Part 7
“3. That their havinge of synagogues or any publicke meetings for the exercise of their worship or religion is not only evill in itselfe, but likewise very scandalous to other Christian churches.
“4. That their customes and practices concerninge marriage and divorce are unlawfull and will be of very evill exemple amongst us.
“5. That principles of not makinge concience of oathes made and injuryes done to Christians in life, chastity, goods or good name have bin very notoriously charged upon them by valuable testimony.
“6. That great prejudice is like to arise to the natives of this commonwealth in matter of trade, which besides other dangers here mentioned we find very commonly suggested by the inhabitants of the city of London.
“7. We humbly represent.
“I. That they be not admitted to have any publicke Judicatoryes, whether civill or ecclesiasticall, which were to grant them terms beyond the condition of strangers.
“II. That they be not admitted eyther to speake or doe anythinge to the defamation or dishonour of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ or of the Christian religion.
“III. That they be not permitted to doe any worke or anythinge to the prophanation of the Lord’s Day or Christian sabbath.
“IV. That they be not admitted to have Christians to dwell with them as their servants.
“V. That they bear no publicke office or trust in this commonwealth.
“VI. That they be not allowed to print anything which in the least opposeth the Christian religion in our language.
“VII. That so farre as may be not suffered to discourage any of their owne from usinge or applyinge themselves to any which may tend to convince them of their error and turn them to Christianity. And that some severe penalty be imposed upon them who shall apostatize from Christianity to Judaisme.”
9. Petition of the London Marranos to Oliver Cromwell (S. P., Dom. Inter., cxxv. 58):—
“To His Highnesse Oliver Lord Protector of the Com̄onwelth of England, Scotland & Ireland & the Dominions thereof.
“The Humble Petition of The Hebrews at Present Residing in this citty of London whose names ar vnderwritten
“Humbly sheweth
“That Acknolledging The manyfold favours and Protection yo^r Highnesse hath bin pleased to graunt vs in order that wee may with security meete priuatley in owr particular houses to our Deuosions, And being desirous to be favoured more by yo^r Highnesse wee pray with all Humblenesse y^r by the best meanes which may be such Protection may be graunted vs in Writting as that wee may therew^{th} meete at owr said priuate deuosions in owr Particular houses without feere of Molestation either to owr persons famillys or estates, owr desires Being to Liue Peacebly under yo Highnes Gouernement, And being wee ar all mortall wee allsoe Humbly pray yo^r Highnesse to graunt vs License that those which may dey of owr nation may be buryed in such place out of the cittye as wee shall thineke conuenient with the Proprietors Leaue in whose Land this place shall be, and soe wee shall as well in owr Lifetyme, as at owr death be highly fauoured by yo^r Highnesse for whose Long Lyfe and Prosperity wee shall continually pray To the allmighty God.”
MENASSEH BEN ISRAEL. DAVID ABRABANEL. ABRAHAM ISRAEL CARUAJAL. ABRAHAM COEN GONZALES. JAHACOB DE CACERES. ABRAHAM ISRAEL DE BRITO. ISAK LOPES CHILLON.
Oliver P. Wee doe referr this Peticon to the Consideracon of y^r Councill. March ^{ye} 24th 1655⁄6.
(Endorsement) Hebrews ^{ye} 25 March 1656 dd by the Lord Presid^t Gentlemen ye 26 June 1656.”
10. Petition of Menasseh ben Israel to Oliver Cromwell, probably written at the end of 1656 (S. P., Dom. Inter., cliii. 122):—
“To his Highness the Lord Protector.
“May it please your Highnesse, what modestie forbidds necessitie (that ingens telum) compells; that having bene long time very sickly (an expensive condition) I make my moan to your Highnesse, as the alone succourer of my life, in this land of strangers, to help in this present exigence. I shall not presume to prescribe to your Highnesse but havinge had great experience of your greatnesse in compassions as well as in majestie, I lay myselfe at your feet, that am your infinit obliged supplicant & servant
“MENASSEH BEN ISRAEL.”
11. Further petition from Menasseh ben Israel to Oliver Cromwell. It is endorsed “17 Sep. 1657” (S. P., Dom. Inter., clvi. 89):—
“To his Highnesse, the Lord Protector, the humble petition of Menasseh Ben Israel.
