Jews in America, Part 1

Jews in America · Part 1

Iewes in America, OR, Probabilities that the Americans are Jewes.

CHAP. I.

IT hath been much, and many times, in ſeverall mens thoughts, what Genius devoted our Countrey-men ſo willingly to forſake their Friends, and Nation, expoſing themſelves by voyages long and perillous to ſo many inconveniences, as are to be encountred with by Strangers in a forraigne and unchriſtian land; ſome were haſtened by their diſlike of Church Government; other perhaps were in hope to enrich themſelves by ſuch Adventures; and 'tis like, divers of them did p. 2foreſee thoſe Epidemicall Calamities, now for ſo many years oppreſſing this forlorne Nation, following thereupon Solomons Counſell, A prudent man foreſeeth the evill, and hideth himſelfe, &c. Prov. 22. 5. Or elſe thoſe pious ſoules by a divine inſtinct, might happily bee ſtirred up to deſpiſe all hazards, that the Natives for their temporall accommodations might bee ſpiritually enriched by the Engliſh, and though this was little ſeen at firſt in the endeavours, at leaſt the ſucceſſe of many gone thither, yet who can tell but ſupreme Providence might then diſpoſe mens hearts that way, themſelves not diſcerning that influence; even as Cyrus promoted the cauſe of the Jewes, he knew not why, nor whence, Eſa. 45. 4, 5. Upon confidence that the Goſpell of Chriſt ſhall be revealed in the midſt of that yet moſt Barbarous Nation, the next deſire was, if poſſible, to learne the Originall of the Americans, and by obſervations from Printed Books, and written Letters, and by Diſcourſe with ſome that had travelled to, and abode in thoſe parts ſeverall years, the probability of that opinion as yet praeponderates, that the Weſterne Indians be of Jewiſh race. aaReſtitut. c. 2.R. Verſtegan proves the Saxons to be Germans, becauſe their ſpeech is alike, the names of perſons and things ſometimes agree, and the Idols of them both are not different; Bodine bbMet. Hiſt. c. 9.mentioneth 3 Arguments (b), by which the beginnings of People are diſcoverable, the faire and true dealing of Hiſtorians, the comparing of Language, with the deſcription of the Countrey, ſuch helps have aſſiſted alſo in this enquiry: Grotius ccDiſſertat. de Orig. Gent. Americ.conceiveth theſe Americans to have come out of Europe, paſſing from Norway into Iſeland, thence by Frieſland into Greenland, and ſo into Eſtotiland, which is part of that Weſtern p. 3Continent, hee is induced to that opinion from the names and words of places and things in both ſounding alike: but Io. de Laet ddNot. ad iſtam Diſſert.abundantly diſproves this Conjecture, which yet the Governor of the Dutch Plantation eeKey of the Language of Amer. Pref.there told Mr. Williams was his judgement: Some others take them ffLerius Hiſt. Braſil. p. 231.to be a remnant of thoſe Canaanites that fled out of that Land when the feare of Iſrael approaching thither fell upon them, Ioſh. 2. 9. Others thinke ggLaet Deſcr. Americ. Mr. Gage.it moſt probable, that they are Tartars, paſſing out of Aſia into America by the ſtraights of Anian. Emanuel de Moraes hhapud Laet in Grot. Diſſertat. Part. 1. p. 216.willingly believes them to be derived from the Carthaginians and Jewes; from which latter that they be deſcended, theſe following Conjectures are propounded to Conſideration.

CHAP. II. The firſt Conjecture that the Americans are Jewes.

THE Indians doe themſelves relate things of their Anceſtors, aaPet. Mart. Decad. alii que .ſuteable to what we read of the Jewes in the Bible, and elſewhere, which they alſo mentioned to the Spaniards at their firſt acceſſe thither; and here the Speech of Myrſilus bbIn Boroſo. l. 6.occurred as obſervable: if we would know, ſaith hee, the Antiquity and Originall of a Nation, there is more credit to be given to the Natives and their Neighbors, than to ſtrangers, and Caeſar ccIn Bodin. Meth. p. 493.concluded the Britons to be Gaules, becauſe that was the affirmation of them both. P. Martyr ddIb. p. 353.tells at large, how Muteczuma the p. 4great King of Mexico in an Oration made to his Nobles Mort. N. Canaan. p. 49. Malvend…r de Anti…ri p. 155.and People, perſwading ſubjection to the King of Spaine, minds his Countrey men, that they heard from their fore-fathers, how they were ſtrangers in that land, and by a great Prince very long agoe brought thither in a Fleet, They boaſt their Pedigree from men preſerved in the Sea by God himſelfe, that God made one man, and one woman, bidding them live together and multiply, and how in a Famine hee rained bread for them from Heaven, whō in a time of drought alſo gave them Water out of a Rock: many other things, themſelves ſay were done for them, ſuch as the Scriptures relate concerning the Iſraelites at their comming out of Aegypt, as, their Peregrination many yeares, the Oracles they received, their Arke of Bulruſh, wherein Vitzi-Liputzli was included, of the Tabernacle the Ark eeAcoſta. Hiſt. l. 7. c. 4.carried by foure Prieſts, and how they pitched their Tents according to its direction, and who ſeeth not ſaith Malvenda ffƲbi ſupra.much probability that the Mexicans are Iewes, how could they elſe report the manner of their comming into the promiſed Land; they affirme there is one chiefe God, who hath been from all eternity, by whom the leſſer Gods were made, who became Aſſiſtants in the Fabrick and Government of the World, as ſome of the ggAquin. in Gen. 1.Gen 1Rabbins alſo called the Angells Con-Creators with God, to whom the Lord did ſay, Let us make man in our Image, &c. Gen. 1. 26. The Indians judge the Sunne, Moone and Starres to be living creatures, a thing a ſo avowed in the Jewiſh Talmud hhArr. ag. Br. p. 343., ſhewing it to be a thing eaſie enough for the Heavens to declare the glory of God, Pſalme 19. 1. ſeeing they have underſtanding ſoules as well as men and Angels; they iiPet. Mart. p. 353.ſay of themſelves, that they be ſtrangers, and p. 5came from another Countrey. M…s kkLaet. in Grot. p. 219.before named doth not onelyonly averre that many learned men in Braſile take the Natives to be Jewes, but that they themſelves, taught by a moſt ancient Tradition, acknowledge their fore-fathers to be of that linage; and Peter Martyr llibid.hath from them alſo ſuch a kinde of aſſertion: And now whereas ſome conceive the ten Tribes to be either ſhut up beyond the mmComeſtor Hiſt. p. 137. & 169.Caſpian Mountaines, whence they could not get out, though they begged leave of Alexander the Great, yet the way was made miraculouſly unpaſſable againſt them, as the ſame Comeſter relateth: Others ſuppoſe nnG. Sands. Trav. p. 146.them to be utterly loſt, and if once ſo, 'tis probable in the opinion of ſome that they are to be found in America; ooHiſt. l. 1. c. 29.Acoſta acknowledgeth this to be the judgement of divers, to which he is not onelyonly adverſe himſelfe, but endeavours to anſwer their Arguments, as will be ſhewd hereafter; to theſe conjectures of the Natives, let this Chapter bee concluded with the judgements of two others, that have reaſon for what they ſay, the firſt is ppApud 10. de Laet. part. 1. p. 217.Emanuel de Moraes, foreſpoken of, affirming thoſe of Braſile to be Judaicall: Firſt, becauſe thoſe Braſilians marrie into their owne Tribe and Kindred. Secondly, Their Manner is alſo to call their Uncles and Ants, Fathers and Mothers. Thirdly, they are given much to mourning and teares in their Funerall ſolemnities: And laſt of all, they both have Garments much alike. The next is Maſter qqLetter.R. Williams, one of the firſt, if not the firſt of our Nation in New England that learned the Language, and ſo prepared towards the Converſion of the Natives, which purpoſe of his being knowne, hee was deſired to obſerve if hee p. 6found any thing Judaicall among them, &c. He kindly anſwers to thoſe Letters from Salem in New England, 20^th of the 10^th monethmonth, more than ten yeers ſince, in hac verba. Three things make me yet ſuſpect that the poore natives came from the ſouthward, and are Jewes or Jewiſh quodammodo, and not from the Northern barbarous as ſome imagine. 1. Themſelves conſtantly affirme that their Anceſtors came from the ſouthweſt, and thither they all goe dying. 2. They conſtantly and ſtrictly ſeparate their women in a little Wigwam by themſelves in their feminine ſeaſons. 3. And beſide their God Kuttand to the ſouth-weſt, they hold that Nanawitnawit (a God over head) made the Heavens and the Earth, and ſome taſt of affinity with the Hebrew I have found.

