An Answer to the Lords

THE ARGUMENT OF THE EPISTLE FOLOWING, CONTEYNED in a letter of the Ligier at Constantinopole, Written to a Certen gentleman.

H Ere is a Jew, taking himself learned, and hearing of the good fame of N. hath invited him to make proof of his lerninge, by the due awnswear, expected by the Jew from the said N. And therefore I require your W. though as I hear he be not in london, yet to cause the same to be sent unto him, and to procure awnswear: and if it were possible, to cause him to come hither, being as I here little esteemed there. I assure yor W. it might turn to the benefit of Christendom.

To the right honorable the LL. of the Queen of Englandes most honorable privy council.

A N epistle of an Hebrew most plentifully Lerned in all Rabbin skill, (right honorable) came unto mine hands a feuv days ago: after that it had been in England, and seen of your grace, my L. archb. and some others of your Lordship’s. The right usage of the matter contained therein, as the ambassadors letters vuill show you, what he judgeth, may turn to the good of all Christendom. The matter being of so weighty importance, it toucheth her majesty, to take care, how to deal in princely Lerned wisdom, thoroughly for this case: that all Christendom may see as much done for the common good, as the care and skill off man can afford. Your honors shall see in the letter two points of request: the one touching the countenance and Charges of the Queen to send a scholar requested, to rule all the schools of divinity in Constantinople. This argueth some conference with the emperor for leave And he should be first of high authority at home, that should do this abroad, to the Queens honor. The other point of request standeth, for performance, upon a scholars Lerning: all Hebrew skill for the tongue, & massorites, for comparing with clear declaration, the prophets and apostles: and for awnswear to all the grounds & branches of the Jews cabala, & traditions, how it faileth: and what in their studies can be allowed. Here a Lerned awnswearer will undertake by sure grammar and reason to such a plain heart as he beareth, to make Moses, the prophets, the Gospel and epistles to be as harpers following the Lamb on mount Zion: and will prove all places of Scripture for this consent from the purest and best Rabbin's, taught from ancienter writers then are of their apostasy: and will show touching all their fables, trough their Bible, how for memory of phrases or stories they were invented: as that: Habakkuk brought Daniel a mess of Pottage. whereas the sentence written in great letters THE IVST SHAL LIVE BY FAITH, this for two points: Justice challenged of Daniel to have stopped the Liones mouth: and faith, told by the king of him, made the saying of the amiable prophet to be the mess of potage to him that always maketh God the judge. The demand of the constantinopolitane Rabbin Lappeth in it a discourse and declaration for all these points: in any of which he that faileth shall be are small sway with Jews who will require to mete with better Lerned then them selves before they change religion. Hither of ordinary course, will be long a Censure of the Greke Septuagint: what they alterd to avoid disgrace from heathen: where they missed of unskillfulness, or vnhediness: where the Characters deceived their eisight, that a piece of a letter made a new Greke term: how Bibles vnwowelled caused them sometme of purpose to put one word for another, oftener of error: how in some of all these points the hoy ghost that cannot miss, makes the Apostles to bear with the worlds weakness: requiring herein as much Hebrew ksill against Greeks, as Hebrews call for, against them selves. wherein if Greeks be not overmatched, whose errors have marred all religion, they most hinder all the good that should come to Christianity. These be two chief points of the letter: which do require a direct awnswear: and whereupon standeth all the hope of doing good, to the east part: that they Lerning religion from us in the ends of the earth, may bend all their force, to recompense us, with all good. And these points were contained, in the end of the prose, in his letter: Certen verses of à sonnet are the last end of an hearty affection, showing an infinite desire to have the truth of Salvation opened from England, whence, as he is persuaded that may best be afforded. To win souls good, which he so greatly desireth, not to win a sacrifice, or a cow, as Homer speaketh, nor yet running, as Achilles, for the life of Hector, but running for the souls off all the wandrnig Jews, that they may be gathered into the shepefold of Christ. He greatly extolleth the knowledge of diuinty in England, a congregation of understanding, & of all variety of wisdom, where Children are above all hope multiplied, that with astonishment it may be said from Isaiah, who hath begothen these to me Herein he breaketh out into rejoicing that from the ends of the earth songs are hard, tzeby le tzaddik, the just hath honor. In this, the plain dealing heart greatly rejoiced, with a style