Pilgrimage, Book 2 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
The miserable destruction and dispersion of the Iewes from the time of the desolation of their Citie and Temple to this day.
THE Curse threatned vntounto this superstitious and rebellious Nation, aDeut.28.28.Madnesse, blindnesse, astonishment of heart, to grope at noone dayes as the blinds gropeth in darknesse, to bee a wonder, aprouer be, and a common talke among all people, among which they should be scattered from one end of the world to the other, is this day fulfilled in our eyes, both in respect of their Politie and Religion, Gods iust iudgement sealing that their owne imprecation bMat.27.25.his bloud be on vsus, & on our children, and pursuing them in all places of their dispersion through the reuolutions of so many ages. Odious are they, not to the Christians alone, but to the heathen people that know not GOD: cP. Galat.l 4. c.28. Bidalph.letter.nor will the Turke receiue a Iew into the felowship of their Mahumetane superstition, except he hath passed first from his Iudaisme through the pargation of a Christian profession, vntounto that their no leste ridiculous and miserable deuotion. d1.Thes.2.15.GOD they please not (saith Paul) and are contrary vntounto all men. This their wretchednes although it seemed to begin, when Herode a stranger seased their state, yet was that infinitely more then recompenced, when their Messiah, so long before prophesied and expected, came among his owne, but his owne receiued him not: yea, they crucified the Lord of glory. But euen then also did not the long-suffering GOD reiect them, CHRIST prayed for them, the Apostles preached to them remission of this and all their sinnes, till that (as Paul chargeth them) they cAct.13.46.putting these things from, and iudging themselues vnworthy of eternall life, GOD remooued this golden candlesticke from amongst them to the Gentiles, and let out his Vineyard to other husbandmen. Famine, sword, and pestilence at once assailed them. (And what shall not assaile what will not preuaile against the enemies of GOD?) Ierusalem, sometimes the glory of Earth, the type of heauen, the citie of the great king, and mother citie of the Iewish kingdome, from this incomparable height, receiued as irrecouerable a fall, besieged and sacked by Titus, and yet more violently tortured with inward convulsions and ciuil gripes, then by outward disease, or forraine hostilitie. Iosephus and Iosippus *Ioseph. de Bello.Iud & Antiquit. Iosippus Hebr. both Englithedhauehave handled the same at large, both which can acquaint the English Reader with the particulars. Besides many thousands by Vespasian and the Romans slaine in other places of Iudea, Ierusalem the holy Citie was made a prison, slaughterhouse, and graue of her owne people. First had diuine mercy fEuseb.bist. Eccles.l.3.c.5.by Oracle remoued the Christians to Pella out of the danger, that without any impediment the floud-gates of vengeance might be set wide open for Desolations black guard to enter. Here might you see the strong walles shaking and falling, with the pushes of the iron ramme; there the Romans bathing their swords in Iewish entrailes: here the seditious Captaines disagreeing in mutuall quarrels, written in bloud; there agreeing in robbing and burning the Citie, and in slaughter of the citizens: here hunger painted with pale colours in the ghastly countenances of the starued inhabitants; there, died in red with the bloud of their dearest children, which the tyranny of famine forceth to re-enter into the tenderest-hearted mothers wombe, sometime the place of Conception, now of buriall: EueryEvery where the eye is entertained with differing spectacles of diuersified Deaths', the Eare with cries of the insulting Souldiour, of the famished children, of men and women, euen now feeling the tormenting or murthering hand of the seditious: the sent receiueth infectious plague and Contagion from those humane bodies, with inhumanitie butchered, whom no humanitie buried: the taste is left a meere and idle faculty, saue that it alway tasleth the more distastefull poison of not-tasting and emptinesse: what then did they feele, or what did they not feele? where all senses seemed to bee reserued that they might hauehave sense of punishment? vvhere all outward, inward, publike, priuate, bodily, ghostly plagues were so ready executioners of the Diuine sentence. The continuall sacrifice first ceased for want of Priests of the last course, to vvhom in order it had descended; after for want of a Temple before polluted with Ethnicke sacrifices, and murthers of the Priests and Souldiors, and lastly ruined, the sacred vessels thereof being carried to Rome for ornaments of the Temple of Peace which Vepasian had there *Ios. de Bel.Iud. l.7.c. 14.erected.
