A journey to Jerusalem, containing the travels of fourteen Englishmen in 1667, to the Holy Land, and other memorable places noted in Scripture. : To which is prefixed, memorable remarks upon the ancient and modern state of the Jewish nation. : Together with a relation of the great council of the Jews in the plains of Hungary, in 1650, to examine the Scriptures concerning Christ. --By Samuel Beert [i.e., Brett], an English gentleman there present. : With an account of the wonderful delusion of the Jews by a false Messiah at Smyrna, 1666. / Collected by R. Burton.

A journey to Jerusalem, containing the travels of fourteen Englishmen in 1667, to the Holy Land, and other memorable places noted in Scripture. : To which is prefixed, memorable remarks upon the ancient and modern state of the Jewish nation. : Together with a relation of the great council of the Jews in the plains of Hungary, in 1650, to examine the Scriptures concerning Christ. --By Samuel Beert [i.e., Brett], an English gentleman there present. : With an account of the wonderful delusion of the Jews by a false Messiah at Smyrna, 1666. / Collected by R. Burton.

Table of contents

Title page

A JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM, &c.

I. A Description of the HOLY LAND, its situation, fertility, &c.

II. The several captivities of the Jewish Nation, after they were possessed of the land of Canaan.

III. Probable Conjectures of what is become of the Ten Tribes which were carried captives, and transplanted by the Assyrians.

IV. The state of the Jews after their extermination and the present condition of Palestine.

V. Of the Septuagint or seventy Jewish interpretations of the law of Moses.

A Journey to Jerusalem, or the Travels of Fourteen Englishmen to Jerusalem, in the year 1609. IN A LETTER FROM ALEPPO.

A true relation of the proceedings of the great council of the Jews, assembled in the plains of Adjudy, in Hungaria, about thirty leagues distant fro•• Buda, to examine the Sriptures concerning Christ, Oct. 12th, 1650. By Samuel Beert, an Englishman there presen•

The Counterfeit Messiah; or False Christ of the Jews at Smyrna, in the year 1666.—Written by an Englishman there present.

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A JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM, CONTAINING The TRAVELS of Fourteen Englishmen in 1667, to the HOLY LAND, and other MEMORABLE PLACES noted in SCRIPTURE.

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, MEMORABLE REMARKS upon the Ancient and Modern state of the JEWISH NATION.

TOGETHER With a Relation of the GREAT COUNCIL of the JEWS in the Plains of Hungary, in 1650, to examine the SCRIPTURES concerning CHRIST.—By SAMUEL BEERT, an English Gentleman there present WITH An Account of the wonderful DELUSION of the JEWS by a FALSE MESSIAH at SMYRNA, 1666.

Collected by R. BURTON.

HARTFORD—PRINTED BY J. BABCOCK. 1796.

A JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM, &c.

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I. A Description of the HOLY LAND, its situation, fertility, &c.

CANAAN is situated in Asia Major, or the greater Asia, one of the most famous provinces of Syria; called by several names; as 1. The land of Canaan, from Canaan the son of Ham, the son of Noah, who by his often chasings, was driven to possess and inherit the same. 2. The land of Promise, because God had promised it to the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their posterity. 3. Israel, of the Israelites, from Jacob, who was surnamed Israel. 4. Judea, from the Jews, or people of the tribe of Judah. 5. Palestin, by Ptolemy and others, or the land of the Philistines, a potent nation that peopled part of it. 6. The Holy Land, as the country in which the holy people dwelt, who had the law, the promises and the priesthood, and so denominated by the Christians, because herein was wrought the work of our salvation by Jesus Chirst, our blessed Lord and Saviour.

[Page]This country is seated in the middle of the world, between the third and fourth climates, about 52 degrees north to the Equin [...]ctial Line, the longest day being fourteen hours and a quarter; situated between the Mediterranean Sea and Arabia, from which it is bulwarked beyond Jordan with a continual ridge of mountains, which secures it from the burning air of the deserts of Arabia Petrea, and Celo-Syria, that lie on the East thereof; as Idumea, the wilderness of Paran, and Egypt on the south; part of Phenicia and Mediterranean Sea on the west, the mountains of Libanus, or Lebanon, and the other part of Phenicia on the north. It extends from 31 to 33 degrees; so that in length from Dan to Beersheba it is not full two hundred miles long, nor doth the breadth exceed fifty (reckoning a thousand paces to a mile) and the whole circumference does not exceed four hundred miles. A country so fruitful, that the scripture tells us, it was a land that flowed with milk and honey, and the glory of all lands. The salubrity of the air is excellent, the northern mountains keeping the colder blasts at their due distance, and the midland sea sending thither its refreshing breezes. This being that which the scripture usually calls the great sea, for the Hebrews were little acquainted with the ocean, and so they gave the name of sea to lakes, or any large conflux of waters. The winter is neither too cold, nor the summer too hot. The inner part of the country is diversified with beautiful mountains and Hills, advantageous for vines, fruit-trees, and [Page] small cattle, and the delightful vallies are watered with a great number of torrents, beside the river Jordan. The rains fall very seldom, and are very regular, coming in the spring and autumn, which the scripture calls the rains of the morning and evening, considering the year as a day. In summer the abundant dews supply the rarity of the showers. The very rocks produce abundance of fruits and sweet springs. The pleasant pastures feed great numbers of all sorts of cattle, and the cows give the best milk in the world. And all kinds of beasts and fowl are to be found in abundance.

And though some authors write, that we must not judge of the Holy Land by what is seen at this day, being now fallen under the dominion of the Turks and Arabians, who by their continual wars and ravages, have made it almost desolate and a desert, and like a place forsaken of God. Yet the late travellers assert, that we ought not to believe the reports of those pilgrims, who arriving at Joppa, from thence up the hills to Jerusalem, and then back again to the sea for fear of the Arabs; whereas others who have been more adventurous, and have had the courage to trace through the body of the country, have given far more advantageous accounts of it, than the other who have only footed it over the mountaneous tract of Judea, which was never reputed famous for beauty or fruitfulness. These travellers tell us, that though the face of the land be somewhat deformed for want of cultivation, by the barbarous infidels, and may possibly [Page] in part groan under the heavy curse of God for the sins of its former inhabitants, yet some of the verdure and features of its ancient excellencies are still scattered here and there, as testimonies of its former glory; as particularly in the region of Galilee, in the northern parts whereof stands a pleasant range of mountains by the name of Lebanon, containing a valley of fifty miles in length, and twenty-five in breadth, in the midst whereof is the fair city of Damascus, about six miles in compass, fortified with a wall and double ditches. The country adjacent is so exceeding fruitful, that for the deliciousness thereof it is called the Garden of Eden to this day, and the plains thereof are the most admirable prospects that any eye can behold upon earth. And Mr. Biddulph, an English divine, travelling over a mountain near the sea of Galilee, found it extreme pleasant, and so bespangled with a variety of flowers among the green grass, that they seemed as it were to laugh and sing, as the psalmist expresses it. All the way they travelled that day, the hills and vallies were extraordinary fertile, according to the description of Moses, Deut. viii. A land of brooks of water, of fountains, and depths that spring out of vallies and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig-trees, &c. The fields of Bashan, or Bethshan, in Samaria, were the like▪ and coming to a place called Jenine, or Engannim in scripture, they saw very fine gardens, orchards, and springs of water. And north, of Lidda, n [...]r the cas [...]le of Angia, in his province, they entered a goodly [Page] forest full of tall and delightful trees, intermixed with fruitful and flowery vales, so that nothing could be more entertaining, and perhaps the whole earth cannot produce a more pleasant prospect.

In Judea, between Rama and Jerusalem, are exceeding sat pastures, about six miles in length, and the rising hills are mixed with fertile vallies. The vallies of Rephaim, Eshcol, and Jericho, are very pleasant, except those adjoining to the sea of Sodom, and the country in general is highly praised by those who have travelled most extensively in it, and many places described as exceedingly delightful. And though this blessed land lies in a hot climate, equal to some parts of burning Barbary, yet by rea [...]n of the mountains, vallies, springs, and rivers, and a western sea, it is a moderate country compared to those in the same latitude.

The fruits of the lands are principally these, [...]alm, honey, spices, mirrh, nuts and almonds; nor is their wheat, nor oyl, to be forgotten, with which they trade in the market of Tyrus; nor their barley, rice, pulse, melons, cucumbers, figs, manna, frankincense, citrons, fennel, sage wild in the fields, and onions thrice as big as any of ours, very pleasant and of no offensive smell, but comfortable to the stomach, and therefore may give us a hint why the Israelites so much desired them. Also mustard, which is the least of seeds among garden plants, and yet bringeth forth the largest body, especially in the eastern parts, of which the Jewish Talmud relates [Page] one or two stories: As that there was in Si [...]hem a stalk or trunk of a mustard tree which had three branches, and one branch was broken off to cover a potter's shed, under which he formed his earthen ware in summer time, and that from this branch was taken the quantity of twenty-four figs of mustard seed. Again Rabbi Simeon asserts in the Talmud, that he had in his garden a mustard stalk so big, that he used to climb up as into a fig-tree. Buckorf relating these passages, avouches not for the full credit of them, but only shews that this plant was of a large growth in these parts, and may confirm the letter of our Saviour's parable concerning it. The mountains of Judah and Ephraim were places of great vineyards, and the relation of the spies which Moses sent, who brought that prodigious cluster of grapes from Eshcol, is a sufficient evidence of their largeness, if compared with those of Spain, France, or Italy. Around Jericho there were palm trees of vast revenue, through their sudden springing up after they wore lopped, and it was the only part of the world where true balm was to be found. The mountains likewise produce gold, silver iron and copper mines. And there seemed to be nothing wanting in this Garden of God that was necessary either for the use or delight of mankind.

The fruitfulness of the country, and the care they took to cultivate it, may make us conceive how that being so little, it could nourish so great a number of men; besides, the Israelites were but little employed in maritime affairs, to furnish [Page] themselves with foreign wares, which very much confirms the wonderful plenty of this land, and it is a country full of hills, which renders it much larger than a level champain country.

By the degrees of lattitude, St. Jerom reckons that from Dan to Beersheba it is not two hundred miles, and that the ordinary breadth of the land is about sixty miles; but to them that travel up and down its hills and dales it will extend much farther. These observations may strengthen our faith to believe all that the scripture says of this holy land, and its numerous inhabitants, notwithstanding it is confined within such small limits as we have mentioned. When the people first entered that country under Joshua, there were above six hundred thousand men bearing arms, from twenty years old to sixty, and we read in Judges, that in the war of Gibeah the only tribe of Benjamin, the least of all had an army of twenty-six thousand men, and that the rest of the people amounted to four hundred thousand: King Saul marched with two hundred and ten thousand against the Amalekit [...]s, when he extirpated them. King David kept continually on foot twelve bodies of twenty-four thousand a piece, who served by months, which was in all two hundred and four score thausand men, and in the numbering of the people which brought the anger of God upon him, there were found in this small compass of earth, fifteen hundred three score and ten thousand men in Israel and Judah which drew sword, and were fit for war, besides the men of Levi [Page] and Benjamin, and besides the women, children and aged persons, and besides the strangers and heathens, and the remainder of the Philistines which were not fully rooted out at David's time, none of which were inserted in Joab's list, 1 Chron. 21.5. Neither was the muster of Jehoshaphat much disproportionate, for although he had not much above a third part of David's kingdom, yet he maintained several bodies of very good troops, which altogether made up eleven hundred and sixty thousand men effectively, without reckoning the garrisons that were in his strong holds, 2 Chron▪ xvii.

However in all this there is nothing incredible; for beside the indubitable authority and veracity of sacred writ, which ought to be unquestionably believed and attended to, we find the like examples in common history: The great Thebes of Egypt raised seven hundred thousand brave soldiers of its own inhabitants alone. At Rome, in the first year of Severus Tullius, being the hundred and eighty-eighth year from its foundation, there were counted four score thousand citizens able to bear arms, and yet all these subsisted in the lands adjacent to Rome, and whereof the most part is barren and uninhabited; for their dominions extend no further than eight or ten leagues: But herein consisted the policy of the ancients, that instead of invading and disturbing their neighbors, they endeavored to people and manure their country, whether little or much. They studied to render marriages happy, and life easy, to procure health and abundance, [Page] and to raise from their land all that it could produce: They exercised their citizens by labor, inspired them with the love of their country, of union between themselves, and submission to the laws: This is what they called policy.

These maxims perhaps some will say are very pretty, but let us come to particulars, and shew how it was possible so small a country as Palestine should nourish so great a number of men. An acre of good land bringing forth five quarters, a comb, and a bushel of wheat, will feed four men for a year, allowing each two pounds and six ounces of bread every day, which is about three bushels a month, and thirty-six bushels a year to each man; but since our Israelites were great eaters, let us allow them double the nourishment; that is to say, four pounds twelve ounces of bread a day: Thus an acre will be sufficient to feed two men; and by this account we shall have land still remaining: For a league square makes five thousand six hundred and twenty-five acres, by reckoning three thousand geometrical paces in a league, five feet in a pace, twenty feet in a rod, and an hundred rods in an acre. The kingdom of Judea was at least sixty leagues in length, and about twenty in breadth, counting the length from east to west, and might support twenty millions of people: So it was easy to levy twelve hundred thousand sword men in a country, where all people bore arms, and still to have corn to sell to strangers towards the purchase of cattle; for if the flocks that country [Page] produced did not sufficiently furnish them with wool and flesh, we need not doubt but that tributary strangers brought them many cattle. Jehoshaphat, besides the tribute of money which he exacted from the Philistines, received from the Arabians seven thousand five hundred rams, and as many goats, and there are other examples of the like tributes: Add to this, that the Israelites lived frugally, and that all the good land they had was carefully manured; since there were few woods, they had neither parks for hunting, nor avenues, nor bowling greens, nor grass plats. We see by the canticles of Solomon, their gardens were full of fruit trees, and aromatic plants: and the mildness of their climate required but little trouble to furnish lodging and raiment, according to their simple custom. To this we may add, that the Jews in their greatest glory, under David and Solomon, possessed countries far more extensive than Canaan; their dominions extended from the Mediterranean Sea to the river Euphrates, and from the Red Sea, near to the Black Sea; which was the accomplishment of the promise made to the Patriarchs, of giving their feed dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the end of the earth.

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II. The several captivities of the Jewish Nation, after they were possessed of the land of Canaan.

THIS happy country was divided into thirty kingdoms, or principalities, when the Israelites, under the conduct of their captain general, Joshua, by the command of God, made a conquest thereof, most of the ancient inhabitants being for their abominations excluded out of the land or destroyed by the sword of the Israelites, who afterwards governed the country by rulers and judges, till the time of Samuel, being about four hundred years. These rulers, or judges, were not all of one tribe, but the most ancient, grave, and prudent men were chosen out for this government under which the Almighty had placed them. At their earnest request, that they might be like other nations, the Lord appointed the [...] a king, and so their government was changed from a theocracy, or government appointed by God, so that of a monarchy, under which they continued from the year of the world 2909, to the year 3416, during which space of time, by their repeated idolatries, oppressions and other great crimes, they provoked the Almighty to bring them into bondage under several foreign princes, who were ambitious to incorporate that happy land with their own; and at length by persecuting and putting to death the saints and prophets sent them from God, and crucifying the son of God, the Lord of Glory, and the Saviour of mankind, with their murderous hands▪ [Page] and finally wishing that the guilt of his innocent blood might fall on them and their children, they brought their government and country to utter ruin and destruction.

The Israelites were ten times led into captivity, four times by the hands of Sanherib, or Sennacherib, four times by Nebuchadnezzer, once by Titus Vespasian, and once by Adrian, Emperor of Rome, as it is recorded in scripture, and according to the account of Josephus, with other historians.

The first captivity was by Sanherib, who invaded the land, and transplanted the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, he took away also the golden calf which Jeroboam, the son of Nebat had made; he carried the Israelites into Helan, Habor, to the river Gozan, and to the cities of the Medes. This captivity was in the time of Pelah, the son of Remaliah, in the year from the creation of the world 3263.

The second captivity happened soon after, for Hoshea the son of Ela who remained, slew Pekah, the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, and then became the servant and subject of Sanherib seven Years; then came Sanherib the second time, and carried away the tribes of Asher, Issachar, Zebulon and Nepthali, of whom he set free one out of every eight, he also took away another calf that was in Bethel.

The third captivity was in the reign of Zedekiah the son of Ahaz, in the forth year of whose reign Sanherib came and intrenched about Samaria, besieging it three years, and at length took [Page] it, in the sixth year of the reign of Hezekiah; so he led away the Israelites that were in Samaria, and the tribe of Ephraim, and the rest of Manasseh.

The fourth captivity was by Nebuchadnezzer, who having reigned eight years, made war against Jerusalem, bringing with him the Clinteon Hereticks out of Babylon, Ethiopia, Areim, and Sephirvaim. And in Judea he took an hundred and fifty cities in which ware the two tribes of Judah and Simeon, which he carried with him, and caused them forthwith to be sent into Halan and Habor, until the king of Ethiopia rebelled against him whose kingdom was on the Southern part of Egypt. Then taking Simeon and Judah with him, he made war with the Ethiopian king. So the holy and blessed God placed them in the dark Mountains. Thus in these four captivities the ten tribes were carried into banishment by Sanherib and Salmanasser. There remained yet of Judah an hundred and ten thousand, and Benjamin an hundred and thirty thousand in the city of Jerusalem, over whom reigned Hezekiah. Moreover Sanherib, or Sennacherib king of Assyria came out of Ethiopia against Jerusalem again with an army of one hundred and ten thousand men, but the holy God overthrew them, for the angel of the Lord smote an hundred eighty and five thousand in one night. This slaughter was in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah, in the year of the world 3294. From which overthrow till the time that Nebuchadnezzer invaded the Jews, to the reign of Jehoiakim were an hundred and seven years.

[Page]The fifth captivity was in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, when Nebuchadnezzer, came the first time and carried away 3023 of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and seven thousand of their most valient men of the tribes, whom they bound in chains.

The sixth captivity was about seven years after, when Nebuchadnezzer came unto Daphne, a city of Antioch, from whence he carried into bondage four thousand six hundred of the tribe of Judah, of Benjamin fifty thousand, and of the other tribes seven thousand, and trasmigrated them into Babylon.

The seventh captivity happened about nine years after this; for in the 9th year of the reign of Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzer in the 10th year of his reign came the third time to Jerusalem, and overcame Zedekiah, he burnt the temple, took away the pillars, the brazen sea, and the furniture that Solomon had made, and all the vessels of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the house of the king which was in Jerusalem, and sent them all to Babylon. He likewise slew of the Israelites nine hundred and one thousand, besides them that were slain to revenge the blood of Zacharias. The Levites stood singing a song whilst slaughter was made of them, but they were not able to finish it before the enemy entered the temple, and found them standing in their places with harps in their hands; therefore he carried away in this captivity 600 of the Levites, who were of the seed of Aron, whom when the Gentiles had brought to the rivers of [Page] Babylon, they demanded of the Jews, Sing a song of Sion. Whereat the priests gnawed off the tops of their fingers with their teeth, saying, how shall we sing a song of the Lord in a strange land? And the blessed Lord, saith Josephus, (seeing they would not sing a song) enlarged them, and placed them on the further side of Sambatia. Nebuchadnezzer likewise carried away eight hundred and thirty two thousand, and made Akiham ruler over the rest, who was after slain by Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, whereupon the Israelites being afraid, fled from their country into Egypt in the year of the world 3416.

