of doores either to take a journey or to doe any other businesse CHAP. X. The preparation of the Jewes to the Sabbath and how they begin the same IT is written in the second booke of Moses That upon the sixt day they gathered twice as much bread and a little after this is that which the Lord hath said To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which you will bake to day and seeth that yee will seeth and that which remaineth over lay up for you to bee kept untill the morning These words force the Jewes to this conclusion that it is their duty and Gods command too that they should provide all things necessary pertaining to the honourable celebration of the Sabbath especially dainty and delicate meates which they ought to boile or bake betimes upon the Friday morning whereon they may feed upon the Sabbath and with more facility rest from their labours The women are in a more particular manner enjoined to prepare great store of palate pleasing wafers who while they are kneading and making ready the dough they are very ceremoniall therein leaving the lump whole If the bignesel cause a necessity of division which is often seen in great families then the one part thereof is covered with a cloth that it may not be ashamed and put an open scandall by the other part in that it is provided in the last place for the Sabbaths repast They honour the Sabbath with three banquets all served in much pompe The first whereof they celebrate upon Friday at night when the Sabbath begins The second upon the day it selse about twelve of the clock The third and last upon the evening of the same These to be the due times they prove out of those words of Moses Eat that to day for to day it is a Sabbath unto the Lord to day yee shall not find it in the field From the word to day thrice repeated the Rabbines conclude that Moses in this place doth signifâ—e that manna ought to be eaten at three severall times upon the Sabbath orderly succeeding one another This institution according to the same Doctors in their Dutch Minhagin is profitable in another respect That is if only one banquet should be provided every one would with such gredinesse feed thereupon that his guts should be sufficiently stuft for the rest of the ensuing time even untill the end of the Sabbath But now seeing that every man knowes that one banquet being ended two more are to succeed his stomack hath no such edge to the first as otherwise it had but living in a very temperate manner he eats his meat with pleasure conscious of a second and third returne to the table What other Rites they practise shall hereafter be manifested In the time of preparation no man must thinke it a thing unseemly or derogating from his birth or riches to worke with his owne hands that the preparation to the Sabbath may be compleat And although some one man there were who had an hundred thousand men and maides yet ought not to be a meere overseer of their labours but a partaker and that in honour of the Sabbath According to that which is recorded in the Talmud that the good and honest man Rabbe Chasda would fall a chopping pot-herbes Those learned men Rabba and Rabbi Joseph would cleave wood Rabbi Ezra would make the fire Rabbi Nachman would sweep the house and would moreover provide all manner of instruments necessary for the table Meates either boiled or roasted are kept hot in an oven because they are better hot then cold The tablestands covered all the day and night long which hath a mysticall signification as hereafter shall bee declared Furthermore they wash their heads and use the help of a barber if need require The women ought to attire their heads and plate their haire to goe into some hot bath or else to wash their hands in hot water Upon every Friday they pare their nailes and in a very superstitious fashion beginning at the fourth finger of the left hand and so holding on to the second then to the fift then to the third and last of all to the thumbe whence it comes to passe that they cut not their nailes in order but still over-skip some finger or other In cutting those of the right hand they begin with the second finger and so hold on to the fourth He that throwes his nailes being cut off upon the ground that they may bee trodden under foot of men is a wicked man and a great sinner For Satan hath power over the nailes and wizards by the help of them exercise their inchantments and if any chance to tread upon them some great danger or other hangs over his head On the contrary whosoever digs and buries them in the earth he is accounted for an honest righteous man If he cast them into the fire then is hee a holy and honourable man in esteeme And the truth of every particular they evidently demonstrate in their owne opinion out of the words formerly alledged the summe of which were that upon the sixt day they should prepare themselves Moreover it is necessarily required that every one should sharp his knife use the whetstone and edge him acutely which they prove by those words Thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sinne Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great and thy off-spring as the grasse of the earth Out of which saying the Jewish Doctors have drawne this conclusion that wheresoever is a blunt knife and nothing cunning in cutting there is no peace at the table and the whole house is out of square In the next place they put on their holiday clothes every one dressing himselfe in the most minicall fashion his plodding curiosity can invent They of the richer sort have garments onely appropriated to the day not kissing their corpes upon any other and their reason for the same is very plausible for the Rabbines call the Sabbath a Queen Now if any being to make his appearance before this Queene should not put on some princely garments such as in other place they use to weare in the presence of a King then this Queen should bee much scandalized thereby They cover the table with fine and cleane linnen not neglecting the provision of napkins trenchers cups cushions stooles and other appurtenances that all things may bee in a readinesse to entertaine this renowned Queen the Sabbath in a fit and decent manner In the daies of old warning to a due preparation was wont to be given by the sound of an horne or trumpet But at this day the Sexton or keeper of the Synagogue goes about to every house making proclamation that every man should cease from labour and prepare himselfe to a comely and honourable welcomming of the holy Sabbath which comes to his house much like to
them speaks the Scriptue As the dayes of a Tree so shall be the dayes of my people that is as the Tree of life as the Chaldee renders it or as a Tree which indures for some hundreds of yeares doth not perish so my people shall remain for they who shall have a part in the resurrection at the comming of the Messias shall be so long lived as the Patriarchs from Adam to Noah So much Aben Ezra upon the place At that time they shall cherish and make themselves merry feasting their carkasses with that great fish Leviathan that huge bird Ziz and that monstrous Oxe Behemoth of which more particularly hereafter After this their jollity death the second time arrests them furnishing them with beds to sleep in till the last resurrection when they shall have an entrance into life eternal where they shall neither hunger nor thirst but be ever satiated with the beatifical vision of Gods glory and brightnesse In the first Book of Moses the 47. Chap. it is recorded of Jacob that when the time of his departure out of this Vale of tears approached he called his Sonne Joseph and entreated him not to bury him in Egypt but with his Fathers in the Land of Canaan Rabbi Salomon Jarchi upon these words saith that Jacob for three reasons would not be buried in the Land of Egypt The first was because he foresaw by the Spirit of Prophesie that in time to come store of lice should molest the Land of Egypt The second because the Israelites who died without the bounds of Canan could not rise again without a great deal of trouble being to be hurried into the â—andâ— of Promise by the hidden and deep vauâ—ts of the earth The third lest the Egyptians very prone unto Idolatry might make him the Idol which they would adore For the better understanding of this I mean here to insert what ever is written concerning it in the book called Tanchum which is an Exposition of the Law of Moles Rabbi Chelbo makes it a main question why the Patriarchs had so great a desire to be buried in the Land of Canan he gives himself a solution saying that they who shall dye in the â—andâ— of Promise shall riâ—s e first at the coming of the Messias Rabbi Hananiah confirms it and saith that whosoever dying is intombed in a strange Land shall dye a twofold death which is manifest out of the 26. chapter of Jeremy and the 6. verse where it is registred Thou Pashur and all thy family shall go into captivity thou shalt go to Babel there shalt thou dye and there be buried Hereupon Rabbi Simeon objects that that granted it must necessarily follow that all