“May it please your Highnesse, my only sonne, being now dead in my house, who before his departure, engaged me to accompany his corps to Holland, & I indebted here, I know not which way to turn mee but (under God) to your Highnesse for help in this condition, emploring your bowells of compassion (which I know are great & tender) to supply me with three hundred pounds, & I shall surrender my pension seal & never trouble or charge your Highnesse any more, I am very sensible considering your great past kindnesse (which with all thankfullnesse I acknowledge) how highly-bold this my petition is, but the necessitie of my present exigence & my experience of your admirable graciousnesse to mee have layd mee prostrat at your feet, crying, Help, most noble prince, for God’s sake, your most humble supplicant
MENASSEH BEN ISRAEL.”
12. Petition on behalf of the widow of Menasseh ben Israel, addressed to Richard Cromwell by John Sadler (S. P., Dom. Inter., cc. 8):—
“To his Highness the Lord Protector the humble petition of John Sadler.
“Sheweth that although your petitioner being often pressed to present petitions in behalf of the Jewes did rather dissuade their comming hither, yet by some letters of your late royall father & others of note in this nation some of their synagogs were encouraged to send hither one of their cheife rabbines, Menasseh Ben Israel, for admittance & some freedome of trade in some of these ilands. And when he had stayed heere so long, that he was allmost ashamed to returne to those that sent him or to exact their maintenance heere where they found so little success after so many hopes, it pleased his Highnes & the councell to setle on the said Menasseh a pension of 100£ a yeare which ere long he offered to resigne for 300£ for present satisfaction of debts & other pressures which lay so heavy on him that at length he submitted to resigne his former pension for a new grant of 200£ to be presently paid as the councell ordered.
“But notwithstanding his stay & expense in procuring several seales, he never gott one penny of the said 200£ but at length with his heart ever broken with griefe on losing heer his only sonne and his presious time with all his hopes in this iland he got away with so much breath as lasted, till he came to Midleburg & then he dyed. Leaving a poore desolate widow (with other relations) who solemnly professed she had not money enough to lay him in the sepulchres of his fathers, but for the charity of some that lent or gave them money. It pleased allso your Highess late father to receive one or 2 of the same poore widowes letters to your petitioner (whom they both trusted in that business) & with his owne hands to commit them to the especiall care of Mr. secretary Thurloe who hath also divers times minded the same, but your Highness exchequer is so charged that there is little hope of obteining it there.
“May it please your Highnesse in compassion to the said poore widow & relations of a man so eminent & famous in his owne & meny other nations & for the honour of Christian religion with many other reasons, to order the said 200£ out of the contingencies for the councell or some other treasure where it may be speedily had and without fees allso if it may be according to former orders.
“And your petitioner shall desire to pray.”
PEREGRINANDO QVÆRIMVS. MENASSEH BEN ISRAEL THEOLOGVS ET PHILOSOPHVS HEBRÆVS.
_ÆTATIS SVA ANNO XXXVIII_
_ANNO MDCXLII_
Salom
_Doctrina hic volúit volúitg Modestia pingi. An poterit vúltús charta referre dúos? Hos orúlos, hæc ora vide. Conucuit útrinque. Illa fúos vúltús dixit, & illa fúos._
_D.I._
THE HOPE OF ISRAEL
Written By _MENASSEH BEN ISRAEL_, An Hebrew Divine, and Philosopher.
Newly extant, and Printed at _Amsterdam_, and Dedicated by the Author, to the High Court, the Parliament of _England_, and to the Councell of State,
The second Edition corrected and amended.
Whereunto are added, _In this second Edition, some Discourses upon the point of the Conversion of the_ JEWES.
_By_ MOSES WALL.
LONDON _P_rinted by _R. I._ for _Livewell Chapman_ at the Crowne in _P_opes-Head Alley, 1652.
