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.

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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.
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Purchas, Samuel, 1577?-1626.
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London :: Printed by William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, and are to be sold at his shoppe in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Rose,
1613.
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"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A10228.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 16, 2024.

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CHAP. V.

Of the Festiuall dayes instituted by GOD in the Law.

AS they were enioyned to offer a Lambe in the morning, and another in the euening euery day, with other Prayers, Prayses, and Rites: so had the Sabbath a double honour in that kinde, and was wholly se∣questred and sanctified to religious duties. Which howsoeuer it was ceremoniall, in regard of that seuenth day designed, of the Rites therein prescribed, of that rigid and strait obseruation exacted, of the particular workes prohibited, and of the deadly penaltie annexed, yet are we to thinke, that the eternall LORD, who hath all times in his hand, had, before this, se∣lected some Time proper to his Seruice, which in the abrogation of ceremonies * 1.1 Le∣gall, is in Morall and Christian dutie to be obserued to the end of the World: euen as from the beginning of the World he had sanctified the seuenth day to himselfe, and in the Morall Law (giuen not by Moses to the Iewes, but by GOD himselfe, as to all creatures) is the remembrance of that sanctification vrged. Friuolous are their rea∣sons who would renew the Iewish Sabbath amongst Christians, tying and tyring vs in a more then Iewish seruitude, to obserue both the last and first dayes of the weeke, as some haue preached, and of the Aethiopian Churches is practised. Neither can I subscribe to those, who are so farre from paying two, that they acknowledge not the debt of one vpon diuine right, but onely in Ecclesiasticall courtesie, and in regard of the Churches meere constitution; and haue thereupon obtruded on many other dayes as religious respects or more, then on this (which yet the Apostles entitled in name and practise the LORDS day) with the same spirit whereby they haue equalled traditions to the holy Scriptures.

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Thus Cardinall Tolet a 1.2 allowes on the LORDS day Iourneying, Hunting, Wor∣king, Buying, Selling, Fayres, Fencing, and other priuate and publike workes, by him mentioned: and sayth, a man is tied to sanctifie the Sabbath, but not to sanctifie it well: (a new kinde of distinction) the one is in hearing Masse, and ceasing from seruile workes; the well-doing it, in spirituall contemplations &c. Another b 1.3 Cardinall is as fast as he is loose, affirming, That other holy-dayes also binde the conscience, euen in cases void of contempt and scandale, as being truly more holy then other dayes, and a part of diuine worship, and not onely in respect of Order and Politie.

But to returne to our Iewish Sabbath. Plutarch thought, that the Sabbath was deriued of Σαβὰζειν which signifieth, to keepe Reuell-rout, as was vsed in their Bacchanals of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is interpreted Bacchus, or the sonne of Bacchus, as Coelius Rhodiginus c 1.4 sheweth out of Amphitheus and Mnaseas; who is therefore of opinion, That Plutarch thought the Iewes on their Sabbaths worshipped Bac∣chus, because they did vse on that day to drinke somewhat more largely (a Sab∣batising too much by too many Christians imitated, which celebrate the same ra∣ther as a day of Bacchus, then the LORDS day. d 1.5 ) Bacchus his Priests were called Sabbi, e 1.6 of this their reuelling and misse-rule. Such wide coniectures wee finde in others, whereas the Hebrewes call it Sabbath, of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signifieth to rest, be∣cause of their vacation to diuine Offices, and not for idlenesse, or worse employ∣ments. And for this cause all the festiuall Solemnities in the Scripture f 1.7 are styled with this generall title and appellation, as times of rest from their wonted bodily seruices. Likewise their seuenth yeare was Sabbathicall g 1.8 , because of the rest from the labours of Tyllage. In those feasts also, which consisted of many dayes solem∣nitie, the first and last were Sabbaths h 1.9 , in regard of the strictnesse of those dayes rest.

Luke i 1.10 hath an obscure place, which hath much troubled Interpreters with the difficultie thereof, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 our English reades it, The second Sabbath after the first. * 1.11 I sidore sayth it was so called of the Pascha and Azyma comming together. Chrysostome thinkes (as Sigonius cites him) it was when the k 1.12 New Moone fell on the Sabbath, and made a double Festiuall. Sigonius, when they kept their Passeouer in the second moneth. * 1.13 Stella takes it for Manipulus Frugum, alledging Iosephus his Author. l 1.14 Ambrose, for the Sabbath next after the first day of the Easter Solemnitie. m 1.15 Hospinian, for the Octaues or last day of the same: * 1.16 Maldonatus, for the Feast day of Pentecost, which was the second of the chiefe Feasts: But Ioseph Scaliger n 1.17 sayth, That the second day of the Feast was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (being the sixteenth day of the moneth, called Ma∣nipulus Frugum) and the Sabbaths which fell betwixt that and Pentecost receiued their denomination in order from the same; Secundo-primum, secundo-secundum, &c. And hence doth Luke call that first Sabbath which fell after that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or second day of the Feast, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Of this wee shall haue occasion to say more when wee come to the Samaritans. o 1.18 The name Sabbath is also taken for the p 1.19 whole weeke. But I list not to stand on the diuers significations of the word.