the Tzaddikim or just men should perish who were not interred in the Land of Canaan The answer is that God shall make certain caves and profound vaults in the earth by which they shall Be brought into the land of promise at their arâ—â—vall there God shall breath into them the breath of life and give them a share in the Resurrection as it is written I Will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and bring you into the Land of Israel Rabbi Simeon Ben Levi saith that the Scripture speaketh expresly that God shall restore the Jews to Life upon the very instant of their return into their own Land the place he quoteth is Isa 12. v. 5. Thus saith the Lord God he that created the heavens and stretched them out he that spread forth the earth and that which cometh out of it he that giveth breath unto the people upon it and spirit to them that walk therein This is to be understood of them that shall be carried to Sion through the caves of the earth That also which is read in the Chaldee Targum upon the Canticles ought to be referred to this voâ—ntation the words are these Salomon the Prophet saith that when the dead shall arise the Mount Olivet shall cleave in the middle and all the Israelites who formerly departed this life shall issue out of it the just also who died in banishment prison or a strange Land being conveyed hither by hidden passages in the earth shall also apPear From hence we may easily conclude how beliooveful the Jews think it to return into their own Land and there be buried and so escape the turmoyle and trouble of so long a journey under so many deep rivers and rugged mountains and for this very end as I have heard out of the Jews own mouth many of their rich ones return into the Land of Canaan at this day This is that perfect firm and well grounded faith of the Jews in which they obstinately persevering make it the rock of their salvation though with great anxiety and despair Here we may see what they give to Moses and the rest of the Prophets and also what use these miserable men make of the holy Scriptures Such as their faith is such are also their works which they would seem to shape according to the strict rule of Gods commandements There profound Rabbins perswade this simple people the Jews that they of the Circumcision are Gods own chosen people who may easily fulfill not onely the morall Law comprehended in the Decalogue but the whole Law of Moses They divide the Law of Moses into six hundred and thirteen Precepts and again subdivide these into commanding and prohibiting Precepts the former according to their computation are two hundred to eight which number is according to the Rabbins anatomy equal to that of the members in mans body the prohibiting Precepts are three hundred sixty five just so many as there are dayes in the year or as it is registred in a book entituled Brand spiegel and printed at Cracovia in the Germane tongue and Hebrew character some fifteen years ago as there are veinâ— in mans body hence it shall come to passe that if a man in one of his members every day perform one of the Mandatory Precepts and omit that which the prohibiting Precept enjoyns him to avoid he shall with great facility every year and so to his dying day fulfill not onely the Decalogue but the whole Law of Moses this is that right ordering and keeping of their Laws here I may counsel Isaiah to make his complaint That the earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Laws changed the Ordinance broken the everlasting covenant for Saint Stephen should be stoned the second time if he were now alive and should reprove the Jews for this their adulterate worship saying You stiffenecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears you do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do ye who have recived the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it c. The Rabbins hold on and say that men are onely bound to keep those six hundred and thirteen Precepts but the women are freed from the observation
a certaine shadow upon the palme after this he stretcheth forth his hand the second time so that he may know by the candle light that his nailes are whiter then his fingers which he perceiving saith Blessed be thou O God our God King of the world who hast created such a resplendent candle Then he takes the cup againe into his left hand looking in the like manner upon the nailes thereof Then by and by he transfers the cup into the right hand and saith Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world who hast put a difference between the holy and unholy between light and darknesse between Israel and the Gentiles between the seventh day and the other six dayes of the weeke destinated for labour While hee is a repeating this prayer he poures a little of the wine out of the cup upon the earth Then he drinks a little of it himselfe reaching it unto others that they may sup of the same Amongst these nocturnall petitions there is one which begins Vaiehi Noam in which the letter zaijn is not found which signifies weapons whosoever therefore shall say this prayer with a devoâ—t minde hee shall bee safe and secure that whole night following from any kinde of weapon so that he shall neither be killed nor have the least scratch given him In the the like manner he shall besafe from the devill when he devoutly faith that prayer beginning Schema Israel Heare O Israel c. For the first verse begins with the letter Schin and ends with the letter Daleth which two joined together make Scheds which word signifies a Devill This distinction of the Sabbath they prove from those words that you may discern between the holy and profane and those Godseparated the light from the darknesse Some take of the consecrated wine and anoint their eies therewithall others wash their face in it thinking it a wholsome medicine against the fluxes of the eye others bath their arteries therewith because it is a meanes to length 〈◊〉 their dayes others sprinkle it in every corner of the hoâ—â—ri about the beds and cradles of infants dreaming that it is soveraign against enchantments and witchcraft The truth is this wine is of so high esteeme amongst them as that other also wherewith they initiate the Sabbath They smell the perfumes lest they should fall into a swoon while one of their soules departs out of the body For upon the Sabbathday they have another soule besides that which they live by at other times Concerning this matter Antonius Margarita in his booke of the faith of the Jewes writes in this manner It is written in the Jewish Talmud saith he that every man hath three soules and it is proved out of these following words of the Prophet Isaiah Thus saith the Lord who created the heaven and stretched it out who made the earth and whatsoever groweth thereon who giveth life and breath unto the inhabitants of it According to the letter of this text they find two soules in man to which if we add the naturall soule there ariseth three Whereupon they also write that two soules depart out of a man sleeping the one of which goes upward unto God to learne things to come the other goes downward into the earth and running to and fro contemplates nothing else but injustice sinne foolishnesse or vanity The third they call Ruach Behemoth the irreasonable soule which being the first of all received by man is seated neare unto his heart and sees all things whatsoever the other two soules in their absence from the body have heard seen or done and hence proceed and issue all our dreames which therefore are not alwaies to be contemned They say moreover that upon the Sabbath a man hath another soule besides these which enlarges his heart that he may keep the Sabbath more honourably and exhilarate himselfe in a higher straine of mirth then it were possible for him to doe if hee were destitute of the same But the Sabbath once being ended this soule departs and the man becomes weake thereupon against which his faintnesse hee may prosperously use these sweet smelling odours that the body may have wherewith to recover its former strength Hitherto Margarita but whence he had these words I cannot as yet finde Concerning this superfluous soule 〈◊〉 remember I have read this in the Talmud Rabbi Jose said 〈◊〉 the name of Rabbi Simeon who was the sonne of Jochai that all the commandements that God gave unto the Israelites he gave them in publike except the Sabbath which he gave in private as it is recorded The Sabbath shall be an everlasting signe between me and the children of Israel Where the Jewes by an everlasting signe would understand a secret token willing that the Sabbath should be hid from all other nations and onely manifested to the Jewes Therefore marke diligently Christian Reader how the Hebrew word leolam signifying everlasting any reasonable soule being judge must according to the Jewish interpretation signifie hidden and concealed Hence the Rabbines in their Gemarah ask the question that if the Christians and other people do not know that we have a Sabbath how comes it to passe that they in time to come shall be