Purchas his pilgrimage. Or Relations of the vvorld and the religions obserued in all ages and places discouered, from the Creation vnto this present In foure partes. This first containeth a theologicall and geographicall historie of Asia, Africa, and America, with the ilands adiacent. Declaring the ancient religions before the Floud ... With briefe descriptions of the countries, nations, states, discoueries, priuate and publike customes, and the most remarkable rarities of nature, or humane industrie, in the same. By Samuel Purchas, minister at Estwood in Essex.

CHAP. XVII.

Their weekely obseruation of Times. Viz. Their Mundayes and Thursdayes, and Sabbath.

HItherto haue wee heard of their prayers euery day obserued. They haue also their times designed to the reading of the Lawe. In the a 1.1 Talmud is reported, that Ezra in the Babylonian captiuitie was Author vnto the lewes of ten Commandements. First, that on the Sabbath; Second∣ly on Munday and Thursday, with singular solemnitie, some part of the Lawe should be reade: Thirdly, that Thursday should be Court or law-day for deciding controuersies: Fourthly, that it should be a day of washing, sweeping, and cleansing in honour of the Sabbath: Fiftly, that men should then eate Leekes: the sixt, seuenth, eight and ninth are of womens baking, clothing, combing, bartering: the last is of cleansing after vncleane issues. Their learned men confirme this institution of Ezra, by authoritie of Scripture, b 1.2 They went three daies in the desert and found no wa∣ters. By waters they vnderstand the Lawe. For so it is said Esay 55.1. Come ye to the wa∣ters: that is, to the Lawe: and therefore they ought not to let three dayes passe without some solemne reading of the Lawe. Munday, and Thursday are chosen to be the daies, because on Thursday Moses went the second time into the Mount, and returned with the two Tables on the Munday.

This their deuotion is as auncient, as that Pharisee Luke 18. I fast twice in the weeke; that c 1.3 which the most deuout amongst them doe to this day obserue. These two daies are generally halfe holy-daies. Assembling early in their Synagogues, besides their or∣dinarie prayers they annexe many other. Among others they vse one Prayer called Vehurachum, of miraculous effect, as appeared in Vespasians time, who commit∣ting three ships full of Iewes, without Oare or Mariner to the wide Seas, which ari∣ued in three seuerall regions, Louanda, Arlado, Burdeli, (worke for Geographers) Those which arriued in this last Port, by tyrannicall Edict of the King, were to bee tried whether they vvere true Iewes, as Hananias, Misael, and Azarias made proofe of their Religion. Wherevpon three daies being required (as they said Na∣bucadnezar had granted them) vvherein to betake themselues to fasting and praier: in this time of respite three deuoute Iewes, Ioseph, Beniamin, and Samuel, inuented each of them a prayer which they ioined into one, and continued in praying, the same three daies, at the end whereof they cast themselues into the fire, and there continued till it was consumed. Hence arose this ordinance, euery Munday & Thursday to vse the same prayer, which is this; And hee is mercifull, and pardoning finne doth not destroy the sinner. Hee often turneth his anger from vs, and doth not kindle all his wrath. Thou, O my GOD, suffer me not to want thy mercy: let thy gentlenesse and truth keepe me alwaies. Help vs O GOD, our GOD, and gather vs from the Gentiles &c. for their Restitution as in other their prayers and destruction of their enemies, the Christians. After this they prostrate themselues on their faces (as before) with many other orisons to the like effect.

Their solemne ceremonie of the Lawe-lecture followeth, In d 1.4 all their Syna∣gogues, they haue the fiue bookes of Moses written in great letters, on parch∣ments of Calues-skinnes sowed together in length, which at both endes are fastned to peeces of wood, by vvhich the booke may be lifted and carried. This booke is kept in an Arke or Chest set in some wall of the Synagogue. Before the doore of the Arke is a hanging of Tapestrie, more or lesse precious according to the quali∣tie of their Feasts, and for the most part vvrought vvith bird-worke. The booke is wrapped in a linnen cloth, wrought with Hebrew words: without that, is hanged about some other cloth of Linnen, Silke, Veluet or golde, to which is fastened a plate of siluer by a chaine of gold, vpon which is written, the crowne of the Lawe or holinesse of the LORD. Then goeth one about crying vvho will buy e 1.5 Gelilab etz chaijm. This is an office whereby they are authorised to handle those peeces of wood

