communitas Iudeorum vel Cyrograph Archa super gravem forisfacturam nostram de cetero presumat habitare Et hoc sicut te et tua diligis non omittas T. R. apud Winds 23 die Aprilis One of the principal things of Note concerning the Iews this year is the Ordinance concerning the Iews made by the King by the advice and counsel of Prince Edward his Sonne and other honest men for the relief of the christians touching the grievances they sustained in their Debts and Fees morgaged to the Jews and against the Iews assigning of their debts to others without the Kings special License first obtained Which I find enrolled in French in a very fair hand in the Dorse of the Clause and Patent Rolls of 53 H. 3. and in the Red Bocke of the Exchequer in the Remembrancers Office fol. 242. with this Title there prefixed to it Provisiones de Iudaismo liberatae ad Scaccarium per Dominum Walterum de Merton A la feste de Seint Hillayre del an du regne le Roy Henry fiz le Roy Iohan. cinquante tierz purvieu est per memes le Roy et per le conseil Sire Edward son fiz eyne et de ses autres prodes hommes a lamendement de la Tere Et Reliever les Crestiens des Grevances que il ont eu par la Iuerye de Angletere Re totes les Dettes a Gyvues qe sont foez et qe aparmenes sunt as meines de Gyvus et ne sont done a Crestien ne vendu issint qe a vaunt ceo Jur. seent confirme par le Roy vel arroule al Eschekker soent quites a Crestiens qe les deyvent et a lour Eyres a tuz Jurs. Ensement les arrerages et les chartres par la ou eles serrunt trouees des avant dites detres de foez seent renduz a Crestiens de ke les dettes sont dues ou a lour eyres Et si par aventure acune Chatre fust mise en huche ou troue des ore mes nul lu ne tyene Et qe nul Gyvu de ceo jur en avant tel manere de dette de foe ne ne preigne ne ne face Et ensement qe nul Gyvu ceo Feo a Crestien ne venda de cest jur en avant sur forfeiture de vie et de chatel ne Crestien ne lachate sur forfeiture de son chatel et de son heritage Et ensement est purveu par lavant dit Roy et par le conseil Sire Edward et des avant dit prodes homes qe nul Gyvu des ore mes ne puse vendre sa dette a Crestien si il ne eyt primes le conge le Roy. Et si Crestien la chate par le conge le Roy rien ne pusse plus aver ke le Roy ne averoit si la dette eust en sa mein ceo est a saver le chatel qe est troue en chartre saunz Usure This Ordinance within few months after Anno 54 H. 3. was commanded to be put in execution by this writ to the Barons of the Exchequer which thus recites it Rex Baron de Scac. salutem Quia provisum est per Nos et Edwardum Primogenitum nostrum et alios fideles de consilio nostro ad meliorationem status terrae nostrae et ad relevationem Christianorum a gravaminibus quae hactenus habuerunt per Judeos et Judaismum nostrum Angliae Quod omnia debita Judeorum quae sunt feoda et quae die Sancti Hillarii An. r. n. 53. fuerunt in manibus Judeorum et quae non fuerunt data et vendita Christianis ita quod ante diem illum essent confirmata per nos vel irrotulata in Rotulis nostris ad Scac. nostrum Judeorum quieta sint Christianis qui ea debent et eorum heredibus imperpetuum una cum arreragiis eorundem debitorum et quod Chartae de hujusmodi feodis ubicunque erunt inventae sint liberatae Christianis qui talia feoda debent vel eorum heredibus et quod si forte aliqua hujusmodi Carta sit inventa in Archa Cyrogr. vel extra amodo nullius sit valoris Et quod nullus Judeus a predicto die inantea talia debita de feodo recipiat vel faciat Et similiter quod nullus Judeus talia feoda Christianis vendat a predicto tempore super forisfacturam vitae suae et catallorum ipsius nec Christianus ea emat super forisfacturam catallorum ipsius et suae haereditatis Vobis mandamus quod omnia Cyrographa super hujusmodi feodis per quoscunque confecta coram vobis ad Scac. nostrum venire faciatis et ea quae ante praedict diem Sancti Hillarii non fuerunt per nos confirmata nec in rotulis nostris ad Scac. nostrum Judeorum irrotulata prout superius est expressum cancellari faciatis et creditoribus vel eorum haeredibus quieta reddatis T.R. apud Westm 14 die Maii. The later part of this Ordinance here omitted against selling debts without license is frequently recited in special Licenses granted by the King to Jews to sell their debts the very next year after its making and proved very gainfull to the King and his Officers Rex omnibus c. salutem Cum nuper de consilio Edwardi primogeniti nostri et aliorum fidelium regni nostri in praesentia nostra provisum esset quod nullus Judeus debitum aliquod quod sibi a Cristiano debetur alicui vendere possit nisi prius a nobis optenta super hoc licentia speciali et si Christianus aliquis debitum hujusmodi de licentia nostra emat nihil plus inde habeat quam nos haberemus si debitum illud esset in manu nostra viz. Catallum quod inventum est in Carta inde confecta SINE USURA Nos Jacobo fil Mosse Iudeo Oxon dedimus licentiam vendendi Galf. de Lukenore debitum illud in quo Laur. de Cheleston eidem Iudeo tenetur per cartam suam Et etiam idem Galfredo dedimus licentiam emendi idem debitum à praefat Judaeo in forma provisionis supradictae In cujus c. T. R. apud Westm 7. die Maii. Claus 54 H. 3. m. 10. in scâ—ed there is a writ to discharge some debts of the King out of the estate of a deceased Iew directed to the Iustices assigned for their custody In the Patent Rolls of this year I find this recital of the Kings grant of Aaron a Jew to his Sonne Edmond and of Edmonds grant and infranchisement of Aaron and the Kings confirmation thereof Omnibus c. salutem Inspeximus Cartam quam Edmundus fil noster fecit Aaron fil Vynes in haec verba Omnibus praesentem cartam visuris vel audituris Edmundus illustris Regis Angliae filius salutem Cum Dom. Rex pater noster dederit et concesserit Nobis Aaron fil Vynes Iudeum cum omnibus
nobis a die Pasche in 15 dies ad recipiendum ab eo finem debitis illis Et mandetis Vicaquibus necesse fuerit quod nullam interim districtinem faciant eidem Abbati pro debitis illis reddendis T. G. fil Petri apud Suth 25 die Marcii Rex W. de Warren et sociis suis custodibus Iudaeorum c. Mandamus vobis quod quietum esse faciatis Rogerum Wesperill de usuris debitorum quae debet Simoni Iudeo Oxon. ab hoc inst Pasce anno Reg. nostri 9. usque ad Pasche prox sequent et interim ei respectum habere faciatis de praedict debitis T. Aaron Norwic. apud Clarenden 21 die Marcii per eundem By these 3 Presidents it is apparent that the Jews Usury was condemned and no ways favoured by King Iohn and his Justices in that age long before either the Statute of Merton 20 H. 3. c. 5. or De Iudaismo 3 E. 1. c. 1. were enacted and that the King would by no means permit it to run against any whilst actually imployed in his service nor others whom he favoured to whom he released the Usury at his pleasure and his Judges likewise by his command In the Roll of Fines of the 9 year of King Iohn I find these two cases concerning extents of Lands for the debts of Jews in that age Margareta de Lucy dat quinque marcas pro habenda haereditate de Kerchel et de Hammes quam Robertus de Lucy quondam vir ejus invadiavit Iudaeis in vita sua quod Iudaei capiant se a debito quod idem Robertus eis debuit super praedictum vadium ad haeredem ipsius Roberti qui haereditatem suam tenet Et mandatum est Vicecomiti quod accepta ab ea securitate de praedictis 5 marcis faciat ei habere plenariam seisinam de praedicta haereditate sua quae capta fuit in manum Domini Regis occasione praedicta Et mandatum est Iusticiariis Iudaeorum quod de praedicto debito capiant se ad haereditatem praedicti Roberti quam haeres ejus tenet The husband morgaged his wives inheritance to a Jew for a debt and dies for which the wives land being taken by way of extent into the Kings hands upon the Wives suit and fine of 5 marks her land is discharged the husbands land descended to his heir charged with and extended for it all the lands of the Jews Debtors on that age before the Statutes of Acton Burnel or de Mercatoribus 13 E. 1. being liable to extents for their debts as this Record of the same year resolves especially if assigned forfeited to or seised by the King Mandatum est Baronibus de Scaccario quod omnes terras quas Jollarius de Anumdevil habuit tempore quo ipse mutuo accepit debita de Aaron Judaeo capiantur in manum Dom. Regis quicunque illas teneat pro 200 72 libris quas ipse Domino Regi debuit de debito Aaron similiter districtionem faciatis de omnibus aliis quae Dom. Regi tenentur de debito Aaron de 26 lib. 8 sol 9 d. By this Record it appears that debts to Jews in that age were in the nature of Judgements and Statutes binding all the debtors lands he had at the time of the money borrowed into whose hands soever they came afterwards The King at this time claimed such an absolute jurisdiction over the Jews debts that he used to discharge or release them absolutely or for life and to respite them as he pleased as this and other presidents maniâ—est Rex omnibus c. Sciatis quod quietavimus Roberto silio Rogori tota vita sua de omnibus debitis Judaeoorum Willi de Chesney patris Margaretae uxoris ejusdem Roberti praecipimus quod inde sit quietus tota vita sua in hujus rei testimonium has literas nostras Patentes ei fieri fecimus Teste meipso apud Wimo 19 die Augusti In the 13 year of King John of which there are no Rolls or Records in the Tower I meet with this notable Record in the Treasury of the Exchequer touching the Jews assignment of their debts to Christians and extents upon them by Judgment of the Justices assigned for the custody of the Jews whom the assignee thereupon vouched to warranty in this case Placita a die Sancti Michaelis in 15 dies Anno Regni Regis Johannis 12. capta apud Westmonasterium inter alia sic continetur sequitur Rotulo secundo Assisa venit recogn si Robertus de Kanvill injuste sine Judicio disseseivit Willielmum Couse Beatricem uxorem ejus in Lincoln infra Assisas Robertus venit dicit quod Assisa non debet procedere quia ipse babet seisinam inde per preceptum Domini Regis ut ille qui fecit finem cum Judaeis quibus idem Willielmus debuit debitum super tenementum illud unde ipse profert Cartas Judaeorum quas ipsis acquietavit per finem illum vocat Justiciarios Judaeorum ad Watrantum quod habuit inde seisinam per eos ut de vadio suo Quia nihil Juris clamat in tenemento illo nisi ut de vadio Justiciarii Judaeorum sic warrantizant ideo consideratum est quod Willielmus in misâ—ricordia Robertus teneat in vadium suum By the Clause Roll of the 15 of King Iohn it appears that the King then seised granted and sold the houses of the Jews at his pleasure as a Lord his Villains without any other Title but his absolute Soveraignty over them witnesse these Writs of his compared together Rex Majori Vicecom London c. Sciatis quod dedimus dilecto fideli nostro Com. de Ferrariis domum Isaac Judaei de Norw c. in London in parochia Sanctae Margaretae cum redditibus omnibus pertinentiis suis Cartam nostram eo modo fieri fecimus Et ideo vobis mandamus quod secundum tenorem ejusdem Cartae nostrae ei sine dilatione plenam seisinam habere faciatis T. meipso apud Craneborn 8 die Julii Rex Vicecom Praeposit Oxon. salutem Sciatis quod ad petitionem venerabilis patris nostri N. Tuscul Episcopi Apostol sedis Legati concessimus Albrico fil Isaac Judaeo domos suas et domos quae fuerunt Isaac patris sui in Oxon. quae non valent per annum nisi viginti sol ut dicitur Unde vobis mandamus quod plenam seisinam domorum illarum eidem Albrico fine dilatione habere faciatis nisi valeant per annum plus quani 20 s. T. W. Brewer apud Freemer 11 die Novemb. This year the King laid an heavy Tax upon the Jews at Bristol which some Jews in Southampton refusing and delaying to pay the King thereupon issued this Writ to the Sheriff of Southampton to apprehend and send them prisoners to Bristol unlesse they presently paid it Rex
quod per consilium Roberti Passelewe quem Rex illuc mittit alium cust ad hoc apponi fac T. c. The tax not being paid the King at the times appointed this year he commanding the Iews Chests to be locked up so that their creditors could not pay their debts to them nor they their debts to the King whereupon he granted his Writ to Samuel fil Isaac a Iew upon his complaint that they should pay their debts to the King at the terms formerly appointed at the rates there expressed at large Rex Iust suis ad custod Iudeorum assignatis salutem Monstravit nobis Oliva quae fuit uxor Rob. de Fraynicto quod cum ipsa cum nuper estemus apud Colecester probasset coram venerabil in Christo patre W. Ebor Arch. et aliis de consilio nostro tam per Christianos quam per Judaeos praefatum virum suum reddidisse Aaron et Ursello Judaeis Colecestr totum debitum quod eis debuit ante inceptionem itin sui in terram sanct et injunctum esâ—et eisdem Judaeis quod reddent prefato Ol. Cartas confect de debito memorato licet eidem Judei quasdam Cartas mem restituerunt adhuc tamen unam ei detinent maliriose praetendentes Cartam esse Londini in depos ut sic fraud machinentur et laboribus frangent dictam mulierem Et ideo vobis mandamus quod praedictos Judeos per terras et catalla distringatis ad restituendam prefatae mulieri sine dilatione cartam praedictam Et vos eidem pedem illius Cartaerestituatis Ita vos in hac parte gerentes quod de cetero nullam inde audiamus querelam T. W. Ebor. Arch. apud Moreclae 29 die Iulii This Record manifests 1 The manner of the Jewes proving their debts both by Jewes and Christians 2 Their Jewish dealing one with another in detaining goods after debts satisfied 3. The usual way of recovering such Bonds from them when the debts were paid This year the King removed the Jews and their chests from one place to another at his pleasure as this Record besides others informs us Rex concessit Com. Pict Cornub. quod Judei regis qui manent in Berchamested transferant se usque Wallingford et ibi remaneant secundum easdem consuetudines Judeorum secundum quas apud Berkhamested habere consueverunt Archamque quam fuit apud Berkhamsted simiâ—iter habeant apud VVallingford et eodem modo quo ipsam habuerunt apud Berkhamsted Et mandatum est Justic ad custod Jud. assignatis quod sic fieri permittant T. R. How the Jews heirs after their decease made fines to the King for their real and personal estates and how their wives were indowed this Record will manifest of the same year with the former Rex Baron suis de Scac. salutem Mandamus vobis quod distringatis Mayden quae fuit uxor Jacob. Crespin ad reddend Moss fil praedict Iacob et Isaac fratri suo terras domos redditus catalla et omnia debita quae fuerunt praedicti Jacob. patris sui pro quibus ipse Moss et Isaac finem fecerunt nobiscum sicut per alias litetas nostras vobis significavimus Et cum praedicti Moss Isaac seisinam habuerint de praedict terris domibus redditibus catal et debitis tunc eidem Mayden rationabilem dotem suam a praedict Moss et Isaac faciatis assignari T.R. apud Merewel 2 die Maii. In the 27 year of King Henry the King issued this precept to have a Convert Iew instructed in the Christian Faith and learning in any place where he might Mandatum est Ebor. Archiepiscopo et VV. de Cantelup then Commissioners or Justices for the Jews affairs Quod Martino converso faciant administrari in aliqua villa ubi possit tam de fide Catholica quam literarum scientia feliciter erudiri T. R. apud Burdegal 3 die Febr. The