our Confidence in a Mediatour who himself was subject to the stroke of death He is a stony rock unto me in my necessity and in the time of my sorrow he is my banner and my refuge he is the portion of mine inhâ—ritance even in that day wberein I implore his aid and assistance into his hands I commend my spirit whether I sleep or wake he is present with me so that I need not be afraid of any thing This prayer being ended then follow in their order an hundred more which are commonly short and pithy and are therefore twice repeated every day the reason whereof shall be given hereafter The first blessing prayer or thanksgiving is about the washing of their hands as was formerly declared and that because if any forget to say it in the morning when he is washing his hands he is injoyned to say it before the whole Congregation In the next place they have a thanksgiving though shore and succinct for the wonderfull Creation of man and especially that God created him full of holes and pores one whereof being stopped sudden death necessarily follows thereupon Then they make their Confession concerning the Resurrection of the dead giving thanks for the gracious supply of all their wants saying Blessed be thou O Lord King of the World who hast given understanding to the Cock so that he knows how to distinguish day from night and night from day so that he never fails to rouse up the Jew before day at what time
name grounding his thoughts upon those words ki dor tahphuroth Hemmah They are a perverse generation Which although the event proved to be true yet Rabbi Jose and Rabbi Juda so lightly regarded the nomenclation that they gave him their cloak-bags to lay up untill the Sabbath was past Rabbi Meir would not doe the same but went and hid his in the Sepulchre of the mans father that kept the Inne The dead time of the night being come the Oste was warned in a dreame to go and dig in his fathers grave where he should find a bag full of money When he was up in the morning he told the dreame to Rabbi Meir who said unto him that those dreames which were dreamed on the night going before the Sabbath were nothing to be esteemed And then departing with great heed and care watched the Sepulchre all the Sabbath day lest the dreamer should come and take away his money which the Sabbath once ended he took out of the earth againe Upon the first day of the week the other two did also require mine Oste to deliver their cloak-bags who constantly affirmed that he had them not and sloutly denyed that they left any with him They invite him to the wine Tavern hoping that by his friendly usage to regaine their goods While they were a drinking they espye some pease and lentiles sticking in his beard from whence they collected that without all doubt he had eaten such kinde of pulse that morning to breakfast Whereupon they returning to his wife required their cloake-bags of her telling her that her husband commanded them to bee restored by the same token hee had eaten lentiles in the morning The woman knowing it even to bee as they had spoken presently made delivery and they held on their journey The good man returning to his house hearing how matters were carried beat his wife so cruelly that shee shortly after departed this life This story yields us an evident demonstration that every one ought to wash after meare for if the Oâ—te had washed his hands and wiped his mouth and beard these travellers had not spied the signe in his beard by occasion whereof they recovered their goods without which they had not had their cloak-bags restored and their Oastesse had not come to this untimely death There is another story in the Talmud concerning a Jew who eate swines flesh because he did not wash his hands before he sate downe to table It runs thus There was a certaine Jewish In-keeper who received into his house as well Christians as Jewes Whensoever any Jewes did turn aside to lodge with him he knew them by the washing of their hands before meales and therefore he alwaies set the flesh of clean and choice fatlings before them even such as in the Law was commanded and appointed to be eaten But whensoever any Christians came he set swines flesh before them It fortuned that upon a time a certaine Jew having more stomach then devotion came unto his house who setting down at the table forgot to wash his hands whence the Oaste drawing a profitable argument that hee was a Gentile set swines flesh before him The Jewes stomack being to far removed from his braine as to enter into consideration of what he eate carried headlong with a hunger starved appetite lustily invaded with teeth and knife what was set before him never questioning what he crammed his guts withall Well dinner being ended and the reckoning arising to a round summe the guest questions his Host how Beefe came to be at so high a rate To whom hee answered my friend you have hitherto fed upon swines flesh and have eaten not a little which now is very deare The poore Jew hearing this became very sore afraid for the commission of so hainous an offence and was forced over and above to pay an heavy mulct and undergoe much hard pennance for this his delinquency All this happened unto him for the neglect of washing his hands which may serve as a sufficient warning to every one to have