The eighth captivity was in the twenty seventh year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzer. He took Egypt and Tyre, drowned the Jews that were therein, and the nations which descended of Ammon and Moab, and of the land bordering upon Israel, and led Jeremy and Baruch, with him into Egypt, with four thousand six hundred persons more. The Israelites that remained alive in Egypt departed to Alexandria, where they soon increased to many thousands, having their sanctuary, altar, offrings, incenses, houses, studies, schools, in great numbers, and in a short time grew very rich and powerful. But wicked Troganus made war upon them, and slew very many of them. These are the eight captivities of bondages which befel the Jews during the standing of the first house or temple. Seventy years after the desolation of which, Cyrus king of Persia, sent to Nehemiah, Zerebabel, Baruch and his whole society to build the second house or temple. [Page] Then Ezra went from Babylon with forty thousand in his company, and the Israelites were afflicted under Cyrus for thirty three years, being exposed to the affronts and calumnies of their enemies, and ready to have their throats [...]ut upon the least orders of the great king, as [...]pears by the cruel edict which Haman obtained against them and the direful effects from which they were preserved by Esther. Unable were they to finish the building of the temple till 20 years after their first return, and it took them up above sixty three years more to compleat the walls of Jerusalem, which was fourscore years in re-establishing. After which, during the rest of the Persian monarchy, they lived very peaceable in a kind of republic, governed by the high-priests and the council of seventy-one elders.

Alexander, king of Macedon, having destroyed the Persian monarchy, reigned twelve years, and then dying, four usurpers succeeded him, who afflicted the Israelites an hundred fifty-eight years. Then the sons of Asmonani came and slew those usurpers, and taking the dominion from them, reigned themselves an hundred and three years. Then ruled one Herod, a servant to A [...]ona [...], who killed his masters and their whole family, save one maid whom he loved: But she climbed up to the top of an house and said, There is no body left alive of my father's house but I alone; so she cast herself headlong from the top of the house and died, Herod laid her in honey, and preserved her for the space of seven years dead. After him, Herop Agrippa, [Page] and Manazah, his nephew, possessed the kingdom an hundred and three years. And thus have we the four hundred and three years wherein the second house or temple stood before its fatal fall.

The ninth captivity of the Jews was under the conduct of the Romans. When the Jews having made the full measure of their guilt run over, by putting to death the Lord of life, God's judgments, according to their deserts, and our blessed Saviour's prophecy, quickly overtook them. For a mighty army of the Romans besieged and plundered the city of Jerusalem, wherein by fire, famine, sword, intestine discord, &c. eleven hundred thousand people lost their lives. An incredible number it seems to be, but may command our belief if we consider that the siege began at the time of the passover, when in a manner all Judea was inclosed in Jerusalem, all private synagogues then doing their duty to the mother temple, so that the city had more guests than inhabitants. Thus the passover first instituted by God in mercy to save the Israelites from death in Egypt, was now used by him in justice to hasten their destruction, and to gather the nation in a bundle to be cast into the fire of his anger.

Besides those who were slain, ninety-seven thousand were taken captives; and they who had bought our Saviour of Judas for thirty pieces of silver, were themselves sold thirty for one piece.

The general of the Romans in this action was [Page] Titus, son to Vespasian emperor of Rome. A prince of such an excellent temper that he was stiled the darling of mankind; so virtuously disposed, that he may be justly counted the glory of all heathens, and shame of most christians, so that it was great pity so good a branch had not been better grafted. Thus the ancient nation of the Jews, which in former times might have been called the favorites of the Almighty, were utterly destroyed, and the famous city of Jerusalem, which had been surprized and plundered five times before, was totally demolished.

The first founder of it was one of the princes of the Canaanites, called in his own language the just king, and indeed he was so, for he was the first priest that sacrificed to God, and dedicated a temple there called Solyma; but David, king of Israel, having driven out the Canaanites, give it to the Jews to be inhabited, and after four hundred and sixty-four years and three months, it was destroyed by the Babylonians, together with the most magnificent and beautiful temple of king Solomon, upon which one hundred and fifty thousand men wrought continually till it was finished; the grandeur and glory whereof you may read in the holy scriptures. Jerusalem was afterwards taken and plundered by Afocheus king of Egypt, afterwards by Antiochus and Pompey, and lastly by the Romans; and from the time it was first erected, until it was thus ruined, were two thousand one hundred and seventy-seven years; yet neither the antiquity, riches, nor fame thereof, nor the glory [Page] of religion, did any thing avail to hinder this hard distiny; such was the end of besieging Jerusalem, when none was left to kill more, nor any thing remaining for the soldier to get at, or whereon they might exercise their courage, who resolved to spare nothing they could spoil.

Titus labored to the utmost to have saved the temple, and many therein, but the Jews by their desperate obstinacy rendered themselves uncapable of mercy, so that he was at length obliged to destroy the city and temple together; and the temple where so many burnt sacrifices had been offered, was now itself made a sacrifice, and burnt to ashes, and to that stately structure, which drew the apostles' admiration, not a stone was left upon a stone, the walls of the city being more shaken with the sins of the Jews that defended them, than with the battering rams of the Romans that assaulted them, were levelled to the ground, three towers only that were more beautiful than the rest, namely, Phaselus, Hippicos, and Mariamne, with the wall on the west side being left standing, designed to receive a garrison, and to remain as monuments of the strength and valour of the Romans, who had overcome a place so well fortified; all the rest being laid so flat, that to those who had not seen it before there was no appearance that it had ever been inhabited.

But while this storm fell on the unbelieving Jews, it was a calm among the Christians, who warned by our Saviour's prediction, and many other prodigies, sled betimes out of Jerusalem to [Page] [...]ella, a private place beyond Jordan, which served them instead of a little Zoar, to save them from imminent destruction,

As for the remaining Jews, divine vengeance did continually pursue them till the most part were destroyed, and the rest dispersed throughout the world even to this day; for first the inhabitants of Caesarea slew of the Jews in one day above twenty thousand, and such as fled were taken and imprisoned by F [...]rus, the lieutenant of Judea; to revenge this slaughter, the Jews fell upon the Syrians, in which battle thirteen thousand Jews were slain; the people of Alexandria put fifty thousand to sword, they of Damascus ten thousand, and Antonius a Roman captain slew in Ascalon ten thousand; and Cestius another captain slew above fourscore thousand Jews: Vespasian the father of Titus, in the siege of Apheca, slew and took prisoners seventeen thousand one hundred and thirty persons, in Samaria eleven thousand and six hundred; and in Josaprata forty two thousand two hundred; in Joppa so many were killed, and drowned themselves, that the sea threw up four thousand two hundred, and the rest so totally perished, that there remained not one to carry tidings to Jerusalem of the loss of the town; In the city of Taticheo were slain and made captives forty five thousand besides those which were given to king Agrippa: In Gamala there perished ninety thousand, none being left alive but only two women; in Gas [...]ala five thousand died by the sword: In the city of Gadara were slain thirty [Page] two thousand two hundred, besides an infinite number that drowned themselves. These desolations happened before the destruction of Jerusalem, in which, as I have said, there died eleven hundred thousand Jews by sword and famine, the worse enemy of the two; and there were found two thousand dead in privies, and filthy sinks; which numbers may not seem incredible, if besides the former account we are told that it is evident that when Cestius was lieutenant of Judah, the high priest at his request numbred the people which came to eat of the paschal lamb, and found them to be two millions and seven hundred thousand souls, all healthy, and purified. All these massacres, besides divers others omited, and infinite numbers slain in the fields and villages, which drowned themselves, and were privately made away, amounting to near two millions of people, happened in the space of four years, beginning in the twelfth of the emperor Nero, and ending in the second year of Vespasian.

The tenth and last captivity of the Jews was in the time of the emperor Aelius Adrianus, about 60 years after, who rebuilt the city of Jerusalem, changing the situation somewhat Westward, and calling it by his own name Aelius; In despite of the Christians he built a temple over our Saviour's grave, with the images of Jupiter and Venus, another at Bethlehem to Adonis her gallant; and to enrage the Jews, he ingraved a swine over the gates of Jerusalem and a Jew under his feet, in token of subjection: Who being [Page] inflamed at this great profonation of their land, broke out in open rebellion, and joined with one who pretended to be the Messias, who called himself Barchocbea (or Bencoiti) for they are thought to be the same, that is, the son of a star, who said that the scripture foretold of him, which says, there shall come a star out of Jacob.

And Rabbi Akiba, a man of great same in those; times, when he saw him, said, This is the king, the Messiah: This Barchocbea was (as some affirm it) in Jerusalem before its destruction, and Akiba applied unto him that of the prophet Haggai, the desire of all nations shall come, and not only the common people, but the Rabbies and chief doctors of the Jews that remained after the city of Jerusalem was destroyed, owned and assisted him, and erected a city called Eitter, as the metropolis or chief seat of the kingdom, declaring this false Christ to be their king; the emperor Adrian besieged them in this city, and at length he took it, and cut off the head of Benchocbea; in this war, by the most moderate accounts, forty-five thousand Jews lost their lives, and such a devastation was made of the whole nation, that to this day they could never assemble in any great numbers in any part of the world. The captives were by Adrian transported into Spain, and the holy land laid waste, parting with her people and fruitfulness in a great measure all at once; Such stragglers as escaped this banishment, and remained behind, were forbidden to enter into Jerusalem, or so much as to behold it from any rise or advantage [Page] of ground; yet they obtained of the after emperors the favour once a year on the 10th of August, the day whereon the city was taken, to go in and bewail the destruction of the temple and people, bargaining with the soldiers who waited on them to give so much money for so long abiding there, and if they exceeded the time, they must give more; so that as St. Jerom saith, they that bought Christ's blood, were then glad to buy their own tears.

It is the usual method of divine justice to correct first with rods, then with scourges, and if that will not do, scorpions: the Jews felt all these three degree and never was any people on earth made gr [...] examples of God's wrath than this his own chosen inheritance, a peculiar people that might have claimed the right hand of primogeniture of mankind: And if we consult the grounds of these dismal disasters, we may observe their proud, seditious rebellious spirits were more fatal to them than their implacable adversaries; an that though they were guilty of many flagitious crimes, yet their rejecting and crucifying the Lord of life and glory, was the principal cause of their terrible extermination; for after this tremendous act, nothing ever prospered with them, and if there were no other motive for the Jews conversion, the length of these heavy judgments under which they groan to this very day, were enough to convince them that Jesus is the Christ, yea some of their Rabbies and doctors are very much puzzled, and will stare and shrink their shoulders, and sometimes break into a kind [Page] of confession, That certainly these severe afflictions could never have continued so many ages, but for crucifying one that was more than a man which together with the punctual accomplishment of our blessed Saviour's prediction of the utter desolation of their city, temple, and nation, might enlighten the minds of any but that stiff necked and hard hearted generation, and satisfy them that Jesus of Nazareth had no other to stand in competition with him, or that can have the title, dignity, or office of the Messiah appropriated to him; for though there have been some false Messiahs, or pretenders to this dignity, yet they are disclaimed by the Jews themselves, as seducers and causes of great [...] ry to their people and nation; of which [...]rt were Thaudas, and Judas of Galilee, Benchocbea aforenamed, and some others since; as in the reign of Theodosius the second, one Moses, of Crete, acted the part of a false Saviour, upon the stage of the world, giving out that he was a second Moses, and a prophet like unto him that God had sent from heaven, and that he would lead all the Jews from the isle of Crete through the sea to Palestine dry shod: The promises of this bold impostor wherewith he daily fed the Jews for a year togeather, so far prevailed upon many of them, that leaving the towns and cities where they inhabited, they followed him, being persuaded he would conduct them to the promised land; at an appointed time great multitudes of men, women and children repair to him, whom he brings to a high cliff or promontory hanging over [Page] the sea, at his command many cast themselves down, some of which were drowned, others were saved by Christian fishermen, who dissaude [...] them what they could from so mad and murderous an attempt; the Jews finding themselves deluded, thought to lay hands on the deceiver; but the false Moses, as if he had been a true devil, was gone and vanished they knew not whither: this occasioned many Jews to embrace the Christian religion, and to leave that way of Judaism, which was subject to such dangerous and costly deceits.

In the year 1135, one David Ettoi, or David and David, declared that he was the Messiah, and that God had sent him to deliver his people Israel: the king of Persia, in whose dominion he was, seized upon him, but he being a cunning magician, freed himself, and did many pranks to the great enraging of that king against the Jews; they to prevent the ruin they saw coming upon them by his means, made a great feast for this mock Messiah, and when he was asleep, in his drunkenness cut off his head, and presented it to the king, who thereupon was appeased and reconciled to them. We read also of one called the king Thabor, who would needs proclaim himself to be the Messiah, whom Charles the first, emperor of Germany caused to be burnt; and Maimonides reckons up four other false Christs that did arise among the Jews in Spain and France, who brought great misery upon themselvs and followers: to which may be added the famous impostor at Smyrna in 1666, of which you have an account in the latter end of [Page] this book, by all which it is undeniably evident, there is none who with any colour of probability can be supposed to be the Messiah, but our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

III. Probable Conjectures of what is become of the Ten Tribes which were carried captives, and transplanted by the Assyrians.

THE Jewish nation being dispersed, and removed out of their own land by the ten captivities afore mentioned, the present Jews are of opinion that the tribe of Benjamin are those who now are settled in Italy, Poland, and Germany, the Turks dominions, and all the Eastern parts of the Mediterranean; the tribe of Judah they believe are settled in Portugal and Barbary▪ and affirm that some thousand families of that race are there, whom they dispense withal, to make a resemblance of Christianity, as far as to be Romish priests; and many for fear of the papal inquisition can join themselves to a crucifix and rosary, and upon occasion have again resumed their own religion in places where they were out of danger; one of them affirming, that his compliance was only the work of his nerves and muscles, and that his anatomy told him nothing of the heart was therein concerned. They say their Messias is to come from Portugal, which they discours [...] of with much warmth and pleasure, and therefore teach their children, and expound the law in that language in their synagogues.

[Page]But to the ten tribes who were led captive by Shalmanezer king of Assyria (in the year of the world 3280, and about 720 years before the birth of our Saviour) and were carried beyond the river Euphrates, mentioned 2 kings, ch. 17. The generality of the present Jews say, they know not what is become of them: yet several inquisitive Christians being very desirous of the conversion of that nation from their obstinate unbelief, have made divers conjectures of the countries whereunto these ten tribes were carried by the Assyrians. Among others Dr. Fletcher, who was agent for queen Elizabeth to the Emperor of Russia, is of opinion they may be found among the Tartars, the Tartar in the Syrian tongue signifying remnants or remainders, for which he renders several reasons, from the observations he made during his residence some years among the Russians.

As 1. From the place whither they were transplanted, which was into the cities of Media, which is situated about the Caspian sea, containing, a very large territory, now possest by the Tartars, and by the consent of all historians that have written of the Assyrian and Persian monarchy, they have resided there ever since the reign of Cyrus, who after he had obtained the kingdom, did first invade these Scythian shepherds or Tartar people, about two hundred years after the Israelites were carried thither, who were grown by that time a great warlike people, and made a general desertion from the Assyrians in the tenth year of Esarhaddon; and being uited [Page] in one community, they disdained to mix with other people.

2. Their towns and cities had the same or like names with the ancient towns and cities of the Israelites; their metropolis, and chief city, though now deformed with many ruins, is Samarchin, which travellers report hath many Jewish monuments, where the great Tamerlane carried about Bajazet, the Turkish emperor, in an iron cage. This name differs no more from Samaria (the seat and chamber of the kings of Israel) than many other cities in the world do, by the several pronunciations of different nations. They have also mount Tabor, a city called Jericho, Cornzin, and several other places mentioned in scripture. These Tartar cities are inhabited by so many as are sufficient to defend them from the hostility of the Persians and other borderers, but the greater part who are commonly called Scythian shephers, seldom come into any city or standing houses but in winter time; abiding in tents or walking houses, carried upon wheels like carts or waggons. These in summer time when the grass is grown for forage, march with their flocks and herds north and north-east from the south-east parts, where they continue all the summer in distinct hoords or armies, under the conduct of the princes and vicegerents, constituted by the great cham, their emperor, and graze along by the way; thus they go till they arrive at the next stage or resting place, where they encamp their waggon houses in the form of a great city with many [Page] streets and avenues, continuing there till their cattle have eat up all. Thus they proceed by short stages till they arrive at the fartest point towards the north, and then return towards south Tartary another way, where their cattle have fresh pasturage, and so returning by easy journies, before winter they arrive again in the south countries, near the Caspian sea; into a more mild and temperate climate, where they remain all the winter within their cities or car-houses, set together in form of a vast town, till the approaching spring invites them to go their former progress.

3. They are distinguished into several hoords and tribes, united under one government, and communicate in all things but intermarrying, to avoid confusion of kindreds, except the public defence or safety make it necessary for them to join together as one people. And this division of tribes without commixion, which was observed by no other nation but the Jews, is still most religiously continued among the Tartars.

4. The number of their tribes is the same, which are ten in all, no more nor less than the Israelites, from one of which it is supposed, the Turks have their origin.

5. The Tartars have a tradition from their ancestors that they had their pedigree from the Israelites, who were transplanted near the Caspian, or Hircanian sea, from which tradition it is reported that Tamerlane the great would boast himself, that he was descended from the tribe of Dan.

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6. Though the Tartar language be yet unknown, because they live as savage people, without society or commerce with other nations, suffering none to come within them; yet the Russians affirm, that their language hath many Arabic words, and is not much different from the Turkish tongue, which many travellers observe has much affinity with the Hebrew.

Lastly, The Tartars are circumcised, as were the Israelites and Jewish people. As for the other two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, which for their notable infidelity, and contempt of the Son of God, were massacred, dispersed, and captivated by the Romans, it is as well known both where they are, and how they live, not distinguished by their tribes, not yet united into one policy or community, but diffused in small numbers, and deprived of all, save their name, which they retain rather for a reproach than an honor, being thereby noted by other nations to be that people whom God has rejected for their infidelity.

If it be objected, that it is a thing unworthy, and unbeseeming the great mercy of God to this people, whom he vouchsafed to choose out of all the nations of the world, to be His peculiar people, to suffer them to degenerate into Tartars, who are the most vile and barbarous people upon earth. It may be answered, that it may well consist with that most holy and perfect justice, to abase so wicked and rebellious a people against their God as the Israelites were, and to cast them from the highest Heaven, to the lowest center of dishonor.

[Page]Others conjecture that the first inhabitants of America were the ten tribes of the Israelites, whom the Tartarians conquered and drove away. After which by God's providence they hid themselves behind the vast mountains of Cordillarae. And that as they were not captivated all at once, but in the reigns of several of their kings, as you have already heard, so they were also scattered into divers provinces, as America, Tartary, China, Media, to the Sabbatical river, and into Ethiopia: of this opinion was Manasseh Ben Israel, an Hebrew divine and philosopher, who resided in England in 1650, and was a chief agent for admitting the Jews into that nation, to the then governing power. He then published a book called The Hope of Israel; wherein he gives many relations to fortify his conjecture, particularly that of Aaron Levi, in 1644.

This Aaron Levi (saith he) gave the following account to me, and other eminent Portuguese at Amsterdam, at the time aforesaid, that about two years before, he going from port Honda, in the Spanish West-Indies in America, to conduct some mules of an Indian Castellen, into the province of Quito, in company with other Indians among whom one called Francis Cazicus, a great tempest happened as they passed over the mountain Cordillerae, which threw the laden mules to the ground; the indians complained of their great losses by the storm, yet confest that they deserved greater punishments then this for their many henious crimes. Francis bid them be patient since they should shortly enjoy rest: [Page] They replied, they were unworthy of it, and th [...] the barbarous cruelty of the Spaniards towa [...] them was sent of God, because they had so [...] treated his holy people, who were of all, the mo [...] innocent. They then concluded to tarry all nig [...] in the top of the mountain, and Aaron Levi too [...] out of a box, some bread, cheese, and junke [...] and gave them to Francis, upbraiding him th [...] he had spoken disgracefully of the Spaniard who answered, that he had not told one half [...] the miseries and calamities they had suffered from that inhuman nation, but that they should [...] revenged of them by the help of an unknown people.

