The last Let [...]ers from Dr. Serarias, and the City of Jerusalem, concerning the further Proceedings of the Jews, in order to their Conversion:
YOurs I have received, and was glad of that Return of Your Love: In part of Retalianation I shall communicate the further Proceedings and Ratlings of the House of Israel: For since my last. We have had several Expresses not onely from Jerusalem, but Tun [...] also; That this Year no Carrivan is to go to Mecha, by reason the City is besie [...]ed by the Israelite [...], who appear in great Numbers, and are said to be sent by the Ten Tribes to be the Fore-runners: [Page 2]From Jerusalem we have received very good News, and likewise many of our Christian Mercha ts have received the like from Alexandria, The Particulars of which is, that the Bashaw or Alexandria, with the King of Arabia, made use of a Carravan, that is, an Army of Sixty Thousand Men, and marched toward Mecha, and being within one days Iourney of the Citie, sent out a Troop to take notice how things were, which Troop having seen this People lying in Tents about the Citie▪ and hearing that they profest themselves to be Israelites▪ reported this to the Bashaw, who for all that resolved to march on with his Forces, and coming within sight of the City, discovered an innumerable Multitude of People coming out of their Tents. Whereupon the Turks advanced up against them, gave fire, & discharged several Volleys of round shot; but after a little fighting a pannick fear took them and terror seized on them, making them cry out, Who is able to fight with these People, seeing our Arrows and Shot return back upon our selves. So the Turks leaving off fighting, returned Home, and the Israelites unto their Tents without pursuing them. This Affront caused the Bashaw and King of the Moors, thorow out all Egypt and Arabia, to impose on the Iews in all their Dominions, a new Tax five times greater then it was before. And the Bashaw, the better to inform himself what this People were sent ten Iews to them who found them to be Israelites, and that they spake Hebrew, saying, they were sent before to remain at Meka till the rest of their Brethren came, for that the time was now come, that they should return unto their own Land of their Fore-Fathers, which others [Page 3]had usurped and taken from them. Another Letter saith that the Commander of Meka sent 4 Troops to oppose them, but not one returned, and that divers Caravans and great Bodies have bin wholly defeated by the said Israelites; and that twelve thousand Turks coming from a City called Metai, near Meka, were also routed, and eight thousand slain upon the Place, their own Swords and Muskets turning against themselves. Of the ten Iews that were sent sir remained with their Brethren, and but 4 returned to the Turks. As for the great Prophet in North. Skilton, Doctor Collonest hath bin at his House in a Town called Long-Ditch, where he heard these things out of his own Mouth, That in the Year, 1661. he meditated on the Scriptures speaking of the Latter Times; as Math. 2 [...]. Esay 24. Jer. 50. Ezek. 28. Dan. 7. It hapned that he being awake in his Bed near Morning he heard a distinct Voice telling him, that Babylon was to fall in 66. and that at Midnight even as it hapned to Beltshazer; and that Her Fall would cause such a Terror and Consternation to fall upon Men, that from that time until 70, there would be a stand in Divine Worship, and many Iudgments would fall on divers Cities and Towns, whereof some would suddenly be swallowed up and Long-Ditch ruined, and few escape; yet notwithstanding he hath no freedom to return. But in the Year 71. there will be some Meetings again though no Communion held all that time, onely a beginning of Practise: But in 72, there will be a full Communion and Restitution of the Apostolical Worship, And then will the Gospel be preached throughout the whole World.
This is the substance of a Letter sent to Doctor Homes.
From Saley in Barbary, August 16. 1665.
THE Tidings of the 15. of July, concerning the March of our Brethren, the Ten Tribes of Israel, i [...] now from several places confirmed to Us, all Things being so full of wonder, that for s [...]e few days we cou [...]d scarcely b [...]lieve, or give credit to it, from the City of Sus, otherwise called Sama-Crew. But now We have certain Information, that they are on the side of the Desart, and move from several places to the said Desart Go [...]h of Morocco▪ being not ar from Cape de Ver, but more within th [...] Land. And they appear daily more and more in great Multitudes, having suddenly and unep [...]ctedly manifested themselves, covering a vast Tract of Ground, and consisting of about eight thousand Companies or Troops, each of which containing from one hundred to a thousand Men.
They who went thither to see and enquire who they were, found them to be Strangers, and an unknown People, whose Language they understood not, onely some few of their Commanders speak Hebrew. Their Arms are Swords, Bows, Arrow [...], and L [...]nces, each Man being well armed therewith, but no Guns at all. They have for their Chief Leader, or Captain, a Holy M [...]n who understandeth all Languages, and marcheth before them, doing Miracles.
These, with several of their Actions, were all related to me by a Convert Rabby, who has been discoursing amongst them and hath affirmed it by an Oath, upon the Book of the Law.
But in Confirmation of all which, here are now arrived several Gentlemen of good repute and Credit, who relate, passing by the Places above-mentioned, That they understood the same Things, which the Rabby and others, who had seen them before, had related, and many Things more; amongst the rest, that this unknown People were come from the Mountainous Countreys in the Wilderness, and were advanced as far as Mecha [...]as. There is a certain Jew in the City of Sus, who hath testified and declared, that he hath seen the People called Israelites, and going amongst them, discoursed with many of their Commanders in He [...]rew, but understood not the Language of the great Multitude: yet withall heard of other Jews that several of them spake the Holy Tongue; and that whosoever goeth to contend with this People in Battel, are presently vanquished, and slain.
They have already possest themselves of several Places and Cities, putting all the Inhabitants to the Sword, the Jews onely excepted. They are a People of a middle stature, their Bodies comely, their Complexions fair: This Party saw no Woman amongst them, nor any other Ar [...] besides those above-mentioned▪ their Horses are many, their Attire blew, and their Tents black. From the aforesaid City of Sus, the whole Host of them might be plainly and distinctly viewed the whole Week, and might see their Fire [...] and Smoak ascending; but on the Sabbath, neither of both could be discerned throughout the whole Camp, or Host.
Several of them being got up on a very high Sand, the Mountain where they are employed to dig is very deep in the said Sand, where they expect to find a Brays Tamber; that is, a Trumpet, with the which they are to sound 2 times, and then all Nations are to be gathered into one Universal Church. Their Leader is of an extraordinary discerning Spirit, and as soon as he sees a man he knows his Mind, and what is in his Heart. It's said, that coming to a great River not Foordable, he consulted the passage, and the whole Army went to Prayers, imploring the most High, that as he was pleased to divide the Waters of the Red Sea for their Ancestors and as the great Messias was born of a Virgin, so He would now shew some Sign thereof to them, to evince them of the Truth, by working of a Miracle; and 'tis said, that as soon as they had ended prayer, the Waters divided, and the whole Army marched over. Great Signs now of a Conversion▪ and many signal Signs in the Heavens and on [...]e Earth to teach Us the great Work of Redemption. A Meteor, like a Cob-Web, as if a Spider had spun it, fell in Norway, which covered the Fields, and killed the Corn, they were [...] in length, and as much in breadth. In Franconi [...] fell Hailstones of a pound and a half weight. And in B [...]rd [...]s [...] to be seen on a Mount a huge Stone, which 8 horses were not able to stir, this Stone lay deep in a Ditch, and came up of it self out of the ground, and bare it self [...]0 Cubits in height. This seems as strange to some, as the Great Turks Dream did to himself▪ which was, That a Jew had taken the Crown from his Hevd: Which possibly m [...]y be accomplished in