feast. For the master lying in the first of the last bed, and the principal guest in the last place of the second, they must needs be next each other, as this figure doth plainly declare, and whereby we may apprehend the feast of Perpenna made unto Sertorius, described by Sallustius, whose words we shall thus read with Salmasius: Igitur discubuere, Sertorius inferior in medio lecto, suprà Fabius; Antonius in summo; Infrù scriba Sertorii Versius; alter scriba Mecenas in imo, medius inter Tarquitium et dominum Perpennam.

At this feast there were but seven, the middle places of

the highest and middle bed being vacant, and hereat was Sertorius the general, and principal guest slain; and so may we make out what is delivered by Plutarch in his life, that lying on his back and raising himself up, Perpenna cast himself upon his stomach, which he might very well do, being master of the feast, and lying next unto him; and thus also

* Jul. Scalig. Familiarum Exercitationum Problema 1.

from this tricliniary disposure, we may illustrate that obscure expression of Seneca; that the north wind was in the middle, the north-east on the higher side, and the north-west on the lower. For as appeareth in the circle of the winds, the northeast will answer the bed of Antonius, and the north-west that of Perpenna.

That the custom of feasting upon beds was in use among the Hebrews, many deduce from Ezekiel,* "Thou sattest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared before it." The custom of discalceation or putting off their shoes at meals, is conceived to confirm the same; as by that means keeping their beds clean: and therefore they had a peculiar charge to eat the passover with their shoes on; which injunction were needless, if they used not to put them off. However it were in times of high antiquity, probable it is that in after ages they conformed unto the fashions of the Assyrians and eastern nations, and lastly of the Romans, being reduced by Pompey unto a provincial subjection.5

That this discumbency at meals was in use in the days of our Saviour, is conceived probable from several speeches of his expressed in that phrase, even unto common auditors, as Luke xiv, Cum invitatus fueris ad nuptias non discumbas in primo loco; and, besides many more, Matthew xxiii. When reprehending the Scribes and Pharisees, he saith, Amant protoclisias, id est, primos recubitus in cœnis, et protocathedrias, sive, primas cathedras, in synagogis; wherein the terms are very distinct, and by an antithesis do plainly distinguish the posture of sitting, from this of lying on beds. The consent of the Jews with the Romans in other ceremonies and rites of feasting makes probable their conformity in this. The Romans washed, were anointed, and wore a cenatory garment: and that the same was practised by the Jews, is deducible from that expostulation of our Saviour with Simon, that he washed not his feet, nor anointed his head with oil; the common civilities at festival entertainments: and that expression of his concerning the cenatory or wed

$ However it were, &c.] This sentence was first added in 2nd edition.

*

ding garment; and as some conceive of the linen garment of the young man, or St. John; which might be the same he wore the night before at the last supper."

That they used this gesture at the passover, is more than probable from the testimony of Jewish writers, and particularly of Ben-Maimon recorded by Scaliger, De Emendatione temporum. After the second cup according to the institution, the son asketh, what meaneth this service? † then he that maketh the declaration, saith, how different is this night from all other nights? for all other nights we wash but once, but this night twice; all other we eat leavened or unleavened bread, but this only leavened; all other we eat flesh roasted, boiled, or baked, but this only roasted; all other nights we eat together lying or sitting, but this only lying along. And this posture they used as a token of rest and security which they enjoyed, far different from that at the eating of the passover in Egypt.

That this gesture was used when our Saviour eat the passover, is not conceived improbable from the words whereby the Evangelists express the same, that is, dvaten, úvazeîndai, ἀναπιπτειν, ἀνακεῖσθαι, κατακεῖσθαι, ἀνακλιθῆναι, which terms do properly signify this gesture, in Aristotle, Athenæus, Euripides, Sophocles, and all humane authors; and the like we meet with in the paraphrastical expression of Nonnus.

Lastly, if it be not fully conceded, that this gesture was used at the passover, yet that it was observed at the last supper, seems almost incontrovertible: for at this feast or cenatory convention, learned men make more than one supper, or at least many parts thereof. The first was that legal one of the passover, or eating of the paschal lamb with bitter herbs, and ceremonies described by Moses. Of this it is said, "Then when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve." This is supposed when it is said, that the supper being ended, our Saviour arose, took a towel and washed the disciples' feet. The second was common and domestical, consisting of ordinary and undefined provisions; of this it † Matt. xxvi. § John xiii.