CHAP. III. Second Conjecture.

THe rites, faſhions, ceremonies, and opinions of the Americans are in many things agreeable to the cuſtome of the Jewes, not onelyonly prophane and common uſages, but ſuch as be called ſolemn and ſacred.

Common and prophane Cuſtomes in both alike.

1 The Indians aaAcoſta. l. 1. c. 23.weare garments faſhioned as the Jewes, a ſingle coate, a ſquare little cloake, they goe barefoot: if you ſhould aske a man of Braſile what veſtment would pleaſe him beſt, he would anſwer preſently, p. 7bbLerius. Ʋbi ſupra.a long cloake the habit of the Jewes, and this may ſeem no light conſideration to ſuch as minde Seneca's ccDe conſ…at. ad Helvid. c. 8.confidence, that the Spaniards planted themſelves in Italy, for they have the ſame kind of covering on their heads, and ſhooes for their feet.

2 They conſtantly ddMr Will. Key▪ preface.annoint their heads, as did the Jewes alſo, Luk. 7. 46.

3. They doe not onelyonly pride themſelves with earerings eeBenzo. p. 6. & 50. Acoſta. l. 7. c. 17.but their noſes are borcd alſo, and have jewells hanging on them, which they call Caricori, like that is read, Eſa. 3. 20, 21.

4. In all India ffBenzo. p. 193.they waſh themſelves often, twice or thrice in the day, and the women in Braſile ten times ſaith Lerius ggId. p. 94. 107and the Jewes were frequent in this, Mar. 7. 3, 4. Io. 2. 6.

5. They delight exceedingly in dancing, hhId. p. 107. 109men and women, yea and women apart by themſelves; and ſo they did in Iſraell. Exod. 13. 20. 1 Sam. 21. 11, 12. and thus eſpecially after victories iiNova Francia. p. 221.and overthrows, of enemies, which is found alſo, Iud. 11. 34. Iud. 21. 21. 23. & 1 Sam. 18. 6, 7.

6. As the Jewes were wont to call them fathers and mothers, that were not their naturall parents, ſo kkJo. de Laet. p. 217.the Indians give the ſame appellation to Unkle and Aunts.

7. In America they eate no ſwines fleſh llMr Will. Key proſpect of N. E. p. 95.tis hatefull to them, as it was among the Jewes, Levit. 11. 7. Eſa. 66. 15.

8. They waſh mmBenzo. p. 117 222. Lerius. p. 256. 258. Laet Deſcr. of America. p. 545.ſtrangers feet, and are very hoſpitall to them, and this was the known commendation of old Iſraell.

9. The Indians compute their times by nights nnLerius. p. 225 P. Mart. p. 314. 478.an uſe which Laet ooNat in Grot. p. 37.confeſſeth they had from the Hebrews; p. 8they reckon by lunary rules, giving the ſame name to their moneths they do to the Moon, Tona.

10. Virginity is not a ſtate praiſe-worthy among the Americanes ppAcoſta. p. 57and it was a bewaileable condition in Iury, Iud. 11. 37.

11. The Natives qqId. p. 569. Laet. p. 317. and deſcrip. Amer. p. 470.marry within their owne kindred and family, this was Gods command to his people, Num. 36. 7.

12. The Indian women rrCapt. Smith. p. 31. Laet Deſcr. Amer. p. 479.are eaſily delivered of their children, without Midwives, as thoſe in Exod. 1. 19.

13. They waſh their infants newly born ssLerius. p. 236.and this you finde alſo, Ezek. 16. 9.

14. In faeminine ſeaſons they put their women in a Wigwam by themſelves, (t) for which they plead nature Mr Will. Key pref. p. 7. &and tradition; another writes expreſly ſuch kind uuNova Fran. p. 236.of purification they have as had the Jewes.

15. The widdow marrieth wwP. Mart. p. 526.the brother of the deceaſed Husband, which was alſo Moſes law, Mat. 22. 24.

16. Dowries for wives are given xxMr Will. Key.by the Indians, as Saul enjoyned David, 1 Sam. 18. 25.

17. The husband hath power yyLerius. p. 234 Acoſta. l. 5. c. 27over the adulterous wife, to turne her away with diſgrace, they have alſo other cauſes of divorce, as was in Iſrael, Mat. 8. 19.

18. They nurſe their owne children, zz46. Laet deſ. Amer. p. 479even the Mr Will. Key.Queenes in Peru, and ſo did the mothers in Iſrael.

19. The husbands come not at their wives till their children be weaned, (a) ſuch an uſe is read Hoſ. …8. p Lerius p. 236.and at Pera if they be forced to weane them before their time, they call ſuch children Ainſco, i. e baſtards.

20. Among the Indians bbMr Will. Key. p. 139.they puniſh by beating, p. 10and whipping, and the Sachims if they pleaſe, put offendors to death with their owne hands, and ſecretly ſometimes ſend out an executioner, as Mark 6. 27. 2 Cor. 11. 25.

21. If a Braſilian wound another, ccLerius p. 241.he muſt be puniſht in the ſame part of his body, and with death, if the other die, for they alſo anſwer an eye for an eye, &c. as the law was. Deut. 24. 19.

22. When the maſter of the family dieth, he is buried in the middle of the houſe, ddBenzo. p. 168. 291. 39. Acoſt. l. 5. c. 8.with his jewells, and other things he delighted in; the Spaniards were often made rich by ſuch ſepulchars, and Ioſephus eeAntiq. l. 7. c. 12.tells of much treaſure laid up even in Davids grave.

23. The Indians are given much to weeping, ffLerius. p. 266. 267. Benzo. 396 Laet deſ. Amer. p. 545. 642.their women eſpecially, and at burialls; this was in faſhion among the Jewes. Ier. 19. 17. Famous for this they were among the old heathen.

24. Balſamum ggBenzo. p. 222. Acoſt. l. 4. c. 28.was peculiar to the Jewiſh Countrey, and thought to be loſt long agoe ſaith Pliny; hhl. 12. c. 15.if it were, tis now found againe in America.

25. Their Princes and Governours whom they generally call Sachims, Sachmos, Sagamos, iiLaet Deſcr. Amer. p. 75.are no other but heads of families, as it was of old in Iſrael. Num. 7. 2.

26. The Indians have their Poſts kkAcoſt. l. 6. c. 10. 17.and Meſſengers that were ſwift of foot, whom they diſpatcht upon their affaires, and they ran with ſpeed, and ſuch were among the Jewes. 2 Sam. 18. 24, 26, 27.

p. 9CHAP. IV. Sacred and ſolemne rites and cuſtomes alike.

A Coſta aaHiſt. l 5. c. 27.affirmes the Americans to have ceremonies and cuſtomes reſembling the Moſaicall.

