Of Moyses the Author of the Five First Books

Moyses (so called because he was taken from the¹ water, as the name signifieth) was born in Egypt, the son of Amram, the son of Caath,² the son of Levi the Patriarch, and so of Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. His marvellous delivery from drowning, his education, excellent form, singular wisdom, heroical virtues, rare dexterity in all affairs, & whole life most admirable, are gathered out of holy Scriptures, by S. Gregory Bishop of Nissen, into a brief sum, most worthy to be read, but to large for this place. He was born about the year of the world two³ thousand four hundred, long before all profane writers, yea before many of the Painimes' false gods, as S. Augustine declareth in divers places of his most excellent book intituled of the City of God. He lived in this world 120. years. Of which 40. were in Pharao's court, as the adopted son of Pharao's daughter: forty in banishment from Egypt in Madian: and forty more he governed the people of Israel. His singular praises are also briefly touched in the last chapter of Deuteromie,⁴ added by Josue. and in the book of Ecclesiasticus. He died in the desert,⁵ and was buried in the vale of Moab, so secretly that no mortal man knew his sepulchre, lest the Jews, who were very prone to Idolatry, should have adored his body with divine honour, for the greatness and multitude of his miracles, and for the singular estimation, they had of him for the same.