same year the King commanded the Executors of the Bishop of Winchester by his Writ to pay to W. de Haevenshel and Edward son of Odo 100 l. ad terras emendas ad opus Conversorum London ad sustentationem eorundem T. R. apud Burd 12 die Aprilis Et mandatum est praedictis VVillo et Edwardo quod denarios illos ab illis recipiant et terras ad opus praedictor conversorum emant Ita quod terrae praedict emptae fuerint citra festum Nativ sancti Iohis Baptistae Such was the care and charity of those times for the converts support This year the King pardoned several debts of particular Engliâ—hmen owing to particular Jews respited the payment of other Dâ—bts for a time to others by several writs to the Iustices assigned for the Iews And likewise assigned and granted the Office of Aarons Presbyteratus Judeorum Angliae in the Exchequer forementioned to Elie le Eveske a Jew of London or his Attorney with all the Rolls of the Exchequer belonging to Aaron in as ample manner as Aaron formerly had them commanding the Justices assigned for the Jews custody to invest him in this office of Aaron Et nullam decetero summonitionem facere de aliquo debito de quo debetur responderi coram eis nisi per visum et testimonium predicti Elye vel illius quem ad hoc loco suo attornaverit which clearly proves that the Presbyteratus omnium Iudeorum totius Angliae granted to Aaron and now transferred to Elye was nothing else but the Custos Rotulâ—rum or Controllership of the Exchequer Et mandatum est eisdem quod quotiens idem Elyas intendere non possit ad sedendum ad Scac. Joreum fil Copini loco suo recipiant ad ea facienda ad idem Scac. quae ad Presbyteratum Iudaeorum pertia ut Rotulos etiam qui fuerant Jocei predecesso is sui cidem Elye vel attornato suo habere faciatis T. apud Westm 21 die Octob per Will. de Cantil Edward fil Odonis Quia Abraham Iudeus Berkhamsted clamat partem in debito quod continetur in cartae Johannis de Brabini confect inter ipsum Johannem et praedict Abraham et Mosseum Iudeum Hereford Mandatum est Cirographariis custod hus Archae Judeorum Hereford quod praefata Carta per praefat Mosseum vel per alium nemini liberetur donec Rex aliud inde praeciperit Which shewes that one Jew could not discharge the debt due joyntly to him and another Jew but by the others consent In the 28 of H. 3. two Jews being wrongfully arrested for a Debt due by another the King sent this writ to discharge them and imprison the Jewess that owed it Rex Justic ad cust Iud. assignatis sâ—lutem Sciatis quod probatum fuit coram nobis apud Stanford quod Gentilla viduae Iudea de Stanford debet R. Com. Cornub. fratri nostro illas 13 lib pro quibus Coc. Samuelem Judeos de Stanford arrestari fecistis in villa praedict
had pardoned and the Bond to be taken out of the Chest by this Writ Rex Justic ad custod Iudeorum assign Cum nullus Iudeus debeat plac de Cirograf in Archa Iudeorum inventa et catal Abr. de Berchanster quae capta fuerunt in manum nostram ex toto credebamus ad opus nostrum retinere quoruÌ„ residuuÌ„ ad petitionem R. Com. Cornub. eidem remissimus licet alias dederimus vobis in mandatis quod inquiraretis per sacr legal hominum qualem summam pecuniae Galfr. Mansell de dicto Abr. recepit et dict G. de usuris forte solum quietum remaneret Volumus tamen cum dictus Iudeus residuum catallorum suorum recuperaverit quod dict G. distringi faciatis ad plenam solutionem totius residui dicto Iudeo faciend secundum formam Cyrogr. sui Et ideo vobis mandamus quod sic fieri et irroâ—ulari fac Ita quod dictus Iudeus totam summam in parte sua Cyrogr. contentam cum debito integre possit recuperare Et licet Cyrogr. alias per preceptum nostrum ab Archa sit extract hoc facere non omittatis T. apud Harding 25. die August The Jews in that age could not without the Kings special license remove themselves or goods from one City to another and acquainting the Justices assigned for the Jews of his royal pleasure therein and were enforced to give security for one another to pay their Taxes to the King as this record of 36 H. 3. will evidence Rex concessit Iacobo filio Boneufaunt Judeo quod libere recedat a Villa Gloucestriae et moram facere in civitate London Et quia idem Judeus fecit regi securitatem per Iacobum le Eveske Iudeorum de tallagio suo ad quod tallietur ad festum sancti Martini regi reddendo Mandatum est Vicecom Glouc. quod ad ipsum aut ad familiam suam aut catalla sua manum non apponat sed ipsum cum omnibus praedictis a Vilâ—a Gloucestriae libere recedere permittat Teâ—te Rege apud Woodstoke 19 die Augusti per ipsum regem Et mandatum est Iusâ—iciariis ad cusâ—odiam Judeorum assignatis quod ipsum inter Iudeos regis in ciâ—itate praedicta manere permittant Teâ—â—e ut â—upra Mandatum est eiâ—dem quod faciant habere Iacobo le Eveske Iudeo residentiam in Scaccario Judeorum in servicio regis et quod ad ipsum perâ—inet secundum legem Scaccarii regis sicut et predecessores â—ui câ—erici regis ibidem habere consueverunt Teste ut supra per R. Waker The Iews could not then reside nor enjoy any office in the Iews Exchequer without the Kings special grant and license Neither could they sue for any debt especially upon an Obligation out of their common Chest without the Kings expresse license and grant Witnesse the president in the selfsame Roll and others forecited King Henry in the 36 of his reign granted by Patent to Aaron of York Elye le Eveske de London and Solomon le Eveske that for 4 years next ensuing they should not be taxed above set summes a year there mentioned to be paid half yearly by them into the Exchequer and that their set sums should be allowed in the original taxes assessed upon the commonalty of the Jews and be abâ—ted proportionably as their tax was abated Yea he granted this exemption to Aaron his Wife children not to be distrained and imprisoned for their debts or taxes â—o long as he had goods to satisfie them and to sue for goods and debts though out of the chest Rex omnibus salutem Sciatis quod concessimus Aaron de Ebor. Iudeo nostro quod neciâ—se nec uxor ejus nec eorum pueri distâ—ingantur per corpora sua nec imprisonentur quamdiu catal a sua sufficiant ad districtionem faciend pro debitis nostris In cujus c. duratur per bieunium T.R. apud VVestm 15 die Marcii Et mandâ—t est Iustic ad custodiam Iudaeorum assign quod sic fieri et irrotulari faciant T. ut supra per Regem Rex omnibus c. Sciatis quod concessimus Aaron de Ebor. Iudeo nostro quod possit placitare coram Iustic nostris ad cust Iud. assign pro catallis et debitis suis recuperandis et ea petere sine occasione usque ad summam 400 lib. sine receptâ—one Usurae licet catalla illa et debita fuerunt extra Archam Câ—rogr In cujus c. T. ut supra The like License to sue for Debts and Chattels out of the Chest to â—uch a summe sine receptione Usurae I â—inde granted this year to Copin a London Jew to other Jews the same year with a writ to deliver a Jew out of prison committed upon a false complaint and this pardon of two Jews wives for flying to avoid imprisonment for their husbands taxes Rex pardonavit Floriae uxori Elye Blundi et Pigonae uxori Aaron Blundi Waynâ—tiam quam meis Justiciariis promulgarunt pro fuga quam fecerunt pro Tallio super praedict Elye et Aaron assesso et mandat est praedict Justic quod praedict Floria et Pygona propter hoc non occasionentur T. R. apud Windsore 12 die Feb. Per ipsum Regem There was likewise this year a precept to the Iustices to give a Jews wife her full and reasonable dower of her husbands chattels Mandatum est Iusticiariis ad custod c. quod si Rosa quae suit uxor Leonis Epi Iudei Ebor. nondum plenè habuit Dotem suam de catallis quae fuerunt ejusdem Leonis tunc eidem Iudeae plenam et rationabilem dotem suam habere faciant secundum legem et consuetudinem Judaismi Regis T. R. Per ipsum Regem This year the King assigned certain Jews of London to tax the rest of the Jews upon a common tax then imposed on them in this manner Rex assignavit Eliam Epis et Aaron fil Abrah Iudeos London ad assidend Tallagium super Communitate Iudeorum nostrorum London ita videlicet quod communitas illa eligat ipsis tercium idoneum ad Tallagium illud una cum dictis Eli Aaron assidend Et mandat est Constabul Turris London quod ipsum tercium sic electum eis faciat associari firmiter inâ—ungendo eis quod taliter ipsi provideant de Tallagio illo assidendo quod Rex illud terminis Statutis habeat et quod pro defectu eorum non oporteat regi graviter se capere ad Talliatores praedictos Teste per Philip Luvel It seems this tax then assessed amounted to 3500 marks by this ensuing record that year Rex Iustic ad custod Jud c. Sciatis quod Manuel Blund Judeus obtulit nobis dimid marc auri ut de Tallagio 3 mill marc et 500 marc talliaretur secundum catalla sua sicut ceteri Iudei de Communitate London talliantur
a thousand five hundred of the Iews destroyed at that time in York alone beside those slaughtered in other places so that this year which the Iews took to be their Iubile 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 Religion King Richard the first after his return out of the Holy Land in the year 1194. appointed Iustices Itinerant through all the Counties of England who amongst other Articles were to enquire Concerning the slayers of the Iews who they were that slew them and concerning the pawns and chattels and lands and debts and charters of the Iews that were slain and who had them and how much any one owed to them and what morgages they had and who held them and how much they were worth and who took the issues of them and what they were and that all the Morgages and Debts of the Iews who were slain should be taken into the Kings hands and that those who were present at the slaying of the Iews and had not made a fine or end with our Lord the King or his Iustices should be apprehended and not delivered unless it were by the King our Lord or his Iustices The self-same year King Richard appointed Justices Laws and Orders for preventing the frauds and regulating the contracts of the Jews both between themselves and between Christians and them thus recorded at large by Roger de Hoveden and briefly touched only by some others All the Debts Pawns Morgages Lands Houses Rents and Possessions of the Iews shall be registred The Jew who shall conceal any of these shall forfeit to the King his body and the concealment and likewise all his possessions and chattels neither shall it be lawfull to the Iew ever to recover the concealment Likewise 6 or 7 places shall be provided in which they shal make all their contracts and there shall be appointed two Lawyers that are Christians and two Lawyers who are Iews and two Legal Registers and before them and the Clerks of William of the Church of St. Maries and William of Chimilli shall their contracts be made Charters shall be made of their contracts by way of Indenture And one part of the Indenture shall remain with the Iew sealed with his seal to whom the money is lent and the other part shall remain in the common chest wherein there shall be 3 locks and keys whereof the 2 Christians shall keep one key and the 2 Iews another and the Clerks of William of St. Maries Church and William of Chimilli shall keep the third And moreover there shall be three seals to it and those who keep the seals shall put the seals thereto Moreover the Clerks of the said William and William shall keep a roll of the transcripts of all the Charters and as the Charters shall be altered so let the roll be likewise For every Charter there shall be 3 pence paid one moity thereof by the Iew and the other moity by him to whom the money is lent whereof the 2 writers shall have 2 pence and the keeper of the roll the third And from henceforth no contract shall be made with nor payment made to the Iews nor any alteration made of the Charters but before the said persons or the greater part of them if all of them cannot be present And the aforesaid 2 Christians shall have one roll of the Debts or receits of the payments which from henceforth are to be made to the Jews and the 2 Jews one and the keeper of the roll one Moreover every Iew shall swear upon his Roll that all his debts and pawns and rents and all his goods and possessions he shall cause to be enrolled and that he shall conceal nothing as is aforesaid And if he shall know that any one shall conceal any thing he shall secretly reveal it to the Iustices sent unto them and that they shall detect and shew unto them all falsifiers or forgers of Charters and clippers of moneys where or when they shall know them and likewise all false charters By these strict politick Laws the King and his Officers knew the particular wealth monies goods debts and real and personal estates of every Jew and in whose hands they were and so could seize and command them at their pleasure upon any real or pretended misdemeanors or complaints against them King Iohn who in the 1 and 2 years of his reign granted them large liberties and an high Priest for moneys in the year of our Lord 1210. commanded all the Jews of both sexes throughout Englâ—nd to be apprehended and imprisoned and to be afflicted with most grievous torments that so they might satisfie the Kings pleasure with their money Some of them being grievously tortured gave all things which they had and promised more that they might by this means escape so many kinds of torments Amongst whom one Jew at Bristol punished with various torments when as he would neither redeem himself nor submit to any fine the King commanded his tormentors that they should every day pull out one of his grinding teeth until he should pay to the King ten thousand marks of silver And when at last for 7 days space they had pulled out 7 of his teeth with intollerable torment and now on the 8 day the tormentors had begun the like work again this Jew an over-flow provider for his profit gave him the aforesaid money that he might save the 8 tooth to himself the other 7 being pulled out who with much more wisdom and lesse pain might have done so before and have saved his 7 teeth having but 8 in all In the 17 year of King Iohn the 17 day of May the Barons coming to London brake into the houses of the Jews and searched their Coffers to stuff their own purses that had been long empty After which they applyed all diligence to repair the Gates and Walls of the City with the stones of the Jews broken houses In the year 1222. 7 H. 3. in a Council at Canterbury under Archbishop Stephen a certain Apostate Jew made of a Christian a Deacon and afterwards apostatizing was there judicially punisht whom Falco presently apprehending caused to be hanged as Matthew Paris writes but Bracton and others record that he was burned to ashes King Henry the 3. in the 11 year of his reign Anno Dom. 1226. granted the lands and houses of Benomye Matton a Jew in London escheated to him by a murder committed by this Jew to Semain and others as appears by his Chatter of that year King Henry the 3. Anno. 1230. wanting moneys constrained the Jews whether they would or would not to give him the third part of all their moveable goods and that with all expedition The Jews in the year of our Lord 1231. builded a Synagogue