learned, from scriptures holy terms, not of so familiar tenor in the vulgar phrase of nations. But in sage estimation his speeches will be perles afore any but hogs. After this entrance to allure recompense for his most humble good will, which any will be willing to recompense, that know by their own feeling what hope of salvation is, he entereth in political sort to Shew the grounds of his petition, upon what hope of promise he opened his desire in this Zealous manner, & thirsty care, to drink of the waters of life, & showeth that M. Edward (as he writeth him) Barton, gave him all his hope: from whose mouth he was stirred up. Him he termeth in most honorable terms, Atzir, that is messinger, faithful to them that send him: the mediator of peace, the Lord & Tiphsar. By that term Nahum nameth the high officers of Nineveh. The same consonantes make Satrap, the Lieutenantes of Persias title. Of him he saith, that he assured him how for bright▪ clearness in the Scriptures he should be fully satisfied for any question touching Scripture, of the Trinity or the other noble treasures of wisdom the arms of the world. And upon his words he concludeth, that the gate of English Scholers being Such, the heart must be more estēed. He hath further praise of the Ambassadors worthiness: & slideth thence vn to the Queens majesties commondation. for which her highness, as a defendour of the faith, in his expectation, will afford him confort & help, for the good of strengthening in Christianity, both him & all of his desire. Of her highness he speaketh Eloquentely in Hebrew terms, picked as Jewels from the bravery of ancient states: yet not base in our language thus: Is not she the mighty among the nations: à princess among the countries, the only queen of this world: Elizabetah, the perfect among the perfect, the terrible as canpes. It is known in the gates of the nations, when they see her, that she is the princesse, the crown, the honor, the diademe the overruler of the knigdome of the Romans. Esau or Edom the Rabbin's generally in their commentaries put for Rome. And that she hath in her kingdom the skillful in all knowledge, for the silver and gold of it: as in the golden Candelstick, for the use of it: the generalles, the particulares, the knoppes, the bowles, and the flowers, And he prayeth heartily that the Eternal king would strength her kingdom, with mighty influēce as was upon syr Francys Draco, a roaring lion against the savage bear that shaketh the earth, & quakech the nations. Other matters which greatly touch the Queens honor, & your G. my Lord Arch. to regard, are in the epistle: for which lam not of place to give any intelligence to her sacred majesty, nor direction. Your grace in a matter of this great weight, as her highness honors regard should be, will not neglect to send a messinger to Basil, to have a copy of the Epistle. As for the letter, I hope it is my right, and that I may keep it for a Jewel, as M. Beza doth his Moses of manifold languages in Hebrew character: which were in England, but required home: of which he wrote to me to Basil, that he would lend me them to further the translation of the Bible, with entreating me not to leave, or give over, for no crossing of hindrance: But he will not let them go, out of this country. So your g. shall have with all my most humble duty, a copy of this epistle, for the Q. honor and speeches touching her: but M. Beza's Book of two volumes is not a dearer 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (so he writeth) to him, then this epistle is to me. And I would not willingly have it out of mine ownek eping. Touching the awnsweare unto the Lerned Rabbi, which should be in his own tongue, and as eloquent as his own style, and from London whether he endorced his epistle: the Ambassador at Byzantium his letter to M. Stapers tellinge that this may turn to the good of all Christendom, hath I hope kindled in your zealous wisdom, a through care: that no contempt of furtherance in this cause, make the nations about think the occasion offered unto you, and neglected, to have been the extreme hindrance & blemish of Christian hope for bettering through the world. Therefore modesty forbiddeth me to challenge any supertority of zeal, as once to turn my pen to exhortation, and stirring up. And this I write not of mine own desire: but to satisfy such as would otherwise think, that I should, awnswear the Jew: because he writeth unto me. But as the Lady of Persia kneled to Hephestio, meaning a supplication to Alexander: So the Jew reverencing me, looketh for an awnswear which the whole state will allow. Now, nether modesty, nor policy suffereth to war in this combat, without the Q. coutenance, preferment, & allowance Whereas the Jew inviteth into trial of learning: if the Q. will, all Christendom shall judge, whether will be found the readier in the prophets language: & controlment of Rabbin's. Doubtless, he must be awnsweared. When others refuse I am ready, after due recompense, to write, and to go: Leauing, as Aristides, particular inuries, for the general good.