appointment of the day But why is this day now called the Lords day I answer euen therefore because it is the Lords day not changed by the Churches Constitution Meere as some seeme to hold except by the Churches authority they meane Christ and his Apostles nor descended to vs by Tradition as the Papists maintaine seeing the Scriptures Act. 20.7 1. Cor. 16.21 Apoc. 1.10 mention the name and celebration by the constant practise of the Apostles yea Christ himselfe as he rose on that day so did he vsually appeare on that day to his Apostles before his Ascension Christ therefore and his Apostles are our Authors of this change And the Church euer since hath constantly obserued it The Fathers teach yea the Papists themselues acknowledge this truth So Bellarmine de Cultu Sanct. l. 3. c. 11. saith Ius diuinum requirebat vt vnus dies Hebdomade dicaretur cultus diuino non autem conueniebat vt seruaretur Sabbathum itaque ab Apostolis in diem Dominicum versum est It was in the Primitiue Church called the Lords day the day of Bread and of Light because of the Sacraments of the Supper and Baptisme therein administred called Bread and Light And how it may be ascribed to Tradition Bellarmine the great Patron of Traditions sheweth out of Iustin Martyr who saith Christus haec illis Apostolis Discipulis tradidit Iustin in fine 2. Apolog He there also reporteth That they had their Ecclesiasticall Assemblies euery Lords day The Rhemists which ascribe it to Tradition in Annot. Matth. 15. acknowledge the institution thereof in Annot. 1. Cor. 16.2 Ignatius may be allowed Arbiter in this question of the Sabbath who thus writeth to the Magnesians Non Sabbatisemus Let vs not obserue the Sabbath after the Iewish manner as delighting in ease For he that worketh not let him not eate but let euery one of vs keepe the Sabbath spiritually not eating meat dressed the day before and walking set paces c. But let euery Christian celebrate the Lords day consecrated to the Lords resurrection as the Queene and Princesse of all dayes Now for the particular Commandement which was giuen him as an especiall proofe of his obedience in a thing otherwise not vnlawfull it was the forbidding him to eate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge For in the middest of the Garden GOD had planted two Trees which some call Sacraments and were by GODS Ordinance signes vnto him one of life if he obeyed the other of death by disobedience Not as the Iewes thought and Iulian scoffed That the Tree had power to giue sharpenesse of wit And although some thinke signes needlesse to so excellent a creature yet beeing mutable subiect to temptation and each way flexible to vertue or vice according as he vsed his naturall power of free-will I see not why they should deny GOD that libertie to impose or man that necessitie to need such monitories and as it were Sacramentall instructions For what might these Trees haue furthered him in carefulnesse if he had considered life and death not so much in these Trees as in his free-wil and obeying or disobeying his Creator These Trees in regard of their signification and euent are called the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill which was not euill or hurtfull in it selfe but was a visible rule whereby good and euill should be knowne and that by reason of the Commandement annexed which he might by this Precept see to be grounded in obeying or disobeying the authority of the Law-giuer An easie rule and yet too easily broken For when as God did hereby challenge his own Soueraignty by imposing so easie a fine which might haue forbidden all but one as contrariwise he allowed and fore-signified the danger that he might continue his goodnesse to man continuing in obedience yet did man herein shew his contempt in reiecting so easie a yoake and so light a burthen I will not reason whether these two Trees may properly be called Sacraments of which say some the one was but for the bodily life and better neuer to haue touched the other this we know that in eating of this he lost both bodily and spirituall life which the name and institution thereof forewarned and should haue preuented otherwise in eating of the other immortalitie had been sealed both in soule and body to him and his for euer Srange it seemeth that he should need no monitorie signes to preuent that which euen with these helps added he did not eschew CHAP. V. Of the Fall of Man and of Originall Sinne HItherto we haue beheld the Creation of the World and of our first Parents the liuely Images of the Creator and the Creature whom we haue somewhat leisurely viewed in a naked Maiesty delighting themselues in the enamelled walkes of their delightfull Garden The Riuers whereof ranne to present their best offices to their new Lords from which they were forced by the backer streames greedy of the sight and place which they could not hold The Trees stouped to behold them offering their shady mantle and varietie of fruits as their naturall tribute each creature in a silent gladnesse reioyced in them and they enioyed all mutuall comforts in the Creator the Creatures and in themselues A blessed Payre who enioyed all they desired whiles their desire was worth the enioying Lords of all and of more then all Content which might in all they saw see their Makers bounty and beyond all they could see might see themselues comprehended where they could not comprehend of that infinite Greatnesse and goodnesse which they could not but loue reuerence admire and adore This was then their Religion to acknowledge with thankefulnesse to be thankefull in obedience to obey with cherefulnesse the Author of all this good to the performance whereof they found no outward no inward impediment Sickenesse Perturbation and Death the deformed issue of Sinne not yet being entered into the World In this plight did Satan that old Serpent see disdaine and enuy them It was not enough for him and the deuillish crue of his damned associates for their late rebellion to be banished Heauen but the inferiour world must be filled with his venome working that malice on the Creatures here which he could not there so easily wrecke on their Creator And because Man was here GODS Deputy and Lieutenant as a petty God on the Earth hee chooseth him as the fittest subiect in whose ruine to despite his Maker To this end he vseth not a Lion-like force which then had been bootlesse but a Serpentine sleight vsing that subtill creature as the meetest instrument to his Labyrinthian proiects Whereas by inward temptation he could not so easily preuaile by insinuating himselfe into their minds he windes himselfe into this winding Beast disposing the Serpents tongue to speake to the Woman the weaker Vessell singled from her husband and by questioning doth first vndermine her The Woman
the Feast in hope of like destruction to the Christians as befell Iericho and then renew the shaking of their boughes The seuenth day is most solemne called by them Hoschana rabba the great Hosanna as if one should say the great feast of saluation or helpe because then they pray for the saluation of all the people and for a prosperous new-yeere and all the prayers of this Feast haue in them the words of sauing as O God saue vs and O God of our saluation and as thou hast saued the Israelites and such like the prayers are therefore called Hosannoth Then they produce seuen bookes and in euery of their seuen compassings lay vp one againe This night they know their fortunes by the Moone for stretching out their armes if they see not the shadow of their head by Moone-light they must dye that yeere if a finger wanteth hee loseth a friend if the shadow yeeld him not a hand hee loseth a sonne the want of the left hand portendeth losse of a daughter if no shadow no life shall abide with him for it is written Their shadow is departed from them Some Iewes goe yeerely into Spaine to prouide Pome-citrons and other necessaries for the furnishing this feast which they sell in Germany other places to the Iewes at excessiue prices They keepe their Tabernacles in all weathers except a very vehement storme driue them with a heauie countenance into their houses Their wiues and seruants are not so strictly tyed hereto §. IIII. Of their New Moones and New-yeeres day THe New-Moones are at this day but halfe festiuall to the Iewes accounting themselues free to worke or not in them but the women keepe it intirely festiuall because they denyed their Eare-rings to the molten Calfe which after they bestowed willingly on their Tabernacle The deuouter Iewes fast the day before Their Mattins is with more prayers their dinner with more cheere then on other dayes and a great part of the day after they sit at Cardes or telling of Tales That day when the Moone is eclipsed they fast When they may first see the New-Moone they assemble and the chiefe Rabbi pronounceth a long Prayer the rest saying after him The Iewes beleeuing that GOD created the world in September or Tisri conceit also that at the reuolution of the same time yeerely hee sitteth in iugdement and out of the bookes taketh reckoning of euery mans life and pronounceth sentence accordingly That day which their great Sanhedrin ordayned the New-yeeres festiuall God receiuing thereof intelligence by his Angels sent thither to know the same causeth the same day a Senate of Angels to bee assembled as it is written Daniel 12. All things prouided in the solemnest manner the three bookes are opened one of the most Wicked who are presently registred into the Booke of Death the second of the Iust who are inrolled into the Booke of Life and the third of the meane sort whose Iudgement is demurred vntill the day of Reconciliation the tenth of Tisri that if in the meane time they seriously repent them so that their good may exceed their euill then are they entred into the Booke of Life if otherwise they are recorded into the Blacke Bill of Death Their Scripture is produced by R. Aben Let them bee blotted out of the Booke of the liuing and not bee written with the Iust Blotting points you to the Booke of Death Liuing that of Life and not writing with the Iust is the third Booke of Indifferents All the workes which a man hath done through the yeere are this day examined The good workes are put in one ballance the bad in the other what helpe a siluer Chalice or such heauie metall could affoord in this case you may finde by experience in Saint Francis Legend who when the bad deeds of a great man lately dead out-weighed the good at a dead lift cast in a siluer Chalice which the dead partie had sometime bestowed on Franciscan deuotion and weighed vp the other side and so the Diuels lost their prey GOD say they pronounceth sentence of punishment or reward sometime in this life to bee executed sometime in the other In respect hereof their Rabbines ordaine the moneth before to be spent in penance and morning and Eeuening to sound a Trumpet of a Rams-horne as Aue Marie Bell to warne them of this Iudgement that they may thinke of their sinnes and besides to befoole the Diuell that with this often sounding being perplexed hee may not know when this New-yeeres day shall bee to come into the Court to giue euidence against them The day before they rise sooner in the morning to mutter ouer their prayers for remission and when they haue done in the Synagogue they goe to the graues in the Church-yard testifying that if GOD doe not pardon them they are like to the dead and praying that for the good workes of the Saints the iust Iewes there buried hee will pitty them and there they giue large almes After noone they shaue adorne and bathe themselues that they may be pure the next day for some Angels soyled with impuritie heere below are faine to purge themselues in the fierie brooke Dinor before they can prayse GOD how much more they and in the water they make confession of their sins the confession containeth two and twentie words the number of their Alphabet and at the pronouncing of euery word giue a knocke on their brest and then diue wholly vnder water The Feast it selfe they begin with a cup of Wine and New-yeere Salutations and on their Table haue a Rammes head in remembrance of That Ramme which was offered in Isaacks stead and for this cause are their Trumpets of Rams-horne Fish they eate to signifie the multiplication of their good workes they eate sweet fruits of all sorts and make themselues merry as assured of forgiuenesse of their sinnes and after meat all of all sorts resort to some bridge to hurle their sinnes into the water as it is written Hee shall cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea And if they there espie any fish they leape for ioy these seruing to them as the scape-goate to carrie away their sinnes At night they renew their cheere and end this feast §. V. Of their Lent Penance and Reconciliation Fast. FRom this day to the tenth day is a time of Penance or Lent wherein they fast and pray for the cause aforesaid and that if they haue beene written in the Booke of Death yet God seeing their good works may repent and write them in the Life-Booke Thrice a day very earely they confesse three houres before day and surcease suits at Law c. And on the ninth day very earely they resort to the Synagogue and at their returne euery male taketh a Cocke and euery female a Henne if she be with childe both and the housholder saying out of the hundred and fift Psalme verses 17 18 19
