Ohfervations &c. 275- 



or Colonnade \ over which, when the Houfe hath one or more 

 Stories, (and i have feen Them \vith two or three) there is a 

 Gallery erected, of the fame Dimenfions with the Cloyfter, 

 having a Eallultrade, or elfe a Piece of carved or latticed Work 

 going round about It. From the Cloyfter and Gallery, we are 

 conduced into large fpacious Chambers, of the fame Length ^'-'^c>;-'7;;/^«r: 

 with the Court, but feldom or never communicating with one 

 another. One of them frequently ferveth a whole Family^ 

 particularly when a Father indulgeth his married Children to 

 live w ith him ; or when feveral Perfons joyn in the Rent of 

 one Houfe. From whence it is, that the Cities of thefe Coun- 

 tries are fo exceedingly populous, and that fuch Numbers of 

 People are always fwept away by the Plague. A Mixture of 

 Families of this Kind feems to be fpoken of by Maimonides^ 

 as he is quoted by Dr. Light foot ' upon i Cor. x. 16. 



In Houfes of better Failiion, thefe Chambers arc hung with nc Fnr-n- 

 Velvet or Damask from the Middle of the Wall downwards :'"''^'^""• 

 the reft is adorned with the moft ingenious Wreathings and 

 Devices in Stucco and Fret -Work. The Cieling is generally r,:^cv/;;/-. 

 of Wainfcott, either very artfully painted, or elfe thrown 

 into a \^ariety of Pannels, with gilded Mouldings and Scrolls 

 of their Cor an intermixed. The Prophet Jeremiah it. ΐύ^.. 

 exclaimeth againft fome of the Eaftern Houfes that were 

 deled with Cedar, and painted with Vermilion. The Floors '^'■' ^^o^"-• 

 are laid with painted Tiles or Plaifter of Terrace-., but the 

 Eaftern Nations making no ufe of Chairs, (either fitting crofs- 

 legged, or lying at length upon thefe Floors,) they have them 

 conftantly fpread over with Carpets, which fometimes are moft 

 beautifully defigned, and of the richeft Materials. For their 

 further Eafe like wife and Convenience, there is a Row of Da- 

 mask or Velvet Bolfters, ranged along each Side of the Floor ; 

 an Indulgence that feems to be alluded to by the /owing of 

 Tillows to Arm-holes, as we have It exprefled by the Prophet 



I " Selomon appointed that each Place be appropriated to one Man there where ther.c is 

 " a Divifion into diverfe Habitations, and each of the Inhabitants receive there a Place 

 " proper to himfelf, and lome Place alfo is left there common to all, fo that ajl have an 

 " equal Right to It, as a Court belonging to many Houfes C^c. (2TT>) The conlorting 

 " together, which thofe that dwell among themfelves in the fame Court, make, (is called 

 " nnsn '^TT^• mvav'ta) The Communion of Courts. And that conlorting together which 

 " they make that dwell among themfelves in the fame Walk or Entry, or which Citizens of 

 " the lame City make among themfelves is called (ηΐΠ'ϊ?) participating together." 



Ζ Ζ Ζ X Ezekiel 