1. Circumciſion bbId. de procur. Ind. Sal. p. 6. 45is frequent among the Indians, which ſome not obſerving, have thereupon denyed them to be Judaicall, and Io. de Laet ccIn Grot. part. 1. p▪ 45.is forced to acknowledge ſuch venereous people have ſomewhat like to circumciſion occaſioned by their laſciviouſneſſe; but daily ddP. Mart. p. 175. 290. 293. 296. 300.experience declareth that they have indeed upon them this Judaicall badge. Herodotus eel. 2. p. 143.averreth the Colchi for this to be of the Aegyptian race, and that the Phenicians and Syrians of Palaeſtina learned from them that rite; and though ſome have judged the Tartars to be Jewes, becauſe circumciſed, others ffDr Helin Geo. p. 662. Laet. ibid. 127.yeeld not to this, becauſe they were Mahometans by Religion, and from them received that cuſtome; but theſe people have cut off their foreskinne time out of minde, and it cannot be conceived whence they had this ceremony, but that it is nationall. And though the fore mentioned ggId. p. 128.writer endeavours much to prove, that there is no circumciſion among them, and that ſome other people be ſo handled, whom none yet ever imagined to be Judaicall, but that of Ier. 9. 26. is not ſo fitly I thinke cited for his purpoſe; and Grotius tells him hhIn Laet p. 2. p. 59.confidently, we have ſo many witneſſes that the Americans be circumciſed, as it becomes not a modeſt man to deny it; and among the rarities brought from thoſe quarters, Pancirollus iiTit. 1. de No viter repet is, Cultellos Lapideos quidvis ſecantes▪Titus 1ſpeakes of ſtony knives, very ſharpe and cutting, p. 10and his Illuſtrator kkp. 135.H. Salmuth, ſhewes that the Jewes of old did uſe ſuch in their circumciſings, knifes of ſtone, which Sacrament omitted fourty yeeres in their travell, is revived by Gods command to Ioſhua 5. 2. Make thee ſharp knives, cultros petrinos; Arias Montanus reads, cultros lapideos in the vulgar Latine, but the Septuagint doth not only mention thoſe rocky knives, but adds, taken from a ſharpe rocke, as if the alluſion alſo were to Chriſt, the Rocke, that doth circumciſe our hearts; Lerius llp. 191.affirmes he ſaw ſome of thoſe cutting ſtones or knives at Braſil.

2. The Indians worſhip that God mmMart. p. 524they ſay, who created the Sun, Moon, and all inviſible things, who gives them alſo all that is good.

3. They knew of that floud which drowned nnId. p. 444. Lerius. p. 220. Acoſt. l. 6. c. 19the world, and that it was ſent for the ſin of man, eſpecially for unlawfull luſt, and that there ſhall never be ſuch a deluge againe.

4. It is affirmed by them ooId. de procur. Ind. Sal. p. 68.nevertheleſſe that after many yeers, fire ſhall come down from above and conſume all.

5. They beleeve the immortality of the ſoule, and that there is a place of joy, ppBenzo. p. 396 Relation of Maryland. p. 33. Cap. Smith. Lerius. p 223. Acoſta. p. 345.another of torment after death, whither they ſhall goe that kill, lie, or ſteale, which place they call Popoguſſo, a great pit, like the expreſſion, Num. 16. 33. and Rev. 19. 1, &c. but they which do no harme ſhall be received into a good place, and enjoy all manner of pleaſure.

6. The Americans have in ſome parts an exact form of King, Prieſt, qqMr Will. Key. p. 100.and Prophet, as was aforetime in Conaan.

7. Prieſts are in ſome things among them, as with the Hebrewes, rrP. Mart. p. 418. 473 521. 529. Godwin of the Eſſeni, in Jewiſh Antiqu. Malvend. de Antichriſto. p. 153.Phyſitians, and not habited as other p. 12men, and in Tamazulapa there be veſtments kept like thoſe Aaroniticall robes of the High-prieſt.

8. The Temples wherein they worſhip, ssCapt. Smith p. 120. Acoſta. l. 5. c. 13. Pet Mart. p. 350.ſing, pray, and make their Offerings, are faſhioned and uſed as with the Jewes; at Mexico they were built foure ſquare, and ſumptuous, as Ezek. 40. 47.

9. The Prieſts have their Chambers ttId p 351.in the Temple, as the manner was in Iſrael. 1 Reg. 6▪ 7.

10. They had places alſo therein uuId. p. 314., which none might enter into but their Prieſts. Heb. 9. 6, 7.

11. In their worſhip of Viracoche wwAcoſt. p. 339, and the Sun, &c. they open their hands, and make a kiſſing ſound with their mouthes, as Iob 31. 27.

12. They had almoſt continuall fire before their Idols, and took great care leſt the xxId. l. 5: c. 16▪ 6. 24.fire before the Altar ſhould dye, they call that the Divine Harth, where there is fire continually, like that in Leviticus 6. 9.

13. None may intermeddle with their Sacrifices but the Prieſts, yyId. l. 5. c. 14.who were alſo in high eſtimation among them as they were among the Jewes.

14. Every Noble-man in Mexico zzIbid. l. 5 c. 8.had his Prieſt, as Iſrael had the Levites within their gates.

15. In their neceſſities aaPot. Mart.they always ſacrificed, which done, they grew hopefull and confident.

16. They burnt Incenſe, bbRelat. Mar. Land. p. 169. Acoſt. 5. 16.had their Cenſars, and cake Oblations, as Ier. 7. 18.

17. The firſt fruits of their Corne ccPot, Mart: p. 522. 351.they offered, and what they gat by Hunting and Fiſhing.

18. At Mexico and ſome other places ddIbid.they immolate the bodies of men, and as the Jewes of old, ſaith P. Martyr, did eate of their Beaſts ſo ſacrificed, they feed on mans fleſh ſo offered.

p. 1319. In all Peru they had but one Temple, eeLaet. Deſcr. Amer. p. 398. 434.which was moſt ſumptuous, Conſecrated to the Maker of the world; yet they had foure other places alſo for Devotion, as the Jews had ſeverall Synagogues, beſide that their glorious Temple.

20. The Idols of America ffMalvenda. p. 169.were Mitred, in a manner, much as Aaron was.

21. A yeare of Jubile ggId. ibid. & Acoſt. Hiſt. l. 5. c 29.did they obſerve, as did Iſrael alſo.

22. Lerius tells a ſtory of them, hhId. p. 269.]much like that of Apocryphall Bel, and the Dragon, and his Prieſts.

23. In their Idoll ſervices they iiBenzo. p. 113, 114. cum tympano.dance and ſing, men and women, almoſt as Miriam, with Timbrells, Exod. 15. 20. and then they offer bread, as it is in Malac. 1. 7.

24. They have hope of their bodies kkCento ad Solin. p. 256. Benzo. p. 403, and Hiſt. of Peru.reſurrection, and for that cauſe are carefull in burying their dead; and when they ſaw the Spaniards digging into Sepulchers for gold and ſilver, the Natives entreated them not to ſcatter the bones, that ſo they might with more eaſe be raiſed againe.

25. The Indians make account the world ſhall have an end, but not till a great drought come llBenzo ubi ſup. & Solin. Cent. ibid., and as it were a burning of the aire, when the Sunne and Moone ſhall faile, and loſe their ſhining; thence it is▪ that in the Eclipſes of thoſe two greater Lights, they make ſuch yellings and out-cries, as if the end of all things were upon them.

p. 14CHAP. V. The third Conjecture.