punished for the contempt of the Sabbath and for the not keeping thereof They make answer to themselves saying they know well enough that wee keep the Sabbath this is not hidden from their eyes and therefore they are to be punished because they will not keepe it But the reward due unto the observance thereof is hidden from them and this they know not yet if they would rightlly celebrate the Sabbath they should also know thereward But this is a thing impossible for them to put in execution seeing they are destitute of the superfluous soule because it being given to men rather upon that day then others and that more abundantly doth enlarge their hearts that in the time of the Sabbath they may take their rest with ease eat and drinke well and merrily and set all care and sorrow a packing from their breasts Hereupon Rabbi Simeon the sonne of Lakis affirmed that God gave this soule to man upon the Sabbath about eventide and tooke it from him again at the end of the Sabbath as it is written When he had taken rest evâ—n to satiety the Sabâ—ath remaining then was he deprived of his soule to wit the superfluous one Where againe note how neatly the Jewes interpret the holy Scriptures for the verbe jinnâ—phsch in that place is rendred by the Rabbines to want or bee deprived of a soule whereas it hath a clean contrary signification to cherish recollect recreate stirre up the spirits and most properly to breath which after the manner of men we ascribe unto God concerning whom it cannot be said nor understood that he hath lost a soule In this their blindnesse the Jewes blush not to place their chiefe wisdome and knowledge Concerning this superfluous soule Rabbi Abraham also
hath a most accurate dispute in his Madrasch or Exposition upon the Pentateuch which book is called Zeror hammor in English a bundle of Myrrhe Other interpreters in this place say thinking their opinion to be more plausible that the Jewes use to smell to the perfumes because the fire of hell the Sabbath yet lasting doth not stinke but so soon as the Sabbath is ended and the doores of hell set open that the soules of the wicked departed this life may enter againe into the place of torment then it begins to send out an ill savour against which the nosing of those odors are a present remedy as it is recorded in their Germane Minhagin They looke upon their nailes also because of their fruitfull growth which aâ—though they be alwaies cut upon the Friday yet notwithstanding they alwaies grow againe Others say that this is done in remembrance of that garment which God at the first made for Adam in paradise for it was of the colour of the nailes of a mans hand Others that all this is done to distinguish the nailes from the flesh which wonderfull consideration had its first originall from Adam Who when he saw the whole world wrapt up in darknesse weeping said Woe unto me for whose sinne alone the whole earth is darkned Then God suggested this into his mind that he should take two stones and strike the one against the otherpunc which he doing the fire sparkled out whereat he lighted a candle Then Adam marking that he was every whit naked the utmost parts of his fingers onely excepted he praised God with a greater admiration as we may read in the book called Colbâ— They poure some part of the conseâ—rated wine upon the ground for lucks sake because such an effusion prognosticates that house to become plentifully stored with all things necessary for the sustenanâ—e of life and that in such a manner that they shame not to write that in what house soever this wine is not poured out as water there is no blessing at all resident Some are of opinion that this pouring out of the wine to be done for the refreshing of Corah and his rebellious companions for the Jewes doe foolishly perswade themselves that these being swallowed up of the earth doe as yet remaine alive therein and are comforted by this consecrated wine A little before somewhat was delivered concerning the stinke of hell fire for the confirmation of which we have this story in the Talmud That wicked man Turnus Rophus upon a certaine time demanded of Rabbi Akibha in what respect the Sabbath did excell other daies of the weeke that they should prosecute it with so great honour The Rabbine replyed why doe mortals more honour thee then other men of the same mould because said the King my liege will have it so To whom Rabbi Akibha answered againe The King of Kings even our God himselfe wils us to give more honour and reverence unto the Sabbath then to any day in the weeke besides Turnus replies who can certainly assure thee that your Sabbath day is the seventh day and so the true Sabbath indeed perhaps you may celebrate it upon some other The Rabbine answers this may be proved 1. By a water-course of the River Sambation who estreame is so headstrong for the space of six daies that it roles huge great stones along with it by reason whereof it denies any one passage for the whole weeke but upon the Sabbath day it stands unmoveable not running at all in honour to the Sabbath 2. I can draw an evident argument for the demonstration hereof from thy fathers Sepulchre For all the weeke long the smoake and stench of hell fire iss ues out of it because for that space he is tormented therein but upon the Sabbath day the Sepulchre sends out no ill savour the reason is thy father at that time is come out of hell and takes his rest so that the fire thereof hath no power over him and for this very cause smoaks not upon that day When Turnus heard these words of the Rabbine he said unto him peradventure the time of his adjudgement to hell torments is now expired The Rabbine bids him goe unto thy fathers tombe the Sabbath now ended and see if it doe not smoake as yet Which Turnus hearing went and found it to be as the Rabbine had spoken This moved Turnus to a hainous enterprize for by enchantments he cals his father from hell and thus bespeaks him How comes it to passe said hee who diddest not sanctifie the Sabbath all thy life long shouldest now being dead observe and keep it How farre is the time spent since thou becamest so godly a Jew He answered My sonne whosoever living among you will not keep the Sabbath willingly in this place after death must be forced thereunto The sonne replies how are you occupied I pray you upon the worke dayes Upon them saith he some burns us with fire but upon the Sabbath day we enjoy our rest For upon Friday at evening a Proclamation goes forth declaring that the time of ceslation is now present and that the wicked should depart to celebrate the Sabbath which we hearing betake our selves to rest and in resting sanctifie the Sabbath Then in the end of the Sabbath when the Jewes have ended all their prayers then comes an evill Angell called Dumah who is our Master and commands us to returne into hell because the people of Israel have now put an end to their Sabbath Then wee recoiling into hell are scorched by the flames thereof untill the next Sabbath These are our infernall imployments If any have an itching desire to read any more concerning these horrible trifling fopperies let him reade Rabbi Bechai in parscha vaiischma Jethro that is in his exposition upon the eighteenth Chapter of Exodus where hee writes many things about the Sabbath Now seeing God in the Law of Moses and the Prophets oftentimes commanded the Jewes that upon the seventh day they should doe no manner of work and so abstaine from the prophanation thereof Hence ariseth a grand controversie among the Rabbines what may be done what left und one thereupon Concerning which matter there is a large tract in the Talmud upon which the chiefe and most learned Rabbines have written a Commentary so that whosoever could broach the most subtle and acute meditations concerning the genuine manner of sanctifying the Sabbath he was or certainly would have been accounted a teacher unto others I will onely repeat some few things conducible to the matter in hand First then whereas God in his Law commands that not only man but also the beast shall rest upon the Sabbath day The Rabbines with a curious kind of augmentation eâ—quire how far any beast as horse asse or others of the same kinde may lawfully goe upon the Sabbath day Whether also any of these creatures may be allowed to carry any burden thereupon This question is fully stated and that doctorâ€like
