A letter to a friende, touching Mardochai his age which helpeth much to holde the trueth, for that chiefe prophecie of our saluation, in Gabriels seuenties, which shew that most exactly 490. yeeres after the angels speech Christ the most holy should be killed to giue life. Dan 9.23.

To his good friende A. T. of Mardochai his age : a light to Gabriels seauenties .

YOu desire to knowe of me , in what age Mardochai lyued : because you holde his tymes to helpe much the trueth of Chronicle : whereby sundry Bookes of the holy Prophetes may better be vnderstoode . Your request is reasonable : because you rightly iudge of the profite arising by that knowledge . For whereas the chiefe prophecie in all the olde Testament , touching the time of saluation is obscured : that of Dan. 9 , 24 & also Dan. 11. Ester , Ezra , Nehemiah , Aggi , Zachary , by reason that men attribute neare 100. yeeres more then common lykelyhood can suffer , or some wryters olde and late wyll graunt , to these men after Babel was taken : I meane to Cyrus Cambyses , Darius Hystaspis , & Xerxes : They who holde Assuerus to be Xerxes ( who be the chiefest Patrons of that excessiue time ) yf it can be shewed that Mardochai was in captiuitie 63. y. must needes graunt that from Cyrus Some geue Cyrus but 3. yeres , and that vnder Cambyses 7. to Darius Hyst●spis 12. y. as Sederolam and Xe●xes but 10. alone : some more , as in Clem. Alex. Cyrus hath y● 30. Cambyses 19. Darius Hystaspis 46. Xerxes 26. Their times before the surprising of Babylon , and viceroygne : myght well haue so much as other abridge from this : but from Babylons fal 30 yeere must be their most . surprising of Babel to Assuerus ende , when yet Mardochai was somwhat actiue : 30. yeeres agreeth more with the common course of lyfe , then 121. And that being setled , touching yeeres thence to Tiberius 18. yeere : Some old Greeke accompt wil very wel agree with vs for Daniels seauens , to make vp . 490. yeeres . Wherfore your iudgement , carefull to know his times must be allowed : and endeuour to satisfie your request must be vsed .

The Scripture whereupon disputation of late groweth , is this . Ester . 2.5 . In the citie of Sbushan , there was a certaine Iew , whose name was Mardochai the sonne of Iair , the sonne of Shimei , the sonne of Kish , a man of Iemini , * * The question hereupon aryseth , whether Mardochai or Kish was of the Captiuitie . which had been caried away from Ierusalem with the captiuitie that was caried away with Iekoniah king of Iudah whom Nebuchadnezar king of Babel had caried away : and nourished Hadassah , that is Ester , his vncles daughter : for she had neyther father nor mother , and the mayde was fayre , and beautifull to looke on : and after the death of her father and her mother , Mardochai tooke her for his owne daughter . To this text I thinke good to ioyne immediatly an other touching them , who were captiued with Iekoniah , to shewe that not onely valient men , but also women and babes were then caried captiue : of which babes Mardochai might be one . Thus it is written 2. King . 24 14. And he caried away all Ierusalem , and all the princes , and all the strong men of warre , euen ten thousand into captiuitie , and all the workemen and cunning men : so none remayned sauing the poore people of the land . Now yf none were left but the poore of the earth , noble women and children must needes be in the reckoning of the captiuitie . But let vs returne to the first text Est . 2.5 Upon which Scripture , we must weigh what hath been thought , and may be . I holde it doubtles that Mardochai by this text was in the captiuitie . Of olde time it hath been holden that Mardochai was of Iechonias captiuitie . The same helde also the most ancient : that it may appeare , this opinion not to be new , but holden constantly of long time , the father of TRUTH . The Greeke additions to Esther plainely shewe , that in ancient tyme Mardochai was holden to be of Iechonias captiuitie : for thus it is written . Esther . 11.2 . Mardocheus the sonne of Iairus , the sonne of Semei , the sonne of Kish , of the tribe of Beniamin had a dreame , a Iewe dwelling in the citie of Susis , a noble man , that bare office in the kinges court . He was also one of the captiuitie which Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon brought from Ierusalem with Iechonias . That those Greeke additions be very olde it appeareth by Ios. Ben-gorion , whom Drusius thinketh to be Flauius Iosephus . For Ben-gorion in his Hebrewe storie foloweth them : and the Greeke church styfly enough helde them . Wherefore yf that age were now aliue , and called to an after reckoning for the Persian continuance , I iudge by Mardochais age , they woulde willingly cut off about a hundred yeeres for their ouerreaching Chronicle : and reioyce not a litle to haue Daniels times brought to plainnes . They did not onely of ancient dayes allow of the greke additions for Mardochais times : The ancient Greeks by their owne graunt , would shorten much their accompt for the Persians yeres . but in their owne writinges do the lyke . Iosephus sayth , that Mardochai had been at Babylon . Clemens sayth that he was in the Captiuitie . So doth Athanasius in Synopsi , in Hester . Cedrenus placeth Assuerus in the beginning of Darius , and Cy. Monarchy . Zonaras much foloweth Iosephus . These mens testimonies agaynst their owne negligent accompt , shoulde seeme to be voyde of partialitie .

