XXXIII.
“Life and Death of Henry Jessey”
The | Life and Death | of | Mr. Henry Jessey, | Late Preacher of the Gospel of | Christ in London; | Who, having finished his Testimony, was | Translated the 4th day of September, 1663. | Written for the benefit of all, especially such as | were acquainted with his godly conversation, | and Pertakers of his unwearied Labours in | the Lord. |
With an Elegy upon the Death of Mr. | William Bridg. | ... Anno Domini 1671. |
(8º. 4 ll. + 108 pp.) [B. M.]
The author is unknown, but page 97 bears the initials “E. W.”
p. 67: “Towards the Jews his Charity was famous beyond President and many ways exprest,...”
p. 69: “3. His Charity was most eminently shewn to them in the great Collections, which through his importunity was made for the poor Jews at Jerusalem, who were reduced to extream poverty and misery; having lost, by reason of the Swedish Navies Wars, 15000000 of Rix Dollers; which their brethren of Hungary, Poland, Lithuania, and Prussia, were wont to send them yearly, for the maintenance of learned Rabbies and Students, and for the relief of antient Widows and decripid men, and other necessitous people, with which the Holy-Land doth abound; who (as we said) by cutting off their subsistance were brought (in 1657) into great extremity, not only of Famine and nakednesse (that of 700 Widows, 400 were famished out-right) but also by the imprisonment and scourgings of their Elders and Rabbyes, by their cruell Creditors, being the principal men of the Land to whom the Jews were indebted 20000 Rialls of Eight, which if the Ryall be 4s. 8d. a piece, it is 4666l. 13s. 4d. for the liberty of dwelling there, etc. which they extorted with great rigor and exaction, resolving to sell them all for slaves, in case payment was not speedily made.”
p. 70: “This befel the onely then Germane Jews at Jerusalem, for the Congregation of Portugal Jews were relieved by the Alms of their Rich Brethren in Portugal.”
p. 70: “4. The only Anchor the miserable Wretched and distressed Persons had, was to Implore succour from their Brethren in other parts, to which end they sent Letters to Venice, Amsterdam, and by Rabbie Nathan Levita, an Elder, and Cabalist: But all they got from them served only for payment of Interest of Debts: so that they had still perished, if the bowels of Christians in Holland, had not compassionated their State, who sent them 500. Rix Dollars, and by Letters did earnestly press Mr. H. J. to further a Collection in England.