drunke largely thereof the liquid pitch floateth on the top of the water like clouted Creame to vse his owne phrase The Countrie of Babylonia hath beene the most fruitfull in the world yeelding ordinarily two hundred and in some places three hundred increase the blades of the Wheat and Barley about foure fingers broad Plinie somewhat otherwise They cut saith he or mow their corne twice and seed it a third time in Babylonia otherwise it would be nothing but blade and yet so their barrener laud yeeldeth fiftie their best an hundred increase Tygris and Euphrates ouerflow it but bring not fatnesse to the soyle as Nilus in Egypt but rather cleanse that superfluous fatnesse which naturally it hath The soyle is of a rosennie clay sayth master Allen and would still retaine in likelyhood his ancient fertility if it were watered with like diligent husbandrie In digging it yeeldeth corrupt waters fauouring of that pitchie slime In the Citie anciently it seemeth that in euery Garden of any Citizen of sort were rils made out of the Riuer The ruines from the Tower aforesaid to Bagdat which some call Babylon and beyond on the other side of the Riuer containe twentie two miles yet to be seene which happily are the ruines not of old Babylon so much as of the Neighbour townes here built Seleucia Vologesocerta and Ctesiphon which I rather thinke because they reach beyond Tygris as well as on this side To returne to the religious places in Babylon Caelius Rhodiginas tels that in the Temple of Apollo was found a golden chest of great antiquitie which being broken by some accident thence issued a pestilent vapour that infected not those alone which were present but the neighbouring Nations as farre as Parthia Ammianus Marcellinus hath the like Historie of the Image of Apollo Chomeus at Seleucia which was brought to Rome and there placed by the Priests in the Temple of Apollo Palatinus and when as a certaine hole which the Chaldaean Wise-men had by Art stopped through the couetousnesse of certaine Souldiers breaking in thither for spoyle was broken vp the world was thence poysoned with a contagion from Persia as farre as France Philostratus reporteth but who will beleeue his reports of Apollonius that he saw at Babylon such stately Palaces as scarce agree with the state of Babylon in the time of Apollonius which was while Domician raigned amongst other things hee saw Galleries full of Greeke Images as of Orpheus Andromeda c. He came also into a Gallerie the roofe whereof was made bowing like the heauens and couered with Saphire so to resemble Heauen and the Images of their gods made of gold were there son From the roofe there hanged foure birds of gold representing the goddesse of Reuenge which they called the tongues of the gods I know not by what art or mysterie admonishing the King not to exalt himselfe CHAP. XII Of the Priests Sacrifices religious Rites and customes of the Babylonians THe Chaldeans saith Diodorus were of reputation in Babylon as the Priests in Egypt Chaldaean being a name sometime applyed to the whole Nation sometime appropriated to the Priests who spent their whole time in religious Seruices and in Astrologie Many of them by diuination foretold things to come as wee haue shewed before in the Historie of Alexander and the booke of Daniel witnesseth this their profession By their auguries or diuination by birds by sacrifices and enchantments they were accounted to doe good or harme to mankind They were most expert in their sacred Rites in the knowledge whereof they were brought vp from their child-hood and continued in that course of learning all their liues the child being instructed in his Fathers science They professed the interpretation of dreames and prodigious accidents in Nature Their opinions were That the world is eternall without beginning and end the order and furniture of all was done by diuine prouidence all heauenly things were perfected not by chance of their owne accord but by the determinate and firme decree of the gods By long obseruation searching the course and nature of the starres they foretold things to come But the greatest power they attributed to the fiue Planets and especially to Saturne They call them Mercuries because when others are fixed these haue their proper motion and shew future things as the Interpreters of the gods by their rising setting and colour Vnder their course they giue the title of gods to thirty other starres the one halfe aboue the other vnder the earth beholding all accidents And in tenne dayes one of the higher is sent to the lower as an Angell or Messenger of the Starres and one from them to the higher And this course they take eternally They hold twelue principall gods each of which hath his peculiar moneth and his signe in the Zodiake by which the Sunne and Moone and fiue Planets haue their motion These Planets they esteeme to conferre much good or euill in the generation of men and by their nature and aspect things to come may be foreknown Many things they foretold to Alexander Nicanor Antigonus Seleucus and to priuate men beyond the reach of men They number foure and twenty constellations without the Zodiake twelue towards the North and as many towards the South These Northernly are seene which they attribute to the liuing those Southernly are hidden and present they thinke to the dead which they hold the Iudges of all Concerning the site motion and Eclipse of the Moone they hold as the Greekes but of the Sunnes Eclipse they haue diuers opinions and dares not vtter their opinion thereof nor foretell the time The earth they conceiued to bee hollow like a boate R. Moses Ben Maimon out of a booke intituled de Aagricultura Aegyptiorum attributeth like things vnto them that they beleeued the Starres were gods and that the Sunne was the chiefe God and next to him the Moone that the Sunne ruleth the superiour and inferiour world And concerning Abraham that he was borne in a land which worshipped the fire which when he reproued and his Countrimen obiected the operations of the Sunne hee answered that the Sun was as the Axe in the hand of the Carpenter But at last the King cast Abraham into prison and when as there hee still continued the same disputes and opinions the King fearing hurt to his people banished him into the vtmost bounds of Chanaan hauing first spoyled him of all his good This contradicteth the Historie of Moses and of the old and new Testament which commend Abrahams faith in voluntary forsaking of his country at the commaund of GOD and not by compulsion of man although it reacheth not to the former absurbitie which ascribeth this to the time of Nimrod And whether Abraham was an Idolater before that his calling is handled else where But to returne to our Rabbine highly admired by a most admired Author he saith that hence Abraham grew renowmed through the
Iephta in the end of the yeere which yet is not like to haue continued in succeeding ages and of the fire that we find mentioned in 2. Mac. 1. and the feast of Iudith for killing Holofernes and on the fourteenth day of Adar for the victorie against Nicanor Ios. l. 12. Their later feasts I shall mention and declare their seueral ceremonies when wee come to speake of their later times and of the present Iewish superstition In the meane time I thinke it not amisse to set downe here out of Scaliger a view or Kalender of their moneths with the Feasts and Fasts as they are obserued therein at this day Tisri plenus die 1. Clangor Tubae 3. Ieiunium Godoliae qui cum Iudaeis occidebatur in Mazpa Ier. 41.5 Ieiunium Moriuntur 20. Israelitae Rabbi Akiba filius Ioseph conijcitur in vincula vbi moritur 7. Ieiunium Decretum contra Patres nostros vt perirent gladio fame ac peste propter vitulum fabricatum 10. Iejunium Kippurim 15. Scenopegia 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22. Octaua Scenopegias 23. Festiuitas Legis Marches Cavus 7. Ieiunium Excaecarunt ocules Sedekiae c. post 29. Intercalatur dies vna in Anno pleno Casleu plenus 25. Encoenia 28. Ieiunium Ioiakim combussit volumen quod scripserat Baruch dictante Ieremia 30. Eximitur dies in Anno defectiuo Tebeth Cavus 8. Ieiunium Scripta est lex Graece diebus Ptolemaes Regis Tenebrae triduo per vniuersum orbem 9. Ieiunium Non scripserunt Magistri nostri quare ea dies notata 10. Ieiunium Obsidetur Ierusalem à Rege Babylonis Sebat plenus 5. Ieiunium Moriantur Seniores qui fuerunt aequales Iosuae filij Num. 23. Ieiunium Congregati sunt omnes Israelitae contra Beniaminem propter pellicem idolum Micha 30. Locus Embolismi Adar Cavus 7. Ieiunium Moritur Moses Magister noster qui in pace quiescit 9. Ieiunium Scholae Sammai schola Hellel inter se contendere coeperunt 13. Festiuitas decreta interficitur Nicanor 14. Mardochaeus Phurim Nisan plenus 1. Ieiunium Mortui sunt filij Aaron 10. Ieiunium Moritur Mariam Eligitur agnus Mactandus 14. die 14. PASCHA Exterminatio fermenti 15. Azyma 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manipulus frugum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 21. Solennitas finis Azymorum 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 26. Ieiunium Moritur Iosue filius Nun. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iiarcavus 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. Ieiunium Moritur Eli Pont. Max. ambo filij eius capitur arca testimonij 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23. Solennitas Simon Gazam capit 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ieinnium Moritur Samuel Propheta plangitur ab omni populo Sivvan plenus 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23. Ieiunium Desistunt ferre primogennita primitias Ierosolyma in diebus Ieroboam filij Nabat 25. Ieiunium Occiditur Rabban Simeon filius Gamaliel Rabbi Ismael R. Hanania secundus à pontificib 27. Ieiunium Combustus est Rabbi Hanina filius Tardion vnà cum libro legis Tamuz Cavus 17 Ieiunium Franguntur Tabulae legis Cessat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vrbs fissa Epistemon cremat librum legis Ponit statuam in templo Ab plenus 1. Ieiunium Moritur Aharon Pontifex 9. Ieiunium Decretum contra patres nostros ne ingrederentur in terram Iudaeam Desolatio Templi prioris posterioris 18. Ieiunium Extincta est Lucerna vespertina in diebus Ahaz Elulcavus 17. Ieiunium Moriuntur Exploratores qui diffamaverant terram 22. Xylophoria As for the Sabbaths New-moones and daies not solemnized with feasting or fasting I haue passed ouer this Kalender as impertinent or needelesse CHAP. VII Of the ancient Oblations Gifts and Sacrifices of the Iewes of their Tithes and of their Priests and Persons Ecclesiasticall and Religious §. I. Of their Oblations Gifts and Sacrifices ALthough Moses doth handle this matter of their Rites and Sacrifices and is herein seconded and interpreted by the succeeding Prophets so fully that it may seeme a powring of water into the Sea to speake needelesly or by our Discourse to obscure rather then illustrate that which is so largely and plainely there expressed yet because of that subiect which we haue in hand I cannot altogether be silent at least of the kindes and heads referring the desirous Reader for his more perfect satisfaction in particulars to those clearer propheticall fountaines Their Rites for time and place we haue already described The next intended part of this Iewish relation shall be of their Oblations which were either Gifts or Sacrifices Their Sacrifices were such oblations wherein the thing offered was in whole or part consumed in diuine worship for the most part by fire or shedding of blood These were of eight sorts Burnt-offerings Meate-offerings Peace-offerings Sinne-offerings Trespasse-offerings the offerings of the Consecration Cleansing and Expiation Philo reduceth them to three Burnt Peace and Sin-offerings according to the three causes of sacrificing The worship of God the obtayning of good things and freedome from euill The Burnt-offerings were by fire consumed the Rites and manners hereof are expressed Leuiticus 1. the fire was to be perpetuall on the Altar being that which GOD miraculously sent from heauen to consume Abihu sacrifice for neglecting which and vsing other his two sonnes Nadab and Ahsbu were stricken by a reuenging fire from GOD. The Meate-offering was made of fine flowre without hony or leuen and with oyle and incense on the Altar or frying pan or ouen or caldron according to the rites prescribed Leuit 2. partly sacred to the Lord by fire the rest to be the Priests The Peace-offerings are with their proper ceremonies enioyned Leuit. 3. and 7 the fat and kidnies were to be burned on the Altar the fat and blood being vniuersally forbidden them for foode the brest and right shoulder was the Priests the rest to the Sacrificer to be eaten the first or at furthest on the second day or else on the third to be burned with fire The Offering for sinnes of ignorance for the Priest Prince People or priuate man is set downe Leuit. 4 and 6. The Sinne-offering in case of contempt where the sinne is committed against God and man willingly with the due manner thereof is expressed Leuit. 6. To these were adioyned Prayers and Prayses with musicall voyces and instruments Cymbals Viols Harpes and Trumpets resounding For he is good for his mercy endureth for euer The sixt kinde of Sacrifices was proper to the Priests at their consecration recorded Leuit 6.20 The seuenth mentioned Sacrifice is of Purification or cleansing as of a woman after childe-birth Leu. 12. or of a Leper 13.14 or for vncleane issues of men and women chap. 15. The eight is the sacrifice of Expiation or Reconciliation on that festiuall or fasting-day before spoken of Leuit. 16. Hereunto may we adde the lights and
