against the wall. The room below the half-pace hath
tables on the sides for the guests that are bidden; who are served with
great and comely order; and towards the end of dinner (which in the
greatest feasts with them lasteth never above an hour and an half)
there is an hymn sung, varied according to the invention of him that
composeth it (for they have excellent posy) but the subject of it is
(always) the praises of Adam and Noah and Abraham; whereof the former
two peopled the world, and the last was the Father of the Faithful:
concluding ever with a thanksgiving for the nativity of our Saviour, in
whose birth the births of all are only blessed.

Dinner being done, the Tirsan retireth again; and having withdrawn
himself alone into a place, where he makes some private prayers, he
cometh forth the third time, to give the blessing with all his
descendants, who stand about him as at the first. Then he calleth them
forth by one and by one, by name, as he pleaseth, though seldom the
order of age be inverted. The person that is called (the table being
before removed) kneeleth down before the chair, and the father layeth
his hand upon his head, or her head, and giveth the blessing in these
words: Son of Bensalem, (or daughter of Bensalem,) thy father with it:
the man by whom thou hast breath and life speaketh the word: the
blessing of the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and the Holy
Dove, be upon thee, and make the days of thy pilgrimage good and many.
This he saith to every of them; and that done, if there be any of his
sons of eminent merit and virtue, (so they be not above two,) he
calleth for them again; and saith, laying his arm over their shoulders,
they standing; Sons, it is well ye are born, give God the praise, and
persevere to the end. And withall delivereth to either of them a
jewel, made in the figure of an ear of wheat, which they ever after
wear in the front of their turban or hat. This done, they fall to
music and dances, and other recreations, after their manner, for the
rest of the day. This is the full order of that feast.

By that time six or seven days were spent, I was fallen into straight
acquaintance with a merchant of that city, whose name was Joabin. He
was a Jew and circumcised: for they have some few stirps of Jews yet
remaining among them, whom they leave to their own religion. Which
they may the better do, because they are of a far differing disposition
from the Jews in other part