suspected And some affirmed that the Lord had wrought miracles for the child And because it was found that the Iews at other times had perpetrated such wickedness and the holy bodies crucified had been solemnly received in the Church and likewise to have shined brightly with miracles although the prints of the 5 wounds appeared not in the hands and feet side of the said corps yet the Canons of St. Paul took it violently away and solemnly buried it in their Church not far from the great Altar The same year 1241. The Barons in Parliament ordered That there should be one Justice at the least appointed for the Jews by the nomination of the Parliament In the year of our Lord 1250. King Henry the 3d. burning with a covetous desire commanded money to be extorted from the Jews without all mercy so as they might seem to be altogether and irrecoverably impoverished exacting what monies soever they had in their chests Notwithstanding although they were miserable yet they were pittied by none because they were often proved and convicted to have been counterfeiters as well of monies as of seals And to passe by the monies of others we shall only mention one that their malice may the more appear to them There was a certain rich Jew having his abode and house at Berkamstede and Wallingford Abraham in name not in faith who was very dear to Earl Richard who had a very beautifull wife and faithful to him named Flora. This Jew that he might accumulate more disgrace to Christ caused the Image of the Virgin Mary decently carved and painted as the manner is holding her Sonne in her bosom This Image the Jew placed in his house of Office and which is a great shame and ignomy to expresse blaspheming the Image it self as if it had been the very Virgin her self threw his most filthy and not to be named excrements upon her days any nights and commanded his wife to do the like Which when his wife saw after some days she grieved at it by reason of the Sex and passing by secretly wiped off the filth from the face of the Image most filthily defiled Which when the Jew here husband had fully found out he therefore privily and impiously strangled the woman her self though his wife But when these wicked deeds were discovered and made apparent and proved by his conviction although other causes of death were not wanting he was thrust into the most loathsome Castle of the Tower of London Whence to get his freedom he most certainly promised That he would prove all the Jews of England to have been most wâ—cked Traitors And when as he was greatly accused almost by all the Jews of England and they endeavoured to put him to death Earl Richard interceded for him Whereupon the Jews grievously accusing him both of the clipping of money and other wickednesses offered Earl Richard a thousand marks if he would noâ— protect him which notwithstanding the Earl refused because he was called his Jew This Jew Abraham therefore gave the King 700 marks that he might be freed from perpetual imprisonment to which he was adjudged the Earl assisting him therein The King thereupon at the same time sent the Justices of the Jews throughout all England to search out all their mony both in Debts and Possessions and with them a certain most wicked and mercilesse Jew that he might wickedly and falsly accuse all the rest against the truth who verily reprehended the Christians pittying and weeping over the affliction of the Jews and called the Kings Bayliffs luke-warm and effeminate and gnashing with his teeth over every Jew affirmed with many great Oathes that they could give twice as much more to the King then what they had given although he most wickedly lyed against his own head This Jew that he might more effectually hurt the rest revealed all their secrets dayly to the Kings Christian Exactors In the mean time the King ceased not to scrape money together from all hands but principally from the Jews so thaâ— from one Jew alone born and living in York called Aaron because he was convicted of falsifying a Charter as was reported he extorted 14000 marks and 10000 marks of gold for the Queens use for a little times respite that he might not languish in prison All which sums being paid it was found that this Aaron had paid to the King since hiâ— return from foreign parts 30000 marks of silver and two hundred marks of gold to the Queen as the said Aaron upon the attestation of his honour and faith averred to Matthew Paris who records it Yet notwithstanding although the Jews might be pittied yet were they pittied by no man seeing they were corrupters and counterfeiters of the Kings money and of charters and manifestly and frequently proved condemned and reprobated as such King Henry Anno 1251. Decreed to destroy all the Jews in his Kingdom but some of his Counsellors disswaded him from it and that they should rather be left as Vagabonds like Cain that their misery by this means might be set before the eyes of men in all ages Whereupon the Kings mind was mitigated and his Decree abolished Notwithstanding he seriously prohibited them the eating of flesh in Lent and on Fridays Phâ—lip Luuel Clerk called to the service of the King and deputed to the custody of the Jews Anno 1251. was grievously accused before the King his adversaries affirming that when he and Nicholas of St. Albans Clerk were sent towards the Northern parts to tax and squeeze the Jews he privily received most precious Vessels from a certain Jew that he might spare him in his Tallage to the King and that he likewise took secret gifts from others that he might spare them and that he opprest these Jews notwithstanding to the dammage of the King and the violation of his Faith Whereupon the King being very angry commanded Philip himself to be unworthily handled until he should satisfie him for this great transgression Philip hereupon a crafty and circumspect man humbly craved advice and assistance from the Lord John Mansel the Kings Prime Counsellor concerning his great tribulation because he had promoted him to the Kings service who effectually procured that he recovered the kings favor giving him a great summe of money for it a thousand marks as was reported Yet notwithstanding he was removed from his Office and not a little disgraced It seems the kings Officers could fleece the Jews in that age by secret Bribes and Gifts as well as himself by intollerable Exactions King Henry the III. to satisfie the Popes desire in taking a Voyage to the Holy Land Anno 1252. extorted from the Jews whatsoever those miserable wretches might seem to have not only by scraping or excoriating but even by unbowelling them Being also an Hydropical thirster after gold he so greedily sucked talents or Bullion or Jewels as well from Christians as Jews that a new Crassus might seem to be raised from
manners they crucified him and pierced him with a spear to the heart And when the child had given up the ghost they took down his body from the cross and took the bowels out of his corps for what end is unknown but it was said it was to exercise Magical arts The mother of the child diligently sought for her absent son for some days and it was told her by neighbors that the last time they saw her child whom she sought he was playing with the children of the Jews of his age and entred into the house of a certain Jew Whereupon the woman suddenly entred that house and saw the body of the child cast into a certain pit And having warily called the Bayliffs of the City together the body was found and drawn forth and there was made a wonderful spectacle among the people But the woman mother of the child complaining and crying out provoked all the Citizens there assembled together to tears and sighs There was then present at the place Iohn de Lexinton a circumspect and discreet man and moreover elegantly learned who said We have sometime heard that the Jews have not feared to attempt such things in reproach of Jesus Christ our crucified Lord. And one Jew being apprehended to wit he into whose house the child entred playing and therefore more suspected than the rest he saith unto him O wretch knowest thou not that speedy destruction abides thee All the gold of England will not suffice for thy deliverance or redâ—mption Notwithstanding I will tell thee although unworthy by what means thou maist preserve thy life and members that thou maist not be dismembred I will save both to thee if thou dost not fear to discover to me whatsoever things are done in this case without falshood Whereupon this Jew whose name was Copin believing he had thus found out a way of escape answered saying Sir Iohn if thou makest thy words good by thy deeds I will reveal wonderfull things to thee and the industry of Sir Iohn animating and exciting him therto the Jew said Those things are true which the Christians say The Jews almost every year crucify one child to the injury and contumely of Jesus but it is not found out every year for they do this secretly and in hidden and most secret places But this child whom they call Hugo our Iews have most unmercifully crucified and when he was dead and they desired to hide him being dead he could not be buried in the earth nor hid For the corps of the innocent was reputed unprofitable for Divination for he was unbowelled for that end And when in the morning it was thought to be buried the earth brought it forth and vomited it out and the body sometimes appeared inhuman whereupon the Iews abhorred it At last it was cast headlong into a deep pit neither as yet could it be kept secret For the importunate mother diligently searching all things at last shewed to the Bailiffs the body she had found But Sir Iohn notwithstanding this kept the Iew bound in chains When these things were known to the Canons of the Church of Lincoln they requested the body to be given to them which was granted And when it had been sufficently viewed by an infinite company of people it was honourably buried in the Church of Lincoln as the corps of a most precious martyr The Jews kept the child alive for 10 dayes that being fed for so many dayes with milk he might living suffer many sorts of torments When the K. returned from the Northern parts of England and was certified of the premises he reprehended Sir Iohn that he had promised life and members to so flagitious a person which he could not give for that blasphemer and homicide was worthy the punishment of many sorts of death And when as unavoydable judgement was ready to be executed upon this Offender he said My death is now approaching neither can my Lord John preserve me who am ready to perish I now relate the truth to you all Almost all the Iews of England consented to the death of this child whereof the Iews are accused and almost out of every City in England wherein the Iews inhabit certain chosen persons were called together to the immolation of that child as to a Paschal Sacrifice And when as he had spoken these things together with other dotages being tied to an horses tail and drawn to the Gallows he was presented to the aereal Cacodaemons in body and soul and 91 other Jews partakers of this wickedness being carried in carts to London were there committed to prison Who if so be they were casually bewailed by any Christians yet they were deplored by the Caursini the Popes Italian Usurers their corrivals with dry eyes Afterwards by the Inquisition of the Kings Iustices it was discovered and found That the Iews of England by Common counsel had slain the innocent child punished for many days and crucified But after this the Mother of the said child constantly prosecuting her appeal before the King against them for that iniquity and such a death God the Lord of Revenges rendred them a condigne retribution according to their merits for on St. Clements day 88. of the richest and greatest Jews of the City of London were drawn and hanged up in the air upon new Gibbers especially prepared for that purpose and more than 23 others were reserved in the Tower of London to the like judgement I have transcribed this History at large out of Matthew Paris who flourished at that time because our other Historians doe but briefly touch it and because it undeniably manifests the transcendent impiety blasphemy malice persecution and obloquy of the Jews against our Saviour Jesus Christ and Christians and their constant usual practise of crucifying children almost every year in contempt and reproach of our crucified Saviour by common consent which Mr. Nye conceived might be easily wiped off as false not fully proved or charged on them by our Historians which this ensuing passage concerning these Jews will further ratify Certain infamous Jews being 71 in number adjudged to death by the Oath of 25 Knights for the miserable death of the child crucified at Lâ—ncoln being reserved in the Prisons of London to be hanged Anno 1256 the year after their condemnation sent secret Messengers to the Friers Minors as their enemies affirm that they might intercede for them that they might be delivered from death and prison being notwithstanding worthy of the most shamefull death Whereupon they as the world reports if the world in such a case be to be credited by the mediation of money freed them by their prayers and intercession both from the prison and from the death which they had deserved led thereto with a spirit of piety as I think is piously to be believed Because so long as any man is in life and in this world he hath free-will may be saved and there is hope of him But yet for the
