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LESSON 7
REBECCA the Jewess, when condemned to death for sorcery by the Grand Master of the Order of Knights Templars,
challenged the privilege of “Trial by Combat,” in proof of her innocence. Her challenge was accepted, and Sir Brian, a valiant Templar, was named the champion of the holy Order.
Rebecca had difficulty in finding a messenger who would undertake to carry a letter to her father, Isaac of York; at last Higg, the son of Snell, a poor cripple whom she had be-friended, volunteered his services.
“I am but a maimed man,” he said, “but that I can at all stir is owing to her charitable aid. —I will do thine errand,” he added, turning to Rebecca, “as well as a crippled object can. —Alas! when I boasted of thy charity, I little thought that I was leading thee into danger.”
“God,” said Rebecca, “is the Disposer of all. He can turn back the captivity of Judah even by the weakest instrument. Seek out Isaac of York—here is that will pay for horse and man—let him have this scroll. Farewell! —Life and death are in thy haste.”
Within a quarter of a mile from the gate of the Preceptory
the peasant met two riders, whom, by their dress and yellow caps, he knew to be Jews; and, on approaching more nearly, he discovered that one of them was his ancient employer, Isaac of York. The other was the Rabbi Ben Samuel; and both had approached as near to the Preceptory as they dared, on hearing that the Grand Master had summoned a chapter, or meeting of the Order, for the trial of a sorceress.
“How now, brother?” said Ben Samuel, interrupting his harangue to look towards Isaac, who had but glanced at the scroll which Higg offered, when, uttering a deep groan, he fell from his mule like a dying man, and lay for a minute insensible.
The Rabbi now dismounted in great alarm, and hastily applied the remedies which his art suggested for the recovery of his companion. He had even taken from his pocket a cupping apparatus,
and was about to use it, when the object of his solicitude suddenly revived; but it was to dash his cap from his head, and to throw dust on his gray hairs. The physician was at first inclined to ascribe this sudden and violent emotion to the effects of insanity; and, adhering to his original purpose, began once again to handle his implements. But Isaac soon convinced him of his error.
“Child of my sorrow,” he said, “well shouldst thou be called Benoni, instead of Rebecca! Why should thy death bring down my gray hairs to the grave?”
“Brother,” said the Rabbi, in great surprise, “I trust that the child of thy house yet liveth?”
“She liveth,” answered Isaac, “but she is captive unto those men of Be’lial,
and they will wreak their cruelty upon her, sparing her neither for her youth nor her comely favour. Oh, she was as a crown of green palms to my gray locks; and she must wither in a night, like the gourd of Jonah!
Child of my love! child of my old age! —O Rebecca, daughter of Rachel, the darkness of the shadow of death hath encompassed thee.”
“Yet read the scroll,” said the Rabbi; “peradventure it may be that we may yet find out a way of deliverance.”
“Do thou read, brother,” answered Isaac, “for mine eyes are as fountains of water.”
The physician read, but in their native language, the following words: —
“To ISAAC, the son of Adoni’kam, whom the Gentiles call ISAAC of YORK, peace and the blessing of the promise be multiplied unto thee.
“My father, I am as one doomed to die for that which my soul knoweth not-even for the crime of witchcraft. My father, if a strong man can be found to do battle for my cause with sword and spear, according to the custom of the Nazarenes,
and that within the lists of Tem’plestowe, on the third day from this time, peradventure our fathers’ God will give him strength to defend the innocent, and her who hath none to help her. But if this may not be, let the virgins of our people mourn for me as for one cast off, and for the hart that is stricken by the hunter, and for the flower which is cut down by the scythe of the mower. Wherefore, look now what thou doest, and whether there be any rescue.
“One Nazarene warrior might, indeed, bear arms in my behalf, even Wilfred, son of Ced’ric, whom the Gentiles call I’vanhoe. But he may not yet endure the weight of his armour. Nevertheless, send the tidings unto him, my father; for he hath favour among the strong men of his people, and as he was our companion in the house of bondage, he may find some one to do battle for my sake. And say unto him, even unto him, even unto Wilfred, the son of Cedric, that if Rebecca live, or if Rebecca die, she liveth or dieth wholly free of the guilt she is charged withal.
“And if it be the will of God that thou shalt be deprived of thy daughter, do not thou tarry, old man, in this land of bloodshed and cruelty; but betake thyself to Cordo’va,
where thy brother liveth in safety, under the shadow of the throne, even of the throne of Boab’dil the Sar’acen: for less cruel are the cruelties of the Moors unto the race of Jacob than the cruelties of the Nazarenes of England.”
Isaac listened with tolerable composure while Ben Samuel read the letter, and then again resumed the gestures and exclamations of Oriental sorrow, tearing his garments, besprinkling his head with dust, and ejaculating, “My daughter! my daughter!”
“Yet,” said the Rabbi, “take courage, for this grief availeth nothing. Seek out this Wilfred, the son of Cedric. It may be he will help thee with counsel or with strength; for the youth hath favour in the eyes of Richard, called of the Nazarenes the Lion-Heart, and the tidings that he hath returned are constant in the land. It may be that he may obtain his letter, and his signet, commanding these men of blood, who take their name from the Temple, to the dishonour thereof, that they proceed not in their purposed wickedness.”
“I will seek him out,” said Isaac; “for he is a good youth, and hath compassion for the exile of Jacob. But he cannot bear his armour, and what other Christian shall do battle for the oppressed of Zion?”
— SIR W. SCOTT
availeth, profiteth.
bondage, slavery.
challenged, claimed.
companion, associate.
compassion, pity.
cruelties, atrocities.
deliverance, release.
deprived, bereft.
discovered, found.
dishonour, shame.
ejaculating, exclaiming.
employer, master.
encompassed, surrounded.
gestures, actions.
harangue, speech.
implements, apparatus.
insanity, delirium.
insensible, unconscious.
multiplied, increased.
peradventure, perchance.
physician, healer.
privilege, right.
remedies, restoratives.
solicitude, anxiety.
sorcery, witchcraft.
summoned, called.
volunteered, offered freely.
What privilege did Rebecca claim when she had been condemned? Who was named the champion of the Temple? Who at last volunteered to carry her letter? Where did he meet Isaac? What effect had the perusal of Rebecca’s letter upon the latter? Who accompanied him? Whose help did Rebecca ask him to obtain?