BE.ED AMONG THE ANCIENT JEWS. 
399 
he illustrated a remarkable feature in his own character,— 
the ardent affection which he had for his country. 
The later Rabbies, indeed, have declared, that cocks 
were not suffered at Jerusalem, from the holiness of the 
place, and, that it was contrary to their religion, to keep 
them in Judea ; but the reason which they give seems 
to be as unfounded, as their authority is suspicious. They 
say that they could not be kept, as they were reckoned 
unclean by the law of Moses ; but if the Jews refrained 
from keeping them, they could not plead the command of 
Moses, by whom they are never mentioned ; nor that of 
the prophets, by whom Moses was interpreted. 
We have the mere declaration of these Rabbles, for 
judging them unclean; and to this they were led from 
hatred of the Romans, by whom cocks and hens were intro- 
duced to the notice of their countrymen ; as well as of Chris- 
tians, by whom the cock has been much attended to, from 
its mention in our Lord's last conversation with his disciples 
before he was crucified. 
They scruple not to avow, that their forefathers did 
not breed this kind of domestic poultry, and that the Evan- 
gelists uttered a falsehood, when they asserted that our 
Lord told Peter, that he would deny him thrice, before the 
cock crew twice ; a charge for which there is no proof ; and 
until irresistible proof be produced, we are as much en- 
titled to deny, as they are to affirm. 
We may indeed grant, for the want of evidence to the 
contrary, that the Jews did not breed cocks and hens, till 
they were subjected to the Romans, who had long kept 
these birds, because they were fond of eating their eggs and 
flesh ; and, as the Jews had ever been eager to adopt the 
customs of the neighbouring nations, so did they soon follow 
the example of the Romans, in breeding hens, as well as 
cocks, that the eggs which they laid might supply their 
table, and, that their flesh might be at the service of the 
