A Letter from Antwerp, Octob. [...]. 1665.

SInce the last I received from you, I have had occasion to speak with one that is well informed of the pro­ceedings of the Israelites; he tells me, That they appear in great numbers in several places: The first menti­oned appears in Arabia, they are said to possess themselves in Meka; but at the first, the Jews that lived amongst the Turks would not acknowledge them to be their B [...]ethren, but said they were a sort of Arabs, that lived in the Moun­tainous parts of Arabia the Happy; but now they say they are Israelites, and sent by the ten T [...]ibes to be their fore-run­ners. Another Company are said to move from the East and North East Countrey of Asia. The third and great Company in the Desart Goth of Morocco, which is as I con­ceive, not far from Cape de Ver, but more within the Land; they consist of 8000 Companies, the least of them contain 100 men, and some of them 1000. A Jew that lives in these parts came unto Saley in Barbary in August last, and taking [Page 2] the Book of the Law into his hand, did swear by it, That he came lately from them, and had spoken with them, and saw them in that number aforementioned, and that they are arm­ed with Swords, Spears and Bows, an [...] no fi [...]e-Arms are found amongst them: This Jew did not unde [...]stand the Language ordinarily spoken by them, but many of them spoke Hebrew, in which he discoursed with them; their Lea­der is said to be a holy man, understandeth all languages, and worketh Miracles.

This is by a Jew living in Saly, to his Brother in Holland, and upon that Report which he received from the fore-men­tioned person who had been with them, and is credited with those of his Nation▪ because he is a Rabby, and of much re­putation among them: They had many incounter with peo­ple in the way, and have taken some places, none b [...]ing able to withstand them; they put all to the sword except Jews, they rest upon the Sabbath day, and no fire is seen in their Camp; their women and children stay some where behind them, and follow at a distance, none are seen with them; they [...]ig in a Mountain in the Desa [...]t fo [...] a Trumpet, an [...] sa [...], t [...]t when they find it, a [...]l Nations will be g [...]thered to th [...]m up­on the sound thereof.

In dispute with my Informer, I ra [...]sed many objection [...] con­cer [...]ing the pl [...]ces from whence they came, as also the m [...]n­ner of their coming, viz. B [...]ing in a spirit of Judaism, in great power, led by a holy man, doing great mira [...]les, and all things answering the description of the Messias, they may exp [...]ct that it would be a testimony that the Christians and other people and Nations should be gathered in to the Jews, and not the Jews into Christ.

To the first he said, Those in Arabia are of the same com­pany with them that appear south of Morocco, and all of them seem to lye hid in the Inland Countrey of Africa, ex­tending them elves ove [...] the vast Tract of Land comprehen­ding [Page 3] all between the two Tropicks, almost as far as the Cape of Good Hope.

He thinketh them to be the white people of whom the Inhabitants of Guiny use to speak, who will not mix them­selves with their neighbours▪ nor have any other commerce with them; they in the night bring Merc [...]andises to set pla­ces, and in exchange to have salt and other n [...]cess [...]ies as they want, but will be seen by none; such as went from them, are one [...]alf of their way to Meka; he thinketh they posses­sed the Arabians Countrey, and went out of Africa into A­merica, by the strait of the en [...]y into the Red-Sea; but whe­ther by Boat or Miracle, he knows not; those in the Gost seemed to have lived in the North part of Asia, towards the strait of Amion, from whence Manasses Ben-Israel c [...]me; though many of them past into America; also he saith, that they having suffered great afflictions for the sins of the [...]r [...]a­thers, are now comeout from Idolatry, to live according to the purity and perfection of the Law, and shall from thence be raised to the knowledge of Christ; he understandeth this of a Nation to be born in a day, and their Co [...]ve [...]i [...]n to be their birth: He thinketh, that the Law being t [...]u [...] and good, and given them by God, it is suitable to his proceedings a­mongst men, to give a testimony of his presence with those who have not heard of a Christ, neither a [...]e of the posterity of those that slew him, but of the ten Tribes formerly carri­ed into Captivity, and that they are thereby prepared to re­ceive the Gospel; he further saith, That all the Chu [...]c [...]es cal­led by the Name of Christians, are full of vanity, and that they must be purified to whom Christ will teach his truth, and from them shall run a stream overflowing the whole world, whereby the Powers of the world shall be overthrown, and the right of Christ in and with [...]is Saints shall then begin to be established; He p [...]tches much upon 1666 and confi­dently believes, That all the Prophesies of the Old and New [Page 4] Testament Centers in it, it being the time that shall give be­ginning to that holy and Spiritual Kingdome. I have spo­ken largely of this, believing you will be willing to hear what is related, and upon what grounds.

