P. [114], l. 20. “John Hoornbeek in that book which he lately writ.” The work referred to is De Convertendis Judæis, 1655.
P. [115], l. 28. “In my continuation of Flavius Josephus.” In the “Hope of Israel” (supra, p. 7), Menasseh announced his intention of writing this work. From this passage it seems that he had now completed it, and that he had the MS. with him in London. It was never printed, as none of it has survived. It is curious that Menasseh does not mention it among his “Books ready for the Presse,” of which he gave a list at the end of the Vindiciæ (see p. [147]).
P. [116], l. 13. “One Isaac Jeshurun.” An account of his persecution was written in Hebrew by Aaron de David Cohen of Ragusa, and translated into Spanish under the title, Memorable relacion de Yshac Jesurun. The work is in MS.; a copy was in the Almanzi Library.
P. [118], l. 30. “That our nation had purchased S. Paul’s Church.” See Introduction, p. xli.
P. [118], l. 34. “A fabulous narrative.” Brett, “A Narrative of the Proceedings of a Great Councel of Jews assembled on the plain of Ageda” (Lond., 1655; reprinted in “The Phœnix,” 1707, the “Harleian Miscellany,” vol i., 1813, and in pamphlet form by Longmans & Co., 1876).
P. [121], l. 27. “The book called Scebet Iehuda,” ספר שבת יהודה, by Solomon Aben Verga, a Jewish chronicle of the sixteenth century. See German translation by Wiener (Hanover, 1856). The story related by Menasseh ben Israel will be found on pp. 77–78. It is not told of a “King of Portugal,” but of a King of Spain.
P. [121], l. 32. “Before one of the Popes, at a full Councell.” For Papal Bulls on the Blood Accusation see “Die Blutbeschuldigung gegen die Juden von Christlicher Seite beurtheilt,” Zweite Auflage (Vienna, 1883). Strack’s “Blutaberglaube” (several editions) is the classical work on the subject.
The Second Section
P. [124], l. 16. “The Israelites hold.” This paragraph is a summary of the Thirteen Articles of Faith first drawn up by Moses Maimonides in 1168, and now incorporated in the Synagogue liturgy. Menasseh’s summary, though admirably succinct, is not altogether perfect, and was apparently drafted with a view to the susceptibilities of the English Conversionists. A full translation of the thirteen creeds had, however, already appeared in England (see Chilmead’s translation of Leo Modena’s “The History of the Rites, Customes, and Manner of Life of the Present Jews,” Lond., 1650, pp. 246–249).
P. [124], l. 28. “A French book which he calleth the Rappel of the Jewes,” Iaac la Peyrère “Rappel des Juifs.”