NEW ATLANTIS. 391 



of Bensalem extremely. Surely this man of whom I 

 speak would ever acknowledge that Christ was born 

 of a Virgin, and that he was more than a man ; and 

 he would tell how God made him ruler of the Sera- 

 phims which guard his throne ; and they call him also 

 the Milken Way, and the Elidh of the Messiah; and 

 many other high names ; which though they be in 

 ferior to his divine Majesty, yet they are far from the 

 language of other Jews. And for the country of 

 Bensalem, this man would make no end of commend 

 ing it : being desirous, by tradition among the Jews 

 there, to have it believed that the people thereof were 

 of the generations of Abraham, by another son, whom 

 they call Nachoran ; and that Moses by a secret cabala 

 ordained the laws of Bensalem which they now use ; 

 and that when the Messiah should come, and sit in his 

 throne at Hierusalem, the king of Bensalem should sit 

 at his feet, whereas other kings should keep a great 

 distance. But. yet setting aside these Jewish dreams, 

 the man was a wise man, and learned^ and of great 

 policy, and excellently seen in the laws and customs 

 of that nation. Amongst other discourses, one day 

 I told him I was much affected with the relation I had 

 from some of the company, of their custom in holding 

 the Feast of the Family; for that (methought) I had 

 never heard of a solemnity wherein natur_e did so much 

 preside. And because propagation of families proceed- 

 eth from the nuptial copulation, I desired to know of 

 him what laws and customs they had concerning mar 

 riage ; and whether they kept marriage well ; and 

 whether they were tied to one wife ? For that where 

 population is so much affected, and such as with them 

 it seemed to be, there is commonly permission of plu- 



