impudence, I had rather you should read the confutation of this slander there, then I to write it in this place, you will find it in the _Geneva_ edition of _Iosephus_, pag. 1066. Secondly, The very same accusation and horrid wickednesse of killing children, and eating their bloud, was of old by the ancient heathens, charg’d upon the Christians, that thereby they might make them odious, and incense the common people against them, as appeares by _Tertullian_ in his _Apologia contra gentes_, _Iustin Martyr in apologia 2. ad Anton. Eusebius Cæsareensis_ l. 5. cap. 1. & 4. _Pineda_ in his _Monarchia Ecclesiastica_ l. 11. c. 52. and many others, as is known sufficiently. So that the imputation of this cruelty, which as to them continues onely in memory, is to the very same purpose, at this day charged upon the _Iewes_. And as they deny this fact, as being falsly charged upon them, so in like manner do we deny it, and I may say perhaps with a little more reason, forasmuch as we eat not any manner of bloud, wherein they do not think themselves obliged. Now the reason of this slander was alwayes the _covetous ambition_ of some, who desiring to gain their wealth, and possesse themselves of their estates, have forg’d and introduc’d this enormous accusation, to colour their wickednesse, under a specious pretence of revenging their own bloud. And to this purpose, I remember that when I reproved a Rabbi (who came out of _Poland_ to _Amsterdam_) for the excesse of usurie in _Germany_, and _Poland_, which they exacted of the Christians, and told him how moderate they in _Holland_ and in _Italy_ were, he replyed, we are of necessity constrained to do so, because they so often raise up false witnesses against us, and levie more from us at once, then we are able to get again by them in many yeares. And so, as experience shews, it usually succeeds with our poor people under this pretext and colour.