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 4_s._ 8_d._ a piece, it is 4666_l._ 13_s._ 4_d._ 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_.

“To which he made some demurs till he obtained full satisfaction of the truth of the Relation, and certainty of safe conveyance of the money that Charity might not be abused; for the first, the Messengers from _Jerusalem_ brought Commissions signed by their Elders, which Commissions were sent to the _Synagogues_ in _Germany_, and in the _Netherlands_ to be examined; who assured that they knew the hands, and that those men would not subscribe to an untruth, and that they themselves had contributed upon the same Information.

“And as for Conveyance, two Noted Merchants of _Francford_, would return the mony, and give Bond for so much; till they procure a Receipt from the Elders of _Jerusalem_, as they had done for the above named summe of 500. Rix Dollars; and had a Letter returned from _Jerusalem_ to the Charitable Christians of _Amsterdam_, both in way of Receipt and Gratitude with Original _Hebrew_ Letter with the Messengers, Commissioners, and other necessary Instructions being sent to Mr. _Jessey_, removed all scruples, so that immediatly informed divers _London_ Ministers, by whose assistance, together with his own private Friends and Interest, the some of 300_l._ Sterling was in short time gathered and sent, and a Bill of Receipt, with thankfulness returned: some of it being also sent to distressed _Iews at Vilna_ and other places in _Poland_.”

_p._ 67: “When their liberty of returning and trading in _England_ (as they did in _Germany, Poland, Russia, Portugal, Netherlands etc._) was moved, disputed and debated for and against; He laboured that it might be granted, with such limitations, (as our Merchants yielded unto, _viz_) that they should be seated in some decayed Port Towns, and pay Custome for Goods, thence transported into other parts of the Nation, besides what they should pay there for exporting _English_, and importing forreign Commodities: such a tollerating of their trade might not onely be beneficial several ways to our selves, but be some satisfaction for the unhandsome dealings of our Nation against that people in the days of King _Rich._ I. King _John_ and _Edward_ the first, for the space of 100 years till their final Banishment, _An. Dom._ 1290. with those circumstances of cruelty, that our own Histories do not seem to approve of;...”