AN epistle of an Ebrew most plentifully Lerned in all Rabbin skill , ( right honorable ) came vnto myne handes a feuv dayes agoe : after that it had bene in England , and sene of your grace , my L. archb. and some others of your Lordshippes . The right vsage of the matter conteyned therin , as the ambassadours letters vuill shew you , what he iudgeth , may turne to the good of all Christendome . The matter being of so weighty importance , it toucheth her maiesty , to take care , how to deale in princely Lerned wisdome , throughly for this case : that all Christendome may see as much done for the comon good , as the care and skill off man can afforde . Your honoures shall see in the letter two poinctes of request : the one touching the countenance and Charges of the Quene to send a scholer requested , to rule all the scholes of diuinity in Constantinople . This argueth some conference with the emperour for leaue And he should be first of high auctority at home , that should do this abroad , to the Quenes honour . The other poinct of request standeth , for performance , vpon a scholers Lerning : all Ebrew skill for the tongue , & massorites , for comparing with clear declaration , the prophetes and apostles : and for awnswear to all the groundes & branches of the Iewes cabala , & traditiones , how it fayleth : and what in theyr studies can be allowed . Here a Lerned awnswearer will vndertake by sure grammer and reason to such a plain hart as he beareth , to make Moses , the prophetes , the Gospel and epistles to be as harpers folowing the Lambe on mount Sion : and will proue all places of Scripture for this concent from the purest and best Rabbines , taught from ancienter writers then are of theyr apostasy : and will shew touching all theyr fables , through theyr Bible , how for memory of phrases or stories they were invented : as that : Abakuk brought Daniel a messe of Pottage . wheras the sentence written in great letters THE IVST SHAL LIVE BY FAITH , this for two poinctes : Iustice chalenged of Daniel to haue stopped the Liones mouth : and fayth , told by the king of him , made the saing of the amiable prophet to be the messe of potage to him that allways maketh God the iudge . The demaund of the constantinopolitane Rabbin Lappeth in it a discourse and declaration for all these poinctes : in any of which he that fayleth shall be are small sway with Iewes who will require to mete with better Lerned then them selues before they change religion . Hither of ordinary course , will be long a Censure of the Greke Septuagint : what they alterd to avoyd disgrace from heathen : where they missed of vnskilfulnes , or vnhediness : where the Characters deceaued theyr eisight , that a peece of a letter made a new Greke terme : how Bibles vnwowelled caused them sometme of purpose to put one word for an other , oftener of errour : how in some of all these poinctes the hoy ghost that cannot misse , maks the Apostles to beare with the worldes weakenes : requiring herein as much ebrew ksill against Grekes , as Ebrewes call for , against them selues . wherin yf Grekes be not overmatched , whose erroures haue marred all religion , they most hinder all the good that should come to Christianity . These be two chief poinctes of the letter : which doe require a directe awnswear : and wherupon standeth all the hope of doing good , to the east part : that they Lerning religion from vs in the endes of the earth , may bend all theyr force , to recompence vs , with all good . And these poinctes were conteyned , in the end of the prose , in his letter : Certen verses of à sonnet are the last end of an harty affection , shewing an infinite desire to haue the trueth of Saluation opened from England , whence , as he is persuaded that may best be afforded . To win soules good , which he so greatly desireth , not to win a sacrifice , or a cow , as Homer speaketh , nor yet running , as Achilles , for the life of Hector , but running for the soules off all the wandrnig Iewes , that they may be gathered into the shepefold of Christ . He greatly extolleth the knowledge of diuinty in England , a congregation of vnderstanding , & of all variety of wisdome , where Children are aboue all hope multiplied , that with astonishment it may be sayd from Esay , who hath begothen these to me Herein he breaketh out into reioycing that from the endes of the earth songes are hard , tzeby le tzaddik , the iust hath honour . In this , the plain dealing hart greatly reioyced , with a style lerned , from scriptures holy termes , not of so familiar tenour in the vulgar phrase of nationes . But in sage estimation his speches wil be perles afore any but hogges . After this entrance to allure recompence for his most humble good will , which any wil be willing to recompence , that know by theyr owne feeling what hope of salvation is , he entreth in political sort