A copy of this translation in MS. existed in the library of Isaac da Costa of Amsterdam (Misc. Heb. Lit., ii. p. 84). Kayserling first translated the tract into German, and published it in his “Menasse ben Israel, sein Leben und Wirken” (Berlin, 1861).
A very large number of the historical references in this tract are taken without acknowledgment from Imanuel Aboab’s “Nomologia” (Amst., 1629) and Daniel Levy de Barrios’s “Historia Universal Judayca.” Kayserling has given many of the original passages in his notes to his “Life of Menasseh ben Israel” (Misc. Heb. Lit., Series II.).
To His Highnesse, &c.
P. [77], l. 9. “The Ambassadors of England.” The St. John Mission (see Introduction, pp. xxx-xxxi, and Vindiciæ, p. 111).
P. [81], l. 19. “Merchandizing is ... the proper profession of the Nation of the Jews.” In so far as this implies that the Jews have an inborn genius for commerce this is a vulgar error (see Loeb, “Le Juif de l’Histoire et le Juif de la Legende,” pp. 7–14).
P. [85], l. 7. “These in India in Cochin.” See note, supra, pp. 159–160.
P. [85], l. 21. “In the Turkish Empire.” See Nicolas de Nicolay, “Navigations, Peregrinations et Voyages faicts en la Turquie,” Anvers, 1576, pp. 243 et seq.
P. [86], l. 20. “In this estate some of the Jews have grown to great fortunes.” The Jewish notabilities referred to in this paragraph are also mentioned in the “Hope of Israel.” See note, supra, p. 159.
P. [87], l. 6. “Isaac Iecells.” Jessel or Joesel is a diminutive of Joseph. The person referred to is probably Asher ben Joseph of Cracow (see Steinschneider, “Bibl. Bodl.,” p. 751).
P. [87], l. 9. “The Cosaques in the late warres.” The rising of Chmielnicki, 1648–1649. (Graetz, “Geschichte,” vol. x. pp. 52–82.)