many touch their naked body with their hands that hereby they may take occasion to wash them They use Claret wine for the most part in this Feast because there is the greatest plenty of it to be had if such cannot be had then they use some other for the initiation hereof alwaies provided it be intermixed with certaine spices Immediately after they have washed their throats they fall sourely upon the sallets every one taking a little thereof and dipping it in vinegar the Master of the house also saying Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world who hast created the fâ—uites of the earth They eat these herbes thus drencht in vinegar to make their stomach give a more plausible entertainment to the succeeding dishes it being very soveraign for the invitation of an appetite To proceed The Master of the houshold taking that cake of the three which lyeth in the middle out of the platter breaks it in twaine and putting the greater part there of under his pillow or napkin signifying thereby that their fathers flying out of Egypt took their dough before it was leavened their kneading troughes being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders hee puts the other halfe into its former place between the two whole cakes throwing the lambes legg rosted and the egg out of the other platter Then every one laying hands on the dish wherein is the halfe cake saith with a loud voice such was the bread of affliction wherewith our fathers were fed in the land of Egypt Every one that is hungry let him come and eat his fill whosoever hath need let him come and eat of the paschall lambe This yeare we are in this place the next yeare we shall be in the land of Canaan This yeare we are servants and bond-men the next yeare God saying Amen we shall be redeemed become Lords and Masters In this place the halfe cake is an emblem of poverty and exile The reason is a poor man or a beggar hath not a whole loase in all his house but only scraps and fragments This their practise they ground upon those words of Moses Seven daies thou shalt eate unleavened bread therewith even the bread of affliction This descant ended they set the lambes legg and the rosted egg upon the table againe and the second time present every person in particular with a bowle of wine and take the platter wherein the cakes are from the table that the children may move a question according to the custome of ancient daies which is recorded in these words It shall come to passe that when your children shall say unto you what meane you by this service That yee shall say it is the sacrifice of the Lords passeover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivered our houses So the children of the Jewes at this day ought to aske their fathers why they remove the cakes from the table before they have tasted of them and they are to answer them according to the tenor of these words Instantly upon the solution of the objection the cakes are the second time set upon the table and then the whole company sings a tedious song concerning their deliverance out of the land of Egypt When they come to that division wherein mention is made of the ten plagues of Egypt they slacke their voice and with their fingers cast some drops of wine out of the cup thereby intimating that these ten plagues being banished out of their doors ought to fall upon their enemies the Christians The song being ended every one taking his cup into his hand and in a high note singing or saying It is meet and our bounden duty that we should confesse praise glorify extoll honour and blesse him who hath not done not only for our Ancestors but for us also all these signes and wonders who hath vouchsafed to bring us out of darknesse into light out of bondage into liberty out of the dungeon of sorrow into the faire fields of joy and gladnesse and hath changed our daies of mourning and lamentation into holy Festivals representing a delightfull Jubilee for this cause will we come before him and sing many hallelujahs to his holy name sitting in his chair like a spanish Don newly transformed by a new fashion he carouses the second bowle Then the Master of the house washing his hands takes the uppermost cake out of the dish and saith Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world who bringest bread out of the earth yet not eating thereof he takes againe the middle cake and saith Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world who hast sanctifyed us by thy commandements and hast enjoined us to eat unleavened bread Immediately upon the pronuntiation of these words he breaks a morsell of both cakes and eates it commanding the rest to doe likewise who all leane upon their left side Then they take one whole cake together with the halfe notwithstanding that upon the Sabbath they are accustomed onely to the use of whole loaves and the reason because Moses cals it the bread of poverty or affliction for a poore man is Lord of no other save some basket-pieces In the next place the Master of the family takes some of the bitter herbes and puts them into the foresaid pottage saying Blessed be thou O Lord God King of the world who hast commanded us to feed upon bitter herbes and then hee invites every one to eat thereof They doe not now as formerly leane upon their pillowes in remembrance that their forefathers were as yet servants compelled by Pharaoh togather straw and labour in the bricke kilne Lastly he takes the third cake out of the platter and breaks a piece out of the same and fals againe to feed upon his bitter sallet but dips not the herbs into the pottage because Rabbi Hillel who liâ—ed before the destruction of the second Temple was accustomed so to do and they prove it also out of the words of Moses who saith you shall eat unleavened cakes with bitter herbes shall you eat them so they read it But the words of Moses are according to the truth of the originall these which follow In that night they shall eate the flesh roste with firâ— and unleavened bread and with bitter herbs shall they eate it So much concerning the prologue or preparatory acts to the Supper of the Paschall lambe now begins the supper it selfe They eate whatsoever God hath provided making very merry quaffing off and carousing whole bowles of wine and beer untill the middle of the night which approaching the Masser of the Feast takes the halfe cake which he had hid under his pillow eates a little thereof and reacheth unto every man present a morsell of the same which done they leane very demurely upon their left sides wash their hands take a cup of wine and drinke it off which is the third cup
the third and last meal upon this day while the day is not yet gone nor the Sabbath altogether come to its period They doe not at this time eate much because their time is short and because they are bound to shut up the Sabbath with thanksgivings Moreover it often fals out that when this meale is provided for them they are not an hungry because they filled their paunhes more largely at dinner which often holds unto the evening These meales or banquets they repute as a thing strictly commanded and for a worke of singular excellenâ—ie and goodnesse conâ—erning which they writing very many things in the Talmud are of opinion That whosoever celebrates them frequently and diligently he shall not taste of hell torments he shall be defended against that most feâ— refull warre of Gog and Magog he shall bee preserved from the trouble and vexation which shall be upon the earth about the comming of the Messias which they call Chebble hammaschiâ—he Between evening and night the use of cleâ—ne water is prohibited neither is it lawfull to drinke of the brooke because the soules of the wicked deceased doe as yet bath and coole themselves therein knowing that they must presently return into hell When the end of the Sabbath approacheth and the third and last repast finished many use suddenly with great expedition to match away the table cloth dreaming that by so doing due reverence shall be exhibited unto them The night inveloping the earth in darknesse they againe assemble themselves to prayer sing sweet Sabbaticall hymns especially that prayer veharacham with a ravishing Nigan their descant resounding in an amiable melody much like the ordinary catter-wauling in the moneth of March and in so doing they chant their farewell to the holy Sabbath They continue these their songs untill much of the night be spent out of pity and compassion towards the soules of the wicked Jewes And that to this end that the longer these their devotions are a finishing the later their returne shall bee into the infernall pit For as upon Friday at eve there is a loud proclamation made in hell that all the wicked should depart the place and goe into the earth to celebrate the Sabbath that all Israel may upon this day rest from their labours So upon Saterday at night so soone as the Jewes have ended their evening prayers a second proclamation goes forth to will and command all damned soules to returne into the place of torment In these their benighted chanting orisons they oftentimes call upon Elias the Prophet saying that he is promised unto them that hee will not come but either upon the Sabbath or some great Festivall Therefore the Sabbath now being past and hee not comming they intreat him that hee will not faile to come upon the next and declare the comming of the Messias Perhaps good Elias is not quick of hearing that he being for so long a time invited yea intreated to come doth not come as yet The Chachamim and skilâ—ull Rabbines also record that Elias the Prophet standing under the tree of life in Paradise registres the merits and good workes of the Jewes wherewith they diligently celebrate the Sabbath Lastly when they sing the certaine song whose beginning