“And the raisin sauce I spoke of
“Makes a most delicious jelly,
“And will be full well adapted,
“Friar Jose, to thy belly.
“What God cooks, is quite perfection—
“Monk, my honest counsel follow,
“And be circumcised, your portion
“Of Leviathan to swallow.”—
Thus the Rabbi to allure him
Spoke with inward mirth insulting,
And the Jews, with pleasure grunting,
Brandish’d all their knives exulting.
To cut off the forfeit foreskins,
Victors after all the fighting,
Genuine spolia opima
In this conflict so exciting.
But the monks to their religion
Stuck, despite the Jews’ derision,
And were equally reluctant
To submit to circumcision.
Next the Catholic converter
Answer’d, when the Jew had finish’d,
His abuse again repeating,
Full of fury undiminish’d.
Then the Rabbi with a cautious
Ardour, with his answer follow’d;
Though his heart was boiling over,
All his rising gall he swallow’d.
He appeals unto the Mischna,
Treatises and commentaries,
And with extracts from the Tausves-
Jontof his quotations varies.
But what blasphemy now speaks the
Friar, arguments in want of!
He exclaim’d: “I wish the devil
“Had your stupid Tausves-Jontof!”
“This surpasses all, good heavens!”
Fearfully the Rabbi screeches,
And his patience lasts no longer,
Like a maniac’s soon his speech is.