an especiall care to wash before they sit downe to meate This outward curiosity is reprehended by Isâ—â—ah the Prophet Their feet run unto evill and are sâ—â—ft to shed innocent blood destruction and unhappinesse are in their waies and the way of peace they have not known neither is there any judgements in their waies â—hey have perverted their owne pathes whosoever goes through them knowes not peace This is that which St Matthew brands them with saying Then câ—me to Jesus the Scribes and Pharisees which were of Jerusâ—lem saying why do thy disciples transgresse the tradition of the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat bread But he answered and said unto them why do you also transgresse the commandement of God by your traditions St Marke also saith Then gathered together unto him the Pharisees and certaine of the Scribes which came from Jerusalem And when they sâ—w some of his disciples eat with common hands that is to say unwashen they complained For the Pharisees and all the Jewes except they wash their hands oft eate not holding the tradition of the Elders And when they come from the market except they wash they eate not And many other things there be which they have taken upon them to observe as the washing of cups and pots of brazen vessels and of beds CHAP. VII How the Jewes behave themselves in time of eating IN the former Chapter it is recorded that the Master of the family useth commonly to wash the last of all and that for this reason that he presently may sit downe at the table and say grace in so doing neither speaking word nor doing any other action between the washing of his hands and blessing of his meate This they practise not only that no evill may befall them in time of their repast but also because their Doctors prove it out of those words of David Lift up your hands unto the Sanctuary and praise the Lord. For from hence these profound Artists have learned two things the first whereof is this That the hands in time of washing are to be lifted up on high lest the water which is first poured upon then and thence becomming unclean sliding downward should pollute the fingers The second is that so soon as the hands are washed and sanctified grace ought presently to be said and thanks to be given When they are once seated at the table it is required that some fine bread in whole loaves and salt also be set thereupon Then the Master of the family takes a loafe in his hand and cuts it not in the middle but in some other part in which it is purest and best baked then instantly setting it aside laies both his hands upon it and blesseth it in manner and form following Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the whole world who bringeth bread out of the earth Then he breaks a bit of it and
three times towards the North three times towards the South heaving it also in the last place over his head then suffering it to becke unto the ground In all these severall postures carrying himselfe much like unto a fencer in the tossing advancing and shouldering of his pike Then they pray againe and againe begin to shake their bundle of boughes thereby giving to understand that they are triumphant conquerours of all sinne and inquity having a conceit that by the noise of their branches they have so lashed whipped away and terrifyed the devill that hee dare never any more presume to accuse them before God for their sinnes and offences The next thing they put in practice is concerning the Book of the Law which some or other goes and takes out of the Arke and laies it upona Deske and instantly thereupon every one in the Synagogue circles about the pew or desk with the bundle of branches and orenges in his hand This they dâ—efor seven daies together in remembranâ—e that the wals of Jericho being by their fathers compâ—ssed about sseven daies fell flat unto the ground and the men thereof subdued unto Israel hoping withall that the wals of the Roman Empire shall likewise be demolished and the Jewes become the conquerours Lords and Masters of the Christians which Rabbi Bechai affirms in expresse words saying This our enâ—ircling or compassing used by us at this day upon this Festivall is a certaine sign unto us of the state of the time to come wherein the wall of Edom that of the Romane Monarchy shall be throwne downe and all the Edomites shall bee destroied and rooted out according to that of Daniel which he delivers concerning the fourth beast which shaddowes out unto us the Roman Monarchy in these words I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horne spake I beheld even till the beast was slaine and his body destroied and given to the burning flame In that day shall the mount Sion and Jerusalem rejoice which were formerly called Midbar or a desart as it is written Thy holy Cities are a wildernesse Sion is a wildernesse Jerusalem a desolation The same Prophet saying also in another place That Sion ought to rejoice and Jerusalem to be glad and clap her haâ—ds because the Lord will take vengeance upon Edom that is upon the Roman Empire as it it written The desart and wildernesse shall rejoice So much Rabbi Bechai out of which we may easily gather how much good the Jewes wish unto us Christians in the time of this their Festivall Yet in their books of Common Prayers