Eleuen hundred thousands are numbred of them which perished in this destruction: The remnant that escaped the Romane sword, for the most part, perished after in wars, or killed themselues, or were reserued either for solemnitie of triumph, or (if they were vnderunder seuenteene yeares of age) sold vntounto perpetuall slauery. *Iosep.de Bell. Ind.l. 7.c.17.97000, of these Iewish slaues were numbred: Galatinus gP. Galat de Atcan.l. 4 c. 21.accounteth 200000. And that the hand of GOD might be the more manifest, they which at their Passeouer-feast had crucified the sonne of GOD, are at the same time gathered togither in Ierusalem, as to a common prisonhouse of that whole Nation: and they, which had bought CHRIST of the Traitour Iudas for thirty peeces of siluer, were sold thirty of them for one peece. Galatinus tels of two false prophets, whom, comming in their owne name, they receiued for their Messias, hauing before refused IESVS that came in his fathers name: both these were called Ben-or Barchosba, that is, the sonne of lying. hSanhedrin. lib.s. Helech. R Muse ben. Maimon.The one, not long after the passion of CHRIST, (if the Iewes be not the sonnes of lying which write it) the other in the time of Adrian, Rabbi Akiba, (famous for his wisedome, for his 24000. Disciples, and for his long life) receiued both in their succeeding ages: and interpreted to the first, that place of iHag. 2. 7 8.Haggai, I wilshake the heauens, &c. But afterward they slew him as the Talmud witnesseth, which also affirmeth kTractat. Meghila.that Titus enioyned the Iewes which he suffered to remaine, that from thence they should no more obserue Sabbaths, nor abstaine from menstrous women.
Fortie eight yeares after the destruction of Ierusalem the Iewes made the Citie Bitter *Bethoron.to be their chiefe Citie, and rebelled by the perswasion of Bencochab (so he called himselfe) that is the sonne of the Starre. Of him did R. Akiba (which had been armour-bearer to the former) interpret lTalmud. Ierosol.l. Taanith.that prophecie of Balaam, Num. 23. There shal arise a Starre of Iacob. Adrian then Emperour besieged them in Bitter, (where if you beleeue the Iewish mTract. Beeressith rabb.fables) were 80000 which sounded Trumpets, eueryevery one of them Captaines of many bands, which helped Barcosba, (so they called him after) that is, the sonne of lying, who had 200000, souldiours, which to testifie their louelove and valour had cut off eueryevery man a finger from his hand. After three yeares and sixe monethes the Citie was taken, and nLib.Echa. rabbethi.this their Messias slaine, together with such multitudes that the bloud reached to the horses mouthes, and carried downe great streames vvith the streame thereof, running to the Sea foure miles from Bitter. And Adrian had a Vineyard eighteene miles square, which he hedged with those slaine carkasses, as high as a man can reach (a reacher I thinke.) There were two Riuers oLib.Masseabeth G…itlin.in the region of Ierico, and the third part of them by estimation of the Wise-men was the bloud of the slaine: and seuen yeares together did the people of the Gentiles satten and harten their Vines, onelyonly with the bloud of the Iewes. Adrian slewe also at Alexandria in Egypt, 700000. Iewes.
Dion Niceus pDion. Nicaei Adrianus.(a more credible Author) affirmeth that Adrian sent Senerus against the Iewes, who in regard of their multiudes would not try it with their ioynt forces in set battell, but taking his occasions and best opportunitie, proceeded more slowly and more surely: tooke fiftie of their fortified Castles, rased nine hundred and fourescore of their best townes, slew at sundry times 580000. of their men, besides innumerable multudes, which perished of famine, sicknesse, and fire, these gleanings being greater then the other haruest. Salomons sepulchre by falling downe had fore-signified this their downefall: and Hyaena's and Wolues prodigiously entering their cities, seemed to howle their Funerall obsequies. All Iudaea was left almost desolate. qEuseb. bist. Eccles.l.4.c. 6. Niceph.l. 3.24. Caes.Baron.anal.Eusebius out of Ariston Pellaeus addeth, that Adrian prohibited the Iewes by an Edict to come neere to Ierusalem, or once from any high place to looke towards the same, or the region adioining. We hauehave already shewed how he destroyed this Citie, and built a new (the present Ierusalem) called of his owne name Aelia. He made swine ouer the gates of this new Citie, which images were most faithfull porters to prohibite the Iewes (faithfully superstitious in their faithlesse superstitions) to enter. And as he had erected a temple to Iupiter, in, or neere the place where the Temple had stood, so (to afflict the Christians also) he built another Temple of Iupiter in Golgatha, and of Venus at Bethleem, which continued till the time of Constantine. The Christian Iewes gained by this losse: for when as they might not come to Ierusalem, they afterwards relinquished their wonted Iewish ceremonies. This was the end of Barchosba. And such is the end of all which fight against God and their Soueraigne, their arrowes which they shoote against the clouds fall downe vponupon themselues: he proues a falling Starre, which being but a groser elementarie exhalation, is eleuated by his owne aspiring course (not to the firmament, but) to some higher region of the ayre, where it shineth with the fire which burnes it, and moueth with some short glaunce, till with selfe-ruine it returneth (whence it had beginning) to the Earth.