to Shew the groundes of his petition , vpon what hope of promesse he opened his desire in this Zealous maner , & thirsty care , to drink of the waters of life , & sheweth that M. Edward ( as he writeth him ) Barton , gaue him all his hope : from whose mouth he was stirred vp . Him he termeth in most honorable termes , Atzir , that is messinger , faithfull to them that send him : the mediatour of peace , the Lord & Tiphsar . By that terme Nahum nameth the high officers of Nineveh . The same consonantes make Satrap , the Lieutenantes of Persias title . Of him he sayth , that he assured him how for bright ▪ clearnes in the Scriptures he should be fully satisfied for any question touching Scripture , of the Trinity or the other noble treasures of wisdome the armes of the world . And vpon his wordes he concludeth , that the gate of English Scholers being Such , the hart must be more estēed . He hath further prayse of the Ambassadours worthines : & slideth thence vnto to the Quenes maiesties commendation . for which her highnes , as a defendour of the faith , in his expectation , will afford him confort & help , for the good of strengthening in Christianity , both him & all of his desire . Of her highnes he speaketh Eloquentely in Ebrew termes , picked as Iewels from the brauery of ancient states : yet not base in our language thus : Is not she the mighty amonge the nationes : à princess amonge the countreyes , the only quene of this world : Elizabetah , the perfect amonge the perfect , the terrible as campes . It is knowen in the gates of the nationes , when they see her , that she is the princesse , the crowne , the honour , the diademe the overruler of the knigdome of the Romanes . Esaw or Edom the Rabbines generally in theyr commentaries put for Rome . And that she hath in her kingdom the skilfull in all knowledge , for the siluer and gold of it : as in the golden Candelstick , for the vse of it : the generalles , the particulares , the knoppes , the bowles , and the floures , And he prayeth hartely that the Eternal king wold strength her kingdome , with mighty influence as was vpon syr Francys Draco , a roaring lion against the sauage beare that shaketh the earth , & quakech the nationes . Other matters which greatly touch the Quenes honour , & your G. my Lord Arch. to regard , are in the epistle : for which lam not of place to giue any intelligence to her sacred maiesty , nor direction . Your grace in a matter of this great weight , as her highnes honours regard should be , will not neglect to send a messinger to Basil , to haue a copy of the Epistle . As for the letter , I hope it is my right , and that I may kepe it for a Iewell , as M. Beza doth his Moses of manifold languages in Ebrew character : which were in England , but required home : of which he wrote to me to Basil , that he wold lend me them to further the translation of the Bible , with entreating me not to leaue , or geue ouer , for no crossing of hinderance : But he will not let them goe , out of this countrey . So your g. shall haue with all my most humble duty , a copy of this epistle , for the Q. honour and speches touching her : but M. Bezaes Book of two volumes is not a dearer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( so he writeth ) to him , then this epistle is to me . And I wold not willingly haue it out of myne ownek eping . Touching the awnsweare vnto the Lerned Rabbi , which should be in his owne tongue , and as eloquent as his owne style , and from London whether he endorced his epistle : the Ambassadour at Byzantium his lettre to M. Stapers tellinge that this may turne to the good of all Christendome , hath I hope kindled in your zealous wisdome , a through care : that no contempt of furtherance in this cause , make the nationes about think the occasion offred vnto you , and neglected , to haue bene the extreme hinderance & blemish of Christian hope for bettering through the world . Therfore modesty forbiddeth me to chalenge any supertority of zeale , as once to turne my penne to exhortation , and stirring vp . And this I write not of myne owne desire : but to satisfie such as wold otherwise think , that I should , awnswear the Iew : because he writeth vnto me . But as the Lady of Persia kneled to Hephestio , meaning a supplication to Alexander : So the Iew reverencing me , looketh for an awnswear which the whole state will allow . Now , nether modesty , nor policy suffreth to warre in this combat , without the Q. coutenance , preferment , & allowance Wheras the Iew inviteth into triall of lerning : yf the Q. will , all Christendome shall iudge , whether wil be found the readier in the prophetes language : & controlment of Rabbines . Doubtles , he must be awnsweared . When others refuse I am ready , after due recompence , to write , and to goe : Leauing , as Aristides , particular inuries , for the generall good .