Curiae Regis made and to be inquired of by the Justices itinerant in the 6 year of King Richard the 1. Anno 1194. wherein I find this Article Item de Faeneratoribus eorum catallis qui mortui sunt which is general extending equally to all Usurers whether English or Jews Christians or Infidels But in the Capitula Placitorum Coronae Regis in the 10 year of this King Richard Anno 1198 it was thus varied and confined only to Christian Usurers Inquirendum est by the Justices itinerant then appointed in each County etiam de usuris Christianorum eorum Catallis qui mortui sunt Perchance to put a difference between the Jews whose goods the King claimed as his own whiles living and the English Usurers who forfeited not their estates for usury till after their deaths not unless they died usurers without publike repentance therof before their death This form of Inquisition continued both before and after the Statute de Judaismo as is evident by Capitula itineris used in the reigns of Henry the 3. and Ed. 1. De Christianis usurariis qui fuerunt quae catalla habent qui catalla illa habuerant De catallis Judaeorum occisorum eorum chartis vadiis qui ea habeant King Henry the 3 rot finium 29. H. 3. m. 8. De catallis quae fuerunt cujusdam foeneratoirs seised the Charters of a certain Usurer as confiscated by Law unto him the Statute of Merton c. 5. in the 20 year of his reign provided and granted That usuries should not run against any being within age from the time of the death of his Ancestors whose heir he is unto his lawfull age c. So neverthelesse that the payment of the principle debt with the payment of the usury that was before the death of the Ancestor whose heir he is shall not remain On which Statute St. Edward Cook himself thus Coments This Statute hath been diversly expounded some expounding it only of Nomine poenaes and doubling the rent upon Leases Bonds and Recognizances others literally That the Statute extended to the usurious Iews that then were in England for at that time and before the Conquest also it was not lawfull for Christians he might have added nor yet for Jews to take any usury as it appeareth by the Laws of St. Edward c. and Glanvil and other ancient Authors and Records And by this Act it was manifest that the usury intended by the Statute was not unlawfull for the usury before the death of the Ancestor is enacted to be paid and after the full age of the heir also And no usury was permitted but by the Jews only But King Edw. the 1. That mirror of Princes By aeuthority of Parliament made this Law which is worthy to be written in letters of gold Forasmuch c. That no Jew should take any usury c. As if usury in his opinion had been lawfull for Jews before the Statute de Judaismo when it was equally prohibited to Jews and Christians though not to make to contractor usury meerly void except only against Infants during their minority yet to make both their chatels goods and estates liable to confiscation to the King after their deaths or before as the premises undeniably evidence So that the Statute de Judaismo prohibiting usury to the Jews was no introduction of any new Law as to the unlawfullnesse and penalty of usury it self in the Jews no more than in Christians to whom Rastal equally extends it Vsury 2. but only in respect of the legal means for recovevering the use upon usurious contracts Usury it self being even reputed absolutely unlawfull by Gods Lawes and ours Hence I find Rot. claus 36 H. 3. m 21. A Prohibition by writ to all forain Merchants within the Realme Quod nil capiant ad Vsuram and if they do Omnia mobilia immobilia eorum cedant ad usum Regis all their goods movable and immovable shall be confiscated to the Kings use Rot. claus 2. E 1. m. 1. De Mercatoribus Usurariis commands all Merchants that were Usurers to depart the Realm the year before the Stat. de Iudaismo made And in the Patent Roll of 5 E 1. Dors 26. There is an Inquisition De Usurariis seu Christianis Judaizantibus ut de eis fiat justitia secundum legem terrae which punished them by sines and loss of Goods in the Temporal Courts and by Ecclesiastical censures in the Spiritual Courts as is clear by Placita 18 H. 3. rot 36. and all Canonists in their Titles De Usura which is further evident by these Records Statutes made since the Statute De Iudaismo by 15 E. 3. rot Parl. n. 24.32.21 E. 3. rot Parl. n 49.50 E. 3. rot Parl. n. 47. 6 R. 2. rot Parl. n. 57. 14 R. 2. rot Parl. n. 23. 5 H. 4. rot Parl. n. 68.15 E. 3. c. 5. 3 H. 7. c. 5 6. 11 H. 7. c. 8. 37 H. 8. c. 9.5 E. 6. c. 20. 23 Eliz. c. 8. 39 Eliz. c. 18.21 Iac. c. 17. Therefore the banishing of Usury by this Law thus condemned prohibited in all former ages could no wayes move the Jews voluntarily to banish themselves hence no more than all other English and Italian Vsurers but some new special Act for their final expulsion 8ly It cannot be proved or imagined that all the Jews then in England were Usurers though the most and wealthiest of them were such And it is very improbable that all the Jews throughout England with one consent should agree to banish themselves voluntarily out of England where they were born and lived so long and that on the same day because the Usury of some of them was there prohibited without any Law for their banishment 9ly The Iews by several Laws Canons were expresly prohibited Usury elswhere in that age which they are totally forbidden to use of late years and now in Lithuania Russia Poland and some other places where they reside living only by Merchandize Husbandry and Manufactures Yea Menasseh Ben-Israel himself in his Humble Addresses newly printed p. 22.23 writes thus As for Vsury such dealing is not the essential property of the Iews for though in Germany there be some indeed that practise it yet the most part of them that live in Turky Italy Holland and Hamburgh being come out of Spaigne they hold it infamous to use it Therfore the bare suppression of their Usury in England by this Statute would no more induce them to banish themselves voluntarily out of England and leave all their houses morgages housholdstuff amounting to a vast summ to the King than out of other Countries where their usury was restrained then since seeing they might live as well without Vsury in England by their Merchandizes Husbandry and Manufactures as in any other Climate 10ly Sir Edward Cooke himself contradicts himself herein not only in his 4th Institutes p. 254. where writing
in the Treasury of the Exchequer written in Hebrew without pricks In King Iohns Reign at the Top the substance whereof is thus expressed in Latin just under it lik an English Condition under a Latin Obligation I stud Star fecit Hagius filius Magri de London Domino A de de Strattona de acquietantia de Stann re de omnibus debitis in quibus Dominus S de Cheyndut ei tenebatur Ita quod idem Iudaeus nec haeredes sui nihil exigere possunt de praedicto A de nec de haeredibus suis ratione terrae de Stanmore de praedictis debitis If any Christian indebted and obliged to any Jew by any Star or writing put up reserved in this Chest payed not the same at the day appointed to ther with all the interest where any interest was reserved then he sued forth Letters by way of Proces against him both for the Debt and interest under the Notaries or Registers hand to appear before the Iustices specially appointed for the government and custody of the Jews to recover the same paying to the King for a fine for such Letters and Licence to sue unum basantum or besantum as it is variously written for every pound of money he sued for as appears by sundry instances in the fine Rolls both of King Iohn Henry the 3. and Edward the 1. of which we have these 3 instances together in the fines of the 6 year of King Iohns reign Iâ—aac filius Joie habet literas super Martinum Martel de xxv marcis cum lucro per Cirograsum Elias de Burgi Judaeus habet literas super eundem Martinum Martel de xx libris cum lucro per Cirografum Manasserus Grassus habet literas super eundem Martinum Martell de xxiiii marcis cum lucro per Cirografum Dominus Rex DEBET HABERE DE QUALIBET LIBRA UNUM BASANTUM And in the same Roll of this year there is one more such president Mosse Judaeus fil Leonis habet literas super VValterum fil Radi de Huncetanosiot de xlviii marc cum lucro per Cirografum Capiatur de qualib libra 1 Besantum ad opus Domini Regis In the Treasury of Receipts in the Exchequer in the xth year of King Iohn there is this Record touching the manner of proving the validity of the Jews Charters it denied or aâ—â—â—eged to be counterfeit by the testimony of two Christians and two Jews c. according to the forementioned Charter of King Iohn Inter Placita apud VVestm Anno x Regis Johannis Termino Hilarii in Octabis Sancti Hilarii Rotulo 9 in dorso Samuel Mucun Muriel Judaea petunt versus Herebertum filium Heb. CCCCl de Catallis de debito Israel per quandam Cartam et producunt duos Christianos duos Judaeos paratos ad hoc probandum prout Curia consideraverit Herebertus dicit quod Carta illa falsa est ideo falsa quia Sigilium illud nunquam suum suit nec Cartam illam fecit nec pecuniam illam mutuo recepit producit Sigillum suum Eburneum plurimas Cartas Sigillo illo Sigillatas tam de Abaciis quam de confirmatione terrarum And hereupon I find no further proceedings in this Record printed a little out of its due place before these ensuing proceeding it in time could be transcribed It seems every Jew in that age had his proper Seal to Seal Charters Stars and Obligations therewith which yet were good in Law if really sealed by him though with any other Seal than his own In the 5 year of King Iohn the Jews of London being assaulted disturbed and misused by the people against the Kings protection and peace thereupon the King at their request sent this sharp Letter to the Mayor and Barons of London committing the Jews there to their protection and defence and threatning severely to punish and require their blood at their hands if they should suffer any injury through their default Rex c. Majori Bar. London c. Semper dileximus vos multum jura libertates vestras bene observari fecimus unde credimus vos nos specialiter diligere ea quae ad bonorem nostrum pacem tranquilitatem terrae nostrae eduntur libenter velle prestare Verum cum sciatis quod Judaei in speciali nostra protectione sint miramur quod Iudaeis in civitate London morantibus malum fieri sustinetis cum id manifeste sit contra pacem Regri terrae nostrae tranquilitatem Ita quidem magis miramur et movemur quia alii Iudaei per Angliam ubicunque moram fecerunt exceptis illis qui sunt in villa vestra in bona pace consistunt Nunc id tamen diximus pro Iudaeis nostris pro pace nostra quia si onidaem tantum pacem nostram dedissemus debetur inviolabiter observari De caetero autem Iudaeos in civitate London morantes vestrae committimus custodiae ut si quis eis malum facere attentaverit vos manu forti eis subsidium facientes eos defendatis Vestris enim manibus eorum sanguinem modo requiremus si forte per dâ—fectum vestri aliquid mali eis acciderit quod absit Scimus enim benâ— quod per fatuos Villae et non per discretos huâ—usmodi eveniunt et debent discreti fatuorum Stultitiam compescere Teste meipso apud Montem fortem 29 die Julii This smart Letter demonstrates the Kings cordial affection to the Jews though more for his own advantage than theirs In the Fine Rolls of the 6 of King Iohn I find this Kecord Galfr. de Salvage dat 10 Mar. ut Willus de Hardreshal acquietet ipsum versus Jacob. Iudaeum Northampton de ptegagia debiti unde pleg Willi. fuit versus eundem Iudaeum â—â—â—â—de queritur quod pro defectu ejus distringitur Et mandat est licent quod si ipse Willus non fuerit et ipse Galfr. ipsâ— sect c. In the Clauâ—e Rolls of the 7 9 years of K. Iohn I find thesâ— 3 short râ—cords manifesting the Kings power both to remit their usury due upon contracts and to respite their debts themselves Rex Constabulario Wallingford c. Praecipimus tibi quod pacem habere facias Roberto de Maure de usuris debiti Iudaeorum de termino quem monstrare poterit quod fuerit in servicio nostro cum equis et armis ultra mare per praeceptum nostrum Teste meipso apud Wodestoke 25 die Maii per Iusticiarios Rex W. de Warren et sociis suis c. Mandamus vobis quod quietum esse faciatis Abbatem sanct Radegunde de usuris debitorum Iudaeorum de duobus annis proxime praeteritis usque ad instans Pasche anno reg nostri 9. dum fuit in servicio nostro per praeceptum nostrum Et Summoneatis Iudaeos quibus ipse debita debet quod sint coram Iustiâ—iario nostro G. fil Petri coram
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
respites of Debts demanded from the Jews by the Kings Officers by proceâ—â—e out of the Kings Exchequer for the Jews till the next account upon several grounds take these two instances for all the rest of that nature in this Roll which I shall omit Mandatum est Vicecomiti Eborum quod Demandam quam facit Eustachiae de Courtenay de debitis Judaeorum per summonitionem Scaccarii in respectu ponat usque super proximum Compotum suum ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno c. 7. ut tunc coram S. Justiciar ad custodiam Judaeorum assignat discutiatur utrum ipsa de debitis illis respondere debeat cum ipsa nihil teneat de tertis quae fuerunt Willielmi filii Anceturi quondam viri sui qui debita illa bebuit nisi nomine dotis Test H. c. apud VVestm 7 die Sept. Mandatum est Vicecomiti Kanciae quod demanda 46 solidorum et 8 denariorum quam facit VVillielmo Cissori nostro de debitis Judaeorum per summonirionem Scaccarii nostri in respectu ponat usque super prox Compotum suum ad festum Sancti Michaelis Anno reg nostri septimo T. ut supra per eundem Four Jews committed for killing an English man were bailed and delivered to 9 other Jews their bail by this Writ in 9 H. 3. and their goods writings Letters rents seised in the interim Rex vic Sathamt salutem Praecipimus tibi quod Abrahamum de Cant. Samaris fil Lumbard Eliam fil Chierie Abrah fil Aiare Iudaeos capâ—os detentos in prisone nostra per praeceptum nostrum pro morte Willi. fil Rici sil Gervasii unde idem Ricus eos appellat tradas in Ball. Lumbardo Duleberigint and 5 others there named Judaeis nostris Wint. cum omnibus catallis quae sunt Judaeorum de morte praedict appellatorum quas ipsi habeant in terris redditibus Cirographis Talliis et rebus alâ—is in manum nostram capiatis Et per visum hominum Legalium imbreviatis usque ad prox adventum nostrum apud VVinton praedictos Lumbard c. qui praedictos Judaeos de praedicta morte appellatos in ball ceperum et corpora dictor Judaeorum appellatorum ad veritatem inde plenius attirgena et dic praedicto Rico. quod tunc sit coram vobis appellum suum versus eos inde prosecuturus Eâ— habeas ibi hâ—c breve T. R. apud Winton 12 die Julii An. 9. coram Justic In the 10 of H. 3. I find this Record conteining an agreement with some Jews concerning a Debt which the King commands to be observed because inrolled Mandat est Iustic ad custodiam Iudaeorum assignatis quod finem quem VVillus de Lancaster fecit coram eis pro Rogero de Leiburn cum Bonefaunt de Glou. Mirabile mater ejus Iudâ—i and 6 more Jews there named de debito quod ipse Roger eis debuit qui quidem finis irrotulatus est in Rotulo Scac. Iudaeorum ut dicitur sicut recordatus fuit coram ipsis Iusticiariis et irrotulatus teneri faciant T. R. apud Gaytington 17 die Julii Anno R. n. 10. Fines 10. H. 3. m. 9. Respite is given Benedicto Crespen aliis Iudaeis to pay a great debt annually to the King at certain terms by set sums and the Justices for the Jews to allow it And Ibid. Dors 4. Memorandum quod Dom. Rex pardonavit Roberto de VVolfraton 9 marc quas debet Leoni Iudaeo Linc. unde loquendum est ei cum eodem Iudaeo ad Scac. Dom. Reg. coram Iustic ad custod Iudaeorum assignatis et quod charta sine dilatione ei reddatur that so he might not sue him on it afterwards In the 11 of H. 3. one Augustine a Iew turning a Christian Convert at Canterbury the King commanded the Sheriff to restore him his house which was forfeited upon his conversion by this Precept Mandatum est Vic. Kant quod habere faciat Augustino converso quandam domum in Iudaismo in Cant. quae sua fuit antequam ad fidem converteretur non obstanteeo quod conversus est T. Rege apud Red. 17. die Jan. Anno 14. H. 3. some Iews were sent up Prisoners to the Tower and ordered to be speedily tried for stealing of cloth and clipping of money as this Warrant manifests Mandatum est Constab Turris London quod Iudaeos subscriptos quos Rex ad eum mittit per Adam Custard Richard de Donne Servientes Vic. Salop Viuianum Bell uxor ejus Isaac Ann. uxor ejus et Aguinam Judaeam et Aaron rectatos de latrocinio panni et Tonsura Denariorum recipiat et ipsos in Turre London salvo custodiat quousque Stephanus de Sedgrave venerit London cui Rex mandavit quod in primo adventu suo usque London ipsos Judaeos coram se venire faciat et si ipsos inde culpabiles invenerit de ipsis fieri faciat quod secundum consuetudinem Angliae fuerit faciendum T. Rege apud Reading 3. die Martii Et mandatum est ipsi Stephano quod in primo adventu suo London loquelam illam audiat et de illis quos inde culpabiles invenerit fac judicium fieri secundum Legem et consuetudinem Regni non expectata super hoc praesentia Regis et de aliis qui non sunt culpabiles faciat quod viderit faciendum c. T. ut supra In the 15 of H. 3. the King sent this Writ to the Sheriff of Kent commanding him to summon 6. of the richest and potentest Jews of Canterbury and so many more of Rochester to appear before him at Westminster to hear his command and to bring up with them all their own and the other Jews arrerages of Canterbury and Rochester of the 8000 marks and likwise of the 6000 marks not long before imposed on them with the arrears of the 1000. marks promised to him by the Jews of England to respite their debts witness the Record it self Mandatum est Vicecom Kanc. quod sicut seipsum et omnia sua diligit venire faciat coram Rege apud Westm à die Pasche in 15 dies Sex de ditioribus et potentioribus Iudaeis villae Cantuariae et totidem de villa Roff. ad audiendum ibidem praeceptum Regis Ita quod ad eundem terminum habeant ibidem omnia arreragia sua propria sine omni dilatione similâ—ter et arreragia omnium Iudaeorum praedictarum villaruÌ„ quae Dom. Regi debent tam de Tallagio 8. millia marcarum quam de Tallagio 6 millia marcarum et preterea id quod ad Iudaeos praedictaruÌ„ villarum adhuc pertinet Regi reddendum de mille marcis quae Regi promissae fuerunt nomine omnium Iudaeorum Angliae pro respectu habendo debitis quae ab eis exigebantur Ea diligentia hoc praeceptum Regis executur ne pro defectu suo ad eum Rex se graviter capere debeat Et
