Jewish religious customs of the 17th century. The first translation into English of Leon da Modena's (1571-1648) Historia de' riti hebraici, a summary of the 'Manner of Life, Customes, and Rites, observed by the Jews, at this day, throughout the world' (Authors Preface) and addressed to the gentile reader.

Some customs such as dough offering (mitzvat terumat challah) — the 'Cake was Anciently given to the priest: but Now, they take and cast it into the Fire, and burn it' (p.100) — will be familiar to the modern reader. Others like the manumission of converted slaves may be more surprising: 'in case a Slave should desire to be made a Jew, they circumcise him, and wash him all over in water, and so make him Free' (p.225). Still, clearly afraid to be accused of proselytisation, Modena stressed that the purpose of his work was only to 'give my Reader a Bare Historical Narration' of Jewish customs and not 'Why they are : least, whilst I pretend to be a meer Relater Onely, I should appear to be a Perswader' (Authors Answer).

A rabbi, philosopher and writer, Modena was considered the leading voice of the Venetian Jewish community in his day. His account was widely read by Christians, and was translated into English by Edmund Chilmead (1610-1654) at a time when the Jewish question was coming to the fore in London. Only five years later the Whitehall Conference paved the way for the readmission of Jews into England.

First edition in English; 12mo (14 x 9.5 cm); woodcut initials and headpieces, continuous text despite pagination; contemporary sheep sometime rebacked, boards ruled in blind; [46], 80, 91-249, [1] pp.

ESTC R216660; cf.Roth p.391, no.6.