bee shaue their heads on the Friday and very religiously cut their nayles beginning with the fourth finger of the left hand and next with the second then with the fifth thence to the third and last to the thumbe still leaping ouer one in the right hand they begin with the second finger and after proceed to the fourth and so forth These parings if they treade vnderfoot it is a great sinne but hee which burieth them is a iust man or which burneth them Now must they also whet their kniues and put on their Sabbath-holy-day-rayment to salute Malchah the Queene so they terme the Sabbath The Clarke goeth about and giueth warning of the Sabbath and when the Sunne is now ready 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 Hennes flying to roost The cause why the women now and at other feasts light the Lampes is Magistrally determined by the Rabbins because Eue caused her husband to sinne yea with a cudgell belaboured him and compelled him to eate which they gather out of his words 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 women dye 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 three letters of the name of Eue or Chauah These lights are two or more according to condition of the roome They begin their Sabbath thus soone and end it also later then the iust time in commiseration 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 Eeuen-song obtained like priuiledge witnesse Saint Brandon in the Legend can you refuse him who found him cooling himselfe in the Sea sitting vpon a stone which hee had sometime remoued out of a place where it was needlesse into the high-way So meritorious euen in Iudas is any the least good worke 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 Eeuen-song come to fetch him againe which for that time Brandon granted and performed The Iewes will not quite emptie any place of water that on the Sabbath these fierie soules may finde where to coole them Two Angels attend them home from the Synagogue one good and the other euill which if they finde all things well that is Iewishly prepared for the Sabbaths honor the good Angell saith It shall be so the next Sabbath 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 contrary 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 cheare on the Sabbath is of such consequence that for this cause in their 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 gold You may receiue with like credite the Legend of Ioseph following who 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 spred till the next night The Lampes must not bee put out nor the light thereof applyed to the killing of fleas to reading or writing c. The good man must honour that night with more kindnesse to his wife then on other nights therefore eate they Leekes before Therefore also they marry on the Sabbath and the children then conceiued must needes be wise and fortunate If a Iew trauell and on Friday Eeuening be further from his home then a Sabbaths-dayes-iourney he must there abide be it in the midst of a Wood or Wildernes till the Sabbath be past They sleepe longer on the Sabbath morning so with their greater pleasure to honour 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 lest by longer fasting and praying they should breake the Propheticall commandement Thou shalt call my Sabbath a delight After dinner also they reade in their Law for on a time the Sabbath and the Law put vp their complaints to God for want of a companion and learner and the Israelites were giuen as a companion to the Sabbath and on the Sabbath a learner of the Law But for all this they talke not more busily all the weeke through of Vsurie buying and selling then on the Sabbath and haue their trickes to deceiue God Almighty Their Eeuen-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 bee late to prolong 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 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 loth to leaue his place vnder the Tree of life in Paradise where he standeth say they enrolling their good workes in the keeping of the Sabbath When this their deuotion is done the women in haste run to draw water because the Fountaine of Mirriam 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 medicinable After this doe the Iewes make a diuision betweene the Sabbath and the new weeke The Householder lighteth a great Candle called The Candle of Distinction at whose light he vieweth his walls blesseth a cup of Wine and a little siluer boxe full of sweet spices powreth a little of the Wine on the ground and applieth the boxe to euery ones nose to smell to thus to remedie the stinke which is caused at the
signifie to the parties prosperitie and abundance At parting euery one hath a cup of wine giuen them Eight dayes after neither partie goeth out of the house and many youthes come and make merry with the Bridegrome imitating they thinke Sampson herein Some say that the man taketh the espoused Bride home to his house to be both witnesse and keeper of her virginity till the marriage solemnitie The day before the marriage the Bride must wash her in that absolute manner before described certaine women ringing with somewhat when shee goeth in and out of the water some of them also leaping and dancing The Bridegrome sends the Bride a wedding girdle embossed with gold and shee him another with siluer studs On the wedding day the Bride adornes her selfe in the best Iewish dresse with her marriage attire and by women singing their sweetest Epithalamia is conueyed into a chamber and their placing her on a faire seate braid her haire into goodle curles and put a vaile ouer her eyes in imitation of Rebeccas modestie singing meane-while dancing and expressing the greatest signes of ioy thinking they therein please God as being taught by their Rabbines that God vsed the like curling singing and dancing when he presented Eue to Adam yea refused not to serue that new couple and with his owne hands made the canopie vnder which they were to receiue their marriage blessing the Angels with pipes and trumpets making musike to leade the dance That which Moses saith God built a woman The Talmud interpreteth Hee made curles and hee brought her to Adam to wit with leaping and dancing When the marriage benediction is to bee solemnized foure boyes beare a canopie on foure poles into the place appointed which is some street or garden abroad in the open aire the people sounding their acclamations Blessed be he which commeth The Bride being led by others goeth three time about the Bridegrome as a cocke goeth about a hen and that forsooth to fulfill that Prophecie A woman shall compasse a man hee also must fetch one compasse about her The people also besprinkle the Bride with wheat crying out Increase and multiply according to that of the Psalmist He filleth thee with the fat of wheat In some places they mingle money with the wheat which the poore Iewes gather vp The Bride stands on the right hand for it is written Thy wife standeth on thy right hand with her face also to the South for then she shall be fruitfull The Rabbi which marrieth them taketh the end of the Vestment about the Bridegromes necke they call it Talles and puts it on the Brides head after the example of Boaz and Ruth and then takes a glasse filled with wine ouer which hee vttereth the marriage blessing praysing God by whose instinct these persons were espoused and so reacheth the glasse to them and bids them drinke This glasse if she bee a Virgin hath but a narrow mouth at Wormes they vse an earthen pot Now the Rabbi receiuing a Ring of pure gold without any Iewell in it sheweth it to some witnesses asking them if it bee good and worth the money it cost and then puts it on the Brides finger and with a loud voice pronounceth the spousall letters After this he takes another glasse of wine and blesseth God that the Bridegrome and Bride haue accepted of each other and giues it them to taste This done the Bridegrome breaketh the former glasse against the wall or ground in remembrance of the destruction of Ierusalem in which respect in some places they put ashes on the Bridegromes head He weareth for this cause a black-hood on his head like a mourner and the bride likewise weareth a black cloth fit to terrifie children with the deformitie Thus do they mixe mirth and mourning as Dauid warneth Reioyce vnto him in trembling This ended they sit downe at table and then must the Bridegrome make trial of his brest in singing a long prayer others in the meane time call to make ready the hens Then is there a hen and an egge set before the Bride of that the Bridegrome carueth her a piece and then presently all the company men and women teare the hen amongst them like hungrie hounds snatching out of each others hands and mouthes all to glad the new married couple The egge is not sodde but in another scene of mirth one casteth it in the face of another of some Christian especially if any bee present at the nuptials In the same is a mysterie included for the Bride that she shall haue as easie trauell in child-birth as the hen layeth her egges After this they fall to their cheere and dances one they call the Mitzuah or commandment-dance as if GOD had enioyned it The chiefe ghest takes the Bridegroome by the hand another him and so on through the companie likewise the chiefe woman takes the Bride another her and so one another then doe they dance in a long row with a tumultuous noyse and so end the nuptiall sports Among all their other blessings the Bridegrome is to say one Vbi perspexerit sanguinem virgineum to vse the words of Genebrard who expresseth it being borrowed from some words of the Canticles fleshly abused by such application The Marriage commonly lasteth eight dayes and on the Sabbath they dance the Iustiest of all doing the Sabbath herein a singular honour because that also is called a Bride It is prohibited to bid any vncircumcised ghest to this banquet for Salomon saith The stranger doth not intermeddle with his ioy Yea the good Angels seeing such there will depart and the euill will come and raise strifes and contentions For they thinke no place emptie from the earth to the skie but all full of good or bad Angels flying or standing in the same The marriage is in publike lest whoredome should be couered vnder that pretext pretending themselues married when they were not §. IIII. Of Coniugall Duties LEt it not grieue you to heare somewhat of the Duties betwixt man and wife The Husband oweth ten things to the Wife three according to the Law her nourishment her cloathing and her time namely of due beneuolence to bee performed and seuen things according to the words of the Scribes The first whereof is the foundation of dowrie viz. two hundred denarij if she bee a virgin otherwise an hundred The other concerne the condition of the dowrie The woman which rendereth not her husband his due is rebellious and refractarie and hee is bidden to expell her without a dowrie The conditions of the dowrie were first to cure her in sickenesse secondly to redeeme her being captiue thirdly to burie her being dead fourthly to nourish her out of his owne goods and that she dwell in his house in her widdow-hood fifthly to keepe her daughters till marriage sixtly that her sonnes inherit They appoint not onely loue but honour to the wife as Peter also