THE Americans words and manners of ſpeech, bee in many things conſonant to thoſe of the Jewes, aaIdem genus ca'cementi, & verba quaedam. Ʋbi ſupra.Seneca hath that other reaſon, perſwading that the Spaniards planted in Italy, becauſe they both ſpeake alike; and as Volaterrane bbl. 30. p. 323.for his Countreymen, ſo ſome ſuppoſe the Greeks long ſince mingled with the Brittans, becauſe we ſtill have divers words of Graecian Idiome. For this reaſon ccƲbi ante.Caeſar judged the Britiſh to bee Gauls, in that the Cities of both the Nations were called by the ſame names. Giraldus Cambrenſis derives his Countreymens Originall from Troy, becauſe they have ſo many Trojan names and words amongſt them; Oenus, Reſus, Aeneas, Deſcr. Cambr. p. 266.Hector, Ajax, Evander, Eliza, &c. and Grotius ddIn Laet. part. 1. p. 30.therefore imagines that the Americans came from Norway, becauſe they have many words the ſame with the Norwegians. It is then conſiderable to our purpoſe, how in this the Jewes and Indians be alike.

1. The aſpirations of the Americans have eePet. Mart. p 248. Laet. ibid. p. 186.the force of conſonants, and are pronounced by them not as the Latines and ſome other Nations, but after the manner of the Hebrewes.

2. The name of that great City Mexico ffMalvenda p. 169.is obſerved in ſound and writing to come very neare unto that name of our deare Lord, Pſalme 2. 2. Meſchico, and Mexico in their Language is a ggGag. Survey. p. 46.Spring, as of our Maſter and Meſſiah; the day ſpring that from on high hath viſited us. Luk. 1. 78.

p. 153. The Ziims mentioned Eſa. 13. 21. and 34. 14. are hhJerem in loc,ſuppoſed to bee wicked Spirits, deluding Mankinde, as Hobgoblins, Fairies, &c. Such are the Zemes among the Indians ſo often ſpoken of by iip. 88. 93, 94. &c.Peter Martyr, theſe they call the Meſſengers of the great God; every King among them hath ſuch a Ziim or Zeme, and from them came thoſe Predictions conſtantly current among them, of a cover'd Nation that ſhould ſpoyle their Rites.

4. Acoſta marvailes much kkHiſt. l. 5. c. 3.at the Indians, that having ſome knowledge that there is a God, yet they call him not by any proper name, as not having any peculiar for him, a Relique it may be of that Judaicall conceit of the non-pronuntiable Tetragrammaton.

5. Tis very remarkable that Eſcarbotus llLact. Deſcr. Amer. p. 53. 164.tells, how he heard the Indians often perfectly uſe the wvrd Hallelujah; at which hee marvailed the more, becauſe hee could not at all perceive that they had learned it from any Chriſtian; and this is with like admiration recorded mmp. 164. 172.by the deſcriber of Nova Francia.

6. In the Iſland of St. Michael or Azores, which belongs to America, ſaith nnp. 154.Malvenda, certaine Sepulchers, or Grave-ſtones are digged up by the Spaniards, with very ancient Hebrew Letters upon them, above and below, thus above, foreign Why is God gone away; and beneath this Inſcription foreign Hee is dead, know God, which words ſeem to have a woefull enquiry of Gods departure from them, with a comfortable Declaration of his dying for them, together with an incitation to know him.

7. Very many of their words are like the Hebrew, which our Novangles ooMr. Will. Key Preſ of N. E. p. 91.have obſerved, and in the general atteſted: A more ſerious diſquiſition into their Language p. 16would conduce much to finde out their deſcent, and helpe exceedingly towards their Converſion; and if it be ſaid, the Jewes were ever tenacious of their Language, which ppPref. to Chaldean Diction.Elias Levita ſaith, they changed not in Aegypt, but if they be now in America, all in a manner is loſt. 'Tis fit then to conſider, that in all Nations, in two or three Ages there is a great alteration in their Tongues; the words of the League between the Carthaginians and Romans in fifty yeares ſpace, ſayth qqBodin. Meth p. 494.Polybius, were ſo uncouth, and little knowne, that they could ſcarce bee underſtood; and rrSyſt. Phyſ.Keckerman ſheweth, (r) that the German language in almoſt as ſhort a time received the like mutation, and our Saxon Anceſtors tranſlated the Bible into Engliſh as the Tongue then was, but of ſuch antique Words and Writing, that few men now can read and underſtand it, which waxing old, and hard, it was againe Tranſlated into newer words, ſaith Arch-Biſhop ssPref. to the old Engliſh Bible.Cranmer, and many even of thoſe words are now ſtrange and neaſie to us; in ſuch ſuddaine Change of Language univerſally, wee need not wonder, that ſo little impreſſion of the Hebrew Tongue remaines among them, if the Indians be Jewiſh; but wee may marvaile rather, that after ſo many yeares of moſt groſſe and curſed blindneſſe, and having no commerce, nor converſe with other Nations, that any the leaſt ſimilitude thereof ſhould be left.

p. 17CHAP. VI. The ſixth Conjecture.

THis which followeth next, at firſt ſight, will appeare a Paradox rather than a Probability, that is foreign Americanorum, the Man-devouring that is in America; for what an inference may this ſeem to bee; there bee Carybes, Caniballs, and Man-eaters among them, therefore they be Jewiſh? But let it be conſidered, Among the Curſes threatned to Iſrael upon their diſobedience, wee read Levit. 26. 29. Yee ſhall eate the fleſh of your Sonnes and of your Daughters, &c. So Deut. 28. 53. Which Predictions, according to common ſuppoſalls, ſeeme to be fully verified in the Famine mentioned, 2 Kings 6. 28. and Lament. 4. 10. and thoſe words are ſpoken of things then done and paſt; but the Prophet Ezekiel, that lived about the ſame time, ſpeakes in the future tenſe of ſome new, and till then unheard of calamity, but ſuch as ſhould bee common afterward; I will doe in thee that I never did before, for in the midſt of thee the Fathers ſhall eat their Sons, and the Sons their Fathers, &c. Ezek. 5. 9, 10. Before indeed, and at the Romans beleaguering Ieruſalem, Women did eate their Children, but there is no relation of Fathers and Sonnes devouring one another, though this be foretold, and as a thing eaſily to bee taken notice of, aaJoſph. de Bello Judaico. l. 7. e. 8.Ioſephus in that laſt ſiege tells but of one Woman eating her childe, and 'tis like there was no other, becauſe the whole City was aſtoniſh'd at the newes, and the ſeditious themſelves did abhorre it; yea and when the Romans heard thereof in their Campe, it exceeded p. 18credit at firſt, and their Generall comforted himſelfe againſt that moſt inhumane and hideous fact, by remembring he had often proffered them peace, and they had as often wilfully refuſed it; but that Prophet foretells an infelicity without parallel, both de praeterito, and de futuro; I will doe in thee that I never did before, neither will I ever doe the like, Verſe 9. And it ſhould be a publick and notorious calamity, for in the midſt of thee the Fathers ſhould eate their Sonnes, and their Sons their Fathers, Ver. 10. Words implying, yea expreſſing more than wee can read was done, either when the Chaldees or Romans begirt their City: And the gloſſe of St. Ierome bbIn Ezek c. 5.Ezek 5ſtrengthens this conjecture; When the Fathers, ſaith he, did eate the Sonnes, or the Sonnes their Fathers, is not related in any Hiſtory, and yet it was to be done openly in the midſt of them, and as it were in the ſight of the Sunne. But if the Jewes bee planted in that Weſterne World, we ſhall ſoone find the accompliſhment of that Prophecie from Heaven, for ccP. Mart. p. 206. Lerius. Benzo. alii.there be Caniballs and Man-eaters in great multitudes; ſome whoſe trade is Homo cupium, & Homo capium, hungring and hunting after Mans fleſh, and devouring it, whoſe greedy bellies have buried Millions of them, theſe Carybes are ſcattered all the Countrey over, the Mauhacks are ſuch, and ſo neare they are, or were to ſome of our ddProſp. of N. Eng. part. 2.Planters, that finding an Engliſhman, they eate one part of him after another, before his face, while he was yet alive. If it be ſaid, they eate none but ſtrangers, or enemies, not Fathers their Sonnes, & Naucler. Chr. part. 2. p. 519.à contra, ffp. 275.Peter Martyr removes that ſcruple, by affirming, if they want the fleſh of Foes and Forraigners, they eate then one another, even their owne ggIn fine. p. 188.kinred & allies, as he writes that added the Centons to hhp. 55.Solinus.

p. 19If it be objected, thoſe Caniballs are of a different Nature and Nation from the reſt, Peter Martyr anſwers that alſo, ſuppoſing all the Inhabitants to bee of one ſtock, becauſe they uſe all one and the ſame kind of Bread, every where called Maiiz, and their Cymbae Uni-ligneae, their Canoes and Boats are in all places alike, and as iiBenzo. p. 120.thoſe Weſtern Nations generally call their Boats Canoes, and their Bread Maiiz, ſo their common word for wine is Chichia, for ſwords Macanas for Kings Caciques.