After this Aaron Levi went to Carthagen [...] where he was for some time imprisoned, b [...] being at length released, and much affected with what he had heard from Francis, from when [...] he began to imagine that the Hebrews or Jew [...] were those innocent people which the Indian ha [...] mentioned. He resolved to return to Honda, and find him out, which having happily effected, [...] asked the Indian whether he rememberred wha [...] he had spoke upon the mountain? who replied, yea, very perfectly. Aaron thereupon engaged him to take a journey with him, giving him three pieces of eight to buy him necessaries. When they got out of the city, Aaron confessed himself to be an Hebrew, of the tribe of Levi▪ and that the Lord was his God, and all other Gods were but mockeries. The Indian being amazed asked him the name of his parents? He answered, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But said [Page] Francis, have you no other father? he replied yes, his father's name was Ludovicus Montezinus. I am glad of that said the Indian, for I was in doubt to believe you while you seemed ignorant of your parents. Aaron swearing that the spoke the truth. The Indian asked him if he was not the son of Israel? Who affirmed he was, desiring Francis more fully to explain himself. After which having sit down and refreshed themselves, the Indian thus began:

If you have a mind to follow me your leader, you shall know whatever you desire, only I must tell you, that whatsoever the journey is you must go it on foot, and eat nothing but parched maiz and Indian corn, and omit nothing that I require of you. Aaron consented to all; next day being Monday, Francis bid him throw away what he had in his knapsack, and put on a pair of shoes made of pack-thread, and follow him with his staff. Whereupon Aaron leaving his cloak, sword, and other things about him, they began their journey, the Indian carrying on his back three measures of maiz, two ropes, one full of knots, with a hooked fork to climb up the mountains. The other was to pass over marshes and rivers, with a little axe, and linen shoes made of pack thread. They being thus rigged, travelled the whole week till Sabbath, on which resting, the next day they we [...]t on, and on Tuesday about eight in the morning, they came to a large river; then said the Indian, Here you shall see your brethren, and making a sign with a red linen cloth, which he wore instead of a [Page] girdle, thereupon they saw a great smoak on th [...] other side of the river, and soon after upon another sign as they had made before, three men and a woman came rowing towards them in [...] little boat, and being come near, the woman went ashore (the rest staying in the boat) and talked a long while with the Indian in a language which Aaron understood not: She then returned to the boat, and told the three men what sh [...] had learned of the Indian. The men always e [...] ing Aaron, they came presently out of the bo [...] and embraced him, the woman after their example doing the like. After▪ which one of them went back to the boat, and then the Indian bowed down to the feet of the other two, and of the woman, they raised him up and embraced him very courteously, talking a great while with him. After this the Indian bid Aaron be of good courage, and not expect that they should come again to him till he had fully learnt those things that they would tell him at the first time. Then those two men standing on each side of Aaron, uttered in Hebrew, the 4th verse of Deut. [...] "Hear, O Israel, the Lord [...] God is one God." And then added what follows, making a short pause between every particular.

1. Our fathers are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Israel; these four they signified by holding [...] three fingers, and then added Reuben, by adding another finger 2. We will bestow sever [...] places on them▪ that will live with us. 3. Joseph dwells in the midst of the sea; making a sign with two fingers put together, and the parting [Page] them. 4. Speaking fast, they said, some of us will go forth to see, and to tread under foot.— At which word they winked and stamp with their feet, 5. One day we shall all of us talk together, and we shall come sort as issuing out of our mother the earth. 6. A certain messenger shall go forth. 7. Francis shall tell you more of these things. They making a sign with their finger that much must not be spoken. 8. Suffer us that we prepare ourselves. Then turning their faces every way they prepared, O God do not stay long. 9. Send twelve men; making a sign that they would have men with beards, and who were skilful in writing, come to them.

This conference being ended, the same men returned on Wednesday and Thursday, and repeated the same things, without adding a word. At length Aaron being concerned that they did not answer what questions he asked them, nor would suffer him to go over the river, he threw himself into their boat, but being forced out again, he fell into the water, and was in danger of being drowned, for he could not swim; but being got out they seemed angry with him for his rash attempt, and for being too inquisitive to know more than they had told him, which they signified by signs and words, as the Indian interpreted them to Aaron. When these four were gone, four more came back in the same boat, who all as with one mouth rehearsed the nine forementioned particulars, without adding a word, and in the three da [...] which they continued there, about three hun [...] d came and returned. These [Page] men were somewhat scorched with the Sun, some wore their hair down to their knees, others shorter; they had comely bodies, well clothed with ornaments on their feet and legs, and a linen cloath wound round their heads.

Aaron said, that when he designed to be gone on Thursday evening, they were extream kind, furnishing him with all necessaries for his journey back again, intimating that they were well provided with meat, clothes, cattle, and all other conveniences. Having taken their leave of these courteous strangers, Aaron and his Indian arrived at the place where they had rested the night before they came to the river; you remember Francis said Aaron, that my brethren told me you should discover something to me, I would therefore intreat you to be so kind as to relate it. The Indian replied, I will tell you the truth of what I know, as I have received it from my forefathers, but if you press me too earnestly, you will make me utter lies; attend therefore I pray to what I shall speak.

Thy brethren are the sons of Israel, and were brought hither by the providence of God, who for their sakes, wrought so many miracles that you will scarcely believe the account of them that I have learnt from my fathers. We Indians made war upon them, and used them more severely than we are now handled by the Spaniards, and by the instigation of our magicians, whom we call Mohanes▪ we went armed to that place where you saw your brethren, with an intent to dismay them, but not one of those who went thither [Page] came back again: Whereupon we raised a great army, and set upon them, but with the same success, for none escaped, which happened also the third time: so that India was almost bereft of all its inhabitants but old men and women: the old men therefore, and the rest who survived, believing that the magicians used false dealing, resolved, and consulted to destroy them all: and many being killed, those who remained promised to discover, somewhat that was not known; upon this the old men desisted from slaying them, and the magicians declared as follows.

That the God of the children of Israel, whose destruction they had occasioned, is the true God, that all that which is engraven upon their stone table is true, that about the end of the world they shall be lords of the whole earth; that some should come who would bring them much good, and after they had enriched the earth with all good things, those children of Israel going forth out of their country, should subdue all nations under them, as their ancestors subdued their enemies, and that they would be happy if they could make a league with them.

Hereupon five of the chief Indians, whom they call Cazici, and who were my ancestors, having understood the prophecy of the magicians, which they had learned of the wise men of the Hebrews, went thither, and after much intreaty obtained their desires, having first made known their minds to that woman whom you saw, was my interpreter, for your brethren will have no commerce [Page] with Indians; and if any of ours enter into their country they instantly kill them; neither do any of your brethren pass into our country: Now by the help of that woman we made this agreement with them.

1. That our five Cazies should come to th [...] without any other company at the end of every seventy months.

2. That he to whom any secret should be revealed should be above the age of 300 moons or months, that is, near 30 years old.

3. That they would discover nothing in th [...] presence of any but the Cazici alone, and in desart: This secret, said the Indian, we keep among ourselves, hoping for great favours from them, in requital for the good offices we have done for many of their people, but it is not lawful for us to visit them till after seventy months unless some new or very strange accident occur [...] and this sell out thrice in my time.

First, when the Spaniards came into their land.

Secondly, when some ships were discovered in the Southern sea; and

Lastly, when you arrived, whom they had long wished for and expected.

They rejoiced much for these three new things because they said several prophecies were fulfiled: Here the Indian concluded his discourse.—

Aaron Levi likewise said, that three other C [...] zies were sent to him by Francis to Honda, wh [...] heartily embraced him, but would not tell the names: they asked Aaron of what nation he [Page] was? Who answered, an Hebrew, of the tribe of Levi; and that God was his God: Whereupon they again embraced him, and said, the time will come when you shall see us, and shall know us: we are all your brethren by God's singular favour: then bidding him farewel, they departed, we go about our business. The Indian being left behind, he, after having saluted Aaron, took his leave also, saying, farewel my brother, I have other things to do, I go to visit thy brethren with other Hebrews Cazici, who are secure in this country, for we rule all the Indians, and after we have finished our business with the wicked Spaniards, we will bring you out of your bondage by God's help: not doubting but that he who cannot lie will assist us according to his word and promise.

This Aaron Levi, saith Rabbi Manasseh Ben Israel, who gave the preceding relation, being a Jew of our order, born of honest parents at Villefleur in Portugal, a man of about forty years old, honest, and not ambitious, deserves to be credited in what he says above many others: He went to the Indies, where he was put into the inquisition, as a successor of a Jew in Portugal whom Don Manual, the king, forced without law or religion to turn Christian, who yet to this day privately practises their religion, being freed out of the inquisition, he diligently inquired into these things, and was not quiet till he came to Amsterdam to tell us the good news, I myself was well acquainted with him for six months that he dwelt here, and I sometimes made him take [Page] an oath in the presence of honest men, that what he told was true, and two years after he took the same oath on his death bed.

The same author adds several other relations to prove the probability of the Jews being the first inhabitants of America, being driven thither by the fury of their enemies.

Esdras says, that the ten tribes which Salmanazar carried captive, in the reign of Hoshea, beyond Euphrates, determined to go into countries far remote, in which none dwelt, whereby they might the better observe their law; and that as they passed over some branches of Euphrates, God wrought miracles—stopping the course of the flood till they had gone over. From whence it may be gathered, that the ten tribes went to New Spain and Peru, and possessed those two kingdoms, which were then without inhabitants —to which they might arrive by going out of Tartary into Greenland, and from thence, by the streight of Darien, into America, it being not above fifty miles from thence: And La Vega, a famous Spanish author, writes, that in Collai, a fine province in the West-Indies, near a lake called by the Spaniards Chuta, among other antiquities and great buildings there, a stately fabric is to be seen, which hath a court fifteen fathoms broad, a wall that compasseth it two fur [...]ongs high; on one side is a chamber forty-five feet long, and twenty-two broad; and that th [...] court, the wall, the pavement, the chamber, the roof, the portal, the pillars of the two gates of the chamber, and of the entrance, are made only [Page] of one stone; the three sides of the wall are an ell thick. The Indians say, this house is dedicated to the Maker of the world, and is judged to have been a synagogue built by the Israelites, since the Indians never knew the use of iron, wherewith this building was joined together.— Other Indians being asked about it, declared that their fathers told them it was erected by a people who were white, and bearded like the Spaniards, that came thither a long while before the Indians, inhabitants there, and continued some time after, till they were driven farther north, into this new large world.

The Indians retain many Hebrew customs, which it is thought they learnt from the Israelites —for, in many places, they circumcise themselves, they rend their garments upon some sudden misfortune, they kept fire continually burning upon their altars in their temples dedicated to the sun, and forbid women to enter into them till they were purified; every fifty years they celebrated a Jubilee at Mexico, the metropolis of Peru, with great pomp; every seventh, or Sabbath day, all persons were obliged to be present in the temple, to perform their sacrifices and ceremonies; they were divorced from their wives in case of incontinency, and they married the widows of their dead brethren; they had also some knowledge of the creation of the world, and of the universal flood: All these things seem to demonstrate, that these Gentiles had learned those customs from the Jews, who had formerly inhabited there.

[Page]Besides, the Indians are of a brown colour and without beards; but in the new world, white men with beards, were found, and who never traded with the Spaniards. And the emperor Charles V. sending Philipus Utre to discover and plant the northern region of America, and having learned of their neighbors the greatness o [...] that people who were the present inhabitants he determined to make a conquest of them: but when he had marched many hundred miles, he came toward a rich city, full of people, and fair buildings, and not far off saw two husbandmen tilling the ground, whom his soldiers designed to have made prisoners, and to retain them a [...] guides: the men perceiving themselves besettled apace towards the city; Philip Utre and his horsemen pursued them hard, and had almost overtaken them; whereupon the husbandmen stood still, and with their spears wounded Philip in the breast, piercing through his breast-plate, made of wool to keep off arrows; he, wondering at their dexterity, judged it wisest not to proceed any further in that province, against a nation so expert in war, that with only a spear, dared to resist armed horsemen. Accordingly he immediately retired; and to this day none ever attempted the like; and a passage thither is now entirely unknown.

Again, Pizarro, the Spanish captain, having, revolted from his nation, went to search out new countries of the Indians who lived north-eastward, whose number were never yet ascertained, they being reported to extend above two thousand [Page] miles. Peter Osna, another captain, went with some soldiers up a great river, in canoes, and at length came to a large plain, where many houses were built on the water side by the Indians; and having sailed further on, in about forty-eight hours, they saw a great number of high white houses, which they feared to approach, observing the inhabitants to be numerous, and hearing the sound of hammers like that of goldsmiths. These Indians, say they, were of a tall stature, comely in person, with long beards, and appearing as valiant and warlike as the Spaniards.

Eight other Spaniards, after nine months travelling north-westward in America, came to a mountain, to whose top they arrived with difficulty, from whence they discovered a plain, encompassed with a pleasant river, on the banks of which dwelt a people who were white, with beards. In the reign of the late king, Philip III. of Spain, five ships were sent from Panama to discover some unknown lands in America: The captain was scarcely entered into the South Sea, when he discovered land, which he called the Islands of Solomon and Jerusalem. In his course of sailing he kept close to the shore of these isles where he saw and took many of the natives, who were of a brown colour: others, who dwelt in larger and more fruitful islands, were white men, and wore long garments of silk. The pilot bringing one of the ships too near the shore, she was split upon a rock, the islanders running eagerly to see the sight. The captain leaving this island, went further to discover the main land▪ and having [Page] failed about an hundred leagues in sight the shore, he perceived by the smoke that country was inhabited; whereupon entering of their ports, many white men with yellow [...] came to the ship's side; they were tall like ants, richly clothed, and had long beards. [...] another of his vessels being wrecked in the [...] ven's mouth he was forced to put again to [...] Whereupon the natives sent two chaloftis, principal men to him, who were brown, like th [...] of the first island, with sheep, fruit and other provisions, which they freely bestowed up them; but strictly charged them to depart fr [...] their coasts at their peril: The captain brought these two chieftains into Spain, yet could lea [...] nothing of them but by signs, and instead of answers, when they were asked, they would shew their beards, as if their lords that sent them we [...] such kind of men: and if they were question about religion, they held up their fingers to heaven, implying that they worshipped but one Go [...] In a little while they died in Spain, and so [...] the captain, who designed by the king's command, to have made a second voyage, with great army, for subduing this potent people.

Lastly, a Dutch mariner lately sailing n [...] these countries, put into a harbour in a pleas [...] river, where he found some Indians who understood Spanish, of whom he bought provisions and dye wood; by whose directions he sailed t [...] months up a large river, where he met white m [...] bearded, well clothed, and abounding with gol [...] silver, and many precious stones, having no commerce [Page] with the Spaniards. By this account they were thought to be Israelites, and some Jews designed to have sent him again to the same place, to enquire more fully into the matter, but his death, which happened soon after, prevented all [...]uter discovery.

By the preceding relations, Rabbi Manasseh endeavoured to make it probable, that part of the [...]en tribes are saved in America; and somewhat [...]o corroborate his conjectures, I will give an account of what Mr. William Penn writes concerning the n [...]ives of Pennsylvania, which is a part of America, lately inhabited by the English, and under his goverment.

For their original (faith he) I believe them of [...]he Jewish race, and of the stock of the ten tribes, [...]or.

First, they were to go to a land not planted, nor known, which to be sure Asia, and Africa were, if not Europe: and he that intended that extraordinary judgment upon them, might make [...]he passage not uneasy to them, from the East parts of Asia, to the West of America.

Secondly, I find them of like countenance and their children of so lively resemblance that a man would think himself in Duke's place in London, where the Jews inhabit.

Thirdly, they agree in rites and ceremonies, they reckon by moons, offer their first fruits, have a kind of feast [...] tabernacles, wherein they sacrifice the first [...] fattest buck they have; their mourning a year, their customs about women, with many other things, are very consonant to the [Page] Jewish law. He adds, that their language is [...] ry lofty, and much like the Hebrew: that th [...] believe a God and immortality; for they say the [...] is a great king that made them, who dwells [...] glorious country to the Southward of them, [...] that the souls of the good shall go thither, when they shall live again.

To proceed, Manasseh Ben Israel says, that the ten tribes being conquered at several times, we may suppose they were carried into several par [...] of the world, and as he believes some went to the West Indies from Greenland by the streights [...] Annain, so others might go out of Tartary in [...] China, by that famous wall in the confines o [...] both. One argument is taken from the relation of the two Jesuits, who erected their colleges i [...] these countries, and declare that they found the Jews came in former times into these kingdoms; and that a certain Jew coming to one of the Jesuites, named Dr. P. Riccius, at Pequin, and having read in a book written by a Chinese doctor that the Jesuits were not Turks, and knew no other God but the Lord of Heaven and earth, he would have persuaded him that he did profess the law of Moses; and going to the Jesuits' church he saw there the picture of the Virgin Mary, and the child Jesus in her arms, and St. John the Baptist worshipping of her; whereupon the Je [...] thinking it was the effigies of Rachel and [...] two sons, Jacob and Esau, he bowed also to the image, but with this apology, [...] though [...] worshipped no images, yet he could not but honour those who were the forefathers of the Jewish [Page] nation; and seeing the four evangelists painted on each side of the altar, he asked if they were not four of the twelve sons of Jacob. From him P. Riccius understood that there were ten o [...] twelve families of Israelites in Perquin, where they had built a very neat synagogue, in which their forefathers and themselves have kept the five books of Moses with great veneration for six hundred years past; he affirmed, that in Chequin another province of China, there were a great number of Jews, and a synagogue, who knew nothing of the coming and suffering of Jesus Christ, and therefore are thought to be of the ten tribes, and observe many Jewish ceremonies.

In the history of Persia we find, that in the reign of the emperor Zeno, Firuz made a double war with the tribe of Nepthali, in which he was at length destroyed: for being brought into unknown streights and passages, without hope of extricating himself, he obtained peace, upon condition that he should swear never for the futer to attempt any thing against them, and that he should do reverence to the conquering commands of Napthali in token of subjection; the Persian general was forced to submit to these terms, but by the counsel of the magicians, he performed his submission craftily for he bowed toward the eastern sun whom the Persians worship, that his own people might suppose it done in way of worship, and not to honour his enemy, neither did he perform the other part of his agreement, though confirmed by letters patents for not digesting the disgrace of bowing to his enemy, [Page] he raised a new army, and marched against them; but being a second time entrapped by the difficulties of the cou [...], he lost his life, and many with him in a gulph which the Napthalies had prepared for him, by covering it over with re [...]ds, and earth on the the [...]p. The treaty of peace was hung upon a spear at a distance, that this perfidious prince might see it, and thereby remember his oath, repent and desist from his desperate enterprize, but he utterly disregarded it, and came on furiously, till at length himself, and the greatest part of his forces, fell into that deep ditch, from whence there was no redemption. When by his unexpected fall he saw that he must perish, he pulled off from his right ear a pearl of vast bigness and whiteness, and threw it a great way from him, either to hinder his corpse from being known, or else to prevent any after him from enjoying so precious a jewel. Those our author affirms to be Jews, and relicks of the tribe of Napthali, whom Tiglath Pilesar the Assyrian, carried into those places, 2 kings xv. 29. their countenance which is white, their government, manners, and many other circumstances confirming the same.

Ortelius the great geoprapher writes, that in the country of Tabor, adjacent to Persia, there dwells a people, who though they have lost the holy writings yet obey one king, whose brother, called David the Reubenite, came into Portugal in 1530, (having seen India in his passage) where he perverted the king's secretary, and endeavoured to draw the Pope, Charles V. emperor [Page] of Germany, and Francis the first, king of France to Judaism, Moho, was taken at Mantua, and [...]urnt alive in 1540, yet was offered his life if he would again have turned Christian. The Reubenite was by Charles V. carried prisoner into Spain, where he shortly after died. This David constantly affirmed, that two tribes of Israel were there, and other tribes a little farther, under the [...] own kings and princes, and were an unspeakable number of people. perhaps the province of Tabor is the same with that of Habor, mentioned 2 Kings 17. where it is said that the ten tribes were brought by Salmanassar to Habor and Halah.