obtaine Diuine fauour Az. 2. The Creator said I am the onely Creator alwayes the same pittifull mercifull besides whom there is none other whose miracles and great workes are vnto the wise the frame of Heauen and Earth the intercourse of night and day the ships in the Sea fit for the vse of men raine for the refreshing of the earth the composition of all creatures the windes the cloudes c. 15. Inuoke and worship one GOD alone 43. All the miracles of GOD cannot bee written if all the Trees in the world were pennes and the Sea seuen times greater and were inke with whom it is a small thing to raise the dead OF THE BIRTH OF CHRIST hee writeth thus Azo 29. Wee sent our Spirit to Marie the best of all women and the wombe vntouched Azoar 31. in likenesse of a man professing himselfe a Diuine Messenger concerning a Sonne c. And when shee in trauell plained Christ came from vnder her and said Feare not and when some chid with her about the childe the childe it selfe made answere I am the Seruant and Prophet of God Hee saith the Iewes did not slay Christ but one like him Azo 11. and vpbraideth them for not receiuing him Azo 2. and chap. 4. To Christ the Sonne of Marie properly communicating our owne soule wee haue giuen him strength and power more then other Prophets yet chap. 13. he disclaimeth that worship which is done him and his mother Az. 4. Wee giuing our soule to Christ the Sonne of Marie preferred him before all others that had beene exalted by me to speake with GOD to power and vertue He inserteth the Prayer of the Virgins Mother when shee felt her selfe with childe by Ioachim and maketh Zacharie to bee the Virgins Tutor 5. Who hee saith for his vnbeliefe was dumbe three dayes The Angell saluted Marie saying O thou the purest of all women and men deuoted to GOD. Ioy vnto thee of that great Messenger with the Word of GOD whose name is IESVS CHRIST an excellent man at the command of the Creator he shal come with Diuine power with knowledge of all learning with the Booke of the Law and Gospell shall giue Commandements to the Israelites shall giue life cure diseases shew what is to be eaten and to be done shall confirme the Old Testament shall make some things lawfull which before were vnlawfull c. Hee acknowledgeth that his Mother knew not man 11. They say the Iewes that they killed Christ the Sonne of Marie the Messenger of GOD but it was not true but they crucified in his stead another like him for the incomprehensible GOD caused him to goe vnto Him IESVS is the Spirit and Word and Messenger of GOD sent from heauen 11. And GOD spake to him Az. 13. and gaue him a cleane and blessed soule whereby he made yellow formes of birds and breathing on them made them flie Hee cured one borne blinde and the leprous and raised the dead GOD taught him the Booke and Wisdome and the Gospell and Testament Concerning his LAVV and ALCORAN he handleth it in the second Chapter of Azoara which beginneth thus In the name of the mercifull and pittifull God This booke without any falshood or errour shewing the Truth to them which loue feare and worship GOD and are studious of prayers and almes and the obseruation of the lawes giuen of GOD from heauen to thee and other thy Predecessors and the hope of the world to come hath manifested the true Sect For this bringeth the followers thereof to the highest inricheth them with the highest good as to the vnbeleeuers and erroneous it menaceth truely the greatest euill to come This hee after applieth to Paradise and Hell which is due to the Enemies of Gabriel which intimateth this Booke to his heart by the Creator and to all the Enemies of GOD and Michael and the Archangels This his Alcoran hee calleth the establishing of the Law of the Israelites and Azo 21. hee arrogateth to his Booke wisdome and eloquence and 47. hee saith it was composed of the incomprehensible and wise GOD euery where agreeing with it selfe and calleth it 63. the Booke of Abraham and 69. if it should be placed on a Mountaine that Mountaine for Diuine feare would be dissolued Those which will not be conuerted take and slay by all meanes intrapping them and fight against them till they be your Tributaries and Subiects And 18. the fifth part of all the prey is due vnto GOD and his Prophet and to your Kindred and Orphans and the poore Those that are taken in Warre kill or make slaues but pardon them if they will turne to your Law and GOD also will pardon them Such good Warriours shall haue full pardon The Iewes and Christians contrarie to that he had said before let GOD confound He hath sent his Messenger with the right way and good law that he may manifest and extoll it aboue all lawes Of the twelue moneths foure are to be consecrated to fight against the enemies Those that refuse this war-fare lose their soules and they which flie in the day of battell Az. 6. doe it by the Deuils instigation thus punishing them for their former sinnes Yea the Deuils themselues Az. 56. being conuerted thereby say to their Diobolicall Nation We haue heard a Booke sent after Moses which approoueth all his sayings and teacheth the true and right way And Az. 12. he calls the Alcoran a Booke of truth sent from aboue a Confirmer of Christs Precepts Hee saith Az. 15. That Moses deliuered some things in writing more vnwritten He makes his Booke to bee the same which GOD had taught Abraham Ismael Isaac Iacob Moses and CHRIST Az. 5. he saith his booke containes some things firme and without exception some things contrarie which froward men peruert to controuersies but the exposition thereof belongs to GOD onely and to the wisest which beleeue that all of it came from God Az. 6. he excites them to defend it when hee shall be dead or slaine and God will reward them Neither can any die but by the will of God to wit in the time appointed They which in the expedition shall haue pardon which is better then all possessions and an easie iudgement And they which die in the wayes of God are not to bee esteemed dead for they liue with GOD. That life is firme this and all worldly things mutable 7. If the Alcoran Az. 9. were not of God it would haue many contrarieties in it which himselfe yet Az. 5. confesseth They which are well Az. 10. and remaine at home are not of like merit as they which goe to warre The fire of hell is hotter then the danger of warre And although thou Prophet shouldest pardon the resisters of God and his Messenger seuentie times yet God will neuer pardon them The sicke and weake and such as haue not necessaries are excused from this necessitie of warre but to the good Warriours God giueth Paradise in reward of
their soules and goods whether they kill or be killed Azo 18. 19. And in 57. Kill the vnbeleeuers whom you conquer till you haue made great slaughter God could take vengeance on them but hee chuseth rather to doe it by you he shall lay deafenesse and blindnesse on the faint-hearted Yet in 52. and 98. as contrary to himselfe hee affirmeth that hee is sent onely to teach not to compell and force men to beleeue and Az. 4. Offer no man violence for the law then the right way and the euill are opened except wee expound it rather that Iewes Christians and all vnbeleeuers are compelled to bee tributaries and their slaues not forced to their Religion but instructed onely which agreeth with their practise From this Doctrine and that of Destinie in the 50. Az. hath risen their forwardnesse to the warre and the greatnesse of their Conquests Agreeable to this doctrine is their manner of teaching it the Reader or Preacher as saith Frier Richard Student amongst them in the Vniuersitie of Baldach holdeth a bare sword in his hand or setteth it vp in an eminent place to the terrour of the gaine-sayers But Disputation and reasoning about his Law hee vtterly disliketh Az. 32. To such as will dispute with thee answer that God knoweth all thy doings which in the last day shall determine all controuersies And 50. Nothing but euill cleaueth to the heart of such as vnwisely dispute of diuine Precepts but commend thou thy selfe vnto God that knoweth all things And Chap. 4. 15. Hee is commanded to goe away from such This Booke is giuen to take way discord from men miracles he disclaimeth as insufficient proofe for though it should make plaine the mountaines and make the dead to speake yet they would be incredulous But it is thy dutie onely to shew them my Precepts Azo 23. And Az. 10. Yee which are good beleeue in GOD in his Messenger and in the Booke sent from Heauen They which first beleeue and after deny and become incredulous shall haue no pardon nor mercy of GOD but shall goe into the fire And 11. We will bring infinite euill vpon him that will not obey GOD and his Messenger and will be Disputing To them which demand that the Booke may raine vpon them from Heauen thou shalt say That some asked a greater thing of Moses that he would shew GOD vnto their eyes and were therefore smitten with lightning from Heauen 12. To Iewes and Christians GOD hath giuen disagreements till GOD shall determine the same at the day of Iudgement Make not your selues Companions of them which deride our Law No man receiueth the perfection of the Law but he which beleeueth the Testament the Gospell and this Booke sent of GOD. 14. They which erre will say Let GOD shew vs miracles These hurt none but their owne soules for if they should see all miracles done they would dispute with thee saying That they could not be done but by inchantments Thou shalt not come to them with manifest miracles for they would refuse them as odious things 15. Dispute not with them which will not heare and if they demand miracles say GOD only doth them I know not the secrets of GOD and follow nothing but that which GOD and the Angell hath commanded and if Angels should speake to such they would not beleeue 16. GOD himselfe and his blessed Spirit haue compounded this most true Booke 26. 44. They which say his Law is new or fained go to the Deuil 47. He induceth some gaine-sayers saying We will not leaue worshipping our Images for this Iester and Rimer Yet is he alone come with the truth confirming all the other Messengers 55. He saith I GOD writ this Booke with my owne hand 56. The vnbeleeuers say I am a Magician and haue fained it but then I pray GOD I may haue no part in him when he shall be our Iudge Say not there are three GODS but one GOD alone without a Sonne to him all things are subiect Christ cannot deny but that he is subiect to GOD as well as the Angels 12. We sent Christ to whom we gaue the Gospell which is the light and confirmation of the Testament and the right way to him which feareth GOD The complement of the Iewish law Therefore let euery seruant of the Gospel follow his precepts otherwise he shall be a bad man No religion or law attaines to perfection but such as obey the precepts of the Testament and the Gospel and this Booke the Alcoran sent from GOD. To beleeuing Iewes and Christians he promiseth pardon but Az. 13. preferres the Christians to the Iewes All that say that Christ is GOD are vnbeleeuers and lyers Christ himselfe hauing said Yee children of Israel beleeue in your GOD and my Lord of whom he which will be partaker shall be cast into the fire eternall Christ is but the Messenger of GOD before whom were many Messengers and his Mother was true and they did eat Good people exalt not your selues in your Law further then the truth 3. The soule of Christ was cleane and blessed he cured the leprous raised the dead taught wisedome the Testament and the Gospell The vnbeleeuing Israelites beleeued that he was a Magician And 34. We haue giuen a good place and abounding with water to the Sonne of Marie and to her for hauing done such miracles in the world Of the Creation he affirmeth Az. 2. that when GOD had made the world he disposed the seuen Heauens he told the Angels he would make one like vnto himselfe in the earth they answer We in all things are subiect to your Maiestie and giue praise vnto you but he will be wicked and a shedder of blood Then GOD testifying that he knew a thing not knowne to the Angels taught Adam the names of things by himselfe not knowne to the Angels and therefore commanded the Angels to doe reuerence before Adam which wicked Belzebub refused they obeyed And Az. 25. We made man of clay and I breathed into him a portion of mine owne soule after that I had created the Deuill of pestiferous fire and because Belzebub refused to humble himselfe to this man made of blacke mire he was damned and when he desired respite till the resurrection it was denied and therefore he said he would teach all euill things that they shall not giue thee thankes c. Of the Angels he affirmeth 45. that some of them haue two wings some three some foure and 52. the Heauen would fall vpon men were it not for the Angels that call vpon GOD. OF PARADISE he dreameth in this sort Az. 5. and 65. He which feareth GOD shall receiue the two Paradises full of all good pleasant with streaming fountaines There they shall possesse rings of Gold Chaines Iewels clothed with Cloth of Gold their beds shall be of Gold and this for euer There they shall lie on silken and purple Carpets and shall be accompanied with many Maidens