is Bâ—â—rechu Then the women make speed unto their owne wels to draw water out of them It is also written that the fountaine Meribah of which they dranke in the desert flowes into the sea of Tyberias and issuing out of it intermingles it selfe with all other fountains Now it comes to passe that any of the Jewish women drawing any of the foresaid water in that instant may use it as a choise ingredient for some excellent medicine Moreover whosoever drinkes of a fountaine so qualified shall have present remedy for any disease yea though his whole body be infected with the french pox Upon a certain time a woman presently upon the ending of the prayer Barechu went to draw waterat that instant the fountaine Meribah presented it selfe unto her for which reason she protracting the time of her returne homeward her husband began to chafe and swell with anger which the woman taking notice of through feare streaming from the fountaine of his choler into the channels of her body made her let the paile of water to slip out of her hand unto the ground whereupon some few cooling drops being by the fall besprinkled upon the diseased body of her raging husband were as so many skilfull Chirurgions to the place they onely touched This the good man got for his anger who if hee had drunke up all the water perhaps he might have gained a finall recovery Hereupon the Rabbines say that an angry man reapes no other profit by his cholerick behaviour but his owne anger In the last place the Jewes make a division and interpose a difference between the Sabbath and the week â—ollowing giving God thanks that he hath given them so much grace as to celebrate the Sabbath in that good manner This is done by their Reader in the Synagogue after evening prayer and this he doth for the poor peoples sake who cannot by reason of their necessity doe it in their owne houses Otherwiâ—e the Master of every private family doth it in his owne dwelling in manner and forme following A great candle is lighted much like unto a Torch which they call Ner habdalah or the candle of division or destruction Then they bring in a little box commonly made of silver full of the best perfumes In the next place the Master of the family takes a cup full of wine but if there be no wine in that country then he takes ale or beer instead thereof and sings with a loud and shrill voice The Lord is my Salvation and my trust I will not feare because he is my strength and my praise God the Lord is my health He hath delivered me out of all my trouble and mine eye hath seen her desire upon mine enemies The Lord of hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Selah I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. Hee hath been a light unto the Jewes that is to say joy gladnesse and honour These words ended he blesseth the cup and pouring a little of the wine therein upon the ground he saith Blessed bee thou O Lord our God King of the world who hast created the fruit of the vine This done taking the cup in his left hand and the little box full of perfumes in the right and saying Blessed be thou O God who dost create divers kinds of perfumes He puts the box unto his nose to recreate his smell and reacheth it to every one in the family for the same end Then taking the cup againe in his right hand he goes unto the great candle using no small delight in an exquisite contemplation of the nailes upon his fingers so that bending his fingers towards his wrist they cast
determined of in the Talmud 1. No beast must be suffered to go out of doores upon the Sabbath carrying more upon them then that wherewith hee may be led curbed and kept under So a horse or an asse going out of his Masters stable must have nothing upon him but a bridle or halter 2. An ape monkey beagle huntingâ€dog must not go out of doores without a coller to which a leash must be tyed that they may not slie away and escape Yet also they use these creatures thus upon other dayes then the Sabbath It is also prohibited to saddle an horse much more that any man should ride or lay any burden upon him lest hee should bee overâ€loaden to his hurt If any upon the Sabbath day returne home or goe to some Inne upon the backe of an horse or asse it is lawfull for him to loose his saddle but not to take it off but if the horse or asse chance to shake it off then is the horseâ€man faultlesse and to bee excused If any lead his horse by the bridle he must have a serious care that he suffer not the bridle to hang an hands breadth from his off his hand and thus he must doe lest some should thinke that he carries it in that fashion for his owne pleasure Hee must furthermore take heed that the bridle hang not too loosely betwixt him and the horse for in so doing hee shal seeme not to lead the horse but to carry the rainges for the nonce and it is not lawfull to carry the least thing upon the Sabbath It is contrary to their religion to suffer a hen to have a clout or rag about her foot or wing as a marke whereby shee may be known of the owner upon the Sabbath day Wherefore the clout ought to bee taken away upon the Friday that shee may rest upon the seventh day without molestation If any beast chance to fall into a ditch and cannot recover it selfe then they give it meate untill the Sabbath bee fully ended at what time they draw it out If the ditch be full of water so that the beast cannot conveniently eat its fodder then they cast in lopps of straw to underprop it that it may not bee drowned in the water if it can by this meanes escape it If by its own help it can lift it selfe out of the ditch then the Jew is blamelesse and not guilty of the profanation of the Sabbath Note that that seemes contrary to this which Christ objected to the Jewes for accusing him for healing upon the Sabbath saying who is there amongst you who having a sheep fallen into a pit upon the Sabbath day will not straight goe and draw him out As though he had said If you think it lawfull for you upon the Sabbath day to draw a beast out of a pit that the life thereof may be preserved how much more is a man to be helped upon that day who is of farre more worth then a beast Out of these words I say it seemes to follow that in Christs time it was permitted unto the Jewes to draw a beast out of a pit upon the Sabbath day Whereas the canon Law of the Jewes which is their spirituall and Talmudicall Law is diametrically opposite hereunto And henâ—e truly it was that that wicked Jew Rabbi Lipman in his booke called The triumph over the foure Evangelists written in the yeare of Christ 1459 accuseth our Saviour to have taught falsely and against their statutes and ordinances that the Jewes were then wâ—nt immediately to draw out an oxe or any other beast fallen into a pit upon the Sabbath day as Sebastiâ—n Muâ—ster hath registred the inditement in his Commentary upon St Matthews Gospell in Hebrew To which I answer that Christ the truth it selfe never could speak any thing but truth for there was never any falshood or guile found in his mouth yea sooner then the Jewes together with their father the father of lies the devill can evidence the contrary these superstitious brats shall suffer eternall shame It is true indeed that the law contained at this present in the Talmud is of that stampe that out of it Christ may be proved a lyar as amongst others an instance urged by Munster out of a Saxon History concerning a certaine Jew who upon the Sabbath day sir reverence fell into a Jakes makes manifest For he being left there was sustained with food and not presently drawne out The Bishop of the place also strictly charging and commanding the Jewes that they should not draw him out upon the Lords day holy in the sacred solemnization thereof to the Christians Whereupon it came to passe that for two daies space he was forced to remaine in this house of office that he might the better learn his duty I confesse therefore that their Talmudicall decrees which are in force with them at this day are contrary to Christs sayings but that it was so from the beginning it is a manifest untruth For 1. The traditions and constitutions of the Jewes themselves according to which they lived in Christs time brand it with no lesse And againe how came it to passe that if Christ had lied or spoken false the Pharisees did not presently hit him in the teeth there with Certainly the Pharisees would have contradicted the words of our Savior if he had spoken any thing oppugning their common traditions and ordinances Now if any ask how it came to pass that this was inserted into the Law which they at this day embrace I answer that it is a new constitution foisted by the Rabbines and Writers of the Talmud into their Gemara or their Appendix of ancient traditions in hatred to the New Testament and Christian Religion some hundred of yeares after Christs nativity as appeares most manifestly out of the Talmud For into this they thrust in such a tradition that they might perswade the ignorant that Christ spoke false But to returne to the matter in hand It is permitted unto a Jew to speake unto a Christian to milke his cow or goate lest the milke through its abundance straining the beast should put it to miserable torture not that the Jew hath any desire to bee fed with the milke for so it were all one as if he should have milked her himselfe This being granted that whatsoever aman doth by another it is all one as if he did it himselfe Whereupon it hath seemed good to some of their Doctors that a Jew may buy milke for his money of the Christians that hee may lawfully upon the Sabbath day feed thereupon seeing the Christian milkes the cow for his owne gaine and not in any love to the Jew But seeing these things are to full of quirkes and cannot bee sufficiently described wee will let them passe and descend to others Something therefore is now to bee spoken of the rest and sanctifying of the Sabbath concerning every one In the first place it is prohibited both to men and women
