The following is from The
Historical Register of
London for the year 1721, and is a
report from Ferrara (Italy)
about the Jews there sacrificing a gentile baby, and then crowning one of their number as the King Messiah:
about the Jews there sacrificing a gentile baby, and then crowning one of their number as the King Messiah:
Abraham, the famous rabbi of the Tribe of Levi, who died long ago with the reputation of a great prophet, and whose writings are held in mighty veneration by the modern Hebrews, left a prophecy, that 4333 years after the birth of the Patriarch Abraham (which, according to their calculation, happens this present year) the messiah, whom they expect, shall be born of a virgin, to deliver, by his blood, the Jewish nation from the captivity they have been in ever since the destruction of Jerusalem; that on the day of his birth, which should be likewise that of his death, a famous king, revealed by inspiration, shall be chosen, to re-unite under his command the dispersed nation, to lead them to their future conquests, and render them renowned by the total destruction of the Christians. Some Jews of this city being possessed with a belief, that they should see the accomplishment of this prophecy, prepared some time ago in their synagogue all the materials that were enjoyed for anointing the future king, whom the spirit was to proclaim to them. As to the messiah, chance furnished them with a probable object of their hopes : Some soldiers of the garrison having found early in the morning a new born infant wrapped in swadling-cloths, and laid decently in a basket, in one of the streets, carried it to the palace to the Cardinal Legate, who, after having caused it to be baptised, ordered it to be delivered to the directors of the hospital : The chiefs of the synagogue hearing this news, immediately appointed for skillful midwives to search all the Jewish virgins, in order to discover if any of them had been so happy as to be the mother of that desired infant ; one of them had upon her all the required tokens, and on the report of the matrons, the chief of the Jews went to the hospital to reclaim the infant, whom it was not thought fit to deliver to them proofs of such nature. This method not having succeeded, they had recourse to another one of the sbirri (policeman) of this city, who is very poor, and whose wife was ready to lie-in, sold them before hand for 40 gold ducats, the child his wife should bring forth, in case it were a male. According to the prophecy the Jews were to be masters of the city where the pretended messiah should be born, or at least were to have some mark of authority there. Colonel de Medici, our then governor, and Adjutant Nicholi, who suspected nothing of their design, seemed to give an ear to their enthusiasm, and upon payment of the sum of 50,000 crowns ready money, delivered to them, for some hours only, the keys of one of the gates ; but upon condition that they should not open it. On the day appointed, the rabbi, followed by 12 of the chief of the Jews, came to this gate, to which he laid claim, and omitted not to take notice of so evident a proof of sovereignty. Two hours after, the assembly repaired to their synagogue, whither the sbirri's infant had been carried, and where, after, having shut the doors, the babe was sacrificed. His veins being opened, and his blood saved, they kneaded with it unleavened bread, which was distributed to the assistants, and then they burnt the body. This barbarous ceremony being ended, one of the assembly, whose name is Felix Coen, after having been saluted, anointed, and crowned as king by the rabbi, was acknowledged as such by the rest of the assembly. This affair had been kept very secret, and the Grand Inquistor had no notice of it tull the day of this horid sacrifice, when he went in person to the synagogue, where he found the throne still standing, and caused the new king Felix Coen, the rabbi, and the chief of the Jews to be secured, and carried to prison, where they were laid in irons, and will soon be brought to punishment.