superfluously for they that doe superfluously are of Kinne to the Deuil Slay not your children for no cause Bee yee not Fornicators for that is wickednesse and a bad way Be reuenged on Murtherers Say nothing till yee know it for you must giue account of your saying 26. In disputing or reasoning vse onely good words Answere in honest sort to him which asketh thee 27. Be iust in weight and measure 37. The Deuill standeth ouer the makers of songs and lies that is the Poets if they amend not doing good 68. If you cannot giue be daily in prayers Pay your tithes following GOD and the Prophet They which do not good but for vaine glory and ostentation shall bee damned 118. The Histories which are in the Old Testament are so cited by him as if hee neuer had read them so many dreames and lies are inserted Az. 12. Before PRAIER WASH the face the hands the armes vp to the elbow the feete vp to the ankles and after carnall company wash in the Bath and if water cannot bee had with dust of cleane earth GOD desireth cleannesse 9. In prayer let them be sober that they may know what they say 2. GOD will not aske why men pray not toward the East for the East and West is his but will demand of the workes which they haue done of their Almes Pilgrimages and Prayers He commandeth that they be humble in prayer and that in prayer they turne towards Mecca Euery one which shall pray asking that which is good which way soeuer hee shall turne him shall be heard of GOD although the true manner of praying be toward the Center of the Temple of Mecca They which are good make their prayers to helpe them by their patience and abstinence GOD dwelleth in such men Pray according to the vsuall custome in all places the foot-man on foote the horseman on his horse Az. 3. He that giueth his owne for Gods sake is like a graine that hath seuen eares euery of which containeth an hundred graines Good men loose not your Almes by vaine glorie 4. Giue almes of the good gaines of your money and of that which the earth produceth but GOD respecteth not gifts of that which is vniustly gotten Satan perswaded you to giue nothing for feare of pouertie To giue almes publikely is good but to giue priuately is better and this blotteth our sinnes Giue especially to those which stay in one place and are ashamed to aske 6. GOD will giue Paradise to them which in time of famine and scarcetie giue liberally and which receiue iniuries and repent of their sinnes Az. 2. Euery one which draweth nigh to death let him leaue of his money to his family and kindred to distribute in almes and they which shall change that vse shall be iudged of the Creator c. Az. 2. They which are intreated to beleeue the Diuine Precepts say they will follow their Ancestors in their Sect What would yee follow your Fathers if they were blinde or deafe Will yee be like them in being mute blinde and foolish Az. 2. O good men EATE that good which he hath giuen you and giue him thanks aboue all other things calling vpon him Abstaine from that which dieth of it selfe from Swines flesh from bloud and from euery other creatur that is killed and not in the name of the Creator But in case of necessity it is not sinne for GOD is mercifull and will forgiue you this 12. Eate not of that which is drowned burned in the fire and touched of the Wolfe 16. Eate nothing which hath not before beene blessed To the Iewes we made many things vnlawfull because of their wickednesse 2. Hee which shall contradict this Booke shall continually bee consumed in vnquenchable fire and none of his workes shall helpe him Az. 3. To them that doubt of WINE of Chesse Scailes and of Tables thou shalt say that such sports and such drinkes are a great sinne and although they be pleasant or profitable yet are they hurtfull sinnes if they say what shall we then doe thou shalt say the good things of GOD. Perswade them to seeke the Orphanes and succour them as their Brethren or else GOD will make them so poore that they shall not bee able to helpe either themselues or others 13. Wine Chesse and Tables are not lawfull but the Deuils inuentions to make debate amongst men and to keepe them from doing good Let none goeon hunting in the Pilgrimage moneth Az. 3. Take not a WIFE of another Law nor giue your daughters to men of another Law except they before conuert to your Law Let no man touch a woman in her disease before she be well clensed Vse your wiues and the woman which are subiect to you where and how you please Women which are diuorced may not marrie till after foure moneths hauing had three times their menstruous purgation Let them not deny their husbands their company at their pleasure They are the heads of the women After a third diuorce from one man they may not marrie the same man againe except they haue in the meane time beene married to another and be of him diuorced Let the woman nurse their children two yeeres receiuing necessaries of the fathers After buriall of a husband let them stay vnmarried foure moneths and ten daies and not goe out of the house in a yeere after Take yee two three foure wiues and finally as many as in your minde you are content to maintaine and keepe in peace It is vnlawfull to marry with the Mother Daughter Sister Aunt Neece Nurse or the Mother or Daughter of the Nurse and take not a whore to wife 9. Let the wiues keepe their husbands secrets or else let them be chastised and kept in house and bed till they be better 10. Let the husband seeke to liue peaceably with his wife 31. Cast not thine eyes on other mens wiues though they be faire A woman conuicted of adulterie by testimonie of foure women must be kept in her house till shee die and let none come at her Az. 8. If you loue not your wiues you may change them but take away nothing of that which is giuen them Az. 3. Sweare not in all your affaires by GOD and his names They which forsweare themselues shall haue no good thing in the world to come And 35. Sweare not rashly for GOD seeth euery thing They which sweare from their hearts are bound thereto before GOD and not else To redeeme such an oath they must feede or cloath ten poore men or fast three daies Az. 13. Az. 4. Offer violence to no man in respect of the Law for the way of doing good and euill is open 4. GOD gaue first the Testament then the Gospell and lastly the true Booke the Alfurcan of the Law in confirmation of those former Az. 4. They which liue of VSVRIE shall not rise againe otherwise then the Deuils they embrace that which GOD hath said is
of gold and shee had of yeerely reuenue halfe a million shee amongst other her workes attempted one most famous which was a conduit to conuey water for the vse of the Pilgrims betwixt Cairo and Mecca fortie dayes iourney and for the same intent procured the Sultan Selym her brother to write to the Venetians for a licence to extract out of Italy an hundred thousand pound of Steele only to make Chizzells Hammers and Mattocks for the cutting of certaine Rockes by which this water must passe Their Oathes especially of their Emperours are of many cuts and varietie of fashion And for Vowes in necessities and dangers they wil promise vnto God the sacrifices of beasts in some holy places not vpon Altars but hauing flaied off the skin they giue it with the head feet and forth part of the flesh to the Priest another part to the Poore the third to the Neighbours the fourth is for the Guests They are so addicted to the opinion of Fate that GOD is esteemed to blesse whatsoeuer hath successe as namely Selyms murthering his Father and to detest what wanteth good euent whatsoeuer ground it had They feare not the Plague accounting euerie mans time limited by Fate and therefore will wipe their faces with the cloathes of such as haue dyed thereof They hold it alike acceptable to God to offer almes to beasts and to bestow it on men when it is offered for the loue of God Some there are which will redeeme birds imprisoned in their cages or coopes and hauing payed their price let them flie Others for the loue of God cast bread into the water to feed the fishes esteeming it a worke greatly meritorious but Dogges are accounted vncleane in stead whereof they delight in Cats following they say their Prophet Mahomet who falling asleepe at table and awaking to goe to his deuotions rather cut off his sleeue whereon he found his Cat fast asleepe then he would disturbe her Master Simons told mee that he hath seene them at Cairo feed Dogges with baskets of bread one standing by with a club to keepe them from fighting and one gaue almes for a Bitch which had Whelps vnder a stall Heerein perhaps as in other things the Egyptians are more superstitious then the Turkes especially in this of Dogs which sauours of their old Anubis and dog-worshipping Yea and in Constantinople though they suffer them not as vncleane creatures to come into their houses yet they thinke it a deed of pietie to feed them and buy bread therefore prouiding them kennells also most of them haue no particular owner they repaire to the Sea-side nightly where they keepe a grieuous howling heard if the winde be Southward to Pera. They say Moses was the first great Prophet to whom was giuen the booke of Tefrit that is the Law and they which obserued it in those times were saued But when men grew corrupt God gaue Dauid the booke Czabur or the Psalter and when this preuailed not Iesus was sent with the booke Ingil or the Gospel whereby in that time men were saued They hold that Christ was borne of the Virgin Marie at her breasts hauing conceiued by the smell of a Rose which the Angell Gabrel presented her And preferring Christ before Moses they admit not a Iew to turne Turke but hee must first be a Christian and eate Swines-slesh and after two or three dayes abiuring Christ hee is made Musulman For so Mahomet came last in order of the Prophets with his Alcoran This Law and Law-giuer is so sacred to them that in all their prayers euen from their mothers breasts they obserue this forme La illah illelah Mehemmet irresullellah tanre rirpeghamber hace That is there is no God but one and Mahomet his Prophet one Creator and more Prophets This they sucke in with their milke and in their first learning to speake lispe out this deuotion The infants goe with the rest to their Mosquees or Meschits but are not tied to other ceremonies sauing washing till they are circumcised Euery man hath in their opinion from his birth to his death two Angels attending him the one at his right hand the other at his left At foure or fiue yeere old they send him to the Schoole to learne the Curaam and the first words which their Masters teach them are to this sense God is one and is not contained in any place but is through all and hath neither father nor mother nor children eateth not nor dinketh nor sleepeth and nothing is like to him The two Angels before said are called Chiramim and Chira tibin which write the good or euill that men doe against the day of Iudgement The Turkes abhorre blasphemie not onely against God and Mahumet but also against Christ and the Virgin Marie and other Saints and they punish blasphemers of whatsoeuer Sect they account it a sinne for a man to build a house which shall last longer then a mans life and therefore howsoeuer they are sumptuous and magnificent in there publike buildings yet are their priuate dwellings very homely and ill contriued They eate much Opium thinking it maketh them couragious in the warres They haue a remedie for paine in the head or elsewhere to burne the part affected with the touch-boxe which they alway carry with them or with some linnen cloth whereby they haue many markes on their foreheads and temples witnesses of their needlesse and heedlesse respect to Physicians As the Scripture containeth some Prophecies of the arising and proceedings of the Turkish Nation the rod of God whereby hee scourgeth his Christian people so haue they also prophecies amongst themselues of their end and ruine when God in his mercie to Christians shall execute iustice vpon the Turkes and cast the rod into the fire wherewith he had chastised his children Such an one is that which Georgiovitz translateth and expoundeth and such is that which Leunclavius hath transcribed out of their Booke called Messabili wherein is written that Constantinople shall be twice taken before Degnal Lain that is the cursed Antichrist shall come once by the Sword another time by the force of the praiers of the sonnes of Isahac Lain is an Epithete which they giue to Degnal signifying wicked or mischieuous Of this Degnal the Turks fable that before his comming shall Mechdi enioy the Empire This Mechdi they say was descended of their Prophet Mahumet and walketh inuisible one day he shall come into light and raigne for a time and after him shall Degnal their Anti-Prophet or Antichrist come A certain Deruise offered to assault murther Baiazet the Great Turk professing himselfe to be that Mechdi and was slain by one of the Bassas §. III. Of the Turkish Manners their Ciuill and Morall behauiour AS for the bloodie practises which each Emperor vseth in murthering his brethren to secure him in his Throne in rooting out of the Nobilitie of the Countries which they conquer in rasing the Wals