TO THE Parliament, The Supream Court of ENGLAND, _And to the Right Honourable the Councell of State_, Menasseh Ben Israel, _prayes God to give Health, and all Happinesse_:
It is not one cause alone (most renowned Fathers) which useth to move those, who desire by their Meditations to benefit Mankind, and to make them come forth in publique, to dedicate their Books to great Men; for some, and those the most, are incited by Covetousnesse, that they may get money by so doing, or some peece of Plate of gold, or Silver; sometimes also that they may obtaine their Votes, and suffrages to get some place for themselves, or their friends. But some are moved thereto by meere and pure friendship, that so they may publickly testifie that love and affection, which they bear them, whose names they prefixe to their Books; let the one, and the other, please themselves, according as they delight in the reason of the Dedication, whether it be good or bad; for my part, I best like them, who do it upon this ground, that they may not commend themselves, or theirs, but what is for publick good.
As for me (most renowned Fathers) in my dedicating this Discourse to you, I can truly affirm, that I am induced to it upon no other ground then this, that I may gain your favour and good will to our Nation, now scattered almost all over the earth; neither think that I do this, as if I were ignorant how much you have hitherto favored our Nation; for it is made known to me, and to others of our Nation, by them who are so happy as near at hand, to observe your apprehensions, that you do vouchsafe to help us, not onely by your prayers; yea, this hath compelled me to speak to you publickly, and to give you thanks for that your charitable affection towards us, and not such thanks which come only from the tongue, but as are conceived by a grateful mind.
Give me leave therefore (most renowned Fathers) to supplicate you, that you would stil favor our good, and farther love us. Truly, we men doe draw so much the nearer to Divine nature, when by how much we increase, by so much we cherish, and defend the small, and weak ones; and with how much diligence doe you performe this, most renowned Fathers? who though you seem to be arrived to the highest top of felicity, yet you do not only not despise inferior men, but you so wish well to them, that you seem sensible of their calamity; you knowing how acceptable to God you are by so doing, who loves to do good to them who doe good. And truly it is from hence, that of late you have done so great things valiantly, and by an unusuall attempt, and things much to be observed among the Nations. The whole world stands amazed at these things, and the eies of all are turned upon you, that they may see whither all these things do tend, which the great Governour of all things seems to bring upon the world by so great changes, so famously remarkable, of so many Nations; and so all those things which God is pleased to have fore-told by the Prophets, do, and shall obtain their accomplishment. All which things of necessity must bee fulfilled, that so _Israel_ at last being brought back to his owne place; peace which is promised under the Messiah, may be restored to the world; and concord, which is the only Mother of al good things. These things I handle more largely in this Treatise, which I dedicate to you (most renowned Fathers) you cannot be ignorant, that it is not only not unprofitable, but very useful for States and Statesmen, to fore-see the issue (which yet is ever in Gods hand) of humaine Councells, that so they may observe, and understand from Divine truth, the events of things to come, which God hath determined by his Spirit in his holy Prophets. I know that this my labour will not be unacceptable to you, how mean soever it be, which I trust you will chearfully receive, because that you love our Nation, and as part of it, the Author of this Discourse. But I intreat you be certain, that I pour out continual prayers to God for your happinesse. Farewell, most renowned Fathers, and flourish most prosperously.
_Menasseh Ben Israel._
_Menasseh Ben Israel_, To the Courteous Reader.
