The Great Romance of the Royal House of Britain.
BY JOHN DUNHAM-MASSEY, A.M.Inst.C.E. WITH NOTES BY JOHN J. PEARSON. Second and Revised Edition. London: THE COVENANT PUBLISHING CO, LTD. 1924.
"Truth is oft-times stranger than fiction." (Byron)
PREFACE.
No more remarkable manifestations of the exact fulfillment of the Divine Decrees, as promulgated in the Holy Scriptures, have ever been presented to mankind during the whole course of recorded history than those displayed in The Almighty's Providential dealings with the peoples dwelling on these "Isles which are beyond the Sea" (Jer. 25:22).
In every phase of British History, and especially in the marvelous perpetuation of the Royal Line of our Sovereigns - all of whom, with but few exceptions, I am persuaded, have been and now are of "The House and Lineage of David," and consequently "Children of the Stock of Abraham" (Luke 2:4; Acts 13:26) we can trace unmistakable evidences showing "The good Hand of our God upon us" (Ezra 7:9), ordering and directing the National Affairs according to His Will and Pleasure, in pursuance of His vast designs concerning "The remnant of His people, the Outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah in the Isles afar off .... which shall declare His glory among the nations" (Isaiah 11:11-12; 66:19). And "foolish, and slow of heart to believe" must he or she be who cannot discern and gratefully acknowledge this gracious and beneficent supervision of Britain's destinies, and look forward to the still greater glories promised to the "Lost sheep of the House of Israel" (Luke 24:25; Matt. 15:24).
Deeply impressed with the conviction that the long-continued prosperity of Britain and the steady augmentation of dominion and power vouchsafed to her must have been foreshadowed in some of the prophetic utterances recorded in Holy Writ, I diligently sought for such references; but for a long time without any prospect of success.
At last, almost giving up all further quest, my eye caught the remarkable passage in that magnificent prophetic poem, in which the last of the Patriarchs blesses his children, "when he was a-dying" (in the land of their exile and far from the "burying-place" of his fathers in the cave of Machpelah), where Jacob prophetically declares "The Sceptre shall not depart from Judah nor the Ruler's Staff from between his feet until Shiloh come; and to Him shall the gathering of the peoples be!" (Gen. 49:10, R.V.and Marg.) Compare Ezek. 21:26 and 27. Then the passage in Jeremiah 33:17, in which the Prophet (acting as the amanuensis of the Holy Spirit, 2 Peter 1:21) declares, "For thus saith the Lord, David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of Israel," occurred to me.
Here then, were two specific and definite pronouncements concerning two tangible things - a Sceptre and a Line of Monarchs wielding that Sceptre - which God declared in His Word should exist and continue until the Master's Return! The Almighty has said, "Surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass: and as I have purposed so shall it stand!" and "The Strength" (or "Victory") of Israel will not lie nor repent [change his mind]: for He is not a man, that He should repent! [change his mind]" (Isaiah 14:24; 1 Sam. 15:29).
Could it be that this venerable emblem of Judah's Sovereignty is actually in existence; and that a long line of monarchs, descended from Judah's last native king - Zedekiah, deposed and blinded by the savage Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. (2 Kings 25:7) have been sitting upon the throne of David from that sad day to this very time, and we have been oblivious as to these important and significant facts?
To locate the present resting-places of the "Sceptre of Judah" and the "Shepherd-Stone of Israel," and endeavor to ascertain which of the existing Ruling Families held the distinction of representing "The House and Lineage of David," were the mysteries I set myself to unravel; but with that an ocean of difficulties I found' myself confronted!
Preterist Commentaries were misleading: the Higher Criticism worse than useless. A remark made by Sir Frederick G. Kenyon, in his scholarly and deeply interesting work, Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts, set me a-thinking, and ultimately furnished the clue to the elucidation of these apparently inscrutable enigmas. This erudite and recognized Authority says, "The Jews themselves have generally held manuscripts written in Spain to be the best" (P. 38); and this opinion, on enquiry, was endorsed by many Jewish friends whom I consulted.