the least finger in any thing which may carry any shew of labour with it or which may administer any occasion which may become a provocation to some worke or other So often as they are necessitated as in the winter time to the making of fires at sundry times to the snuffing of candles putting out of their lampes laying their meate to the fire milking their kine and such like they hire some poore serving man who is a Christian to do the same Hence they are wont to glory that they are the sole Lords Masters and Free-men of the Christians vassals and bond-slaves and they who sitting behind a hot furnace shall doe all their workes for them It were therefore in my opinion very meet and convenient that the Christian Magistrates should interdict all those that are their subjects to do any such servile workes for the Jewes either upon the Sabbath or at any other time I should have brought some certaine of their prayers for a conclusion of this Chapter in the most of which they re-member to pray against the Christians Wherein they beseech God that hee would vouchsafe to give unto the Jewes the riches of the Gentiles that he would utterly confound the Ammonites Moabites and Edomites for by this meanes they Christen us at this day that he would smite all people with great feare and vexation and stirre up great warres and tumults among the nations even from the East unto the west But because I have decreed to reserve these and many others for another tract I here omit them and conclude with the saying of the Prophet Isaiah Bring no more vain oblations CHAP. XII How the Jewes prepare themselves to celebrate the Passeover and of the celebration of it HOW the Jewes carry themselves all the weeke long daily practising the duties of modesty and godlinesse hath been hitherto declared Now it followes that wee should speake some things of those solemnities and rites wherewith they are wont to celebrate their Festivals Their feasts are of two sorts some great and famous such as those were which their Ancestours kept and held once every year comming from all quarters to the celebration of it even to Jerusalem and their appearing before the Lord Of this sort was the Feast of the Passeover the Feast of weekes or Pentecost the Feast of Tabernacles which three were commonly called Schelasch Regalim out of the booke of Exodus Other Feasts they use which they keep in those Cities wherein they dwell and inhabite which they call Jomim toâ—im that is to say good dayes The chiefe Feast among them of the first sort is the Passeover which they call by the name of Pesach and is also the first in order for from the moneth in which it is celebrated they begin to reckon their annuall Festivals and that according to the commandement of God in the Law of Moses saying This month shall bee unto you the beginning of months it shall be the first month in the yeare to you Lo the first day of the month Nisan is wherein the New Moone begins her course is the beginning of the yeare from which they begin to reckon and order aright their solemnities Their common yeare takes its beginning from the first of September by them called Tisri in the time of the new moon Hence we read of a foure-fold new yeare in the Talmud The first begins upon the first day of Nisan or March it is the new yeare wherein begins the computation of the reigns of their Kings and celebration of their Feasts The second begins upon the first day of the month Elul or August and is called the new yeare of the bringing up of cattell The third takes its beginning from the first day of Schebeth or January and it is called the new yeare for trees Rabbi Hillel saith that this year begins on the fifteenth day of the foresaid moneth The last is called the New yeare of yeares to wit of the yeare of remission of Jubilee of the planting of trees and herbes and it begin upon the first of Tisri or September So much the Talmud Which is thus to bee understood The yeare of Kings is that yeare according to which they reckon the yeares of their reigne in all Contracts Indentures Bils and Bonds made in the yeare of such or such a King so that though any King do begin his reigne a month onely or a weeke yea but a day before the first of March yet is time reckoned unto him for a whole yeare and the first of March next ensuing they begin to write the second year of his reign In the same manner the first day of March is the time from whence they begin to number their annuall Feasts and holidaies So the Feast of the Passeover is kept in the first moneth the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh moneth and so forth 2. The beginning of August begins the yeare of the bringing up of their cattell from whence they begin to reckon the yeare and moneth in which such and such a beast was brought forth so that by this meanes they more easily pay tithe unto the Lord. 3. The first day of the new Moon in September is the beginning of yeares because from this day they have alwaies begun the computation of years from the Creation of the world to this present time The yeare of rest or remission which was the seventh yeare or Sabbaticall yeare when their fields and vines were suffered to keepe holiday took its beginning from the first day of this month as also the yeare of Jubilee which was every fiftieth yeare celebrated of which you may read in the twenty fifth Chapter of the third book of Moses From this also they began to account the times wherein they planted or grafted trees or herbes So when any tree was planted in the moneth of June then the first yeare of its planting ended in August and the second began in September c. the tree being accounted as uncleane and uncirâ—umâ—ised untill three yeares were past and gone Lastly The first day or according to Rabbi Hillel the fifteenth of January did begin the new yeare of trees and fruits for according to the time that the trees before or after this day did bring forth their fruits so were they permitted or not permitted to be eaten and according to this supputation they payed their tiâ—hes also The fruits ripening before the beginning of this month are dates and orenges and such like which were lawfull to bee eaten the yeare not run out But they which brought forth fruit which was not come to its full growth the yeare not yet ended it was not permitted unto any to eat thereof before the fifteenth day of January They payed tithes in like manner of the former sort but not of these This is at large handled in the fore-cited place of the Talmud Antonius Margarita in his booke of the faith of the Jewes saith that
solemnity cut their beards bath themselves feast and make merry because the daies of mourning for Akibha ' s schollers are now ended So much concerning the Feast of the passover I conclude all with the saying of Isaiah They have not known nor understood for he hath shut their eles that they cannot see and their hearts that they cannot understand Therefore with my Saviour I say let them alone They be blind leaders of the blind and if the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the ditch CHAP. XV. Of their Pentecost THE next Feast of the Jewes which is also one of their chiefest is that which Moses cals Chag Schebhnos the Feast of weeks because before the celebration thereof they are to number seven weeks from the passeover which containe 49 daies so that they held the Feast of Pentecost alwaies upon the fiftieth day after the passeover according to the injunction of Moses saying Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee begin to number the seven weekes from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corne And thou shalt keep the feast of weekes unto the Lord thy God with atribute of a free-will offering of thy hand which thou shalt give unto the Lord thy God according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant and the Levite that is within thy gates and the stranger and the fatherlesse and the widdow that is among you in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to place his name there It is also called the Feast of harvest because harvest begins about the time of the celebration hereof as also the Feast of the first fruits because at this Feast