Pagnins carefull translation is voyde of doubt : that by it Mardochai is of Iechonias captiuitie . The like I may speake of the Latines . Pagnin his skill in Hebrew geueth place to none Italian , former nor later . In his translation of Ester , out of doubt Mardochai is a man of Beniamin , which was caried captiue with Iechonias . The frenche glory of Vatablus , & his iudgement , by our learned Fathers , who put before the Bible his briefe summe touching it , hath been greatly esteemed . Vatablus agreeth with Pagnin , and further speaketh of Kish : whom he holdeth him to be . Vatablus remoueth the doubt further , sheweth that Kish there is named , to shew Mardochai to come of the Kinges seede . Now where some doubt why obscure Kish father to Saul , rather then Saul should be recorded : for them a certayne Hebrewe yeeldeth a reason that satisfieth me . As Mardochai taught Ester to hide her kindred , so the other Iewes endeuored to do , Why Kish rather then Saul is named . & kept the memorie of Mardochais nobilitie rather by Kish , famous amongst them , & obscure to strangers then by Saul , whom Haman of Amaleck myght haue heard of . If any despiseth the Hebrewes reason , let him bring a better . With Pagnin & Vatablus agreeth Arias Montanus : Arias Montanus and Tremelius translations . whose like , if Spayne had bred many , the Pope should haue been closely bitten to the hart . Though he folow the common Chronicle , yet he made conscience of wresting holy Scripture . Tremelius likewyse , whose translation geueth place to none ( whom I coulde wyshe for many speciall poyntes , not to be altered by folowing the Heathen ) he translateth the Hebrew so , The common iudgement of Italy , Fraunce , Spayne , and Germanie . as speaking that Mardochai was of Iechonias captiuitie . This Italy , Fraunce ▪ Spayne , and Germany helde .