it appeares that in former times they have been more invective against us then they are at this day for there they pray that God would smite us after the manner that hee smote the first born in the land of Egypt And that in a prayer which begins Ana hoschiana where the expresse words are Smite our enemies as thou smotest the first born in Egypt and make them subject unto us c. Where by their enemies they understand us Christians to whom they are now in bondage The first shaking of these Festivall branches being ended they shake them very often in the processe of their prayers taking two bookes of the Law out of the Arke out of which they read certaine sections with a bawâ—ing ostentation but very little attention and lesse devotion The second day they hallow equally as the first not that they are enjoined thereunto by the command and law of God but by reason they are not assured what day of September may precisely be accounted for the fifteenth and hence it is that they make two holidaies when one onely is required Eâ—ery evening so long as the Feast endures the Master of the family repeats a certaine prayer whereby hee makes the daies of the Feast to be discerned and differenced from those which are appointed for labour and travell in our ordinary vocation giving thanks unto God that the Feast hath been celebrated in such a good manner The foure daies following are onely esteemed holy in part but upon these also they sing and pray very much shaking their palm branches If any one of these foure daies chance to be the day of the Sabbath then among other things they read a certaine Chapter out of the Prophesie of Ezekiel concerning the dreadfull war of Gog and Magog beleeving and writing that Gog shall be slaine in this month and they delivered out of bondage shall be brought back into their owne land there for ever to have a peaceable habitation The seventh day is likewise by them kept holy whereon they say the prayer called Hosanna Rabba Helpe O Lord our strength because therein they intreat the Lord for to help them against all their enemies and to send them a good and fruitfull yeare For the first day of this month is the first day of the new yeare of yeares properly so called according to which they frame the computation of their yeares In the morning of every one of these daies they early wash themselves in hot or cold water goe into the School or Synagogue light many candles sing and pray â—ervently and with a great deale of ostentation take seven books of the Law out of the Arke and lay them upon the pew or deske which as was formerly related they compasse about seven times having their bundles of palme branches in their hands which are knit together with willow After every severall encompassing putting one of the seven books of the Law into the Arke againe Rambam Rakanat and Bechai with many other of the Rabbines Commenting upon the 14 Chapter of the 4 book of Moses blush not to affirm that God upon the seventh day at night reveales unto them by the moone what thing soever shall befall them the yeare following and that in this manner Upon this night they goe out into the fields by moone-shine some with their heads uncovered other having onely a linnen cloth tied about them or a vaile upon them which they suffering to fall upon the earth stretch out their armes and hands If any mans shadow in the moon-shine seem to want an head it is a certaine signe and token that such a one shall that yeare either lose his head or dye some other death If any seem to want a singer it presages the death of some of his friends if his right hand of his son if his left of his daughter But if no shadow at all appeare then that man shall undoubtedly dye and therefore if he have appointed a journey hee should hereby bee warned to let it alone lest he should not returne in safety This the Rabbines prove from those words of Moses Their shadow is departed from them Num. 14. 9. The Rabbines interpreting that a shadow which properly signifies a defence Yet they say that though a man cannot behold his shadow as upon this night that for this reason he should not
out a place for his ingresse with an Hatchet he is forced to stand up to the chin in the water so long as an Egge may be made hard rosted In Summer time he is compelled to sit naked in an heap of Pismires where although he be so naked that he hath not the least rag upon him yet are his ears and nostrils stopped his penance ended he washeth himself with cold water If the season be neither hot nor cold in which he is to suffer punishment then they appoint him a certain time of fasting for the space whereof he must not eat unlesse it be very late at night at what time they give him some small portion of bread and water and this they practise until the time come when he may either stand in cold water or sit amongst an heap of Pismires It is written in Medrasch that the first man Adam stood in the water up to the nostrils an hundred and thirty years before he begot Seth for eating of the forbidden fruit If the punishment seem to be lesse then the offence requires then they compel him in the Summer time to run through the middle of a thick swarm of Bees which may lance and sting his body until the bulk thereof by reason of the anguish swell again And so soon