And if the Americans bee Jewiſh, the Spaniards have yet in another ſenſe fulfilled that Prediction of Ezekiel, for their owne Biſhop kkCrudelit. Hiſpan. p. 50.Bartholomeus de las Caſas writes, how they tooke Indians 10000, ſometimes 20000 abroad with them in their Forragings, and gave them no manner of food to ſuſtaine them, but the Fleſh of other Indians taken in Warre, and ſo Chriſtian-Spaniards ſet up a ſhambles of mans fleſh in their Army; children were ſlaine and roaſted, men were killed for their hands and feet ſakes, for thoſe they eſteemed the onelyonly delicate parts: this was moſt hideous and moſt barbarous inhumanity, the Tidings whereof was ſoone carryed through the Land, and overwhelmed the Inhabitants with Horror and Aſtoniſhment.

p. 20CHAP VII. Fifth Conjecture.

THE people that have not yet received the Goſpell of Jeſus Chriſt are Jewes, but the Americans have not yet been goſpelized; and here three things come to conſideration.

1. All other nations at firſt received the Goſpell.

2. The Jewes before the end of the world ſhall be converted.

3. Theſe Indians have not yet heard of Chriſt.

1. As the Scripture foreſeeing that God would juſtifie the Gentiles through faith, preached before the Goſpell unto Abraham, ſaying, in thee ſhall all the Gentiles be bleſſed, Gal. 3, 8. Gen. 12. 2, 3. 18. 8. In like manner the glorious Goſpell was ſoon conveyed to them, ſoon after the comming of Chriſt, even before the death of the Apoſtles; holy David ſpake of this promulgation, when he ſaid, Pſal. 19. 1. The Heavens, i. e. the Apoſtles did declare the glory of God, &c. For the fourth, Their line is gone out into all Lands, and their words into the end of the world, is applied by Saint Paul to this very purpoſe, Rom. 10. 18. It was the command of their Maſter, Goe teach all Nations, &c. Mat. 28. 19. and preach the Goſpell to every creature, Mar. 16. 15. and they gave hereto moſt willing obedience, which we muſt have believed, though it had not bin ſo exactly recorded in undoubted eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories. p. 21There we read often aaSocrat. l. 1. 15 Ruffin Tripartit. &c. Diſceſſuri ab invicem Apoſtoli normam praedicationis in commune conſtituunt. Cypr. de Symb. Ap.that they divided the world into 12 parts, every Apoſtle accepting that which fell to his lot; but firſt they compiled the Creed, called therefore foreign or Collation, ſaith Caſſian, bbDe Incarn. l. 6▪ c. 3.who was Chryſoſtomes Scholar; becauſe that which was at large expreſſed in the ſeverall volumes of the Bible, was by them briefly contracted into that forme; and to this he applieth that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 9. 28. a ſhort worke we read it now, but of old it was rendred, verbum abbreviatum a ſhort word, a ſhort rule, to which all of them were to conforme their doctrine, and the fifteenth of Iuly was afterwards, and is ſtill celebrated by ccWitek land de Sphaera.ſome Chriſtians, in memory of their thus going to Goſpellize the world; and it is called Feſtum diviſionis Apoſtolorum: yea and the place is yet ſhewed to Travellers at this day, ddG. Sands tra.where they are ſaid to aſſemble upon this occaſion. Very eeSocrat. ubi ante. Ruffin in Symb. & Hiſt. l. 1. c. 9. Tertul. de vel. virg. l. 1. c. 1. Regula quidem fidei una omnino eſt ſola immobilis. & inreformabilis. Clem. Ep. ad Jacob. quam Latin. fecit. Ruffin. Ambr. Ser. 138. Aug, de T. 119.many ancient writers, hiſtoricall and others, ffDiſput. p. 21.agreeing with Vigilius in this, Authenticum ſymbolum quod Apoſtoli tradiderunt; and a little before he blameth ſome for venting ſuch doctrines, as were neither ggIbid.delivered by the Prophets, nor had the authentique authority of the Apoſtles Creed, and yet ſuppoſe it dubious whether that Symboll be indeed of Apoſtolicall conſtitution; and that they did not ſo divide the world to further their worke, which is ſo confidently avouched by the ancient, together with the Countries where each of them had their portion; yet we are ſufficiently aſſured ſuch was their commiſſion, which they purſued with exactneſſe and ſucceſſe; ſo that in their life time by their diligence the whole earth was enlightned: Thus Saint Paul tell his Romans, 1. 8. Their faith was publiſhed through the whole world; the ſame is ſaid to the Colloſſians alſo, 1. 6. and foreign p. 22is uſed in neither place, leſt curioſity ſhould reſtraine it to the Roman World, but foreign, is the former expreſſion, and the latter is foreign in the whole and every part of the world; and is it not conſiderable, as the injunction was, preach the Goſpell to every creature, as was before remembred from Saint Marke, 16. 5. So Saint Paul avoweth that in his time it was preached to every creature, Col. 1. 23. ſuch was then the uſe of that word; the name creature was eſpecially given to man, the chiefe of all creatures below.

And this is unanimouſly acknowledged by the next writers, Ignatius hhEp. ad Philadelph. p. 4.thought to be that little child called by Chriſt Mat. 18. 1. hath this expreſſion foreign, There iiNiceph. l. 2. c. 35.is one Church which the Apoſtles ſetled from one end of the earth to another in the bloud of Chriſt, by their ſweat and labour. Tertullian kkBritannorum inacceſſa Romanis loca Chriſto patuerunt. ad v. Iud. c. 7.Judg 7in the following Century affirmes that the Goſpel in thoſe very firſt times went beyond the Roman Monarchy, even to us Britons; and llHiſt. l. 2. c. 3.Euſebius ſheweth how the doctrine of ſalvation by divine power and cooperation, was carried into all the world: and Iulius Firmicus Maturnus mmDe error. profan. relig.profeſſeth that in his time 1300 yeeres ſince, there was no Nation under Heaven, Eaſt, Weſt, North, or South, unto whom the Sunne of the Goſpel had not ſhined; and not onelyonly in all the Continent, but in every Iſland ſaith Greg. Niſſene; Thus nnDe conſid. l. 2.Bernard alſo, and others; for when the Jewiſh fleece was dried up, all the world ſaith Ierome ooIn Math. & T. 1. Ep. p. 103.was ſprinkled with that heavenly dew.

