Part 12
If the Lord fulfilled his word in calamities, he will fulfill it also in felicities. Therefore _Rabbi Aquibah_ laughed, when hee saw a Fox run out of the Temple being destroyed, though his companions wept; he saying, Now is fulfilled that prophecy of _Jeremiah_, _Lament._ 5.18. _And the foxes shall run therein_; and he added, and those blessings also shall follow, which the Lord hath promised. We see all the curses of God come to passe, which are mentioned in _Leviticus_ and _Deuteronomy_; as well as those, which concerne our being scattered to the ends of the earth (which is _Portugall_) and those concerning the calamities of the Inquisition; and those of our banishments, as I have opened in my booke, _De termino vitæ_; from whence it appears, that all the happy prophesies shall be fulfilled. And as we have perished, so also shall _Bozra_ (that is, _Rome_) perish. See _Isa._ 34.6.
_SECT. 32._
Secondly; The argument which we bring from our Constancy under so many evills, cannot be eluded, that therefore God doth reserve us for better things. _Moses_ in _Levit._ 26.44. saith, _Though they be in the land of their enemies, yet I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them to destroy them utterly, and to breake my covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God_. And truly these things are now fulfilled, for that in this captivity, and among the many reproaches which we Jewes suffer, yet many of ours are honourably entertained by Princes, with a singular affection. So _D. Ishac Abarbanel_, who comes of _Davids_ line, is Counsellor to the King of _Spaine_, and _Portugall_. By this also he hath got a great name, for that he composed the differences, which arose beene the King of _Portugall_, and the Republique of _Venice_. And from that Family of _Äbarbanel_ (which I note by the by) doe proceed my Children, by my wives side. And in the house of his sonne, _D. Samuel Abarbanel_, and of his wife _Benuenida_, the Lady _Leonora de Toledo_, was brought up at _Naples_, who is the Daughter of _D. Peter de Toledo_, the Vice-roy of _Naples_; who afterwards was married to the most eminent Duke _Cosmus de Medicis_, and having obtained the Dukedome of _Toscani_, she honoured _Benuenida_ with as much honour, as if she were her mother.
That peace, which the _Venetians_ made with the Emperour _Sultan Selim_, 75. yeares agone, was made, and ratified by a certaine Jew _Don Selomo Rophe_, who was sent Ambassadour to _Venice_, and received with great pomp, by the _Venetians_. At _Constantinople_ D. _Ben Jaese_, _Anaucas_, and _Sonsinos_ are of great authority with the _Turk_. In _Ægypt_ the _Jewes_ were alwayes _Saraph baxas_, and also at this day is _D. Abraham Alholn_. Who knowes not that _D. Josephus Nassi_, otherwise called _Joannes Michesius_, about the 66. yeare of the former age, was Duke of _Naccia_, Lord of _Milum_, and of the seven Islands, of whom see _Famian_. _Strada_ in _Histor. Belgic. part._ 1. _lib._ 5. He was raised to these honours by _Sultan Selim_. As also by _Sultan Amurat_, _Jacob Aben Jaes_, otherwise called _Alvoro Mendez_, was made Governour of _Tyberias_; witnesse _Boterus_ in _Relation, part._ 3. _lib._ 2. in _Barbary_, the Lords _Rutes_ were always Governours of _Sekes_, _Phes_, and _Taradanta_. In _Ann._ 1609. _D. Samuel Palaxe_ was sent Ambassadour to the States, by _Mulai Zidan_ the King of _Maracco_. But he dyed at the _Haghe_ in _Anno._ 1616. And the most eminent Prince _Maurice_, and the Nobles, were at his Funerall. In _Persia_ who knowes not of what account they are? There, thirty years since, _Elhazar_ was second to the King, and as it were Governour. Now _David Jan_ succeeds him, to whom others also being joyned, they live in the Court. And that must not be forgot, that when the most eminent Duke of _Holstein_ sent _Otto Burchmannus_ Ambassadour to _Persia_, in _Ann._ 1635. he desired commendatory letters from our _Jewes_ at _Hamburgh_, to them, who (as we have already told you) doe live there in the Court, that they would make way there, for him that was a stranger: that he might dispatch his affaires: Which was also performed. By which means ours, who are in _Persia_, dismissed _Burchmannus_, with rich gifts, and with Letters to the most eminent Duke of _Holstein_, which the twelve Chuzæ, or Princes, had subsigned. A copy of which Letters the most excellent _D. Benjamin Mussapha_, one familiar with the Prince helped me to. Also _Claudius Duretu en son thresor des langues_, _fol._ 302. saith, that there are almost an infinite number of _Jewes_ in _Asia_, especially in _India_, and that King _Cochini_ is their great favourer. Yea _Linschotes_ saith (where he treats of _Cochini_) that they have Synagogues there, and that some of them are of the Kings Counsell. At _Prague_, _Mordocheas Maisel_ had Armes given him by the Emperour _Matthias_, who also knighted him. Which honour _Iacob Bathsebah_ also had, under the Reigne of _Ferdinand_; and many other Families are graced with other honours. And in this very captivity (who could thinke it) they are so wealthy, that (Gods providence favouring them) they may challenge to themselves a place among the most Noble.
