"believed by the Jews of that city. He that did not "now believe him to be the Messias, was to be shun"ned as an excommunicate person. The impostor "now declares that he was called of God to see Con stantinople, where he had much to do. He ships "himself, to that end, in a Turkish Saick, in Jan. "1666. He had a long and troublesome voyage: he "had not power over the sea and winds. The Vi sier, upon the news, sends for him, and confines “him to a loathsome prison. The Jews pay him "their visits; and they of this city are now as infa"tuated as those of Smyrna. They forbid traffic, and "refused to pay their debts. Some of our English "merchants, not knowing how to recover their debts " from the Jews, took this occasion to visit Sabatai, "and make their complaints to him against his subjects; whereupon he wrote this following letter to "the Jews : 66 "To you of the nation of the Jews, who expect the appearance of the Messias, and the salvation of Israel, CC peace without end. Whereas we are informed that you are indebted to several of the English nation, it "seemeth right unto us to order you to make satisfaction "to these your just debts; which if you refuse to do, and "not not obey us herein, Know you that then you are not to "enter with us into our joys and dominions. 86 "Sabatai remained a prisoner in Constantinople by the space of two months. The Grand Vizier, designing for Candia, thought it not safe to leave "him in the city, during the Grand Seignior's absence "and his own. He therefore removed him to the "Dardanelli; a better air indeed, but yet out of the "way; and consequently importing less danger to "the city which occasioned the Jews to conclude "that that the Turks could not, or durst not take away "his life; which had, they concluded, been the surest way to have removed all jealousy. "The Jews flocked in great numbers to the castle "where he was a prisoner; not only those that were "near, but from Polland, Germany, Leghorn, Venice, "and other places; they received Sabatai's blessing, "and promises of advancement. The Turks made "use of this confluence; they raised the price of "their lodgings and provisions, and put their price 66 upon those who desired to see Sabatai, for their admittance. This profit stopped their mouths, "and no complaints were for this cause sent to Adri-, "anople. 66 Sabatai, in this confinement, appoints the manner of celebrating his own nativity. He commands. "the Jews to keep it on the ninth day of the month “Ab, and to make it a day of great joy, to celebrate "it with pleasing meats and drinks, with illumina"tions and music. He obligeth them to acknow ledge the love of God in giving them that day of "consolation for the birth of their king Messias, Sa"batai Sevi, his servant, and first-born Son in love. 66 I only observe by the way the insolence of this "impostor. This day was a solemn day of fasting among the Jews formerly, as I have shewed elsc"where, in memory of the burning of the Temple by the Chaldees: several other sad things happened "in this month, as the Jews observe; that then and upon the same day the second temple was destroyed; and that in this month it was decreed in "the wilderness that the Israelites should not enter "into Canaan, &c. Sabatai was born on this day; "and therefore the fast must be turned into a feast: whereas N 2 "whereas in truth, it had been well for the Jews had he not been born at all; and much better for him self, as will appear from what follows. But I return to my author. "The Jews of the city paid Sabatai Sevi great re"spect. They decked their Synagogues with S. S. in "letters of gold, and made for him in the wall a "crown; they attributed the same titles and prophe"cies to him which we apply to our Saviour. "He was also during this imprisonment visited by "pilgrims from all parts, that had heard his story. Among whom Nehemiah Cohen from Poland was 66 one; a man of great learning in the Kabbala and "eastern tongues: who desired a conference with "Sabatai, and at the conference maintained that, ac"cording to the Scripture, there ought to be a two"fold Messias ; one the son of Ephraim, a poor and "despised teacher of the law; the other the son of "David, to be a conqueror. Nehemiah was content to be the former, the son of Ephraim, and to leave "the glory and dignity of the latter to Sabatai. Sa"batai, for what appears, did not mislike this. 66 But here lay the ground of the quarrel; Nehemiah taught that the son of Ephraim ought to be the "forerunner of the son of David, and to usher him 66 in and Nehemiah accused Sabatai of too great for"wardness, in appearing as the son of David, before "the son of Ephraim, had led him the way. Sabatai "could not brook this doctrine; for he might fear "that the son of Ephraim, who was to lead the way, might pretend to be the son of David, and so leave "him in the lurch; and therefore he excluded him from any part or share in this matter; which was the occa"sion of the ruin of Sabatai and all his glorious designs. Nehemiah being disappointed, goes to Adrianople, 66 " and 66 ** and informs the great ministers of state against Sabatai, as a lewd and a dangerous person to the go"vernment, and that it was necessary to take him "out of the way. The Grand Seignior being in"formed of this, sends for Sabatai; who, much dejected, appears before him. The Grand Seignior requires a miracle, and chuses one himself, and it "was this; that Sabatai should be stripped naked, "and set as a mark for his archers to shoot at; and "if the arrows did not pierce his flesh, he would own him to be the Messias. Sabatai had not faith 66 enough to bear up under so great a trial. The "Grand Seignior let him know that he would forth"with impale him, and that the stake was prepared “for him, unless he would turn Turk. Upon which "he consented to turn Mahometan, to the great con"fusion of the Jews. And yet some of the Jews "were so vain as to affirm that it was not Sabatai himself, but his shadow, that professed the religion, "and was seen in the habit of a Turk: so great was "their obstinacy and infidelity, as if it were a thing 66 66 impossible to convince these deluded and infatuat"ed wretches. 66 "After all this, several of the Jews continued to "use the forms, in their public worship, prescribed by "this Mahometan Messias, which obliged the principal Jews of Constantinople to send to the synagogue of Smyrna, to forbid this practice. During "these things, the Jews instead of minding their trade and traffic, filled their letters with news of "Sabatai their Messias, and his wonderful works. "They reported that when the Grand Seignior sent "to take him, he caused all the messengers, that were sent, to die; and that when other Janizaries weresent, they all fell dead by a word of his mouth; 66 66 "and being requested to do it, that he caused them "to revive again. They added, that though the prison where Sabatai lay was barred and fastened "with strong iron locks, yet he was seen to walk through the streets with a numerous train: that "the shackles which were upon his neck and feet did "not fall off, but were turned into gold, with which "Sabatai gratified his followers. Upon the fame of these things, the Jews of Italy 66 When the legates sent legates to truth of these arrived at Smyr na, they heard of the news that Sabatai was turned Turk, to their very great confusion: but going to visit the brother of Sabatai, he endeavoured to per"suade them that Sabatai was still the true Messias "that it was not Sabatai that went about in the ha"bit of a Turk, but his angel or spirit; that his body was taken into heaven, and should be sent down again when God should think it a fit season. "added that Nathan, his forerunner, who had 66 66 He wrought many miracles, would soon be at Smyrna ; "that he would reveal hidden things to them, and con"firm them. But this Elias was not suffered to come "into Smyrna; and though the legates saw him else"where, they received no satisfaction from him at all. 66 "There appeared another impostor in the year 1682, one Rabbi Mordechai, a Jew of Germany, a "man famous among his countrymen for his learning, 66 and austere kind of life. He was also much cried "up for his prophecies, which he uttered, about five "years before, at Prague and other places. He was a very sharp reprover of vice, and was for that reason commonly called Mochiah, i. e. the Reprover. "He was so vain as to profess himself to be the Messias; and not only to require the Jews to salute 66 |