newly delivered their Opinions there was no Law against it To which I answered That the Jews were in the yeer 1290. all banished out of England by Judgement and Edict of the King and Parliament as a great Grievance never to return again for which the Commons gave the King the fifteenth part of their Moveables and therefore being thus banished by Parliament they could not by the Laws of England be brought in again without a special Act of Parliament which I would make good for Law He replied I wish it might not be done otherwise that this business had been formerly moved in the Bishops time rather than now To which I subjoyned That it was now a very ill time to bring in the Jews when the people were so dangerously and generally bent to Apostacy and all sorts of Novelties and Errors in Religion and would sooner turn Jews than the Jews Christians He answered He thought it was true and was sorry he could not discourse longer with me the Committee about the Jews being sate and staying for him as he feared Whereupon as he was turning in towards White-Hall-Gate I told him The Jews had been formerly great Clippers and Forgers of Mony and had crucified three or four Children in England at least which were principal causes of their banishment To which he replied That the crucifying of Children was not fully charged on them by our Historians and would easily be wiped off Whereto I answered He was much mistaken and so we parted As I kept on my way in Lincolnes-Inne Fields passing by seven or eight maimed Soldiers on Stilts who begged of me I heard them say aloud one to another We must now all turn Jews and there will be nothing left for the poor And not far from them another company of poor people just at Lincolnes-Inne back Gate cried aloud to each other They are all turned Devils already and now we must all turn Jews Which unexpected concurrent Providences and Speeches made such an impression on my Spirit that before I could take my rest that night I perused most of the passages in our English Histories concerning the Jews carriage in England with some of their misdemeanors in other parts to refresh my memory and satisfie my judgement making some Collections out of them which after I enlarged and digested into this ensuing Demurrer with as much speed as the sharpness of the season would permit and was induced to publish it knowing no particular discourse of this Subject extant for the general information satisfaction of others and honour of my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the righteous whom the Jews with malicious hearts and wicked hands crucified in person heretofore and their posterity by their blasphemies despiteful actions against Christ his Kingdom Offices Gospel crucifie afresh every day trampling under foot the Son of God putting him to open shame offering despite to the Spirit of Grace counting the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing And in all their publick and private Devotions praying constantly for the sodain universal total final subversion extirpation perishing of Christs Kingdom Gospel and all his Christian Members which they plot and continually expect such is their implacable transcendent malice I have deduced their introduction into England only from William surnamed the Conqueror because I finde not the least mention of them in any of our British or Saxon Histories Councils Synods Canons which doubtlesse would have mentioned them and made some strict Laws or Canons against their Iewish as well as against Pagan Superstitions had they exercised them here as they would have done as well as in Spain other places had they resided here That any of them were here in the time of our famous Emperor Constantine is but a dream of such who because they finde an Epistle of Constantines in the Council of Nice to all the Churches of Christ in Sir Hen. Spelmans Collections of the Decrees Canons and Constitutions of the British World wherein is mention made of the Churches of Britain in that age as well as in Rome France and other parts keeping the Passeover in a different manner from the wicked blinded Iews would thence infer there were then Jews resident in Britain of which there is not one syllable in that Epistle nor in any Classick Author Forrain or Domestick I yet ever saw or heard of That they were setled in our Island in the Saxons time is collected onely from that Law inferted by Hoveden and Spelman amongst Edward the Confessors here cited p. â— But there being no mention of the Jews in any of our Saxon Kings Raigns Councils Decrees Laws before the Confessor out of which all his Laws were wholly extracted and this Law of the Jews being not to be found in the true Original Copy of the Confessors and Conquerors Laws of Abbot Ingulphus who flourished in that age was present at their confirmation and then brought them to Croyland Abby published by Mr. Iohn Selden nor yet in Bromton I cannot but reject it as counterfeit and esteem it rather a Declaration of the Jews Condition in England in Hovedens time inserted by him as well as some other things of puâ—ier date amongst these Laws rather than any Law of or in the Confessors days wherein I can finde no evidence of any Jews residence here but only this interpolation and forged Law which Mr. Selden wholly omittes in his Collection of his Laws The History of King William Rufus his compelling the Iews of Rhoan that were turned Christians to renounce their Christianity and turn Iews again ACCEPTO PRETIO APOSTASIAE upon the complaint and mony given him by the Infidel Jews there with the Dialogue between Him and Stephen the Jew cited out of Holinshed here p. 5 6. I finde originally recorded of him by Eadmerus living in his raign who though very bitter and injurious to him by reason of the great Contests between him Anselme whose Favourite Follower and Companion in adversity Eadmerus was yet he relates it not as a certain Truth but as a Report of others of that Country who had another Opinion of Rufus Quam de Christianis Christianos Lex Christiana docet habere quae tamen sicut illa accepimus simpliciter ponam non astruens vera an secus extiterint an non Onely he addes this passage to the story of Stephen which Holinshed omits That St. Stephen appearing to him as he was travelling on the way he demanding of him who he was Answered That he was long since of a Jew made a Christian and was Stephen the first Martyr but for this cause I have now come down from Heaven to Earth that thou casting away thy Iewish Superstition mightest be made a Christian and being baptized in Christ mightest be called by my name Whereupon he became a Christian and was baptized That immediately after the conference between the King and Stephen which agrees with that in Holinshed he
with pious solicitude of such who were afraid of the Christian Faiths miscarriage And from this combate the Jews only brought away nothing besides confusion although they would many times boast that they were overcome not by argument but by a faction Antoninus relating the story in the same words addes only this That the Jews comming to this King on a certain Solemnity and offering him gifts after their removal from Rhoan to London he thereupon animated them to a conflict against the Christians swearing by St. Lukes face that if they overcame them he would revolt to their Sect as if he spake it in good earnest with whom the Magdeburge Centuries accord By which we may observe That the Jews were no sooner transported and setled in Rhoan and London but they presently began to grow very insolent against the Christians 1. Endeavouring to pervert some of them by monies to Judaism 2ly Attempting to corrupt the King himself by gifts to side with them against the Bishops and Clergy and to become one of their Sect. 3ly By entring into open Disputations with the Bishops and Clergy against the Christian Faith to the great fear of the Professors and hazard of the Christian Religion 4ly By boasting frequently when they were overcome That it was only by power and faction not truth or disputation And will not this be their very practise now if re-admitted to the hazard of our Christian Religion and seduction of many simple unstable souls in this unsetled apostatizing age when not only the ignorant People but many great Professors turn Atheists Hereticks Seekers Apostates Blasphemers Ranters Quakers Antiscripturists and what not but real Christians This History of William Rufus causing a disputation between the Christians and the Jews is related by Raphael Holinshed in his Chronicle Vol. 3. p. 27. who likewise records of him That he being at Rhoan on a time there came to him diverse Jews who inhabited that City complaining to him that divers of that Nation had renounced their Jewish Religion and were become Christians wherefore they besought him that for a certain summe of money which they offered to give it might please him to constrain them to abjure Christianity and turn to the Jewish Law again He was content to satisfie their desires and so receiving the money called them before him and what with threats and putting them otherwise in fear he compelled divers of them to forsake Christ and to turn to their old errors Hereupon the Father of one Stephen a Jew converted to the Christian Faith being sore troubled for that his Son was turned a Christian and hearing what the King had done in such like matters presented to him 60 Marks of Silver conditionally That he should enforce his Son to return to his Jewish Religion whereupon the young man was brought before the King unto whom he said Sirra thy Father here complaineth that without his license thou art become a Christian If this be true I command thee to return again to the Religion of thy Nation without any more adoe To whom the Young man answered Your Grace as I guess doth but jest Wherewith the King being moved said VVhat thou dounghil knave should I jest with thee Get thee hence quickly and fulfill my commandement or by St. Lukes face I shall cause thine eyes to be plucked out of thine head The Young man nothing abashed thereat with a constant voice answered Truly I will not do it but know for certain that if you were a good Christian you would never have uttered any such words for it is the part of a Christian to reduce them again to Christ which are departed from him and not to separate them from him which are joyned to him by Faith The King herewith confounded commanded the Jew to avant and get him out of his sight But his Father perceiving that the King could not perswade his Son to forsake the Christian Faith required to have his money again To whom the King said He had done so much as he promised to doe that was to perswade him so far as he might At length when he would have had the King to have dealt further in the matter the King to stop his mouth tendred back to him the one half of his money and received the other to himself All which increased the suspition men had of his Infidelity By this History we may perceive what a prevailing Engin the Jews money is both to scrue them into Christian Kingdoms though the most bitter inveterate professed Enemies of Christ himself Christians and Christianity and how their money can induce even Christian Princes to perpetrate most unchristian and antichristian actions and enforce by threats and violence even converted Christian Jews to renounce their Christianity and apostatise to their former Jewish Errors which they had quite renounced And do not they still work even by the self-same Money-Engin preferred by too many Christians even before Christ himself and Christianity In the year of our Lord 1145. during the reign of King Stephen the Jews grew so presumptuous in England that they crucified a child called VVilliam in the City of Norwich in derision of Christian Religion as Matthew VVestminster Flores Historiarum Ann. 1145. p. 39. Chronicon Johannis Bromton Col. 1048. Hygden in his Polychronicon Antoninus Centuriae Magdeburgenses Cent. 12. c. 14. Mr. John Fox in his Acts and Monuments 1640. Vol. 1. p. 302. Richard Grafton in his Chronicle p. 46. Raphael Holinshed in his Chronicle Vol. 3. p. 56. and others joyntly attest Not long after this Anno 1160. the 6. year of Henry the II. they cracifyed another child at Gloucester in contempt of Christ and his Passion as John Bromtons Chronicon col 1050. Henry de Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae l. 2. col 2394 Polychronicon Fox Acts and Monuments Vol. 1. p. 302. Grafton in his Chronicle p. 46. and others record And in the same Kings reign Anno 1181. upon the same account the Jews on the Feast of Easter martyred and crucified another child at St. Edmonds-bury called Robert who was honourably interred soon after in the Church of St. Edmunds and grew famous by miracles there wrought as Gervasius Dorobernensis in his Chronica col 1458. relates What punishments were then inflicted on them for these Murders and Insolencies I find not recorded perchance they purchased their Peace with monies For I read That in the year 1168. King Henry the 2. wanting monies banished the wealthiest of the Jews out of England and fined the rest of them in 5000 Marks most likely for these their Misdemeanors The Jews though there were a great multitude of them in England in every quarter of the Realm had only one Church-yard alotted them and that at London in which they were enforced to bury all-their dead corps wheresoever they died which being a great trouble and annoyance to them thereupon in the year 1178. they petitioned King Henry the 2. being at Stanstede for a License
to have Church-yards without the Cities wherein they inhabited in convenient places where they could purchase them wherein to bury their dead which he then granted to them It seems the Jews were then so odious to the whole Nation that they would not permit them to bury their very dead corps in any English soyl for fear of polluting it nor near any Christians bodies without the Kings special License King Richard the first being to be crowned King at London in the year of our Lord 1189. the chiefest of the Jews flocked together from all parts to his Coronation resolving to purchase the favour of the New King with most ample gifts and to get their former priviledges confirmed which they feared they should lose But they being suspected of Sorcery and Magick the King by a publick Proclamation prohibited all Jews from entring the Church while she was crowning or his Palace whiles he was therein feasting Notwithstanding some of the principal Jews secretly got into the Church and Palace who being discovered one after another were well beaten and thrust out of the Church and Court by the Kings Officers and Christians Upon which the common people then flocking in greatmultitudes to the Kings Coronation fell upon the Jews standing in great multitudes at the Pallace gate first beating them with their fists and then taking up clubs and stones slew some of them and left the others half dead whereupon one of them called Benedict of Yorke being so beaten and wounded that he despaired of life and extraordinarily terrified with the fear of death received Baptism from William Prior of St. Maries of Yorke and thereby escaped the peril of death and hands of the persecutors In the mean while there was a great rumor spred throughout the City of London upon this occasion That the King desired and had commanded that all the Jews should be banished and destroyed Whereupon an infinite number of People as well out of the City as most Counties of England then coming to the Coronation inflamed with the desire of booty betaking themselves to their arms fell pell-mell upon the Jews and slew and pillaged them both in the streets and in their houses and those who defended themselves for a time in such strong houses which they could not enter were there soon after burnt and consumed together with their houses by the furious multitude who put fire to their houses and burnt down most of them Synagogae datâ— dedecâ—ri and likewise defaced their Synagogues as Radulphus de Diceto records The King being informed hereof whiles he was feasting with his Nobles thereupon sent Ranulphus de Glanvd then chief Justice of the Realm a potent and prudent man together with other great Noblemen to perswade and restrain these bold people But all in vain for in so great a multitude none would hear their voices nor reverence their persons but rather murmuring against them exhorted them speedily to return whereupon they advisedly declining their unbridled rage the fury of these Plunderers ceased not till the next day Ac licet immensit as tantae rabiei si dissimulata est inulta transiret primordia regiae majestatis denigraret plurimum propter reâ—â—um tamen infinitam multitudinem dissimulari oportuit quod vindicari non potuit writes Henry de Knyghton Yet the very next day the King sending his Officers throughout the City commanded some of the said malefactors to be apprehended and brought before him of which three were hanged by the judgement of his Court one because he had stollen the goods of a certain Christian and two because they had made a fire in the City whereby the houses of Christians were burned After which the King sent for the man who of a Jew was made a Christian and demanded of him in the presence of those who had seen him baptized Whether he were made a Christian Who answered That he was not but that he permitted the Christians to do to him what they would that he might escape death Then the King demanded of the Archbishop in the presence of many Archbishops and Bishops VVhat was to be done concerning him Who answering very indiscreetly said If he will not be a man or servant of God let him be a man or servant of the Devil And so he returned to the Judaical Law In the mean time the King sent his Writs throughout all the Counties of England prohibiting That none should doe any harm to the Jews but that they should enjoy his peace But before that Edict was â—ublisâ—e the Jews which were in the Towne of Dâ—nstaple to preserve their lives from the peoples fury being conâ—erted to the Christian Faith were baptized bâ—â—roathing their Wiâ—es after the manner of Christians which was likewise done through many Cities of England And although the King by his Proclamation had decreed Peace to the Jews yet notwithstanâ—ing the fury against the Jews kindled at London not verily out of a zeal of Faith but of Gain vehemently raged in other places of the Land For a certain Jew at Lynne happening to be made a Christian thereupon the Jews persecuting him as a prevaricator of the Law taking an opportunity assaulted him with arms as he passed through the city whereupon he took sanctuary in the Church yet notwithstanding he raging Jews would not rest quiet â—or this but with a continued fury presently began to assault the said Church with great violence presently hereupon there arose a great clamor and the Christians assistance was desired with loud out-cries This clamor and fame incensed the Christian people and young men who were strangers of which a great number at that time resorted thither by reason of traffick who running to the Church armed valiantly assaulted the proud Jews who being unable to resist the assault of the Christians presently betook themselves to flight After which the Christians assaulting and taking their houses spoyled and then burnt them with fire Hereupon the young-men who were strangers laden with prey departed with it speedily to their ships lest they should be questioned and perchance inforced to restore their booty by the Kings Officers But the inhabitants of the place when they were questioned for this by the Kings Officers translated this fact to the strangers who were then departed from thence although themselves were not altogether innocent taking up arms against the Jews upon the out-cry but yet doing nothing against the Jews for fear of the Kings displeasure Not long after in Lent there arose a new storm against the Jews at Stanford for there being solemn Fairs there held in Lent the young men and Souldiers who had taken upon them the sign of the Crosse and were then ready to go to Jerusalem with the King assembling together there out of divers Counties disdaining that the Jews being the enemies of the Crosse of Christ possessed such great store of goods and wealth when as they had not sufficient to defray the necessary expences of so great a journey and
and a Christian and as the condition so the operation is changed As Mathew Paris Ironically writes of him A certain Jew in the year 1260 fell into a Privy at Teukâ—sbury but because it was then the Sabbath he would not suffer himself to be pulled out except on the following Lords day for the reverence of his Sabbath Wherefore Richard Clare Earl of Glocester commanded him in reverence of the Lords Day to be kept there till Munday at which time he was found dead of the stink or hunger The Barons of England Ann. 1262. robbed and slew the Jews in all places There were slain of them in London to the number of 700. the rest were spoyled and their Synagogues defaced The original occasion of which massacre was because one Jew had wounded a Christian man in London within Cole-church and would have enforced him to have paid more than two pence for the Usury of 20 s. for one week In the year 1264. in the Passion week the Jews that inhabited the City of London being detected of Treason which they had devised against the Barons and Citizens were slain almost all the whole number of them and great riches found in their houses which were taken and carried away by those that ransacked the same houses The disinherited Barons and Gentlemen in the Isle of Oxholme in the year 1266 took and sacked the City of Lincoln spoyled the Iews and slew many of them entred their Synagogue and burnt the Book of their Law In the 7th year of King Edward the 1. Ann. Dom. 1278. as some or 1279. as others compute it the King held a Parliament at London which was chiefly called for the reformation of his coyn which was then sore clipped by reason whereof it was much diminished and impaired In the time of this Parliament in the moneth of November all the Jews throughout England as Matthew VVestminster or many of the Jews in London and other parts of the Realm were apprehended in one day and imprisoned in London for clipping of money and in December following divers Enquests were charged in London to enquire of the said Jews and all others who had so blemished and clipped the Kings Coyn By which Enquests the Jews of the City with the Gold-smiths that kept exchanges of silver were indicted Andshortly after Candelmas the Mayor and Justices of the Land sat at London where before them was cast 297 persons for clipping of the which 3 only were Englishmen and all the other were Jews born either within this Realm or elsewhere but most of them English Jews who were all of them at sundry places and times put to execution in London who impeached the chief men of London and very many Christians who consented to their wickednesses After which a very great multitude of Jews were hanged in other Cities of England for the same offence Anno 1279. The Jews of Northampton crucified a Christian boy but did not throroughly kill him upon Good-Friday for the which fact many of the Jews at London after Easter were drawn at Horses tails and hanged In the year of our Lord 1282. John Peckham Arch-bishop of Canterbury sent an expresse precept and command to the Bishop of London to suppresse and destroy all the Synagogues of the Jews within his Diocesse On May 2. Anno 1287. All the Jews of England were apprehended by the Kings precept for what cause was not known who ransomed themselves for 12000l of silver They had then a Synagogue at Canterbury Fabian writes that the Jews of England were sessed at great sums of mony perchance the cause of their seisure which they paid unto the King But of other Authors it is said That the Commons of England then granted to the King the fifth part of their moveables for to have the Iews banished out of the land For which cause the said Jews for to put the Commons from their purposes gave of their free wills great sums of money to the King which saying appeareth to be true for that the said Jews were exiled within few years after with whom Grafton and Holinshed accord A strong evidence of the potency of Jewish money over-powring the whole Commons of England in Parliament and this their Liberal subsidy for their banishment at that season About this year as I conceive the Statutes of Edward the first Intituled de Judeismo were made and published Printed in rench in Tottles Magna Charta Anno 1556. part 2. f. 58 59. which being not printed amongst our Statutes at large in the English Tongue I shall here insert and translate 1. For that the King hath seen that many mischiefs disherisons of honest men of this land have happened by the Usuries which the Jews have made therein in times past and that many sins have therein risen from thence Albeit he and his Ancestors have had great profit from the Jews both now and in times past Notwithstanding this for the honour of God and for the common benefit of the People the King doth ordain and establish that no Jew hereafter shall take ought for usury upon lands rents nor upon other things and that no Usury shall run from the Feast of St. Edward last past and before but that the Covenants before made shall be held save only that the Usuries themselves shall cease Provided that all those who are indebted to Jews upon pawns moveable shall discharge them between this and Easter at furthest and if not let them be forfeited And if any Jew shall take usury against this establishment The King neither by himself nor any of his Officers will not intermeddle to cause him to recover his debt or use but will punish him at his pleasure for the Trespasse and shall do right to the Christian to recover his gage 2. And it is provided that the distresses for the debt of Jews shall not hereafter be so grievous that the moity of Lands and Chattels to the Christians shall not remain for their sustenance And that no distresse shall be made for the debt of a Jew upon the heir to the Debtor named in the Charter of the Jew nor upon other which holds the Land which was the Debtors before the debt shall be dereigned and acknowledged in Court And if the Sheriff or other Bayliffs by commandment of the King ought to make seisin to a Jew to one or more for their debt of chattels or of lands to the value of the debt the chattels shall be praised by the Oath of honest men the chattels shall be delivered to the Jew or Jewesse or to their Attorney to the value of the debt And if the chattels be not sufficient the lands shall be extended by the same Oath before that the seisin shall be delivered to the Jew or Jewesse every one according to the value and so that they may after know certainly the Debt is discharged that the Christian afterwards may then have his lands saving to the
John Stow in his Annals p. 204. writes thus of it King Edward banished all the Jews out of England giving them to bear their charges till they were out of the Realm The number of the Jews then expelled was fifteen thousand and sixty persons whose houses being sold the King received an infinite mass of money Iohn Speed in his History of Great Britain p. 545. thus varieth the expression of it King Edward Anno 1290. to purge England from such corruptions and oppressions as under which it groaned not neglecting therein his particular gain banished the Iews out of the Realm confiscating all their goods leauing them nothing but mony to bear their charges they by their cruel Vsuries HAVING EATEN HIS PEOPLE TO THE BONES To passe by Heylms Microcosm p. 570. Henry Isaacsons Chronology Ann. 1290. with others who mention this their final banishment out of England I shall conclude with the words of Samuel Daniel his History p. 160. Of NO LESSE GRIEVANCE than corrupt Judges then fined displaced banished this King eased his people by the banishment of the Jews for which the kingdom willingly granted him a Fifteenth HAVING BEFORE in Anno Regis 9. OFFERED A FIFTH PART OF THEIR GOODS TO HAVE THEM EXPELLED But then the Iews gave more and so stayed till this time which brought him a great benefit by confiscation of their immoveables with their Tallies and Obligations which amounted to an infinite value But now hath he made his last commodity of this miserable people which having never been under other cover but the will of the Prince had continually served the turn in all the necessary occasions of his Predecessors but especially of his Father and himself Sir Edward Cook in his 2d Institutes p. 506 507 508 in his Commentary upon Statutum de Judaismo forecited seems to contradict these forecited Historians touching their Banishment whose words I shall at large rehearse and refute to in this particular This Statute was made writes he in the Parliament of 18 Edw. 1. That the mischiefs before this Statute against Jewish Usury were these 1. The evils and disherisons of the good men of the land 2. That many of the sins and offences of the Realm had risen and been committed by reason thereof to the great dishonour of Almighty God And are not these two sufficient grounds to keep them out now as well as to restrain and banish them then The difficulty adds he was how to apply a remedy considering what great yearly revenue the King had by the Usury of the Jews and how necessary it was that the King should be supplyed with Treasure What benefit the Crown had before the making of this Act appeareth by former records as take one for many From the 17 of December in the 50 year of H. 3 until the Tuesday in Shrovetide the 2d year of Edward the first which was about 7. years the Crown had four hundred and twenty thousand pounds fifteen shillings and four pence De exitibus Judaismi at which time the ounce of silver was but 20 d. and now it is more than treble so much So as the recital of the Preamble is true That he and his Ancestors had received great profit from Judaism i Many provisions were made both by this King and others Some time they were banished but their cruel usury continued and soon after they returned and for respect of lucre and gain King John in the second year of his reign granted unto them large Liberties and Priviledges whereby the mischiefs rehearsed in this Act multiplyed But the lucre and gain which King John had and expected of the Infidel Jews made him IMPIE JUDAISARE for to the end they should exercise the Laws of their Sacrifices which they could not do without a Priesthood the King by his Charter granted them to have one c. Which for the great rarity thereof and for that we find it not either in our Books or Histories I will rehearse in haec verba Rex omnibus sidelibus suis omnibus Judaeis Anglis salutem Sciatis nos concessisse Jacobo Judaeo de Londoniis Presbytero Judaeorum Presbyteratum omnium Judaeorum totius Angliae Habendum tenendum quam in vixerit liberè quietè honorificè integrè it à quod nemo â—i super hoc molestiam aliquam aut gravamen inferre praesumat Quare volumus firmiter praecipimus quod eidem Jacobo quoad vixerit Presbyteratum Judaeorum per totam Angliam garantitis manu-teneatis pacificè defendatis Et si quis eum super eo sorisfacere praesumpserit id ei sine dilatione salva nobis emenda nostra de forisfactura nostra emendare faciatis tanquam Dominico Judaeo nostro quem specialiter in servicio nostro retinuimus Prohibemus etiam ne de aliquo ad se pertinente ponatur in placitum nisi coram nobis aut coram capitali Justiciario nostro sicut Charta Regis Richardi fratris nostri restatur Teste S. Bathoniens Episcopo c. Dat per manus Huberti Cantuariensis Archiepiscopi Cancellarii nostri apud Rothomagum 21 die Julii Anno Regni nostri primo To which Charter Sir Edward Cook annexeth this marginal Note This King had a most troublesom and dishonourable rrign God raising against him FOR HIS JUST PUNISHMENT two potent Enemies Pope Innocent the 3 and Philip King of France And besides which was the worst he lost the heart and love of his Baronage and Subjects and at the last had a fearfull end He adds l Our Noble King Edward 1 and his Father H. 3 before him sought by divers Acts and Ordinances to use some means and moderation herein but in the end it was found That there was no mean in mischief and as Seneca saith Res profecto Stulta est nequitiae modus And will it not be so now in their new limited readmission if consented too And therefore King Ed. 1. as this act saith for the honour of God and for the common profit of his people without all respect in respect of these of the filling of his own Coffers did ordain That no Jew from thenceforth should make any bargain or contract for usury nor upon any former contract should take any usury from the Feast of St. Edward then last past So in effect all Jewish Usury was forbidden This Law struck at the root of this pestilent weed for hereby Usury it self was forbidden and thereupon the cruel Jews thirsting after rich gain to the number of 15060 departed out of this Realm into foraign parts where they might use their Jewish trade of Usury from that time that Nation never returned again into this Realm Some are of opinion and so it is said in some of our Histories That it was enacted by authority of Parliament that the usurious Iews should be banished out of rhe Realm But the truth is that their usury was banished by this Act of Parliament and that was
Officers and Judges as heretofore 3ly To purchase Houses Habitations Rents Lands Exercise of 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 Cnute 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 religio maxime provehatur That the right Religion of Christ might be most of all advanced obtesting all Ecclesiiastical 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 Laws 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 anytime which our Lord Iesus 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 Servicc 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 Jewish 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 El. c. 1. 28 Eliz. c. 2. 6. 35 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Iac. c. 4. against Popish Recusants Seminary Priests Iesuites Friers Masse-Books Agnus Dei's Popish Books Superstitions for preventing 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 farre more dishonourable to Christ opposite to our Christian Religion and destructive to the peoples souls if once admitted then any Jesuits 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 same 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 Iudaism which is both Heresy and Blasphemy and Jewish assemblies the very Synagogues of Satan and Iews great blasphemers by Christs own resolution Rev. 2. 9. c. 3. 9. Acts 18. 6. Rom. 2. 21. With the late printed Instrument of Government which though it allows not only toleration but protection to all Sects and Religions professing faith in God through Iesus Christ though differing from the Doctrine and Discipline publtkely held forth in the Nation except only to Popery and Prelacy yet certainly it can no ways extend to the toleration or protection of Jews and their Antichristian blasphemies against Christ himself and the Gospel seeing they are so far from professing faith in Jesus Christ that they utterly renounce and professedly decry him to be the true Saviour and Messiah of the world rejecting the whole New Testament and Doctrin of the Gospel and so by consequence are necessarily secluded by this Instrument and Oath for its observation from practising their Jewish worship Ceremonies or erecting any Synagogues in our Nation for that purpose 2ly Though the Kings of England by the Law and their Prerogative may in sundry cases erect New Corporations of their Subjects by their Charters only yet notwithstanding no Corporation or Fraternity of Iews being meer Aliens may can or ought to be erected in England by the Fundamental Lawes and Constitutions of the Realm but only by full consent of the Nation in Parliament by special Acts of Parliament it being one of the greatest Intrenchments that can be upon the English Nations Rights Liberties Customs Priviledges Profit and a violation of all the ancient Charters Priviledges Rights Franchises confirmed to them by the Great Charter of England forty times since ratified by new Acts of Parliament This is evident by the Statutes of Magna Charta c. 9. 37. 34 E. 1. c. 4. 1. E. 3. c. 9. 14. E. 3. c. 1. 1. H. 4. c. 1. 2. H. 4. c. 1. 7. H. 4. c. 1. 9. H. 4. c. 1. 13. H. 4. c. 1. 3. H. 5. c. 1. 2. H. 6. c. 1. compared with 2 E. 3. c. 9. 27. E. 3. c. 1. to 29. 28 E. 3. 13. 15 36. E. 3. c. 7 19 H. 7. c. 12 and all other Acts for the Staple and Styliard and with 3. E. 4. c. 6. 1. R. 3. c. 9. 14 H. 8. c. 2. 21 H. 8. c. 16. 22 H. 8. c. 8. 32 H. 8. c. 16. touching Artificers Merchants and Aliens 3ly The preambles of the Statute of Merton 20 H. 3. 3 E. 1. with c. 17. 48. 6 E. 1.
imagining that they should do God good service if they assaulted these his enemies boldly rushed upon them no man opposing himself against so great attempts whereupon divers of the Jews were slain the rest being received into the Castle hardly escaped with their lives their goods being all plundered and the plunderers departing freely away with their booty none of them being so much as questioned or punished by the Kings discipline The Citizens of Lincoln hearing what was done to the Jews of Stanford taking occasion and being animated by the examples of others were willing to do something against them and being assembled together against the Jews inhabiting together with them became enraged against them But these Jews being made more wary by the slaughters and damages of others some few of them suffering harm and damages the rest fled timely with their monies into the Royal Fort and there secured themselves In all other places wheresoever the Jews were found they were pillaged and slain by the hands of the Pilgrims who hastning through England towards Jerusalem decreed to rise up first against the Jews before they invaded the Saracens Hereupon all the Jews who were found in their own houses at Norwich were slain on the 8. of February some few of them only escaping to the Castle At the same time The Nobles and Gentry of Yorkeshire nothing fearing the Kings Proclamation the wicked Jews having by Usury reduced theÌ„ to extream poverty joyning with them some holy soldiers brake up thâ— Houses of the chief Jews equall to the Kings Palace sleâ— their families spoiled their goods and burnt their hoâ—â—s in the night and then retired themselves to their hâ—mes in the dark After which the promiscuous multitudâ— making an assault upon the Jews slew them without diâ—â—â—â—ction of sex or age except some few who would give up their names to Christ in baptism to save their lives On the 18 day of April being Palm-Sunday the rest of the Jews in the City of Yorke being 500 men and women besides their children fearing the violence of the Christians shut up themselves within the Castle of Yorke by the will and consent of the Guardian thereof and of the Sheriff who being thus received into the Castle for their defence by the Guardian and Sheriff would not afterwards deliver it up unto them again Whereupon the Sheriff and keeper of the Castle being much offended with them assembled the Souldiers of the County and men of the City that they might free the Castle from those Jews exhorting them to do their utmost endeavours to effect it who when they had assaulted the Castle day and night the Jews offered a great summe of money to save their lives but all in vain the people being so incensed against them that they would not accept it whereupon a certain Jew skilfull in their Law stood up and said Men of Israel hearken to my counsel It is better for us to die for our Law then to fall into the hands of the enemies of our Law and our very Law commands the same thing Upon which all the Jews as well men as women consented to his counsel and every Father of a Family going with a sharp razor first of all cut the throats of his own wife and children and then of his family casting the dead corps of those whom they had thus sacrificed to Devils over the Castle walls upon the Christian people After which burning their rich cloathes an casting their golden Vessels and Jewels into Privies that the Christians might not be inriched by them these murderers shutting up themselves and the rest they had killed in the Kings house set it on fire and so burnt both themselves and it After which the Citizens of Yorke and the Souldiers of the County burnning all the Jews houses together spoyled their goods seized their possessions to themselves and burn'd all the charters of their debts The King being informed hereof and much incensed both for the contempt of his Royal Proclamation and Authority and dammage to his Exchequer to which all the Goods and Debts of the Jews being Usurers belonged commanded his Chancellor to inflict due punishment upon the authors of this Sedition Whereupon after Easter the Bishop of Ely the Kings Chancellor gathering a great Army together came to Yorke to apprehend those as malefactors who had destroyed the Jews of the City And understanding that this was done by the command of the Sheriff and Governour of the castle he put them both from their Offices and took sureties from the Citizens of the City for to keep the Peace of the King and Kingdom and to stand to the Law in the Kings court concerning the death of the Jews and commanded the Souldiers of the County who were at the destruction of the Jews to be apprehended but the chief of them flying into Scotland escaped not one of them all being put to death for this great massacre and Riot Henry de Knighton De Eventibus Angliae l. 2. c. 13. gives this censure of these slaughters and popular tumults against the Jews The Zeal of the Christians conspired against the Jews in England but in truth not sincerely that is for the cause of faith but either out of emulation and envy because of their felicity or out of gaping after their goods The Justice truly of God not at all approving such things but decently ordering them that by this means he might punish the insolency of a perfidious Nation He likewise addes That one John a most bold Christian flying from Stanford with many spoyls of the Jews to Northampton was there secretly slain by his Host to get his money and thrown without the city in the night the murderer flying therupon After which through the dreams of old women falacious signs the simple people atributing to him the merits of a martyr honoured his Sepulchre with solemn vigils and gifts This was derided by wife men yet it was acceptable to the Clerks there living by reason of the gains Which the Bishop hearing of presently un-saincted him and prophaned the Monuments of this false martyr continued by the study of simple and covetous persons I wish no such plunderers as this might be saincted and adored in our age as too many of them are even before their deaths who will be un-saincted after them as well as this bold plunderer of the Jews Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments Vol. 1. p. 305. relating the story of the massacres of the Jews this year out of the Chronicle of VVestminster saith That there were no less than a thousand five hundred of the Jews destroyed at that time in York alone beside those slaughtered in other places so that this year which the Jews took to be their Jubile was to them a year of confusion Neither was this plague of theirs undeserved for every year commonly their custom was to get some Christian mans child from the Parents and on Good-Friday to crucifie him in despite of our
Jews out of England giving them their expences into France confiscated the rest of their goods This year the King held A Parliament in which were made the Statutes called Westminster the 3d. In quo etiam Parliamento pro expulsione Iudaeorum concessa sunt Regi a Populo quinta decima pars bonorum In which Parliament likewise for the banishment of the Iews there was granted to the King by the People a fifteenth part of their goods Henry de Knyghton a Canon of Leâ—cester a most diligent Antiquary flourishing in Richard the 2ds reign rendreth it in these terms King Edward grievously punished the Iews and their consorts for clipping of money and corrupt exchanges where upon in one day he caused all the Iews to be apprehended some he hanged the rest he banished When he had done his will upon his corrupt Iudges fined deposed and some of them banished in the same Parliament that the Jews were exiled presently another cause moved him concerning Money which he found to be basely clipped and corrupted to the preiudice of the Crowns and the great damage of the people By the Infidelity and Malice of the Iews as it was inquired and found Et feâ—it stabilire unum Parliamentum in quo convicti sunt Iudaei de ea falsitate Et statuit quod omnes Iudaeos exirent de Terra Angliae deinceps non redituri propter eorum incredulitatem principaliter et propter falsitatem quam eis dure imposuerat et pro hac causa cum festinatione facienda et sine dâ—latione explenda communes regni â—ederunt Regi quintum denarium de omnibus bonis suis mobilibus And he caused a Parliament to be 〈…〉 ed wherein the Iews are convicted of that falshood And he ordained that all the Iews should depart out of the Realm of England not to return again afterwards for their incredulity principally and for their falsenesse which he had hardly pressed upon them And for this their banishment speedily to be made and executed without delay the Commons of the Realm gave to the King the fifth part of all their moveable goods Iohn Major and the Centuriators of Magdeburgh out of him thus register it to posterity In the year 1290 the Iews were banished out of England for the Englishmen had made a great complaint to Edward the 1. that by their usuries and frauds most mâ—n of the inferior sort were reduced to nothing which thing was gainfull to the King for every of the Commoners gave the King the fifteenth penny that he might banish the Jews = Our learned Iohn Bale Polydor Virgil and the Century VVriters out of him thus expresse it Anno 1291 It should be 1290 In the Parliament at London there was a debate in the first place Concerning the banishing of the Jews whereof there was a great multitude throughout England Sed edicto Publico Concilii Londinensis writes one Publico igitur decreto saith another But by the publick Edict of the Parliament assembled in London and by a publick decree They were all commanded to depart the Realm with their goods which they Concilii jussis obedientes obeying the commands of the Parliament speedily did To these Latin Authors I might annex Thomas Stubs his Act a Pontificum Eboracensium col 1728. who makes mention of this universal banishment of them out of all England in one day but I shall passe to our more Common English Historians Fabian in his Chronicle part 7. p. 133. Mr. Iohn Fox in his Acts and Monuments Lond. 1640. Vol. 1. p. 443. and Richard Grafton in his Chronicle p. 169. thus report it in the same words almost This year also 1290. all the Jews were utterly banished the Realm of England for the which the Commons gave the King a fifteen Nicholas Trivet in his Polychronicon and VVilliam Caxton in his Chronicles printed 1502. in the life of K. Edw. the 1. thus stories the Jews banishment out of Hygden and Trevâ—sa in their words A none after the King had done his will of the Justices tho lete he inquere and espye how the Iews dysceyved and beguyled his people thorough the synne of falsness and of Usury And lete Ordain a Prevy Parlement among his Lords So they ordained among theim That all Iewes should voyde out of Englande for their Mysbyleve and also for their false Vsury that they did unto Crysten Men. And for to speed and make an end of this thing All the Comynalte of Englonde gave vnto the King the XV. Penny of all theyr Goodes mevable and so were the Iewes driven out of Englonde And tho went the Iewes into France and there they dwellyd thrugh leve of Kyng Phylip that tho was Kyng of France Raphael Holinshed in his Chronicles out of them Vol. 3. p. 285. thus publisheth it In the same year was a Parliament holden at Westminster wherein the Statutes of Westminster the 3d. were ordained It was also DECREED That all the Jews should avoid out of the Land in consideration whereof a fifteenth was granted to the King and so hereupon were the Jews banished out of all the Kings Dominions and NEVER SINCE COULD THEY OBTAIN ANY PRIVILEDGE TO RETURN HITHER AGAIN All their goods not moveable were confiscated with their tailles and Obligations but all their goods that were moveable together with their coyn of gold and silver the King licensed them to have and convey with them A sort of the richest of them being shipped with their Treasure in a mighty tall ship which they had hired when the same was under sail and got down the Thames towards the mouth of the River beyond Quinborow The Master Marmer bethought him of a wile and caused his men to cast anchor and so rode at the same till the ship by ebbing of the stream remained on the dry sands The Master herewith inticed the Jews to walk out with him on land for recreation and at length when he understood the tyde to be comming in he got him back to the ship whether he was drawn by a cord The Iews made not so much hast as he did because they were not ware of the danger But when they perceived how the matter stood they cryed to him for help Howbeit he told them that they ought to cry rather unto Moses by whose conduct their Fathers passed through the red Sea and therefore if they would call to him for help he was able enough to help them out of these raging floods which now came in upon them They cryed indeed but no succour appeared and so they were swallowed up in the water The Master returned with the ship and told the King how he had used the matter and had both thanks and reward as some have written But others affirm and more truly as should seem that divers of those Marriners which dealt so wickedly against the Jews were hanged for their wicked practise and so received a just reward of their fraudulent and mischiâ—vous dealing
like chaff before the wind without any fixed habitation according to the ancient comminations and curses long since denounced against and now fully executed upon them Deutr. 28. 63 64 65 c. Levit. 26. 33. 36 37 38 39. Deutr. 4. 27. c. 32. 26. 1 Kings 14 15. Neh. 1. 8. Ps 106. 27. Jer. 9. 16. 17. 24. c. 18. 17 c. 49. 32 36. Ezech. 5. 2. to 13. c. 12 14. 15 c. 20 23. c. 22. 15. Daniel 12. 7. Zach 1. 21. Ezech. 11. 16 17. c. 6. 8. c. 17. 21. which scattering is principally intended only amongst Heathen Nations where they should be totally deprived of all Gods Ordinances and means of salvation where they shall serve other Gods which neither they nor their Fathers have known even wood and stone as these texts expresly resolve and import Therfore to receive them into and settle them in our Christian Kingdom and Island whereunto they have no title nor colour of inheritance which God hath appointed to the English alone for their portion and therefore these Aliens may not invade or intrude themselves into it without the whole Nations general consent is in some sense to crosse these sacred Texts and neither convenient for us to grant nor for them to request being already over-stored with Native Englishmen 6. Since the Jews crucifixion of our Saviour Jesus Christ himself and their extirpation and dissipation for it they have oft-times in sundry places ages in high contempt and despite of his person and passion maliciously acted it over and over again in representation not only by piercing his Images with swords and spears and in stabbing piercing boyling burning braying in a mortar and otherwise despiting the consecrated Sacramental bread representing his crucified body as the Historians in the Margin at large relate and likewise by crucifying a Ram at Easter as they did at Syracusa in the year 1113 but likewise by crucifying sundry Christian children on Good Friday oâ— near Easter on a Crosse in a most barbarous manner in derision of our Saviors death and passion To pretermit those 7. or 8. forecited instances in England alone I shall instance in some forreign ones recorded by Historians About the year of our Lord 430. the Jews in their publike Enterludes and Dances held on their Sabboth openly crucisied a Christian child in contempt and derision of Christs death and passion at Inmestar in Syria first nailing him to a tree and lifting him up on high then deriding and laughing at him after that like mad men scourging him as long as any breath remained in his body whereupon there arose great contention between them and the Christians and by the Emperors command the Jews who had done this in jest were punished in earnest Anno 1172. they crucified in like manner another Christian Child at Bloyes in France And near the same time the Jews at Bray in France crowned a Christian man whom they accused for a Malefactor with thornes then led him publickly about the Town scourged him with many stripes and at last crucified him in contempt of Christ Not long after the Jews at Paris in France in like manner crucified a Christian child called Richard sundry others yearly Anno 1236. the Jews at the Monastery of Fulda killed many Christian Children in a Mill piercing them with ponyards and squeezing out their blood to mix and knead it with their vnleavened bread in their Passeover as was generally reported which being discovered many of them were burnt to death for it the rest grievously persecuted At Prague in Bohemia the Jews on Good-Friday in the year 1283. shutting their gates crucified a Christian man having first of all done unto him in contempt what ever they had learned was done to Christ by their Ancestors which when the people had discovered running to their arms they raged cruelly against and slew many of these impious Murtherers The Jews Anno 1286 stole away cruelly tormented pricked with ponyards drew the blood impiously crucified a Christian Child called VVernerus not far from the Rhene in Germany barbarously murthering him after sundry torments Anno 1287. they tormented and crucified another Christian Child at Bern called Rodolphus for which they were massacred and cruelly handled by the furious vulgar The Jews at Trent on Good-Friday in the year 1475. tortured whipped pierced crucified to dearh a Christian child about 13 years old called Simeon in contempt of Christs passion and Christians kneding their Paschal unleavened bread with his blood which History is as large related by the Marginal Historians And to instance in no more particulars Vincentius Beluacensis Speculum Hist. l. 29. c. 25. Gaguinus l. 6. de Francis Centur. Magd. 12. and 13. c. 14 record That the Jews in Paris did every year steal some Christian child or other brought up in the Kings Court carrying him to a secret house or vault did on Good-Friday or Easter-day in contempt and derision of Christ and Christian Religion crucify him on a Crosse as Christ was crucified and that they had been frequently appprehended per severing in this wickednesse for which upon Detection they were usually murthered stoned burned destroyed hanged by the furious multitudes violence or executed imprisoned banished by Christian Kings and Magistrates yet such was their malâ—ce to Christ that they would stâ—ll persevere thereâ—n and act it over again upon every opportunity How can or dare we then receive into our Christian Island such barbarous bloody obstinate murderers and inveterate incorrigible malicious enemies to and deriders despisers of our blessed Saviours death and passion formerly cast out by our Ancestors amongst other things for their bloody impieties and unchristian blasphemies of this nature unlesse we first renounce both our Christianity and Humanity at once and become as bad as the very worst of Jews 7. The Jews ever since their dispersion in all ages places to their power have been more bitter enemies to the Christians than the worst of Pagans bending all their studies forces wits endeavours to hinder oppugne blaspheme extirstate the Christian Religion and all professors of it out of the world stirred up many bloody persecutions against them upon all advantages confederating both with Julian the Apostate the Pagan Persians the Tartars Sarazens Turks to murder and delete them having a great hand in raising the 4th persecution and murdering stoning to death burning destroying even those of their own Nation yea poysoning their own VVives Children for imbracing Christianity Moreover they have raised up many seditions rebellions against Christian Princes poysoned destroyed some of them and their Nobles yea raised occasioned many great popular Tumults Commotions Seditions against them in all ages places as well as formerly here in England as you may read at large in Socrates Scholasticus Eccl. Hist l. 7. c. 13. Zonaras Tom. 3 Paulus Diaconus l. 16 17 18. Nicepkorus Eccles Hist l. 14 c. 14. l.
all places upon their outward Garments or heads whereby they might be distinguished from Christians and known by all men to be Iews to avoid câ—mmixtion and communion between them and Christians which otherwise would happen 8. That they should be disabled to bear witnesse or give in any legal testimony against Christians or to exercise usury amongst them or to purchase any advowson or Ecclesiastical preferment or to bequeath any legacy to the Nation or Corporation of the Iews 9. That they should be subject both to the Ecclesiastical Temporal Courts and Iudges for all offences properly punishable by them which they should commit 10. That they should pay all predial and personal Tithes to the Christian Ministers where they lived 11. That though they should not be compelled to be baptized or turn Christians against their willt yet they should at certain times be all constrained to come to the Sermons of such Christian Priests and Ministers as were appointed to instruct them in the Christian faith and to preach unto them to convert them 12. That their Servants and Children being Iews when once baptized and turned Christians should no more câ—habit with nor be under their power 13. That upon their conversion to Christianity all their goods and mony gotten by usury and cheating should be distributed to pious uses and the rest only retained for their proper use and livelyhood 14 That if any of them after their baptisme apostatized and turned Iewes again or fell into Heresie they should be proceeded against and burned â—executed as Apostates and Hereticks 15. That no Christians should communicate with them in any kind except in buying and selling nor cohabit with serve them as a Nurse or Servant under pain of excommunication yet notwithstanding all these restrictions and cautions we read of few Iews really converted by them and that the Iews have perverted and seduced sundry Christians to Iudaisme and made them professed Iews perswaded other Christians to observe Mosaical ceremonies besides Baptism whereby they made a confused Chaos of Religion yea they corrupted Michael Balbus the Emperor so far that he commanded Christians to fast on their Sabbath and made him as it were a sink of Sects as Zonaras and others record Yea Sedechias the Iewish Physician poysoned the Emperor Charles the Bald his body as well as others in that age after poysoned other Christians souls What mischiefs then they may do to mens bodies in England by poysoning of them as they did the English Barons heretofore and Dr. Lopez a Iew would have poysoned Queen Elizabeth of late and what desperate venom they may infuse into their souls by their Iewish Doctrines Synagogues and Antichristian Ceremonies if admitted without such or upon these restrictions or any other let all prudent Christians resolve Since Pope Innocent the 3. himself and Cardinal Hostiensis with other Popish Canonists who have tolerated them give us this account of their requital for it in positive terms Iudaei ingrati progratia reddunt contumeliam pro familiaritate contemptum impendentes nobis illam retributionem quam juxta vulgare proverbium MVS IN PERA SERPENS IN GREMIO IGNIS IN SINV suis consueverunt Hospitibus exhihere Nam sunt quidam quod nefandum est dicere Nutrices Christianas habentes non permittunt lactare filios cum corpus Christi sumpserunt nisi prius per triduum lac effuderint in latrinam quasi intelligunt quod corpus Christ incorporetur ad sâ—cessum descendat alia inaudita committunt detestabilia quae à fidelibus sunt minime toleranda ne si haec negligunt quae inducunt confusionem fidei INDIGNATIONEM DIVINAM INCVRRANT As therefore Aldredus de Ponte Abbot Panormitan Antonius Corsitus and other Popish Canonists conclude positively That Christians and Christian Kings may lawfully expel and banish all Iews and Infidels out of their Realms though peaceable for their Infidelity and other just causes So may all English Protestants likewise upon the premised reasons conclude we may as justly as lawfully now keep them from re-entring into England notwithststanding the pretence of their conversion to the Faith which I hope I have satisfactorily answered The 2. Allegation for bringing in the Iews is meerly politick That it will bring in much present and future gain and mony to the State and advance trading I answer 1. That if this argument overpoysed not the scales that of conscience the hopes of their conversion would be lighter than the dust of the ballance and sticke with no man their mony being the only engin which hath opened the gate and passage for them into any Christian Kingdoms at first and made new entrance for them when they have been expelled as Concilium Toletanum 4. c. 57. and others inform us This opened their first passage into England Spain Portugal and Philip Augustus who banished them out of France An. 1183. Postea verò quum propter bella inopia laboraret pecuniae acceptae grandi à Iudaeis pecunia redditum cis concessit domicilium Parisiis as Munster and others inform us And this kept them so long in England heretofore till their very banishment A sign we love their money better than their souls or our own 2ly This argument for their readmission is but wordly carnal sensual the very same with that of Hamer to the Shechemites when he would perswade them to be circumcised and turn Iews Gen. 23. 25. shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours only let us consent unto them and they will dwell with us An argument only fit for such whom the Apostle characterizeth Phil. 3. 18 19. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Or for such Princes or Governours as God of old complained thus of Her Princes in the midst thereof are like Wolves ravening the prey and to shed blood and TO DESTROY SOULS TO GET DISHONEST GAIN It proceeds from such whose eyes and hearts are not but for their Covetousnes who all seek their own not the things that are Iesus Christs And if the root of it be covetousnesse which is Idolatry which Christ commands all to take heed and beware of and is not so much as to be named much lesse practised amongst Christians whose conversation ought to be without covetousnesse and they to rest contented with those things they have Because l They that will be rich fall into temptations and a snare and into many foolish and noysom lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction For the of Love of mony is the root of all evill which whiles some covered after they have been seduced or erred from the faith as thousands of late years have