habeat ibi nomina illorum sex Iudaeorum et hoc breve T. Rege apud Clarendon 26 die Marcii Anno 16 H. 3. I find this Grant of a Jews house by the King Rex concessit Richo de Sancto Johanne Capell domum illam cum pertinentiis in vico de Pater noster Church London quae fuit Riciâ—le Ailer et modo est in manu Jacobi Iudaei London et Floriae uxoris ejus habendum de dom Rege sibi et haeredibus suis vel cuicunque ea dare vendere vel aliter assignare voluerit Et mandatum est Justic ad custod Iudaeorum assignatis quod eidem Rico de domo praedicto cum pertinentiis plenam seisinam habere faciant sicut praedict est Teste Rege apud Westmonast xviii die Iulii Pro quibusdam Iudaeis to pay their fines and debts by certain portions at some terms In the 17 year of H. 3. the King imposed a Tax upon the Jews of 10000 marks which they being unable to pay presently had certain dayes assigned to pay it in by several sums mentioned in this record some special Jews excepted Rex concessit Judaeis Angliae exceptis Isaac de Norwic et Ursell et fratris sui haeredibus Ham. de Hereford quod de 10 mille marcis quas Regi debent de ultimo Tallagio solvant ad Scacc. Regis ad festum Sancti Michaelis An 17. 500 l. et ad Pasche prox sequent 500 l. si bene respondeant Regi de dictis mille libris ad praedict terminos et de aliis arreragiis quae Regi debent tunc solvant similiter de eisdem 10000 marcis anno proximo sequent 1000 l. ad eosdem terminos scil ad festum Sancti Michaelis Ann. 18. 500 l. et ad Pasch prox sequen 500 l. et postea per annum 2000 marc ad eosdem terminos donec dictae 10000 marc sic Regi plene solvantur Concessit etiam Rex eisdem Judaeis praeter dictis Isaac et fratribus ejus quod interim quieti sint de Tallagio scil quousque dictae 10000 marc persolutae fuerint sicut praedict est Ita tamen quod illi Judaei qui manuceperunt pro omnibus Iudaeis Angliae Tallagium 8000 marc Regi plene respondeant de arreragiis ejusdem Tallagii quilibet Judaeus respondeat pro se de arreragiis Tallagii 6000 marc quia tunc Talliati fuerunt per capita de aliis debitis et finibus quae Regi debent non obstante hoc fine interim Regi respondeant In cujus c. T. Pet. Winton Episc apud Westm. 2 die Martii Per eundem Justic It is evident by this record That there were 3 several Taxes lately imposed one by the Pol on every particular Jew who was obliged to pay his proportion the other of 8000 marks imposed on all the Jews generally throughout England which some of them were engaged to see paid to the King the other of 10000 marks to be paid at certain dayes by parcels as aforesaid The Arrears of all which besides other Debts and Fines to the King lay charged all on them at once In the pleas of the 18 year of King Henry the 3. I find many things touching the Jews and their affairs As namely that memorable Plea concerning the Iews circumcising a child at Norwich in the Placita 18 H. 3. rot 21. kept in the Treasury of the Exchequer which because I have printed at large in the 2 Edition of my former Short Demurrer c. p. 19 20 21. and for that it is briefly touched in Mr. Samuel Purchas his Pilgrimage Edit 3. lib. 2. c. 10. sect 7. with this observation on it out of Celsus l. 7. c. 25. That by Chirurgery the skin of a circumcised child may be dâ—awn forth again to an uncircumcision I shall here pretermit to avoid repetition and prolixity The Jews were such unwelcom Guests to all Towns and places in England where they resided that King Henry granted this as a special Priviledg by his Charter to the Town of New-castle and their heirs that no Iew from thenceforth should remain or reside in their Town during the reign of him and his heirs as is evident by this record in the Tower Rex Vicecomiti Northumberland salutem Sciatis quod concessimus Carta nostra confirmavimus probis hominibus nostris de Villa Novi Castri super Tynam haeredibus eorum Quod habeant hanc Libertatem quod nullus Iudaeus de caetero Tempore nostro vel haeredum nostrorum maneat vel residentiam aliquam faciat in eadem Villa â—â—cut plenius continecur in Carta regis quam eis modo fieri fecimus mandatum est eidem Vicecomiti quod dictam cartam in pleno comitatu suo legi et clamaoi faciat et Praedictam Libertatem eis habere permittat sicut praedictum est Teste Rege apud Kenit Quarto die Iulii per Godfrid de Crancumb If then it were a great Priviledge Liberty Benefit happiness to the Town of New-castle and their heirs to be thus perpetually exempted from the residence and cohabitation of any Jews amongst them under this King his heirs and Successors certainly by the self-same reason it must be so likewise to all other Cities Towns and the whole realm of England and a great violation of their Liberties and impeachment of their prosperity now again to introduce these blasphemous old banished Jews amongst the English against their wills and consents In the Plea-rolls of Anno 18 H. 3. There are many things concerning the Jws affaires sundry complaints and Inquisiâ—ions concerning the oppressions and exactions of Peter de Rivallis Stephen de Segrave and Robert de Passelew Justices of the Iews for their Bribes received from the Iews against whom Simon Cirographarius Iudaeorum petit Literas And in rot 17. 20 dorso Peter de Rivallis being then under a cloud amongst other things proffered to surrender up to the King totam Forestarium Angliae et Iudaismum which the King had granted him In the 19 H. 3. the King sent this writ to prohibite all Jews hereafter to be obedient to Robert de Passelew as their Iustice being discharged of his office for his bribes and misdemeanors Mandatum est Constabulario Turr London quod scire faciat Iudeis London et aliis Iudeis qui apud London venient quod de caetero in nullo sint intendentes vel respondentes Roberto Passelewe de hiis quae ad custodiam Iudaeorum pertinent donec Dominus Rex aliud inde praeceperit T. R. apud Gloc. 30 die Maii. This year also the Jews accused and imprisoned at Norwich for circumcising a child at Norwich the year before were commannded to be removed thence to the Tower of London as this record assures us Mandatum est Vic. Norf. quod Iudaeos de Norwic. captos et detentos in prisona Regis pro transgressione quam fecerunt de quodam parvo Christiano
circumcidendo ut dicitur suis literis mitti faciat ad custos eorum usque London liberandos ibidem Constabulario Turris London cui Rex praecepit per literas suas quas eidem Vic. mittit ei mittendas quod eos recipiat et eos salvo custodiat T. R. apud West 21 die Novemb. The Indictment and whole Proceedings against them I have elsewhere at large related And this respit of their trial for which they paid a fine De Respectu Rex Iustic suis itinerant in Com. Suff. salutem Mandamus vobis quod Iudicium quod faciendum est de quibusdam Iudaeis de Norwic. qui capti sunt et detenti in prisona nostra pro transgressione quam fecerunt de quodam puero Christiano circumcidendo â—ponatis in respectum coram nobis apud London usque in 15 dies a die Sancti Hil. An. r. n. 19. accepta prius securitate de praedictis Iudaeis de centum marcis ad opus nostrum reddendis pro hoc respectu habendo Et habeatis tunc coram nobis recordum illius loquelae Mandamus enim Vic. Norf. quod cum festinatione praedictos Iudaeos mitti faciat usque Lond. liberandos ibidem Constabulario Turris nostrae London T. R. apud Westm 21 die Novemb. The same year the King sent this writ to the Sheriff of Northfolk and Suffolk to proclaim That no Iew should lend any money from thenceforth to any Christian that held any Demeasne Lands of the King in Socage or Villenage upon the lands themselves but only upon their chattels and moveables under pain of losing the money lent or falling under the Kings amerement Rex Vicecom Norf. Suff. salutem Praecipimus tibi quod clamari facias per totos Comitatus tuos Quod nullus Iudaeus de caetero aliquam pecuniam credat alicui Christiano qui teneat de nobis in Dominicis et Maneriis nostris per servicium Scocagii uel Villenagii super tetram vel tenementum aliquod quod sit de Dominico nostro set si ipsi Christiani mutuam videlicet a Iudaeis pecuniam recipere vellint illam recipiant super vadium catallorum et rerum mobilium Et si aliquis contra hoc praeceptum nostrum in posterum venire presumpserit Iudaeus pecuniam sic creditam amittat et in misericordiam nostram incidat et Christianus similiter tenementum suum in perpetuum videlicet illud quod tam temere contra praeceptum nostrum obligaverit amittat Teste Rege apud Certes 1 die Sept. The same year Mandatum est Vic. Buck. quod non permittat quod aliquis Judaeus de caetero maneat in villa de VVeycumbe sed Iudaeos qui ibidem sunt manentes sine dilatione amoveri fac et maneant in aliis villis in quibus prius manete consueverant T. R. apud Herwic 28 die Novemb. This year I find this notable proclamation Mandatum est Vicecomiti Norf. et Suff. quod in Civitate de Norwic. et singulis bonis vâ—llis Com. suorum clamori faciat quod nulla faemina Christiana de caetero serviat Iudaeis ad alendos puerulâ—s suos vel in aliquo alio officio Teste R. apud VVestm 20 die Ian. per ipsum regem Vrsilla filia Hamonis de Hereford Judaei pays a fine of 5000 marks pro habendis terris domibus et omnibus debitis et catallis quae fuerunt praedict Hamonis to be paid at certain days Such Fines of Iews to enjoy their fathers houses and chattels are frequent in the Fine Rolls Isaac a Jew was this year fined 100l de pluribus transgressionibus de quibus convactus fuit coram Justic Dom. Reg. ad custod Iudaeorum assignatis In this year also the King discharged Aaron a Jew of York from all Tallages whatsoever during his life paying annually into his Exchequer one hundred marks yearly at two terms for his exemption Rex omnibus ad quos presentes litterae perveniunt salutem Sciatis quod concessimus Aaron de Ebor. Judaeo quod ipse toto tempore vitae suae quietus sit de Taâ—lagio reddendo pâ—r annum ad Scac. nostrum Cent. marc ad duos terminos scil 50 mar ad fest Pasch et 50 marc ad festum Sancti Michis Ita quod de debitis quae nobis debuit de quibus finem fecit nobiscum reddend per annum ad Scac. nostrum cent solidos qutetus erit per praedict 100 mar an In cujus c. T. R. apud Suthan 13 die Feb. Et mandatum est Iusticiariis ad custodiam Iudeorum per literas clausas quod ita fieâ—i et irrotulari faciant VVhich exemption is frequently mentioned and ratified afterwards and yet availed him very little as I have elsewhere manifested out of Mat. Paris Aaron de York to pay 100 marks per an to the Kings Exchequer to be free from taxes during all his life In 20 H. 3. I find this pardon of Usury due to a Jew by the King Rex pardonavit Roberto de Pedtiling totam usuram debitorum quibus tenetur Isaac Judaeo Nottingh et Benedicto Judaeo Warwic salva praedictis Judaeis â—orte predict debitorum Et mandatum est Justiciariis ad custod Judaeorum assignatis quod de usura praedicta ipsum Robertum quietum else et ad sortem eorundem debitorum praedict Judaeis redendam eidem Roberto rationabiles terminos habere faciant T. Rege apud Winton 10 die Iunii This year the Inhabitants of Suthampton being weary of the Jews company who intruded themselves into the Town procured this grant from the King to be quit of them unlesse by special command for the future Rex concessit Burgensibus suis Suthampton quod nullus Iudaeus de caetero maneat apud Suthampton sine speciali praecepto Regis Et mandat est Iusticiariis ad custod Iudaeorum assignatis quod illinc nullum Iudaeum mittant ad manendum ibi nec aliquem ibi remanere permittant sine speciali praecepto Regis T. Rege apud Winton 21 die Iunii I conceive all corporations in England will be as unwilling to entertain any Iews now to dwell amongst them as the Inhabitants of Suthampton and those of Newcastle and Wickham forementioned were to receive them in that age In this year I find one Iew extending the lands of another Iew for a debt by this VVrit to their Iustices for that end Mandatum est Iustic ad custod Iudaeorum assignatis quod per Sacramentum proborum et legalium hominum extendi faciant Domos et terras Aaronis Benedicti Suthampton in Suthampt. et in la Hull videlicet quantum valeant per annum in dominicis redditibus serviciis villenag et omnibus aliis exitibus et fac extendi praedict eidem Aaroni rationabilem finem et rationabiles terminos habere fac ad debita in quibus tenetur David Iudaeo Oxon. et Deuleben fil Urseâ— Iudaeo Winton secundum valorem praedictar