they offered their first fruites unto the Lord in signe of thankfulnesse as we may read in the fourth book of Moses In the New Testament it is called Pentecost as in the acts of the Apostles and other places Their computation of the time is very accurate They begin to reckon from the second night of the Feast of the Passeover when the stars begin to appear saying this prayer Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world who hast sanctified us by thy commandements and hast commanded us to count the daies between the Passeover and beginning of harvest of which this is the first holding on untill they come to the seventh day when they say seven daies are gone which make up a weeke at the end of their prayer see upon the eighth day now a weeke and one day is past and so hold on in the same manner untill the thirty nine daies be fully expired that is to say untill they come to Whitson Eve While their account is in making they must stand according to the injunction of the Rabbines The time of the Feast being come and they not able to observe it according to the prescript of the Law therefore every day they lift up their hands unto God that he would vouchsafe to build up Jerusalem and restore their Temple as at the first promising unto God that upon the grant hereof they will duely celebrate this Festivall and all other using all the sacrifices and ceremonies required as necessary and prescribed in the Law of Moses That they should take such an exact account of the number of these daies or the Feast of seven weeks or harvest according as they write was the command of God himselfe lest his children should forget this Feast and so neglect the payment of their first sruits to God at Jerusalem which might easily come to passe seeing while they were yet in their owne land about or in the time of the celebration of this Festivall every one was busied about his rurall affaires and compelled to looke about his harvest businesse This Feast of weekes is by them compared to a certaine King who comming into a City where some Prince or Noble Peere is fettered in the prison-house entreats the Magistrate for his release which is granted accordingly so many weeks being past and gone And moreover hath this added unto his liberty that this time being past he will also give him his daughter in marriage Then the Captaine begins to reckon every houre day and week which the King hath designed unto him So God dealt with the Israelites while they were yet in bondage to the Egyptians saying unto them I will bring you out of Egypt with a stretched out arme therefore you shall number uunto your selves seven weeks aster the Feast of the Passeover which time being fully past I will give you my holy daughter the Law to wife But from which the Jewes have now gone a whoring and are become most vile adulterers as Moses and the rest of the Prophets complaine The Jewish women are not bound to this computation as also they are not to many other precepts to which the men are lyable Upon the evening of this Festivall it is not lawfull for any man to use phlebotomy for they write in their Minhagin or Talmud that on the eve of this Feast in time past there blowed a certaine evill and pestilent winde which they call Tabhoach which signifies a robber or butcher which had destroied all the children of Israel had they not been willing to have received the Law which God was about to deliver unto them the day following They keep this Feast for two daies together by reason of the same doubt which was frmerly inserted in their minds about the celebration of the Passeover In the celebration hereof they use not many ceremonies because it is not lawfull for them to sacrifice They take the book of the Law twice our of the Arke calling out five men who reade some certaine Chapters and Sections of the Law the contents whereof are concerning the sacrifices and other rites which were in use with their Ancestours in the time of this Festivall Furthermore they straw their pavements and floores of their houses streets and Synag ogues with rushes in remembrance of the Law which was given as upon this day Sticking also every corner of the house with green houghes enriching their browes with crowns of ivy hereby signifying that all the places about mount Sinai were greene when the Law was given Moreover they eat many dishes made with milke as custards and fritters or such like either baked or fryed and that because the Law upon the day when it was given was as white pure and sweet as any milk Among the rest they make one principall wafer or junket deep and thick with seven severall partitions calling it the custard or junket of mount Sinai This same is to put them in remembrance of the seventh heaven into which the Lord ascended from mount Sinai Lastly every one is bound to have his table well furnished with platters â—raught with delicate bits of meat and his goblets overflowing with the choisest wine
ill liver commonly before an honest man Hence it is that these things considered such a flood of contention often ariseth that a Christian Magistrate is often sent for to stop stay it forunder the Sun there is not a more testy envious jarring and more implacable people then the Jews And this is the fruit which they reap from the reading of the Law with so great attention as they bring and boast of and to say the very truth no better can be expected seeing their outside makes a beautiful and glorious shew but within they are full of malice and hypocrisie Now whereas there is no perfect joy where slesh and wine or as they say Basâ—r re iâ—jin are wanting therefore they conclude and end this Feast of joy and rejoycing with a sumptuous and great Supper CHAP. XXIII Of the Feast of Dedication THis Feast is wont to be celebrated upon the twenty first day of November by them called Kisleu in memory of Judas Hasmonita or Machabaeus that excellent warriour who after the death of his Father Mattathias overcame and vanquished the Grecians who had formerly subdued Jerusalem profaned the holy Temple poured out the oil of the Sanctuary and done very much evil unto the Jews He also won the City cleansed the Sanctuary upon the twenty first day of this moneth as we may read in the first book of Mâ—chabees and the fourth Chapter Wherefore Judas and his brethren with the whole Congregation of Israel concluded that the dayes of dedication of the Altar should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of eight dayes from the five and twentieth day of the moneth Casleu with mirth and gladnesse This Feast the Jews at this day do also keep and celebrate but in a far different manner then those ancient Machabites For here now is nothing to be seen but feasting and gormandising quaffing and drinking piping and dancing revelling and roaring all to passe away the time but little or no thanksgiving unto the Lord of hosts for the victory and conquest over their enemies as upon this day At that time when Judas had dedicated the Temple none of the holy oil could be found so that the Lamps could not be lighted according to the ordinance of Moses Judas therefore made diligent search in the Temple where he found a small horn of oil sealed with the Ring of one of the Priests which was onely sufficient to feed the Lamps for one nights space yet preserved in that happy manner that it was not polluted by the enemies Hereupon the heart of Judas and the whole congregation was filled with sorrow because they could have no more oil till these eight dayes were expired because the City Tehoa from whence it was to be fetched was four dayes journey distant from Jerusalem In this their perplexity the favà our and mercy of God appeared to them by this miracle for the horn of oil sailed not for eight dayes together In the remembrance of this favour and blessing so miraculously conferred upon them the Jews at this day use a great deal of superstitious pomp in tinding of the Lamps appointed for the Synagogue in the time of this Feast They provide a Candlestick with seven branches capable of seven lights or Lamps which burn every night though not until the morrow from the beginning of this Feast unto the end thereof and wheresoever any of these Lamps are found whether in their Houses Stoves or Bedchambers there it is not lawful to move the finger to any kinde of work A Lamp must also be hung as well upon the right side of the gate of every mans house as of the Synagogue the distance whereof from the ground ought to be ten spans no lower twenty but no higher It is a great question among them how long these Lamps may burn and by whom they may be tinded whether one may be lighted at another and such like Thus are they very solicitous and careful about these external lights never considering that there is nothing but darknesse in their own hearts neither striving that they may be illuminated by the light of Gods holy Spirit CHAP. XXIV Of their Feast of Purim THe word Purim is a Persian word and is rendred by the Hebrews Goral which signifies a lot This Feast therefore took its name from that plot and wicked device