And least any shoulde take aduantage by the relatiue , ( Which ) to referre it to Kish , and not to Mardochai : they translate the last antecedent before it , Vir , not viri . that is ( MAN of Beniamin ) in a case ioyned to Mardochai , and disceauored from Kish . Two reasons moued them to that , as I thinke : one , because in the Hebrew vpon the worde Kish lyeth a stay of a king-accent , in force and forme lyke a comma in Latin . An other was , because a sentence is ioyned on a copulatiue , Tiphcha the King-accent , vsually distinguisheth . which can not be remoued from Mardochai , who was caried captiue and norished Ester , Also it seemed to them senseles , to admit in the middest along narration touching Kish : where the spech began of Mardochai , & afterward to make a sodaine steppe agayne to Mardochai : And so would I thinke . These who comment vpon Ester , folowe the same , ‡ ‡ Lyra , Brentius , Bullinger , & Lauaterus vpon Ester . Lyra , Brentius , Bullinger , Lauaterus . The argument in the Bible translated at Geneuah , before the booke of Ester draweth in the same yoke . And on the Latin Ioh. Benedictus . So the Frenche doth , and many more . And whereas expressely § § Mardochai is named Ezr●● ▪ among them who gaue their names to returne ( yf occasion best serued so ) in the first of Cyrus . Mardochai is named amongst them who did , or might returne from Babylon in the first of Cyrus , I see no reason why the many of them who affyrme euen that Mardochai there to be Esters cosen , shoulde be reiected . I wyll not soone beleeue , that the prouidence of God woulde in Scripture so place names , that thousandes of the paynfullest and the wisest shoulde be deceyued , as holding them the same men , when they are other . As Nehemias Ezra . 2.2 . is holden of the most to be * * R. Symeony there vpon Neh 12.3 . The authoure of Ezra . 4. was watchful to folow the common opinion to make Ezra to be of the captiuitie , as immediate sonne to Saraiah killed at the thirde captiuitie 52. y. before the .70 . ended 〈◊〉 Nehemias and Ezra seuerall treatises are purposed . the same who is Artaxast his cupbearer . And Ezra Neh. 12. comming home in Cyrus first , is holden of the Hebrewes to be the same who wrote the booke named so , and lyued to the last tymes of the Persians : and by 4. Ezr. 3. may very well be : So no more wyll I admit two Mardochais , then I wyl here two Nehemiahs and two Ezras : seeing I see no reason why obscure men shoulde be chiefe in cataloge of personages , & famous men be left vnreckoned , who in open dealing haue the next glory to Zorobabel and Iosuah . But of the other two Nehemias and Ezra , I may take some other time of a longer discourse . I wyll returne to Mardochai . They who holde of the Pope , notwithstanding their errour in geuing the Persians too long a continuance , yet woulde not in the particular deale here agaynst their conscience : for their table in Apparatu Bibliorum holdeth Mardochai Esters kinsman to be of the captiuitie of Iechonias , and also to be the same that is mentioned Ezra . 2.2 . So Schubertus , and Lyra , had rather hold Mardochai much aboue . 100. yere , then with Burgensis deny him to be of Iechonias captiuitie . And Iohn . Benedictus noteth ( from Philo ) that he lyued 198. yeeres . Likewise some of our owne countrey , who haue by authoritie written , Codoman and his translater , simply ouerseene . in notes simply enough gathered from Codomanus : place Mardochai so : that well he might be of the captiuitie of Iechoniah . Notwithstanding that some who haue trauayled more in this kinde , would soone conclude that therupon they must cut neare 100. yeeres from their owne accompt . The testimony of any against them selues , should haue some force . Bucholcherus bringeth it as a most common opinion , that he lyued in the dayes of Euilmerodach and Bal Sasar .