q 1.20 Iosephus and Plinie tell of a Riuer in Syria, in the Kingdome of Agrippa, called Sabbaticus, which on other dayes ranne full and swift, on the Sabbath rested from his course. Petrus Galatinus r 1.21 alledgeth the ceasing of this Sabbaticall streame for an argument of the abrogation of the Iewish Sabbath.

The Iewes were superstitiously strict in the obseruation of their Sabbath: Ptolo∣mey without resistance captiuating their Citie and themselues by this aduantage, as did Pompey afterwards. And in the dayes of Matathias, father of Iudas Macca∣beus, a thousand were murthered without resistance, till that by him they were bet∣ter aduised: which appeared by the Pharisees, that cauilled at the plucking and rubbing of a few eares of Corne, by the hungrie Disciples, and at their Master for healing on that day, though by his word: Which their superstition, the Iew that fell into a Priuie at Maidenburg, 1270, on his Sabbath, and another at Tewskburie, 1220, (and were, the one by the Bishop of the Place, the other by the Earle of

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Glocester constrained to abide the Christian Sabbath, whence on their owne they would not be freed) testified to the world by a stinking penance, and the later leauing also his stinking superstitious soule behinde to seale his deuotion. They added of their owne, fasting that day till Noone, their Sabbath dayes iourney, which was (saith S. Ie∣rome) s 1.22 by the institution of Barachibas, Simcon and Hellis, (Rabbines) not aboue 2000. paces * 1.23 or two miles. Thus did this holy ordinance, which God had instituted for the refreshing of their bodies, the instruction of their soules, and as a type of aeternall hap∣pinesse, vanish into a smoakie superstition amongst them. The sacrifices and accusto∣med rites of the Sabbath are mentioned. Num.28.&Leuit.23.& 24. Where we may reade, that the dayly burnt-offering, and meate-offering, and drinke-offering, were doubled on the Sabbath, and the shew-bread renewed, &c.

The sanctification of dayes and times being a t 1.24 token of that thankefulnes and a part of that publike honour which we owe vnto God, he did not onely enioyne, by way of perpetuall homage, the sanctification of one day in seuen, which Gods immutable Lawe doth exact for euer, but did require also some other part of time with as strict exaction, but for lesse continuance; besides accepting that which being left arbitra∣rie to the Church, was by it consecrated voluntarily vnto like religious vses. Of the first of these (the Sabbath) we haue spoken: of the Mosaicall Feasts, the New∣Moones are next to be considered. The institution hereof we reade, Num.28. and the solemne sacrifice therein appointed: so to glorifie God, the Author of time and light, which the darkened conceipts of the heathens ascribed to the planets and bo∣dies coelestiall, calling the monethes by their names. Besides their sacrifices they banquetted on this day, as appeareth by u 1.25 Dauid and Saul: Where the day after was festiuall also, either so to spend the surplusage of the former dayes sumptuous sacri∣fice, or for a farther pretext of religion and zeale, as Martyr x 1.26 hath noted. Sigonius y 1.27 maketh these New-moone dayes to be profestos, that is such wherein they might la∣bour, the sacrificing times excepted: but those couetous penny-fathers seeme of an other minde. When z 1.28 (say they) will the New-moone bee gone that we may sell corne, and the Sabbath that wee may sellwheate: and Es. I. the Sabbaths and New-moones are reckoned together.

Their Passeouer, called of them Poesach, so called of the Angels passingouer the Israe∣lites in the common destruction of the Aegyptian first born. For Poesach, the Grecians vse Pascha; of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to suffer, fitly in regard of the body of that shadow CHRIST himselfe, who a 1.29 was our Paschall Lambe, in his suffering sacrificed for vs.

