There are, however, certain holy families
who enjoy much consideration; my own is one of these - the chiefest,
I may say. My grandsire was a particularly holy man; and I have
heard my father say, that one night an archbishop came to his house
secretly, merely to have the satisfaction of kissing his head.
Myself. - How can that be; what reverence could an archbishop
entertain for one like yourself or your grandsire?
Abarbenel. - More than you imagine. He was one of us, at least his
father was, and he could never forget what he had learned with
reverence in his infancy. He said he had tried to forget it, but
he could not; that the ruah was continually upon him, and that even
from his childhood he had borne its terrors with a troubled mind,
till at last he could bear himself no longer; so he went to my
grandsire, with whom he remained one whole night; he then returned
to his diocese, where he shortly afterwards died, in much renown
for sanctity.
Myself. - What you say surprises me. Have you reason to suppose
that many of you are to be found amongst the priesthood?
Abarbenel. - Not to suppose, but to know it. There are many such as
I amongst the priesthood, and not amongst the inferior priesthood
either; some of the most learned and famed of them in Spain have
been of us, or of our blood at least, and many of them at this day
think as I do.