and to open the booke of the Lawe. He which giueth most for it, hath it: the money is reserued for the poore. The peeces of wood are called etz chaijm, tree of life, accor∣ding to f 1.6 Salomon. Wisedome is a tree of Life to them that lay hold thereon. When the g 1.7 chiefe chanter hath taken out the booke, and goeth with it into the pulpit, they all sing out of Num. 10.35. Arise O LORD, & let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee before thee: and out of Esay 2.3. Many people shall goe and say, come, let vs ascend to the mount of the LORD, to the house of the GOD of Iacob, and he shall teach vs his wayes, and we will walke in his pathes. for the Law shall go out of Sion, and the word of the LORD from Ierusalem. When this Praecentor layeth the booke on his arme, he saith, h 1.8 Magnifie the LORD with me, and let vs exalt his name together: to which all the people answere, Exalt yee the LORD our GOD i 1.9 , and bowe before his footestoole for it is holy: Exalt ye the LORD our GOD and bowe to the mountaine of his holinesse, for Ichouah our GOD is holy: There, vpon a Table couered with silke he layeth downe the booke: and he which hath bought the office, taketh from it the clothes, wherein it is wrapped. Then these two call some one of the Congregation by his owne and his fathers name, who commeth forth and kisseth the booke, not on the bare parchment (for that were a sinne) but on the clothes which couer it: and taking it by those peeces of wood, saith aloude, Praise the LORD &c. Blessed bee thou O LORD, vvho hast chosen vs before any other people, and giuen vs thy Lawe. Blessed be thou O GOD the Lawe-giuer. Then the Praecentor readeth a Chapter out of the booke: and then hee which was called forth, with like kissing and blessing returneth. Then another is called forth and doth likewise. After him another, who had neede be of strong armes: for he lifteth vp and carrieth this booke, that all may see it, all cry∣ing, This is the Lawe which Moses gaue to the Israelites. This office is called Hagba∣••a••, and is sold as the former. The women meane-while contend amongst them∣selues in this Synagogue by some lattice to haue a sight of the Lawe. For the women haue a Synagogue apart seuered with lattices, so, besides their pretence of modestie, to fulfill the saying of Zacharie, k 1.10 The familie of Dauid shall mourne apart, and their wiues apart &c. If he which carrieth the booke should stumble or fall, it were Ominous and should portend much euill. These two officers fould vp the booke as before: and then come all & kisse the same: and then is it carried to his place with singing. After this they end their prayers as at other times: saying, LORD leade me in thy righteousnes, because of mine enemies, direct thy way before me: and, The LORD keep my going out & comming in from henceforth for euer. Which they also say when they goe forth on a iourney or to worke.

They prepare themselues to the obseruation of their Sabbath, by diligent proui∣sion on the Friday before night of the best meates well dressed; especially the women prouide them good Cakes. They honour the Sabbath with three bankets: first, on the Friday night when their Sabbath beginneth, another on the Sabbath day at noone: the third before sun-set. l 1.11 Eat ye it to day, to day is the Sabbath of the LORD, to day ye shal not finde it (Manna) in the field: doe you not see to day thrice mentioned, & therefore by Mo∣ses own ordaining, that manna must so often be eaten on the Sabbath? The richest Iewes & most learned Rabbines, disdaine not some or other office, as chopping of herbes, kin∣dling the fire or somewhat toward this preparation. The table remaineth couered all that night & day. They wash, and if need be, shaue their heads on the Friday, and very reli∣giously cut their nailes, beginning with the fourth finger of the left hand, and next with the second, then with the fift, thence to the third, and last to the thumme, still leaping ouer one: In the right hand they begin with the second finger, & after proceed to the fourth and so forth. These parings if they treade vnder foote, it is a great sin: but he which bu∣rieth them is a iust man, or which burneth them. Now must they also whet their kniues and put on their Sabbath-holy-day-raiment to salute Malchah the Queene: so they terme the Sabbath. The Clarke goeth about and giueth warning of the Sabbath: and when the sun is now readie to set, the women light their Sabbath-Lampes in their dining roomes, and stretching out their hands toward it, say ouer a blessing: If they cannot see the sunne, they take warning by the hens flying to roost.

The cause why the women now and at other feasts light the lampes, is Magistrally determined by the m 1.12 Rabbines, because that Eue caused her husband to sinne, yea with a cudgell belaboured him, and compelled him to eate, which they gather out of his words, n 1.13 the woman gaue mee of the Tree, (to wit a sound rib-rosting) and I did eate. Now after they had eaten, the sunne, which before shined, as it shall doe in the other life, diminished his light, And for dimming that light, shee lightens this. And for three causes (you shall beleeue their Talmud o 1.14 ) women die in trauell; for forgetting their dough wherewith to make Cakes with Oyle, Exod 25. for neglecting their termes; and not lighting the Sabbath lampes: which their Cabalists gather out of the threeletters of the name of Eue, or Chauah. These lights are two or more, according to the condition of the roome.