Kings ordinarie guard night and day guarded the Palace the most of them Persians another band of 10000. choice horse-men were wholly Persian and were called Immortall one thousand of the best of them called Doryphori and Melophori were chosen into the Kings guard They receiue no money but allowance of victuall for their wages Curtius mentioneth a guard next to the Kings person called the Kings kinsemen which were 15000. But it were too tedious to recite the Homotimi Megistanes and other his court-officers and attendants the Surena which was the chiefe Magistrate and others whereof Brissonius hath written As their liues were burthened with voluptuousnesse so they prepared for their deaths that they might descend suddenly into the graue as Iob saith of the prosperitie of some wicked without any bands to vse Dauids phrase of a lingring death certaine poysons tempered of the excrements of the Dircaerus an Indian bird which in short time without sense of griefe depriued them of life After the Kings death they extinguished the SACRED FIRE which rite Alexander obserued in Hephaestions funerall In Persepolis were erected vnto them stately Monuments with Titles and Epitaphs inscribed The Monuments of the Kings there with other Antiquities haue conquered Time and Alexanders Fires yet remaining so fresh as if they were new made many still shining like glasse Among which a Iasper Table is remarkable inscribed with letters which none can reade all of a Pyramide or Delta forme in diuersifyed postures Twentie such Pillars remaine of admirable greatnesse beautie and likenesse of a lasting Marble with Images in long habits like the Venetian Senators with wide sleeues and long beards others sitting as in high arched seats with footstooles in great Maiestie There are also huge Colossean horses with giantly riders of Marble And although a goodly fertile Countrey doth inuite habitation of ten leagues extent euery way yet is there now but one poore village of foure hundred housholders called Margatean in this plaine of Persepolis Our Author acknowledgeth Diodorus his relations iustly agreeing with his eyes and esteemeth these Monuments farre beyond all other the worlds miraculous Artifices I might here terrifie the delicate and already-wearied Reader with representation of their Martiall marching discipline numbers armors and the like of which Brisson hath written a whole booke Yet because wee haue thus farre waded in matters of the Persian Magnificence let vs take a little view of the Heyre and Successour to that Greatnesse Great Alexander in state entring Babylon thus by Curtius related Many came forth to meet him the wayes were all strowed with flowers and garlands on both sides were erected siluer Altars laden with Frankincense and all kinde of odors There followed him for presents droues of Horses and Cattell Lions and Leopards in grates were carried before him The Magi after their manner of Procession singing had the next place after them the Chaldaeans and the Babylonians both Diuiners and Artificers with musicall Instruments Then the Horsemen furnished beyond magnificence in excesse of prodigalitie The King with his Armie followed and last of all the Towns-men Hee that will compare with these relations that which in the bookes of the Romane Ceremonies is written of the Popes strait Tiara enuironed with a triple Crowne the veneration performed to him by all euen Emperours kissing his feet holding his bridle and stirrop putting their shoulders vnder his Chaire when hee lists to ride on mens shoulders holding water to his hands and bearing the first dish to his Table the change of his name at his election his Palfrayes alwayes white like the Nisaean led before him one of which carryeth his God vnder a Canopie his Scala Processions and other Rites shall see some hence borrowed most exceeding the Persian Excesse Once all Religion with them seemeth turned into State and Ceremonie the soule being fled and this bodily exercise bodie of exercise in exercise of the body onely left CHAP. VI. Of the Persian Magi. THe name of Magi is sometimes applied say some to all the Persians or else to a particular Nation amongst them sometime it signifieth the most excellent in Philosophie and knowledge of nature or in sanctitie and holinesse of life Thus Suidas calls the Persian Magi Philosophi and Philothei studious of knowledge of nature and of God Sometimes it signified such as wee now call Magicians practisers of wicked Arts Among the Persians this name was ancient and honourable saith Peucerus applyed onely to the Priests which liued in high reputation for dignitie and authoritie being also Philosophers as the Chaldaeans were To these were committed the custodie of Religion of ancient Monuments of later Histories of publike records and the explanation of the Persian wisdome whose account appeareth in that after Cambyses death one of them is reported to succeed in the Throne Now whereas the Ethnicks had a tradition of two Genij which attend euery man one good the other euill proceeding in likelihood from Diuine Truth concerning good and euill Angels which are either ministring Spirits for mans good or tempters vnto euill curious men hence tooke occasion to deuise new Arts which were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the one calling vpon the good Daemon or Genius by the other on the euill which euill One could easily turne himselfe into an Angel of light to delude blind people being indeed as in our White and Blacke witches at this day worse when an Angel then when a Deuill Hereof were diuers kindes Necromancie which inuocated the spirits of the dead of which smoaky Soot the Heathens Diuine Poets and our Poeticall Diuines in the tales of Hell and Purgatory striue who shall haue the blackest tincture They had also their Lecanomanciae which was obserued in a Bason of water wherein certaine plate of gold and siluer were put with Iewels marked with their iugling Charactars and thence after pronuntiation of their words were answeres whispered Gastromancie procured answere by pictures or representations in glasse-vessels of water after the due Rites Catoptromancie receiued those resemblances in cleere glasses Chrystallomancie in Crystall Dactyliomancie was a diuination with Rings which perhaps Gyges vsed consecrated by certaine position of the heauens and diuellish Inchantments Onymancie with Oyle and Soote daubed on the Nayle of an vndefiled Childe and held vp against the Sunne Hydromancie with water Aeromancie with ayre But what should I adde the many more names of this Artlesse Art vnworthy the naming Tibi nomina mille Mille nocendi artes Infinitely diuersified are these blind by wayes of darknesse and mischiefe Delrio hath other diuisions of Magicke which from the efficient hee diuideth into Naturall Artificiall and Diabollicall from the end into Good and Bad and this bad which is by explicite or implicite compact with Deuills into Magia specialis Diuinatio Maleficium Nugatoria Zoroaster is supposed Author both of the good and bad vnto
to his Scepter The people he remoued into other parts of his Dominion sending the former inhabitants into Cheylan and Mazandran Not long after the brother of that King of Corassan which had beene Tutor to Abas rebelled against his brother and slew him and all his children except one with whom his Tutors fled into the Mountaines This occasion Abas apprehended for the subduing of that Countrey in the Infants right which notwithstanding the treasons of Ferrat now weary of his former loyalty and conspiring with the Turke and Tartar to betray his Master to them hee effected These things with larger circumstances Abas himselfe related to Sir Anthonie and Sir Robert As for his gouernment the same is there also described but I haue beene too long in the former Hee hath Posts once a weeke from all parts The Visire sitteth in counsell with the Kings counsell euery morning and the King himselfe euery Wednesday The poorest may offer him any supplication which he readeth registreth ordereth One example of Iustice is admirable which he sentenced on the Gouernour of Casbin conuict of many extortions briberies and other crimes That all his goods and lands should be sold for satisfaction to those whom hee had spoyled and if any thing wanted since the King by giuing him that authoritie was partly the cause of those excesses hee condemned himselfe to pay the residue out of his treasurie If any thing aduanced it should bee giuen to his children with a grieuous Edict that no succour should be ministred to himselfe Neither should hee at once end his punishment by death but during his life weare a Yoke like a Hogs-yoke and haue his eares and nose cut off nor might any relieue him but hee should get his liuing with his owne hands that hee might feele in himselfe the miserie of pouertie This made the Turks Embassador there present sweare that such fortune such vertue must needs be his Masters ruine His bountie to our Author his magnificence otherwise let the Reader there learne as likewise his priuate disports and exercises At his entrance into Hisphaan the wayes were couered two English miles with Veluet Satin and Cloth of Gold where his horse should passe He feasted Sir Anthony before his employment in that honorable Embassage to the Princes Christian after the maner of the ancient feasting vsed by the Persians thirty dayes together in a Garden of two miles compasse vnder Tents pitched by small rils of water where euery man that would come was placed according to his degree vnder one or other Tent prouided abundantly with meate fruit and wine drinking as they would without compulsion The ioy of which feast was augmented by the Tartars of Buckhawrd yeelding themselues to his subiection and by the great Mogors great offer with his eldest sonnes daughter to the young sonne of King Abas in marriage But I referre the more desirous to Sir Anthonies owne booke hauing thence gathered this because it differeth so much in some things from others then whom he had farre better meanes of intelligence CHAP. IX Of the Sophian Sect or Persian Religion as it is at this present §. I. The differences betwixt the Turke and Persian with the zeale of both parts IT hath beene already shewed how the Saracens had one Calyfa or Caliph whom they esteemed the Head of their Religion and Empire in right vnto both succeeding their grand Seducer Mahomet and how the foure Captaines or Doctors each ayming vnder colour of Religion to further his ambitious Proiects made way to difference of Sects in the beginning and in succeeding Ages the Sword decided who was rghtfull successor the posterity of each challenging to himselfe that right according as they were able in the Fielde to maintaine it These Persians affected Hali as truest interpreter of their Law and Lord of the State to whom Mahomet gaue his daughter in his life time and his Alcoran at his death being his kinsman also by birth and although by the violence of the contradicting Caliphes they did not alway make hereof open profession yet euer and anone as occasion was offered this fire brake out yet neuer into so great a flame as after the yeere 1369. by Sophi Guine Aidar Ismael and their successors vnto this day their Sect being that onely of the seuenty two Saracenicall so many some account which shall in the Persian estimation haue admission into Paradise all the rest and why not this also leading to hell From that diuision betwixt the Persians and Arabians about the successor of Mahomet it is Barrius his Relation in which the Persians call themselues Sia which signifieth the vnion of one body but the Arabians call them Raffadin that is vnreasonable and themselues Cunin proceeded other Sects amongst the Mahumetans and amongst the Persians two called Camarata and Mutazeli which follow little the saying of the Prophets but would haue all proued to them by naturall reason not allowing Moses or Mahomet any further There is one Sect amongst them called Malaheda which subiecteth all things to Chance and to the Stars not to Diuine Prouidence There are other called Emozaidi which reiect many things in the Alcoran and follow the doctrine of Zaidi the Nephew of Hocem second sonne of Ali these inhabite on the confines of Prester Iohn and in Melinde But to come to the common Persians and to obserue out of Barrius the diuersity of opinion betwixt them and the Arabians their Doctors reduce these differences into seuenteene conclusions The Persians say That GOD is the Author and worker of euery good and that euill commeth from the Deuill The Arabians say That would bring in two Gods one of good the other of euill the Persians say that God is eternall and that the law and creation of men had a beginning the Arabians answere That all the words of the law are prayses of the works of God and therefore eternall like himselfe the Persians say That the soules of the blessed in the other world cannot see the essence of God because he is a Spirit of Diuinity onely they shall see his greatnesse mercy pitty all other good things which he works in the creatures the Arabians answere That they shall see him with their eyes euen as hee is the Persians say That when Mahomet receiued the Law his soule was carried by the Angel Gabriel into the presence of God the Arabians affirme it of his body also the Persians say That the children of Ali or Alle and Fatema and their twelue Nephewes haue preheminence aboue all Prophets the Arabians grant it aboue all other men but not aboue the Prophets the Persians say that it is sufficient to pray thrice a day vnto God in the morning when the Sunne riseth which is called Sob the second Dor at noone the third Magareb before Sunne-set because these three containe all the parts of the day the Arabians require twice besides according to their law called Hacer and Assa The rest of
need not this ruder but iust and true Apologie As for other Obiections they are friuolous and either ridiculous or meerely accidentall and it is Puritanisme in Politie to conceit any great Good without some Euills attendant in any Enterprise whatsoeuer where the Heauens Great Lights are subiect to Eclipses the longest Day hath a Night the Summer yeelds vicissitude to Winter all Bodies are mixed and compounded and in the greatest Lustre make an apparant Shadow Apparant Shadowes are the obiected expence of Victuall as if these mouthes would not exceed farre more in quantitie and qualitie at home of Timber as if this be not the most honourable vse thereof though Ireland yeeldes supply in this kind of eclipsing or sinking other Trades sic inter Stellas argentea Luna minores will they be angrie that so few Starres appeare when Aurora is preparing the Sunnes Chariot They adde Oppressions and Dealing cruelly I know not whether this be a cruell lye and many other alledged against these Indian Nauigations bee but English Knauigations This I know that the Wisest hath forbidden to answere a foole according to his foolishnesse lest thou also bee like him Easie it is for fooles to moue Scruples in the Actions of the Wisest and not hard for euill mindes to make that which they find not euill But Christians are to imitate Him rather which commanded the Light to shine out of Darkenesse with a candide Mind the true Image of GOD alway construing doubtfull things to the best which the best will doe to whom and for whom this is intended As for Cauillers they haue their Dos here according to Salomons Prescipt Answere a foole according to his foolishnesse lest he be wise in his owne conceit §. IIII. The Conclusion with commendation of the Mariner c. NOw that I haue after my ability answered the obiections and produced so many Arguments the most of which are Store-houses and Heads of many Let this be the last argument which to me was not the least and here was placed first the Increase of learning and knowledge by these worthy Discoueries of Marine Worthies How little had we knowne of the World and the Wonders of God in the World had not the Sea opened vs a Passage into all Lands Pegasus the winged Horse which the Poets fained with the stroke of his foot first made Helicon the Muses Well to spring was the issue of Neptune and that snaky-headed Monster Medusa The Mariner seemes rough-hewen and rude according to the Ocean that breeds him but hee that can play with those dangers which would transforme others into stones and dares dwell within so few inches of death that calls the most tempestuous Elements his Parents Hee I say is the true Pegasus that with his wing-like Sailes flies ouer the World which hath helped to deliuer Andromeda Geography before chained to the Rockes and ready to bee deuoured of that Monster Ignorance and out of whose salt waters wisely distilled Clio Vrania and the best of the Muses drinke their sweetest and freshest liquors Howsoeuer Others My Selfe must confesse and this Booke will witnesse that My Helicon hath in great part flowne from the footing of this Pegasus And let it be the Honour of Our Honourable SMITH that His hand hath fitted this Foot of Pegasus to this Indian Iourney whither he is now carrying you at Whose Forge and Anuill haue beene hammer'd so many irons for Neptune not like Xerxes his Arrogance which proudly cast Fetters into the Hellespont but with true effects of Conquest Mee thinkes I here see the Sterne that with little locall stirring Stiereth so many Ships to so many Ports visited by your Pilgrim HONDIVS his Map of the EAST-INDIA INDIA Orientalis CHAP. III. Of the Indian Prouinces next adioyning to China §. I. Of Cauchin China Camboia and the Laos CAuchin-China is an Indian Kingdome situate betweene the Prouince of Canton on the North and Camboia on the South in the bottome of a great Bay diuided into three Prouinces and as many Kings but one of them is Paramount It aboundeth with Gold Siluer Aloes Porcelane and Silke They are Idolaters and Pagans and haue had some deuotion to the Popish Christianity moued thereto by certaine Pictures of our Lady of the last Iudgement and Hell a new kind of preaching and haue erected many Crosses amongst them of which the Friers report after their fashion some miracles Their Religion seemeth little to differ from that of the Chinois to whom they are also Tributaries and vse their Characters One Richard Cocke Englishman in a Letter dated December the tenth 1614. from Firando in Iapan where hee was left in Factory by Captaine Saris writes of an vnhappy accident which befell Master Tempest Peacocke who with Walter Caerwarden arriued not long before with our Kings Letter in Cauchin-China with a Present also and goods to the Value of seuen hundred and thirty pounds But whiles hee with some principall Hollanders who were there likewise entertained was passing by water they were set vpon and slaine with harping irons together with their interpreters and followers Iapanders neither had they heard further what became of the rest of the Company The cause was reported to bee a quarell against the Hollanders for fraud and violence deceiuing them with false money and burning a Towne Here is much of the wood called Palo Daguilla and of the most sweet wood Calamba with other merchandize of China Betweene this and the I le Aynao tenne miles from the land is a fishing for Pearles To the South of this Kingdome is Champa the name of a Kingdome and chiefe Citie thereof of great Traffique especially of Lignum Aloes which groweth there in the Mountaines prized at the weight in Siluer which they vse in Bathes and in the Funerals of great Princes In Religion they are as the former This Tract beares also the name of Camboia Camboia on the North abutteth on Cauchin China on the South the Kingdome of Siam on the East the Sea It is a great and populous Countrey full of Elephants and Abada's this Beast is the Rhinoceros Here also they begin to honour the Crosse as Frier Siluester a man as they say much reuerenced by the King and honoured of the people hath taught them When the King dieth his women are burned and his Nobles doe voluntarily sacrifice themselues in the same fire The women are generally burned with their husbands at their death The Camboyans dealt treacherously with the Hollanders Anno 1602. whom they inuited to the shore with promise of certaine Buffolos and then cruelly slew them They detained the Admirall on shore to be redeemed with some of their Ordnance When they intend a iourney they vse diuination with the feete of a Henne to know whether it will be luckie or no and as the Wizard shall answere they dispose of themselues either to goe or stay This Land hath much of the sweet Wood Calamba which being good
to haue a diuining facultie and obserued the voyces of children playing in the Temples and speaking at aduenture as Oracles because Isis seeking after Osiris had enquired of children They interpret Astronomically the Dog-starre to belong to Isis the Beare to Typhon Orion to Horus The Inhabitants of Thebais acknowledged nothing for God which was mortall but worshipped Gneph which they said had neither beginning nor ending So many are the interpretations in their mysticall Theologie that Truth must needes bee absent which is but One and these may rather seeme subtile fetches of their Priests to gull the people then the true intents of their first authors of Idolatrie Because Typhon was of red colour they consecrated red Bulls in which yet there might not be one haire blacke or white They esteemed it not a sacrifice acceptable to the gods but contrarie as which had receiued the soules of wicked men and therefore they cursed the head of the sacrifice which they hurled into the Riuer and since haue vsed to sell to strangers The Deuill happily would teach them an apish imitation of that sacrifice of the red Cow Num. 19. The Priests abhorre the Sea as wherein Nilus dyeth and salt is forbidden them which they call Typhons spittle In Sai in the Porch of Mineruaes Temple was pictured an Infant an old Man a Hawke a Fish and a Sea-horse The mysterie was O yee that are borne and dye God hateth shamelesse persons The Hawke signified God the Fish Hatred the Sea-horse Impudencie By their Osiris and Typhon they signified the good and euill whereof wee haue not onely vicissitudes but mixtures in all these earthly things And heere Plutarch is large in shewing the opinion of these wise-men which when they saw so much euill and knew withall that good could not bee the cause of euill they imagined two beginnings one whereof they called God the other Diuell the good Orimazes the bad Arimanius This opinion is fathered on Zoroastres Betwixt those two was Mithres whom the Persians called a Mediator So the Chadaeans had among the Planets two good two bad three of middle disposition The Grecians their Iupiter and Dis and Harmonia begotten of Venus and Mercurie Empedocles called the one Friendship the other Discord the Pythagoreans call the Good One bounded abiding right square c. The other Duplicitie infinite moued crooked long c. Anaxagoras the Minde and Infinitenesse Aristotle Forme and Priuation Plato the Same and Another Hence appeareth how true it is that the Naturall men perceiue not the things of God nor can know them and hence grew the Manichaean Heresie All the deformitie and defect of things Plutarch ascribeth to Typhon whom they also called Seth Bebon and Smy saith Pignorius that which is good to Osiris and Isis to this the matter to him the forme In the Towne of Idithya they burned liuing Men whom they called Typhonians scattering their ashes and bringing them to nothing This was openly done in Dog-dayes But when they sacrificed any of their sacred Beasts it was done closely and at vncertaine times According to which custome Achilles Statius frameth his Historie of Leucippe sacrificed by Aegyptian Robbers and Pirats for expiation of their villanies and protection against their enemies the Rites whereof were after some Hymnes sung by the Priest to kill and rippe her and hauing viewed and tasted the liuer to burie her He that would furthor be acquainted with these Mysteries let him resort to Eusebius and Plutarch Iamblichus hath written a large Treatise De Mysterijs where the more curious Reader may further satisfie himselfe He mustereth in their rankes and order first the Gods then Arch-angels next Angels then Daemones after them Heroes Principalities and Soules in their subordinate Orders Marcilius Ficinus doth thus dispose his Egyptian Mysteries or Mysticall opinions of God The first in order is Vnum Super Eus. The second Vnum Ens or Vâ—itas Entis The third Intellectus Intelligibilis Prima Icthon The fourth Emoph the Captayne of the heauenly Deities The fift Captayne of the workmen of the World the vnderstanding of the soule of the World called Amun Phtha Vulcan Osiris But these wayes are too rough cragged and thornie for a dainty Traueller they that will I may reade Iamblichus Proclus Porphyrius translated by Marsilius Eicinus Caelius Calcagninia hath also written a large Treatise of these Egyptian Mysteries Much may the Reader gather also out of Doctor Rainolds his learned Treatise De Romanae Ecclesiae Idolatria §. II. Of HERMES TRISMEGISTVS MErcurius Trismegistus so called because hee was thrice greatest King Priest and Philosopher was saith Lactantius called Thoth or Thoyth of whom they named their first moneth acknowledging to haue receiued their Lawes and Letters from him He built the Citie Hermopolis and of the Saits was honored for a God Of him also Augustine de Ciuitate Dei lib. 8. cap. 26. illustrated by the Annotations of Viues will further acquaint you Goropius from a speech of Iamblichus That all sacred Writings were ascribed to Mercury Trismegistus coniectureth after his farre fetched fashion that Trismegistus signifieth God in Trinity and Vnity which hee gathereth also out of the word Got or God and that no mortall man was intended by Mercury but God himselfe called Thoyt or Theut as the head of all things and that the eternall Wisdome of God first taught men Letters That the Egyptians were subdued by the Cymmerians who came thither out of Phrygia and changed their Religion leauing them both their Hieroglyphicall Characters wherein also were included Mysteries of holy things and their Language both which the Priests obserued in their Lyturgies and Deuotions Diuine things were not meet to be ascribed to men and therfore all the Books of their Diuinity were ascribed to Mercury whose Image was a head ending in a square Statue a resemblance of that Diuine Wisdome and constancie They vse to set vp these Images in the high-wayes therein engrauing some good morall admonitions for which cause they were called Mercuries and Hermes as his Dutch Etymologies declare Herman signifying nothing but a publike admonishing and Merkman that which men ought to marke and most diligently to attend The like hee doth in the names of Harpocrates and other their Deities some of them through ignorance from Hieroglyphikes as the Emblemes of George Christopher and Margaret amongst the Romists becomming Gods Whether these things be true or doctae nugae for which Scaliger censureth Goropius I list not to determine nor to fill these pages with store of matter of this nature from him with whom the desirous Reader may himselfe find entertainment where hee will shew the Mysteries of their Pyramides to signifie the fierie soule of the World and Obeliskes the Sunne and other things more then euer the Egyptians themselues conceiued For how could they without helpe of Goropius his Dutch Franciscus Patricius as he hath taken great paines out of Psellus
Ioannes Pieus and others for the opening of the Assyrian and Chaldaean opinions and hath collected three hundred and twenty Oracles and sacred Sentences of Zoroaster so hee hath with no lesse industry published twenty Bookes of Hermes or Mercury Trismegistus He affirmeth that there were two of that name the one Grandfather to the other the elder of which was counseller and instructer of Isis and the Scholler of Noah Hee had a Son named Tat which begate the second Hermes which Hermes had a Son also called Tat by which likenesse in name great confusion and vnlikelihoods haue happened in History This second Hermes hee supposeth liued in the dayes of Moses but was somewhat more ancient Both the elder and younger were Writers as he sheweth out of their Workes and called Trismegisti not for that hee was greatest King Priest and Philosopher as Ficinus sayth nor for their cleere Sentences touching the Holy Trinity but as the French vse the word thrice for the Superlatiue as men thrice or most excellent in Learning The same Patricius hath set forth three Treatises of Asclopius of which name were three learned Egyptians Asclepius Vulcani Inuenter of Phyuoke Asclepius Imuthes Inuenter of Poetry and another which had no sirname to which Hermes dedicated some of his Bookes and the same Asclepius in the beginning of his first Booke calleth himselfe the Scholler of Hermes In the Writings of these Egyptians translated into Greeke and explaned by the Egyptian Priests the Greeke Philosophers especially Platonikes and Pythagoreans learned their Diuine Morall and Naturall Philosophy Antiquity and Learning hold vs longer in these mens company the more curious may haue recourse to their owne works For my owne opinion I cannot beleeue so ancient Monuments of Ethnike Authors to remayne but as in the Sybills Berosus Henoch and many other old Authours lost some new obtruded on the World in their Names Yet I leaue to each man his owne censure Twenty thousand Bookes are ascribed to Hermes some say thirtie sixe thousand fiue hundred twenty fiue He in his Asclepius translated by Apulcius thus writeth Egypt is the Image of Heauen and the Temple of the whole World But the time shall come when the Egyptian deuotion shall proue vaine and their pietie frustrate for the Diuinitie shall returne to Heauen and Egypt shall be forsaken of her gods And no maruell seeing that these Gods were Idols the workes of mens hands as himselfe after sheweth and when as they could not make soules they called or coniured into them the soules of Deuils or Angels by which the Images might haue power to doe good or euill For thy Grandfather O Asclepius sayth he was the first Inuenter of Physicke to whom is a Temple consecrated in a Mountayne of Libya where his worldly man his body resteth for the rest or rather his whole selfe is gone to Heauen and doth now heale men by his Deity at then by his Physicke The same doth Mercury my Grandfather preseruing all such as resort to him Much may the willing Reader learne further of their Superstitions which hee thus freely confesseth in that Author whose Prophesie God bee thanked by the bright and powerfull Sun-shine of the Gospell was long since effected CHAP. IIII. Of the Rites Priests Sects Sacrifices Feasts Inuentions and other Obseruations of the Aegyptians §. I. Of their Apis and other Beasts Serpents and other Creatures worshipped THus farre haue we launched out of their History into their Mysteries To returne to the Relation of their Beasts and Bestiall Superstitions Lucian saith That Apu represented the Celestiall Bull and other Beasts which they worshipped other signes in the Zodiake They that respected the Constellation of Pisces did eat no fish nor a Goat if they regarded Capricorne Aries a heauenly Constellation was their heauenly deuotion and not here alone but at the Oracle of Iupiter Ammon Strabo sayth That they nourished many Creatures which they accounted sacred but not Gods This nourishment after Diodorus was in this sort First they consecrated vnto their maintenance sufficient Lands Such Votaries also as had recouered their children from some dangerous sicknesse accustomed to shaue their haire and putting it in gold or siluer offered it to their Priests The Hawkes they fed with gobbets of flesh and with Birds catched for them The Cats and Ichneumons with bread and milke and fish and likewise the rest When they goe their Processions with these hearts displayed in their Banners euery one falleth downe and doth worship When any of them dyeth it is wrapped in fine Linnen salted and embalmed with Cedar and sweet Oyntments and buried in a holy place the reasonlesse men howling and knocking their brests in the exequies of these vnreasonable beasts Yea when famine hath driuen them to eate mans flesh the zeale of deuotion hath preserued vntouched these sacred creatures And if a Dogge dye in a house all in that houshold shaue themselues and make great lamentation If Wine Wheate or other food to be found where such a Beast lyeth dead Superstition forbiddeth further vse of it Principall men with principall meates are appointed to nourish them in the circuit of their Temples They bathe and anoint them with odoriferous Oyntments And they prouide to euery one of them a Female of his owne kinde Their dead they bewayle no lesse then their owne children In their Funerals they are exceeding prodigall In the time of Ptolemeus Lagi their Apis or Bull of Memphis being dead the Keeper bestowed on his Funerall ouer and aboue the ordinary allowance and offerings fiftie Talents of siluer borrowed of Ptolemey that is twelue thousand and fiue hundred pound of our money after the Egyptian Talent or after the Alexandrian eighteene thousand seuen hundred and fifty pound And in our Age sayth Diodorus an eye-witnesse of these his Relations some of these Nourishers haue bestowed an hundred Talents on this last expence which is twice as much as the former After the death of this Bull which they call Apis was made a solemne and publike lamentation which they testified by shauing their heads although their purple lockes might compare with those of Nisus sayth Lucian and after his buriall were an hundred Priests employed in search of another like the former which being found was brought to the City Nilus and there nourished forty dayes Then they conueyed him into a close ship hauing a golden habitacle in which they carried him to Memphis and there placed him in the Temple of Vulcan for a God At his first comming only women were permitted to see him who I know not in what hellish Mystery lifting vp their garments shewed him Natures secrets and from thence forth might neuer be admitted the sight of him At his first finding the people cease their funerall lamentations At his solemne receiuing into Memphis they obserue a seuen-dayes festiuall with great concourse of people His consecration was done by one wearing a Diadem on
Colony and by the bitternesse of that great Frost 1607. aboue halfe took their deaths Wingfield and Archer were sent for England Being busied in the Spring to rebuild their towne Nelson arriued with his lost Phoenix so they supposed his ship and dealt honestlier then they report of the former Mariners The second of Iune 1608. Smith left the Fort to discouer the Bay of Chesapeack in the way wanting of conuenient watering places they were so thirstie as they would haue refused two Barricoes of gold for one of water and they arriued at Iames Towne in September where they found some sicke many dead and the President prisoner which place by election of the Councell and request of the company was bestowed on Smith Captaine Newport returned with rich presents of Bason Ewer Bed Cloathes with a Crowne for Powhatan which made him ouer-value himselfe some Poles and Dutch which were sent to make Pitch and Tarre Glasse mils and Sope-ashes proued after treacherous Powhatan minding murther and villany at once sixteene of our men were beset with seuen hundred which by the policy of Smith seasing on Opechancanough their King was preuented and turned to their enriching with their commodities and amongst other they vsed poison which wrought not After Smith tooke the King of Paspaheigh prisoner which forced the Sauages to peace Thus haue we a little while beheld Tragicall more then shewes on this Virginian Theatre those things which were well intended being ill peruerted and their greatest aduantages arising from casuall disaduantages diuersitie of emulations beclowding that morning starre a disastrous Comet shining rather with fierie gleames of ciuill broiles and brawles in that Hemisphere then comfortable illumination and influence to the common good The Sauages were now in good termes with the English their Plantation at Iames Town where they had built a Church and many houses in some reasonable manner flourished the countrey was with great paines and perils of the President further discouered their Swine Hens and other prouision nourished and some quantitie of many commodities as Furres Dies Minerals Sassafrasse Sturgeon and other things sent hither in testimonie of their industry and successe And Virginia grew now in such request that nine ships were furnished with the better part of fiue hundred men to inhabite there in the yeere one thousand sixe hundred and nine the gouernment being deuolued to the L. de la Ware Sir Thomas Gates was appointed Lieutenant Generall Sir George Summers Admirall of Virginia and were sent to reside there as Gouernours of the Colony But the Sea-uenture wherein the two Knights and Captaine Newpott with a hundred and fifty persons sayled after long conflict with the two angry elements was sent to bee imprisoned in Bermuda where betweene two Rocks the ship split the people escaping to Land In the meane time three of the other ships had landed their men in Virginia some of whom were such as had been the emolous and enuious corriuals of the President which they then began to shew and to second the same a greater hurt by Gun-powder befell him which forced him for his recouerie to set sayle for England after hee had liued there three yeeres maintaining himselfe and his that time principally with such food as the Countrey yeelded He saith he left behinde at his returne fiue hundred men and women three Ships seuen Boats two hundred expert Souldiers thirtie nine of their Weroances or Kings as Subjects and Contributers to the English so farre subiect that at his command they haue sent their subjects to Iames Towne to receiue correction at his appointment for wrongs done and their Countries were free to the English for trauell or trade But Necessitie forced him to leaue the Countrey which it forced the other appointed Gouernours not to finde Hinc illa lachrymae Hence proceeded the disorder and confusion which after happened amongst them A great bodie was heere which acknowledged no head and therefore grew vnweldie and distempered Some sought for rule ouer others which were ouer-ruled by vnruly passions of Ambition and faction in themselues others sought their ease except sometimes they were ouer-busie in diseasing others and deuouring that which others had carefully laboured for Ruine seiseth on the Church Rapine makes prey and spoile of the goods Rauine deuoureth their beasts Famine consumeth the men Iniuries make the Indians their enemies two of the ships perish vpon Vshant and one man alone was left to bring home newes of their perishing the rest returne laden with Letters of discouragement painting out Famine Sedition and other Furies which had broken loose amongst them in the blackest colours which were sealed with report of the losse of their Admirall to make vp the measure of mischiefe All this did not daunt the Noble Spirit of that resolute Lord appointed Lord Gouernour who in the beginning of April one thousand sixe hundred and ten set sayle from the coast of England and on the ninth of Iune arriued safely at the disfortified Fort in Virginia where he found the present State like to the Boxe of Pandora who being endowed with manifold good gifts each of the gods bestowing one on her was sent with a boxe full of euils to Prometheus who refused the offer but by Epimetheus was opened whereby all euils were suffered to fly out Hope onely remaining which he shut fast in the bottome And thus was it with this Virginian Pandora enriched with the best offerings of Natures bounty but by Epimethean carelesnesse all euils had now dispersed themselues and made the Virginian Colony a stage of Misery onely Hope remayned But alas euen that also proued sicke and was ready to giue vp the Ghost in the dangerous sicknesse which befell that Noble Lord which forced him after eight moneths sicknesse to returne for England againe He shipped himselfe indeed for Meuis an Iland in the West Indies famous for wholsome Bathes but by Southerly winds was compelled to change his purpose and at last to make home hauing left Deputie Gouernour Captaine George Percie a Gentleman of honour and resolution with vpward of two hundred persons Almightie God that had thus farre tried the patience of the English would not suffer them to be tempted aboue that they were able and therefore in his secret Prouidence before any knowledge was here had of his Lordships sicknesse had ordayned Sir Thomas Dale should be furnisht out with a good supply of three ships men cattell and many prouisions , all which arriued safe at the Colony the tenth of May 1611. He by his Letters and the Lord Gouernour by his Relations did animate the Aduenturers the one protesting himselfe willing and readie to lay all that hee was worth vpon the Aduenture of the action rather then so honourable a worke should faile and to returne with all conuenient expedition if their friendly endeuours would therein second his resolutions the other writing that foure of the best Kingdomes in Christendome put all