Thus hauehave we seene the Iewes banished their countrey (about the yeare 135.) agreeing to which their miserable Estate was that order of men, mentioned by sIos.Scal.Llenc. triher.Ser.c.13.Scaliger called foreign Mourners, Heraclitus his heires, which spent their time in weeping, and intended nothing but Lamentation for the Desolation of their Sanctuarie. These hauehave beene among the Iewes (saith he) euer since this destruction, and vvere once a yeere, on the ninth day of the monethmonth Ab, allowed entrance into Ierusalem by Adrians Edict,. And it is written in an auncient Iournall of Burdeaux, *Itinerarium Burdegal.that not farre from the Images there is a stone boared through, to which the Iewes come yearely, and annoint it, lamenting grieuously, and renting their garments, and then depart. Beniamin *Beniamin.(an Hebrew Author) relateth of these Mourners that they giuegive Tithes of all which they possesse to the Wise-men, alway sitting in the Schoole, and to the humbled Israelites and deuout persons which lament Sion, and bewaile Ierusalem. These dwell in Caues, or in ruined houses, fasting all the dayes of their life, except on the Sabbaths and Festiualls, beseeching merciemercy continually at the hands of GOD, touching the banishment and deportation of Israel. And so let them mourne which refuse tLuc.2.11.the glad tidings of great ioy to all people, that vntovs is borne IESVS a Sauiour, which is CHRIST the LORD.
But yet what rockie heart can but mourne with them, and for them, thus made spectacles to the world of bodily & spirituall misery, which both in these times mentioned, and (before) in the time of Traian, and in all ages since, hath pursued them in all places of their habitation, if that name may be giuen to this world-wandring and vagabond-people? In the time of Traian, uEuseb.li.4.c.2Adrians predecessour, the Iewes had rebelled in Egypt, and Cyrene, where they committed much outrage and mischiefe, vnderunder one Luke their captaine, against whom the Emperor sent Martius Turbo, who destroyed many thousands of them; and fearing that the Iewes in Mesopotamia would doe the like, commanded Lucius Quietus to destroy them vtterly; in recompence of which seruice, executed to his minde, hee made him President of Iudaea. Dion xDion.N.Traia…us.saith, That the Captaine of the Iewes was named Andrew, and that they slue many Greekes and Romans, did eate their flesh, girt themselues with their guttes, were imbrewed with their bloud, and clothed with their skinnes; many they sawed asunder, from the crowne downewards, many they cast to the beasts, and many were found to kill one an other with mutuall combats, so that two hundred and twenty thousand persons perished by this vnspeakeable cruelty. In Egypt and Cyprus, vnderunder their Captaine Artemion they destroyed two hundred and fortie thousand. They were subdewed by Traians Captaines, specially by Lucius: and it was made a capitall crime for a Iew (although forced by tempest) to set foote in Cyprus. Africa was repeopled (where they had destroyed) with new Colonies. No maruel if the Romans (thus prouoked) both in the time of Traian & Hadrian destroied so many thousands of them. Iulian afterwards gaue them leaue to returne into their countrey, and rebuild their Temple, more for hatred of the Christians, then for louelove to their Nation: whose wickednesse and answerable successe herein is plainly detected and detested by Gregorie Nazianzene, yGreg.Naz.Orat.4.cont.Iuliaen.and other Fathers, as *Cap.3.we before hauehave related.
To adde further of their bodily confusions and illusions of their bewitched minds: Nicephorus mentioneth a Pseudo-Moyses of the Iews in the parts of Arabia destroyed by the forces of the Empire, together with his Complices in a like rebellion. Socrates zSocr.li.7.c.37describeth a further madnesse of theirs (for true is that saying of Saint Paeul. That they which will not beleeue the Truth, are giuen ouer to strong delusions to beleeue lies.) In the Ile of Creete was *Anno 434.a false prophet, that affirmed himselfe to be Moyses, which led the Israelites through the red Sea, and to bee sent from heauen to those Iewes to conduct them through the red Sea, into the continent of the Holie Land. This hee perswaded them for the space of a whole yeere, going from citie to citie: and at last induced them to leaue their riches to them that would take them, and to follow him: at a day appointed hee went afore them vntounto a Promontorie of the Sea, and there biddes them leape in; which many obeying, perished in the waues, and many more had perished, had not some Christian Merchants and Fishers beene at land, which saued some, and forbade the rest to follow. The Iews seeking to be reuenged of this counterfeit Moses. could no where finde him: and therefore thought him to be some Deuill in humane shape, which sought their destruction, and thereupon, many of them became Christians.