They begin their Sabbath thus soone, and end it also later, then the iust time, in com∣miseration of the purgatory-soules, which begin and end with them this Sabbaths-rest, being the whole weeke besides tormented in that fire. Iudas himselfe, in honour of the Christian Sabbath, from Saturday Euensong obtained like priuiledge: witnesse S. Bran∣don in the legend (can you refuse him?) who found him cooling himselfe in the Sea, sit∣ting vpon a stone which he had sometime remoued out of a place, where it was neede∣lesse, into the high-way. (So meritorious euen in Iudas is any the least good worke.) p 1.15 There did Iudas acquaint Brandon with this Sunday-refreshing of the hellish prisoners and desired his holy company to scarre away the diuels, when they should after Sunday euensong come to fetch him againe, which for that time Brandon granted, & performed.

The Iewes will not quite empty any place of water, that on the Sabbath these fierie soules may finde where to coole them. Two Angels attend them home from the Syna∣gogue, one good, and the other euill, which if they finde all things well, that is, Iewish∣ly prepared for the Sabbaths honour, the good Angell saith it shall be so the next Sab∣bath, and the euill Angell (will he, nill he) answereth, Amen. If otherwise, the good Angell is forced to say Amen to the euill Angels denunciation of the contrarie. They feast it with much ceremonie, pronouncing their blessing on the wine: with looking on the lampe to repaire that fiftieth part of their eye-sight, which they say in the weeke time ordinarily is wasted: they couer the bread meane while, that it should not see the shame thereof, in that the Wine is blessed, for the Sabbaths vse, before it. This good cheere on the Sabbath is of such consequence, that for this cause in their q 1.16 Talmud is reported, that a Butcher in Cyprus, which still reserued his best meates for the Sabbath, grew by diuine reward so rich, that his table and all his table, furniture were of Golde. You may receiue with like credit the Legend of Ioseph following, vvho buying continually the best Fish, to honour the Sabbath with it, found in the belly of one of these Sabbath-fishes a hat-band of Pearles, worth no lesse then a Kingdome. The table remaineth spread till the next night. The Lampes must not be put out, nor the light thereof applied to the killing of fleas, to reading or writing, &c. The good man must honour that night with more kindnes to his wife, then on other nights: therefore eate they Leekes before: therefore they marry on the Sabbath: and the children, then conceiued, must needes be wise & fortunate. If a Iew trauell, and on Fri∣day euening be further from his home, then a Sabbath-dayes-iourney, he must there abide, be it in the middest of a Wood or Wildernesse, till the Sabbath be past. They sleepe longer on the Sabbath morning; so with their greater pleasure to honor it. They then vse more prayers in their Synagogues: and reade seuen Lectures of the Law. They now also reade the Prophets. They stay here till noone and no longer, least by longer fa∣sting and praying they should breake the Propheticall commandement, r 1.17 Thou shalt call my Sabbath a delight. After dinner also they reade in their Lawe: For s 1.18 on a time, The Sabbath and the Lawe put vp their complaints to GOD for want of a com∣panion and learner, and the Israelites were giuen as a companion to the Sabbath, and on the Sabbath a learner of the Lawe. But for all this they talke not more busily all the weeke through of Vsuries, buying and selling, then on their Sabbath. Their Euen∣song they haue soone done, that they might returne, and while the day yet lasteth, make an end of their third banquet, by which they are secured against hell and against