But why Spain, at the Western extremity of "The Great Sea" or "Sea of the Setting Sun," and not regions bordering upon the Levant which are contiguous to Palestine? An examination of the ancient place-names in the Iberian Peninsula, bearing indubitable evidences of Hebrew origin, revealed the fact that in that interesting country was hidden the key giving admission to these mysterious arcana; and references to certain hitherto obscure passages in the "more sure word of prophecy" (2 Peter 1:19) cast a flood of light into the dark recesses of dimly recorded history.
The results of these investigations are feebly and imperfectly set forth in the following pages, together with some appended Notes by my friend, J. J. Pearson, whose assistance in the compilation of this work, and revision of the proofs as they issued from the press, I gratefully acknowledge.
I most heartily wish that this attempt at showing forth "The wonderful works of God" in regard to the fulfillment of His purposes concerning the "Sceptre of Judah," the "Shepherd Stone of Israel," and the "Throne of David," had fallen to the lot of some one better qualified than I am to handle "the pen of a ready writer," - that some more highly favoured person, endowed with "excellency of speech" (1 Cor. 2:1) and capable of employing "enticing words of man's wisdom," (1 Cor. 2:4) had undertaken the compilation of the crude materials forming the basis of this modest and unpretending essay (Judges 5:14; Psalm 45:2; i Cor. 2, 1, 4). But I trust that my readers - and especially those who, like Simeon of old, are "waiting for the Consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25) - will scan these pages with a lenient eye, and generously make every allowance for the many defects and shortcomings they cannot fail to notice, and of which I am too deeply and painfully conscious.
J. Dunham-Massey, Sutton, 1918.
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. The First Edition of this unpretending work (published in 1918), has now been entirely sold: a most gratifying proof of the increasing interest manifested in the illustrious Ancestry of the Royal House of Britain and it's still more glorious destiny, by all sorts and conditions of men, not only in this the Home-land, but also throughout the far-flung "British Dominions beyond the Seas."
The widely-expressed interest, and the inquiries respecting the Beautiful Palm of Judah, exhibiting no signs of cessation, this Second Impression has been prepared and issued, in order to meet the sustained demands received from all parts of the English-speaking world. This has been most carefully revised - the Text from amendments suggested by the erudite and talented Author, shortly before the gracious invitation, "Friend, go up higher," (Luke 14:10) had reached him, and his abundant entry into "The Rest that remaineth for the People of God" (Hebrews 4:9) - the Notes (some re-written, others added), by the Contributor of the Appendix. The facts and dates have been diligently scanned and compared with those given in, or inferentially deducible from Holy Scripture, Ancient Monumental Inscriptions, or the Records of reliable Chroniclers, Jewish, Arab, Spanish, Irish, Scottish, and Anglo-Saxon: while the many annoying typographical errors, negligently left uncorrected by the Printers of the First Edition, have been rectified.
It is sincerely hoped that this amended and revised issue of a work upon which much labor and research have been bestowed, will fill up a lacuna in Anglo Israelitish literature, and prove acceptable to all who are watching the "Signs of the Times" and patiently waiting for "The Glorious Appearing": (Matt. 16:3); (Titus 2:13); all loyal subjects who entertain feelings of love, homage, and fealty to our revered Sovereign, his Gracious Consort, and the Scions of the Royal House: and patriotic aspirations for our beloved country, our native shores - these "Islands of the Blessed"; these Fair Gems of the Western Seas: the British Isles of incomparable beauty, ancient glory, and imperishable fame.
John. J. Pearson, Stoke Newington, 1924.
TAMAR TEPHI: OR THE MAID OF DESTINY.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
ONE of the greatest epochs in the history of the ancient world was the fall of Nineveh, the proud capital of the Later Assyrian Empire on the Hiddekel or Tigris, which was effected by the conjoint forces of Chaldea and Media, under the leadership of Nebopalassar, or Nebu-pal-esara ("Nebu is the son of the host of heaven"), the erstwhile Viceroy of Babylonia, and Akhasveroth ("Cyaxares") the King of the Medes. This momentous event - in the bringing about of which Nebopalassar, the revolted Assyrian Governor, obtained a better name than rebel, and founded for himself an independent kingdom - took place in 607 B.C.; and it convulsed the then known world much in the same way as the later overthrow of Rome changed the face of Western Europe.