_There are as many minds as men, about the originall of the people of_ America _and of the first Inhabitants of the new World, and of the_ West Indyes; _for how many men soever they were or are, they came of those two_, Adam, _and_ Eve; _and consequently of_ Noah, _after the Flood, but that new World doth seem wholly separated from the old, therefore it must be that some did passe thither out of one (at least) of the three parts of the world sc._ Europe, Asia, _and_ Africa; _but the doubt is, what people were those, and out of what place they went. Truly, the truth of that must be gathered, partly out of the ancient Hystories, and partly from conjectures; as their Habit, their Language, their Manners, which yet doe vary according to mens dispositions; so that it is hard to finde out the certainty. Almost all who have viewed those Countryes, with great diligence, have been of different judgements: Some would have the praise of finding out_ America, _to be due to the_ Carthaginians, _others to the_ Phenicians, _or the_ Canaanites; _others to the_ Indians, _or people of_ China; _others to them of_ Norway, _others to the Inhabitants of the_ Atlantick Islands, _others to the_ Tartarians, _others to the ten Tribes. Indeed, every one grounds his opinion not upon probable arguments, but high conjectures, as will appeare farther by this Booke. But I having curiously examined what ever hath hitherto been writ upon this subject doe finde no opinion more probable, nor agreeable to reason, then that of our_ Montezinus, _who saith, that the first inhabitants of_ America, _were the ten Tribes of the_ Israelites, _whom the_ Tartarians _conquered, and drove away; who after that (as God would have it) hid themselves behind the Mountaines_ Cordilleræ. _I also shew, that as they were not driven out at once from their Country, so also they were scattered into divers Provinces, sc. into_ America, _into_ Tartary, _into_ China, _into_ Media, _to the Sabbaticall River, and into_ Æthiopia. _I prove that the ten Tribes never returned to the second Temple, that they yet keepe the Law of_ Moses, _and our sacred Rites; and at last shall return into their Land, with the two Tribes_, Judah, _and_ Benjamin; _and shall be governed by one Prince, who is_ Messiah _the Son of_ David; _and without doubt that time is near, which I make appear by divers things; where, Reader, thou shalt finde divers Histories worthy of memory, and many Prophesies of the old Prophets opened with much study, and care. I willingly leave it to the judgement of the godly, and learned, what happy worth there is in this my Book, and what my own Nation owes me for my paines: It is called_, The Hope of Israel; _which name is taken from_ Jerem. 14.8. _O the hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof. For the scope of this Discourse is, to show, that the hope in which we live, of the comming of the Messiah is of a future, difficult, but infallible good, because it is grounded upon the absolute Promise of the blessed God._
_And because I intend a continuation of_ Josephus _his History of the_ Jewes, _our famous Historian; I intreat, and beseech all Learned men, in what part of the world soever they live (to whom I hope that shortly this Discourse will come) that if they have any thing worthy of posterity, that they would give me notice of it in time; for though I have collected many Acts of the_ Jewes, _and many Hystories out of the_ Hebrewes, _the_ Arabians, _the_ Grecians, _the_ Latines, _and other Authors of other Nations; yet I want many things for this my enterprize, all which I am willing to performe, that I may please my Nation; but rather to the glory of the blessed God, whose Kingdome is everlasting, and his Word infallible_.
_The Translator to the Reader._
This discourse of a Jew comming to my hand, and having perused it, I thought it not inconvenient to make it speake _English_; for the benefit of my Country-men, who wait for the redemption of _Israel_; and at the same time of the _Gentiles_ also. That the Author is a _Jew_, ought to be no scandall to us (though some of us Christian _Gentiles_ are ignorant of, and scandalized at the notion of the conversion of the _Jewes_, as the _Jewes_ of old were, concerning our being converted, and grafted into the true Stock, as in _Acts_ 11.3.) for though God hath rejected them, yet not for ever: _Rom._ 11.25, 26. And also the many prophesies both in the Old, and New Testament, which concern their being received againe to grace, gathered from their dispersion, and settled in their own Land; and their flourishing estate under, now our, and then their and our Prince, Jesus Christ the Messiah, who will then triumph gloriously, and all his people with him; these and many more Promises would want a fulfilling (which the God of Truth wil never suffer) if there should not be the revolution of a time, in which they shall be converted, and grace and peace be poured out upon _Jewes_ and _Gentiles_; though first upon the _Jew_, then the _Gentile_. But besides this, the Author expresseth so much learning that he deserveth honour of all; so much ingenuity, and (so far as his light reacheth) so great a measure of the knowledge and fear of God, that he may wel be set for a pattern to us Christians, who profess much better than he, but live much worse. One thing is very remarkable in him, that wheras many of us (like them who canot see Wood for Trees) though inviorned with mercies in these late revolutions, (I speake not to them who measure mercies only, or chiefly, by plentiful tables, ful purses, rich accoutrements, and the like; that wretched Generation is unworthy of the name of _Men_, much more of _Christians_) yet will unthankfully cry out, What have we got by all these troubles? and what hath been done? surely this _Jew_ shall rise up in judgement against such unchristian Christians; for he in his Epistle Dedicatory says, _The whole world stands amazed at what the Parliament hath done_; besides he cordially and openly owns the Parliament, who as far as I know never did him nor his Nation any further good then to pray for them; (_though we hope, and pray, that their favour may extend to realities, towards that people to whom certainly God hath made many, and great Promises, and shortly will give answerable performances_:) but many among us who injoy peace under them, and many other blessings, (too many for an unthankfull Generation) doe refuse to acknowledge them, doe curse them whom God hath blessed, and even in their prayers to that God who cannot be deceived, or imposed upon; doe vent themselves against this present Government, in expressions so wilde and false, that such Language would be accounted most unworthy, in our addresse to any considerable person, much more then to the great God. I shall only adde this, _sc._ Do not think that I aime by this Translation, to propagate or commend _Iudaisme_ (which its no wonder if the Author doth so much favour, especially in his thirtieth Section) no, through Grace I have better learned the truth, as it is in Jesus, but to give some discovery of what apprehensions, and workings there are at this day in the hearts of the _Jewes_; and to remove our sinfull hatred from off that people, whose are the Promises, and who are beloved for their Fathers sakes; and who of _Jewes_, we shall hear to be, ere long, reall Christians.