Matt. xxii. + Exod. xii.

the consent of the Jews, &c.] First added in 2nd edit.

may be said, that our Saviour took his garment, and sat down. again, after he had washed the disciples' feet, and performed the preparative civilities of suppers; at this 't is conceived the sop was given unto Judas, the original word implying some broth or decoction, not used at the passover. The third or latter part was eucharistical, which began at the breaking and blessing of the bread, according to that of Matthew, "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it."

Now although, at the passover or first supper, many have doubted this reclining posture, and some have affirmed that our Saviour stood, yet that he lay down at the other, the same men have acknowledged, as Chrysostom,* Theophylact, Austin, and many more. And if the tradition will hold, the position is unquestionable; for the very triclinium is to be seen at Rome, brought thither by Vespasian, and graphically set forth by Casalius.7

Thus may it properly be made out, what is delivered, John xiii; Erat recumbens unus ex discipulus ejus in sinu Jesu quem diligebat; "Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved;" which gesture will not so well agree unto the position of sitting, but is natural, and cannot be avoided in the laws of accubation. And the very same expression is to be found in Pliny, concerning the emperor Nerva and Veiento whom he favoured; Canabat Nerva cum paucis, Veiento recumbebat propius atque

* De Veterum Ritibus.

7 Lastly, if it be not, &c.] This and the next paragraph were first added in the 2nd edition.

8 which gesture, &c.] I am not aware whether our author had any authority for saying that "the back was advanced by some pillow or soft substance." If it was so, John could not very conveniently have leaned back upon the bosom of his master. It seems probable that each person lay at an acute angle with the line of the table, (as seems implied in the following quotation) in which case the head of John, as our author observes, p. 104, would have attained to about his master's bosom. It must also (as it seems to me) be supposed that the table was scarcely, if at all, higher than the level of the couch. I subjoin Godwin's de

scription of the table, &c. "The table being placed in the middest, round about the table were certain beds, sometimes two, sometimes three, sometimes more, according to the number of the guests; upon these they lay down in manner as followeth: each bed contained three persons, sometimes more,-seldom or never more (qu. fewer?) If one lay upon the bed, then he rested the upper part of his body upon the left elbow, the lower part lying at length upon the bed: but if many lay on the bed, then the uppermost did lie at the bed's head, laying his feet behinde the second's back: in like manner the third or fourth did lye, each resting his head in the other's bosome. Thus John leaned on Jesus' bosom," Moses and Aaron, p, 93, 4to. 1667.

etiam in sinu; and from this custom arose the word 105, that is, a near and bosom friend. And therefore Casaubon* justly rejecteth Theophylact; 9 who not considering the ancient manner of decumbency, imputed this gesture of the beloved disciple unto rusticity, or an act of incivility. And thus also, have some conceived it may be more plainly made out what is delivered of Mary Magdalen, that she "stood at Christ's feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head."+ Which actions, if our Saviour sat, she could not perform standing, and had rather stood behind his back than at his feet. And therefore it is not allowable, what is observable in many pieces, and even of Raphael Urbin, wherein Mary Magdalen is pictured before our Saviour washing his feet on her knees, which will not consist with the strict description and letter of the text.

Now, whereas this position may seem to be discountenanced by our translation, which usually renders it sitting, it cannot have that illation: for the French and Italian translations, expressing neither position of session nor recubation, do only say that he placed himself at the table; and when ours expresseth the same by sitting, it is in relation unto our custom, time, and apprehension. The like upon occasion is not unusual: so when it is said, Luke iv, rúžus rò Bicov, and the vulgate renders it, cum plicâsset librum, ours translateth it, he shut or closed the book; which is an expression proper unto the paginal books of our times, but not so agreeable unto volumes or rolling books, in use among the Jews, not only in elder times, but even unto this day. So when it is said, the Samaritan delivered unto the host twopence for the provision of the Levite, and when our Saviour agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, in strict translation it should be sevenpence halfpenny, and is not to be conceived our common penny, the sixtieth part of an ounce. For the word in the

*Not. in Evang.

9 Theophylact.] Theophylact, bishop of Bulgary, lived 930th yeare of Christe, in which time the empire being translated into Germanye, and the maner of lying at all meales translated into the maner of sitting, which was most used

+ Luke vii.

among the northern nations, gave the bishop occasion to taxe the Jewish and Roman forme of lying as uncouth and uncivil: every nation preferring their owne customes, and condemning all other as barbarians.-Wr.