_SECT. 33._
Who can enumerate the number of ours, who are renowned by fame, and learning? The learned _R. Moses bar Maimon_ was Phisician to _Saladin_ the King of _Ægypt_. _Moses Amon_ to the Emperour _Sultan Bajaseth_. _Elias Montalto_ to the most eminent Queen of France, _Loysia de Medicis_; and was also her Counsellor. _At_ Padua _Elias Cretensis_ read Philosophy; and _R. Abraham de Balmas_, the Hebrew Grammer. And how much honour had _Elias Grammaticus_ at _Rome_? And almost all the Princes of _Italy_ honoured him with all kinde of honour, _Abraham Kolorni_; as appeares by a Letter writ to him by _Thomas Garzoni nella sua piazza universale del mundo_. _Picus Mirandula_ (who useth to say, _That he had but small understanding, who only looked after his owne things, and not after other mens_) and others, had Hebrew teachers. _David de Pomis_ dedicated his Book to Pope _Sextus_ the fifth, who lovingly, and courteously received both the Author, and work. So at this day we see many desirous to learne the Hebrew tongue of our men. Hence may be seene that God hath not left us; for if one persecute us, another receives us civilly, and courteously; and if this Prince treats us ill, another treats us well; if one banisheth us out of his country, another invites us by a thousand priviledges; as divers Princes of _Italy_ have done, the most eminent King of _Denmarke_, and the mighty Duke of _Savoy_ in _Nissa_. _And doe we not see, that those Republiques doe flourish, and much increase in Trade, which admit the Israelites?_
_SECT. 34._
_Moses_ saith in his last song, that God would revenge the bloud of his people who are scattered. And _Ieremiah_ saith, in chap. 2.3. _Israel is the Lords holy thing, the first fruits of his increase; all who devoure him shall be found guilty; evill shall come upon them, saith the Lord._ And that the Histories of divers times, even from _Nebuchadnezzar_ to these very times, doe testifie. Have not the Monarchies of great Princes been destroyed? Consider with me the miserable ends of _Antiochus_, of _Pompey_, of _Sisibuthus_, of _Philip_ the King of _France_, of A_lonsus_ the sonne of _Iohn_ the second. And we may remember, how King _Sebastian_ with his fourth Generation, and with all his Nobles, was slaine in a battell of A_frica_, in that same place, in which he had caused the _Iews_ to be banished. _Ferdinand_, and _Isabel_ were the great Persecutors of our Nation, but how did both he, and she dye? as for him his Son-in-law, and his owne Subjects did persecute him; and his only sonne dyed (leaving no issue) on his Wedding-day, being seventeen yeares old. His daughter being Heire of the Kingdome, and of her Fathers hatred, would not marry to _Emanuel_ King of _Portugal_, unlesse he would compell us to be banished, and change our Religion. But she dyed in Child-birth of her Sonne _Saragoci_, and also her Son, before he was halfe a yeare old; and the succession was devolved upon the Kingdome of _Spaine_. It is not long since, that the _Spaniards_ exercised upon us at _Mantua_, what ever cruelties they could invent; what shall we say of that at _Madrid_ in the yeare 1632, was done by the Inquisition, the King, and Princes of the Kingdome concurring; but in the very same month dyed the Infant _Charles_, and their Kingdome declined. What wonder is it if God hath chastised divers Kingdomes by sundry wayes: but of this I treat farther in my History of the _Iewes_. Let us conclude therefore, that that good, which God hath promised, will shortly come, since we see that we have suffered those evils, which he hath threatned us with, by the Prophets.