The institution of this Feast is set down Exo. 12. as Hospiniax hath noted in the yeere after the creation of the world. 2447. b 1.30 after the floud 791. after the promise made to Abram, 430. it was celebrated from the fifteenth to the one and twenty day of the moneth Abib or Nison, those two daies being more especially sanctified with a holy Conuocation and abstinence from worke, except the dressing of their meat: the other being obserued with vnleauened bread: and the fourteenth day being the Parascene, or preparation in the euening of which fourteenth day, as some men hold opiniō, after sun set in the twi-light, others in the fourth howre, or fourth part of the day, as containing three houres space, before the going downe of the c 1.31 sun, the Paschal Lambe was slaine, about which time (the ninth houre) Christ, the true Pascha, yeelded vp the ghost. From which ninth hower the Iewes began their Vespera or Euening: and therefore it vvas inioyned them inter duas Vesperas, to kill the Passeouer.

This Lambe or Kidde was chosen a male of a yeere olde, the tenth day of the moone, which they kept till the fourteenth day tied (after their traditions) to the foote of some bench or forme, so to minister occasion to their children, of questioning a∣bout it, to themselues of preparation and meditation, and to espie in this meane while, if any default were in the Lambe. It vvas first a priuate sacrifice to be perfor∣med in euery house, after in that place ouely where the Tabernacle or Temple was, they there dispersed by companies, according to Iosephus, not fewer then ten, somtime twenty, in a company; with Christ there were thirtie: and of these sacrifices and com∣panies in time of Cestins, were numbred 256500. so that reckoning the least num∣ber

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there were ten times so many, besides those that by diseases or other manifold lets were not partakers thereof: and in regard of this Feast beeing assembled thither through Gods iust iudgement, their whole huge multitudes were couped or caged together in the walles of this Citie to destruction, vnder Titus.

The bloud of the Lambe they were to receiue in a vessell, and to sprinkle the same with a bunch of Hysope on the doore postes, and to eate it in the night, which was the beginning of the fifteenth day, roast with fire, with sowre hearbes, and vn∣leauened bread, both the head, feete, and purtenance; girded, shod, with staues in their hands, in hast, standing, burning whatsoeuer was left of the same. There are that d 1.32 thinke, that after the eating the sacramentall Lambe, standing, they had other proui∣sion which they eat sitting, e 1.33 or after their manner of lying at table, in remembrance of their libertie, as appeareth by Iohns leaning on his breast, and Iudas his soppe at Christs Supper. They were in the euen of the fourteenth day to purge their houses of leauen, and that throughout the land, where the Lambe might not bee eaten. All the Israelites were enioyned this duty: and they which by occasion of iourneying or vn∣cleannesse could not now celebrate the Passeouer, were to obserue it the next mo∣neth. Num.9..

The day after, or second day of this Paschall Feast, they were to bring to the Priest a Gomer of the first-fruits of their corne, and a Lambe, with other duties for a burnt offering to the Lord: before which time they might not eate of the new yeares fruits, which at that time in those countries began to ripen, and so to acknowledge God the giuer thereof. f 1.34 Philo saith, that each priuate man, which otherwise brought in his sacrifice to the Priest, sacrificed or slew this sacrifice with his owne hands: and elsewhere g 1.35 he affirmeth the same. Eleazarus, h 1.36 or as other say the Synedrium, ordained 350. yeares before the birth of Christ, that the Passeouer should not bee solemnized on the second, fourth, or sixt day of the weeke: and therefore when it fell on the sixt day, which we call Friday, it was deferred to the seuenth, at the time of Christs Pas∣sion, and hee with his Disciples eate it the night before, according to the law of God.

This Eleazarus ordained, that the Feast of Lots should not bee celebrated on the second, fourth, or seuenth: Or Pentecost on the third, fift, or seuenth: Or that of the Tabernacles on the first, fourth and sixt: Or the Fast of Expiation, on the first, third, or sixt: Or their New-yeares day, on the first, fourth, and sixt, which decree is extant in the booke of Gamaliel, Paules Mr. which they did superstitiously, to auoide two Sabbaths (in so strict a rest) together, and carrying boughes on the Sabbath, if that feast fell thereon, and on other such reasonlesse reasons,

After this sixteenth day of the moneth, or second day of vnleauened bread, in which first of all sickle was thrust into the haruest, to offer the first fruits thereof vnto God, were numbred seuen intire weekes, and the next day which was the fiftieth, (accoun∣ting inclusiuely) was celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, receiuing his name of that rec∣koning of fifty: and Schefuoth, that is, of weekes, because of this reckoning of seuen weekes, it is called also the Feast of the haruest of the first fruits: * 1.37 the rites thereof are prescribed. Leu. 23. The institution was in respect of the lawe then giuen on Mount Sinai, and a type of that Euangelicall law, which Christ, hauing ascended vp on high, did write not in Tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart, when (at the same * 1.38 time) he gaue the holy Ghost to his Disciples, as a remembrance also of the author of their haruest-fruits and euery good gift.