as he is cured of the said malady he must again run through the foresaid swarm of Bees and that more then once according to his desert If he have often committed fornication and adultery then for many years he must continually suffer the said punishment Such a Fast is sometimes enjoyned such an offender that for the space of three years he must fast night and day not eating any thing unless it be at supper when his daintiest fare must be bread and water onely this qualification is annexed that he may chuse whether he will perform the forementioned injunction or otherwise fast three whole dayes in every one of the three years not tasting the least morsel of bread or drop of water As Queen Esther did in her great and extream necessity and commanded the Jews to practise the same If any go in unto a woman at unfitting time he is enjoyned to fast forty dayes and every day to have his back twice or thrice soundly lashed with a lethern whip and thirty nine stripes to be given him He must not eat any flesh or hot meats drink no wine unlesse it be upon the Sabbath day If any kiss or embrace a woman being in her monethly flowers he must undergo the same punishment A Robber is adjudged to a three years exile as also that wandering through every City where any Jews do sojourn he should with a loud voice proclaim Rotzeach Ani I am a Robber and expose himself to the lash He must not eat flesh nor drink wine He must not cut his hair or beard nor put on any clean lineâ— or change of garments It is not lawful for him to wash his hands every moneth once he is bound to cover his head and to binde the arm wherewith he acted the murther thereunto with an Iron Chain and so to deplore the offence committed in the sight of the Iews Some have this punishment inflicted upon them that if they sleep one night they should watch the next and so become vagabonds upon the face of the earth as Cain was Others are compelled to wear plaits of Iron upon their naked skin Others forced to prostrate themselves before the door of the Synagogue that every incommer may tread upon If any Jew accuse another and bring him before a Christian Magistrate or divulge his wickednesse and evil actions then is he called a traytor Others inflict some grievous punishment upon him and from thenceforth esteem him as a man of no account and reckoning CHAP. XXXV Touching the burial of the Jews and how they are bewailed and lamented of their living Friends and Kinsfolks WHen any Jew is visited with sickness then the learned Rabbines come diligently to visit and comfort him which they esteem as a good and precious work If any be sick unto death he sends for his nearest Kinsfolks and other of the learned crew If the sick person be rich then in the first place they barter with him about his temporal estate if poor they spare their labour They seriously exhort him to a constant perseverance in their faith First of all catechising him whether he believes the Messias is yet for to come He is also bound to make a confession of his sins upon his death-bed the form whereof is this I confesse before thee my Lord and God the God of my fathers the Lord of all creatures that health and sicknesse are in thy hand I pray and beseech thee to restore me to my former health and being mindful of me to hear my prayer as thou heardest the prayer of King Hezekiah when he was sick But if my appointed time be come then let this my death be the remission of all my sins which I have committed either out of ignorance or wantonness since the day that I was born Grant that I may have a part in paradise and in that world to come that is reserved for the just Grant that I may know the way of life everlasting Satisfie me with the joy of the excelling countenance by thy right hand for ever more Blessed be thou O God who hearest my prayer Their final comfort is that temporal death a debt to corrupt nature may be a reconciliation for all their sins and that God is bound to remit their sins because they undergoe this death Alass who can but perceive what peace such poor comfort can afford to a loaden conscience When he is giving up the Ghost then all the by-standers whether kinsfolke or strangers rent their garments yet this they doe in the skirts thereof where the rent being but a hands breadth can doe no great hurt they deplore and lament the man departed seven dayes after the example of Joseph who mourned for his father for the same space and for the renting of their garments they produce that Scripture Jacob rent his garmants and put sackcloth upon his loines and lamented his son many dayes As soon as he is dead they cast forth all the water in the house into the streets cover his face that from thenceforth none may behold it Then they take his thumbe and by wresting of it into the palme of his hand make it to represent the name Schaddai which is so great a terrour to the devil that he dare not approach the dead corps They binde his thumb with the threads and stringes of his own coat which otherwise would not remain crooked For it is ordinary for a dead man alwayes to stretch out his hands and fingers thereby signifying that he hath left the world and that there is nothing in it which he can now lay challenge unto as on the contrary the little infants at their birth have their hands