_SECT. 35._
[Sidenote: 3ly,]
The shortnesse of time (when we beleeve our redemption shall appeare) is confirmed by this, that the Lord hath promised that he will gather the two Tribes, _Iudah_, and _Benjamin_, out of the foure quarters of the World, calling them _Nephussim_. From whence you may gather, that for the fulfilling of that, they must be scattered through all the corners of the World; as _Daniel_ saith, _Dan._ 12.7. _And when the scattering of the holy people shall have an end, all those things shall be fulfilled._ And this appeares now to be done, when as our Synagogues are found in _America_.
_SECT. 36._
[Sidenote: 4ly,]
To these, let us adde that, which the same Prophet speakes, in ch. 12. ver. 4. _That knowledge shall be encreased_; for then the prophecies shall better be understood, the meaning of which we can scarce attaine to, till they be fulfilled. So after the _Otteman_ race began to flourish, we understood the prophesie of the two leggs of the Image of _Nebuchadnezzar_, which is to be overthrowne by the fifth Monarchy, which shall be in the World. So _Jeremiah_ after he had handled in Chap. 30. the redemption of _Israel_, and _Judah_, and of the war of _Gog_, and _Magog_ (of which _Daniel_ also speakes in ch. 12.) when he treats of the Scepter of the Messiah the son of _David_, of the ruine of the Nations, of the restoration of _Judah_, of holy _Jerusalem_, and of the third Temple, he adds in ver. 24. _The fierce anger of the Lord shall not returne, till he hath executed it, and till he hath performed the intents of his heart; in the latter dayes ye shall understand it._ From whence followes what we have said, that the time of redemption is at hand. And because _Jeremiah_ in that Chapter makes an abridgement of all things that shall be, therefore it is said in ver. 2. _Write thee all the words which I have spoken to thee in a book._ By this meane making the Prophecie clearer, by relating in a cleare style, whatever the Prophets had fore-told; imitating _Moses_, the last words of whose song are, _Sing, O ye Nations, with his people_, in _Deut._ 32.43. Also the last words which he spake, after that he had blessed the Tribes, are these, _Happy art thou, O_ Israel: _who is like to thee, O people? saved by the Lord, who is the sheild of thy help, and the sword of thy excellency; and thine enemies shall be found lyars to thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places_, in _Deut._ 33.29. From whence it appeares, that God will revenge the bloud of _Israel_, which had been shed. _Joel_ confirmes the same in ch. 3.19. _Ægypt shall be a desolation_, and _Edom shall be a filthy desert, for the violence, and injury offered to the_ Jewes, _and because they have shed innocent bloud in their Land_. And as they shall be punished by the just judgement of God, who wish us evill: so also God will give blessings upon them who favour us. And those are the trees of the field which then shall rejoyce. So God saith to _Abraham_, in _Gen._ 12.3. _I will blesse them who blesse thee, and curse them that curse thee._
_SECT. 37._
These are the things which I could gather concerning this matter, which hath not been heretofore handled; from whence these consequences may be deduced.
1. That the _West-Indies_, were anciently inhabited by a part of the ten Tribes, which passed thither out of _Tartary_, by the Streight of _Anian_.
2. That the Tribes are not in any one place, but in many; because the Prophets have fore-told their return shall be into their Country, out of divers places; _Isaiah_ especially saith it shall be out of eight.
