Tvvo epistles vnto great men of Britanie, in the yeare 1599 Requesting them to put their neckes unto the work of theyr Lord: to break the bread of the soule unto the hungry Iewes, by theyr writinges, or by theyr charges, through such as be ready to declare all that theyr necessity doth require. Printed now the second time, in the yeare synce the creation of the world 5532. Or yeare of the Lord 1606. Translated by the auctour for the use of such as would & should know what in this cause ought to be performed. Two epistles unto great men of Britanie, in the yeare 1599. Broughton, Hugh, 1549-1612. 1606 Approx. 37 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 11 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2006-02 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A17010 STC 3891 ESTC S120311 99855510 99855510 21005 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. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A17010) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 21005) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 411:19) Tvvo epistles vnto great men of Britanie, in the yeare 1599 Requesting them to put their neckes unto the work of theyr Lord: to break the bread of the soule unto the hungry Iewes, by theyr writinges, or by theyr charges, through such as be ready to declare all that theyr necessity doth require. Printed now the second time, in the yeare synce the creation of the world 5532. Or yeare of the Lord 1606. Translated by the auctour for the use of such as would & should know what in this cause ought to be performed. Two epistles unto great men of Britanie, in the yeare 1599. Broughton, Hugh, 1549-1612. [20] p. s.n.], [Amsterdam? : 1606. Dedication signed: Hugh Broughton. Date of publication conjectured by STC. Two letters. The first letter is to the Privy Council and dated 29 July 1599 at the end. The second letter is to Archbishop Whitgift, undated. Both letters refer to Broughton's "An epistle of an ebrew willinge to learne Christianity--Cf. STC. Title page plus A² (first leaf signed Aij) chi¹ B⁴ C² (British Library copy). Chi¹ to end has initial "u" (e.g. 'unto') and may have been printed by G. Thorp since the initial 'F' on C1v seems to be identical to that in STC 239. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Broughton, Hugh, 1549-1612. -- Epistle of an ebrew willinge to learne Christianity. Whitgift, John, 1530?-1604 -- Early works to 1800. Judaism -- Relations -- Christianity -- Early works to 1800. 2005-08 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-10 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-11 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2005-11 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion TVVO EPISTLES VNTO GREAT MEN OF BRITANIE , IN THE YEARE 1599. Requesting them to put their neckes vnto the work of theyr Lord : To break the bread of the soule unto the hungry Iewes , by theyr writinges , or by theyr charges , through such as be ready to declare all that theyr necessity doth require . Printed now the second time , in the yeare synce the creation of the world 5532. Or yeare of the LORD 1606. Translated by the Auctour for the use of such as would & should know what in this cause ought to be performed . TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE TEMPORAL LORDS OF the Q. of Englandes most excellent privey Counsell . It is high time ( right honorable ) that som order were taken for that matter which the Q. Ambassadour of Byzāttium iudged likely to turn to the good of Cristēdome by right vsage . An entrance into which busines standeth in answering D. Abraham Ruben the Ebrew his Epistle . which to pas over in silence any indifferent wil iudg it great prophanesse . Hee speaketh glorious thinges of Gods goodnes vpon vs. vnto which if wee giue no acclamation , wee may iustly be counted godles . The Q. also is highly extolled by him for extraordinary breading of rare knowledge . Where , as it is profitable for the realme that shee should be counted in trueth no lesse then in title defendour of the fayth , ( which defence standeth chiefly in breeding rare skil for the trueth & clearnes of the holy Scripture ) so it is nedefull to confirm the Iewes praysing in that her Divines shew in worck all which his wordes tell : whereby the Ambassadour be not counted a Thraso for his nation , but honorable in sage spech . Moreover the Iew made a petition honorable for the Q. to performe : and such as she may not deny without open contempt of Christianitie : That one might be sent to Constātina able to direct the Iewes willing to learne Christianity . It is reported in Germanie that this Doctor hath turned full many to our