/ JOABIN THE JEW 261 



and virtue (so they be not above two), he calleth for them 

 again, and saith, laying his arm over their shoulders, 

 they standing : ' Sons, it is well ye are born, give God 

 the praise, and persevere to the end.' And withal de- 

 livereth to either of them a jewel, made in the figure 

 of an ear of wheat, which they ever after wear in the 

 front of their turban, or hat. This done, they fall to 

 music and dances, and other recreations, after their 

 manner, for the rest of the day. This is the full order 

 of that feast. 



By that time six or seven days were spent, I was fallen 

 into straight acquaintance with a merchant of that city, 

 whose name was Joabin. He was a Jew and circum- 

 cised ; for they have some few stirps of Jews yet re- 

 maining amongst them, whom they leave to their own 

 religion. Which they may the better do, because they 

 are of a far differing disposition from the Jews in other 

 parts. For whereas they hate the name of Christ, and 

 have a secret inbred rancour against the people amongst 

 whom they live ; these, contrariwise, give unto our 

 (Saviour many high attributes, and love the nation 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 seraphim, which guard 

 His throne ; and they call Him also the Milken Way, 

 and the Eliah of the Messiah, and many other high 

 names, which though they be inferior 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 commending it, being desirous by tradi- 

 tion 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 Jerusalem, the King of Bensa- 

 lem should sit at His feet, whereas other kings should 

 keep a great distance. But yet setting aside these 