Gog and Magog: They conclude it with blessings and singings, till it be late, to pro∣long the returne of the soules into Hell: for presently after they haue ended, there is proclamation through Hell, to recall them to their dungeons. In these Songs they call vpon Elias to come; so iustly are they deluded, who scoffingly imputed vnto t 1.19 CHRIST the calling of Elias. But their Elias being busie, (as he sometime said of Ahabs Baal) and not comming, then they request him to come the next Sabbath. But he (it seemeth) is loath to leaue his place vnder the tree of life in Paradise; where hee standeth (say they) enrolling their good workes in the keeping of the Sabbath. When this their deuotion is done, the women in haste runne to drawe water, because the Fountaine of Miriam Num. 20. flowing into the Sea of Tiberias, doth from thence emptie it selfe in the end of the Sabbath into all Fountaines, and is very medicina∣ble. After this doe the Iewes make a diuision betweene the Sabbath and the new weeke. The Housholder lighteth a great Candle, called the Candle of Distinction: at whose light hee vieweth his walls, u 1.20 blesseth a cuppe of Wine, and a little siluer boxe full of sweete spices, powreth a little of the Wine on the ground, and applieth the box to euery ones nose to smell to, thus to remedie the stinke which is caused at the new opening of hell for the returne of the souls: or else to keep them from swowning at the departure of one of their soules. For they are of opinion, that themselues haue a superfluous sabbatharie soule, which on that day is plentifully sent in to them, to in∣large their heart, and to expell care and sorrow. Antonius Margarita affirmeth, that they dreame of three soules in each man, besides the sabbatharie soule, two of which leaue him in his sleepe, one mounting to Heauen, where in learneth things to come; the other called brutish, contemplating sinne and vanitie. The viewing of their nailes at the candle, is in remembrance of Adams nakednesse, all sauing where the nailes couered his fingers and toes ends. The Wine they powre on the ground, to refresh Corah and his complices vnder the ground.

For their Sabbath-workes they are determined Rabbinically: a horse may haue a halter, or a bridle to leade, but not a saddle to lade him: and he that leadeth him, must not let it hang so loose, that it may seeme he rather carrieth it, then leadeth the horse: A henne may not weare her hose sowed about her leg, but this marke must on friday be taken off. And if any cattell fall into a pit, yet may they not help it out on the Sab∣bath: so spitefully haue their Talmudicall Rabbines endeuoured to make (where they could not finde) a falshood in the x 1.21 words of CHRIST, testifying the contrarie. But from the beginning it was not thus. The Iew may not milke his cattell, not eate of the milke when hee hath procured a Christian to milke them, except hee first buy it, but at his owne price. A Tayler may not weare a needle sticking on his garment. The lame may vse a staffe: the blinde may not. Clogges or Pattens to keepe them out of the durt they may not burden themselues with. It is lawful to carrie a plaister on their sores, but if it fall off, they may not lay it on againe: Nor may they bind vp a wound anew; nor carrie money in their purses or garments: nor rubbe their durty shooes a∣gainst the ground, though they may wipe it off against a wall: nor wipe their hands, fouled with durt, on a towell, but with a cowes or horse-taile they may do it. If a flea bite, he may remoue, but not kill it: a lowse he may. But their doctors disagree in this lowsie question: for R. Eliezer saith, One may as well kill a Camell. Hee must take heede of leauing more corne to foules that day then they shall eate, if it bee in an open place, lest it may there grow, and he be said to sowe corne on the Sabbath. To whistle a tune with his mouth, or play it on an instrument, is vnlawfull: as also to knock with the ring or hammer of a doore, and therefore the Clarke knockes with his hand when hee calleth them to the Synagogue. To knocke on a Table to still a childe; to draw a Letter in dust or ashes, or a moistned Table, is vnlawfull; in the aire not so. Of these Sabbath-labours they haue nine and thirtie chiefe Articles: whereto the smal∣ler (as these) are referred, with much ridiculous nicetie, as the first article is of tilling ground, wherein is reserued digging, filling vp ditches, &c. and to this, going ouer a fallow, rubbing his durty shooe on the ground &c. Tis time this ditch be now filled, and we proceede further.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Tract.Babba Kama.c.7.
• b 1.2

  Exod.15.22.
• c 1.3

  The deuou∣ter Iewes fast euery Munday and Thursday.
• d 1.4

  The manner of the Lawe∣Lectur••.
• e 1.5

  The folding of the wood of Life.
• f 1.6

  Prou.3.18.
• g 1.7

  Pracentor.
• h 1.8

  Psal.34.4.
• i 1.9

  Psal.99.9.
• k 1.10

  Zach.12.2.
• l 1.11

  Exod.16.25.
• m 1.12

  Orach. chaym.cap.2.
• n 1.13

  Gen.3.12.
• o 1.14

  Desab.c.21.
• p 1.15

  Like to this is the story of Turnus, and R.Akiba in the Ta'mud. Tract.sanbed.c.7.
• q 1.16

  De Sab.c.16.
• r 1.17

  Esay 58.13
• s 1.18

  Minhagim. Pag.13.
• t 1.19

  Matth.27.47.
• u 1.20

  This holie wine they sprinkle about their houses & themselues, as effectuall a∣gainst diseases and deuills.
• x 1.21

  Math.12.11