fayth : who if they be not wel directed will turne to many by waies . And the nation that setleth them should finde Eternal blessing of God , and honour among men . An other petition also he hath as profitable for our nation : as nedeful for Iewes : and pleasant for a man of Learning to vndertake . He requesteth a full treatise for the Scripture & against the Law of traditions or Talmud . Here great matter of infinite vse might be handled , for both testaments , their tongues & copie , ( how they shewe Gods wisedome and quick eye ) and theyr story pithily compact , with Christianity breathing through all . So for Iewes traditions , the Ierusalemy Talmud might be printed , with approbation for their examininge of much text , but in such pointes as Rabbines wrest , to defeate S. Stephen , Actes . 7. who truly saith that after Idolathrous Terahs death Abraham was called from Charan : and to disgrace S. Paul geving Saul and Samuel 40. yeares they most impudently geue Samuel but 11. and Saul bare two : against their owne graunt vpon Midras tillin Psalm . 24. So to defeate the Iubilees that they fall not vpon our Lords death , which one poinct falling out from the partition of the Land by fifties vnto redemption makes all past gainsaying , here to worke disturbance they confound all . So where Gabriel telleth an end of Circumcision , sacrifice , and all Moses and the Gentiles callinge into equall covenaunt : there of malice they wander exceedingly . And for the familie of David to disgrace S. Luke and S. Mathew , they forge vanity . For all such they should be confuted . And generally for all their traditiones : whereof they that once were lawfull , had expresse limitation when they should ende . And all their owne additions were foolish or nedeles . For these every Massecheth or treatise might be confuted . This farr reacheth the Iewes Epistle , that which I haue sene . His desire of awnswer appeareth in that he wrote a second : which the Post of Strasburge hath lost . The iourneys of it are so far examined . Your honours must shew what you meane to doe in this case . Religion with policy , as I trow , forbid you to neglect it . Yf your honours thinke otherwise ; that I may discharge my self , and make away for other states to thinck vpon this same cause , I trust your Lordships will not be offended that I print this Letter in sondry languages . Thus I commend your HH . to God , as you regarde his H. & Christianity commended vnto you . BASIL , 29. Iulij , 1599. Your Lordships to commaund , HVGH BROVGHTON . TO THE METROPOLITANE , THE NEXT in England to the Queen ▪ exalted may bee her Maiestie . YOur soule knoweth full well how often you haue beheld my Letters for the affaires of a man of esteem Rabbi Abraham Ruben an Ebrew , a special Lawier in Iewes Lerning : whom we must regard , as hee loveth our nation , and affordeth honorable speches of our Queen , more then any one of milions : & also seketh the honour of our nation , and estimation for the lerning of our people in singular hartiness . Notwithstanding vntill this very day I heard no word from you , but that which others spake vpon heresay : whereon no hold is to bee taken , that you would giue me allowance sufficient to awnsweare the Iewe. And now because I haue been long a pilgrome without awnsweare now these two yeares dayes : & could haue made a greate volume before this , & left myne own busines to be imployed for the vse of the Church , I thought good to demaund of you before the Eyes of this soonne what you purpose for awnswear to the people of the King of Thogarma· And I will stay yet a little tine while , watching what you wil speake in the end . Although he wrote unto my basenes , I am not of authority to aunswer , because his writing went upon matters of your trade . And all the while you hold your peace , none may meddle with this busines . Therefore I am in great expectation that you will not hold your peace : but take the matter in hand : or will say , that you find none in the Kingdome which be men of understanding , and of settled affection for this worke : & will search for them from some other place where they may be found . For hee is not a speaker of light matter : & his spech is not of ēmpty & vayne sound : but he mindeth things of chief regard : his hart uttereth good matter : he desireth in his workes the kingdome of heaven : & his pen is the tongue of an amiable writer . Your eyes have ben the beholders of sundry former letters , & you have marked them . Yet you may here also consider the effect of his wordes : that you may perceive whether great blame were in yee for delay hitherto as though yee had bē weak of judgmēt , & you wil weigh my words whether