The substance of a Letter from Legorn.

I Am glad you have heard some ratling of the dry bones of the House of Israel since my last which hath had more con­firmation, not only from Legorn, but also from Tunis in Barbary, from whence they write this year, that no Cara­van is to go to Meka, because we hear the Town is be­sieged, and from Jerusalem came this week to our Jews, that there was good news; but what, they du [...]st not express: and this week also some of our Christian Merchants have the like news from Alexandria; the particulars of this news is, that the B [...]shaw of Alexandria with a King of Arabia, having made up a Carivan o [...] 60000 men, marched towards Meka, and being but one days journey from thence, sent out a Troop to take notice how the business stood; which Troop having seen this people lying in Tents about the City and hearing that they profest themselves to be Israelites, re­ported this to the Bashaw, who for all that resolved to march on with his Forces, and coming within sight of the City, discovered an Innumerable multitude of people getting ou [...] of their Tents, whereupon the Turks give Fire and shot against them, but after a li [...]tle fighting, a pannick fear took them, and terror se [...]zed on them and made them cry out, Who can fight with these people, seeing our Arrows return back upon our selves! So the Turks le [...]t off fighting, and returned home, and the Israelites into their Tents, without pursuing their Enemies: this affront caused the Bashaw and the King of the Moores, throughout all Egypt and Arabia, to impose on the Jews in all their Do [...]ini [...]n, heavier taxes [Page 5] then ever there were five to one; in the interim the Bash [...]w to know a right what people this was, sent to them ten Jews, who coming to them, sound that they spake Hebrew and that they were Israelites indeed; saying, they were sent be­fore to remain at Meka till their Pre [...]ren came, for that the time was now come that they should return unto their own Land of their Fore Fathers, which others had usurped hitherto: another Letter saith, that the Commander of Meka sent 4 Troops to oppose these Israelites, but not one returned, and that [...]ive [...]s Caravans were de [...]eated by them by that way. Of the 10 Jews 6 remained there, and 4 only returned to Alexandria, from whence we have these [...]idings.

The substance of a Letter from Florence.

This week there came Letters from Florence; si [...]nifying that the Court of Florence was much amazed at the news of the Israelites, because they said that the Emperor had written to the great Duke, that he was drawing his Army from Germany, and had raised a great army, and was going to fight with this people: In Florence they say, they are about 50000: and asking 4 of the Jews that were sent thi­ther, what they were; they answered, they did not know; but they said themselves they were Jews: The Emperor wrote this to the great Duke of Florence.

There are more Letters from Legorn to confirm the former News, and they say more, That the Turks were in a City near Meka, called Me [...]ai, from whence came 12000 Turks, who marched up against the Israelites, of which there was sl [...]n 8000 of them, their own swords and Muskets turning against themselves: by the next we shall hear more. From Legorn we are in expectation of very good news.

Another from Legorn.

YEsterday came a Letter from Alsasia Dipasi and Ra­pheck Supi, who writes, that there is a B [...]k arriv [...] from Alexandria, in which came dive [...]s Jews, that brought news, that there was a great number of Souldiers in Tents near Meka who would not suffer any to pass that way; and that from the City there went out a great army against them, which received a great overthrow: hereupon the Jews w [...]e moleste [...] by the increase of Taxes from 1 t [...] 5 more then [...]or­merly, which being complain'd of, answer was made, that it was occasioned by the Jews, who had betaken themselves to arm [...]: upon which reply they desired to send a Messenger and accordingly sent away 10 persons, who when they came to the Jewish army, were welcomed with great joy, feasting and an [...]ating to an indurance of their present burden with­out complaining of the new imposition required from them, for that within one year, their enemies should become t [...]i [...]u­tary to them.

Another from Amsterdam.

THe Is [...]elites are in Meka, and their Tents are 15 Germane miles in length from Meka ▪ the Great Turk had a [...] that an Israelite had taken the Crown from his head; which dre [...]m did so pe [...]plex him, that he did advise with his Council to cut off all the Jews that were in his Dominions: but they to [...]d him it was contrary to their Religion to do such an act, and to do it upon a dream; if it we [...]e of God it would stand; if not, it would fall.