Part of the ten tribes also live in Ethiopia in the Habissin kingdom, as divers of that country reported at Rome, and Boterus relates, that two potent nations dwell near the head of the river Nilus, one of which are Israelites, who are governed by a mighty king. From whom it is supposed the Habyssins learned circumcision, the observation of the sabbath, and other Jewish rites, and without doubt, saith my author, they also dwell in Media; for Josephus writes, that all Israel dwelt in Media, for two tribes only setteld in Asia and Europe, and lived subject to the Romans. And the other ten live on the other side Euphrates, where they are exceeding numerous. And this king Agrippa seemed to believe as a thing certain, when in an oration to the people of Jerusalem, to dissuade them from rebelling against the Romans, he thus speaks. What associates (says he) do you expect to join with you [Page] in your rebellion and war? doth not [...] known world pay tribute to the Romans? perhaps you hope for help from them beyond Euphrates.

Lastly, (my author says) all think that par [...] of the ten tribes dwell beyond the Sabbatical [...] ver, which is said to be about the Caspian [...] of which the testimony of Josephus is famous the emperor Titus, saith he, passing between A [...] ca and Raphanes, cities of king Agrippa, he saw the wonderful river which though it be swift yet it is dry on every seventh day, and that day being past, it resumes its ordinay course as if had no change, and it always observes this order. It is called Sabbatical from the solemn feast of the Jews, because it intimates their rest every seventh day, on which God himself rested after the creation of the world. This river run [...] all the week, with such swiftness and impetuosity, that it carries away with it the sand and stones which is the cause that the tribes who live beyond [...] remain shut up and cannot discover themselves. For though on the seventh day the river doth rest, and is quiet, yet it is forbidden to the Jews to take a journey on that day. And for that reason they have remained there miraculously concealed for some ages. Neither is this strange, since there are many things which we know, and yet can give no account of their original: are we not at this day ignorant of the heads of our four capital rivers, Nilus, Ganges, Euphrates and Tyris, and many large countries are yet undiscovered. Yea, some are unknown [Page] by being placed beyond mountains. So it happened in the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella about 1400, that some Spaniards were found out by accident at Barneca, about ten miles from Salamanca in Spain, to which place they [...]led when the Moors possessed Spain, and dwelt there eight hundred years without being dicovered. Furthermore as to the Sabbatical river, I heard it from my father (saith Manasseh Ben Israel, and fathers do use to impose upon their sons) that there was an Arabian at Lisbon in Portugal, who had an hour-glass filled with the sand taken out of the bottom of this river, which run all the week till the sabbath and then ceased, and that every Friday in the evening this Arabian would walk through the streets of that city, and shew this glass to the Jews who counterfeited Christianity, saying, ye Jews, shut up your shops, for now the sabbath comes. I should not speak of these glasses, saith he, but that the authority of my father has great power over me, and induces me to belive the miracle is from God.

Let the reader believe what he thinks fit of these relations, which I thought, for the strangeness of them not unpleasant to insert. I shall conclude with the consequences which my Jewish author deduces from them, namely, 1. That America, or the West-Indies was anciently inhabited by a part of the ten tribes, which passed thither out of Tartary by the streights of Annain, 2. That the ten tribes are not in any one place, but in many, because the prophets have [...] [Page] their return shall be into Palestine out of [...] places. 3. That these ten tribes did not retu [...] at the building of the second temple. 4. That at this day they retain the Jewish religion. 5. That the prophecies concerning their return their country are of necessity to be fulfilled. 6. That from all coasts of the world they meet in Assyria and Egypt, go preparing an easy pleasant way, and abounding with all things, as Isaiah saith, Chap. xl. and from thence they shall fly to Jerusalem as birds to their nests, Lastly, that the kingdom shall be no more divided, but the twelve tribes shall be subject to one prince who is under the Messiah the son of David, and that they shall never be driven again out of their land.

IV. The state of the Jews after their extermination and the present condition of Palestine.

AFTER the desolation of Jerusalem the Jews were dispersed throughout the world, and especially in Spain, where the Emperor Adrian commanded them to dwell; yet found every where so little favour, that having divers times been put to grievous mulcts and ransoms, they were all at last quite thrust out of Europe.

The first Christian prince that expelled the Jews out of his territories, was that heroick king Edw. I. who was such a fore scourge also to the [Page] Scots; and it is thought divers families of those banished Jews sled then to Scotland, where they have propagated since in great numbers; witness the aversion this nation hath above others to hogs flesh.

Nor was this their extermination for their religion, but for their notorious crimes; as poisoning of wells, counterfeiting of coins, falsifying of seals, crucifying of Christian children, with other villanies. This happened in the year 1392. And sixteen years after France followed our example. It was near two hundred years after that when Ferdinand turned them out of Spain; and five years after him, Emanuel of Portugal did the like.

But the countries from whence they were last expelled were Naples and Sicily, in the year 1539. In other parts of Christendom they reside yet in great numbers, as in Germany high and low, Bohemia, Lithuania, Poland and Russia; in Italy also they are found, but in no country subject to the king of Spain.

They live very quietly at Rome under the Pope's nose, and St. Mark makes no scruple to entertain them at Venice: in sundry places of the Ottoman Empire they are very numerous: so that it is thought Constantinople and Thessalonica only have near twenty thousand.

Asia is full of them, as Aleppo, Trippoli, Damascus, Rhodes, and indeed all places of commerce and traffick; there are numbers also in Persia, Arabia, and all over Cranganor in India.

In Africa they have their synagogues and [Page] Lumbards, as in Alexandria, Grand Cairo, Fesse, Tremesen, and divers places in the kingdom of Morocco. There are about one hundred families left in Jerusalem, but the place where they are most unmingled is Tiberias, which the Turks gave to Mendez the Jew for some signal services; thither they oft bring or send the bones of their dead friends, who have left large legacies, to be there interred from other places.

The city of Jerusalem was afterwards re-edified by Elius Adrianus, and given to the Christians, from whom it was taken by Cosroes and the Persians, in the year 615, and from them forcibly wrested by Hanmer, and the Saracens in 637. Next it fell into the power of Cutlu Moses, and the Turks in 1000, under whose oppressions when it had long groaned, Peter the Hermit stirred up the Western princes to relieve the distressed Christians, whose designs attained their wished effect, under the banner of the victorious prince Godfrey of Bullen, in the year 1093. This Godfrey, for his merits, was to have been invested with the royal wreath of Majesty, which he denied, thinking it unfit to wear a crown of gold where his Saviour had worn a crown of thorns; yet for the common good he accepted the title; after whom reigned these Cristian princes, Baldwin the first, Baldwin the second, Fulk, earl of Anjou, Baldwin the third, Almerick, Baldwin the fourth, Baldwin the fifth, Guy of Lusignad, the last king of Jerusalem; during whose time Saladine the sultan of Egypt won the kingdom, which his successors [Page] defended against all invasion, till the year 1517, when Selinus the first emperor of the Turks added the Holy land, together with Egypt to his empire: and so the whole country of Palestine, with the city of Jarusalem, are under the dominion of the Turks to this day;— which is inhabited by some Christians, (who make a great benefit of shewing the Sepulchre of Christ) and of late years also by Moors, Arabians, Greeks, Latins, Turks, Jews; nay, I may say, that with people of all nations.

The whole land containeth four regions, Idumea, Judea, Samaria and Galilee. Idumea beginneth at Mount Cassius, or as some will, at the lake Sirion, reaching to the Eastward of Judea; the chief cities are Maresa, Reinocorra, Rapha, Antedo, Ascalon, Azotus, and Gaza. Maresa was the birth place of the prophet Micah.— Near unto this town Judas Maccabeus overthrew Gorgias. Rhinocorura, Rapha and Antedon are towns of no great note. Of Ascalon, sir George Sandis writeth thus in his travels, that it is a place now of no great reckoning, more than that the Turks doth keep there a garrison. Venerable heretofore among the heathen for the temple of Dagon, and the birth of Semiramis, begotten of the goddess Decreta, who inflamed with the love of a certain youth that sacrificed unto her, and having by him a daughter, ashamed of his incontinency, put him away, and exposed the child to the deserts, and confounded with sorrow, threw herself into a lake replenished with fish, adjoining to the city; This Decrata is said [Page] to be that dagon the idol of the Agrotonites, mentioned in scripture, which signif [...]eth the first of sorrow: who had her temple close by the lake, with her image in the figure of a fish, excepting the face, which resembled a woman; but the infant nourished by doves, which brought her milk from the paps of the pasture, after became the wife of Minus, and queen of Assyria, whereupon she was called Semiramis, which signifies a dove in the Syrian tongue, in memorial whereof the Babylonians did bear a dove in their ensigns, confirmed by the prophecy of Jeremiah, who foretelling the devastation of Judea, adviseth them to flee from the sword of the dove.

Azatus, where was a sumptuous temple built by the lieutenant to Demetrus; eight miles beyond that stand Acheron, or Ekron, where Beelzebub was worshipped, to whom Ahaziah sent to enquire of his health.

Lastly, Gaza, or Aza, one of the five principal cities belonging to the Palestines (called Philistines in scripture)—Gaza signifieth strong, and in the Persian language, a treasure, so said to be called by Cambyses, who invading Egypt, sent thither the riches purchased in that war; it was also called Constantia, by the emperor Constantine, first famous for the acts of Sampson, who lived about the time of the Trojan wars, whose force and fortunes are said to have given to the poets their invention of Hercules, who lived not long before him; and it was afterwards famous for two wounds there received by Alexander the great, and was then counted the chief city of Syria.

[Page]Also there lieth Joppa: now Joppa is a famous mart town, and a good haven; where Jonah took ship to fly to Tar [...]us, where Peter raised Dorcas from death to life, and where he lying in the house of one Simeon a tanner, was in a vision taught the conversion of the Gentiles.— This city is reported to have been built before the flood. Here reigned Cepheus, the son of Phenix, whose daughter, Andromeda, was, by Perseus, delivered from a sea monster, some of whose bones the people had wont to show to strangers, even till the flourishing of the Romans. Here lyeth Gath also, the country of the huge giant Goliah.

Judea is the chiefest part of Palestine, and is of the same extent now as it was when it was the kingdom of Judea, and entertained the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. It lieth between the midland sea and Lacus Asphalite, or the Dead Sea, and betwixt Samaria and Idumea: It took this name from the tribe of Judah, in which lieth the once famous city Jerusalem.

Besides Jerusalem, there are also in this country divers other towns and famous cities; as, Jericho, Turris, Stratonis, afterwards named Caesarea, Hebron formerly, now Arbea; also Mambre, and Carioth, that is to say, a town of four men, the birth place of Judas Iscariot, who betrayed our Saviour; and beyond Jordan, Markberus, a town with a strong castle; here stood the town of Sodom and Gomorrah, which for their sodomy and abomination, were consumed by fire from heaven, and now lie buried in that [Page] cursed lake Asphalites, so named of the bitumen which it vomiteth, called also the Dead Sea, perhaps in that it nourisheth no living creature, or for its heavy waters hardly to be moved with any wind; so extreme salt, that whatsoever is thrown therein not easily sinketh. Vespasian for a trial caused divers to be cast in, bound hand and foot, who floated aloft, as if supported by some spirit. They say, that birds flying over it, fall down if inchanted or suffocated with the poison of the ascending vapours. Samaria lieth in the midst between Judea and Galilee; the land is so called from the metropolis Samaria, built by Om [...] king of Israel, and now called Sebasti; the towns in it are called Sichem, afterwards Neapolis, Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazin.

Galilee lieth between mount Lebanus and Samaria, and is divided into upper and lower Galilee. Upper Galilee bordered upon Tyrus, called otherwise Galilee Gentium, or the heatheni [...] Galilee. Lower Galilee lieth near unto the lake of Tiberius, and to Nazareth: In it are the towns of Nain, Cana, Nazareth and Gadara.— The Holy Land is seated between two seas and the river Jordan: It hath within it many valuable lakes abounding with fish. The river Jordan running trough the midst of this country, dividing it into two parts. St. Jerome writeth, That this river springeth out of two fountains, not far distant one from the other; the one Jor, and the other Dan, shooting out like two horn [...] which meeting together, make the great river Jordan. The chief mountains in the Holy land [Page] are mount Hermon, lying in the east part thereof, and mount Tabor in the west, both of them being very great and high, so that the other hills about them, are but arms and branches of them, for the mountains Ebal, Betherton, Mispa, or Mospoa, and Bethel, are reckoned under mount Hermon; Gilboa, Gerezin, Saron and mount Carmel by the sea side, are counted under mount Tabor.

There are also about Jerusalem, mount Sion, Moriah, mount Olivet, mount Calvary, and others, with goodly woods and forests, full of all kind of deer, and many wild beasts.

In this land, especially in and about Jerusalem, there were many stately and magnificent buildings, as namely, Mons Nomus, and the castle of the Jebusites, into which king David brought the ark of the Lord, where it remained till Solomon's temple was finished. The remainder and ruins of these buildings are to be seen to this day: yea, it is said too, that in this very place the Lord Christ eat the paschal lamb with his disciples: There are also the sepulchres of David and other kings of Judah; and the house of David, which yet retaineth the name of David's tower. Upon mount Moriah are to be seen some remainders of Millo. Above all which, we must call to mind the most excellent and beautiful temple of king Solomon, upon which one hundred and fifty thousand men wrought seven years continually till it was finished. The glory and magnificency thereof you may read in the scripture. The temple of the sepulchre, at the [Page] first building, was highly reverenced by the Chri [...] tians of those parts, and even until this day [...] much resorted to, both by pilgrims from all parts of the Romish church, and by divers gentlemen of the reformed churches, partly for curiosity, and partly the antiquity of the place. It is farmed from the Turk, and kept by the pope's creatures: whosoever is admitted to the sight of th [...] sepulchre payeth nine crowns to the Turkish officers: So that this tribute is worth to the grand signior eight thousand ducats yearly.

V. Of the Septuagint or seventy Jewish interpretations of the law of Moses.

WHEN Alexander the great, king of Macedon and Greece, had conquered the chiefest part of the then known world, he died a young man, being not above thirty years of age; after whose death his kingdom was divided among four of his principal captains or generals, as is written, Dan. viii. His kingdom shall be broken, and four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation. He left behind him a son [...] of tender years, named Archelaus, whose tutor perceiving him like to be wise and valiant, he gave him a Poisoned drink which killed him, and then usurped his dominions. These four generals made war upon each other, one of whom was called Ptolemus Philadelphus, resolved to have the law of Moses translated into Greek [...] [Page] with intent to raise a quarrel against the Jews, and to draw them from their law and religion; hereupon he appointed seventy ancient Rabbies to perform the same; whom he shut up apart in a room, every one by himself, that they might have no communication with each other; when they had finished the work, though they had altered thirteen places of scripture, yet they agreed so fully in the sense and meaning thereof, as if all had been written by one alone, which may be reckoned to have happened rather by a miracle than any thing else. The thirteen places are these:

I. Genesis i. They translated, God created in the beginning, &c. putting no word or thing before the name of God, which way is generally used in the Greek tongue, and might prevent the king from taking Berisheth, or the beginning to be the creator, and Elohim, of God, for the creature.

II. Genesis ii. 26. Instead of let us, they translate it, I will make men after my own image; I, for we, that it should not be thought there was a plurality of Gods, or that the Almighty consulted with any one therein.

III. Genesis ii. 1. They translated, and God finished the sixth day, and rested the seventh instead of, and God ended his work which he had made on the seventh day; sixth for seven▪ lest it should seem that he had made any thing on the seventh day; and in it had ended his working.

IV. Gen. xi. 7. They translated, go to, I will go down and there confound their language: instead [Page] of, and let us go down; lest he should have been thought to have been many.

V. Genesis xviii. 12. They translated, and Sarah laughed, speaking to them that stood by her instead of Sarah laughed within herself, saying Lest Ptolomy should mock them, and say, how do you know what she said to herself.

VI. Gen. xlix. 6. About Jacob's words to Simeon and Levi, they translated them, For i [...] their fury they killed a man, and in their self will brake down a wall; instead of, Killed an ox (as it is in the margin of our bible) that the king might not deride them for turning their revenge against a beast.

VII. Exod. iv. 10. And Moses took his wife and his son, and set them upon what could bear a man instead of an ass; lest the king should sco [...] at the great prince and lawgiver Moses, because he rode upon an ass, which was very contemptible among the Greeks, and that he should object how could an ass bear a woman and two children? He would never have been so hard put to it, if he had not been a beggar.

VIII. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was 330 years, Exod. xii. 40. Notwithstanding they abode in Egypt but 210 years, as their father Jacob fore [...]o [...] them, descend ye (the letters of which words [...] Hebrew signify 210) neither; so that the computation 430 years must commence from the time that Isaac was born, which was the holy seed Abraham; therefore they translated it, and [...] dwelling of the children of Israel in Egypt (an other lands) was 430 years.

[Page]IX. And unto the little ones of the children of Israel he stretched out his hand, Exod. iv. little ones they put for princes, le [...]t the king should say the great men escaped, but the children of the sons of Israel were punished.

X. Numb. xvi, 15. And Moses said I have not taken one ass from them; this they translated, I took of them nothing of value, because Ptolomy might say, tho' he took not an ass, yet he might take rewards of them of much greater value and price.

X. Deut. iv. 19. Lest thou shouldest be driven to worship the Sun, and Moon and the Stars, even all the host of Heaven, which the Lord thy God hath, divided (or imparted) to all nations under the whole Heaven, they added, the Lord thy God hath imparted (to shine) upon all nations; lest he should say the holy and blessed Lord hath divided the Sun, Moon, and Stars to all people, and hath given them license to worship them.

XII. Deut. xvii. And hath gone and served other Gods, which I have not commanded; they added, to worship, lest the king should say, that the Lord did command them to serve some other Gods besides himself.

XIII. They translated an hare, little feet, because the king's wife was called Hare, and he might not say they mocked him.

When those seventy elders had translated the Jewish law into the Greek tongue, Ptolomy instead of being offended with them, rejoiced much at their wisdom and unanimity, honouring [Page] them with princely apparel, and with gi [...] sent them home merry and glad, together with large oblations and offering to the God of Israel.

A Journey to Jerusalem, or the Travels of Fourteen Englishmen to Jerusalem, in the year 1609.
IN A LETTER FROM ALEPPO.

Honoured Sir,

THESE serve to accompany an account of our Journey to the HOLY LAND, for which I might refer you to others, who have given a more exact relation of that pilgrimage; yet according to your desire, I present you with this my narrative.

TUESDAY, May 3, 1669, we set sail from Scanderoon with N. E. wind in the Margaret. Tho. Mideleton commander, being fourteen Englishmen (of the factory of Aleppo) [...] company; but being forced to return three times by contrary winds, by May 10. we arrived at Trippoly, whose port is guarded with six small castles near the sea, and one great castle upon the land; defended from tempest on the we [...] with i [...]ands, and on the east with a cape of land [...] so that only a north wind can prejudice ship [...] in this port: the ground is stony, which forced the captains to buoy up their cables, the ships ridi [...] in six or seven fathom water. The town is, about a mile from the marine, situate upon a sh [...] of a hill, and hath one good castle for its defence [Page] the town is ruinate, and there were few people to be seen, it being the time of making white silk, and most of the people in their gardens.

May 13. After three days treatment by the consul (for English, French and Dutch) with extraordinary civility; about four in the afternoon we set forward for mount Lebanon, and two hours riding from Trippoly, pitched our tent at the village Coffersinue; the inhabitants are Christians, and live in houses of reeds, and covered with bushes; the road to this village is very pleasant, through a forest of olive trees, and in the vallies are gardens of mulberries, with which they feed their silk worms. May 14, we departed from Coffersinue about four in the morning, passing in a good road, and through plains sowed with wheat: About six we passsed over several mountains resembling marble, if not really so, from which we had a fine prospect of the fruitfulness of the vallies: between these mountains, upon the ascent of an hill, we came to a fountain, where we breakfasted; at seven we rose from the fountain, and having passed a very dangerous and rugged mountain, about nine we came to Eden, a small village, and very pleasantly seated, being surrounded with mulberries, and other sorts of trees, walnuts especially we found very common in this mount: we went to the hishop's house, a most miserable ruinated cottage, who coming to bid us welcome, appeared more like a dunghill-raker than a bishop. We enquired whence this village had its name. The Naconites who inhabit the mountains, say, [Page] this was the place where Adam committed [...] sin of eating the forbidden fruit; but the bishop told us it was in heaven, where were three trees Adam being forbidden to eat of one of them which was the fig tree: but after having eaten he fell down from heaven among those ceda [...] which are two hours riding from the bishop house, and there began to till the ground. The bishop being very ignorant, we forbore to enquire farther. The bishop has great respect shewn him, every one kissing his hand on the knees bare headed: near his house he hath a r [...] inated church, with an altar in it; and a lit [...] beyond is a small chappel, near the head of a [...] vulet that feeds his house with water, where [...] found many men with Frank names, which ha [...] continued there from the year 1611.

Mid day coming, the bishop made what preparation his house would afford for dinner, killing two kids and a goat, and giving us the b [...] wine the mountain did afford, being well-relish [...] red and white wine. Night coming, after supper we kissed his hand; and next morning, being now twelve in company, went to take [...] leave, and made him a present of money, besides something to the servants, as is usual f [...] pilgrims that take this voyage, two of our company waiting our return to Trippoly.

May 15, about five in the morning, we ro [...] from thence, and about eight came to the [...] dars, all that remain of them, being in a ve [...] small compass. We spent some time in cutting sticks, and setting our nan [...]es on the great trees. [Page] At this place came to us the captain of a village called Upshara, an hour's ride from the cedars. In our way as we returned, he invited us to dinner at his village, which we accepted of, and after dinner made him a present. This man is a Maronite and takes caffer or toll of the Turks who pass that way with their sheep and oxen; he hath an hundred soldiers under his command, who are all christians. About two o'clock we mounted, and after three hour's riding, we came to a mighty deep descent, winding in and out, which is the way to the patriarch of the Maronite's house, called Cannibene; it is a very good convent, and lies under the rock; they have a bell in the church as in Europe, and go to their devotions morning and evening: After we had kissed the patriarch's hand, we demanded what was to be seen, and the drugger [...] carried us to see Marrice's cross, of whom they recount this story.

'That a Venetian in the time that the Franks had the country, came with his wife and one daughter to live there; and after some years, his wife dying, he was resolved to go into the convent and live a religious life, and would therefore have his daughter to leave him, but his persuasions could not prevail with her; but rather than leave her father, she would put on man's apparel, and live a devoted life with him also; which at last (though unwillingly) he assented, she being young and handsome; there they lived, very strictly for several years: afterward her father died, and the lay brothers and fathers going [Page] out as usually, to till the ground, she seldom went with them, the chief of the convent keeping her at home (being much taken with such handsome young man as he thought) whereupon they began to grumble, that St. Marrena d [...] not go with them; so that at last, to satisfy the fratres he was sent out to work among then near the village Tursa: presently after, one of the young virgins of that village proving with child, she came to the convent, and laid it to the charge of St. Marrena, who was thereupon presently excommunicated, and lived a religious life in the grot near convent, for the space of seven years, and being then again admitted into the convent, and still continuing to live a very strict life, he at length died; and the fathers coming according to their custom, to anoint the body, found that he was a woman, whereupon they began to cross themselves, and to beg pardon for excommunicating her, and have built an altar in a grot, and called it by the name of St. Marrena, as they have also in several grots thereabouts, in remembrance of the religious relick of those that dwelt therein; and when they carry any body to see them, they presently fall down to prayers.'

About a league from the convent are two Frenchmen that live a hermit's life, having bread and wine allowed them by the patriarch: Night coming on we went to supper with the patriarch, the bishop Aleppo, and two other bishops, with what the place afforded; at supper they brought out a great glass which held near two quarts [Page] with which the old man soon made himself merry, it being their custom to drink freely; he telling us that glass had belonged to the convent above a hundred years, and that the Turks coming once to ransack the convent, seeing this glass, told one of the Fratres, if he could drink off that full of pure wine, he would save the convent: which one of them doing the Turks went away, admiring what sort of people they were. May 16, we took our leave of the patriarch, and presented him with some livres, [...]as also the poor fratres and other belonging to the convent, and so took our journey to Trippoly, having had a review of those mountains, and the country adjacent, over-spread with many fair villages, and fruitful vallies, sown with corn, and a great quantity of mulberry gardens; it being the general employment of the inhabitants to make silk.

We returned to Trippoly to the consul's house that night, where after two day's repose, and having been extraordinary well treated, we took our leave of the consul. May 18, about midnight, we set sail for Joppa, with a good wind▪ in the morning we came in the sight of Cape Blanco where the wind proving contrary, we were forced to beat up and down for two days before we could weather the cape; the wind coming good, we weathered it, and came within sight of Cape Carmel, which two capes make the bay of Aerica, on which there is a convent of white friars, and there they shewed us Elisha's tomb. Three or four hours fail further, we came in sight of [Page] Cesarea, now ruinate, and inhabited by a company of savage Arabs. May 23, we arrived [...] Joppa, which hath no harbour to defend ship from storms, but very good ground to anchor i [...] about ten fathom water: It is a poor town, a [...] hath one castle to defend these ships that co [...] in close to the shore: the chief trade thereof [...] pot-ashes for soap, cottons and cotton yarn, whic [...] the Franks bring from thence. May 24, we arrived at Ramah, a pleasant village, the trade o [...] the inhabitants is in fillados, and the livelihood of the women is to spin it; but the people a [...] poor. We were treated there at the conven [...] till a messenger was dispatched to the convent [...] Jerusalem, for our admittance to pass thithe [...] because of some stories that flew abroad of th [...] plague raging in the place from whence we ca [...]—our messenger returned back that night.

May 25. In the morning we mounted to take our journey for Jerusalem, and baited at St. Jerome's church about twelve, and p [...]rtook [...] what small provisions we had with us; and the heat of the day being passed, we proceeded on our journey; and about four in the afternoon arrived at Jerusalem, at Joppa gate, wh [...] we tarried till the druggerman of the conve [...] went to the caddy for licence for us to enter t [...] city, which having obtained, and delivered [...] our swords, and what other arms we had, to [...] carried to the convent, we entered the city [...] foot, and were conducted by the druggerma [...] the Latins convent, with two or three fathe [...] we found them at their devotion, and afterwa [...] [Page] all went into the father guardian's chamber, who embraced, and bid us welcome; we were carried to our lodgings, and the father procurator came to us, bringing two or three bottles of the best wine, and desiring us to call for what we wanted: this was our first entertainment; but I should have told you, that our druggerman, Mallanis Salley, who conducted us from Joppa, through the mountains up to Jerusalem was formerly a robber himself, and could therefore the better carry us thro' the Arabs, who insest those mountains, and live all upon plunder. He was a Greek by nation and religion. Now to our further entertainment at Jerusalem. The next morning father Tamasa, a lay brother, mighty serious, and religious in their way, came to our chamber with milk, wine, and fruit (with a blessing in his mouth) the season being very hot; and about twelve o'clock we went to dinner, two or three lay brothers attending at the hall-door, with a bason and water for us to wash; and then entering the hall, the fathers stood all on one side near one another, saying grace in Latin, and then signing the Lord's prayer all together; and afterwards bowing towards the picture of our Saviour at supper with his apostles, which is placed over the guardian's head, adorned with silver crosses about it, &c. The guardian hath his table along in the middle of the room, and two long tables stand on each side, one for pilgrims, and the other for the fathers; after they had kissed the ground, we all sat down, and had every one his allotment [Page] b [...]ought in a little dish, never wanting three or four courses of several sorts of meat: our wine water, and fruit was set ready: the wine about a quart, the water something less, which was the allowance of two men, and had two glasses belonging to it: about the middle of dinner the frater came and changed our water, that it might drink the fresher. Dinner being ended, the father guardian knocks, and the fratres rise and kneel with their faces toward the picture of our Saviour with his disciples at supper, and mumbling something to themselves, they kiss the ground, and then began to take away, one carrying the dishes, another the knives, every one having his appointment; and then give thanks in the same manner as before dinner; then washing at the door, they go into the church to prayer for a quarter of an hour; this they do daily, rising always early, and in the night also to go to mass.

At this time there were two or three Christians come from Bethlehem, whose art is to make the figure of our Saviour's sepulchre, or what holy story you please upon your arm, they make it o [...] [...]lue colour, and it is done by the continual pricking of your arm with two needles, they began presently to go to work on some of us, and having presented us the patterns of abundance o [...] prints, every one took his fancy.

The next day, May 27. We all agreed to g [...] into the temple, and about four in the afternoon we went: ten or twelve fathers live there continually, and have their church there: the do [...] [Page] is sealed with the caddy's seal, and when any man goes in, he pays fourteen livres; we being entered the temple, the fathers saluted us, and conducted us to their lodgings; after we had been about an hour, they prepared to go in procession to all the holy places, presenting us every one a book of holy songs, for every place in Latin.

And so we set out, the fathers being dressed in white surplices, and the chief among them with cloth of silver over his surplice, with two more dressed in the like garb to lead him; there was a great silver crucifix carried before him, and two men going on each side of it, with incense pots to perfume every holy place that we came to.—And so went to the places following.

1. The pillar to which our Saviour was bound when he was scourged. 2. The prison where he was put. 3. The place where the soldiers divided his garment. 4. The place where St. Helena found our Saviour's cross. 5. The pillar to which he was bound when he was crowned with thorns. 6. Mount Calvary, where he was crucified. 7. Where our Saviour was [...]a [...] ed to the cross. 8. Where he was anointed. 9. The sepulchre of Christ. 10. Where our Saviour appeared to Mary Magdalen in the shape of a gardener. 11. The chapel of the Virgin Mary, where our Saviour first appeared to her after his resurrection. I might give you a particular description of the adornment of these places; but to be short, every one have lamps burning at them, some are paved with marble, [Page] others are hung with pictures: the place where our Saviour was laid down to be nailed to the cross, is paved with marble also; but in the place where the cross stood, the marble is covered over with silver, silver lamps, and wax candles continually burning, and our Saviour crucified standing on it: the sepulchre is covered with marble, with silver lamps continually burning o [...] it: so hath she anointing stone: you must go into the sepulchre bare foot, as also on Mount Calvary.

Here all sorts of Christians have their churches, the Greeks the best, the Latins, the Armenians, the Coptes and the Syrians, have each of them churches here. The Greeks and Latin [...] are the two powerful religions in the temble, and with great sums of money, and the credit they have at Stambul or Constantinople, buy these holy places out of one anothers hands; the other parties are poor and squeezed into a small part of the temple; the Latins once offered ten thousand livres for a piece of the cross, which the Greeks bought out of their hands. These religious people bear little respect one to another, speaking very basely of each other. After our procession, we went to view all the places and churches again; the Greeks have a place in the middle of their church, which they say, is the middle of the world. They have another place by the prison of Christ, with two holes to put the feet in; there is also a narrow passage between two pillars, in imitation of the streightness of [...] path to Heaven, which the Greeks creep through [Page] in the church of the Syrian, is the intended sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus; and near the anointing stone is a tomb where Godfrey and Baldwin kings of Jerusalem are buried. In the same place is the rent of the rock which begins above, near the place where our Saviour was crucified, and in that rent, they say Adam's head was found when our Saviour gave up the ghost. Thus having seen the temple, we returned to the convent.

May 18. Went out of the city at Damascus gate and turning on the right came to one of fish ponds of the old city, and a quarter of a mile further to the grot, where Jeremiah lived when he wrote his lamentations; on the left hand in the entrance, is a lodge in the rock, about a story high, where they say Jeremiah slept; and below over against the door is a hole intended for his sepulchre; passing through a ruinate door, you come into the yard, where his well is, being a very good spring of sweet water, there you pay one livre; afterwards passing a long the side [...] mountain that lies level with the city, a little beyond Jeremiah's tomb, we came to the sepl [...]chre of the king; the entrance into the first room was so small and low that we were forced to creep, in which there were seven sepulchres cut out of the rock; the second room there are eight, and in the third twenty six, and many more in several others. One of the rooms hath a door of stone cut out of the rock, and shuts and opens as a door with hinges: this door belongs to the room where Jehosaphat was buried, [Page] his coffin is of stone, with a cover to it, very neatly wrought on the sides with flowers, as several are also in the first room, but they knew not what kings they are; there is also another chamber into which we crept, so that there are in all forty two burying places under ground, to which there is but one door to enter, all adorned with admirable workmanship, which I being unskill'd in, am unfit to express in proper terms; and so we returned to the convent, entering the city at the same gate.

May 29. We reposed, some of our company being a marking.

May 30. We took horse to go for Bethlehem, and went out at the West gate called Joppa gate and turning on the left hand, and taking the lowest path, we passed along the road that the Virgin Mary brought our Saviour, when she came to offer him at the temple; and half a mi [...] from the city is the place where the tree tirabintha grew, which the Virgin Mary set under to give him suck, but the tree being cut down, the place is incompassed with a wall: on the left hand you see David's house, whence he spyed Bathsheba washing herself; on the right, a little off the road, is old Simeon's and Elias's house; and a quarter of a mile further is the well wher [...] the wise men first saw the star: a little further [...] the ground where the reapers were at work [...] when Habbakkuk coming to bring them meat [...] the Angel took him up by the hair of his head [...] and carried him into Babylon, to Daniel in th [...] lion's den: afterward we saw Jacob's house, and [Page] a hill like a sugar-loaf, where the Franks remained forty years, after they were driven out of Jerusalem; next is a monastery of Monks of the order of St. Tavola Paula Romana, who when they die, are buried at a convent in Bethlehem.

A mile further is the place where the Angel appeared to the shepherds, and cryed, Gloria in excelsis, &c. when our Saviour was born, where there hath been a convent, but now there only remains an arched vault where we paid money to the Arabs, who when, they espy any Franks going thither, ride post before to take possession of the place, and get something from them; a quarter of a mile hence, in the way to Solomon's cisterns, is the village of the shepherds, on the back part whereof is a well, of which they say the Virgin Mary desired to drink; but the inhabitants denying to draw her any water, it presently overflowed for her to drink; a little way from this village is Joseph's house, and a while after we came to Solomon's gardens, lying shelving. At the bottom of them is the road from grand Cairo, and round the top passes the aquaduct which feeds Jerusalem with water, from thence we saw Tekoa standing on a high hill; the waters come from the fountains which feeds Solomon's cisterns; passing a mile along by the aquaduct, we came to Solomon's cisterns, which are three; the first had no water in it, and about 150 yards long, and sixty broad, and of a great depth; the second had a little water, something less in compass; the third was full, and as big as [Page] the first: they run one into another, and are fed by the spring that feeds the city. The fathers say, that they were made to swim in, being built with steps for a man to go down, but seem father intended for a reserve of water for the city or the gardens, having passage to both; near the gardens is an ill contrived castle, where a few villains inhabit to whom we paid one livre per man, for leave to go into the grot, where the springs are that feed the city, and the cisterns; it is large, and hath three springs, and a large passage cut through the rock, toward the cisterns, passable by a man, but we went not to the end of it.

We mounted our horses, leaving the castle on the right hand; at a distance we saw St. George's church, where the fathers say the chains remain, wherewith St. George was bound which will presently cure a mad man, if bound therewith. After an hour and a half's riding we came near to Bethlehem, where passing through a narrow lane, the guard consisting of four or five musqueteers, received five livres of every one of us, and our druggerman that went with us received three. And arriving at the convent we paid one for our entrance: after being welcomed by the fathers we took our repose till five in the evening, and then prepared to go in procession to the holy places, in the same manner as we did at the temple in Jerusalem; the places we visited were these.

1. The place where our Saviour was born. 2. The tomb of St. Joseph to whom the Virgin [Page] Mary was espoused. 3. St. Innocent's tomb. 4. The place where St. Jerom lived, when he translated the Bible into Latin. 5. St. Jerom's praying place. 6. St. Jerom's tomb. 7. St. Paul's tomb. 8. St. Eustathia's daughters. 9. The sepulchre of St. Eusebius, Abbot of Bethlehem. 10. We return to the chapel of St. Catherina built by St. Paula. Next is the great church without the convent, which hath 48 pillars of marble, about three yards long, all in one piece. At evening we went to visit the place of our Saviour's birth, formerly belonging to the Latins, till the Greeks bought it out of their hands; so that now the Latins, when they go their procession pray at that door by which they formerly entered. The precipio has two doors, one over against the other, well lined with carved iron, and strengthened with iron spikes: we went in bare-foot; on the right hand in the entrance, is the place they say where our Saviour was born, which is lined with marble; and in the middle of the room there is a plate covered with silver, by which they sat a dish to receive your charity: on the left hand is a manger where the Virgin Mary laid our Saviour, lined with marble; which and at the end of the manger on the right hand, is the picture of St. Jerom naturally in the marble, which the fathers esteem as a miracle; over against this manger is the place where the three wise men stood when they came to worship our Saviour. At the end of this place in a corner, is a hole made up with marble wherein they say the Virgin Mary put [Page] the water, when she had washed her han [...] over which a lamp burns continually, and great many in other places over this precipio, the great church is the altar of circumcisio [...] where our Saviour was circumcised.

Having seen what was rare at Bethlehem May 31. early in the morning we proceeded our Journey in which we saw the following.

1. The grot where the Virgin Mary hid herself when she was warned to flee into Egypt and her milk running out of her breasts the [...] made the earth turn white, which earth the [...] tholicks do very much esteem. 2. David's [...] [...]erns. 3. The grot wherein the Virgin Mary and Joseph lived, before they could get a ho [...]. 4. The tomb of Rachel, Jacob's wife, whi [...] the Turks do also much esteem. 5. The fi [...] of Sennacherib, where the Angel of the L [...] slew in one night one hundred and eighty [...] thousand of the Syrians. In this place is a v [...] lage called Boteechelle, where the fathers affir [...] no Turk can live. 6. The place where the pillars of the convent of Ramah were made. 7. The vineyard whence the spies of the land [...] Canaan took the cluster of grapes, to shew [...] fruitfulness of it; also the fountain where Ph [...] baptized the Q. of Sheba's eunuch. 8. The [...] sart of John Baptist: and after an hour's rid [...] we came to John Baptist's fountain, where [...] his chamber and a rock, wherein there was place cut out like a bench for his bed: to br [...] off a bit of this rock, is worthy excommunication. 9. Zechariah's house, where the Virgin Mary [Page] [...]me to salute her cousin Elizabeth; for the angel that told her she should conceive; told her so, that her cousin was with child; and upon [...]er salutation the child leaped in the womb.—Near this house is a fountain with two cisterns, which is called Elizabeth's fountain. 10. A stone where John Baptist preached, which the fathers say the Turks have endeavored to break in pieces, but could not. 11 Where John Baptist was born, now a stable, but formerly a church; the fathers, upon John Baptist's day carry an organ thither, and adorn the place for their prayer. 12. The tombs of the Maccabees, which we saw a distance, and being ruinated appear as so many arches. 13. We passed by a village, where the men are all Turks, and the women Christians; for the people being poor, the Turks were very severe with them for their harach; who not being able to pay all at once, turned Turks, &c. 14. We came to the mountain Crupil, where part of the wood whereof our Saviour's cross was made was cut down, and over the place where they say the tree stood, is a stately church, in the possession of the Greeks; the place just where the tree grew is inlaid with silver, by which they set a dish for charity. The floor of this church is well wrought with mosaick work, and painted with scripture stories; and instead of a bell, they knock upon a board that hangs up, which founds somewhat like a bell.

And now we go forward to the convent at Jerusalem, passing by mount Gihon, where Solomon was anointed king, and about night came [Page] to our lodgings, having made two days' jour [...] to see the holy places, and traverse the mountains of Judea, we slept very well that night, b [...] still we have more pilgrimages.

June 1. We lay still to recover ourselves [...] our Bethlehem journey, but father Tomasa, o [...] of his zeal, is very importunate with us to [...] walking to see other places, which are merit [...] ous in the Roman church, and had we been [...] their religion it had been impossible to have mi [...] heaven, for we received indulgencies for all o [...] lives, which fancy, I fear deceives too many.

June 2. We began to search for the holy places, which are these following: 1. The immo [...] tion of Isaac near the temple, called mount M [...] riah, inlaid with silver, and a dish set by fo [...] your offering. 2. Peter's prison still made a prison by the Turks: at the end of which is a ho [...] in the wall, where they say the chain was faste [...] ed with which St. Peter was chained, little r [...] membering how oft Jerusalem hath been distroyed, and the stones of that old wall are now probably as far under ground, as these are above▪ 3. The monastery of the nights of Malta; a v [...] ry fair building, one room hath several partitio [...] for beds, with a hole in the middle, that if an [...] of them are sick or fluxitive, they are laid the [...] to which the water, being bad, and the air, [...] wholesome, doth very much incline them. [...] Solomon's temple, which if any Christian go [...] to, or but up the stairs, he must turn Turk or [...] burnt: the rarity of which I shall give you an [...] count of, when I come to a prospect, 5. St. [...] lena's [Page] hospital, where there are seven great cal [...]rons, in which she used to have provisions dressed for the poor, where we pay one livre for entrance. 6. The judgment-gate at which our [...]aviour was brought in; and near the gate is the place where he was condemned. 7. The [...]o [...]ous way which Christ went to be crucified, [...] the way is the house of Veronica, who gave our Saviour a napkin to wipe his face, as he passed by: There is also Lazarus's house, and the house of the rich glutton, and the place where our Saviour fainted (as they say) and Simon took up the cross, and near that is the church where the Virgin Mary stood to see him pass by, and swooned with grief, now called the Virgin Mary's church. 8. Herod's place, now ruinated, and is now the Bassa's seraglio, in one room is the place where they clothed our Saviour with purple. 9 . Pilate's house, here they shew the place where our Saviour was crowned with thorns, and the pillar to which he was bound, which was brought from thence, and put into the temple, next, we enter the hall, where Pilate washed his hands, and declared himself innocent of our Saviour's blood, out of which we had a fair prospect of Solomon's temple, it is built within the middle of a spacious yard, very well paved, there are several arches, good walks, and buildings about it: the temple is wrought with mosaick work, and by the Turks' report is very rich within, it being one of their mosques, and tho' they have a half-moon upon all their temples or mosques, yet this only hath a [Page] cross through the middle: the fathers reporting [...] world not stand till the cross was made. 10. The place, where Christ was scourged, now a shop f [...] [...]nen cloth. 11. The house of Annas, where o [...] Saviour being hurried with violence down a stee [...] place to prevent falling, he laid hold of the corner of a wall, where there is a place in one of the stones fit for a man's hand, which the fa [...] account a great myracle. 12. Simon the Pha [...] sce's house, where there is a stone, with the print of a foot, which they said our Saviour made, when he stood to pardon Mary Magdalen [...] her sins: the fathers say, the Turks have endeavoured oftentimes to remove this stone, but still it comes into the same place again. 13. The house of Joakim and Anna, a sair high building and in an under room, cut out of the rock, [...] the place where they say the Virgin Mary was born. 14. The pool of Bethsaida, where th [...] sick lay to be healed, the Angel coming to trouble the water, and he that entred in first was healed; but 'tis now dry, and half filled with earth. 14. St. Stephen's gate, and a little out of the city is the place where Stephen was stoned: and the fathers fancy, that there is the print of his hands, face and knees when he fell down. 16. The valley of Jehosaphat, at the bottom of the hill, between the mountain on which Jerusalem stands, and mount Olivet. 17. The place where the Virgin Mary is buried, whence going down a great many stone steps, you come into large vault, where all the Christians have the altars apart, all being of several opinions, an [...] [Page] the Turks and Christians both burn lamps, over her grave: here we pay one livre for entrance, and forty eight stone steps upward is Joseph's tomb, and against that the tombs of Joakim and Anna. 18. The place where Christ sweat blood, and the Angel appeared to comfort him, is near the bottom of mount Olivet. 19. The place where our Saviour prayed that this cup might pass from him, and near that, is the rock on which his disciples sat, when he went to prayer, between which two places he was taken, it is now bordering on the garden of Gethsemane, but might formerly be part of the garden, and is on the ascent of the mount Olivet, where the multitude going to carry our Saviour away, Peter smote off Malchus' car. 20. The place where they say the Virgin Mary prayed for St. Stephen while he was stoned. 21. Where Christ wept over Jerusalem, it is almost at the top of mount Olivet. 22. The place where our Saviour ascended into Heaven, having as they say, left the print of his foot on a stone, it hath now a chapel built over it, with fourteen marble pillars, it is at the top of mount Olivet, and a little way off is the place where the men of Galilee stood when the Angel asked them, why stand ye gazing up? 23. Where the Angel told the Virgin he should be raised in three days. 24. Pelagius his grot, where we saw Bethpage, where the asses colt was tied. 25. The tree under which our Saviour stood when he preached the Judgment sermon. 26. The place where he made the Lord's prayer. 27. Where the apostles made [Page] the creed, being a growth of twelve arches. 28. The sepulchres of the prophets, forty seven [...] number cut out of the rock, and entring in [...] a door, we came into a large grot, where ar [...] several places cut out, sit to contain a coffin here we paid one livre. 29. The tree where Judas hanged himself. 30. The sepulchre, which Jehosaphat intended for himfelf, but being king, he was buried in the sepulchre of the king 31. Absalom's pillar or sepulchre, cut out of the rock, and about the bigness of a small chamber with pillars round about like a room, built for some single person, it is of a good height, and hath some carving about it. 32. They say he [...] is the print of Christ's feet, for when he was carried to Jerusalem he stopped at the brook Ce [...] ron, and desired to drink: this brook is not but a small channel, and has no water, in the winter the water comes down from the hills, and makes a small current. 33. The place when St. James hid himself three days and thr [...] nights, it is cut out of the rock, which m [...] needs have been made a dwelling place, near th [...] is the sepulchre of Zacharias, the son of Barach [...] as, cut out of the rock. 34. On the side of the hill on which Solomon worshipped Moloch, a [...] chambers cut out of the rock, which they say [...] the place wherein the three hundred wives, and one thousand concubines of Solomon were kept 35. The fountains of the Virgin Mary. wh [...] you go down to by stone steps, the water wher [...] of is so sweet, that were a man blindfolded, could not think it to be any thing but milk and [Page] water. 36. The place where the prophet Isaiah was sawn asunder; his sepulchre is under a rock near the same. 37. The fountain of Siloa, by which is a cistern wherein formerly the pilgrims used to wash, but now ruined, and filled with stones and mud, yet is its water still recounted good for the eye sight; and near this is Golgotha. 38. Next in a bottom is a well, wherein they say Jeremiah hid the holy fire, when the children of Israel were carried captive; and when they returned 40 years after, they say found the same fire in the well. 39. Ascending up the mount we came to the tombs of Annas and Caiaphas, who were high priests. 40. And near is the place where the apostles hid themselves; entring a streight passage, we came into a room under ground, out of which there go several holes, wherein they say, the apostles lay. 41. We then came to Aceldama, a grot now held by the Armenians for a burying place: it is said, the earth thereof will consume the body of a man in forty eight hours; there are several vents on the top to let out the smell. We went down under a rock, to a place where we could look into it, and there saw the form of a man entire, they being laid in, but not covered with earth. 42. We came to the fountain of Beersheba, at the bottom of Sion, in which there is now little water, we being forced to tarry a quarter of an hour for one draught.

Having seen all that was remarkable in these parts, we made toward the convent, having got a great deal of credit with father Tomaso, that [Page] we should be such zealous pilgrims, as to was from five in the morning till mid-day; but encourage us would still be foremost, and told [...] always there was some places more worth [...] seeing than any before; and though he was [...] and the weather hot, yet at the going up o [...] hill, he would run that he might enco [...] age us protestants, but never hoped or thou [...] that he merited any thing by it; but at leng [...] we came to the convent again well weary, ev [...] one returning to his lodgings.

June 3. We reposed at the convent: after dinner one of the fathers came and told us, th [...] the father guardian would wash our feet; whi [...] honour we accounted to great for us, and desired to be excused, but we were forced to comply with the orders of the convent; the b [...] which was as big as a tub, was placed by a [...] and rose leaves and herbs put into the wat [...] the fathers stood in a row, singing godly hym [...] we sat down, and the father guadian wrapt towel about our knees, to save our cloths: th [...] they began to scrub our legs and feet, being masters of their art, there were two fratres attending, one on one leg, and one other on the other; having first dried the left foot, the fryer [...] es it, and puts on our slipper, then he dries [...] right foot, and wraps the towel about the to [...] with his hand, and then come all the fra [...] and kiss it; he gives us a little candle, in ta [...] which we kiss his hand, and so rise and stand [...] till all our company are washed in like man [...] then we went in procession round their chap [...] [Page] they saying several prayers at three altars, and so [...] returned to our chambers.

June 4. After dinner we went into the kitchen, [...]ere we found all the fathers, with napkins b [...] [...]re them, washing the dishes, every one taking [...] part, even to the father guardian himself; [...]me were cleansing, some handing away; but [...] the while with one conceat, they say some prayer, it seeming to be their endeavour, that all that they do, may be to the glory of God: this being done they go all to pray, and you shall never see the chapel without some of them, yea, and two or three times in the night they rise to prayers. On whit-sunday the chapel was ador [...]ed something extraordinarily, a very rich canopy being set on the right hand of the high altar, for the father guardian to fit under: when the prayers began, the father guardian came into the chapel, and sat under this canopy: there were three or four fathers drest in cloth of silver, like Heralds, two whereof attended on each side of the guardian, and two stand over against him.

Then they began to dress the father guardian in his festival robes, and having read two or three lines, put a piece of linen laced about his neck, and then his surplice, reading still between every robe that was put on. Then they cover him with a garment of rich sattin, and cloth of silver, the two that stand over against him, bowing at some words. His body being thus drest, the two fathers put a mitre on his head, with all the respect imaginable; after a short prayer, they take the father guardian by the hand, and lead him [Page] to the altar, he standing in the middle of [...] four fathers, adorned as aforesaid; the [...] fathers have their surplices on, and the organ go; then making a short prayer at the altar, they lead the guardian to his place again, and alter a little reading they take off his mitre, and he sits bare till the prayer be done; then they pat on another mitre, the first was of cloth silver, and second was of cloth of gold, set fu [...] of rubies, diamonds, and other stones; they took off that also, and put on a third mitre of cloth of gold, differing in shape from the others; th [...] guard being led to and from the altar a great while: at length when they came to read where the Holy Ghost came down upon the apostles assembled together, a father upon the terrace was appointed to throw down a white pigeon, dres [...] up with ribbons, in imitation of the Holy Ghost but he met with some difficulty, for the window was so fast shut that he could not open it for a great while: so that we had like to have gone away without their Holy Ghost, but this difficulty overcome, he made the dove descend among us which being done, after a prayer, they began to undress the father guardian again, reading all the while his robes were taking off, and so that day's service was done.

Now we began to think of going to the Dead sea, and the river Jordon, demanding what our expences would be, the fathers say, twenty-five livres, but we all agreed not to give above twenty. The fathers sent our resolution to the bassa [...] and he returned answers, that if we would go [Page] we should pay twenty-two livres, and if we would not, he would have ten livres a man: we thinking ourselves under his command, were not willing to embroil the convent, who bear all damages, as they have done for severals; but thanks be to God, none happened in our time. We all resolved to go except Mr. H. T. one Englishman more and a Dutchman, not thinking the bassa had been in earnest: but because they went not, they were forced to pay ten livres for nothing. We then came to Bethany, now a small village, where entering into a grot under ground, we saw a tomb, from whence they say our Saviour raised Lazarus, after he had been dead so many days: here we had the bassa's guard to wait upon us, for fear of the Arabs, who are on the other side Jordan, on the land of Moab, and often made incursions, and have sharp disputes at the end of the lance, with those that live on this side, in the land of promise: the bassa pretended he must send fifty men with us, but it proved but fifteen or sixteen. Having reposed a little on the ground, about nine at night we mounted our horses, and passing through the turning and winding of the mountains, came in the morning to the foot of the Quarantine mountain, where we dismounted, and making the cold earth our bed, slept two or three hours, having our horses tied fast to our hands, and the sun rising, we rose also, and walked to Elisha's fountain, a stone's throw off; and before the sun was too hot, we mounted our horses at the foot of the mountain, and so began to ascend it being very [Page] steep, and having ascended a great height, [...] came to the place where they say our Savi [...] slept when he fasted forty days, and from [...] the mountain received its name: this place [...] near the height of the mountain, but the passag [...] to the top is known only to the Arabs: be [...] are several cisterns of water, and frontispieces [...] chapels, but the passage to them is cut of [...] as we were going up, the thoughts of the eager of descending entred into our heads, and [...] emperor of Germany's druggerman or interpre [...]ter for those country languages being fearf [...] got two Turks to conduct him down, and so ha [...]ing all had a safe descent, we rode chearfull [...] back to Elisha's fountain, formerly bitter, [...] he throwing in a handful of salt, the water became sweet. Here we lay till four o'clock, and the heat of the sun being over, made to Jerich [...] and arrive about five, where there are now onl [...] a few poor cottages; we pitched by Zacheus tree. The inhabitants are most Arabians and some Greeks. Here the captain of the village came to welcome our bassa and his people, mounted on a mare valued at a thousand livres, mare being only in esteem among them. Here we reposed under a rotton hege, till about four next morning, having little pleasure in our companions, the gnats and other stinging creatures.

We proceed then for the river Jordan, arriving by day-light, and tarried about an hour t [...] swim in the river; the streem is strong and rapid, and the force a man can scarce resist; it run [...] into the Dead sea; our guard were very hast [...] [Page] [...] us to be gone, being afraid their enemies [...]uld find them; therefore we all made ready, [...]d set forward for the dead sea, we passed thro' [...]most dreary barren place, not having so much [...] a green herb, or grass, and the face of the [...] covered with salt, and though dry, yet [...] horses sunk up to the knees. We come [...] to the Dead sea, being about seventy or [...]ty miles in breadth, and about eighteen o [...]. There is no place, from whence the wa [...]r which comes into it runs out again, except it [...] under the earth, neither does it seem to in [...]ease with the river Jordan, and several other [...]aters that run into it: it was once a fruitful [...]alley, and compared for delight unto Paradise, and called Pentapolis, of her five cities, but afterwards destroyed with fire from heaven, and [...]rned into this filthy lake, and barren desolation which doth encompass it; and to try the [...]tue [...]at is reported to be in the water, wherein they say a man cannot sink, some of our company went into the sea, and found it impossible to get their bodies under water, yea could hardly keep their legs under; the water is sulph [...]y, and the extremity of the saltness not to be expressed, when they came out there was a perfect oil upon their bodies. Our eyes being satisfied with curiosities and rarities, we made back to Jerusalem—the ruins of one of the cities that were destroyed for sodomy, now lies good part out of the water, and is supposed to be Ze [...]oim.

Now the sun gets strength, and by reflection on the ground, makes the heat so violent, that [Page] our faces looked as if the skin were flead off, b [...] riding from morning till four in the afternoo [...] but the fathers being accustomed to meet wi [...] tender faced travellers, soon provided something to mitigate our pain, which was much increase by the saltness of the water of the dead sea; the night we took little pleasure in eating, but mo [...] in sleeping, having had but little in this voya [...] Having now visited all the places in the H [...] Land, which pilgrims usually do, we prepare [...] for our return.

June 6. we being resolved to set forward in th [...] morning, the father guardian came and gave [...] his blessing, and sprinkled us with holy wate [...] desiring us to excuse our bad treatment, and th [...] if at any time we had been distasted we woul [...] pass it over; but we knew it was a complimen [...] for we had the civilest entertainment imaginable and very far from disgusting us; for they were not only ready to be our servants but our slaves yea, my honest name-sake father Tomasa, nev [...] ceased from morning to night from bringing us either victuals or drink or asking whether w [...] wanted any thing: and now for this his fourteen days service we were no way able to recompence him, for they would take no money but for [...] victuals, and some other small services: we therefore presented to the convent thirty livres apiec [...] and some that had servants more. The fath [...] procurator receiving it, they entered all [...] names in a book and the sums we gave: the book where the names only were entered we ha [...] a view of, and took a copy of all the Englishm [...] [Page] that were in it, from the year 1610 to this day, being one hundred and fifty eight in number.

Now taking our leaves, the fathers all shewed great affections to us, weeping, and expressing their desires to enjoy our company longer; and our desires were as much to be nearer home, to have an acccont of our friends.

June 7. We departed, our mulletteers having provided horses, intending to take Emaus in our way; but night drawing on, we made St. Jerome's church our sleeping place, formerly fathers lived in it, but the Arabs came upon them in the night, and cut all their throats. The church is well bult, and hath been adorned with pictures on the walls, of which some remain to this day. About two miles riding from Jerusalem we passed over the brook, out of which they say David gathered the pebble stones to slay Goliah. June 8th, we arrived at the convent in Ramah about ten in the morning, where we tarried till mid-night, at which time there was a ship to depart, and some of us intended to embark, the rest took a boat like a Grave [...]end barge: we put our provisions of bread and wine aboard, and so put to sea, keeping always near the shore for fear of a storm. After three days sail we arriver at Acrica, formerly called Ptolemais, always coming to anchor at night. The road being so bad, that all the art the captains have, can but keep their cables together. This place is famous for nothing but the ruins. The commodities in this place are only cottons, pot ashes, and some fillotto's. Two days after, we arrived [Page] at Trippoly, where we made bold at our old-house, the consul received as gladly, and our design was to depart next day, but the plague still raging at Aleppo, the consul forced us to stay twelve or fourteen days, all which time we were treated like princes, and then, by his leave we embarked in a Dutch ship for Scanderoon, the rest of our company (whom we left [...]t Acrica to go to the sea of Galilee) being arrived. June 26. we came to Scanderoon, where some were dead, and others dying, and one flying from another, we tarried upon the mount and aboard the ship for some time; and 29th arrived at Aleppo, where they died at that time seventy or eighty in a day of the plague; and thus we ended our journey.

A true relation of the proceedings of the great council of the Jews, assembled in the plains of Adjudy, in Hungaria, about thirty leagues distant fro [...] Buda, to examine the Sriptures concerning Christ, Oct. 12th, 1650.
By Samuel Beert, an Englishman there presen [...]

IT hath been very much desired by many honest Christians, that this relation of the Jew [...] council should be published, which I did intend to communicate only to my private friends. This chief argument which persuaded me to do it was, because they conceive it to be a preparation, [Page] and hopeful sign of the Jews conversion, and that will be glad tidings to the church of Christ, therefore I yield to satisfy their desires, and thus it was.

At the place aforesaid there assembled about 300 Rabbies, called Jews, from several parts of the world, to examine the scriptures concerning Christ. It seems this place was thought most convenient for this council, in regard that part of the country is not much inhabited, because of the continual wars between the Turks and the king of Hungary. There they have fought formerly two bloody battles. Yet both these princes, notwithstanding their own differences, did give leave to the Jews to hold their council there. The Jews for their own accommodation, made divers tents for their repose, and had plenty of provisions brought them from other parts of the country, during the time of their sitting. The Jews making, as we said, divers tents, they set up one large tent, only for the council to sit in, being made almost four square, the North and South not altogether so large as the East and West part. It had but one door, and that opened to the East. In the middle of the tent there stood a table, and a stool for the propounder to sit on, with his face towards the door of the tent. The propounder was of the tribe of Levi, named Zacharias. And within this tent, round about were placed forms, on which stood the rest of the council. They were inclosed with a rail, at a distance from them, to prevent all strangers and all such as could not prove themselves to be Jews [Page] by record, or dispute in the Hebrew tongue, which many had forgotten that l [...]d in such countries, where they were not a [...]owed their synagogue; as in France, Spain, and those parts of Italy that belong to the king of Spain, and the king or Naples, with the province [...] Ap [...]lia, Sicilia, Calabria, and Sardinia: In which places if a Jew be found, and denies the p [...]ish religion, he is condemned and executed for it. [...]nd yet profit and benefit allure them to dwell in those countries, notwithstanding their fears and dangers and they are willing themselves t [...] [...]get and neglect to teach their children their native language rather than lose their opportunity of profit. And again, some of these Jews have burned the antient record of their tribes and families, that they might not be discovered by searching, or other ways. And for this defect; that they could not prove their tribes and family they were not permitted to come within the rails in the time of their council, but commanded to remain with the strangers that attended to see the event of this assembly. We conceive the number of people that attended to see the issue of their preceedings were about three thousand persons. The most part of them Germans, Almaine, Dalmatians, with some Greeks, and a few Italians, but not one Englishman more than myself; for I was informed that the king of Hungary not favouring the reformed religion, did give no encouragement to any protestant church to send a divine thither. But he did allow there should be some assistance sent from Rome; and [Page] their coming hither proved a great unhappiness to this hopeful assembly, or council.

The first day, when the assembly first met, they spent some time in mutual salutations, and as their manner is, kissed one another's cheeks, expressing great joy for their happy meeting. And now all things being prepared for their accommodation, they considered of the Jews that were to be admitted for members of this council, for they only were admitted members, that could by record prove themselves to be native Jews. And I observed, there were about five hundred refused, and put by, though doubtless they were true Jews, yet they could not by record prove themselves so to be. The number accepted was about three hundred; and thus the business of the first day closed.

The second day, the assembly being full, the propounder Zacharias, of the tribe of Levi stood up, and made a speech concerning the end of their meeting. And this, said he, is to examine the scriptures concerning Christ, whether he be already come, or whether we are to expect his coming? In examining this question, they searched the Old testament with great care and labor most part of that day, to be resolved in the truth, having bibles to that end. About which point began a dispute that lasted many hours, which at last lead to this conclusion, that the major part of this assembly were of opinion that Christ was not come. But some others of the assembly having strictly examined the scriptures, and finding them so plain for his coming, were [Page] inclined to think that Christ was come, being the rather so moved to think, by the consideration of the great judgments that have been upon them these 1600 years; they imputed the destruction and long afflictions of their nation to the wickedness they had been guilty of, and one of their greatest sins, they said, was the spilling the blood of the Prophet sent from God to their nation, and massacring those who believed the doctrines he taught. For, said they, we are no idolaters, and therefore we have not had this heavy judgement upon us for that; but surely it is for the spilling the blood of Jesus, the prophet sent from God, and for massacring those that loved him. And this was the sum of what was disputed the second day of their meeting, and so they ceased until the next morning.

The third day, being assembled together again, the point chiefly agitated was concerning the manner of Christ's coming; and that (they said) should be like a mighty prince, in the power and authority of a king; yea, in greater power than ever any king had, and that he will deliver their nation out of the power of their adversaries, and restore them to their kingdom again: and that the nations shall be of their religion whensoever he cometh; and therefore began to conclude that Christ was not come. For Jesus, said they, the great prophet, when he came, began to alter our religion, therefore h [...] is not the true Messiah. And f [...]rther, wh [...] Jesus came, whom some call the true Messias, he began presently to pluck down our religion, and [Page] set up his own, therefore he was not the true Messiah. Thus some of them concluded, and some did not. But they went from this dispute to another, concerning his parentage, they did all agree in this, that he shall be born of a virgin, according to the predictions of the prophets in the Old Testament. And in this also, that he should be born of a virgin of mean note and parentage among their nation, as was the virgin Mary that bare Jesus, the great prophet from God. And upon this many of them seemed to think that Christ was come: but left it to next day, when they should again meet together.

The fourth day, the assembly being met, the propounder demanded what they thought, whether Christ was come, or not ? they said, they thought he was come; but they answered this, that if he were come, he was no other than Elias; because Elias was formerly in great power, and with great power he declared it, in slaying the priests of Baal, and for fulfilling the scriptures he was opposed by Ahab and Jezebel. And so they esteemed this man, whom they called Jesus, to be that same Elias. Moreover, others said, that they thought he was more than a mortal man, in that he so strangely ascended up into Heaven, which some of our forefathers saw; and this was all that was done on the fourth day.

The fifth day, the assembly being met, they went about the same question that was controverted the day before, and took into examination again, to answer them that said Elias was not the Messiah. They of the contrary opinion, did [Page] argue the love and care of Elias for the good of their nation: that he left them Elisha his disciple to teach and instruct the people, and this they took to be the care of the Messiah. These were their chief arguments to maintain their opinion: the same day towards night came into question among them, what then he was that said, he was the son of God, and was crucified by their ancestors; but because this was a great question among them, they deferred the farther cosideration thereof until the next day.

The sixth day, there were some Pharisees that stood up, who were the great enemies of Christ and said, they would undertake to answer the last question; and would by no means yield that he was the Christ. And these are the reasons they give for their opinion, viz. 1. Because he came into the world like an ordinary and inferior man; not with his scepter and royal power; for they affirmed, that the coming of Christ would be glorious. 2. They pleaded against him, the meanness of his birth, in that his father was a carpenter, and this (they said) was a dishonour of which, when Christ comes he will not be capable. 3. They accused him to be a false Christ, and an enemy to Moses' law, in doing and suffering his disciples to do unlawful works on the Sabbath day. For they believed (they said) that the true Messiah will exactly keep the law of Moses. Now, though it were replied, that the Gospel doth testify of Christ; th [...] he did [...]ul [...]l the law of Moses, yet they rejected that answer, because they did not believe, [Page] and own the gospel. But these reasons did not satisfy the council.

So that, after the Pharisees had done speaking, there stood up one Rabbi Abraham, and objected against the Pharisees, the myracles that Christ wrought while he was on earth, viz. The raising of dead to life again; his making the lame to walk; the blind to see; the dumb to speak; by what power, I pray you, my brethren, did he them? With that the Pharisees arose, and desired to answer him; and this is the answer they returned to the council: Perhaps, said they, this Jesus was an impostor, and magician, and so was enabled to do those miracles. And for our parts, we believe, that all the miracles he did were done by magick and charms, whereby they were restored to their former condition again. But this answer gave little satisfaction to the council, and especially to Abraham: whereupon Abraham stood up, and replied, How could this Christ charm the blind, lame, and dumb, &c. when they were so born before Jesus Christ himself was born, as it appeared same of them were? This seemed a paradox to the Pharisees. And truly, the prosecuting of this argument almost put the Pharisees to a nonplus, but at last they began to speak again, and gave this answer, though a weak and vile one; Perhaps, say they, the said impotent persons were made so by other magicians, and conjured to be lame, blind, and dumb, &c. And though himself were not then born when they were born with those evils, yet this Jesus being a great dissembler, [Page] and more cunning than any magician before him, power was given him by the devil to remove those charms which others had placed. But there Eas one Pharisee among th [...] rest, named Zebedee, who among all the Pharisees there assembled, did more opprobriously and blasphemously revile Christ, and vehemently urged those things to the council, against him; but, I conceive, not to the well liking of any that heard him, even to the members of the council, or of the Pharisees. And as the Pharisees played their part against Christ, so did the Saducees likewise: for some of the council were of that sect, who did endeavour to render Christ vile and odious to the rest of the Jews.

I observed it to be with the Pharisees and Sadducees as once it was with Herod and Pilate [...] though these two could not agree at other time [...], yet they could agree together to crucify Christ. So the Pharisees and Sadducees, though they [...]e much divided in opinion among themselves, y [...] did they, at this time, too well agree to disgra [...] Christ, with their lies, clamers, and blasphemi [...] For the Saducees as well as the Pharisees, ac [...] sed him for a grand impostor and magician, [...] that in his Gospel he taught the resurrection from the dead, which, say they, we deny. But it i [...] no wonder to see [...]actions agree in some evil design against others, as I found by experience in 1650 (which was the year of their Jubilee.) At which time there was a great [...]ri [...]e between the Jesuite [...] and the Friars of the order of St. Augustine. And though their dissentions have been, [Page] [...]mothered over by the care and vigilance of the pope, that the world then took not much notice of them, yet this fire broke out again into a flame, greater (as they informed me) than before, even to public disputations, and bitter wranglings one against another, opening the [...]eluge of errors, and one anothers factions. Thus seeking to disgrace one another, the pope threatened to excommunicate the authors of all such black libellous books, tending to the dishonour of the clergy (as he called them) to make them infamous to the world. But these things by the way.

The seventh day. We are now come to the seventh day of their meeting, on which this was the main question, Whether if Christ be come, what rules and orders hath he left for his church to walk by? This was a great question among them, because they did not believe the new Testament, and so would not be guided by it, but demanded some other instructions to direct them in this point. Whereupon six of the Roman clergy, who were on purpose sent thither by the pope, to advise in the council, (two of which were Jesuites, and four were Friars, two of the order St. Augustine, and two of the order of St. Francis.) being admitted into the council, began to open [...]o them the doctrine and rules of the holy church of Rome, which they magnified to them for the holy catholick church of Christ; and their doctrines to be the infallible doctrine of Christ, and their rules to be rules which the apostles left to the church forever to be observed [Page] And that the pope is the holy vicar of Chri [...] and the successor of St. Peter. For particul [...] they affirmed the real presence of Christ in [...] Lord's supper, the religious observation of th [...] holy days, invocation of saints, their prayer [...] the Vvirgin, and her commanding power in H [...] ven over her son, and holy use of their cross [...] images, with the rest of their idolatrous worshi [...] all which they recommended, for the doctr [...] and rules of the apostles.

But so soon as the assembly of the Jews hea [...] these things from them, they were all excee [...] ingly troubled thereat, and fell into high [...] mours against them, crying out, No Christ, [...] virgin Mary, no women Gods, no intercessi [...] of the saints, no holy crosses, no worshipping [...] images, &c. Their grief and trouble was [...] great, that it would have troubled an hard hea [...] to have seen and heard it: for, they rent the [...] clothes and tore their hair, and cast dust upo [...] their heads, and cried out, Blasphemy, blasphemy, blasphemy, against Jehovah, and Chri [...] our king; and in this great confusion and p [...] plexity the council brake up.

But being willing to do something, being ye [...] unresolved, they assembled again upon the eight [...] day, and all that was done upon that day was [...] agree upon another meeting of the Jews, which was to be three years after; which was the [...] concluded upon before their final departing.

I believe, saith the relater, there were many Jews there who would have been easily persuaded to own the Lord Jesus Christ. And I assur [...] [Page] [...] truth, to the honour of our protestant religi [...], and for the encouragement of our divines, [...] one of the rabbies, eminent among them, [...] conference with me, gave his opinion in this [...]: That he found it at first, that they who [...]re sent from Rome, would cause an unhappy [...]rejudice to their council. 2. That as he pro [...]ssed to me he much desired the presence of [...]ine protestant divines at their assembly, especially of our English ministers, of whom he had [...] greater liking than of any in the world beside. For he did believe we had a greater love to their [...]ation: and the reason of his good opinion of our ministers, was, as he told me, that he had often heard that they do pray ordinarily for the conversion of their nation; which he did acknowledge to be a great token of their love towards them: especially he recommended the ministers of London, for their excellent preaching, and for their charity towards their nation, as he had hear by many travellers. Moreover, he said, that he did account the church of Rome to be an idolatrous church: and therefore will not own their religion. But by conversing with other of the Jews; I found they thought there was no other Christian religion in the world, than that of the church of Rome; and by the Romish idolatry, they took offence at all Christian religion. Whence it doth appear, that Rome is the greatest enemy of the Jews conversion.

Now, for the place of the Jews next meeting, it was appointed to be in Syria; in which country I also was, and did converse with the sect of [Page] the Rechabites, who still observe their old rul [...] and customs. They neither plant nor sow, no [...] build houses, but live in tents; and often [...] move from place to place, with their whole families, bag and baggage. The Italian tongue [...] much spread in the world, and the Jews as ofte [...] discourse in that language as their own; an [...] therefore I did converse with them as well as if I could have spoken their own language. And [...] God give me leave and opportunity, I shall attend their next council, which will be in the year 1653. The Lord prosper it.

The Counterfeit Messiah; or False Christ of the Jews at Smyrna, in the year 1666.—Written by an Englishman there present.

ACcording to the predictions of several Christian writers, especially of such who commer [...]n the Apocalypse, or Revelations, this year, 1666, was to prove a year of wonders and strange revolutions to the world, and particularly of blessing to the Jews, either in respect of their conversion to the Christian faith, or of their restoration to their temporal kingdom: This opinion was so dilated, and fixed, in the countries of the reformed religion, as to the downfall of the pope and antichrist, and the greatness of the Jews, in as much that subt [...] people udged this year the time to stir, and [...] their motion according to the season of the modern prophecies; Whereupon strange repor [...] [Page] [...]ew from place to place of the march of multi [...]udes of people from unknown parts, into the remotest deserts of Arabia, supposed to be the [...]en tribes and half, lost so many ages. That a ship was arrived in the nothern parts of Scotland, with her sails and cordage of silk, navigated by mariners, who spake nothing but Hebrew, with this motto on their sails, The twelve tribes of Israel. These reports agreeing thus near to former predictions, put the wild sort of the world into an expectation of strange accidents this year should produce, in reference to the Jewish monarchy.

In this manner millions of people were possessed, when Sabbatai Sevi first appeared at Smyrna, nad published himself to the Jews for their Messiah, relating the greatness of their approaching kingdom, the strong hand wereby God would free from bondage, and gather them from all parts of the world. It was strange to see how the fancy took, and how fast the report of Sabbatai and his doctrine flew though all parts were Turks and Jews inhabitted; the latter of which were so deeply possessed with a belief of their new kingdom and riches, and many of them with promotion to offices of government, renown and greatness, that in all parts from Constantinople to Buda, (which it was my fortune that year to travel) I perceived a strange transport in the Jews, none of them attending to any business, unless to wind up former negociations, and preparing themselves and families for a journey to Jerusalem: all their discourses, [Page] their dreams, and disposal of their affairs tende [...] to no other design but a re-establishment in the land of promise, to greatness, glory, wisdom, and doctrine of the Messiah, whose original birth, and education are first to be recounted.

Sabatai Sevi was son of Mordecai Sevi, an [...] habitant and natural of Smyrna, who gained his livelihood, by being broker to an English merchant in that place: a person who before his death was very decrepit in his body, and full of the gout, and other infirmities, but his son Sabbatai Sevi addicting himself to study, became a notable proficient in the Hebrew and metaphysicks, and arrived to that point of sophistry in divinity and mataphysicks, that he vented a new doctrine in their law drawing to the profession of it so many disciples as raised one day a tumult in the synagogue; for which afterward, he was by a censure of the Chochams (who are expounders of the law) banished the city.

During the time of his exile, he travelled to Thessalonica, where he married a very handsome woman; but either not having that part of economy as to govern a wife, or being impotent towards women, as was pretended, or that she found not favor in his sight, she was divorced from him; again he took a second wife; more beautiful than the former, but the same causes of discontent raised a difference between them, he obtained another divorce from this wife also. And being now free from the incumbrances of a family, his wandering head moved to travel through the Morea, thence to Trippoly in Syria, [Page] Gaza and Jerusalem; and by the way picked up a Ligorness lady, whom he made his third wife, the daughter of some Polonian or German, her original and parentage not being very well known—And being now at Jerusalem, he began to reform the law of the Jews, and abolish the feast of Tamuz, which they keep in the month of June, and there meeting with a certain Jew called Nathan, a proper instrument to promote his design, he communicated to him his condition, and course of life, and intentions to proclaim himself Messiah of the world, so long expected and desired by the Jews. This design took wonderfully with Nathan; and because it was thought necessary according to scripture, and ancient prophecies, that Elias was to precede the Messiah, as St. John Baptist was the forerunner of Christ, Nathan thought no man so proper to act the part of a prophet as himself, and no sooner had Sabbati declared himself the Messiah, but Nathan discovers himself to be this prophet, forbidding all the fasts of the Jews in Jerusalem, and declaring that the bridegroom being come, nothing but joy and triumph ought to dwell in their habitations: writing to all the assemblies of the Jews to persuade them to the same belief.

And now the schism being begun, and many Jews really believing what they so much desired, Nathan took the courage and boldness to prophecy, that one year from the 27th of Kisleu, (June) the Messiah should appear before the grand seignor, and take from him his crown, and lead him in chains like a captive.

[Page]Sabbatai also at Gaza preached repentance to the Jews, and obedience to himself, for that the coming of the Messiah was at hand; which novelties so affected the Jewish inhabitants of those parts, that they gave up themselves wholly to prayers, alms, and devotions; and to confirm the belief the more, it happened that at the same time news hereof, with all particulars [...]ere dispatched from Gaza, to acquaint the br [...]thren in foreign parts; the news of the Messiah was flown so swift, and gained such reception, that intelligence came [...]om all parts and countries where the Jews inhabited, by letters from Gaza and Jerusalem, congratulating the happiness of their deliverance, and expiration of the time of their servitude, by the appearance of the Messiah, to which they adjoined other prophecies, relating to that dominion the Messiah was to have over all the world; that for nine month after he was to disappear: during which time the Jews were to suffer, and many of them to undergo martyrdom—but then returning again mounted on a celestial lion, with his bridle made of serpents with seven heads, accompanied with his brethren the Jews, who inhabited on the other side of the river Sabatian, he should be acknowledged for the sole monarch of the universe; and then the holy temple should descend from heaven already built, wherein they should offer sacrifice for ever.

This noise and rumour of the Messiah having [...]lled all places, and the deceived multitude being wholly transported from their ordinary employments, Sabatai Sevi resolved to travel toward [Page] Smyrna, the country of his nativity, and thence to Constantinople, the capital city, where the principle work of preaching was to have been performed; Nathan thought it not fit to be long after him, and therefore travels by the way of Damascus, where resolving to continue some time for the better propagation of this new doctrine; and that he might publish this doctrine of himself, and the Messiah more plainly, he wrote from Damascus to the Jews at Aleppo, and other towns. And now all the cities of Turkey, where the Jews inhabited▪ were full of the expectation of the Messiah; no trade nor course of gain was followed; every one imagined that daily provisions, riches, honors and government were to descend upon them by some unknown and miraculous manner: an example of which was most observable in the Jews at Thessalonica, who, fall of assurance that the restoration of their kingdom, and the accomplishment of the time for the coming of the Messiah was at hand, judged themselves obliged to double their devotions, and purify their consciences from all sins and enormities, which might be obvious to the scrutiny of him, who was now come to search the heart of man: in which work certain priests were appointed to direct the people how to regulate their prayers, fasts and other acts of devotion. But so forward was every one now in his acts of pennance, that they stayed not for the prescription of rules, but applied themselves immediately to fasting; some going beyond the ability of nature, and taking no food for seven or eight days, were famished [Page] to death; others buried themselves in their gardens, covering their naked bodies with earth, their heads only excepted, remaining in their beds of dirt until their bodies were stiffened with the cold and moisture: others would endure to have melted wax dropt upon their shoulders, others to roll themselves in snow, and throw their bodies in the coldest season of winter into the fen, or frozen waters: but the most common way of mortification was first to prick their backs and sides with thorns, and then to give themselves a number of lashes. All business was laid aside, none of them opened shop, unless to clear his warehouse of merchandize at any price; who had superfluity in houshold stuff sold it for what he could, but yet not to Jews, for they were interdicted from bargains or sales, on the pain of excommunication, pecuniary mulcts, or corporal punishments; all business and employment was esteemed for the test and touchstone of their faith. It being the general tenet, that in the days that the Messiah appears, the Jews shall become masters of the estates and inheritance of infidels, until when they are to content themselves with matters only necessary to maintain and support life, but because every one was not master of so much fortune and provision as to live without daily labour; and therefore to quiet the clamours of the poor, and prevent the enormous lives of some, who upon these occasions would become vagabonds, and desert their cities, due order was taken to make collections, which were so liberally bestowed, that in Thessalanica [Page] only 400 poor were supported by the mere charity of the richer. And as they endeavoured to purge their consciences of sin, and to apply themselves to good works, that the Messiah might find the city prepared for his reception, so lest he should accuse them of any omission in the law, and particularly in their neglect of that antient precept, of increase and multiply; they married together children of ten years of age and some under, without respect to riches or poverty, condition or equality, but being promiscuously joined to the number of six or seven hundred couple, upon better and cooler thoughts, after the deceit of the false Messiah, was discovered, or the expectation of his coming grew colp, were divorced, or by consent separated from each other.

