Sybarites Bysantii Antissiaei Apoloniatae Chii Syracusani Amphipolitae who by receiving strangers into their cities and countries were all much infested some of them quite supplanted and ejected by them the rest enforced to expel them by force of arms Then he subjoyneth That the strangers admitted among Gods own people proved briars and thorns unto them and Solomon himself by many strange women fell into Idolatry concluding thus The Spaniards in my opinion did not unjustly banish the seditious Iews out of their Coasts propius non accedo â—ed Christum oro ne peregrinorum turba immanis turbo in civitate fiat As these Grecians in ancient times prohibited the introduction of strangers amongst them for the forementioned reasons so likewise did some of the wisest Romans Pennus in ancient times and Papius after him as Cicero relates Peregrinos Vrbibus prohibent eosque exterminant which although he thus censures as an inhumanity suverò urbis prohibere peregrinos sanè inhumanum est Yet he intends it only of excluding strangers from all trading and commerce not from cohabitation as Denizens from which he holds it just to debarre them there being a special Law then in force for that purpose which he thus expresseth Nam esse pro cive qui civis non sit RECTUM EST NON LICERE QUAM LEGEM TULERUNT SAPIENTISSIMI CONSULES Crassus Scaevola Hence Claudius the Emperour banished the Jews out of Rome Acts 18.2 and Suetonius in his life And the mischief of admitting forraigners is largely argued in Cornelius Tacitus who were after his time banished out of Rome as Coelius Rhodigmus relates out of Ammianus Marcelinus So the Carthaginians Solthians Scythotauri Gamphasantes Seres Indians Aegyptians in some places the Epidauri Athenians also excluded foraigners their country company conversation Ne cives longo usu dissimiles mores imbuerent in alienas leges ritusque transirent as Alex. ab Alexandro Gen. Dierum l. 4. c. 10. and Boêmus de Mor. Gentium record Yea we read of the Tartars and most politick Inhabitants of China at this day that they will admit no strangers into their Countries so much as to travel or traffick for fear of discerning their secrets and corrupting their manners and those few they admit by special licence to enter into their Country they will by no means suffer to return thence nor permit Merchants and Marriners there trading to walk abroad publikely in their Cities and Countries nor to lodge on land but only in their ships And to come nearer home our Kings heretofore upon the grievous complaint of the Nobility Gentry People have frequently banished all strangers out of England as the greatest pests inconveniences and grievances to the Natives Thus in the reign of King Edward the Confessor Anno 1052 All the Normans except two or three were banished our of England for giving ill counsel to the King and incensing him against the English by agreement both of the King and Parliament So King Henry the 2. in the 1 year of his reign Anno Dom. 1154. or in the second year of his reign as others write commanded all strangers to avoid out of the Realm by Proclamation by a certain day under great penalty especially the Flemings and Souldiers who committed all kinds of mischief under pretence of a liberty permitted to Souldiers by the Law of arms in time of war In the year 1220. King Hen. the 3. by his Proclamation commanded all strangers to avoid the land by Michaelmas next following except such as came with Merchandize to make sale of their wares under the Kings safe conduct After which the Poâ—ctouvines coming into England in great number obtaining great offices about the King miscounselling seducing and encensing him against the English Nobility and ingrossing the wealth of the Kingdom into their hands were assaulted plundered and many of them inforced to retire out of England by the Barons in the year 1258. And the next year after they were all banished out of England by Edict of Parliament After which they returning and oppressing the Realm were again expulsed and exiled by the Barons Anno 1260. So in the Parliament of 4 Ed. 2. Anno 1311. It was ordained by the Archbishops Bishops Earls and all the Commons in Parliament amongst other things That the King should banish all Foraigners out of his Court and Kingdom as his Father had commanded him which the King obliged himself by Oath to performe And thereupon banished his own Minion Pierce Gaveston into Ireland Which practices and proceeding of all these recited Nations and our Ancestors being if not grounded on yet at least warranted by Gods own forcited Precepts to the Israelites being warranted by the Jews own practise who had no dealings with the Samaritans John 4.9 and the Samaritans reciprocal carriage towards the Iews whom they would neither lodge nor entertain Lu. 9.51 52 53. Why we should not upon this account seclude those alien Jews so different from us both in manners customs Laws Religion and obeying not the Laws of our Saviour Christ Jesus it being not for the Kings or the Kingdoms profit to suffer them as Haman Esther 3.8 once said of them in another case I referre it to all wise Statesmen to resolve since it may be truly said of such unwelcom guests Turpius ejicitur quâm non admittitur hospes Neither will this contradict that Gospel precept Heb. 13.2 Be not forgetfull to entertain strangers or Deutr. 10.18.19 c. 23.7 Mat. 25.35 43. which extend only to Christian hospitality liberality and pity towards private distressed exiles travellers and other strangers coming to lodge or sojourn with us for a short season into our houses or country upon extraordinary or just occasions especially such who stand in need of our releif and are of the Houshold of Faâ—th as is clear by the Texts themselves compared with Rom. 12.13 1 Pet. 4.9.3 Iohn 5. Gal. 6.10 not to Infidels Jews Pagans or who are in no such absolute necessity nor stand in need of our charity or reception nor yet to the reception of any forraign Nation or Colony into our Island to cohabit perpetually with us the only point in question which the Scripture no where commands nor intends but disallows in the aforecited Texts Neh. 9.2 c. 13.30 And these Scripture expressions Prov. 5.10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth Isay 1 7. your lands strangers devour in your presence and it is desolate as overthrown by strangers Lam. 5.2 Our inheritance is turned unto strangers our Houses to aliens Hosea 7.9 Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not sufficiently manifest both the illegallity folly and sad consequences of our receiving Jews and other strangers in such a nature of which our Ancestors had sufficient experience in the Jews themselves enforcing them for ever to exile them hence who have places enough in many other parts of the world where they now inhabit in
injury molestation grievance to be done to them by any in their passage beyond the Seas for which he had given them safe conduct but to grant them their wives and children a safe and speedy passage within the time prefixed them at the Jews own costs paying reasonable rates for their freights and passage without immoderate exactions especially on the poorer sort of them lest their passage should be hindred by such immoderate and unreasonable exactions I shall transcribe these Writs and Letters at large out of the Records themselves as most pertinent to my intended Theame beginning with those to Sheriffs Rex Vic Gloucestrie c Cum Iudaeis Regni nostri universis certum tempus praefixerimus a Regno illo Transfretandi Nolentes quod ipsi per Ministros nostros aut alios quoscunque aliter quam fieri consuevit indebite pertrectentur Tibi praecipimus quod per totam Ballivam tuam publice proclamari et firmiter inhiberi facias ne quis eis intra terminum praedictum injuriam molestiam dampnum inferat seu gravamen Et cum contingat ipsos cum catallis suis quae eis concessimus versus partes London causa Transfretrationis suae dirigere gressus suos salvum securum conductum eis habere facias sumptibus eorum Proviso quod Iudaei praedicti ante recessum suum vadia Christiaâ—oâ—um quae penes se habent illis quorum fuerint si ea acquietare voluerint restituant ut tenentur Teste Rege apud Westm 18 die Iulii Anno 18. E. 1. Consimites Literae diriguntur Vicecomitibus Essex Ebor. Northampt. Lincoln Teste ut supra Item Vicecomitibus Hereford Suthampt. The form of the Letters for