Believing in the Gospel, And paffion of his zon, Ich have for ever done. III. THE WANDERING JEW. The story of the Wandering Jew is of confiderable antiquity: it had obtained full credit in this part of the world before the year 1228, as we learn from Mat. Paris. For in that year, it seems, there came an Armenian archbishop into England, to vifit the shrines and reliques preferved in our churches; who being entertained at the monaftery of St. Albans, was asked feveral queftions relating to his country, Sc. Among the reft a monk, who fat near him, inquired "if he "bad ever feen or heard of the famous perfon named Jofeph, "that was so much talked of; who was prefent at our Lord's crucifixion and converfed with him, and who was still alive "in confirmation of the Chriftian faith." The archbishop anfwered, That the fact was true. And afterwards one of his train, who was well known to a fervant of the abbot's, interpreting his mafter's words, told them in French, "That his lord knew the perfon they spoke of very well: that he had dined at his table but a little while before he left the Eaft: that he had been Pontius Pilate's porter, by name Cartaphilus; who, when they were dragging Jefus out of the door of the Judgment-ball, fruck him with his fift on the back, fay 66 U 3 ing, ing, "Go fafter, Jefus, go fafter; why dost thou linger?" Upon which Jefus looked at him with a frown and faid, "I indeed am going, but thou shalt tarry till I come. "Soon after he was converted, and baptized by the name of foJeph. He lives for ever, but at the end of every hundred years falls into an incurable illness, and at length into a fit or ecftafy, out of which when he recovers, he returns to the fame ftate of youth he was in when Jefus fuffered, being then about 30 years of age. He remembers all the circumftances of the death and refurrection of Chrift, the faints that arofe with him, the compofing of the apoftles creed, their preaching, and difperfion; and is himself a very grave and holy perfon." This is the fubftance of Matthew Paris's account, who was himself a monk of St. Albans, and was living at the time when this Armenian archbishop made the above relation. Since his time feveral impoftors have appeared at intervals under the name and character of the WANDERING JEW; whofe feveral biftories may be seen in Calmet's dictionary of the Bible. See also the Turkish Spy, Vol. 2. Book 3. Let. 1. The ftory that is copied in the following ballad is of one, who appeared at Hamburgh in 1547, and pretended he had been a Fevifh fhoemaker at the time of Chrift's crucifixion.—The ballad however feems to be of later date. It is printed from a black-letter copy in the Pepys collection. HEN as in faire Jerufalem WH Our Saviour Christ did live, And for the fins of all the worlde His own deare life did give; The wicked Jewes with fcoffes and scornes Did dailye him molest, That never till he left his life, 5 Our Saviour could not reft. When When they had crown'd his head with thornes, And fcourg'd him to disgrace, In fcornfull fort they led him forthe Unto his dying place; Where thousand thousands in the streete Beheld him paffe along, Yet not one gentle heart was there, That pityed this his wrong. Both old and young reviled him, As in the streete he wente, And nought he found but churlish tauntes, His owne deare croffe he bore himselfe, A burthen far too great, Which made him in the street to fainte, With blood and water sweat. Being weary thus, he fought for reft, To eafe his burthened foule, Upon a ftone; the which a wretch 10 15 20 25 Did churlishly controule; And fayd, Awaye, thou king of Jewes, Thou shalt not reft thee here; 30 Pafs on; thy execution place. Thou feeft nowe draweth neare. And thereupon he thrust him thence; |