In the heat of all this talk and rumour comes Sabatai Sevi to Smyrna, the city of his nativity, infinitely desired there by the common Jews; but by the chochams, or doctors of their law, who gave little or no credence to what he pretended, was ill received, not knowing what mischief or ruin this doctrine and prophecy of a new kingdom might produce. Yet Sabatai bringing with him testimonials of his sanctity, holy life, wisdom, and gift of prophecy, so deeply fix'd himself in the hearts of the generality; both as being holy and wise, and thereupon he took courage and boldness to enter into dispute with the grand chocham, (who is the head, and chief expositor of the law, and supperintendant of their will and government) between [Page] whom the arguments grew so high and language so hot, that the Jews who favoured the doctrine of Sabatai, and feared the authority of the chochams, doubtful what might be the issue of the contest, appeared in great numbers before the Cadi of Smyrna, in justification of the new prophet, before so much as any accusation came against him. The Cadi (according to the custom of the Turks) swallows money from both sides, and afterwards remits them to the determination of their own justice. In this manner Sabatai gains ground daily; and the grand chocham with his party, losing both the affection and obedience of his people, is displaced from his office, and another constituted, more affectionate and agreeable to the new prophet, whose power daily increased by those confident reports, that his enemies were struck with phrensies and madness, until being restored to their former temper and wits by him, they became his friends, admirers, and disciples.

And having thus fixed himself in the opinion and admiration of the people, he began to take on himself the title of Messiah, and son of God.

Notwithstanding the disciples of Sabatai Sevi were not so numerous, but many opposed his doctrine, publicly avouching that he was an impostor and deceiver of the people, amongst which was one Samuel Pennia, a man of a good estate and reputation in Smyrna, who arguing in the Synagogue, that the present signs of the coming of the Messiah were not apparent, either according to scripture, or the doctrine of the [Page] Rabbins, raised such a sedition and tumult amongst the Jews, as not only prevailed against arguments, but had also against his life, had he not timely conveyed himself out of the synagogue, and thereby escaped the hands of the multitude, who now could more easily endure blasphemy against the law of Moses, nad the profanation of the sanctuary, than contradiction or misbelief of the doctrine of Sabatai. But howsoever it fell out, Pennia, in a short time becomes a convert, and preaches up Sabatai for the son of God, and deliverer of the Jews; and not only he, but his whole family: his daughters prophesy and fall into strange extasies; and not only his, but four hundred men and women prophesy of the growing kingdom of Sabatai, and young infants, who could yet scarce stammer out a syllable to their mothers, repeat and pronounce plainly the name of Sabatai the Messiah and son of God. For thus far had God permitted the Devil to delude this people, that their very children were for a time possessed, and voices heard to sound from their stomachs and intrails; those of riper years fell first into a trance, foamed at the mouth, and recounted the future prosperity and deliverance of the Israelites, their visions of the lyon of Judah, and the triumphs of Sabatai: all which were certainly the effects of diabolical delusion, as the Jews themselves since have confessed unto me.

With these concomitant accidents and successes Sabatai Sevi growing more presumptious, that he might correspond with the prophecies of [Page] the greatness and dominion of the Messiah, proceeds to an election of those princes which are to govern the Israelites in their march towards the holy land, and to dispense judgment and justice after their restoration. The names of them were well known at Smyrna, who never (God knows) had ambition to aspire to the title of princes, until a strange spirit of deceit and delusion had moved them, not only to hope for it as possible, but to expect it as certain.

In this manner things ran to strange height of madness among the Jews ot Smyrna, where appeared such pegeantry of greatness, that no comedy could equal the mock-shews they represented; and though none durst openly profess any scruple, or doubt of this common received belief, yet for confirmation of the Jews in their faith, and astonishment of the Gentiles, it was judged no less than necessary, that Sabatai should shew some miracles whereby to convince all the world that he was the true Messiah; and as the present occasion seemed to require an evidence infallible of this truth, so it was daily expected by the vulgar, with an impatience suitable to humours disposed to novelty; who out of every action of their prophet, began to fancy something extraordinary and supernatural. Sabbatai was now horribly puzzled for a miracle, though the imagination of the people was so vitiated that any legerdemain, or slight of hand would have passed more easy with them for a wonder than Moses striking the rock for water, or dividing the red sea; and an occasion happening [Page] that Sabatai was, in behalf of his subjects, to appear before the Cadi, or judge of the city, to demand ease and relief of some oppressions which aggrieved them; it was thought necessary a miracle should be now or never, when Sabatai appearing with a formal and pharisaical gravity which he had starched on, some on a sudden avouched to see a pillar of fire between him and the Cadi, which report presently was heard thro' the whole room, filled with Jews that eccompanied Sabatai, some of whom who strongly fancied it, vowed and swore they saw it; others in the outward yard, or that could not come near to hear, or see, for the crowd, as speedily took the alarm, and the rumour ran and received belief of the women and childred at home in a moment, so that Sabatai Sevi returned to his house triumphant, fixed in the hearts of his people, who now needed no farther miracles to confirm them in their faith. Sabatai Sevi having thus fully fixed himself in Smyrna, and filled other places with rumours of his fame, declaring that he was called by God to visit Constantinople, where the greatest part of his work was to be accomplished. In order, whereunto he privately shipped himself, with some few attendants.

The wind proving northerly, as commonly it is in the Hellespont and Propontus, Sabatai was thirty nine days in his voyage, so little power had this Messiah over the sea and winds; in which time news being come to Constantinople that the Jews Messiah was near, all that people [Page] prepared to receive him with the same joy and impatience as was expressed in other parts where he arrived, the grand vizier (then also at Constantinople, being not yet departed on his expedition for Candia) having heard some rumours of this man, and the disorder and madness he had raised among the Jews, sent two boats, whilst the Salack was detained by contrary winds, with commands to bring him up prisoner to the port, where accordingly Sabatai being come, was confined in the most loathsome dungeon in the town, there to remain in farther expectation of the vizier's sentence. The Jews were not at all discouraged at this treatment of their prophet, but rather confirmed in their belief of him, as being the accomplishment of the prophecy of those things which ought to proceed his glory and dominion; which consideration induced the chiefest persons among the Jews to make their visits and addresses to him, with the same ceremony and respect in the dungeon, as they would have done had he then sat exalted on the throne of Israel:

The Jews in Constantinople were now become as m [...]d and distracted as they were in other places, all trade and traffick forbidden, and those who owed money, in no manner careful how to satisfy it: amongst which wild crew some were indebted to our merchants at Galata, who not knowing the way to receive their money, partly for their interest, and partly for curiosity, thought fit to visit this Sabatai, complaining, that such particular Jews upon his coming, took [Page] upon them the boldness to defraud them of their right, and desired he would signify to these his subjects his pleasure to have satisfaction given: whereupon Sabatai with much affection took pen and paper and wrote to this effect.

In this manner Sabatai Sevi remained a prisoner at Constantinople for the space of two months: at the end of which the Vizier having signified his expedition for Candia, and considering the rumour and disturbance the presence of Sabatai had made already at Constantinople, though it not secure to suffer him to remain in the imperial city, whilst both the Grand Seignior and himself were absent: and therefore changes his prison to the Dardanelli. This removal of Sabatai from a worse prison to one of a better air, confirmed the Jews with a greater confidence of his being the Messiah, supposing that had it been in the power of the Vizier to have destroyed his person, he would never have permitted him to have lived to that time, in regard their maxims enforce them to end all jealousies and suspicions of ruin to their [...], by the death of the party feared, which much rather they ought to execute on Sabatai, who had not only declared himself the king of Israel, but also published prophecies fatal to the Grand Seignior and his kingdoms.

With this consideration, and others proceeding, the Jews flock in great numbers to the castle, where he was imprisoned, not only from the neighbouring parts, but also from Poland, Germany, Leghorn, Venice, Amsterdam, and [Page] other places where the Jews reside: on all whom as a reward of the expence and labours of their pilgrimage, Sabatai bestowed plenty of his benedictions, promising increase of their store, and enlargement of their possession in the Holy Land. And so great was the confluence of the Jews to this place, that the Turks thought it requisite to make their advantage thereof, and so not only raised the price of their provisions, lodgings, and other necessaries, but also denied to admit any to the presence of Sabatai, unless for money, setting the price sometimes at five, sometimes at ten dollars more or less, according as they guessed at their abilities, or zeal for the person, by which gain and advantage to the Turks no complaints or advices was carried to Adrianople, either of the concourse of people or arguments amongst the Jews in that place, but rather all civilities and liberty indulged unto them, which served as a farther argument to ensnare this poor people in the belief of their Messiah.

The devotion of the Jews toward this pretended Messiah increased still more and more, so that not only the chief of the city went to attend and proffer their service towards him in the time of his imprisonment, but likewise decked their synagogue with S. S. in letters of gold, making for him on the wall a crown, in the circle of which was wrote the 91st Psalm at length in fair and legible characters; attributing the same titles to Sabatai, and expounding the scriptures in the same manner in favor of his appearance, as we do of our Saviour. However, some of the Jews [Page] remained in their wits all this time, amongst which was a certain Chocham at Smyrna, one zealous of his law, and of the good and safety of his nation, and observing in what a wild manner the whole people of the Jews was transported, with the groundless belief of a Messiah, leaving not only their trade, and course of living, but publishing prophecies of a speedy kingdom, of rescue from the tyranny of the Turks, and leading the Grand Seignior himself captive in chains: matters so dangerous and obnoxious to the state wherein they lived, as might justly convict them of treason and rebellion, and leave them to the mercy of that justice, which on the least jealousy and suspicion of matters of this nature, uses to extirpate families, and subvert the mansion houses of their own people, much rather of the Jews, on whom the Turks would gladly take occasion to dispoil them of their estates, and condemn the whole nation to perpetual slavery.

This chocham so enraged and scandalized the Jews, that they judged no condemnation or punishment too severe against such an offender and blasphemer of their law, and holiness of the Messiah: and therefore with money and presents to the Cadi accusing him as disobedient in a capital manner to their government, obtained sentence against him, to have his beard shaved, and to be condemned to the gallies. There wanted nothing now to the appearance of the Messiah, and the solemnity of his coming, but the presence of Elias; whom the Jews began to expect [Page] hourly, and with that intention and earnestness, that every dream or phantasm to a weak head was judged to be Elias; it being taught and averred, that he was seen in divers forms and shapes, not to be certainly discovered or known before the coming of the Messiah; for the superstition is so far fixed amongst them, that generally in their families they spread a table for Elias the prophet to which they make an invitation of poor people, leaving the chief place for the Lord Elias, whom they believe to be invisibly present at the entertainment, and there to eat and drink without diminution, either of the dishes or of the cup.

This being the common opinion among the Jews, and that Sabatai Sevi was the Messiah, being become an article of faith, it was not hard to persuade them that Elias was come already, that they met with him in their dishes, in the dark, in their bed chambers, or any where else invisible, in the same manner as common people of England believe of hobgoblins and fairies.

For so it was when Solomon Cremona, an inhabitant of Smyrna, making a great feast, to which the principal Jews of the city were invited, after they had eaten and drank freely, one starts from his seat, and avouches that he saw Elias upon the wall, and with that bows to him and compliments him with all reverence and humility; some others having in like manner their fancies prepared to distinguish shadows immediately agreed upon the object, and then there was not one in the company who would say he [Page] did not see him: at which surprize every one was struck with reverence and awe; and the most eloquent amongst them having their tongues loosed with joy and wine, directed orations, encomiums, and acts of thankfulness to Elias, courting and complimenting him as distracted lovers do the supposed presence of their mistresses.

But to return again to Sabatai Sevi himself, we find him still remaning a prisoner in the castle of Abydos, upon the Hellespont, admired and adored by his brethren with more honour than before, and visited by pilgrims from all parts, where the fame of the coming of the Messiah had arrived: amongst which one from Poland, named Nehemiah Cohen, was of special note and renown learned in the Hebrew, Syriack and Chaldee, and versed in the doctrine and cavals of the Rabbins, as well as Sabatai himself, one (of whom it was said) had not this Sevi anticipated the design, esteemed himself a notable fellow, to act the part of a Messiah as the other: Howsoever, it being too late to publish any such pretence, Sabatai having now eleven points of the law by possession of the office, and with that the hearts and belief of the Jews, Nehemiah was contented with some small appendage, or relation to the Messiah; and therefore to lay his design the better desired a private conference with Sabatai; these two great Rabbins being together, a hot dispute arose between them; for Cohen alledged, that according to scripture, and exposition of the learned thereupon, there were to be two Messiahs, [Page] one called Ben Ephraim, and the other Ben David; the first was to be a preacher of the law, poor, despised, a servant and forerunner to the second, who was to be great and rich, to restore the Jews, to sit upon the throne of David, and to perform all the wonders expected from Sabatai. Nehemiah was contented to be Ephraim, the afflicted and poor Messiah, and Sabatai was willing he should be so; but that Nehemiah accused him for being too forward in publishing himself the former Messiah, before Ben Ephraim had first been known unto the world. Sabatai took this reprehension so ill, either out of pride of his own infallibility, or he suspected that Nehemiah being once admitted for Ben Ephraim (being a subtle and learned person) would persuade the world that he was Ben David, would by no means admit of this new doctrine; and thereupon the dispute grew so hot, and irreconcileable, as was taken notice of by the Jews, and controverted by them as every one fancied. But Sabatai being of greater authority, his sentence prevailed, and Nehemiah was rejected as an enemy to the Messiah, which afterwards proved the downfall of this impostor. For Nehemiah being thus baffled, and being a person of authority, and haughty spirit, meditated nothing but revenge; to execute which, he takes a journey to Adrianople, and there informs the chief ministers of state, who, by reason of the gain the Turks made of their prisoner, heard nothing of him, or of the prophecies—and taking likewise to his council certain discontented and unbelieving chochams, [Page] who being jealous of the consequences of this increasing madness, took liberty to inform the chocham who was deputy of the great vizier, that the Jew, prisoner at the castle, called Sabatai Sevi, was a lewd person, and one who endeavored to debauch the minds of the Jews, and divert them from their honest course of livelihood, and obedience to the grand Signior; and that therefore it was necessary to clear the world of so factious and dangerous a spirit. The chocham being thus informed, could do no less than acquaint the grand seignior, who instantly dispatched a chiaux (messenger) to bring up Sabatai to Adrinople. The chiaux executed his commission after the Turkish fashion, and without ceremony hurried Sabatai to Adrinople, not even affording him time to take a solemn farewel of his disciples, who were now come to the vertical point of all their hopes and expectations.

The Grand Seignior having received by this time divers informations of the madness of the Jews, and the pretence of Sabatai, grew big with desire and expectation to see him: so that he no sooner arrived at Adrinople, but the same hour he was brought before the Grand Seignior; Sabatai appeared much dejected, and failing of that courage which he shewed in the synagogue; and being demanded several questions by the grand seignior, he would not trust so far to the virtue of his Messiahship, as to deliver himself in the Turkish language, but desired a doctor of physic, who had from a Jew turned Turk, to be his interpreter, which was granted to [Page] him, but not without reflection of the standers by, that had he been the Messiah, his tongue would have flown with a variety, as well as with the perfection of languages. But the grand seignior would not be put off without a miracle, and it must be one of his own choice; which was; that Sabatai should be stripped naked, and set as a mark to his archers: if the arrows pierced not his body, then he would believe him to be the Messiah. But Sabatai not having faith to stand so sharp a trial, renounced all his title to kingdoms and governments, alledging that he was but an ordinary chocham, and a poor Jew, as others were, and had nothing of privilege, or virtue above the rest. But the grand seignior not being fully satisfied with this plain confession, declared, that having given public scandal to the professors of the Mehometan religion, and done dishonor to his sovereign authority, by pretending to draw such a considerable portion from him as the land of Palestine; his treason and crime were not to be expatiated but by a conversion to the Mehometan faith, which if he refused, the stake was ready at the gate of the S [...]raglio to impale him.

Sabatai being now reduced to extremity, yet not doubtful what to do, for to die for what he knew to be false would be the death of a mad man; replied with much chearfulness, that he was contented to turn a Turk, and that it was not of force, but of choice, having been a long time desirous of so glorious a profession: he esteemed himself much honored, that he had an opportunity to own it first in the prefence of the [Page] grand seignior. And here was the non plus ul [...]ra of all the bluster and noise of this vain imposter.

During the time of all these transactions, the Jews of Smyrna, &c. leaving their traffic, filled their letters for Italy, and other parts, with nothing but wonders and miracles wrought by their false Messiah. As that when the Grand Seignior sent to take him, he caused all the messengers immediatly to die, upon which other janizaries being again sent, they all fell dead with only a word from his mouth; and being desired to revive them again, he immediately recalled them to life. After this they added, that he went voluntarily to prison, and though the gates were barred and shut with strong locks of iron, yet that Sabatai was seen to walk through the streets with a numerous attendance: and when they laid shackles on his neck and feet, they not only fell from him, but were converted into gold, with which he gratified his true and faithful believers and disciples. Some miracles also were reported of Nathan, that only at reading the name of any particular man or woman, he would immediately recount the story of his or her life, their sins or defaults, and accordingly impose just correction and penance for them.

These strong reports coming thus confidently into Italy and all parts, the Jews of Casel in Montserrato resolved to send three parsons in behalf of their society, in the nature of extraordinary legates to Smyrna, to make inquiry after the truth of all these rumours.

[Page]At length Nathan arrives near Smyrna, on Friday the third of March, towards evening and on Sunday these legates made their visit to him; but Nathan, upon news of the change of his be loved Messiah, began to grow sullen and reserved, so that the legates could scarce procure admittance to him; all they could do was to inform him that they had a letter to him from the brotherhood of Italy, and commission to confer with him concerning the foundation and authority he had for his prophecies; but Nathan refused to take the letter; so that the legates returned ill contented, but yet with hope at Nathan's arrival at Smyrna to receive better satisfaction.

By these means Nathan being disappointed of his wandering progress, and ashamed of the event of things, contrary to his prophecies, resolved to return again, and not to enter Smyrna. And thus the embassy of these legates was concluded, and they returned to the place from whence they came, and the Jews again to their wits, following their trade of merchandize and brokerage as formerly, with more quiet advantage. These matters were transacted in the years 1665 and 1666, since which Sabatai hath passed his time devoutly in the Ottoman court.

Sabatai Sevi continued in the house of the grand seignior until the year 1676, and then died.

FINIS.

Information about this book

Title statement

A journey to Jerusalem, containing the travels of fourteen Englishmen in 1667, to the Holy Land, and other memorable places noted in Scripture. : To which is prefixed, memorable remarks upon the ancient and modern state of the Jewish nation. : Together with a relation of the great council of the Jews in the plains of Hungary, in 1650, to examine the Scriptures concerning Christ. --By Samuel Beert [i.e., Brett], an English gentleman there present. : With an account of the wonderful delusion of the Jews by a false Messiah at Smyrna, 1666. / Collected by R. Burton.

R. B., 1632?-1725?

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2012-01.

ID [DLPS]

N22949

ID [TCP]

N22949

ID [STC]

Evans 30301

ID [NOTIS]

APY0470

ID [IMAGE-SET]

30301

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99027525

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 30301.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N22949)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 30301)

Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 30301)

Source

— A journey to Jerusalem, containing the travels of fourteen Englishmen in 1667, to the Holy Land, and other memorable places noted in Scripture. : To which is prefixed, memorable remarks upon the ancient and modern state of the Jewish nation. : Together with a relation of the great council of the Jews in the plains of Hungary, in 1650, to examine the Scriptures concerning Christ. --By Samuel Beert [i.e., Brett], an English gentleman there present. : With an account of the wonderful delusion of the Jews by a false Messiah at Smyrna, 1666. / Collected by R. Burton., R. B., 1632?-1725?, Brett, Samuel. True relation of the proceedings of the great council..

Extent

132 p. ; 18 cm. (12mo)

--Printed by J. Babcock.,. Hartford :: 1796.. (Attributed in the Dictionary of national biography to Nathaniel Crouch, who used the pseudonyms Robert Burton, Richard Burton, and, most commonly, R.B.)

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