ita quod eam cap. et in prisona detineri pâ—â—cipimus donâ—c solverit pecuniam praedict Et ideo vobis mandâ—mus quod praedict Coc. Samuel ceterosque omnes Iudeos de Stâ—nford de praedict 13 lib. quietos esse faciatis T. Rege apud Not. 10 die July This year Aaron a Jew of York assigned a Debt of 500 l to the King in part of a debt which he owed the King which the King commanded Hugh Bygod who owed it in right of his wife to pay into the Exchequer And likewise commanded all the Jews to be removed out of Nuberry and Spenhamland by this writ Mandatum est Vic. Berks Quod Judeos qui manent in Villa de Nubury et in villa de Spenhamland remittat sine dilatione usque Winton et ibi maneant sicut prius solent nec de caetero maneant in Villis praedictis T. R. apud Reading 27 die Decemb. A Jew accused for clipping and falsifying monies fled for refuge to the King who thus remanded him Rex W. de Ebor prepos Beverley Hen de Bath salutem Quia intelleximus quod vos mandaveritis Vic. nostro Hereford ad capiend Cok Judeum Hereford tanquam falsarium et retuntorem Denar et idem Judeus venit ad Curiam nostram apud Reading quaerens subterfugium captionis suae Nos ipsum Judaeum fecimus arrestari ad vos mittentes eundem ut vos super eo quod ei imponitur secundum quod videritis expedire faciatis T. R. apud Reading 12 die May. After which follows this record Rex W. de Havershull Thesaur suo et Constab suo London salutem Mandamus vobis quod Judeos assignatos ad custodiam catallorum debitorum quae fuerunt David Judei Oxon distringatis ita quod illi Judei qui manuceperunt finem 5000 marc quem Licoric quae fuit uxor praedict David fecit nobiscum pro habendis catallis et debitis ipsius David ut eum habeamus terminis assignatis de Tallagio Iudeorum nobis solvend et ipsam Licoric a prisona deliberari faciatis Ita tamen quod nullam habeat administrationem de catallis debitis praedictis ante instans festum Nativitatis beat Mariae conâ—c post eundem festum vobis inde mandaverimus Et Sciatis quod remissimus Aaron Judeo Ebor. custodiam praedict catallorum et debitorum pro fine quem propter fecit nobis et quae solvit in Garderoba nostra et loco ejus subrogavimus Bondum Judeum Cant. By which Record it is apparent That no Jews wife or other Jew could administer or meddle with her Husbands or Parents chattels or debts without paying a vast fine for them as here 500 marks and that at such time as the King assigned that the custody of their Goods and debts were in the mean time committed to other Iews to be responsible for them and that their persons were imprisoned and their administrations suspended if they failed in paying the fine at the termes appointed In the 29 of Hen. 3. the King sends writs to his Iustices for the custody of the Iews and to Sheriffs to levy the Debts due to him from the heirs of Hamond the Iew of Hereford and that Crespin a Iew should pay him 28 marks to be laid out in silk and cloth of gold for Westminster Church as his Alms. Mandatum est Baron de Scacc. et Iusticiariis ad custod Iudeorum assignatis quantum poterint apponant ut 4000 marc quae Regi debent Iudei ad hoc festum sancti Michaelis tunc omnibus modis solvantur Thesaur Camerar ad faciend inde quod Rex injunxerit et si forte in solutione earund 4000 marc defecerint ad terminum praedict tunc capiant aliquos de ditioribus Iudeis ut corpora eorum mittant ad R. usque Gannock non omittando illuci pro aliquo custo et Rex illos faciet deliberari Iustic Hyberniae ducendos in Hyberniam et ibidem in prisona detinendos T. Rege apud Gannock in castris x. die Septem By which record it seems the Iews were taxed to pay 4000 marks at Michaelmas to the King and if they failed then some of the richest of them were to be seised on and sent prisoners to the King into his camp and from thence into Ireland and there imprisoned til it was all paid Such was the rigor then used in levying their heavy Taxes Another 4000 marks was then likewise to be paid by them at Christs Nativity the same year and commanded by this writ to be effectually levied by the Justices of the Jews Mandatum est Justic. ad custod Judaeorum assign quod sicut corpora et catalla sua diligunt et ab indempnitate et periculo maximo volunt conservari provideant quod 4000 marc quae Regi debentur de Judaismo reddendas citra festum Nativitatis Dom citra festum illud reddantur quia si in eorum solutione aliquis inveniatur defectus id solummodo negligentiae suae imputaretur T. Rege apud Woodstoke 4. die Dec. Mandatum est Thesaur et Camerar quod de illis 4000 m. deliberent Magistro Militis Templi in Anglia 2000 marc deponend in domo sua ad opus Comitissae Provinciae sicut alias eis mandat est de resid mille marc quantum se extendunt satisfaciant mercatoribus Vinorum et aliis de debitis in quibus Rex eis tenetur T. ut supra Ibidem Dorso 2. There is a command to the Justices of the Jews to respit a suit there pending against one Mansel by two Jews for 40 l. and an horse In this 29 year of Henry the 3. this writ was issued to the Justices of the Iews to proclaim in all Counties that no Iewes wife or childe should fly from nor obscure himself in the places he or they resided for one year then next ensuing and that they should be there readily found by the Kings Officers under pain that their husbands as also their wives and children should be outlawed banished and all their lands rents and chattels forthwith forfeited to the King and presently sold to his use and they banished never to return again into England without his special license Mandatum est Justiciariis ad custodiam Judaeorum assignatis quod statim visis Literis clamati faciant per omnes Comitatus Angliae ubi Judaei Regis sunt quod si aliqua Iudaea uxor alicujus Iudaei vel pueri sui diffugiant vel fugam capiant vel aliquo modo lateant a Villa ubi fuerint manentes ad festum Sancti Andreae Anno regni Regis 29 usque in unum annum proximo sequentem Ita quod ad Summonitionem Regis vel Ballivorum suorum in quorum Ballivis ipsi fuerunt manentes prompti inveniti non possint quod vir ipsius Iudeae et etiam ipsa Iudaea et omnes pueri sui statim utlagentur et omnes terrae redditus
et omnia catalla sua in manum Regis capiantur et incontinenti vendantur ad opus Regis Et quod de caetero non redeant in regnum Angliae sine speciali licentia Regis The King had then a design to tax all the Iewes wives and children by the poll which occasioned this strict proclamation that they might be alwayes ready to be polled and fleeced at his pleasure there being an heavy Tax then imposed on them In the same year and Roll this Precept was directed to Aaron the Iew of Yorke then taxed as it seems at one hundred pounds Mandatum est Aaroni Iudaeo de Ebor. quod sicut diligit corpus suum statim visis literis tradat latori illarum viginti marcas Regi deferendas de arreragiis centum librarum quas Regi solvisse debuit in festo Nativitatis Sanctae Mariae proximo praeterito Ita quod hoc quemlibet lateat praeter ipsum Aaronem et latorem supradictum Teste Rege apud Woodstock quinto die Decembris In the 30 of H. 3. I find these Records concerning the Jews Rex concessiit Iacobo fratri Elie le Eveske Judeo London pro laudabili servicio suo quod Regi et Reginae impendit sedendo a Scac. Judeorum domos quae fuerunt Iocci de Colecester Iudei Linc. in Oxon. quae devenerunt in manum Regis tanquam escaeta Regis tenendum tota vita ipsius Jacobi Reddendo inde singulis annis Conversis Lond. 10s viz. 5s ad fest St. Mich. et 5s ad Pasch In cujus c. T. R. apud VVodestoke 10 die Sept. Et mandat est Vic. Oxon. quod de praedict domibus cum pertidentiis ei plenam seisinam habere faciat T. ut supra Pat. 30. H. 3. m. 7. The King agreed to receice a fine of 3000 l. of Masse son of Hamond a Jew of Hereford Pro habenhis catallis et bonis of his deceased Father to be paid at certain times part whereof is there assigned This year many Jews Men and women were accused and ordered to be tried for clipping of money as appears by Claus 30 H. 3. pars 1 m. 9. Mandat est Justiciariis ad custodiam Iudeorum assign quod Iudeos et Indeas rectatos de retonsura denariorum venire faciant coram Justic de Banco Ita quod sint ibi in octabis S. Johis Baptistae ad Iusticiam de ipsis faciendam Quia mandâ—t est Iustie illis quod una cum eis ad hoc intendant Also Rex pardonavit Tho. de Pulton 8 lib. quas idem T. debet Mosseo Crespin Iudeo una cum omnibus usuris quae inde proveniant post quam eas ab eodem Iudaeo mutuaverat Et mandat est Baron de Scac. quod ipsum inde quietum esse et cartam suam pro praedicto debito impignoratam eidem Iudeo deliberari fac Et mandatum est Edwardo fil Odonis quod totam pecuniam suam quam rex eidem Tho. donat pro domibus suis occasione praedict debiti arrestatam eâ— deliberantur The King this year imposed a Tax of sixty thousand marks upon the Jews as appears by these seisures of their debts towards the payment thereof Mandat est Ed. fil Odonis c. quod solvat ad Scac. Regis 23 l. 5 s. 8 d. quas Tho. de Pulton debet Mosseo Crespin Iudeo in parte solutionis debitorum quae idem Iudeus reddere tenâ—batur ad Pasche proximo preterit de portione tallag 60 mil. marc eundem Jud. contingent T. R. apud Wind. 4 die Iunii It seems part of this Tax or another was payable the next year by this Mandate Mandatum est Iusticiar ad custodiam Judeorum assignatis quod non distringant aut distringi permittant Aaron fil Abraham de tallagio 10 millium marc de termino sancti Michis An. r. n. 31 nisi pro 53 marc et dimid ipsi inde de eodem termino contingent T. R. apud Winds 23 die Augusti These tallages were usually imposed on the Jews in their absence being not privy thereto unlesse specially admitted as appears by this Record concerning the Iews of Canterbury who gave the King half a mark of gold that one of them might be present at the imposing of the next tax Quia Iudei Cantuarii dedâ—runt dimid marc auri quam Regi prae manibus reddiderunt pro eo quod concedâ—ret eis quod unus Iudeus ejusdem villae Cantuar. intersit tallagio assidendo quod assideri debet apud Northamp Mandatum est Iusticiaris ad custod Iudeorum assignatis quod unam ex ipsis ad hoc eligi et dicto tallagio assidendo interesse faciant T. R. apud Feversham 20 die April Amongst the records in the Treasury of Receipts in the Exchequer I find this Inter Placita et Assis capt apud Northampton in crast Nativ Sancti Iohan. Baptistae Anno Regis Henrici c. 23. coram Rogero de Thurkelby et sociis suis rot 38. Ivo fil Abraham de Stanford Iudeu rectatus de retonsura denariorum venit et dat Domino Regi 20 s. quod possit esse sub placito respondend ad preceptum Dom. Regis Plegii sui Solomon fil Sancho fil Isaac Benioy fil Aaron de Stanford Whether he were condemned or acquitted for this his clipping of money for which he was then bailed I find not on Record In the 32 year of Henry the 3. I meet with these Records concerning the Jews Rex mandavit Justic ad custodiam Judaeorum assign quod non distringant vel â—istringi permittant Aaron fil Abrahami de Tallagio 60 millium marc pro duobus milibus marc de termino sancti Michis anno 32. nisi pro quinquaginta et tribus marcis et dimid ipsum inde de eodem termino contingentibus sicut ipse talliatus fuit ad pasch proximo pretericum Et si forte ipsum ad plus talliaverint illud reâ—axari et super communitatem Judeorum assidi faciant Teste Rege apud Farendon 29 die Augugusti By which it appears the Jews were taxed at sixty thousand marks in this one year A vast sum in those dayes The same year the King grants respestum de quibuslibet veteribus debitis Iudei c. Particularly Rex dedit respectum Aaron Judeo Ebor. de centum libris quas Regi solvisse debuit ad scac Pasch anno regni Regis 32. usque ad quindenam paschae sancti Iohannis Baptistae anno eodem et mandatum est Baronibus de Scaccario quod respectum illum ei habere faciant T. R apud Rading 17 die Maii. There is this record this year concerning the Jews of Canterbury Iudei Cantebr liberaverunt in Garderoba regis apud sanctum Edmundum die Lunae prox post cineres quinque Marc. de quibus praedicti Judei promiserunt regi respiciendas in adventu regis apud Cantebr Et mandat est Justic ad custodiam
Et reddat Regi praedict 20 lib. annuatim ad duos terminos viz. 10 l. ad Scac. S. Michaelis 10 l. ad Scac. Paschae Et mandatum est Iusticiariis ad custod Iud assignatis quod sic fieri et irrotulari faciant et pro licentia concessionis dedit Regi unam marcam auri T. R. apud Wyndes 1. die Octob. et habet inde Literas Patentes per eadem verba The like compositions were made with the King by Aaron of York and many other Jews in this and other years In the 34 year of King H. 3. I find this recital in a writ That the King by the long received custome of the Realm ought to succeed the Iews themselves in all houses and other Lands which they should purchase within the realme upon their deaths outlary or departure hence and that he might grant them to whom he pleased as well as tax them and seise their goods at his pleasure Rex Vicecomiti Norff. salutem Licet de consuetudine longeva dicatur obtentum in regno nostro quod Nos in Domibus et aliis quas acquisiverint Iudaei in regno nostro succedere debeamus ipsis Iudaeis aures tamen nostras precibus Edmundi Kake de Norwic. Capellani misericorditer inclinantes concessimus eidem Edmundo de gratia nostra quod non obstante consuetudine praedicta habeat Messuagium illud in Norwic de quo nuper seisinam fieri fecimus Magistro Benedicto et quod Seigumet Iudaeus utlagatus tenuit de praedicto Edmundo in eadem villa de Norwic. Et ideo tibi praecipimus quod eidem Edmundo de praedicto messuagio sine dilatione plenam seisinam habere facias T.R. apud Clarendon 13 die Decembris In the same roll I find a writ to attach both the body and goods of a Jew and to bring them both before the Justices assigned for the Iews Mandatum est Vicecomiti Dorset quod habeat coram Iusticiariis regis ad Custodiam Iudeorum assignatis apud Westm in Crastino Sanctae Mariae Magdalenae corpus Solomonis Iudei de Dorcestria cum omnibus catallis ipsius Iudaei sub sigillo suo T. R. apud Merleberge 21 die Junii In the Patent roll of this year the King granted this License to the Masters of the Law of the Commonalty of the Jews in London to excommunicate such Jews as refused to contribute that subsidy they had promised towards the sustaining of their common Churchyard in London whom they could not excommunicate without his leave Râ—x Iusticiariis suis ad Custodiam Iudaeorum assignatis salutem Sciatis quod concessimus Iudaeis nostris London quod Magistri legis eorundem Iudaeorum in Ciuitate London promulgare possint summam Excommunicationem in omnes illos Iudaeos qui subsidium aliquod promiserunt ad Cimiterium London sustinendum et illud non solverint Ita quod Nos non alii de Judaeis excommunicatis sufficientes emendas recipiamus T. R. 28 Die Julii In the 35 of Henry 3. there are these records touching the Jews Mandatum est Philippo Luvel et Sociis suis Justiciariis Judaeorum sicut alias Quod de Tallagio X. milium Marcarum assesso super Communitatem Iudaeorum Angliae faciant habere Reginaldo de Salinis 40 â—ibras ad terras inde emendas ad opus suum vel ad commodum suum alio modo faciendum prout sibi viderit expediri et illas in eodem Tallagio faciendo allocari Communitati praedictae Et Rex bene vult quod eadem 40 l. Ricardo de Salinis allocantur in debitis quod debet in Judaismo pro eodem Reginaldo dum tamen idem Reginaldus securus sit de portione sua T. R. apud Wherwell 25 die Maii. Per ipsum Regem The wives and children of the Jews oft times used to be distrained and imprisoned for their Debts as appears by this record to respite such proceedings against them for a time Anno 35. H. 3. Mandatum est Vic. Devon quod non distringat nec distringi permittat uxorem Boneufaunt Judei Exon. vel pueros suos per corpora sua ipsos imprisonando occasione alicujus debiti seu demandae tangentis ipsum Boneufaunt de fine 100 marc auri quia Rex vult ipsam Iudeam cum predictis pueris suis esse in pace usque ad octabis Sti. Mich. prox futuri Et si ipsos imprisonavit eos interim deliberari faciat T. R. apud Windsore 2 die Septemb. per ipsum regem This year there was a tax of 10000 marks imposed on the Iews as is evident by Pat 35. H. 3. pars 2. m. 4. De tallagio Iudeorum assidendo for assessing it and this Ptecept concerning it Mandatum est Baron de Scac. ad custodiam Iudeorum assignatis quod provideant et ordinent inter se qualiter illa 10 millia marc quae regi debentur de Tallagio Iudeorum regi persolvi possint And in the same membrana there is this command to buy gold with the Jews money for the Kings use Mandat W. de Hoverhull Thes reg Edward de Westm et Phil. Luvell quod de omnibus denariis de Judaismo provenientibus aurum ad opus regis emi faciant sicut rex eidem Philippo dudum injunxit et sicut T. Espernon eis exponet ex parte regis T.R. What great sums of gold the King received of some Iews this year to be exempted from taxes paying set rates for 4 years space will appear by this record Mandatum est Justiciariis ad custodiam Judeorum assignatis quod illas 10 mil. marcas auri quas Elias Judeus London regi dedit pro sic quod a festo St. Mich. An. 34. usque in quatuor annos prox sequentes completos non talliaretur nisi ad centum libr. per annum dum Tallagium regis duraret eidem inde proximis terminis suis Tallagii sui fac allocari Ita quod de cetero respondeat in tallagio suo Judeorum secundum facultates suas sicut rex alias eis manda it non obstanre gratia regis quam ei concesserit pro donatione predicti auri T. R. apud Clarendon 10 die Iunii Consimiles literas habet Aaron fil Abrah Judeus London de 25 marc auri allocari ut supra continetur eisdem Justic directas T. ut supra per ipsum regem Et quia Aaron de Ebor. affirmavit coram rege quod predict aurum prefatis Aaron et Eliae alia vice per mandatum Regis de quo Rex non recolit fuit allocatum Mandat est prefatis Justic quod super hoc regem fine dilatione certificent Scituri quod dictus Aaron Regi promisit 200 marc argenti nisi predicta summa auri praedictis Iudeis per regem fuit allocata in Tallagio suo T. R. c. per ipsum regem The King this year allows a Jew to sue for the remainder of a debt which the King