As the seuenth day in the weeke, so the seuenth moneth in the yeare, was in a great part festiuall: fittest for that purpose, as the fruits of the Earth being now inned.

The first day of this moneth vvas, besides the ordinarie Kalendes or Festiuall New-moone, the Feast of Trumpets, in respect of that rite then obserued of soun∣ding Trumpets, being their New-yeares day, after the ciuill account: the institution is read Leu. 23. and Num. 29. Whether, as some of the Rabbines vvill haue it, for Isaacs deliuerance, that in remembrance of that Ramme, these Rams-horne trumpets should be sounded, or in regard of their warres, or in respect of that spirituall warre∣fare which continueth our whole life, or that this was so festiuall a moneth,

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or the beginning of their yeare for ciuill accounts, and for the Sabbaticall and Iubilec∣yeares or for some other cause, let the wiser reader iudge.

On the tenth day of this moneth was the Feast or Fast of Reconciliation or Expiation, a day of publike penance, fasting & afflicting themselues, described in Leu.16. through∣out the chapter, and chap. 23. wherein is liuely in that type shewed the office of IE∣SVS CHRIST, the eternall high Priest, who hath alone wrought our atonement, entered into the Holy place of heauen, and laide our finnes on the scape-Goate, bea∣ring them, and satisfying for them in his owne person on the Crosse, and by the sprink∣ling of his bloud sanctified vs for euer to GOD his Father. Paul. Heb.9. doth vnsold the mysterie of this dayes rites, wherein onely, the High Priest alone might enter into the holy place, and himselfe alone performe the other offices of Expiation. The Iewes thought, that this fasting & afflicting themselues was in respect of their Idolatry with the golden Calfe, and therefore it seemed, that in Theodorets k 1.39 time they did not afflict themselues, but sported rather in obscene and profane manner. The sacrifices are set downe. Num.29.8.9.10.11.

The next Feast was that of Tabernacles; in remembrance that howsoeuer they now dwelleu in strong Cities, goodly houses, &c yet their fathers liued in tents in the wildernes, where God by a cloud in the day time, and fire in the night, protected that people. It is expressed Leu. 23. Num.29 Deut.16. It was obserued from the fifteenth to the one and twentith, the first and last of them being (as at the Passeouer) more solemnely feastiuall, with abstinence from labour, and a generall Conuocation. They were the first day to take boughes & branches of trees, and to make therwith boothes, and to dwell in boothes seuen dayes. This was neglected from the time of Iosuah, till the dayes of Nehemiah, l 1.40 when hee and Ezra solemnized this Feast seuen daies vvith boothes on their house-tops, and in their Courts and streets, with lectures euery day out of the Lawe, and solemne assembly on the eight day. The Hebrewes report that they made them bundles of that matter, which they carried, euery day of the seuen, vp & down in the morning before they might eate, wherevpon it was called the Feast of Palmes or Willowes. The seuenth day saith Paulus Fagius, m 1.41 they compassed the Al∣tar with these boughes seuen times, in remembrance of the fall of Iericho. Andrew Osiander, n 1.42 affi meth that they vsed this carrying about boughes euery day, especially the seuenth, in which they obserued a kinde of procession or Letany singing, Ana Iehoua Hosanna ana Iehoua hatz elicha-na: first reckoning vp a great number of the names of God, then of his attributes: thirdly, of the things which they wish to be saued, then of themselues and other things interlacing euery particular of these with singing Ho∣sanna, like their Ora pro nobis in the Popish Letany. Then they alter it in another form, Pray redeeme the Vine of thy planting, Hosanna, &c. then in another, As thou sauedst the strong, in Egypt, when thou went'st out for their deliuerance, so Hosanna, &c. Then in a longer forme of prayers, with this foote of the song Hosanna: and lastly all rings Hosanna, Hosanna: and herevpon the later Iewes called this Feast Hosanna, as also those bundles of boughes: and although that the later Iewes haue now added much, * 1.43 the Iewes of Italy differing from them of Germany, yet in Christs time the acclama∣tions of Hosanna, when he came riding on an Asse into Ierusalem, testifie some such obseruation then amongst them.