they give advertisement of right . In the beginning he speaketh highly of God his blessing upō us , in the corners of the earth : how he createth the fruct of lippes to heavens peace , a far off : & from the corners of the earth he hath heard of songes of honour in true justice . Should not we all for this joyn to him with as good spech in the prophets allegories & say of God. Hee hath geven in the wildernes Ceder , The Tabernacles Sittah tree , & mirtle , & oile wood , & set in the desert , the Pitys & the Box also : that wee may see and understand , and marke , and perceave that the hand of the Eternall hath done this for us . It was our duty to have uttered with sage cariage : that the mercies of God upon us pass all spech : and it hath not bene done under the heaven as Gods cōpassiones were shewed upon the people of Britanie : yf God had gevē us an heart to consider his doings . The Rock of my heart knoweth that since I receaved the litle booke of the humane Rabbin I have ben ready to take the matter in hand : as in hand it must nedes be taken . And yf I wēt to the couch of my bed , yf I geve slepe to my eyes , or slumbering to my liddes without thinking upō an awnswear unto the Iew for the praises of our God , let my hand forget to rule a pen , & let my toungue cleave to the ruff . But it was not for me to speak , as with the realmes consēt , much or little , without publique auctority : nor to prevēt you in your owne office . Furthermore , the party hath writ ten most honorable praises concerning the Prince amōge nations , our soveraigne Lady : & he would make her the glory of all the earth . There hath ben none , there is none , there wil be none hereafter , a prayser of her highnes , such as he shewed himselfe . And although my pen found her all this prayse , with the children of the East , yet I am not fit to awnswer for the maiestie of the Q. because I am of no place among you , notwithstanding the manie & great preferments the Queen had to give : & sent me word from the LL. by S. Iul. C. that I should chose honorable preferments . Notwithstanding yf it be the Queenes pleasure to appoynt me for this charge : then wil I goe about hartely , to set forth the honour of her highnes , as the golden head of her kingdome : & I wil not suffre the sonnes of the East to be amazed : that there is no Patron to this cause among all sturdy hartes of Britanie . A digression to awnswere a libeller , that the Iewes Epistle should be forged . I will here digresse from translating : to meet with some readers opinion . For , some say : Many in London are persuaded that the Iewes Epistle was forged . For Wolf the Printer printed so much : & many countenanced the auctour of that fame : as D. Cosen , named in it , & M. Kuph , & Barker , that from the stage came to Paules crosse , & N. Scrivener , & stationer Ox. & M. Lively , & stationer Iacson , & A. w. & S. w. & He that durst write so against a true Epistle sent in Ebrew , to disgrace him that should defend the generall cause should be as great a slave as ever Satan captived : A Purgopolyneicen Menechmus , Knaviter impudent , a brainsick woodcok , & a lunatique foole , a new Iulian Apostata , as allowing sacrifice to be lawfull in Vespasianes warres , & toying with the name CHRIST , as not our Lordes name , but cōmon politique : Dan. 9. & denying that Prophecy had prefixed time for our Lordes birth , baptisme , or death , or for ending of Ceremonies . No better could he be that should write untruly that the Iewes Epistle was forged : & the beleevers of such should deserve to be blowē up with pouder : But some Barrabas recorded thus : The Iewes Epistle saluteth you as you feygne . Till this be proved a slaunder , none should think upon awnswear . And Vladislaus could not give Turkes more offence , & victory , then the forger or slaunderer here . Thus reasonable men have thought . My awnswer is : that the Turky Merchantes know , that the Iew doth acknowledg the Epistles to be his : & Grekes told them that the Rabbin highly commendeth so much awnswer as he had : & a Middelburgean went from me , & much for my sake to him : to whom he acknowledged the Epistle : & told him that the second which he sent & came to England , was the very same in a new copy : least the first had perished . Now a rude Iew , by I. C. setting him on , translated that : so , eyther men be extremly voyde of lerning , or full of impudency : & should abide Vladislaus punishment , for them selves & for such as fight for them , as many have bene noted quickly gone . Besides the libeller forged an whole letter , to play the villain : & skopheth Arc. wh . yelding that to descend to Hel in the Crede , is by cōsequent to ascend unto Paradise : & rayleth upon D. B. his defenders , saying , that none by Scripture may deny that our L. went hence to Paradise : & he libelled , when he hoped for great ruine , matter for bad men : of whom some openly break out , in hope of his libelled assistance . All this may convict the party to be in all badnes & madnes : till he bring a bar . Lo , This answear is plain . Now I will returne to translate : how in the former the Iew talketh of our happines through the blessings of the al sufficient : & of the high & greate dignity of our Q. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( by him ) as the sun ▪ & as terrible as a camp . After this the Iew maketh a petitiō for a matter grateful to him , thankful amōge us : a matter honorable , & nothing onerable . His soule desired to obteyne from England some teachers of justice : which might guide al Ebrewes who delite in the shelter by Christ . & flee to repose al theyr hope under the winges of the Eternal majesty . For it is to be feared lest theyr way-pathes turne to be croked , for want of a guide and directer : & come to be of no worth , and decline in theyr voyage with tottering feet , & seke not the Eternal by the right path . Oh that his petition befell him , & Oh that the Mighty wold giue him his desire . Truly gref parcheth me that the Brestcare of judgement is gone from us , that we kepe back spech of holy truth , & cōtemne his petition , & restraine the request of his tongue : & withold the Māna from his meaning . Oh that my wayes wer fit for a journey as this my soule brayeth after the streames of water , for the honour of our natiō , & for the divine glory of our endes of the earth , the possessiō of the Sone in whō so many as trust are sure of happines . How honorable is the name of Cōstantine for his diligēce & care & busi thoughtes to call nationes unto the mountaine of the Lord , the celestiall Siō , & unto the Ierusalē which cometh downe from an high : our histories shew how he wrote & sent to Spain & India , carefull for East & Weast . Yf we come of his mothers kindred , flesh of his flesh , & bone of his bone , shall not we goe after his steppes in the steppes of Christ ? Is not our soveraī Lady our motherlik Sarah , & a new Helena ? Ther must be sent a messinger to the Virgin sea of Elisa that shal be a builder of the holy city . My hope is the L. wil not despise , nor your Grace . she wil not disdayne to send unto the city of Cōstātin an Orator that can handle the Law , aD . of divinity & an Evāgelist . For the mighty Emperour the king of Thogarmah desired to know the force of our religiō & to see how the high Ierusalē is built amōg us , which is paved with all preciousnes : her stones make a foundation of Saphires : The windowes are of the Chaldy Chalcedon or Carbuncle : & the gates of Chrystall stones : & pleasant stones are in all her borders . VVhen he seeth how beautifull our city is , he will have a desire to dwel with us in peace . Your wisdome knoweth well what the wordes of the Ambassadour closly touched concerning an hope exceeding great . VVe might bring all to passe by the help of God , and our purpose should not be hindred . And yf we could turne him to our side , what goodly dwellinges had we recovered , what pleasant soyles had come again to us : as streames spred abroad : as a garden upon a river . As the Santall which God planted : as the Cedres by the waterside . VVe feele that he is a mighty King : & hath the strength of the Rhinoceros . The mountaynes of the East obey him & principall nations have ben tamed of him . And who wold linger , or faint , or be weary in affayres for so great a personage . Yf wee set one , the Almighty will furnish with strength : & will encrease might , wher litle at the first was . And yf our success be good , we should ridd our side of much harme : & his strength wold turne to be our perpetuall mighty strength . And touching this Iew , newes upon newes rūne & tidinges upon tidinges , shewed by letters that this Rabbin hath drawen many with him to heare the whistling of the flockes of Christ . Yf that be true , our duty requireth we settle them : & to confirme them , lest theyr feet stumble , and theyr steppes slide , and some of them turne unto heresies . Moreover I think that the second Epistle which perished at Strawesburge , declared more oboundantly the counsell of the hart of the Rabbin , & cryed out to find some coning doctor , to teach readily the frame of all the bible . And it were an easy matter to teach them all this : & it should be a glory for our Quene , & as longe as the Mone primeth for ever and ever . And this much for the journey unto the City of Constantina . At the last the