The Hebrewes are not least regarded for commenting as touching the story , conteyned in proper speeches of the Prophetes . Of them I haue seene twelue seuerall Wryters touching Ester : by which all it may be learned , that the Iewes helde Mardochai to be of Iechonias captiuitie , as the Talmud in Megillath Ester , two Chaldy Paraphastes , Aben-Ezra , Solomoh . Iarchi : which are ioyned in Bonbergius Bibles : seuen commentaries printed in litle bookes alone . Adde Midras Rabbah , who passing it ouer as touching plaine wordes , in the whole discourse sheweth what the autour thought . And seeing the Iewes euer since Mardochaies tyme , yeerely in the moneth Adar , celebrate a Feast for the deliuerance by him : it woulde be too rash to affirme so many thousandes now 2000. yeeres not to vnderstande his story : but in a * * Whether Kish or Mardochai should be of the captiuitie . tricke of Grammer al to be ouerreached . Moreouer closely they geue a bitter frump to some Christians in Sepher Iuchasim in the worde Ezra : when they fayne Mardochai to lyue 400. yeeres : teaching their children thereby how vnskilfull many of our side are in the storie of Scripture : The Iewes floute Christians ignorant of Mardochaies times . for if this be true that no male were caried with Iechonias , but fitte then for warre : and vnder the termes of All Ierusalem , 2. Kin. 24. women and babes be not conteyned : If also from Sedekias captiuitie the seuentie yeeres must begin , and Mardochai liue in the ende of the Persians : and yf Eusebius times , and Ieromes holde : then by our assertions must Mardochai be holden towards 400. yere olde . But iustly is Eusebius blamed of Iohannes Benedictus , and Marianus Scotus . And Ierome may not be cited for them that woulde haue Mardochai borne in the fourth age after the captiuitie . For Scaliger , and such as leane vpon him , holde that Darius ( who buylt the Temple § § So S. Ierome thinketh , as do som Hebrewes & Gryn . vpon Ag. Hellanicus of Atossa . 17. yere after Cyrus first ) was after Mardochai : So that he wyll of force haue Mardochai neare Cyrus times . And Eusebius may be confuted by him selfe , citing Hellanicus out of Clemens , who writeth thus : Atossa the queene of the Persians first inuented Epistles . Though Epistles were vsed of olde , as in Iuda and Israel : also in Homer Il. Il. zeta in Bellerophontes . yet when Heathen skant vsed written recordes , the letters sent by Hester Adossa to 127. Prouinces might well be the most ancient for famous & fresh memorie in Hellanicus dayes , whom Thucidides nameth as his former . Thucidides dyed in the tymes of Peloponnesus warres . And herein the antiquitie , who had folowed the games of Olympia , to teach of mans redeemer against expresse worde in Daniels ninth , controll them selues , and call the tymes to as short a reckonyng as trueth hereafter much by heathen accompt will require . An Hebrew disputeth learnedly , An Hebrewes reason of Esters tymes . to teach vs that Esters stories fell out soone after the captiuitie : because many of rare godlynes must needes then be amongst them , that God shoulde in sundry places geue them so great glory . It is not commonly seene , that the age vnafflicted shoulde be of more godlynes , then they who before had felt Gods hand . Iosuahs elders and their posteritie teach vs so to thinke : likewise Dauids age , and Roboames . Moreouer , the Apostle geueth that company a singuler testimonie Hebr. 11.24 . who by fayth auoyded the edge of the sword . I doubt not , but that of them it is spoken there . Ouer and besides , the prophecie of Ieremy touching the good Figges may very well haue accomplishment in Mardochai . Lyra vpon Iere. 24. And Lyra would thinke that in Mardochaies story mention is made of Iechonias captiuitie , to shew namely in some that fauour of God performed , which in the good Figges was shewed . Here I may for the helpe of the Reader , abridge Ieremies wordes from Ier. 24. To him God shewed two baskettes of Figges , one of good Figges , the other of naughty Figges : after Iechonias , the nobles and artificers of Iudah were caried captiues . As the good Figges would God know those captiues , and bring them home : and as the naughty Figges , woulde God geue Zedekias and his princes for a terrible plague .

Lastly this I thinke & holde , that none euer denied Mardochai to be of Iechonias captiuitie , but such as * * Eyther of them selues , or led by others . folowe the reckoning of Olympia games . All this considered , I iudge it wyll not sone take place , that some would teach this opinion to be new , or vntrue , that Mardochai is sayde to be of the captiuitie of Iechonias . And this of Mardochai being graunted , my sharpest combaters ( I trust ) will not deny , but that Daniel might wel vnderstand his owne wordes : and the Seauenties from the houre of their vtteraunce , and first yeere of Darius and Cyrus in proprietie of spech , draw vs vnto the yeere wherin our Lord by death , brought lyght & lyfe to the world . Thus I thought good , though as fast as my pen coulde run , to write my mynde touching Mardochai : that you myght be better confirmed to holde the trueth of Daniels seauens : the playnnes and proprietie whereof , many Christians striue more to make vncertaine , then did the Iewes : whom your selfe heard at Franckfurt and Wormes .

To this I wyl ioyne a particuler reckoning , agreeable to Daniels seauens : euen from such as for the whole agree not wholly with that which I stedfastly holde to be the trueth .

Cyrus 3. y. Schubert . Wel may he haue reigned 27. y. before .

Cambyses Artaxast . 7. yeeres . Herodot . but he reigned in his fathers lyfe 2. y. of them at the least , as appeareth by conferring Ezra 4. with Dan. 10.

Assuerus holden most commonly to be Darius Hystaspis , 12. By argumentes drawen from Ester al through compared with Heathen , it may well be prooued that Assuerus is Darius Hystaspis , and by Hester 3.7 , compared with cha 10.2 . we may wel thinke that he reigned nothing neare 36 y. Monarch , as some Heathen thinke . yeeres in Seder Olam .

