The Sabbatean Prophets

152 The Sabbatean Prophets
The earliest reports of Sabbatean activity are so inaccurate and fanciful
that it is often unclear whether they were really connected with Shabbatai
and Nathan at all. Throughout the mid-seventeenth century Europe was
inundated with news of the reappearance of the Lost Tribes and the return
of the Jews. These appeared in press reports, 84 pamphlets, broadsides, and
books. 85 A flurry of such tales materialized around 1650, in connection with
a fictitious meeting of Jewish elders purportedly occurring in Hungary. 86
Another cluster appeared with the messianic excitement surrounding Menasseh
ben Israel and his news of the Lost Tribes in America. Other reports
surfaced sporadically at various moments. For example, in 1647 a pamphlet
appeared in London called Doomes-Day: or, The great Day of the Lords Iudgement,
proved by Scripture...Withthegathering together of the Jews in great Bodies under
Josias Catzius (in Illyria, Bithinia, and Cappadocia) for the conquering of the Holy
Land. On the second page the author explains that “the Jewes, according to
certaine and credible information, are at this time assembling themselves together
into one body from out of all countreys, whereinto they have been
driven with a resolution to regaine the holy land once more out of the hand
of Ottoman.” Such tales appeared all over Western Europe in mid-century.
Thus it is by no means inconceivable that with the approach of 1666, a year
prophetically understood by many Christians and Jews to be a messianic
watershed, reports spontaneously appeared with or without the input of rumors
about Shabbatai.
The text of one of these early reports can give us the flavor of how European
Christians couched the Sabbatean moment. Even more enlightening is
the discussion, included in the pamphlet, between the author of the letter
from Belgium and his informant, the Dutch millenarian Peter Serrarius. 87
The pamphlet, as it appeared in London, bears the title, “The Restauration of
the Jews: Or, A true Relation of Their Progress and Proceedings in order to
the regaining of their Ancient Kingdom Being of the Substance of several
LETTERS Viz. From ANTWERP, LEGORN, FLORENCE, etc. Published by
R.R. London, Printed by A. Maxwell, in the year 1665.” 88 The pamphlet
continues with “The Restauration of the Jews, Etc. A Letter from Antwerp,
October 10–20 1665.”
Sir,
Since the last I received from you, I have had occasion to speak with one
that is well informed of the proceedings of the Israelites; he tells me, That
they appear in great numbers in several places: The first mentioned appears