The old Assyrian Empire, erected by Asshur upon the ruins of the hoar Hamitic kingdom of Nimrod (Gen. 10:8-10), had long since passed away, and now the later Power on the Tigris tottered to its fall. The dominion of these "Romans of Asia" would, in all probability have collapsed at the time of the siege of Samaria (725-722), had not the nervous arm of Sargon II been interposed to prop up the declining State. This crumbling of the Great Power, which had for so many centuries dominated the larger portion of the regions comprising South-Western Asia, occasioned great political upheavals in all the adjacent countries - from the western verge of Asia Minor to a line drawn from the southern shores of the Caspian Sea and to the neck of the Persian Gulf, and from the Caucasus Range to the Nilotic Delta by arousing the ambition and exciting the cupidity of the vassal kings in the outlying provinces of the empire, eager to throw off the yoke of "the great King, the King of Assyria" (2 Kings 18:19); annex portions of the decadent State to their own territories, and participate in the despoliation of its opulent Capital, - "an exceeding great city of three days' journey .... wherein were more than six score thousand (120,000) persons that could not discern between their right hand and their left hand: and also much cattle" (Jonah 3:2; 4:11).
Palestine became the focus of all the political intrigues set on foot during the chaos prevailing in the Middle East on the declension of the Assyrian State; and this now unfortunate country was the "debatable land" in which the rival armies of the contending Powers strove for the mastery. Ahaz, of Judah, the father of Hezekiah, had voluntarily placed himself under the vassalage of Assyria, by sending "Messengers to Tiglath-pileser" (Tugulti-pal-esara, "The servant of the son of the host of heaven"), acknowledging himself to be the Assyrian King's "servant and son," and sending the customary "present" (2 Kings 16:7 and 8).
Hoshea, of Israel, was brought into subjection by Shalmaneser IV. (Shalli-mannu-esara, "The peace belonging to the host of heaven"); but intriguing with Shabaka of Egypt (the "King So" of 2 Kings 17:4) against his Assyrian suzerain, he not only lost his throne and his liberty, but brought about the complete overthrow of his hapless country (2 Kings 17:5 and 6). This occurred in 722 B.C.
Hezekiah, of Judah, "Rebelled against the King of Assyria, and served him not" (2 Kings 18:7); and this defection so incensed the proud Sanherib, or "Sennacherib" (Sinn-akka-erba, "The Moon-god has increased the brethren"), that in 701 B.C., he "came against all the fenced cities of Judah and took them." (2 Kings 18:13). The Assyrians, foiled in their attempt upon Jerusalem through Divine intervention (by which 185,000 of their troops perished in one night, 2 Kings 19:35), evacuated the country: and, - with the exception of the capture, deposition, and imprisonment of the wicked Manasseh by Esarhaddon (Esara-haddini, "The lord of the host of heaven"), and his restoration by Asshur-bani-pal (the "son's son of Asshur"), - Judah saw "the captains of the host of the King of Assyria no more" (2 Chron. 33:11).
This brings us down to about the year 610 B.C., when the great events leading up to the most wonderful story of the Jewish Princess occurred:- the maid destined by the "determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23; 15:18; Rom. 11:33), to raise and carry to other and far-off lands the" Sceptre of Judah" (Gen. 49:10); where it has been wielded by Princes of the "House and Lineage of David" (Luke 14), from the time when it fell from the palsied hands of the unfortunate Zedekiah, the last of the Davidic Kings of Judah, until the present day. Thus has been fulfilled to the very letter the specific declaration of THE ALMIGHTY, "David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the House of Israel" (Jer. 33:17).