Xerxes , of whose sole gouernement Ezra maketh no mention : onely Dan. 11. He is sayde to be the rich King , that shoulde styrre all against Grecia . Some holde him to be Assuerus in Hester . Vpon their assertion I desputed in Mardochai : Schubertus graunteth him 10. yeeres of sole gouernement : but Tremelius ioyneth them to his fathers reigne , and maketh him but viceroy : and all 20.

And these be the chiefe kinges whose accompt troubleth Commenters vpon Daniel , Hester , Ezra , Nehemias , Aggai , and Zachary , agaynst the playne symplicitie : which those bookes processe do require . Of them I purpose to write other seuerall Treatises , to confirme this accompt in effect which others Iewes and Gentiles holde , and to ouerthrow that excessiue reckoning , The shortnes of the tyme from Cyr. to Neh. gouernement is sene by the age of these men Seraia , Ieremy , Esdra● , Amaria , Hattus , Shecaniah , Mallu● , Rehum , Meremoth , Abiah , M●amin , Bilga , Semahia : which came with Zorobabel , Neh. 12. & after the buylbing of Ierusalem helped Nehemiah . Neh 10. Shanballat an actiue resister , lyuing to Alexanders dayes sheweth that it was but a short time afterward betwixt both . which the games of Olympia , cause to more harme for Iewes , then the Idole Iouis Olympii was lothsome in their Temple in olde tyme . Now marke other kinges hence from Clemens 1. Strom.

Artexerxes 41. His 20. yeere finisheth seauen seauens to the buylding of Ierusalem , and full finishyng of the Temple , as writeth Aben. Ezra , Tremelius , Beroaldus , Wolphius : and the Frenche notes before Ezra touch it . The Greekes Iosephus , Clemens , Eusebius , Cedrenus , ending the Temple in that tyme , had relation to the seauen seauens Dan 9. though the Olympiades carry them somewhat aside : but by a friendly censure one might cite them to that textes meaning whereupon they stayed : specially seeing otherwyse they are litle constant : or worthy credite , but when many confirme the matter with them .

Darius 8. yeeres .

Artaxerxes 42. y. In this Kinges dayes Xenophon and Ctesias lyued and wrote of him . Plutarch wrote also , and many Grecians more . The more impudent be the wicked Iewes , which leaue him out to shorten the tyme , and disanull by an other extremitie Daniels seauens .

Ochus 3. yeeres .

Darius 6. yeeres .

Their yeeres in all are 130.

The Grekes .

Alexander 6. Herein I somewhat mende Clement from all other Gretians .

Ptolomy Lagi 40. yeeres .

Pto. Philadelphus . 27. y. rather 37.

Pt. Euergetus . 25. y.

Pt. Philopator . 17. y.

Pt Epiphanes 24. y.

Pt. Philometor 35. y.

Pt. Physcon 29. y.

Pt. Lathurus 36. y. Strabo woulde place Lathurus before Physcon .

Pt. Dionysius 29. y.

Cleopatra 22. y.

Clemens copie omitteth ten y. in some one , by like in Philad . to finishe the summe of 294. y. which summe in two places he hath .

The whole summe is 300. yeeres .

From Alexanders death in Ptol. 294. that same Melanthon , Bullinger , and many others folow .

From Augustus 15. who reigned 56. to 18. further . 60. y. From Cleopatras ouerthrow by Augustus to 18. of Tiberius 60. y. by accomptes of the olde & the later . And this I haue layde downe , that you myght better know , where the Iewes helpe the Gentiles to holde the trueth , for what times the scriptures fully helpe vs , and where the Iewes may easely be confuted , and the Gentiles agree commonly . This being well weighed , you may see that in Mardochai antiquitie and noueltie must both agree to cast Daniels seauens , as I shewed in the Consent of Scripture which I wrote .

This one Treatise of Mardochai wel considered wil make men more capable of trueth in sundry argumentes : which shal be ( God willing ) handled for manifesting of Daniel .

H. B. FINIS .