Ebrewes desire was to find so much favour as that he might have from vs a treatise of the written word : what consent & perfection the Bible had . The handling of this requireth also a confuting of the Thalmud geven , as Iewes say , by word of mouth from man to man. Here he made an high petition , & requested very depe matter And he knew well enough what costly studies must be joyned togeather for this compasse of lerning . At the first all the Scripture must be abridged , & the accidentes : the incorruption of the text : what tongues the Bible hath : what groūd we have for understanding the tongue of the Law : and the joyning of all bookes into one body : and how the glory of Christ & his salvation doth breath through every severall parcell . After this must come the Thalmudiques , Iewes workes : upon the Law , Prophetes , & Hagiographa . So the ground of translatiō soundly should be manifested . It is knowen & famous how the congregation of Romistes fighteth to overthrow the pureness of the Text : also they deny the Ebrew characters forme now , to be Mosaicall , and deny the vowels to be Mosaicall , & say , the eight hundreth forty eigh margent readinges , check the text as corrupt And thus before the simple folk , the Pope hath fell , cast downe , & overthrowē the glory of the Prophetes . Against such dealinges we should set furth the honour of the volumes writtē , by the Messingers of God , our doctour , & our teacher of justice : and to combat with them which say ther is corruption or alteration in the Prophetes Text. And theyr spech doth spare a truth . For the congregation of the lerned Iewes returned from Babel , men of light , pure , aboundant , mighty , have set up markes & a wall about the Law to kepe it sincere & sound . The Iew knoweth this full well . Yet to shew our consent with him , this matter must be handled . So we shall besene not to have any mynd of agreement and fellowship with them which say , the Originall , ( Ebrew or Greke ) is corrupted . Moreover touching the New Testamēt we must nedes declare wherfore it was written in the tongue of the sonnes of Iaphet : & how God acquainted the Iewes by litle & litle to take the tongue of theyr neighboures . So Ezra recordeth certen Epistles in the tongue of Aram Gen. 10. used in Chaldea & Persia . So Daniel wrote half his book in Arams tongue . And afterwardes the Septuaginta did set over the holy volume into the tongue of Iavan . notwithstanding all this the Iewes doe greatly marveile even unto this day why the New Testament was not written in the Iewes language : ( or tongue of Chanaan . Es . 19. ) and thy have forgotten what theyr old Doctours say : in the Thalmud Ierusalemy , in Megilah fol. 71. They shall in time speake in the tongue of Iapheth in the house of Sem. This thing is a great matter : & goodly to be shewed how it is come to pass . So , to shew directly all the drift of the Scripture , this labour will require travell . For the Iewes in this argument relie upon the Misnayoth or Thalmudiques . But you & your felowes upon our S S. Doctoures . And yf you so deale with the Iew , he and his people wold despise us all . Here I will shew my poore opinion , what should be done for declaration of the wisdome of our faith , according to the expectation of the King of Turky handled in the Iewes Epistle . For I have reason to think that by the Kinges commaundement , & not of him self , he wold write as he did . Thus the case standeth . VVhen we expound the Law , we must serch carefully , the propre force of every word so well as we can : & so we must bring the best sence that we can . For every commaundement litle or great , must be weighed with the balance of the hart . For the hart hath comon judgement planted from the wisdome of the Eternall God. Now yf comon judgement cannot bear the speach : or yf it goe against comon sense , then must we seke a trope from some other place of the Law or holy scripture . For the comon judgement graven in the mind , that is the ground of all expositiones . And all natiōs agree in that . For the Angel betwixt man & God is the light wherwith he was lightned at his coming into the world . And upon this ground all our religion is settled . And we must nedes handle this fully for the Easterne natiōs . And this much for the Scriptures , how the meaning should be opened . There remayneth a laboure of longe winges , for joyning of all the bookes : from theyr begining with the creation of the world , unto the end of the last book : which is called the Revelation of S. Iohn , which sealeth up all . The joyning of the curtines in the Tabernacle was not better fastened with stringes or clasping together , then all the bookes one