The Authors of other Nations, which are quoted in this Treatise.
A
_Abrahamus Ortelius_ _Agathias_ _Augustinus_ _Alexis Vanegas_ _Alfonsus Cemedro_ _Alonsus Augustianus_ _Alonsus de Erzilla_ _Alonsus Venerus_ _Arias Montanus._
B
_Baronius_ _Berosus_ _Boterus_ _Bozius._
C
_Constantinus_.
D
_Diodorus Siculus_ _Dion_ _Duretus._
E
_Eselius Geradus_ _Eusebius Cesariensis._
F
_Famianus Strada_ _Franciscus de Ribera_ _Franciscus lopez de_ _Gomara._
G
_Garcilassus dela Vega_ _Genebrardus_ _Goropius_ _Guil. Postellus_ _Guilielmus Blawius_ _Guil. Schilkardus._
H
_Henricus Alangre_ _Hugo Grotius_.
J
_Jacobus Verus_ _Joan. de Castillanos_ _Joan. de Bairos_ _Joan. Roman_ _Joan. de Laet_ _Joan. Huarte_ _Josephus d’ Acosta_ _Joan. Linscboten_.
L
_Lescarbotus_ _Lucanus_.
M
_Manuel Sa._ _Marcilius Facinus_ _Marinus._
N
_Nicolaus Trigautius._
O
_Origines_ _Orosius_ _Osorius Lusitanus._
P
_Petrus de Cleza_ _Plancius_ _Petrus Simon_ _Petrus Hernandes de Quiros_ _Petrus Teixera_ _Pineda_ _Plato_ _Plinius_ _Pomarius_ _Proclus_ _Porphyrius_ _Possevinus_ _Plutarchus_ _Picus Mirandulanus_ _Ptolomæus._
S
_Semuel Bochardus_ _Solinus_ _Strabo_ _Suetonius Tranquillus._
T
_Tacitus_ _Thomas Malvenda_.
X
_Xenophon._
Z
_Zarate._
_The Hebrew Bookes, and Authors._
Talmud Hierosolymitanum Talmud Babylonicum Paraphrasis Chaldaica R. Simhon ben Johay Seder Holam Rabot Jalkot Tanhuma Joseph ben Gurion R. Sehadia Gaon R. Moseh de Egypto R. Abraham Aben Ezra R. Selomoh Jarhi Eldad Danita R. David Kimhi R. Benjamin Tudelensis R. Moseh Gerundensis R. Abraham bar R. Hiya Don Shac Abarbanel R. Joseph Coen R. Abraham Friscoll R. Mordechay Japhe R. Mordechay Reato R. Hazarya a-Adomi.
THE RELATION OF _ANTONY MONTEZINUS_.
_In the 18th. of the Month of_ Elul: _the 5404 year from the Worlds creation, and according to common compute, in 1644_. Aaron Levi, _otherwise called_ Antonius Montezinus _came into this City_ Amsterdam, _and related to the Sieur_ Menasseh ben Israel, _and other cheifetains of the_ Portugal _Nation, Inhabitants of the same City, these things which follow_.