3. That they did not returne to the second Temple.
4. That at this day they keep the _Jewish_ Religion.
5. That the prophecies concerning their returne to their Country, are of necessity to be fulfilled.
6. That from all coasts of the World they shall meet in those two places, _sc._ _Assyria_, and _Ægypt_; God preparing an easie, pleasant way, and abounding with all things, as _Isaiah_ saith, ch. 49. and from thence they shall flie to _Jerusalem_, as birds to their nests.
7. That their Kingdome shall be no more divided; but the twelve Tribes shall be joyned together under one Prince, that is under _Messiah_ the Son of _David_; and that they shall never be driven out of their Land.
_SECT. 38._
I returne to the relation of our _Montezinus_, which I prefer before the opinions of all others as most true for that _Peru_ should be derived from the name _Ophir_, as _Gulielmus Postellus_, _Goropius in Ortelius_, _Bozius de signis Eccles._ _lib._ 2. _c._ 3. _Marinus in arca Noah_, _P. Sa. in 3. Reg. Pomarius_ in his _Lexicon_, and _Possevinus_ _lib._ 2. _Biblith._ _c._ 8. do think, cannot be proved; as _Pineda_ hath wel observed, in _Job_, _c._ 28. _p._ 500. for we have said out of _Garcilasso de la Vega_, that that name was unknown to them of _Peru_. _Ophir_ then is _East-India_, if we beleeve _Josephus_, _lib._ 8. _Antiquit. Judaic._ _c._ 6. & _Acosta in lib. 1. Histor. Ind._ from whence _Solomon_ fetched gold, and precious stones. But what _Gomara in part 1. hist. Ind._ _fol._ 120. and _Zarate in proæm. hist. Peru_, would have, that ours did passe over that famous, and much praised Island (by _Plato_ in _Critia_, and _Timæus_) of _Atlantis_, and so went into the neighbour Islands of _Barlovent_, and from thence to the firm land, and at last to the Kingdom of _Peru_, and _New-Spain_; it is deservedly exploded as fabulous; and _Acosta_ laughs at it, _in lib. 1. hist. Ind. c._ 22. But _Marcilius Ficinus in comment. in Timeum, c._ 4. & _Critia_, that he might defend _Plato_, thinkes (and his Disciples, _Porphiry_, _Origen_, and _Proclus_ doe follow him) that all that which is in _Critia_, and in _Timæus_, is to be understood allegorically. And who will beleeve _Lescarbotus_, who saith that they are the _Canaanites_, who fled thither for feare of _Joshua_? For I cannot be perswaded that they sought out Countries so far remote. They who will have them of _Peru_ to have come out of _Norwey_, or _Spain_, may be confuted by their very form, manners and the unlikenesse of their Languages. But that is more false, that they are _Israelites_, who have forgot circumcision, and their rites. For they are of a comly body, and of a good wit, as saith Doct. _Johannes Huarte_, in his book which is called, _Examen ingenior._ _c._ 14. But contrarily all men know that the _Indians_ are deformed, dul, and altogether rude. And we have abundantly shown, with how great study, and zeal, the _Israelites_ have kept their Language, and Religion, out of their Country.