Of their miseries sustained in all places of their abode, all histories gaue mention. And yet their superstition is more lamentable then their dispersion, as also their pertinacie and stubbornenesse in their superstition. And certainely mee thinkes, that euen to him that will walke by sight, and not by faith, not obliging his credite to meere authoritie, as the case standeth betwixt vsus and the Scriptures, but will bee drawne by the cords of Reason onelyonly and Sense, euen to such a one mee thinkes this Historie of the Iewes may be a visible demonstration of the truth of Christian Religion: not onelyonly because the truth of the prophecies of aGenesis 49.Iaacob, of bDeut.28.Moses, of cEsa.6.Esay, and other the Prophets is fulfilled in them; and because GODS iustice still exacteth the punishment of the betraying and murthering that Iust one; but especially in this, that the bitterest enemies, cruellest persecutors, and wilfullest haters that euer were of the Christian truth, are dispersed into so many parts of the world, as witnesses of the same truth; holding and maintaining to death the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets; then which, euen Reason being iudge (as is said before) we will not desire sounder and fuller proofes of our profession. Neither is our Gospel wherein we differ from them, any other then the fulfilling of their Lawe: and CHRIST came not to destroy the Lawe, but to fulfill the same. In him the Promises, in him the Figures, in him the righteousnesse of the Lawe, righteousnes in doctrine, righteousnesse in practise, righteousnesse of doing, righteousnesse of suffering, to satisfie the debt, to merite the inheritance, are the witnesses, that in him they are all, yea and Amen, hauehave receiued their perfect being and accomplishment. But *….Cor. 3.15.the veile is ouer their hearts; eyes they hauehave and see not, eares and heare not: They holde out to vsus the light of the Scripture, themselues walking in darkenesse, and reserued to darkenesse; like to a Lampe, Lanthorne, or Candlesticke, communicating light to others, whereof themselues are not capable, nor can make any vse.
But to returne, to consider further of their dispersions. Wee hauehave shewed how they were vtterly cast out of their Countrey: and Italie, and the Empire was filled with Iewish slaues. Nor was this their first dispersion: but as the Aslyrians had carried away the other tenne Tribes, whose of-spring, as is thought, about the yeare of our Lord God, one thousand two hundred, founded that mightie Empire of Cathay; so the Babylonians carried away the two Tribes remaining, which might hauehave returned vnderunder the Persian Monarchie; but many remained in those Countries till the dissolution of that Iewish state, and after. They had a famous Vniuersitie at Babylon, which indured till the yeere of CHRIST one thousand three hundred (so writeth Boterus. dG. Botero Ben., Terza part.libr. 2.) At which time they fleeing the persecutions of the Arabians dispersed themselues into India, where many are found at this day. These, through continuall conuersing with the Gentiles and Christians, hauehave small knowledge of the Lawe, and lesse would hauehave but for other Iewes, that resort thither out of Aegypt. Before that time also, if wee beleeue the Aethiopian Historie, twelue thousand eDamian a Goes. Ludonic. Car.Iewes (of each Tribe a thousand) went with the Queene of Saba's sonne, which they say she had by Salomon, into that countrey, and there remaine their posteritie to this day. Thus is Asia and Afrike fraught with them, but Europe much more. Adrian fBoter. Ibid.banished fiue hundred thousand into Spaine, where they multiplied infinitely, and founded an Vniuersitie at Corduba, about the yeare of our Lord one thousand: and at Toledo was a Schoole of twelue thousand Iewes, about the yeare of our Lord, one thousand two hundred thirtie and sixe, as writeth gRab. Mosche Mik. apud Ruxd. ca.1.Rabbi Mosche Mikkotzi: from hence it seemeth they swarmed into England and France. Their miseries heere in our Land indured, are by our Authors mentioned hFox Act and Monuments. Historie of …well &c.in the dayes especially of king Richard the first, and King Iahn; and the whole Land gaue a fift part of their goods to King Edward the first to banish them, Ann. one thousand two hundred ninetie and one.