protection and safe conduct to particular Jews and their Families which the richer sort of Jews purchased at dear rates was this Rex Majori et Ballivis Eborum salutem Quia certum diem praefixerimus Iudaeis nostris Angliae regnum nostrum exeundi et se ad partes alias transferendi Vobis mandamus quod Bonamico Judaeo Eborum uxori pueris vel familiae suae in personis aut rebus interim nullam molesâ—iam inferatis set ipsos quantum in vobis est manuteneatis protegatis et defendatis Et cum idem Bonamicus cum uxore pueris et familia sua post Terminum Proclamationis factae de vadiis Christianorum acquietandis ad partes maritimas causa transfretandi divertere se voluerint sibi et suis salvum conductum cum ab eo fueritis requisiti suis sumptibus habere faciatis ne eis super bonis quae secum deferre contingerit periculum emineat pro defectu conductus hujusmodi faciendi T. Rege apud Lang. 26 die Julii Et sunt Patentes By this Patent it appears First that the Jewes had a certain day prefixed them by the King to depart out of the Realm of England into Foreign parts of which they all had general and particular notice 2ly That the wealthier Jews thereupon to preserve their own persons wives children families from corporal violence and their goods from plunder purchased particular Letters of Protection and safeconduct from the King to Mayors and other Officers 3ly That the King published a general Proclamation upon the Edict of their banishment that all the pawns of Christians to them should be redeemed and discharged before their departure or left behind them when they departed hence The next day after this private Letter of Protection and Safeconduct on the 27 of July the King sent these Letters to the Bailiffs Barons and Seamen of the Cinque ports for the Jews safe conduct passage and transportation out of England within the term which he had prefixed to all and every of them being general for all the Jews Rex omnibus Baliivis Baronibus et Nautis Quinque portuum suorum salutem Cum certum terminum omnibus et singulis Iudaeis Regni nostri praefixerimus idem Regnum exeundi Nolentes quod ipsi in rebus seu personis interim aliqualiter injurientur Vobis mandamus quod eisdem Iudaeis cum ipsos ad Portus praedictos cum uxoribus pueris Catallis suis venire contingerit ad transfretand critical conversion and such converts mostly we are like to find them and none other Whereupon the 2 Council of Nice Canon 3. decreed That no Iews should be admitted suddenly into the Christian Church nor baptized unlesse they publikely certified that they were converted out of a pure sincere faith with all their heart and utterly renounced their judaical rites And the Council of â—gatha Can. 34. decreed That the Iews who desired to turn Christians should remain for 8 moneths space amongst the Catechimeni for trial of the sincerity of their conversion before they were baptized upon this ground because they frequently returned to their infidelity vomit again Judaei qui eorum per fidia FREQUENTER ad vomitum reddit Which Alexander Alensis summa Theolog pars 2. qu. 161. approves 7ly If any private Iews out of meer conscience or sincere desires of being converted to the Christian faith shall upon that account alone desire admission into England to be instructed by our English Divines I suppose no English Christians will oppose but further their desires herein and contribute both their prayers and best endeavors for their conversion and if ther be cause admit them also into our Churches Communion upon real testimonies of the truth of conversion in and work of grace upon them which is as much as they can desire at our hands But to admit whole multitudes and Colonies of infidel Iews at once into our Nation who neither desire nor pretend conversion to Christianity but the quite contrary together with the free use of their Iewish Synagogues Rites Ceremonies which they strongly in-sist upon to establish their Judaism make way for their long expected Messia his comming increase their wealth and traffique and enable them to recover their ancient Country and Kingdome again the only things they now aim at as Menasseh Ben Israels printed addresses proclaims to all the World is such an Impious Unchristian Antichristiaâ— dangerous president glossed over only with a possibility of their future conversion as no sincere English Christians can approve of nor the Iews themselves desire For as the Iews by Gods own Laws and their own Iewish Rabbies precepts neither might nor yet would permit any Heathen Gentiles heretofore to dwell among them nor to set up any Altars Images Idols Groves or exercise any Idolatrous worship amongst them or to blaspheme reproach their God or Religion under pain of death if they transgressed therein There being the selfsame Law of God in these things both to Gentiles Iews And like as they afterwards would not permit the Apostles and Christians in Ierusalem or any other Cities for to preach the Gospel and exercise the Christian Religion freely but raised up present tumults against and persecuted and cast them out thence as 1 Thes 2.14 15 17. the whole History
care and cost as the richest Pearls Treasures and Jewels of the Nation To which I answerâ— 1. That all our wisest Kings Parliaments Ancestors Statesmen in former ages had ever a special care to record all businesses of publike or private ocncernment and to preserve our ancient Records as the choicest Treasures appointing special Treasuâ—ies places to preserve them in and Custodes Râ—tulorum Treasurers Chamberlains Registers Clerks to keep them safe from injury corrupting and embeâ—â—lâ—ing and enacting many Statutes for this purpose wiâ—neâ—â—e not only the Chests Cyrographers Officers and oâ—hers forementioned for keeping the Records and Charteâ—s of the Jews and their Rolls but also 13 E. 1. c. 25.30 1 E. 3. c. 4. 5 E. 3. c. 12. 9 E. 3. c. 5. 6 R 2. c. 4. 13 H. 4. c. 7. 2 H. 5. c. 8. 4 H. 6. c. 3. 8 H. 6. c. 12.15 10 H. 6. c. 4. 18 H. 6. c. 1.9 27 H. 8. c. 16. 32 H. 8. c. 28. 34 H. 8. c. 22.28 37 H. 8. c. 1. 2 E. 6. c. 10.3 4 E. 6. c. 1.1 2 Phil. Mar. c. 2. 23 Eliz. c. 3. 27 Eliz. c. 9. 31 Eliz. c. 3. 1 Jac. c. 6. with other Acts And must they now after all these Statutes be all maâ—e a burnt-offring unto Vulcan upon the crack-brain'd Motion of an Ignatian Incendiary 2. The Statute of 8 H. 6. c. 12. still in force Oâ—daiâ—s That if any Record or parcel of the same writ retoriâ— paâ—el proces or warrant of Attorney in the Kiâ—gs Couâ—ts of Chancery Eschequer the one Bench or other or in his Treasury be willingly stolen taken away withdrawn or avoided by any Clerk or other Person by cause whereof any judgement be reveâ—sed 〈…〉 â—alâ—r taker away wiâ—hdrâ—â—◠〈◊〉 and avoider their Procurers Counsellors and Abettors being thereof inaâ—â—ted and by process theâ—eupon 〈◊〉 thereof duly convict by their own confession or by enquest to be taken by legal men whereof the one half shall be of the men of some Court of the same Courts and the other halâ— of â—â—her shall be judged for Felons and shall incurre the pain of Felons And that the Iudgâ—s of the saiâ—â—ourâ—â—â— of the one Bench and of the other have power to hear and detâ—rmine such defaults before them and thereoâ— to mâ—ke due puniâ—hment as is aforesaid And now Hugh Peters if I may be thy Counselâ—or in sober sadnesse look to thy neck which as thou hast oft indangered forfeited by thy late Fire-works to blow up Kings Kingdoms Parliaments Lords our old fundamental Lawes Liberties Government as Straffords Canterburies late Impeachments Sentences with Mr. St. Iohns and others Arguments at their Attaâ—ndâ—rs will resolve thee and thy open treasonable advising abetting the seising imprisoning of my self and above 40 more Members of Parliament in Hell on the bare boards Decemb. 6. 