2. The Jewes before the end of the world ſhall be converted to Chriſtianity; this truth is to be found in the Old and New Teſtament, and hath bin the conſtant p. 23beliefe of the faithfull in every age. The children of Iſraell ſhall remaine many daies without a King, and without a Prince, &c. Hoſ. 3. 4. yet Ver. 5. afterward they ſhall convert, and ſeeke the Lord their God, and David their King, i. e. Chriſt the Sonne of David the King of his Church, thus Zephan. 3. 8, 9, 10, 11. Zach. 12. 10, 11, &c. and ſome predictions in that Evangelicall Prophet Eſay. Saint Paul applies to this very purpoſe, Rom. 11. 26, 27. from Eſa. 59. 20. & 27. 9. yea and our common Maſter Chriſt telleth us, Ieruſalem ſhall be trodden under foot of the Gentiles, untill the time of the Gentiles ſhall be fulfilled, Luke 21. 24. So Saint Paul, when the fulneſſe of the Gentiles is come in, all Iſraell ſhall be ſaved, Rom. 11. 25. Some by Iſraell here would underſtand, Iſraell according to the ſpirit, that is, the Elect from all the Nations: but all along the Jewes and Gentiles are ſpoken of as diſtinct people according to the fleſh, ſo all Iſraell ſhall be ſaved, that is, ppWillet de Vocat. Iud. Malvend de Antichriſto.a very great and numerous company, or many from every tribe, as we uſe to ſay genera ſingulorum, not ſinguli generum, or all the elect of them; for when their heart ſhall be turned to the Lord, the veile ſhall be taken away, 2 Cor. 3. 16. Ancient Chriſtians have ſubſcribed to this; In the end of the world ſaith Ierome qqIn Mat. 24. In Hoſ. 2. In Joh. 4. Mic. 2:Matt 24Hos 2John 4Mic 2the Jewes receiving the Goſpel, ſhall be enlightned, thus Auguſtine rrDe Civit. D. l. 18. c. 28. & 20, 21., Gregory ssMor. l. 35. c. 9., Bernard ttIn Cant. ſer. 39., Primaſius uuIn Apoc. mei p. 31., this was, this is the common opinion of Chriſtians.

Coepitah his, defertur ad hos, referetur ad illoswwSum. Raymundi. p. 81.

Noſtrafides, & erunt ſubmundi fine fideles.From the Jewes our faith began, To the Gentiles then it ran, To the Jewes returne it ſhall, Before the dreadfull end of all.

p. 243. The third conſideration hath a twofold branch.

1. The Americans have not, but 2. ſhall be acquainted with Chriſtianity: and to the firſt all are not of this mind that the Indians have not heard of the Goſpell: for xxEpit. Cent. 16 part. 2.Oſiander ſpeaking of Vilagagno, and his planting there in Braſil, writes confidently, without doubt thoſe people received the Goſpel of Chriſt by the preaching of the Apoſtles 1500 yeeres ſince, but they loſt it againe by their unthankfulneſſe; and Malvenda yyp. 169.allegeth ſome conjectures that Chriſtianity might have been among them, but theſe are ſo few, and ſo forced, that himſelfe ſuppoſeth them rather ſatanicall ſuggeſtions, illuſions, and imitations, than remembrances indeed of the Goſpell.

There be zzDoroth. Synop. Hieron. Catal. Socrat. l. 15. Ruffin. l. 1. c 9. Euſeb. alii queſome records where every one of the Apoſtles planted the faith of Chriſt, in what Nations and Kingdomes, but they are all ſilent touching this part of the world, which indeed was not knowne till of late; yea ſome aaSalmuth. in Pancirol. de Noviter Repert. c. 1. p. 7.conceive, they had no being at all in former ages, and that there was not ſo much as land or earth in thoſe places; however queſtionleſſe they be but of late diſcovery; for though ſome bbBocha. Geo. Sac. p. 716.will have America to be thoſe Atlantique Iſlands mentioned by Plato, others that the Phaenicians arived thither more than 2000 yeeres ſince, and ſome further improbable conjectures there be, 'tis concluded nevertheleſſe by many judicious and obſervant men, that it was never p. 25heard of in this world, till ccAcoſt. Benzo. Pet. Mart. Lerius. &c.Christopher Columbus of Genoa brought newes thereof about 1590. when then, or by whom ſhould they be made Chriſtians? is it credible there ſhould be no records thereof in the Annalls of any Nation? Could ſo great a part of the world become Chriſtians, without any whiſpering thereof to any other; is it likely that all Goſpel impreſſions ſhould be utterly obliterate among them? all the light thereof quite extinguiſhed? and not ſo much as the leaſt glimpſe thereof remaine? as is alſo acknowledged by him ddIo. de Laet in Grot. part: p. 71.that hath written and obſerved ſo much of theſe nations.

2. Seeing they were never yet enlightned, without queſtion they ſhall be, for the Goſpell of the Kingdome muſt be preached every where for a witneſse to all Nations, Mat. 24. 14. Surely ſo large a part of the world ſhall not alwaies be forgotten: Is it imaginable that the God of mercy, who is foreign, a lover of ſoules, Wiſd. 11. 23. ſhould ſuffer ſo great a portion of mankind everto remaine in darkneſſe, and in the ſhadow of death? Is it credible or fit to be believed, that the wiſdome of the Father who taketh his ſolace in the habitable parts of the earth, and his delight is to be with the children of men, Prov. 8. 31. ſhould have no compaſſion of ſuch an innumerable multitude of ſoules? The earth was inhabited eeBucholz Chro. mei p. 136.by degrees, from the place where Noahs Ark reſted they went as the Sunne, from the Eaſt, and ſo planted themſelves forward; and the progreſſe of the Goſpell ſaith ffDe Vit. Conſtant. l. 2. c. 65.Euſebius, was in the ſame manner, and for this there is more than alluſion in Pſal. 19. 5. compared with Rom. 10. 18. That Weſterne part of the world was laſt inhabited, and it ſhall heare of Chriſt alſo in due time, as certainely as there be people to receive p. 26him, for he ſhall be ſalvation foreign to the last end of the earth, Act. 13. 47. And the Americans have a tradition among themſelves, ggPet Mart. Decad. p. 95. &c. 244. Malvenda. ibid.that white and bearded Nations ſhall ſubdue their Countries, aboliſh all their rites and ceremonies, and introduce a new religion.

CHAP. VIII. The ſixth Conjecture.

THE Americans calamities are ſuitable to thoſe plagues threatned unto the Jewes, Deut. 28. Such a comment upon that terrible Scripture is not any where to be found, as among the Indians, by this alſo it will appear probable that they be Jews: and here three things ſhall be touched upon. 1. The Jewes were a very ſinfull people. 2. The Indians were and are tranſcendent ſufferers. 3. In that way foreign litterally, as was threatned to the Jewes.

1. The Jewes were grand offenders; aaDe Arcan Cathol. Vent.▪ c. 24. p. 282.Galatinus mentions ſonre of their enormous tranſgreſſions, with their enſuing vengeances. 1. The ſelling of Ioſeph into Egypt, where themſelves were kept afterward in an iron furnace, and dwelt a long time in an houſe of bondage. 2. Their firſt rejection of the Meſſiah, typified in David, 2 Sam. 20. 1. which was puniſhed by the Aſſyrians. 3. The ſacrificing of their owne children to Idols, and murthering the Prophets that deterred them from ſuch abominations, he calls their third great offence, for which the Babylonian captivity fell upon them. 4. Their fatall and moſt grievous crime was p. 27the denyall of the Holy one, and the juſt, with deſire that a murtherer ſhould be given them, Act. 3. 14. and this brought upon them, firſt the tyranny of the Roman conqueſt, and then all thoſe hideous and horrid tribulations that preſſe and oppreſſe them to this day.