of Haman the Agagite who in the moneth Nisan in the twelfth year of Ahasuerus cast Pur that is a lot whereby all the Jews both young and old children and women in all the Kings Provinces should be destroyed and rooted out in one day even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth moneth which is the moneth Adar or February which decree was written in the name of the King and sealed with his Ring The end of this conspiracy fell far contrary to Hamans intent For Haman was hanged upon a pair of Gallows fifty foot high and the King granted the Jews in what Cities soever they were to gather themselves together and to stand for their life to root out slay and destroy all them that vexed them So that strengthened by the Kings Letter Patents they put their adversaries to death In Shushan the Palace they slew five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman and the Jews that were in the Provinces of King Ahasucrus slew of them that hated them seventy five thousand men upon the thirteenth day of the moneth Adar and rested upon the fourteenth and fifteenth thereof Wherefore it is instituted and ordained that upon the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the said moneth every yeer should a Feast be kept by the Jews in all quarters in remembrance of this great deliverance throughout their generations by an ordinance for ever Wherein they rested from their enemies in the moneth which turned unto them from sorrow to joy from mourning to a joyful day as we may read in the ninth Chapter of the book of Esther These two dayes are celebrated at this day by the Jews imitation of their ancestors but in that manner that they rather deserve the name of the dayes of profanation and drunkennesse then of joy and gladnesse Although upon these dayes working is not prohibited by the text of Scripture yet the Jewes at this day rest from all manner of labour writing and affirming in the Talmud that he will never thrive or prosper that does any work upon them For there it is recorded that upon a certain time that a man being sowing line-seed upon one of these dayes a certain Rabbine coming by and seeing him began to reprove and curse him Whereupon it came to passe that the seed never came to growth nor did ever peep out of the ground In the first place therefore the women are enjoyned in a more peculiar manner to sanctifie and celebrate this Festival because this deliverance was wrought by the hands of Queen Esther The night being come they light the Lamps of joy in the Synagogue and
hens before them devour them in a moment He that can get most being accounted the worthiest man at the table Every one eats what he catches without help of either knife or trencher he that hath first done begins to snatch what he can from his fellow yea somtimes out of his very mouth causing thereby a great deal of foolish stirr and much laughter and all this they doe to make the new-married couple marry and jocund The egge which we said is used to be served in together with the hen is alwayes raw which they are wont to cast one at anothers face not sparing a stranger of Christian if he be invited and there present The foresaid egge is set before the Bride to comfort her and let her know that she shall bring forth her children easily without pain and grief even as a hen bringeth forth an egge with that ease that she expresseth it by her cockling voice of joy and gladneffe After these sports and childish fooleries they fall to feast their bellies in good earnest after dinner they dance many Giggs and Capering Currantos an when they are about to depart and to put a period to these nuptial sports dance a dance called Mitzuah The commandment or marriage pavin because it was commanded by God himself This they dance in this manner the chief man at the table takes the Bridegroom by the hand he another and so every one his fellow even so many as have any skill in dancing takes one another by the hand So likewise the chief mation and most honourable woman in the company joynes hands with the Bride and all the rest one with another Dancing hand in hand and making a great noise with their feet and in this manner put an end to their marriage rites and sports which commonly endure for the space of eight dayes together If the marriage day chance upon the Sabbath then their dancing measures are quite out of measure thinking that thereby they honour the Sabbath in an extraordinary kinde because the Sabbath is called a spouse as we formerly declared A great care must be had that no uncircumcised Christian be invited to the marriage for Solomon saith The heart knowes the bitterness of his soule and a stranger that is a Christian shall not be made partaker of his joy thus wresting the Scripture to a sense clean contrary Moreover they write that the Angels seeing the Christians at their marriages do presently depart and devils enter the place doing much dammage in stirring up strife brawlings jarrings slips and falls breaking armes and shins murther and what not Hence we may see how willingly they suffer Christians to be present at their marriages When they pledge a health they say Lochajim tobhim God grant it may be for your health but if they like not the man who drinks to them as a Christian by the foresaid words they understand an imprecation or curse Relalah for this one word in their Cabbalistical computation comprehends the two former willing hereby to shew that they wish he may drink his last many such machinations and imprecations they plot and powre out against the Christians of which in another place I will only here adde a Copy of the marriage bill or letter of contract which I finde drawen in manner and form following Upon the sixth day of the week the fourth of the moneth Sivan in the year five thousand two hundred fifty and fourth year of the Creation of the world according to the computation which we use here at Massilia a city which is situate near the sea shore the Bridegroom Rabbi Moses the son of Rabbi Jehudah said unto the Bride Clavona the daughter of Rabbi david the son of Rabbi Moses and citizen of Lizbon Be unto me a wife according to the law of Moses and Israell and I according to the word of God will worship honour maintain and govern thee according to the manner of the husbands among the Jews which do worship honour maintain and govern their wives faithfully I also do bestow upon thee the dowry of thy virginity two hundred deniers in silver which belong unto thee by the Law and morâ—over thy food thy apparrel and sufficient necessaries as likewise the knowledg of thee according to the custome of all the earth CHAP. XXIX Touching the bill of divorce used among the Jews Iâ— is an established truth that the Jews had a certain indulgence granted by Moses for their divorcements for from the begining it was not so neither was it Gods ordinance but Moses did it foâ— the hardness of their heart and to avoid some greater inconvenience as Christ hath clearly shewed unto uâ— in the new testament There is extant in the Talmud a voluminous tract concerning the divorce now in use among them upon which many other of the Rabbines have written many subtle and divers Commentaries and in them have laid down many causes for which the strongest bond of Matrimony may be broke in pieces The causes pretended by the Jews at this time were the same that were urged when our Saviour Christ was here on earth so that the husband can quickly take occasion of seperation from his wife and easily finde a stafâ—e to beat the dog withall The bill of divorce ought to be written in a peculiar forme the lines whereof must not exceed or be fewer then the number of twelve This ought also to be delivered unto the woman in the presence of three faithful witnesses being signed and sealed in the presence of them When the husband gives this letter unto his wife he must say in express terms behold O woman the bill of divorce for by this thou being divorced from me art permitted to marry to any other man the form of this bill followeth Vpon such a day of the week and such and such of the moneth N. Such or such a year of the creation of the world according to the computation which we use here in this City N. Situate neer the River N. I of the Country N. the son of Rabbi N. now dwelling in such or such a place neer such or such a river have desired of miâ—e free will without any coaction and have divorced dismissed and cast out thee my wife N. of the Country N. the daughter of Rabbi N. dwelling in such or such a Country and dwelling now in such or such a place situate neer such or such a River which hast been my wife heretofore but now I doe divorce thee dismiss thee and cast thee out that thou mayest be free and have the rule of thy self to depart and to marry with any other man whom thou wilt and let no man be refused by thee for me from this forward for ever Thus be thou lawful for any man and this shall be to thee from me a bill of separation a bill of divorce and a letter of dismission According to the law of Moses And Israel N. the son of N. witness N. the son of