1648. whose names thou didst then list with an iron Sword under thy arme instead of the Sword of the Spirit So this thy Iesuitical Project to burn all our old Records whereby all former Judgement Titles Fines Recoveries c. will be nulled reversed which thou publickly abettest counsellest thy Magistrate to effect in Print proclaimes thee by thine own Confession without other evidence a Notorious Felon within this Act in the highest degree The burning avoiding of all our Records in general being a more transcendent Felony yea Treason to the whole Kingdom Nation than the embezelling only of one or two private Records or Writs relating but to one private person And if ever thou be brought to a legal Trial for it before such a Iury and such Iudges as this Act prescribes thou art sure to undergoe a Halter-Martyrdome at Tyburne which all will cry up according to thy Pamphlets Title for A good work of a good Magistrate and a short cut to great quiet for thy devoting all our old Records to a fiery Martyrdom in Smithfield which I trust they shall never undergo And that upon these enâ—uing weighty Considerations First theâ—e old Records which he would have burnt contain in them all the antient Rights Titles Evidences Charters Agreements Leagues Compacts of the Kings Kingdom Nation and people of England to all their pristine and present Dominions Jurisdictions Prerogatives Preheminences Priviledges Hereditaments and enjoyments both at home and abroad by Land and by Sea as they are a Kingdom Nation Republike body Politick in general and that both in relation to themselves and their own intrinsecal affairs at home as they have been owned reputed negotiated treated with upon special occasions as a Kingdom Nation Republike by any forraign Kings Princes Kingdoms States whose ancient undoubted Rights Titles to all or any of our Dominions Territories Jurisdictions Royalties cannot otherwise be legally câ—eared judicially evidenced upon any emergenr occasion or controversie between our Kingdom Nation and other Forraign States and Realms or between our selves at home but by our old Records the only publike evidences of the whole Kingdom and English Nation as necessary to defend maintain justifie their common publick Rights Dominions Possessions Jurisdictions Claims priviledges upon all occasions as any private Noble or Gentlemans ancient Charters Records Writings are to defend manifest his right and Title to his private Inheritance and Injoyments witnesse the famous Letter of the King Parliament and Nobles of England written and sent to the Pope Anno 1302. to clear the subordination of Scotland to the Crown of England and the Homage of the Kings of Scotland made for their kingdom to the Kings of England as their superiour Lords from time to time manifested by the ancient Histories and Records of England beyond all contradiction Mr. Selden his Mare Clausum proving the Dominion and Jurisdiction of the Kings of England oâ—er the Narrow Seas by Records and Sir Robert Cottons Posthuma Therefore it must necessarily be as bad and mad a worke for a bad and mad Magistrate to burn all the publick Evidences and Records of the whole Kingdom and Naâ—ion upon the frantick motion of a Bedlam in this particular as for a Great landed Nobleman to burre all the old Charters Evidences of his Lands and Honors or for a rich Usurer to burn all his Bonds and Morgages which all wise men will repute an act of Frenzy and Hugh Peters too in his right senses 2. They contein in them all the great publike Charters Contracts Agreements Leagues formerly granted or made by the Kings of England to or with the Prelates Earles Barons Freemen Commons of England Ireland Scotland Wales Gernsey Iersy Man and all other Isles and Dominions belonging to the Crown of England in general all Charters Patents Grants Contracts Writs Releases Gifts Pardons Offices Honors Liberties Franchises Customs Priviledges Faires Markets Inheritances Rents Revenues Licences compositions formerly granted by our Kings to the respective Counties Cities Towns Burroughs Villages Hundreds Arch-bishops Bishops Deans Chapters Prebends Abbies Priories Nunneriâ—s Colledges Hospitals Free-schools Universities great Officers Chancellors Generals Admirals Marshals
the dead And this very year Robert de la Ho to whom the king had committed the custody of the Jews and of the Seal which belonged to their Exchequer was grievously accused before the king being charged with this crime That he had oppressed the innocent Son of a certain knight by a certain false Charter confirmed with the Seal of which the said Robert Iustice of the Iews was the bearer and keeper Whereupon he was basely apprehended and committed to a close Prison and defamed with the like scandal wherewith Philip Luuel but the year just before had been intangled in the snares of the perfidious Jews who was then their Iustice. At last by the great labour of his friends the malice of the Jews is detected but the innocency of the said Robert then set free scarce declared Whereupon being put from his Offices he openly paid 4 marks of gold at least for his fine This very year 1252. there came out of the holy Land a Mandate from the king of France that all the Jews should be expelled out of the Realm of France and condemned to perpetual exile with this clause of moderation added thereto But he who desires to remain let him be an artificer or handicrafts-man and apply himself to mechanical artifices For it was scornfully objected to the said King by the Saraccus That we did little love or reverence our Lord Jesus Christ who tolerated the murderers of him to live among us In the year of Christ 1253. November 10. the Obligatory Chatter wherewith the Abbot and Covent of St. Alban were held bound for the debt of Richard de Oxaie knight was taken out of the hand of Elias the London Jew and freed out of the chest and it was proclaimed in the School of the Jews at London where it seems they had then a School that the foresaid Abbot and Covent should be quit from all this debt against them from the beginning of the world till then as the Statute obtained by them protesteth The Jews in Northampton about the year of our Lord 1253. had among themselves prepared wild-fire to burn the City of London for the which divers of them were taken and burned in the time of Lent in the City of Northampton Ann 1254. King Henry after Easter so cruelly raged against the most miserable people of the Jews that they loathed even to live And when they were called together Earl Richard exacted of them for the use of the King who was then in great want no small sum of money under pain of a most loathsom prison and a most ignominious death Elias therefore of London High Priest of the Jews taking counsel with his Companions answered for them all who had frequently paid very great summs of money whether they would or would not O noble Lords we see undoubtedly that our Lord the King purposeth to destroy us from under heaven VVe intreat for Gods sakâ— that he would give us license safe conduct of departing out of his Kingdom that we may seek and find a mansion in some other place under some Prince who bears some bowels of mercy and some stability of truth and faithfullnesse And we will depart never to return again leaving here our houshouldstuff and houses behind us How can he love or spare us miserable Jews who destroyes his own natural English He hath people yea his own Merchants I say not Usurers who by usurÃous contracts heap up infinite heaps of money Let the King rely upon them and gape after their emoluments Verily they have supplanted impoverisht us Which the K. howsoever dissembles to know exacting froÌ„ us those things we cannot give him although he would pull out our eyes or out our throats when he had first pulled off our skins And speaking this with sighs and tears hindring his speech he held his peace falling almost into an extasie ready to die Which when it came to the knowledge of the Magistrates they permitted them not to depart out of the Realm saying Whether will ye flee O wretches Behold the King of France hateth and persecuteth you and hath condemned you to perpetual exile shunning Charibdis you desire to be drowned in Scylla And so the small little substance which was left to them for their mean sustentation was violently extorted from them King Henry the 3d. An. 1255. exacted with great earnestness from the Jews although very frequently impoverished 8000 marks to be speedily paid unto him under pain of hanging But they seeing nothing else hanging over them but destruction with confusion answered all unanimously Sir King we see that thou sparest neither Christians nor Iews but studiest with crafty fetches to impoverish all men we have no hope of respiration left us the Vsurers of the Pope have supplanted us permit us to depart out of thy kingdom with safe conduct and we will seek for our selves such a mansion as we can be it what it will Which when the King had heard he cried out with a querulous voice