2. The Natives of America have endured the extremities of moſt unſpeakable miſeries: They are a Nation ſaith Lerius bbLerius p. 230.curſed and forſaken of God, and the men of Spaine to their other cruelties added that moſt abominable reproach, theſe Barbarians are ccBenz… p. 77. 111. 167.dogs, unworthy of Chriſtendome; tis too true they were ſo uſed by them, as if they had bin ſuch or worſe, they did ſo weare them up with labour, that they became weary of their lives, the poore creatures chuſing rather to die any kind of death, than to live under ſuch bloody Maſters and Monſters; they ſcared the Indians into woods, where the men and women hanged themſelves together, and wanting inſtruments ſometimes for ſuch ſelfe execution, they helped one another to knit their long locks about the branches of trees, and ſo caſt themſelves downe headlong, their owne haires being their halters; and thus many thouſands of them ended their daies with moſt lamentable yellings and out-cries; their inteſtine violences and injuries among themſelves were woefull by rapine, warre, and ſacrificings of one another, many ddSurius in Append. ad Naucler. p. 775.thouſands of them have been immolated in one day at Mexico; but their ſufferings by the ſpaniards exceed not onelyonly all relation, but beliefe, and ſurely the ſavages could not have outſtripped the Spaniards in barbarous ſavageneſſes, if thoſe Infidells had gotten the upper hand of theſe Chriſtians; a very prudent Cacique ſaith Benzo eeP. 222., that was neere an hundred yeeres old, reported freely, that when he was young, a very p. 28ſtrange diſeaſe invaded thoſe countrys, the ſick commonly vomited many filthy wormes, ſuch a waſting plague he ſaid followed this calamity, that we feared none of us could ſurvive it: and a little before your comming we of Iucatana had two cruell battailes with the Mexicans, in which above one hundred and fifty thouſand were ſlaine, but theſe were all light and eaſie vexations, in reſpect of thoſe terrible examples of intollerable inſolence, avarice, and cruelty, exerciſed by your ſelves upon us; thus he: we read, when the Prophet of God foretold Hazael, the evill bee ſhould bring upon Iſrael Hazael ſaid, Is thy ſervant a dog that he ſhould doe this? 2 King. 8. 13. But the Spaniards did more evill things to the Indians, and ſhewed themſelves with ſhame to be worſe than dogs, witneſſe that bloody Bezerill, though not ſo bloody as his Maſter Didacus Salaſar ffOvied. Hiſt. Ind l. 16. c. 11. in Benzo. p. 295, who ſet that his Maſtiffe upon an old woman, employed by himſelfe, as he feigned with letters to the Governour, who ſeeing the cruell curre, by his more cruell Maſters ſetting on, with open mouth comming upon her, falls to the ground, beſpeaking him in her language, ſir dog, ſir dog, I carry theſe letters to the Governour, holding up to his view the ſeale, be not angry with me, ſir dog, the Maſtiffe as decalmed by that begging poſture and language, abates his fierceneſſe, liſtes up his leg, and beſprinkles the woman, as dogs uſe to doe at the wall: the Spaniards that knew well his curſtneſſe at other times, ſaw this with aſtoniſhment, and were aſhamed to hurt the woman, that ſo cruell a dog had ſpared.

3. The Indian ſufferings have runne ſo parallell with thoſe threats, Deut. 28. as if they had been principally intended therein alſo. Was Iſrael offending to be calamitous, in all places, towne and field, at home and p. 29abroad, &c. The poore Indians ggCaſa, Benzo, alij Hiſtorici paſſim.for their gold and labour, were by the Spaniards hunted out of all places, corners and Iſlands, as if the end of their diſcovery had been indeed to make a full end, and a totall devaſtation of the American Nations. Againſt the ſinning Jewes it was ſaid, Curſed ſhall be the fruit of thy body, &c. verſ. 18. The peſtilence ſhall cleave unto thee, &c. The Lord ſhall ſmite thee with a conſumption, &c. ver. 21, 22, 35, 29. Strange diſeaſes have deſtroyed the Natives, as the hiſtories of thoſe countries doe relate; their cruell taskmaſters the Spaniards, did ſo much overburthen them with load and labour, that the hhIidem.cohabitation of man and wife did ceaſe: ſeven thouſand infants of Cuba did periſh in three moneths ſpace, their mothers worne out with toyling had no milk to give them. The Lord ſaid, He would ſmite Iſraeel with blindneſſe, madneſſe, and aſtoniſhment of heart, and thou ſhalt grope at noone day, as the blind gropeth in darkneſſe, &c. ver. 28. 29. And woefull indeed is the veile of ignorance that is come over the Natives iiPet. Mart: p. 506. Guacca Regio, jarima podex.; they imagined the Iſland Hiſpaniola to be a living creature, eating and digeſting like a monſter: that vaſt ſea-den or hollow place which they call Guacca-jarima, is the voider of its excrements, a fancy like that antique fable of the Demogorgon lying in the wombe of the world, whoſe breath cauſeth the flux and reflux of the ſea: the darke part of the Moone kkId. p. 525.they take to be a man throwne thither, and tormented for inceſt with his owne ſiſter, whoſe eclipſe they gueſſe to be cauſed by the Sunnes anger; thoſe reſponſalls of the aires reverberation, which we call eccho, they ſuppoſe to be ſoules, wandring thereabouts. How were thoſe poore creatures aſtoniſh'd, when they ſaw themſelves torne by llCaſa. p. 100.Spaniſh dogs, whoſe Maſters p. 30would borrow quarters of Indians, men and women, for their hounds, and as commonly expoſe them to ſuch a kind of death and buriall, as if men and women had bin made for dogs meate? how were they affrighted when the feare of Spaniſh cruelties provoked fathers, mothers, children, to hang themſelves together? that Biſhop knew of two hundred and more ſo periſhing by the tyranny of one Spaniard. No mmCaſa. p. 24.marvaile therefore if when the Fryer told Hathuey, the Cacique, of heavens happineſſe, and the torments of hell, and hee underſtanding upon enquiry that the Spaniards dying went to heaven, becauſe they were Chriſtians, let my lot ſaith he fall in hell rather than with that moſt cruell people. God ſaid of the Jewes, They ſhould be oppreſſed and ſpoyled evermore, ver. 29. thou ſhalt betroth a wife, and another ſhall lie with her, ver. 30. you ſhall be left few in number, though yee were as ſtarres for multitude, &c. ver. 62. And theſe Americans were made by the Spaniards every where and every way miſerable, without any helpe or reliefe: Barthol, las Caſas upon fourty two yeeres ſight of their ſuffering, ſympathized ſo much with them, that he repreſented the ſame to King Philip, in hope to obtaine for them ſome favour and mercy, but he little prevailed. One of them boaſted of his care to leave as many Indian women as he could with child, that in their ſale he might put them off to his better profit: from nnId. p. 60.Lucaios to Hiſpaniola, about ſeventy miles, dead carkaſes were caſt ſo abundantly into the ſea, that they needed no other direction thither; and wee know it for truth, ſaith hee, that Countreys longer than all Europe and a great part of Aſia, by horrid cruelties were deſtroyed, and more than twenty Millions of the Natives periſhed; ooBenzo. p. 111.yea in Hiſpaniola alone, ſcarce one hundred p. 31and fifty, of two millions were left alive. In another place hee profeſſeth their tyranny was ſo cruell and deteſtable, that in fourty ſix yeeres ſpace they cauſed, he verily believed, more than fifty millions of them to pay their laſt debt to nature; for I ſpeak, ſaith hee, the truth, and what I ſaw: they dealt with the poore Indians, not as with beaſts, hoc enim peroptarem, but as if they had bin the moſt abject dung of the earth: and is this the way ſaith Benzo to convert Infidels? Such Id. ib. p. 7 & 8kindneſſe they ſhewed to other places alſo, Cuba, Iamaica, Portu ricco, &c. It was ſaid againſt Iſraell, Curſed ſhall thy basket be, and thy ſtore, ver. 17. the fruit of thy land, the encreaſe of thy cattle. ver. 18. all ſhall be devoured by enemies and other Nations, &c. ver. 30, &c. For very much is ſaid of their ſuffering in riches and honour &c. And the Spaniſh Chriſtians that brake into America ſhewed themſelves ſo covetous of their treaſure, that the Natives with wonder ſaid ppCaſa. p. 12. 22. 29. 54.ſurely gold is the Spaniards God; they broiled noble Indians on gridirons, to extort from them their hidden wealth, giving no reſpect at all to their Caciques or Kings. Memorable in qqBenzo. p. 285.many reſpects is the Hiſtory of Attabaliba the great King of Peru, who being conquered and captivated by Francis Pizarro, redeemed his liberty by the promiſe of ſo many golden and ſilver veſſels, as ſhould fill the roome where they were ſo high as one could reach with his hand, and they were to take none away till he had brought in the whole ſumme; expecting thereupon according to covenant his freedome and honour, he diſpatched his officers and ſervants with great care and diligence, and did faithfully performe his bargaine, in bringing that vaſt heape of treaſure together; but they reſolve nevertheleſſe moſt impiouſly p. 32to murder him, though with many arguments and tears he pleaded for his life, deſiring ſometime to be ſent unto Caeſar, then expoſtulating with them for their perfidiouſneſſe and falſehood, but neither words nor weeping, nor their owne inward guilt could mollifie thoſe hard hearts, they ſentence him to death by a rope, and the cruell execution followed; but rrp. 289, &c.Benzo obſerved a miraculous hand of vengeance from heaven upon all that gave conſent thereto: ſo that as Suetonius ssc. 89.records of Caeſars ſtobbers, Nullus corum ſua morte defunctus eſt, every one of them found that conſultation and contrivance fatall; Almager is hanged, Didacus his ſonne is ſlaine by Vacca de Caſtro, the Indians kill Iohn Pizarro at Cuſco, who fell upon Fryar Vincent alſo of the green valley, and ſlew him with clubs in the Iſle Puna, Ferdinandus Pizarro was ſent into Spain, where he conſumed his daies in a priſon, Gonſallus Pizarro was taken by Gaſca and hewen in pieces, and Francis Pizarro that was the Preſident, and gave judgement, died an evill death alſo, being ſlaine by his owne Countrey men in that ſtrange land; ſo juſt was God in avenging ſo perfidious a regicide and King-murder, ſo ominous was their preſumption againſt the honourable, vile ſwine-herds ſentencing ſo great a King to ſo foule a death: thoſe, are his words, in whom, and his interpreter ttBenzo. 179. 311. 315. &c., he that pleaſe may read further, thoſe murderers were baſe in birth and life, and they inſtance in deſpicable particulars.

