Page:Life and death of Judas Iscariot, or, The lost and undone son of perdition.pdf/4

 wise disposer of all things, who may take it away in its infancy or endue it with more grace than ever to be guilty of such dishonourable actions.———This somewhat quieted her, and she was soon after delivered of a lovely male child; but under his left breast was the following curious marks viz. a cross, a gallows, two daggers, and several pieces of money: this likewise terrified his mother, who concealed it from her husband, determining, as soon as she was able, to go to a magician and know the signification of these surprising marks. The child being circumcised, and she purified, according to the old Jewish custom, she dressed herself in disguise, put a veil on her face, and taking with her a kinswoman, went to the magician’s, and being introduced to him, she related her dream, her fears and the marks upon her son, desiring the interpretation of the dream, and the signification of the marks.

The magician replied, I am no interpreter of dreams neither do I justly know the signification of marks; and the whole of your story appears as strange to me, as it can be amazing to you; but if you can tell me when the child was born, I will calculate its nativity, and see what it pretends. then called for pen, ink, and paper, and sitting down, calculated his nativity; and when he had finished it he shook his head, and his countenance waxed pale; which being perceived by Judas’s mother, she said! unto him, do not deceive me, but tell me true, hide nothing from me, whether it be good or evil.———Then, said the magician, to your sorrow, I have seen the rules of the planet that reigned predominant at you son’s birth, that he would prove a thief and a murderer, and what is worse, he will, for lucre, betray the Lord of Life; for which act he will afterwards despair of mercy, lay violent hands on himself, and