The sacrifices of euery day are designed Num. 29. The first day, thirteene bullockes, the second, twelue, and euery day one lesse to the seuenth: in all 70 (as the Rabbines interpret it) according to the number of the 70. languages of the Nations, which shall be subdued to the Messias; and 98. Lambes, in respect of so many curses in the lawe, against the transgressing Israelites.

The eight day was the Feast which they called Haaziph, * 1.44 and Azaereth, that is Colle∣ction, called also the great day of the Feast, in the two and twentith day of this mo∣neth Tisri. In this they were to Contribute to the continuall sacrifices, and publike thanksgiuing was made for the fruits of the Earth, and the first fruits of the later fruits were offered. Ieroboam * 1.45 in an irreligious policie remoued the Feast of Tabernacles from the seuenth moneth to the eight, from Tisri to Marchesuan.

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The seuenth yeare was appointed a Sabbaticall yeare wherein they were neither to so we nor to reape, but to leaue that which should voluntarily grow in their fieldes and yards to the poore, and secondly should not, exact debt of their brethren of the same Nation, but remit it. Deut. 15. Exod.23. Leu. 25. and the obseruation here of is expressed in the time of Nehemiah * 1.46

After seuen times seuen yeares which make fortie nine, they were to reckon Iobel or yeare of Iubilee. Leu. 25. beginning on the day of Reconcilation: Wherein seruants were freed, debts remitted, possessions, that had beene alienated, returned, the lawe allowing no further sales, proclaimed with sound of a Trumpet of a Rammes-horne, and therefore called Iobel, which signifieth a Ramme, or Rammes-horne.

Touching this yeare of Iubilee is much controuersie. The auncient Authors ac∣count it the fiftieth yeare. Scaliger o 1.47 refuseth their authoritie herein. Many moderne writers hold the same opinion, as p 1.48 Hospinian, q 1.49 Melancthon, Fabritius r 1.50 Paduanus, &c. s 1.51 Caluisius at large disputed this question against Crentzhemins and Bucholcerus, by diuers arguments proouing that the Iubilee was but fortie nine yeares complete, and that the fiftieth yeare was the first onwards of another Iubilee or Sabbath of yeares: Yet is this space reckoned by fiftie, as Ouid calles the Olympiad, quinquennis Olym∣pias; Aristophanes, t 1.52 & Ausonius u 1.53 affirming the like: and yet the Olympiade is but foure yeares complete, and reckoned from the fifth to the fift exclusiuely. Other∣wise they should haue had two Sabbaticall yeares togither, namely the forty ninth being the seuenth yeare, and the next which was the fiftieth yeare. As for the later writers, they might be deceiued by following the streame, and beguiled by the Po∣pish Iubilee, which Boniface the eight, before called Benedictus, (and yet neither vvas good sayer nor dooer) instituted, Anno 1300. to be obserued euery hundreth yeare: and Clement the sixt abridged to the fiftieth: as Auentinus, Trithemius, Cranizius, and other haue written. Whether they were heathenish in imitating the Ludi secula∣res, or Iewish in following the legall Iubilee: Certaine it is, Rome thereby becomes a rich mart, where the x 1.54 Marchants of the Earth resort from all places of the Earth to buy heauen: and Babylon * 1.55 the great Citie is cloathed in fine linnen and purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold and precious stone and pearles, with the games of her wares giuing in exchange * 1.56 the soules of men washed from their sinnes; A thing more preci∣ous to CHRIST then his most precious bloud. But his pretended Vicars haue learned to effect it (the filling of their purse) with greater ease: deuout Pilgrims from all parts, visiting Saint Peters staires, whence they goe truely Saint Peters heires, y 1.57 Sil∣uer and gold haue I none, and yet finde their pardons too cheape to be good. But to returne to our Pilgrimage, and to obsserue the obseruation of the Iewish Iubilee; This Feast was partly ciuill in regard of the poore, of the inheritances, of the Israe∣litish Families, specially that of the Messias, and of the computation of times, as a∣mongst the Greekes by Olympiads, and amongst the Romanes by Lustra and Indicti∣ons: partly also it was mysticall in regard of the Gospell of CHRIST, preaching li∣bertie and peace to the Conscience, the acceptable yeare of the Lord.

And thus much of those Feasts which God himselfe instituted to this Nation: which how the Iewes of later times haue corrupted, and doe now superstitiously ob∣serue, instituting others also of their owne deuisings, shall bee handled in due place. Wee are next to speake of those Feasts, which vpon occasions they imposed vpon themselues before the comming of CHRIST: to which we will adde a briefe Ka∣lendar of all their Fasts and Feasts.

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