MILL, Mola, to grind. Our Saviour in the Gospel says, that it would be better for a Man to be thrown into the Sea, with a Mill-stone about his Neck, than that he should be a Scandal to one of his little ones. Expedit ei ut suspendatur mola asinaria in collo ejus, &c. This Asses Mill-stone, according to Matth. xviii, 6.some1, was a large Stone turned round by an Ass, to distinguish it from the smaller Stones which were turned by the Arm. Others believe2, that the Mola asinaria was the lower Mill-stone, which was sluggish and immovable.
To express the highest and meanest Conditions Exod. xi. 5.of Life, Moses says, From the first-born of Pharaoh, that sitteth upon his Throne, even unto the first-born of the Maidservant that is behind the Mill. Because before the Invention of Wind-mills and Water-mills, they commonly made Use of Hand-mills to grind their Corn. Samson was condemned by the Philistines to this kind of Labour in his Judg. xvii. 21.Prison; But the Philistines took him, and put out his Eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with Fetters of Brass, and he did grind in the Prison-house. Allusion is often made to this Custom. See Isai. xlvii. 2. Matth. xxiv. 41. Luke xvii. 35.
Moses forbids his People to take from a poor Man as a Pledge or Pawn, the upper or the nether Mill-stone. Or according to the Deut. xxiv. 6.Hebrew, Thou shalt not take the two Stones of a Mill, and the Carriage. Very probably he speaks of those Mills, which the Hebrews made Use of in the Wilderness, which were mounted upon Carriages, because of their frequent Decampments. The two Chaldee Paraphrasts explain this in a figurative Sense; Thou shalt not use any Artifice to hinder the Consummation of Marriage. Some Rabbins explain what is said of Samson in a Sense pretty near this; that he was made to grind in his Prison, say they, that they might have some of his Race. In profane Authors Molere is sometimes taken in an obscene Sense; and in Job xxxi. 10. Scortum alterius sit uxor mea, & super illam incurventur alii. The Hebrew says, Molat alteri uxor mea, &c.
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