Out of France they were thrice banished by three Philips although in Auinion there still remaine some of them. Being expelled France, they sought habitation in Germany, where Conradus the Emperour admitted them into the countrey of Sueuia: and thence they flowed into other parts, into Bohemia (in the citie of Prage, are about fifteen thousand of them) and into Austria, and into Hungaria, whence, for the crucifying of a childe, they were banished by King Mathias: as at Trent for the like fact, and poysoning of Wells, they sustained much trouble in Germanie: and many passed to Venice; many also went from thence into Russia (where the people cannot abide to heare them named) and Poland, where Cassimere the Great for louelove of an Hebrew Lasse, gaue them many priuiledges. They liue dispersed in the townes and villages, occupied in handicrafts, and husbandry. They hauehave great Synagogues in Cracouia, Leopolis, and at Trochi, a towne of Lituania: and Maister Barkeley a Merchant of London, who hath spent many yeeres in Liuonia, Polonia, and other of those colde countries, told me, That the Iewes farme the Custome of the Kings, and at Samaiden in Curland one of these Iewish Customers beat out the braines of a Polonish Merchant, for deferring to open his packe: but in regard of the peoples hatred, prouision is made, vnderunder great penalties, for their securitie; and yet many Iewes were there executed by occasion of a murren, procured (as was suspected) by Iewish exorcismes intending a plague to the men, and not a murren to the beasts, if their working had sorted: but the Iewes said it was but a pretence to depriue them of their riches. They heere in Poland print what Bookes they list.They were cast out of Spaine by Ferdinand and Isabella, in the yere, one thousand foure hundred ninetie and two. It is thought *Ioannes Reuclinus Cabal.l.1 saith 420000. persons. Ghachami…., that there went out of Spaine a hundred and twentie thousand families of them (besides Moores) and out of their kingdomes of Naples and Sicill. Hence they passed Anno Domini one thousand fiue hundred thirtie nine, into Tuscane, and the Popes Dominions, whence they were banished by Paul the fourth, and Pius the fift; and receiued againe by Pius 4, and Sistus the fift; Rome and Venice hauing great store of them. This is the Popes holinesse: hee that would not willingly indure a Protestant in the world; besides the Stews vnderunder his Holinesse nose, can indure the Graecians: yea and these Iewes, Rome it selfe hauing tenne thousand, or, *Relat. of Rel. West.after others reckoning, twentie thousand of them priuiledged, with their fine Synagogues, Liturgies and publike Sermons; and to straine vp their Vsurie to eighteen in the hundred: hauing also in some places (it may be in all) a peculiar magistrate to decide controuersies between Christians and them, with particular direction to fauor them in their trade. Dulcis odor lucriex requalibet The beastly trade of Curtisans and cruel trade of Iewes is suffered for gaine, these paying a yearely rent for the heads they weare, besides other meanes to racke and wracke them in their purses at pleasure, they being vsed as the spunge-like Friers, to sucke from the meanest, to be squeezed of the greatest; insomuch that the Pope, besides their certaine tribute, doth sometimes (as is said) impose on them a Subsidie for tenne thousand crownes extraordinarie for some seruice of State. So well is the rule of Paul obserued by this Bishop, not to be a louer of filthie lucre.
Out of Spaine they went into Barbarie and diuers other Countries, and some into Portugal: where Iohn the second made them pay eight crownes for a poll, and yet limited them a short time of departure. Emanuel his successor did the like 1497. except they would become Christians, for which hee assayed diuers meanes. But not preuailing, he caused their children, vnderunder the age of foure and twenty yeares, to be baptised; some rather hurling their children into pits, some killing themselues: many for feare were baptised; some went into Italie and abode in Ferrara, Mantua, Venetia, in the name of Maranes, and hauehave a Synagogue at Pisa. But the greatest part of them went into the East to Constantinople and Salonichi, in which two Cities there are about a hundred and sixtie thousand of them. There are of them in all the chiefe Cities of traffike in the Turkish Empire. *Theatrum vrbi…m Ad. Ro.Tyberias is wholly inhabited with Iewes, which City Zelim gaue to Gratiola a Iewish matron. In Ierusalem there are about a hundred houses of them. There abide not many, because of a superstitious opinion, That before the Messias shall come, a great fire from heauen will consume that Citie and Country, to purge it of the abhomination committed there by profane Nations. At Zante they are so hated, that from Mawndy Thurseday vntill Saturday noone, they dare not come abroad: for the people, in a foolish zeale, would stone them: and some refuse to eate of their meate or bread. The Turkes in their reproach vse such a kinde of imprecation; If this be not true, would GOD I might die a Iew. The old Testament is read of them in these parts in the Hebrew *Let.Bidulp., but their Cakamins and Cohens, that is, their Wise-men and Priests preach in Spanish. Only at Salonichi (anciently Thessalonica) in Macedonia, and at Safetta in the Holie Land, (two Vniuersities) they speake Hebrew. They will rather in blasphemie testifie their hatred of CHRIST, then be able to dispute.