It were endleſſe to mention all the parallels that the Spaniards have drawne upon the poore Indians, according to the threats of God upon the ſinning Jewes, Deut. 28. 43, The ſtranger that is within thee ſhall get up above thee very high, and thox ſhalt come downe very low. 48. p. 33Thou ſhalt ſerve thine enemy in hunger, and thirſt, and nakedneſſe, and in want of all things, and he ſhall put a yoake of iron upon thy necke till he have deſtroyed thee. 59. The Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull, &c. 61. And every plague which is not written in this Law will the Lord bring upon thee, untill thou be destroyed.

Their Kings and Caciques were no more regarded by them than the meaneſt, they enthralled all the Natives in moſt woefull ſervitude and captivity; their ſufferings have bin moſt wonderfull, ſuch as the Book of the Law hath not regiſtred, nor any other record; they ſpared no age nor ſex, not women with childe; they laid wagers who could digge deepeſt into the bodies of Caſa. p. 19. 11.men at one blow, or with moſt dexterity cut off their heads; they tooke infants from their mothers breaſts and daſh'd their innocent heads againſt the rockes; they caſt others into the rivers with ſcorne, making themſelves merry at the manner of their falling into the water; they ſet up ſeverall gallowſes, and hung upon them thirteen Indians in honour they ſaid of Chriſt and his twelve Apoſtles: And yet further the ſame Biſhop mervailes at the abominable blindneſſe and blaſphemy of his Countrymen, impropriating their bloudy crimes unto God himſelfe, giving him thanks in their proſperous tyrannies, like thoſe thieves and Tyrants he ſayth ſpoken of by the Prophet Zachary, 11. 5. They kill, Id. p. 57.and hold themſelves not guilty, and they that ſell them ſay, Bleſſed be the Lord, for I am rich.

And now if all theſe parallels will not amount to a probability, one thing more ſhall be added, which is the diſperſion of the Jewes, tis ſaid, The Lord ſhall ſcatter thee among all people, from one end of the earth, even to the other, &c. Deut. 28. 64. The whole remnant of thee p. 34I will ſcatter into all winds, Ezek. 5. 10, 12, 14. & Zach. 2. 6. I have ſpread you as the foure winds of heaven.

Now if it be conſidered how punctuall and faithfull God is in performing his promiſes and threats mentioned in the Scripture of truth, wee ſhall have cauſe to looke for the Jewes in America, one great, very great part of the earth; Eſay had ſaid, 1. 8. The daughter of Syon ſhall be left as a lodge in a garden of Cucumbers, and as Helena uuTripartit. Hiſt. l 2. c. 18.found it in her time, pomorum cuſtodium an Apple-yard; ſo wwCatech. 16. p. 263.Cyrill affirmeth in his daies it was a place full of Cucumbers; Ieremies prophecies of Babylons deſtruction, even in the circumſtances thereof, are particularly acknowledged and related by Xenophon xxCyropaid. paſſim., The Lord had threatned to bring a Nation upon Iſraell ſwift as the Eagle flieth, Deut. 28. 49. Ioſephus yyDe B. Judaica l. 3. c. 57▪ſaith this was verified in Veſpatians Enſigne, and the banner of Cyrus was an Eagle zzƲbi ſupra. 7. p. 501.alſo, as the ſame Xenophon relateth; and if the Jewes bee not now, never were in America, how have they been diſperſed into all parts of the earth? this being indeed ſo large a portion of it; how have they bin ſcattered into all the four windes, if one of the foure did never blow upon them? Much more might be ſaid of their ſufferings from the Spaniards, whom the barbarous Indians thereupon counted ſo barbarous and inhumane, that they ſuppoſed them not to come into the world like other people, as if it were impoſſible, that any borne of man and woman ſhould be ſo monſtruouſly ſavage and cruell; they derived therefore their pedigree from the wide and wild Ocean, and call'd them aaLerius. p. 152. alij que Cent. ad Solin. p. 218.Viracocheie, i. e. the foame of the Sea, as beeng borne of the one, and nouriſhed by the other, and poured upon the earth for its deſtruction. bbHiſt. l. 7. c. 22.Acoſta indeed gives another interpretation of p. 35that word in honour of his Nation, but other ccLerius, alij.writers unanimouſly accord in this; and ddp. 405. 406.Benzo confidently averreth, that the conceit and judgement of the Indians touching the originall of the Spaniards, is ſo ſetled in them, that none but God himſelfe can alter their minds herein; for thus ſaith hee they reaſon among themſelves, the winds tumble downe houſes, and teare trees in peeces, the fire burnes both trees and houſes, but theſe ſame Viracocheies devoure all, they turn over the earth, offer violence to the rivers, are perpetually unquiet, wandering every way to finde gold, and when they have found it, they throw it away at dice, they ſteale, and ſweare, and kill, yea and kill one another, and deny God: yea theſe Indians in deteſtation of the Spaniards, he ſaith, doe execrate and curſe the ſea it ſelfe for ſending ſuch an intractable, fierce, and cruell a generation into the earth: But thus have wicked ſinnes drawne woefull puniſhments, threatned to the Jewes, and ſuffered alſo by theſe Americans, wherein the more hath bin ſpoken, not onelyonly to deter all Chriſtians from ſuch inhumane barbarities, but to provoke the readers every way to compaſſionate ſuch tranſcendent ſufferers, the rather becauſe as Canaan of old was Emanuels land, Hoſ. 9. 3. the holy land, Zach. 2. 12. and the Jewes were Gods peculiar people, ſo theſe ſurely are either a remnant of Iſraell after the fleſh, or elſe God will in his good time incorporate them into that common-wealth, and then they alſo ſhall become the Iſrael of God.