saying It is no marvel if I covet money it is an horrible thing to imagin the debts wherein I am held bound By the head of God they amount to the sum of two hundred thousand marks and if I should say of three I should not exceed the bounds of truth I am deceived on every side I am a maâ—med and abridged King yea now but an halfed King For having made a certain estimate of the expences of my rents the sum of the annual rent of Edward my Son amounts to above 15000 marks There is therefore a necessity for me to live of the mony gotten from what place soever from whomsoever and by what means soever Therefore being made another Titus or Vespasian he sold the Jews for some years to Earl Richard his brother that those whom the King had excoriated he might eviscerate Yet the Earl spared them considering their abbreviated power and ignominious poverty The same year about the Feast of Peter Paul the Jews of Lincoln stole a child call'd Hugo being 8 years old and when as they had nourished him in a certain most secret chamber with milk and other childish aliments they sent almost to all the Cities of England wherein the Jews lived that in contempt and reproach of Jesus Christ they should be present at their sacrifice at Lincoln for they had as they said a certain child hid to be crucified Whereupon many assembled at Lincoln And comming together they appointed one Lincoln Jew for the Judge as it were for Pilate By whose judgement by the consent of all the child is afflicted with sundry torments He is whipped even unto blood and lividness crowned with thorns wearied with spittings and shriekings and moreover he is pricked by them all with ponyards made to drink gall dâ—rided with reproaches and blasphemies and frequently called by them with grinding teeth Jesus the false Prophet And after they had derided him in divers
can find no syllable in any Domestick or foreign Historians or Writers whatsoever nor yet that they inhabited here or were here in the Briton Saxon or Danish Kings Reigns which if they had some of our Historians Synods Decrees and Laws in those ages would have mentioned it as well as the Gothish Spanish Histories Laws Councils and Constitutions where they resided in which there is not one syllable of them but only in the forecited Law foisted in amongst the Confessors to which doubtless it was puny but in William the Conquerours reign Together with their ill deportments misdemeanors sufferings massacres servile condition and manifold popular tumults against them during all the time of their residence in England and final banishment out of it never to my knowledge collected into one intire History before The serious consideration whereof will in my weake judgement sufficiently satisfie convince the whole English Nation that they have just grounds and reasons in point of piety of policy never to re-admit them more into our Island and likewise resolve the very Jewes themselves that they have little cause or reason at all to desire to re-plant themselves in England where their ancestors in times past susteined so many miseries massacres affronts oppressions fleecings upon all occasions themselves can expect little better usage for the future To this principal part of my undertaking for fuller satisfaction I shall hereunto subjoyn a Tast of such Laws Scriptures Reasons as seem strongly to plead yea conclude against their re-admission into England at least in that latitude and freedom as formerly they there enjoyed and now petition for As 1. To erect new Synagogues Temples amongst us or turn any of our Churches Chappels into Synagogues for the free publique exercise of their Judaism Jewish Worship Customs Religion diametrically contrary to the Gospel Person Kingdom Priesthood Offices Mediation Redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ which they thereby professedly deny renounce as false and fabulous 2ly To set up a Jewish Corporation or Fraternity amongst us in our Cities and Corporations distinct and separate from the English subject to their own immediate peculiar Officers and Judges as heretofore 3ly To purchase Houses Habitations Rents Lands exercise Merchandizes and all sorts of Trades and Manufactures amongst us as free Denizens or Merchants upon such terms and qualifications as shall be indulged to them 1. For our Laws and Statutes these following make directly or obliquely by way of necessary consequence against their re-admission 1. For their Jewish Synagogues Worship Sacraments Religion these ancient pious Laws of our Saxon and Danish Kings made in their great Parliaments and Councils before the Jews first coming into England strongly oppose their admission now As namely the Laws of King Alfred and Guthern Lex 1.2 of King Ethelred in the Council of Aenham c. 1.3.27 29 30. of Habam c. 1. with the Laws of King Knute the Dane Lex 1.27 28. All which enact That the only true God and our Lord be loved worshipped in all ages by all the people with all their might the one Christian holy Catholick faith orthodoxly kept and the Churches of God to be diligently frequented throughout the Realm That all Paganisme and false Religions be renounced both in words and deeds That who ever wickedly resisteth the Laws of Christ shall be grievously fined and put to death and that all men should diligently seek out by all means Ut recta Christi relâ—gio maximè provehatur That the right religion of Christ might be most of all advanced obtesting all Ecclesiastical and secular persons again and again most earnestly to keep the sincere faith unanimously in the true God and the right Christian faith in a right manner diligently to hear the Teachers of Gods word studiously to follow their Doctrine and Precepts to maintain peace and tranquility in the Church of God and there diligently to pour forth their prayers All which particulars exclude all Jewish Synagogues and Judaisme and are of perpetual force being grounded on the very Law of God Moreover King Cnute his Ecclesiastical Lawes made by the advise of his wise men to be observed throughout all England prohibited That no Christian should be sold or sent out of the Realm or banished amongst those who had not as yet embraced the faith in Christ lest per adventure those Souls should perish at any time which our Lord Jesus Christ had redeemed with his own blood and life If Christians for this cause ought not to be sent sold or banished amongst Jews and Infidels much more then ought not Infidel Jews with their Jewish Synagogues Religion Ceremonies to be now introduced amongst us Christians to the hazard of many Christian Souls redeemed by Christs blood 2. All the Statutes concerning Uniformity of Common Seâ—vice and administration of the Sacraments as 1 Ed. 6. c. 1 2. 2 Ed. 6. c. 1. 6 Ed. 6. c. 1.1 Eliz. c. 2.23 Eliz. c. 1.35 Eliz. c. 1.2 most of them still in force being never legally repealed do fully and directly oppugne the introduction of any Jâ—wish Synagogues Service Sacraments Worship Ceremonies with the use of them in any place within our Realm 3. The Statutes of 3. E. 6. c. 10.13 Eliz. c. 2.23 Eliz. c. 1.28 Eliz. c. 2.6 35 Eliz. c. 1.3 Jac. c. â— against Popish Recusants Seminary Priests Jesuites Friers Masse-Books Agnus Dei's Popish Books Superstitions for eventing the withdrawing of the Subjects of this Realm from the publique Ordinances Sacraments and Religion here established and for speedy banishing all Seminary Priests and Jesuites and keeping them perpetually out of the Realm upon this account amongst others though professing Christ Christian Religion and agreeing with us in all Articles of the Creed and most fundamental points of Christianity Must in Substance Law Reason in this regard much more perpetually exclude abolish all Jews Jewish Priests Rabbies Synagogues worship Ceremonies Superstitions out of our Dominions being far more dishonourable to Christ opposite to our Christian Religion and destructive to the peoples souls if once admitted then any Jesuites Seminary Priests Friers Popish Recusants or any Romish Masses Superstitions whatsoever And if the Jewish Priests Judaism and Jewish Ceremonies may be now set up and practised publiquely amongst us notwithstanding all these Statutes then much more Masse-Priests Masses Popery and Prelacy by the self-fame reason justice equity To these I might annex all the late Ordinances for the Directory The solemn League and Covenant and for Suppressing punishing of Heresy and Blasphemy therefore of Judaism which is both Heresy and Blasphemy and Jewish assemblies the very Synagogues of Sâ—tan and Jews great blaspemers by Christs own resolution Rev. 2.9 c. 3.9 Acts 18.6 Rom. 2.21 With the late printed Instrument of Government which although it allows not only toleration but protection to all Sects and Religions professing faith in God through Jesus Christ though differing from the Doctrine and Discipline publickly held forth in the Nation