Et ideo vobis mandamus quod si judicetis hoc esse ad commodum nostrum sic fieri faciatis T. R. How strictly this tax was levied appears by this writ to destrain the Lands Revenues wives children and chattels of all the Jews in York and for the arrears of Aaron too notwithstanding his former exemption Mandat est Vic. Ebor quod distringat Aaron de Ebor Iudeum et omnes alios Judeos Ebor. per terras et tenementa catalla uxores et filios et omnibus aliis modis quibus melius poterit ad reddend Regi Tallagium suum de terminis Sancti Martini et St. Hillarii prox preteritis et id sicut seipsum diligit non omittat T. R. apud Notingh 14 die Ian. I find a Precept of the King this year to detein a convert Jew in prison accused of a Rape and other Trespasses such Converts were they then Mandatum est Vic. Linc. quod M. conversum commorantem apud Tornie capiat et in prisona Regis salvo custodiat donec c. per Orfanna de Geterleg apellat de raptu et pace Regis fracta T. R. And this year Edw. de Westm Will. de Bretun Tho Espernuâ— assignati sunt ad Inquisitionem fac de concelamentis Iudaismi tam in London quam alibi Anno 37 H. 3. The Jews advancing 5000 marks to the King beforehand for his passage into Gascoigne he thereupon made this Grant to them to be exempted from taxes till Easter and granted them writs in form of appeal if over-taxed witness this record Rex concâ—ssit omnibus Iudeis Angliae quod pro 4000 marc quas regi praemanibus ad passagium suum in Vascon pacaverint et pro 1000 marc quas Regi Ric. Com. Cornub. ad dictum passagium pro eis solvit quod sint quâ—eti de Tallagio facto ad passagium regis in Vascon pro pred 5000 marc et quod non tallientur citra Pasche et omnes Iudei qui utlagati sunt pro dicto Tall. si placare voluerint quod debeant de dicto Tall. Rex concedâ—t eis quod ad paceÌ„ Regis veniant Rex tamen vult quod nulluÌ„ Breve allocationis valeat alicui Iudeo in isto Tallagio quia R. Com. Cornubiae 1000 marc de dicto Tallagio habere debet Rex etiam vult quod si aliquis Iudeus aggravetur de dicto Tallagio quod gravamen suum alteri imponatur qui melius ferre posâ—it Et super hoc scribitur Thes et Baron de Scac et Iustice ad custod Iud assign T. R. apud Portsm 7. die July per Hen. de Wengham Hereupon some Iews complaining they were over-taxed in their tallages procured this writ for their ease herein Monstravit Regi Manuel Blundus Judeus London quod ipse superoneratus est in uItimo Tallvgio suo et solvit plus ad demidium quam solvisse debuit et quam alii solverint secundum facultates suas Et mandatum est Philippo Luvel et Justiciariis ad custod Jud. assign quod si ita est tunc superonerationem illam in praesentia ipsius Judei assidi faciant super alleviatos Judeos regni nostri in Tallagio predicto et pro eadem superoneratione reddenda districtonem fieri et praedict Man returnari fac sine dilatione Ita quod inde querelam rex non audiat pro defectu Justiciae Consimiles Literae habet Solomon Epis Judeus London The same year Rex concessit Hake fil Ioscey Iudeo quod habeat pacem regis et salvum ire redire licet se substraxerit pro quibusdam plateis argenteis ei impignoratis ut dicitur Ita quod plegios regi inveniat quod stabit recto secundum legem Judaismi Et super hoc scribitur Iustic ad custod Jud. assignatis T. R. apud Harwic 2 die Iuly Also Rex per finem quem Mossi de Hereford Judaeus fecit cum rege pardonavit ei transgressionem quam fecit pro eo quod illicentiatus a rege recessit in fine Scac. regis Sanct. Hillarii pro qua transgressione ipsum capi jusserint Justic ad custod Judeorum assignati Et mandatum est eisdem Iustic quod ipsum propter hoc non occasionari nec capi faciant T.R. apud Harling 7 die April Febr. 15. The King writes to the Iustices of the Iews to allow a Debt to two several Christians and Iews which he had pardoned the Debtors to these Iews in their Taxes they were to pay This year a Iews wife proving a convert Christian her husband was attached for her goods by the King as belonging to him upon her conversion who thereupon paid a fine to have this New case judicially determined in the Jews Eâ—chequer as this record attests Cum Abraham Batekot Iudeus attachiatus esset ad respondend regi de catallis Amiciae Judeae quae fuit uxor sua quae quidem catalla post conversionem suam ad regem pertinebant ut dicitur Idem Iudeus finem fecit cum rege pro dimid marc auri quam regi solvit ut secundum legem et consuetudinem Iudaismi ad Scaccarium Iudaeorum super hoc deducatur Et mâ—ndatum est Iustic ad custod Iud. assignatis quod citra festum S. And ad Scaccarium Iudeorum quod justum fuerit de catallis praedictis fieri facianâ— sicut praedict est T. per R. de Essington King Henry in this 37 year of his reign provided and ordained these memorable Laws and ordinances for the better regulation of the Jews in England restraining their Jewish rites erection of new Synagogues or Schools defection from or disputing against the Christian faith entertaining any Christians as Nurses servants and communion wiâ—h Christians to prevent their leavening of Christians with their Iudaisme distinguishing them from them by wearing a white Table on their breasts in joyning paying of tithes to the Christian Minister where they lived c. Rex providit et statuit c. Quod nullus Judeus maneat in Anglia nisi servicium Regis faciat Et quam cito aliquis Iudeus natus fuerit five sit Masculus sive faemina serviar Nobis in aliquo Et quod nullae Scholae Iudaeorum sint in Anglia nisi in locis illis in quibus hujusmodi scholae fuerunt tempore Domini Iohannis regis patris regis Et quod uniâ—ersi Judei in Synagogis suis celebrent submissa voce secundum ritum eorum Ita quod Christiani hoc non audiant Et quod quilibet Judeus reâ—pondeat Rectori Ecclâ—â—iae in cujus parochia maneat de omnibus parochialibus ad domum ipsius Iudei spectantibus Et quod nulla Nutrix Christiana de cetero lactet aur nutriat puerum alicujus Iudei nec asiquis Christianus vel Christiana serviat alicui Iudeo vel Iudeae nec cum ipsis comedat vel in domo sua commoretur Et quod nullus Iudeus vel Iudea comedat
suor et eos duci fac Lond. ibi custod Turr. R. Lond. T. ut supra The like command is to the Sheriff of Hereford to seal up the Jews Chest there and for Hugh P. to search it In Claus 39 H. 3. pats 2. dors 16 17. There is a large Catalogue of the Lands Houses Rents Morgages real and personal estate and debts of Abraham a Jew in several Counties amounting to a vast sum taking up near two Membranes which were all imbreviated and confiscated to the Kings use And a proclamation by the King that No Iew should be suffered to depart out of the realm of England In 40 H. 3. the King by his Letters Patents authorized Commissioners to sell the houses and enquire after the goods and chattels of the Jews condemned for crucifying a child at Lincoln Rex omnibus c. Sciatis quod constituimus dilect et fidel nostros Simon Passeâ—eiw et Will de Leighton Vic. nostri London ad vendend per visum et testimonium legalium hominum domos quae fuerunt Judaeorum Linc. suspensorum pro parvo crucifixo ibidem prout commodo nostro magis viderint expedire et ad inquirend quo devenerunt catalla eorundem Iudaeorum et qui ea habeant et quantum valeant Et ideo vobis mandamus quod eidem Simoni et Vic. ad hoc sitis intendentes et auxiliantes cum ab eis requisiti fueritis In cu us c. T. R. apud Woodest 20 die Aug. It seems some of these Jews that crucified this child turned Christians to save their lives for which I find this kind of pardon granted to one of them at the suit of a Frier Rex omnibus c. salutem Sciatis quod ad instantiam dilecti nobis in Christo fratris Iohannis de Dorbuton pardonaâ—i Iohanni Converso sectam pacis nostrae quae ad nos pertinet pro morte pueri nuper crucifixi apud Lincoln dum predictus Iohannis fuit Iudeus ejusdem Civitatis unde rectatus est et firmam pacem nostram ei inde concedimus Ita tamen quod stet recto in Curia nostra si quis versus eum inde loqui voluerit In cujus c. T. R. apud Westm 10 die Jan. The same year there issued a precept to the Sheriff of Lincoln to send the Chest of the Iews of Lincoln to London belike for the same crucifying of this child Mandat est Vic. Linc. quod statim visis literis istis mittat usque London Archam Cirogr Lincoln sub salva custodia liberand Ph. Luvel Thesaur Regis et Justic ad custodiam Iud assignatis et quod venire fac ibidem cum eadem Archa omnes Cyrographarios ejusdem Villae tam Christianos quam Iudaeos et hoc non omittat This year the King ordained a New Justice for the Iews who took an Oath of Fealty to the King due to his Office and was formally invested in the place as this record relates Rex constituit Adam de Greenvile Iusticiarium suum Iudâ—â—rum et ab eo recipit Sacramentum fidelitatis Regi debitum pretextu officii sui Et mandat est Phil. Luvel Thesaurar regis c. quod ipsum in locum suum tanquam Iustic Regis in Scac Iudaeorum sine dilatione ponant T. R. per R. Walis Cok. fil Aaron Iudeus London cum instantia supplicavit regi Quod super Fine quem nuper fecit coram Philip. Luvel Thes et Henrico de Bathon ad opus regis pro 20 marc auri eidem Iudeo literae Patentes fieri fac Et mandatum est eisdem Philippo et Ric quod formam Literarum Patent quas pred Judeus inde habere debet ad terminos solucionis ejusdem auri sub sigillis suis significent ut Rex literas illas eidem Judeo fieri et consignari faciat T. R. apud Clarend 3 die Iulii It seems these Justices directed all the Iews Patents of this nature In the 41 year of King Henry the 3d. Elyas Bishop the High Priest of the Iews as Mat. Paris stiles him for a certain Transgression against the King and his Brother King of Almaine was judicially deprived of his High-Priesthood and Priestly Office by the judgement of the Kings Justices assigned for the custody of the Jews in the Exchequer and of all his other Offices formerly granted him by the King and that he should never be capable to receive or execute these Offices again whereupon the King for a Fine of 3 marks of gold paid by the Commonalty of the Jews granted unto them by his Charter that from thenceforth none should be their Priest but by the common election of the said Commonalty of the Jews and that upon the death of every Priest they should have free Liberry to chuse another Priest and of presenting him to the King that he might obtain his assent and savour therein as this memorable record informs us wherein the names of the Justices assigned to the Iews are specified Rex omnibus c. Cum Elyas Episcopus Iudaeus noster London pro tâ—ansgressione quam feciâ— tam Nobis quam dilecto fratri nostro Regi A mannorum a sacerdotio communitatis Iudaeorum Angliae coram dilectis fidelibus nostris Philippo Basset Philippo Luvel Henrico de Bathonia Simon Passelew caeteris Iusticiariis ad custodiam Iudaeorum assignatis quos ad Transgressionem illam convincendam Iusticiarios nostros assignavimus Per Iudicium eorundem ad Scaccarium nostrum Fuerit abjudicatus et de ejusdem Sacerdotii Officio et etiam de omni modis alâ—is officiis et Ballivis quas a Nobis prius obtinuit sit depositus Nos de consilio e rundem Iusticiariorum concessimus praedictae Communitati Iudeorum nostrorum Angliae per finem trium marcarum auri quem Cresse et Haginus fratres ejusdem Iudaei nobis pro eadem Communitate fecerunt quod praedictus Elyas Sacerdotium illud nunquam in posterum habeat et recuperet Et quod nullus de Communitate illa de caetero sit Sacerdos nisi per communem Electionem Communitatis ejusdem Quod illa Communitas post decessum cujuslibet Sacerdotis sic electi alium eligendi quemcunque voluerint Sacerdotem liberam habeat facultatem ac ipsum Nobis praesentandi ut nostrum super hoc assensum optineat et favorem In cujus c. Teste Rege apud Wodstoke 20 die Iulii I observe in this Record that Elyas is stiled only Sacerdos not Presbyter Iudeorum his only Priestly office called Sacerdotium communitatis Angliae Sacerdotii officium not Presbyteratus omnium Judeorum totius Angliae as Jacobs and Aarons forementiontioned Offices are And he that should succeed him by common election is still here stiled Sacerdos Sacerdotis Sacerdotem thrice together not Presbyter at all Therefore certainly these offices were distinct the one ecclesiastical the other temporal in the Exchequer only as I formerly manifested