enter into the other . And three bookes specially are full of the brightnes of Christ , & beames of his glory : the book of Daniel , The foreworke Gospell , & the vision of S. Iohn . How denty unto the palate be theyr wordes ? how swete unto the soule be theyr speches ? They are more worth then Gold , & much Fess Ore , & sweter then hony & the dropping of the combe . For Daniel shewed how Michael stode for his people under Babel , Madaj , Macedon & the Kinges of the North , with the Kinges of Egipt . how they walked in an image ; became as chaff : were eaten up of fier . But the people of Christ was still saved , & they who feared God were more honored in Babel then ever any should have bene under the Kinges of Iudah . Also they were taught of the very day when Christ who was holy above the sonnes of David , shold consecrate himself for us . Yea all nationes knew , whē the King of glory should come into the worle . Also , Flavius Iosephus , beside his testimony that Christ arose again the third day , he confesseth that in his dayes expectation was of a King who should reigne over all the world . Also Romanes wrote in the same sort . And all this bred from the book of Gracious Daniel , whose vesiones are sweteness it self , & his expositiones are as clear as chrystall , concerning what should befall the Iewes , untill the Redeemer came into the world . Also the Grekes recorde all that Daniell prophecyed , to have fallen out . And as he himself shewed in work the force of his name , when he transposed one Letter to make Balat Esh , tzar , he hath broken out a fyre to the foe , & shewed that ther none Bel , Tash , Azzar , Bel a storer of wealth : but Bel he is a fier of sorow to his worshippers & the God of Heavē is Tash Atzar , the storer of wealth : as he calleth his name & the Chaldeās King his name how they agree with Gods present judgemēt then : that the very letters placing should be regarded : so Heathen stories record , that his prophecies be true , & the matters which he wrot of be famously knowē among them : as the fall of Babel , of Paras , of Alexanders howse , and all the warres of the Kinges of the North , & the Kinges of Egipt : and all theyr mariages how they were mingled in the seede of man , and cleaveth not together till the Romanes bestript them of theyr Kingdomes by the yere that Christ came into the world , and was borne in Bethlechem Iehuda , in the reigne of Augustus . Any simple man might see the wisdome of our faith , yf a ready Doctour should teach him the Prophecy of Belat Esh Tzar . Daniel Tash Aozar , had layd up store full great : & he is , as it were a bridge from the end of the captiuity unto the dayes of Christ . And thence springes the Gospell of the fower Evangelistes , Mathew , Marc , Luke , Iohn . They are as the four beastes , in the head of whose bookes is the similitude of the Throne , of the Kingdome of David : and on the similitude of the Throne , the similitude of a man in dede . He is Christ . They have declared in few wordes the perfect knowledge of God with the Spirit of fier & judgemēts & a fierie Law was with theyr disciples . How goodly are the steppes of Christ in theyr story , how precious are his workes & wonders : his right hand wroght valiantly to subdue the old enemy , that he should not deceave the sonnes of Adam . They have gathered all the sweetenes of all the Prophetes to honour the honorable in strength , synce the coming of the sonne of man with the cloudes of heaven : and after his resurrection , he went unto the auncient of dayes , and was brought before him , and to him was geven power and honour and kingdome , and all people nations and tongues worshipped him . Those things have they writtē , and theyr true wordes be as light spred upon the mountaines . Also Iohn in the Revelation buildeth the high Ierusalem : after that Christ had destroyed the lower . And he testifieth that the covenant for all nationes made them the servantes of God in every country under Heaven . Only as in Daniel the sainctes of the most high Trinity , wer alwayes in affliction , so while the world endureth , all that desire life of the world to come , the world of recompence , shal be whittened & purified , through distress & anguish . Moreover he comprehendeth the four beastes of Daniel a new by like dealinges in one beast compoūded of the foure first : & the dealinges of this beast wil be stirring untill light and darkenes have theyr end . These thinges gracious Iohn setteth furth . Your high honour shall wonderfully advaunce the glory of the Gospell yf you afford a declaratiō of these three workes in particular concerning the brightnes of the light of Christ : whose glory covereth the heavens , and his praise filleth the Earth . And furthermore of Christ you hav an heavenly matter of spech . His barres reach through all the curtines of the holy Scriptures : Into which , breath of life is inspired , unto salvation : as he hath bene the hope of the auncient Fathers since Adam was set upon the earth : a bruser of the old serpentes head . Also he is properly Melchisedek , King of Iustice and King of peace : in whom all the families of the Earth should be blessed . And he is the unblemished Lamb , and by his blood we are redeemed : and God gave him for our sinnes : but he shall sit upō the Throne of David for ever : and he at the time prefixed was kild to make reconciliation for sin : & he confirmed the covenant for the many , that is , for all nationes , & he arise & destroyd city & temple , to make an heavēly city that Ierusalem which cometh downe from heaven . Great grace may be shewed in a true narration for all these poinctes . The joy of hart in all the readers wil be pleasant & permanent , when they goe throw Law , Prophet , & Hagiographa . No old gold can match the price ; no silver can be wayed to the valew , it cannot be peised with Ophirs Cethem , with the precious Beryll or ( Isachars ) Saphir . Doubtles a lerned man , & eloquent Oratour , one of a thousand , which could expound from the Apostles according to the brightenes of theyr wordes , how all dependeth upon the salvation of Christ : & how ther is no other name under heavē for which God gave charge to give honour for the world to come , by one booke of direction here , should be of high price , & delightfull full of comfort and esteeme . The joyes and price wold match all Iewells : & vessels of Fess Gold wold be geven for it . The gold and Chrystall wold not match it : the Ramoth and Gabish stones should not be regarded as it . And all this doth the learned Rabbin comprehend : who listned what wil be awnsweared from England , & geveth all heed of attention . The last petitiones cōteyned closly the Thalmudiques . For them a learned book should be made , to allow the right , and to damne the wronge : while the Apostles maner is shewed : how they handle Moyses 613 Lawes : and all their speches are called to those comō places : so to shew all theyr wordes , rule upon rule , rule upon rule : line upon line , line upon line , how they rule the Thalmudiques . A liuely man of good valour wold performe all this . The King of Togarmah or Turky , wished , desireth , and wold have the knowledge of our faith : the Quenes Ambassadour is the reporter : a Iew wrot it again and again : we hahe the praises of our God and of our Quene : he calleth for a guid : he hath geven us the honour asking instruction of us . And now the eyes of all look upon you , low & high mark you , what you will awnswear for the glory of our God and Kingdome , & wisdome of our nation . All Kinges in the world will marke , how you will cary this matter : whether to glory & honour for ever , or to eternall shame & reproch . To the christian Reader . FOr better understanding of this Turky cause , a narratiō of the whole matter may be added . There was one M. Ed. Barton made the Quenes Agent at Constantina , called Byzantium ▪ before Constantin our glory , hating the Idoles of old Rome , removed the Empire seat thither , & called it Constantines city , & new Rome . This Agent ther being a special wise man grew in great favour with the great Turk : whose mother , as report is , was a Iew. Also he fell into acquaintance with the chief Rabine ▪ of the Iewes Synagoge : to whom he had expounded the book of Scripture consent : as the Iew himself in effect recordeth : & greatly moved him to affect Christianes . Now L. Barton , the Rabbin , & the Iewess Quene mother , all three dealt with the Turk to consider that all Turkes perish for ever : & how unnaturall a thing it was for a Father to have his Funerall celebrated with the death of an exceeding great troupe of Sonnes : and told how Christianity were better : & by peace with the Emperour & change of countreys , his sonnes might be amonge Christianes , & theyr Princes sonnes wold gladly dwell in his territories . The Turk began to consult how his owne side could be brought to that . Then L. Barton gave him this intelligence : that ther was one in England : who from a child had night & day studied the Ebrew Bible with all Iudaique Hebrewes : & the Grek holy Testament Equally , expounding the tōgue & matter of the old Testamēt , with all kindes of Greke auctours : which in the university he professed , after one yeres abode there . For he was of his acquaintance , & knew all his affayres . Then he bad ●●nd for him : & he should teach in Ebrew or Greke , in what Church ●e wold in Byzantio : with safe garde , & all countenance : that by Iewes & Grekes assent , the Genisares might come to theyr Parentes faith , & be glad to live for a better hope . All Germanie knew , ●hat in the Turkes court strange alteration was : & he suffred Buda ●nvictualed three dayes : that it might have ben taken : but that our Generall stayed to have the Duk Mathias to come thither to have ●hat glory : But before his coming it was victualled . This & L. Bar●ons auctority as Mardochais Germanie knew . Novv to allure the Christian thither the learned Ievv is set on . He shevveth him self ●o be as learned a Rabbin as any in the world . Cōstantinopole Iewes ●ccused by Chrisostome very wisely from Dan. 12. by sundry very learned narrations , that therin God reckoning the very dayes of An●iochus rage , as for the 400. yeres affliction Gen. 15. & for the 70. in Babylon Ieremy 25. wold not suffre them voyd of time limited in ●urther affliction from God , those Byzantian Ievves styl provided for the chief city , a chief Rabbin : as for Ierusalem & Nehardeah , in Mesopotamia upon Euphrates . Th●se three places have the chief Rabbines in the world . And he of Constantinopole shevved him ●elf such . He writeth an Epistle full of Rabbish elegancy . And with more reverence then any Ievv might give a Christian , that forsoke ●ot his ovvne side . For they have a Canon , that , none seke Physik of 〈◊〉 Christian for body or soule , in Maymony . The sum of his letter was , ●hat the party wold come to Byzantian Rome , to bestovv his Ebrevv ●tudies among Ebrevves : & not live wher none knevv theyr use . He should be a Ietro to the Ievves , in theyr wildernes . And he should ●ule all Divinity scholes ther. It had ben death to him to have writ●en so unless the Turk bade him : and the Ievves in all places had sone ●en his accusers . This Epistle was sent to England , as a litle booke : to ●ALD . STAPERS , by L. Barton , writing that yf the party came to Constantinopolin it might turne to the good of Christendome . These fevv wordes might tell all not Atheā by envy , what the matter was . The LL. savv it : & none of theyr scholers could read it , as it hath strange writing , & a style most strange . Archb. wh . bade that it should be sent to me . I was then at Basil . I left England , being persecuted for sayng , that Barovv & Greenvvood wer pardon for all , as they were , but for denying that our L. went to Hel. And the very Iesuites of Mentz in a Grek letter to my self say : the Church never beleeued that our L. went to worse lodge then the Fathes had . All living are superi , all dead inferi : and against Epicures we confess our L. went to inferos , the soules departed . Before execution of Barovv & greenvvood tvvo dayes B. Elmer requested a chaplein of N. N. to request me from him , to talk with the tvvo bent to die : saying , as sure as I live , yf he talk with them , he will save theyr life . The Chaplein promised to move me , but did not . Othervvise he had requested me by an other . But the Chaplein had rather tvvo should dye : then N. should be detected , what imprisonment & coile his Gehēna kindled : as his slime still rageth in the same badnes & madnes , vvishing as Nero that all might be kild at a blovv that is not of theyr heresie . To be revenged of him , requesting leave of my L. keper , I went over sea , & at Midelburg I printed of the Kinges Right : & of the Grek Credes phrase : that by Heathen , 70. Apostles , or Thalmudizing Greke , it never meant more or less in writers of esteeme , then to go hence to God. And that in the Godly it was all one with this : to ascend into Paradise . From Middelburg I went to Helvetia for this cause . An Helvetian told me ther , that the Pope had sent one D. Pistorius to dispute , that the Scripture was corrupt : & therfore the Church must iudge : & yf our halfe wold not yeld to that : he wold fortify his side to fell ours . The Helvetian told me , that foyling him I should hinder warres . I went thither : he provoked me , upon occasion of spech , being at Fribourge , when I was in Basil 20. miles off . I wrote to him in Grek wherin he gloried : how he was led amisse . He three dayes after commēded my poore studies most highly to our Tigurines : who sent me his letter : but in the end , he wrot in Greke , he wold not dispute . That was shewed to the Popes Captaines : then they sayd : so our cōmissiō for war cesseth : seing the Popes D. is broken . A learned man Lodovicus Lucius will testify and sweare this : & the LL. of Berne , Zurick , & Basil offred all sufficient : hut I told I was bent to an other . This was my basil voiage wher I printed the two Eb. Epistles . Finis .