In the year 1349. There being a great plague and mortality in Germany the Jews were generally accused for the chief Authors or increasers thereof by poysoning all the Wells and Fountains to destroy all the Christians and corrupting likewise some baptized Jews and other Christians with money and charms so far that they could willingly have destroyed and slain all their fellow Christians which some of them confessed upon their examinations Hereupon the Common people in great rage and fury against their Magistrates and Bishops wills and commands who neither could nor durst withstand their violence fell upon all the Jews in Bern Friburgh Aâ—gentine Wormes Oppenheim Francfort Mentz Spires and other places slew and brained many of them burned other of them hanged up many others upon Gibbets pillaging burning breaking and pulling down their Houses the Jews themselves in many of these places burning both themselves wives children goods to avoid the enraged peoples fury very few of them escaping who were baptized to preserve their lives The Inhabitants of Spire fearing the air would be infected with the stink of the slaughtered Jews dead corps lying in the streets although most of them were burnt put them into empty Caskes and threw them into the Rhine All such who protected any of the Jews for money as some did were so murmured against and hated by the people that they were in great danger of their lives which some of them lost as Albertus Argentinensis records at large Which sad calamity came upon them by Gods just judgement many of them being found guilty of all sorts of wickednesses poysonings the murder of many Children forging of Letters counterfeiting and corrupting of moneys thefts deceipts and other villanies whereby they offended the Divine Majesty To these I might add many other such tumults uproars occasioned by and massacres burnings and destructions of them for their villanies in France Spain Germany and other parts recorded in Hermannus Schedel Chron. f. 243 248 258 271 272. and Genebrardi Chronog p. 461 627 660 618 688 824 830. Abraham Bzouâ—us Annal. Eccl. Tom. 15. Anno 1239. n. 9. Anno 1391. n. 8. Anno 1464. n. 44. An. 1491 n. 6.7 Cromerus de Rebus Polonor l. 25. with those forementonioned in England and that of Norlingen An. 1290. where many of them were slain by the Citizens whom they had undone and ruined And can we then in point of Christian piety or prudence now bring in such a generation of men as these amongst us especially in these unsetled unquiet discontented times to kindle new flames of discontent and tumults amongst the people 8. The conversation of the Jews is so dangerous to Christians that the 4 Council of Toledo can 59.61 62 made this Decree The Conversations and Companies of evil men do oftentimes corrupt even the good how much more then those who are prone to vices Let therefore the Jews who are converted to the Christian faith have no further Communion henceforth with those who still continue in their old Jewish rites lest peradventure they should be perverted by their Society Therefore we decree that the Sons and Daughters of those Jews which are baptised that they be not again involved in the errors of their Parents shall be seperated from their company and placed with Christian men and women fearing God where they may be well instructed and grow in faith and Christian manners and that the Jews believing Wives shall be divorced and separated from their Husbands unless upon admonition they turn Christians The â—â—â—e was decreed by the Council of Basil Sess 20. and â—nacted by the Wisogothes Laws lib. 12. Tit. 2.3 Yea Pope Alex. the 3. Decretal l. 6. c. 7. prohibited all Christians under pain of Excommunication to cohabit with the Jews or keep company with them because their manners and Christians accord in nothing and they by reason of theâ—r continual conversation and daily familiarity might easily incline the minds of simple people to their superstition and infideâ—ity And should not those men who pretend themâ—elves far greater Zealots than the Goths Spaniards or Pope and the Popish Canonists who decree the like upon the sâ—me reason upon these very grounds much more oppose prohibiâ—e their re-admission into England in this giddy Apostatizing age lest their Company and Society should easily seduce the unstable people to their Judaism and Infidelity to Christs dishonoâ—r their own damnation and the infamy of our Church and Government The rather because if extraordinary care be not taken herein under pretext of Jews we shall have many hundreds of Jeâ—uites who derive both their Name and pedigree from the Jews eâ—en from Iesui and his family of the Iesuits Num. 16.44 as some of them affirm in prinâ— though others from other grounds of Popish Priests and Friers come over freely into England from Portugal Spaine Rome Italy Poland and othâ—r places under the title habit and disguise of Jews of purpose to undermine our Religion Church and State and sow the seeds of Heresie Blasphemy Popery Superâ—tition Schisms and Divisions amongst us they having formerly sent over some of late years amongst us under the notion and vizard of converted Jews as Ramsey the Scot and Eleazer and Joseph Ben-Isaiah all Jesuitical wicked cheating Impostors the two last whereof have cheated the honest people of the Nation of many thousand pounds being notorious Villains one of them formerly a Trooper and Plunderer in Prince Ruperts army as he confessed to his Hostesse at Dursly in Glocestershâ—re in his â—rink where he would have ravished the Maid-servant of the house locking the door upon her whiâ—es she was warming his bed in the night and upon her crying out for help fled away presently in the night to avoid apprehension And yet wanders about cheating the pâ—ople in other places instead of being brought to Tybuâ—ne for his Villanies And if they abuse and cheat us thus already much more will they doe it upon and after the Jewes admission 9. To pretermit their banishment out of Rome by the Emperor Claudius recorded Acts 18.2 and that as Ecclesiastical Historians report for their cheating and tumults there raised I shall only in brief relate how they have from time to time been banished expelled many Christians Citiâ—s Countries Kingdoms and their Synagogues burnt and destroyed especially for their Infidelity and other forementioned Mildemeanors Crimes Viâ—lanies About the year of Christ 430. at the instigation of St. Cyâ—il Bishop of Alexandria and the Christians there they were expelled and banished that famous City where they had long inhabited for their insolencâ—es seditious conspiracies against the Christians The Emperor Phocas about the year 605. banished them out of the City of Antioch for the tumults they had there raised against the Christians and Government The 6 Council of Toledo Anno 686. c. 3. informs us That King Chinrilla by the inspiration of the most high God inflamed with the ardor of Faith utterly
Generals and Commissioners named in them To banish and send into Foraign parts and Plantations all persons of the royal party formerly in arms of no estate and living loosly and all persons whatsoever that shall appear by their words or actions to adhere to the party of the late King or his Son to be dangerous Enemies to the peace of the Commonwealth even without and before any Legal indictment tryal conviction of any particular crime for which a Sentence of Banishment is prescribed by our Laws or any Judgement or Act of Parliament inflicting this heavy Punishment upon them far worse to many than death it self Now I shall earnestly intreat in the name and fear of God all those whom it most concernes to consider and determine in their own retired thoughts how unjust un-righteous unreasonable unchristian and more then brutish it will seem to all Freeborn English men and conscientious christians both at home and abroad and what great scandals it may bring both upon our Nation Government and Religion it self in this manner and on this old account alone to banish these christian English Freemen out of their Native country both from their Wives children Kinred and Gods own publike Ordinances and at the self-same time to call in foraign Infidel Jews greatest Enemies to Christ himself and Christians and in that respect more dangerous to the peace and welfare of the Nation than thoâ—e thus to be banished to supply their places even against an express old Judgement and Edict of the whole Kingdom in Parliament for their perpetual exile What a sad pernicious president it may prove in future ages especially to the Authors of it and their posterities by divine retalliation as the Athenian Ostracisme did to Clisthenes who invented it was the first exiled by it upon eâ—ery new revolution to banish all English freemen of a contrary party and call in Forraigners in their rooms Whether it will not revive that ancient complaint of Petrus Cluntacensis Lex nam vetusta sed verè diabolâ—ca ab ipsis Christianis Principibus processit c. Manet inultum scelus detestabile in Judaeo quod exilio vel horrenda morte suspendit punitur in Christiano Pinguescit inde deliciis affluâ—t Iudaeus unde laqueo suspendâ—tur Christianus And whether upon consideration of this and the precedent reasons deduced from these Declarations and all the premises they ought not peremptorily to conclude against the Jews present and future re-admission into England I shall close up all with an Answer to the two principal Allegations for their reception into our Realm 1. The main and onâ—y consciencious Argument for their introduction is this That it may be a very probable hopefull means of the general calling and conversion of the Iewish Nation to the Christ an Faith which hath been so long prayed for and expected by Christians and seems now approaching which their seclusion from us may much obstruct Not to enter into any large debate of this conversion of the Iews wherein learned Orthodox Divines and Writers are much divided I say 1. That I could never yet be satisfied that there shall be such a general call and conversion of the whole or major part of the Nation of the Jews as some expect but only of every smal electremnant of them The forecited Texts with Is 30.8 9 10 11. Now go write it before them in a Table and note it in a book that it may be for the time to come FOR EVER and EVER That this is a rebellious people children that will not hear the Law of the Lord which say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not unto us right things c. cause the holy one of Israel to depart from before us Luk. 20.16 17 18. Mat. 21.41 42 43 44 45 John 1.11.12 Rom. 9.27.26.33 c. 11.2 5 7 8. contradicting such a general conversion of them that of Rom. 11.26.27 28. And so all Israel shall be saved being meant only of the Elect and true Israel of God both Jews and Gentiles as many judicious Expositors and Rom. 2 26 27 28 29. c. 9.6 7 8. c. 11.1 to 8. Gal. 3.7 9 14 16 22 28 29 c 6.16 seem to expound it not of the whole Jewish Nations calling and salvation at the last 2ly It is agreed by most who expect such a general calling and conversion of the Iews That it shall not be till the fullnesse of the Gentiles become in as Rom 11 24 25. resolves And whether this fullnesse be yet come in there being so many Gentile Nations yet unconverted especially in Asia Africa and America and those infinitely exceeding the Gentiles yet converted to the Gospel let those consider who now expect the Iews conversion 3ly If this fullnesse of the Gentiles conversion to Christ must preceed the general calling of the Iews as a necessary preparative and introduction thereunto then we ought by this allegation in the first place to call the Turks Tartars Persians Chinoys Indians all other unconverted Gentile Nations with their Religions into England first convert them to the Christian faith before we bring in the Iews whose conversion is to succeed theirs the Gentiles fullness And then we shall have Religions enough in England to please all Novellists and a thousand aliens to each English Native 4ly There are farre more expresse direct promises texts grounds both in the Old and New Testament for the calling conversion of all Gentiles and yet unconverted Heathen Nations to the faith of Christ then of the Iewish Nation not one Nation of them for ought we read being so far rejected broken off and given up to an obduration of heart and blindness of mind by Gods judiciall decree as we read the Jews to be Isa 6.9 10 11 c. 8 14.15 16. c. 29.9 10 11 12. Mat. 13.14 15. Mar. 4.11 12. Lu 8.10 Iohn 12.37 38 39 40. Act 28.25 26 27 28. Rom. 11.7 8 9 10. Therefore our prayers and endeavours ought first to be for the conversion of all Gentiles yet unconverted to the faith being more hopefull more successfull in all probability than our prayers endeavors for the Iews conversion at least till the Gentiles fullnesse be come in 5ly Admit either a general or special calling and conversion of the Iews in the latter end of the world yet the calling of them into England to cohabit with us in such a manner as they now desire is no ways necessary for that end For 1. it is no where declared in Gods word that they must be called in England or by English men 2ly If they were principally to be converted by English Divines or Laicks we may with more ease lesse danger and prejudice to our Nation and Religion send English Divines and Laicks into other forraign parts where they now reside to instruct teach convert them to the faith than call them into England to convert them now in this giddy unsetled
apostatizing age wherein they are likelier to gain a thousand English Proselytes to their Judaisme than we one Jewish convert to Christianity if introduced with their Synagogues and Jewish ceremonies perhaps their hopes of such a harvest here is the principal motive that they are so pressing to be now admitted again into our English climate without delay 3ly If we admit them with all their Jewish worship Synagogues Ceremonies as they now propose it will be rather a means to harden then convert them a doing of evil that good may come of it a swallowing down of a certain deadly poyson in hope to correct it with a subsequent antidote and to set up a present Synagogue of Satan upon hopes hereafter to convert it into a Church of Christ 4ly God can convert them in any other Countries as well as in England and by any other Christian Nations as well as English as he hath done som few of them in al ages as Hieron a fide and Petrus Alphonsus Lyra Tremel three eminent Divines and Writers amongst others And there being as learned able Protestant Divines in Holland Germany France Denmarke as any in England if they cannot convert them what hopes have we to do it 5ly Conversion of their hearts to the truth of the Gospel and saving Grace is only the work of God not men who can work it when where and by whom he pleaseth and is not tied either to place or persons much lesse to our English climate to effect it And it is Gods and Christs usual prescribed way of converting Nations People to send Apostles Ministers to preach the Gospel to and convert them in the Countries places where they dwell not to call them into another Forraign Land where the Gospel first shined or where it is entertained as he sent his Apostles from Jerusalem into all the world to convert the Gentiles not called them all to Jerusalem or Palestine to be there instructed and converted Mat. 9.38 c. 10.5.6 c. 28.19 20. Mar. 16.15 Isay 2 3 4. Acts 9.15 c. 10.20 c. 22.12 Ephes 3.8 2 Tim. 4.17.3 Iohn 7. Why then we should take this new-found contrary way of calling the Iews in to us to convert them and not rather send out Ministers to them I cannot discern The rather because the Council of Basil An. 143 1. Sessio 19. prescribes this course both for the converting of the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles to the Orthodox Faith That all Diocesans should yearly at appointed times provide certain men well learned in holy Scriptures and in the Tongues to preach and explain the truth of the Catholick Faith IN SVCH PLACES WHERE THE IEWES AND OTHER INFIDELS DID DWELL in such sort that they acknowledging their error might forsake the same To which preaching they should compell all of both Sexes that were at years of discretion to resort by interdicting them commerce with Christians and other fitting penalties Provided the Diocesans and Preachers should behave themselves towards them mercifully and with all charity whereby they might win them to Christ not only by declaring of the truth but also by other Offices of humanity 6. If the observation of learned Paraeus be true that the over flowing of all sorts of wickednesses crimes murders wars oppressions rapines injustice tyranny cruelty extortions usuries the infinite multiplicity contrariety of Sects Schisms Religions and unchristian heathenish atheisticall practises of one Christian towards another be principal obstacles to hinder the Jews conversion especially amongst Protestants as these with idolatrous worship of Images Saints and the Hestia amongst Papists than the calling of them now into England where all these abound more than ever heretofore and more than in other Nations will be a means more to harden them and hinder their conversion then any furtherance thereunto the rather because the desperate Apostacy and atheistical actions of sundry late eminent Professors have caused many English Christians to turn Antiscripturists Seekers Atheists and like the Iews to repute Christ and Christianity meer Fables 7ly Most of the Iews who since their dispersion have been baptized and turned Christians in any age or place have done it either out of fear to save their lives or estates when endangered by poâ—ular tumults or judgments of death denounced against them for their Crimes or for fear of banishment or by coercion of penal Laws not cordially and sincerely they still playing the Jews in private upon every occasion and renouncing their baptism and christianity at last either before or at their deaths as our own forecited Historians Synodus Nicaena 2 Can 8. Surius concil Tom 3. p. 193. the 4th Council of Toledo cap. 58 59 62.63 Iustiniani Codicis l. 1. Tit. 10. de Apâ—states Iâ—oâ— Gregorius Teronersis lib. 6. Bibl. Patrum â—â—m 6. pars 2. p. 467. Leges Wisigethorum lib. 12. Tit. 23 Vincersius Beluacensis Spec. Hist. l. 29. c. 25. Roderiâ—us Telâ—tanus de rebus Hisp l. 2. c. 17. Avertinâ—s Annal. Boiorum l. 5. p. 468 Abbas Uspergensis Chron. p. 227.228 and other authors attest Of which we have this late memorable History recorded by Munster in his Cosmography l. 2. c. 19. f. 72 73. There being no lesse than one hâ—ndred twenty four thousand Jews banished out of Spain Anno 1492. leaving all their gold jewels houses behind them and paying two duckets a poll to the King for their transportation into Portugal some of them there seemingly turned Christians and were baptized but yet secretly practised their Judaical rites being Christians only in shew but not in heart observing the Passeover and eating flesh with the Iewes Upon the discovery hereof there arose a great tumult of the people against them in Lisbon the people complaining thereof to the King Anno 1506. Whereupon the King commanded 16 of them to be imprisoned and at last dismissed them without other punishment Upon this the Citizens conspiring againâ—â— the King and Governour raised a commâ—tion against these Iews and false Christians slaying all those false converted new Iews they could find throughout the City to the number of six hundred whom they likewise burnt which example spreading into the Country there were slain in the City and Country of these false Iewish converts to the number of 1630 which the King hearing of being then absent he was so incersed against the Iews that he imprisoned very many of them whereof some were burned others beheaded others hanged on Gibbets and all the rest spoiled of their goods then expelled and banished the Kingdom A sad judgement on them for their Hypocritical conversion and such converts mostly we are like to find them and none other Whereupon the 2 Council of Nice Canon 3. decreed That no Iews should be admitted suddenly into the Christian Church nor baptized unlesse they publikely certified that they were converted out of a pure sincere faith with all their heart and utterly renounced their judaical rites And the Council of â—gatha Can. 34. decreed That
negocia nostra quae pertinent ad officium illud rectand per totam Angliam Et ideo vobis mandamus quod praedicto Ric Alex. et Elye sitis intendentes in omnibus quae spectant ad officium illud sicut fieri solebat tempore Will de Wartun Thom. de Nevil Galfr. de Norwic. T. Com. apud West 8. die Maii. Not long after the same year there were several writs sent to the Sheriff of Hereford and others to protect the Jews persons and estates from violence which the people were prone to offer to them and to preserve them from all suits and arrests against them for contracts or other things both in the Bishops Ecclesiastical Court and before the Sheriffs or Kings ordinary Justices and Judges but only before the Justices specially designed for their custody as in the time of King Iohn which writs were all sent them in this form Rex Vicecomiti Hereford salutem Scias quod de communi Concilio nostro concessimus Judaeis nostris ut ipsi maneant in Hereford sicut solebant tempore Domini Johannis Regis Patris nostri quod talem habeant communionem qualem habere consueverant inter Chrisâ—ianos Et ideo tibi praecipimus quod eos custodias mâ—nnreneâ—s protegas non eis infetens vel inferri permitteâ—â—â— aâ—iquod gravamen vel molestiam si aliquis 〈…〉 forisfecerit id eis sine dilatione facias 〈…〉 clamari facias per totam Ballivam tuam 〈…〉 pacem nostram dedimus non obstante 〈…〉 â—â—bitione inde facta ab Episcopo Hereford quia nihil ad ipsum pertiner de Judaeis nostris Et proâ—ibemus tibi ne manus mittas in eos aut in Catalla eoâ—um nec eos capias aut imprisones nec in Placitum trahas aut a Justiciariis nostris ab aliquo trahi permittas Sedu aâ—iquid fecerint quare poni debeant per vadium plegios tunc illos eorum excessus attachies quod â—â—nt coram Jusâ—iciariis nostris ad Custodiam Judaeâ—rum attornatis inde responsuri hoc facias per viâ—um legalium Christianorum Judaeorum Et non permittas quod placitentur in curia Christianitatis occasione â—â—cujus debiti Et haec omnia fieri facias sicut fieri solebant tempore Johann Regis patris nostri Teste Com. apud Tâ—â—rom London 19 die Junii Anno c. secundo Eodem modo scribitur Vicecomiti Wigorn. Vicecom Civibus Eborum Vicecomiti Constabulario Lincoln 〈◊〉 de Stanford Constabulario Bristol pro Judaeis de Bristol Vicecom Constabul Gloucest pro Judaeis Gloucestriae Vicecom Constab Northamton â—â—cecom Suthampton civibus Winton pro Judaeis There 〈◊〉 Jews then residing in all these places Iâ— the 2 year of King Henry the 3. I find this Kings â—rit to several Sheriffs where the Jews resided to proclâ—â—m that all the Jews where ever they did walk or ride should on their upper Garments wear a white â—abâ—es on their breasts made of Linnen Cloath or parchment as well within the Town as without that so they might be known from Christians Rex Vicecomiti Wigorniâ— salutem Prâ—cipimus tibi quod â—lamari observari facias per totam Ballivaâ— tâ—â—m quâ—d omnes Judaei deferunt in superiori indumento suo ubicur 〈◊〉 ambulaverint aut equitaverint infra villam vel exâ—ra quaâ—â— duas Tabulas albas in Pectore fact as de lineo pâ—atano vel dâ— parcameno Ita quod per hujusmodi signum manifeste poâ—sint Iudaei à Christianis discerni Tâ—ste Câ—mite to wit William Marshal Earl of Glâ—cester the Kings Guardâ—an and Protector apud Oxon. 30. die Martiii Item mandatum est Vicecomit Glocest VVarwick Lincoln Oxon Northampt. Majori Vicecomitious London In the Fine Roll of 2 H. 3. there is a writ directed to the Barons of the Exchequer by the King reciting Constat Nobis per inspectionem rotulorum Iustâ—ciariorum de Iudaismo c. that King Iohn his Father released Mirabilia the wife of Ely a Jew of all Debts due to him by her Husband Ita quod omnes Chaâ—â—e quâ—e fuerunt ipsius Eliae debita in eis contenta ipsi patri nâ—stro remâ—neant that King Iohn upon Elye his death seiâ—ed and granted â—ll his houses except two which Mirabilâ—â— by agreement was to have paying a fine of 15 marks to his Fatheâ— which was not yet paid which agreement he confirmâ—d and thereupon orders the Sheriff to â—â—y the â—aid Fine and Debts T. Com apud Gloc. 3. die Ian. It appears by many Rolls of â— and also of 3 4 5. H. 3. that King Iohn seiâ—ed and gaâ—e away â—o other the Houses of divers Jews both in Gloceâ—ter Oxon. Noâ—thampton and that King Hâ—nâ—y likewise diâ—poâ—ed of them as escheated to him either by the Jews deaths oâ—â—oâ— some other causes Take these two presâ—dents for all the rest Rex Fulk de Breant salutem Mandamus vobis quod sine dilatione habere fac Pho Marc. domum quae fuit Isaac Iudaei de Eboraco in Northampton et domum quae fuit Isaac Judaei Oxon in Oxon quas Dom. Jo. pr. noster dedit Galf. Luterel cujus terrae et haeredis custodiam concessimus eidem Pho. T. Com. apud West 17 die Jan. per ipsum Com. coram Dom. Winton Eodem modo scribitur Vic. Oxon. pro eodem et Ballivis Iudaeorum Oxon. pro eodem Rex Vic. Gâ—ouc salutem Constat nâ—bis per inspectionem Rotulorum nostrorum quod Dom. J. Rex pater noster dedit Guiberto de Rue Domum quae fuit Elye Iudaei Gloc. c. cum quadam placiâ—a quae fuit Mostei Judaei cum pert suis Et ideo tibi praecipimus quod eidem Guiberto de praedict domo placia plenariam seisinam sine dilatione habere fac T. Dom Pet. Winton apud Novum Templum London 23. die Sept. per eundem In the 3d. year of King Henry the 3. some Jews coming into England from foreign parts with their goods to reside there the Wardens of the Ports of England seised upon the persons and estates of these unwelcom Guests which occasioned these new Writs to be sent unto them for their free admission into England without impediment or seizure upon such security and terms as are expressed in the Writs and prohibiting the transportation of any Jews or their Chattels out of this Land into foreign parts without the Kings special Letters and Licenâ—e being once within his power Rex Custodâ—bus Portuum Angliae Praecipimus vobis quod Judaeos qui venturi sunt in teâ—ram nostram Angâ—iae de traâ—â—â—ia triâ—is partâ—bus ad morandum in terra nostra Angliae cum catalâ—is suis liberè et sine impedimento in portu nostro â—ccâ—dere permittatis accepta ab eis sufficienti securitate secundum Lâ—gem Judaeorum per fidem eorundem quod quam câ—ritis poterint veniant ad Iusticiarios nostros ad custodiam Judaeorum assignatos ad inrotuland
King Henry the 3 his long and tedious reign relating to the Jews and their affairs pretermitting some few only of lesse moment and private concerment in some of the Fine Clause and Patent Rolls where those who are not fully satisfied with these already recited may glean them at their leasures I now proceed to the Records in the reigne of King Edward the first omitting all passages of the Jewes in the Fine Rolls of his reign as of lesse moment seeing the Patent and Clause Rolls afford us much plenty and variety of matter concerning our English Jews affairs their final banishment out of England and sale of their houses eascheated by their exile which Records were never yet published to the world in print and are unknown to most men King Henry the 3 deceasing and his Son Edward the 1 succeeding him Anno 1272. thereupon he constituted Hamon Hattayn and Robert de Ludham Justices for the custody of his Jews commanding the Treasurer and the Barons of the Exchequer to deliver to them the keys of the Jews Chests together with the Rolls Writs and other things belonging to the Jews as they had formerly done to other Justices by this Writ Quia Rex constituit Hamonem Haittayn et Robernum de Ludham Justiciarios suos ad custodiam Judaeorum suorum Mandatum est Thesaurario et Baronibus de Scaccario quod eisdem Hamoni Roberto claves Archarum Judaismi una cum Rotulis Brevibus et omnibus aliis Judaismum illud contingentibus liberent prout aliis Justiciariis ibidem prius consuevit Dat. per manum W. de Merton Cancellar apud Westm 27 die Ianuarii These new Justices were constituted not above 5 weeks after Kings Henries death and they were as all their Predecessors in that Office first instituted by King Rich. the 1 Anno 1194. Iusticiarii sui ad custodiam Iudaeorum suorum to shew that the Jews were nothing else but the Kings own VVards and Villaines and under his custody and protection only as such to tax and plunder them at his pleasure as his Father and Grandfather had done before him It appears by the Liberate of 1 E. 1. m. 1. 2. that the King allowed 20 marks a year to these Justices of the Jews for their Salary And the custody of the Rolls and writs of the Jews were committed this year to William Middleton as is evident by this Record Cum Rex commiserit Willielm de Middleton Rotulos brevia Iudaismi sui quae sunt in custodia Thesauri Baronum Scaccarii custodiend quamdiu Domino Regi placuerit Mandatum est eisdem Thesaurario et Baronibus quod eidem Will. Rotulos Brevia liberent sicut praedictum est The same year this King in the beginning of his reign caused his peace and protection to be publikely proclaimed as well to all the Jews as others within England and other his Dominions as this record recites for the Jews in Bâ—uges in Flanders Rex Vicecomiti Mall salutem Cum nuper pacem nostram per totum Regnum nostrum publicè proclamaâ—i fecimus â—et eam omnibus et singulis de regno nostro tam Iudaeis quam Christianis observari praecepimus praecipimus quod Iudaei nostri de Bruges in Balliva tua manuteneas defendas ita quod eis pax nostra prout ejus per totum regnum nostrum proclamari fecimus inviolabiliter observetur Et non exigas vel exigi permittas ab eisdem redemptiones vei alias extorsiones ad opus nostrum vel alicujus alterias nisi quatenus ad debita nostra seu Domini Henrici Regis patris nostri seu Tallagia aut alia ad quae de jure tenentur ab eis levanda de nostro aut ejusdem Domini Henr. patris nostri mandato Warrantum habueris Datum c. apud Westm 15 die Iunii Yet notwithstanding this protection and peace granted them by the King the very same year the King grants out this Writ to search all their Chests to enroll and certifie him of all their debts and estates that he might tax them all proportionably at his pleasure as he did soon after Rex dilecto fideli suo Thomae de Espernon salutem Quia de debitis in Archa Cirogtafforum Winton Oxon. Maâ—leberg Wilton contentis volumus certiorari vobis mandamus quod ad certum diem quem ad hoc provideritis ad Archas praedictas accedatis easdem per visum Cirograf Archarum praedictarum tam Christianorum quam Judaeorum aperiatis et omnia debita in eisdem contenta diligenter scrutari et inrotulari faciatis Mandamus enim Cirograffariis nostris Archarum praedictar quod ad certum diem quem eis scire faciatis ad hoc faciendum vobis assistant et intendant In cujus c. Dat. c. apud Westm 20 die Feb. Conamiâ—es Liteâ—ae diriguntur Hamoni Hatayn de debitis in Archa Cirograf Northampt. Nottingh Ebor. Lincol. Stâ—inf conrents Item Consimiles Literae diriguntur Ade de Winton de debitis in Arca Cirograf Judaeorum Bristoll Oxon Gloucest Wigorn. Hereford et Warw. contentis Item consimiles Literae diriguntur Roberto de Ludham super hujusmodi debitis contentis in Archis Cirograff Judaeorum Bedef Cantebr Colecester et Sudbury In all which Cities and Towns the Jews then inhabited and had common chests wherein their Debts and Morgages were reserved Also according to the former Custome of the Jews in England not to remove into any town where they did not anciently inhabit he sent this Writ to the Barons and Bailiffs of Winchelse to remove some Jews thence who had taken up their habitation there without his special license Rex Baronibus Ballivis suis de Winchelse salutem Quia secundum consuetudinem Iudaeismi nostri Angliae in aliis Civitatibus Burgis aut Villis habitare vel morari non debent quam in illis in quibus antiquitus habitare consueverunt morari quidam Iudaei ut intelleximus villam nostram de Winchelse sunt ingressi eam inhabitent in quam nullus Iudaeus aliquibus retroactis temporibus habitare consuevit vel morari Vobis mandamus quod si verum est tunc Iudaeos ab eadem villa absque damno de corporibus seu rebus suis eis faciend sine damno faciatis amoveri Dat. apud Westm 18 die Iunii This King that he might not seem altogether unjust granted forth a Writ to the Sheriff of Oxford in behalf of one Lumbard a Jew of Oxford taken and imprisoned for a fine of fifty marks imposed on one Lumbard a Jew of Bristol for a Trespasse against the Kings Exchange ordering him to be bailed and the mistake examined Rex Vicecom Oxon. salutem Ostensum est nobis ex parte Lumbardi de Krikelad Judaei nostri Oxoniae quod quum quidam Lumbardus Judaeus Bristol amerciatus esset coram Justiciariis Domini Henr. Regis patris nostri ad custodiam Judaeorum