_SECT. 39._
_Montezinus_ then speaks most likely; that as other people forced the _Israelites_ to betake them to the mountains: so _America_ being first of all inhabited by the persecuting _Tartars_, they were driven to the mountains of _Cordillere_, where at last they were hid, as God would have it. Truly, comparing the _Israelites_ themselves, or their Laws, with other people, I see not anything that comes nearer truth. Perhaps also _America_ was not of old contiguous to _Asia_ on the North side. It doth not seeme to me such an absurdity, to say, that the Israelites went out of _Tartary_ into _America_ by land; and afterward, that God, to preserve his, among other miracles, also wrought this, to make that a Sea, where now is the streight of _Anian_. Yea that might be don without a miracle, by accident, as we know that more than once, the Sea by a violent storm hath carryed away the Land, and made Islands. _Xenophon in suis æquivoc._ mentions the inundations of _Ægypt_, which happened in the days of _Prometheus_, and _Hercules_. Also _Berosus in lib._ 5. and _Diodorus li._ 6. mentions the inundation of _Attica_, in which _Athens_ stands. _Pliny in lib._ 2. _c._ 85. & _lib._ 13. _c._ 11. _Strabo in l._ 1. & _l._ 12. and _Plutarch in Alexandr._ relate the drowning of the Isle _Pharaonica_; of which _Luther_ speaks so elegantly in _lib. ultimo._ Besides, who knows not how many, and how great Cities have at divers times been almost wholly ruined by several earthquakes? _Sueton, in Tiberio, c._ 48. writes, that under _Tiberius_, twelve Cities in _Asia_ have been by this means ruined. _Orosius lib._ 7. _c._ 4. and _Dion Cassius lib._ 57. do affirm the same, though they differ about the time. _Tacitus in lib._ 14, and _Eusebius in Chron._ relate the destruction of that famous and rich City of _Laodicea. Origen tom._ 28. _in Joan_ and _Baronius tom._ 2. _Annal. Ecclesiast, Ann._ 340: do speak of other earthquakes, which have destroyed divers, and very many men, and Cities. And _P. Alonsus in suo manual. tempor._ relates, that the same hath happened in our dayes; saith he, In the year 1638. _A great Earthquake happened in the Islands of the Terceræ, but especially in St. Michael, where the Governour dwells; for that unheard of shaking of the earth, and houses, struck so great terror into the Inhabitants, that al fled out of their houses & lived in the fields, a little after, two miles from thence, they saw the Sea vomit up abundance of fiery matter, which made a very thicke smoake, which covered the very clouds; and it cast up many great stones which seemed like rocks; part whereof falling downe againe, made an Island in the Sea which was halfe a mile over, and sixty fathom high, & an hundred & fifty fathom deep. That hot exhalation which that fiery mountain sent forth, pierced the very waters, and stifled so many fishes, that two Indian ships could not carry them._ The same Island two years after, was swallowed up again of the Sea.
_SECT. 40._
Hee that doth seriously weigh those things, may (I think) well gather, that the Sea of the Streight of _Anian_ was an inundation. By affirming which, this doubt may be answered, _sc._ That after the universall Flood, man-kinde encreased againe, and all beasts, which had been preserved in the Arke. But how could so many kinds of beasts, (which come by propagation, and are not bred out of the earth) be found in those Countries? Some did swim thither, some were brought thither by some huntsmen, some were bred out of the earth, as _Austin_ thinks it happened in the first Creation. But what Land-beast can swim over so great a Sea? And would Huntsmen carry Lyons thither, and other such kind of beasts, oftentimes to the great hazzard of their lives? And if God would have created those beasts out of the earth, he would not have commanded _Noah_ to have kept them in the Ark. I am fully perswaded, that the beasts which are found there passed that way into _America_; unlesse any thinks that this new world is joyned to the old, on some other side, as _Herrera_ beleeves _Dec._ 3. _lib._ 11. _c._ 10.
_SECT. 41._
As for the other things in the relation of our _Montezinus_, they say nothing which savours of falshood. For their saying that the _Semah_, truly it is the custom of our people, in what part soever of the world they live; and it is the abridgement of the confession and religion of the Jewes. That revelation of the Magicians whom they call _Mohanes_, it agrees with those things which in 2 _Esdras_ you may see, concerning the Miracles which God wrought for the Israelites, as they passed over _Euphrates_, concerning those conditions of not revealing secrets to any, but such an one who hath seen three hundred Moons, (which make twenty five years) it appeares to be true, by what the famous _De Laet_ tells in many parts of _America_, that the _Indians_ do compute their years by Moones. That a secret must be told in the Field, doth not that argue a _Jewish_ custome, which the ancients have observed in _Jacob_? who being about to depart from _Laban_, he called his Wives into the field.
I now conclude this discourse, in which this only was in my intention, that I might briefly, and compendiously declare mine, and the Rabbies opinion, concerning those things which I have handled. I hope that this my indeavor will not be unacceptable, being desired by many men famous both for Birth, and for Learning; not unprofitable, having therein explained the relation of _Montezinus_, with what brevity I could. The Name of God be blessed for ever. _Amen._
CONSIDERATIONS Upon the Point of the _CONVERSION_ OF THE JEWES: