The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 09: Asia, Part IIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 09: Asia, Part II
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
I came to Venice at the time of a Faire, which lasted foureteene dayes,
wherein I sawe very many, and faire shewes of wares. I came thither too
short for the first passage, which went away from Venice about the seuenth
or eight of May, and with them about three score pilgrims, which shippe was
cast away at a towne called Estria, two miles from Venice, and all the men
in her, sauing thirtie, or thereabout, lost.
Within eight dayes after fell Corpus Christi day, which was a day amongst
them of procession, in which was shewed the plate and treasure of Venice,
which is esteemed to be worth two millions of pounds, but I do not accompt
it woorth halfe a quarter of that money, except there be more than I sawe.
To speake of the sumptuousnesse of the Copes and Vestments of the Church, I
leaue, but the trueth is, they be very sumptuous, many of them set all ouer
with pearle, and made of cloth of golde. And for the Iesuits, I thinke
there be as many at Venice, as there be in Colen.
The number of Iewes is there thought to be 1000, who dwell in a certaine
place of the Citie, and haue also a place, to which they resort to pray,
which is called the Iewes Sinagogue. They all, and their offspring vse to
weare red caps, (for so they are commaunded) because they may thereby be
knowen from other men. For my further knowledge of these people, I went
into their Sinagogue vpon a Saturday, which is their Sabbath day: and I
found them in their seruice or prayers, very deuoute: they receiue the fiue
bookes of Moses, and honour them by carying them about their Church, as the
Papists doe their crosse.
Their Synagogue is in forme round, and the people sit round about it, and
in the midst, there is a place for him that readeth to the rest: as for
their apparell, all of them weare a large white lawne ouer their garments,
which reacheth from their head, downe to the ground.
The Psalmes they sing as wee doe, hauing no image, nor vsing any maner of
idolatrie: their error is, that they beleeue not in Christ, nor yet receiue
the New Testament. This Citie of Venice is very faire, and greatly to bee
commended, wherein is good order for all things: and also it is very strong
and populous: it standeth vpon the maine Sea, and hath many Islands about
it, that belong to it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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