Pharaoh Necho II. of Egypt, foreseeing the impending dissolution of the great Assyrian Monarchy, and ambitious of extending his authority over Palestine - then "a delightsome land," and not the "dry and thirsty" desolation it is to-day [1924] - and at the same time avenge the severe defeats and humiliation which his predecessor Taharga ("Tirhakah") had experienced at the hands of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:9), Esarhaddon, and Asshur-bani-pal ("the great and noble Asnapper" Ezra 4:10), resolved to forestall any other possible competitor, and, in the first year of his reign, marched an army into Palestine with the object of pushing forward to the Euphrates and possessing himself of the important strategic position of Carchemish, on the great western bend of that river.
This design of the Egyptian monarch was clearly perceived by the gallant and farseeing King Josiah - the last free and independent sovereign of Judah - who rashly essayed to dispute his passage by force of arms. Brushing aside the overtures of the Egyptian invader, and "hearkening not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God," the patriotic and fearless Josiah, "went out against him and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo" (2 Chron. 35:20-24); and in the fiercely contested battle that ensued, the brave Josiah went into the thick of the fight, though disguised like Ahab at Ramoth-gilead (1 Kings 22:20), and was slain in his fortieth year. "His sun went down while it was yet day." (Jer. 15:9).
This noble and pious King of Judah, was the last of the monarchs of David's Line who was honored in his death with a royal burial "in the sepulchres of his fathers" - the ardent desire of every son of Israel (Gen. 47:29-30; 49:29-32) - "and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah; and Jeremiah lamented for Josiah" .... "The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of THE LORD, was taken in their pits: of whom we said 'Under his shadow we shall live among the nations'" (2 Chron. 35:24-25; Lament. 4:20).
Thus was fulfilled the prediction of Huldah, the Prophetess, made to the deputation headed by Hilkiah, the father of Jeremiah, sent by King Josiah (2 Kings 22:12; Jer. 1:1):- `Unto the King of Judah, who sent you to enquire of THE LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, As touching the word which thou hast heard: because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before THE LORD .... and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before Me: I also have heard thee. Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers neither shall thine eyes see all the evil which I will bring upon this place'" (2 Kings 22:18-20).
As for the three sons and grandson of Josiah, who followed him on the then tarnished throne of Judah, "their carcasses did not come unto the sepulchres of their fathers" (2 Kings 23:34; Jer. 22:18 and 19; 2 Kings 25:7; Ezek. 12:12 and 13; 1 Kings 13:22).
KING JOSIAH
Concerning the short and eventful life of Josiah, the following may be taken as a summary. On the assassination of his father Amon (2 Kings 21:23-24), Josiah, at the tender age of eight years, was made King. "In the eighth year of his reign he began to seek after the God of David, his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem" from the gross idolatry everywhere openly practiced (2 Chron. 34:3). It would appear from 2 Kings 23:19, and 2 Chron. 34:6, 7 and 33, that his authority extended over all Palestine: and his meeting in battle the forces of Pharaoh Necho at Megiddo, in the West of the Plain of Esdraelon lends countenance to this view. Josiah shares with Cyrus (in Persian, "Khusru," in Hebrew, "Coresh") the distinction of having been mentioned by name nearly three centuries before he saw the light - his birth and exploits being foretold by "the man of God out of Judah," who prophesied against Jeroboam's idolatrous worship. (1 Kings 13:1 and 2; Isaiah 44:28 and 45f).
This last really independent Representative of the "House and Lineage of David" who reigned in Jerusalem, made affinity with the family of "Hilkiah the High Priest," who was one of his most trusted counsellors (2 Kings 22:4, 8, 12, 14; 23:4), a family next in dignity to the royal house itself; and he married Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah, the Prophet [some doubt this, and think it was a different Jeremiah], who was the son of this High Priest, Hilkiah (Jer. 1:1). Queen Hamutal became the mother of Jehoahaz and Mattaniah, (afterwards Zedekiah 2 Kings 23:31; 24:18). This latter fact is important to remember as it furnishes us with the reason why this Prophet Jeremiah took so prominent a part in the wonderful series of events connected with the ultimate transference of the Sceptre of Judah to the Younger Line of that Tribe, and its perpetuation (through Female Merging), in the Davidic Line, as shown in the following pages. See note on Jeremiah in Appendix.