What Elias his offence was for which he was thus deprived of his Priesthood is not expressed in the record but most probably it was his stout bold speech to the King Earl Richard and the Lords in behalf of the Jews the year before when they exacted an intollerable tax from them under pain of a most loathsom prison hanging and an ignominious death recorded at large by Matthew Paris and in the first part of my Demurrer which I shall not repeat What power the King and his Justices then had over their Iewish Bishop Priests themselves is sufficiently evident by this Record In the Rolls of 41 H. 3. I find the King at the intercession of his Brother King of Romans acquitting Cresse and two other Iews of London for 5 compleat years then next ensuing Ab omnibus Tallagiis auxiliis ad Nos pertinentibus pro una marca auri et dimid to be paid by each of them yearly into the Wardrobe And at the instance of the Queen he granted this exemption Iacobo le Eveske Judeo and to his Son Benedict after his death Quod toto tempore vitae suae quietus esset de omnibus Tallagiis auxiliis et aliis demandis ad nos pertinentibus pro 5 marc argenti nobis annuatim reddend ad Scac. nostrum salvo tamen nobis haeredibus nostris misericordias in quas inciderit pro forisfacto aliquo personam suam tangente Likewise he granted by Patent to Cok. a Jew licence to sue for his fathers debts for which he paid a fine to the King and to extend his Debtors lands for the debts sine aliqua usura Yea I find this pardon of an Outlawry to a Jewesse the same year Rex omnibus c. Sciatis quod per finem quem Roesia Crespin Iudea London fecit nobiscum remissimus ei vtlagariam in ipsam promulgatam et malas occasiones pro eo quod ipsa non venit ad mandatum nostrum Et ideo vobis mandamus quod ipsam contra hanc concessionem nostram non vexatis In cujus c. Teste R. apud Winton 4 die Novembris This strange Precept was sent the Constable of the Tower not to bail the Jews upon any Justices Precept Mandat est Constab Turris London quod nec Vic. nec Judeum vel Judeam arrest pro debitis Ri. Rom. R. deliberet admandatum Justiciariorum vel alterius cujuscunque sine assensu et voluntate Cresse Abrah Judeorum attornat praedict R. Alemanniae T. R. apud Winds 17 die Jan. In Cl. 41. H. 3. m. 7. There is respite of a debt granted to Kok a Jew And Writs to the Justices of the Jewes for some Jews Quod non ponantur in Tallagio quamdiu terminos suos tenuerint of their annual compositions to be exempted from taxes with this prohibition to the Kings Justices itinerant not to hold Plea of any matter belonging to the Jews Quia Rex non vult quod Judei sui placitent vel implacitentur alibi quam coram Justic Regis ad custod Jud. assignatis Mandatum est Rogero de Thurks et sociis suis Justiciariis Itiner in Com. Linc. quod omnia placita tangentia Hagium Jud. Linc. coram eis ponant coram Justic praedict ut ipsi eidem Judeo et aliis de eo contingentibus Justiciam exhibeant secundum legem confretudinem Judaismi T. R. apud Westm 7 die Ian. Per Phil. Lovel Simonem Passelewe Iustic Iudeorum who had power to grant prohibitions to the Iustices in such cases If the Iewes were sued before their Iustices and made default and could not be found to be distreined the Iustices thereupon used to seise their Charters and Debts In the Chests yea houses into the Kings hands as till they appeared as this record of 42 H. 3. attests Quia Rex accepit per inquisitionem quam per Rog. de Marcio Simon Passelewe Will. de Haslebech fieri fecit quod duae Cartae quae fuerunt Manuel fil Elie Iudei Linc. inventae in Archa Cyrograph regis Ebor. captae fuerunt in manum regis pro defaltis quas fecit vers Will. de Kinedal personam Ecclesiae de Martin Lingeslet in curia regis coram Iusticiariis nostr ad custod Iudeorum assign apud Westm eo quod non potuit alio modo distringi attachiari quod idem Iudeus propter timorem defaltarum illarum pro paupertate sua substraxit se a Villa Linc. non ob aliam causam Rex ad instantiam Alfonsi Reg. Castile Legionum illust remisit quantum ad Regem pertinet eidem Iudeo substractionem praedict ei praedict cartas reddidit ita quod in dicta villa Linc. vel alibi inter Iudeos regis libere in bona pace morari possit stare juri quando et ubi debuerit secundum legem consueâ—udinem Iudaismi regis Et mandat est Thesaur Baron Scac. Et Iustic quod sic fieri teneri dicto Iudeo praedict cartas suas restitui fac de domibus ad ipsum Iudeum spectantibus in praedict villa Linc. plaenam et celerâ—m Iusticiam exbibeant eidem secundum legem consuetud Judaismi praedict T. R. apud Merton 10 die Junii per Iustic Mansell alios de concilio It appears by this and former Records that the Jews gold could procure Kings Queens and other Grandees to be their Intercestors upon all occasions It is plain by this Record that the Jews claimed an exemption from suits for their Tallages before the Barons of the Exchequer Rex de consilio suo provide concessit quod de 500 marc assesso super communitatem Judeorum Regi de tallagio suo arentata de termino St. Michis de an 44. de quibus Barones de Scac. summonitionem fieri fecerunt Vic. R. per Angliam ad respondend inde coram praedict Baron ad praedict Scac. eidem Vic. respondeant ad Scac. R. Judeorum coram Hugone le Bygod Justic Angl. Justic R. ad custod Judeorum assignat Et mandat est praedict Baron quod sic fieri et teneri faciant T. R. apud Woodst 15 die August per ipsum regem et Consilium This year divers Jews being imprisoned the King and his Council gave order for their release till further provision made concerning them Quia Rex intendit ordinare de Judaismo suo per consilium suum die Dom. prox post fest S. Mar. Magdal Provisum est per consilium regis Et mandatum est Ballivo de Wallingford Constab Castri Winton Turris Lond. quod omnes prisones Judeos in custodia sua detentos deliberent quousque provisiopraedicta facta fuerit Et mandat est Hugoni de Cresse Judeis Lincoln quod nullam interim districtionem faciant super praedict Judeos sed deliberationem illam ipsam ipsi permittant Anno 43. H. 3. A Jews Wife being banished
out of England the husband paid a fine in gold to have licence for her to return and dwell there Ex parte Judeae uxor Abrahae Russel quondam Judeus de Wilton factus est finis cum rege pro 20 ralent auri pro habenda licentia Regis revertendi in Angliam ibidem vivendi in pace in rot claus T. Rege After this the Iews giving the King 500 marks towards his passage into France there issued this Patent for the speedy and violent assessing and levying of it Rex Constab Turris London salutem Cum Iudei nostri Angliae dederunt nobis 500 marc sterling ad passagium nostrum in Franc. quod erit deo voleute 1 die Sept. instantis tibi precipimus in fide qua nobis tener firmiter injungimus quatenus sicut honorem nostrum diligis et indignationem et grave dampnum tuum volueris evitare statim visas literis absque omni dilatione facias assidi per Coc fil Aaron Man Blundum et Leon. Preciosae 100 l. super Commun Judaeorum London quae eis contingunt de praed 500 mar Quibus festinanter assessis statim distringas tres praedictos assessores quam omnes alios Judaeos praed villae per terras catalla et corpora eorum uxorum puerorum suorum et omnibus modis aliis quibus melius scieris et poteris ad reddendum hoc ad opus nostrum portionem quemlibet eorum contingentem de praed 100 lib. Ita quod eashabeas plenarie penes te per praedict assessores Judeos apud Turrim London die decol Sancti Iohannis Baptist prox instanti et ita quod praedict passag nostrum ad praedict diem pro defectu praedict denariorium nullatenus impediatur Sciturus certissime quod nos in omnibus mandatum nostrum adimplendis tam graviter ad te capiemus quod plus ex hoc senties te gravatum quam si de tuo proprio solveres pecuniam memoratam Quia â—uum gravamen dabit aliis timorem delinquendi Et habeas ibi tunc hoc breve T. R. Archidiac Bed Thes nostro apud Westm 6 die Augusti Mandat est Constabul Turris London and three more there named quod omnes Archas Iudaeorum in pred Turri oxistentes apariri et omnia catalla et debita in eisdem inventa distrahi et aperte irrotulari faciant et ea quae ibid. invenient Regi constare faciant In cujus c. T. R. apud Westm 5. die Nov. Anno 44 H. 3. Cok and his Brother two Jews having four years before made a fine of 2000 marks in silver for the goods of their Father except the Chattels the Queen would take for her gold c. The King granted them for a fine to pay the arears of the 2000 mark at certain times and in the mean time to be freed from all Taxes unless only for their own proper goods as appears by a special Patent part of which monyes they were to pay and paid in gold into the Wardrobe This year there issued a Precept to seize and levy all the Jews Debts Mandatum est Justic ad custod Iud. assignatis quod omnia debita tam ea quae sum in Thesaur Judaismi Regis quaÌ„ ea quae manent in summonitione contenta in rotulis Scacc. Iudeorum quae scil debita excedunt 20 mar liberent sine dilatione Thesaurario et Baronibus de Scac. ponend in summonitionem ibidem retentis tamen penes ipsis Iustic transcriptis eorundem T.R. apud S. Paulum London 9. die Maii Per H. le Bygod Anno 45 H. 3. The King at the Queens Petition granted Solomon Eveske of London to be free from all Taxes for two years he also issued forth these Letters Patents to search inroll and inquire after all Jews debts pawns estates c. Rex Vic. Constabular Castrorum Majoribus Ballivis Cirographr et omnibus Ministris suis de Wilton Merleberge Glouc. Bristol Exon et omnibus aliis presentes Literas inspecturis salutem Sciatis quod assignavimus Magist Robert de Meleel et Radul de Hocest ad Archas Citogr Judaeorum aperiendas et scrutandas et ad omnia dâ—bita in eisdem inventa irrotulanda et ad inquirend omnibus modis quibus melius viderint expedire de bonis et catallis praed Judeorum mobilibus et immobilibus extra Archas viz. quantum singuli habeant in auro et argento vadiis jocalibus terris redditibus et omnibus rebus aliis in quorum manibus vel custodiis fuerint et devenerint tam in Civitatibus Villis domibus religiosis quam ab omnibus locis aliis ut de predict debitis et catallis et eorum quantitate certificari possumus Et ideo vobis mandamus quod ad omnia praedicta exequenda et expedienda predicto Roberto et Radul sitis intendentes consulentes et auxiliantes in omni forma quam vobis dicent et injungent ex parte nostra In cujus c. T. R. apud Turr. London 16 die Iulii Consimiles Literas Pat. habet Simon Passelewe Archis Winton Oxon. Bed Northam Georgius de Dover Willielmus Hamselbech apud Cant. Essex Norff Suff. et Canteb Roger de la Lye apud Stanford Lincoln Not et Ebor. de Herâ—ford Warwicke Wigorn. This year the King granted this Patent of Safe conduct for a time to Solomon a Jew who had abjured the realm to return for a season for his special service Rex omnibus c. salutem Licet Solomon le Eveske Judeus abjuravit regnum nostrum tamen quia inter homines terrae pro quibusdam negotiis nos specialiter tangentibus in Angl revertat concessimus ei quod salvo et secure venire possit in regnum nostrum Et ideo vobis mandamus quod eidem Judeo in veniendo morando ceu recedendo malum non inferatis vel inferri permittatis impedimentum dampnum vel gravamen Et si quid c. In cujus c. Durataturâ— usque ad Festum Sancti Trin. prox futur T. R. apud Turrim London 16 die April This year the Wardens and Constable of the Tower of London claimed this priviledge by prescription that they ought to have the atachment imprisonment of all Jews Jewesses of London and other places and of all Christians and Jews that were to be attached or imprisoned by the judgement of the Justices and Exchequer of the Iews for any matters concerning Judaisme and likewise to hold Plea in the Tower of all Debts of Iews under 40 s. which priviledge the King allowed and commanded to be observed by this Writ Rex Justic suis ad custod Iud. assign salutem Quia Custodes et Constab Turris nostrae London semper habere consueverunt omnia attachiamenta tam Iudeorum quam Iudearum London quam aliorum Iud nostrorum forinsecorum et etiam imprisonamentum tam Christianorum quam Iudeorum quos occasione Iudaismi Prisonae nostrae
protectionem vos assignantes Et ideo vobis mandamus firmiter injungentes quatenus per totam civitatem praedict London publice proclamari fac ne quis sub periculo vitae et membrorum praedict Iudaeis in personis vel rebus suis dampnum inferat molestiam aut gravamen et vos ipsi Iudeos illos familias suas terras vel redditus domos et omnes possessiones suas et eorum bona infra civitatem praed et extra quantum in vobis est manuteneatis protegatis et defendatis non inferentes c as in the former Et si quid c. talem diligentiam apponentes ut vobis c. donatur per vicecomitem T. R. Consimiles literae habent Iudei Cantebr Ballivis et probis hominibus Cant. directae durant ut supra This year the King granted the custody of the Iews Rolls and a salary for it by this patent Rex omnibus c. Sciatis quod commissimus dilecto Clerico nostro Tho Wabrun rotulos et brevia nostra Iudaismi nostri custodiend quamdiu nobis placuerit ita quod capiat per annum ad Scac. nostr 10 lib. vid. 100 s. ab Scac. nostr St. Michis et 100s ad Scac. nostr Pasche ad se sustentandum in officio praedicto quamdiu fuerit in eodem The same year the King by Patent granted leave to sundry Jews presently to sue for and levy their debts upon their Creditors and distrain them for them and likewise that he will not release pardon nor respite the debts due to them from sundry particular persons expressed in the Patents in form like those already cited elsewhere Yea I find this Writ for electing a new Cyrographer in the place of one that was dead issued this year Rex Constab castri Winton et Ballivis ejusdem villae salutem Quia Petrus Westman Christianus unus Cyrogr. Arch. Iud. Winton diem clausit extremum ut rex accepit Vobis mandamus quod per Sacramentum 12. tam Christianorum quam Iudeorum villae praedict eligi fac loco praedict Pet. unum alium Coffrarium qui praestito sacramento sicut moris est officio illo de caetero intendat et nomen ejus Regi scire fac T. R. apud Cant. 26 die Oct. And this recital of the Kings grant of his Iudaisme to the Prince and a confirmation of his grant to a Jew Rex omnibus c. Sciatis quod cum dudum commiss rimus dilect primog nostro Judaismum nostrum Angliae habendum ad certum terminum cum omnibus ad Judaismum illum pertinentibus item quod idem fil noster omnia inde medio tempore illo perciperet Judeorum tam ratione mortis Iudeorum aliunde quam eodem modo quo nos percipere debuissemus si Iudaismum praedict in manu nostra tenuissemus et dictus fil noster tertiam partem omnium catal et debitorum quae fuerunt Deulecres filius Aaron qui tunc in fata concessit ad ipsum filium nostr ratione mortis eâ—usdem Deulecres sicut moris est in Iudaismo pertinentem occasione nostrae concessionis antedict dederit et concesserit Hagio fil Mosse Iudeo London una cum custodia catal et debitorum pertinent ad pueros haeredes ejusdem Deulacres de catallis et debitis supradictis Nos praedict donationem concessionem ratam habemus acceptam Volentes etiam eidem Hagino gratiam facere specialem concedimus eidem quod de debitis antedictis extentam vel etiam prorogationem seu quietantiam aliquam vel donum non faciemus infra quinquennium a tempore confect presentium In cujus c. T. R. apud Westm 26 die Novemb. In 51 H. 3. I find this grant to divers plundered Jews of Lincoln and other parts to recover their pawns which they could prove though their Charters were lost or not extant on Record Rex diâ—ectis et fidelibus suis custodibus pacis in Com. Linc. North. Ebor. Vic. eorundem Com. et Vic. Norf. Suff. et Rutland et omnibus Ballivis et fidelibus nostris quos c. salutem Volentes Manfro and to sundry other Iews there named Iudeis Linc. et aliis Iudeis nostris ejusdem Civit. pro dampniset gravaminibus eis ab inimicis nostris illatis in insultu habito apud Linc nec non et in turbatione regni nostri gratiam facere ad praesens Concessimus quod Vadia sua nominata in Cyrogr. inter ipsos et debit suos confect de debitis quae sibi rationabiliter monstrari poterint in quorumcunque manibus existent vadia illa in manus suas secundum legem et consretudinem Iudaismi nostri seisientur donec debita illa levantur et persolventur eisdem sicut praedict est nisi debitores illi rationabiliter monstrare poterint quod de debitis illis debent esse quieti In cujus c. T. R. apud Windsore The like Patent he made to Aaron the son of Lion le Blund a Jew of London this year upon the same grounds being plundered by the King enemies in London and elsewhere In 52 H. 3. the King confirmed the grant of Sam. a Jew of York to Hagino a Jew of London of certain houses in York and grants to him further pro nobis et haeredibus nostris sibi et haeredibus suis quod supra domos praedict nulla fiat districtio pro aliquibus debitis in quibus Aaron the father of Samuel nobis tenebatur die quo in fata concessit T. R. 30 die Aug. He likewise ratified the grant of a Jew of Wilton of a debt due to him to Tho. de Irpeign with the grants of several houses in Winton by sundry Christians and Jews to Benedict a Jew of Winton Pardons a fee to a Jew and grants some Jews that had suffered for him leave to levy their debts on their debtors lands There is likewise mention of what moneys were delivered into the Kings VVardrobe this year out of the profits of his Judaisme and an acquittance thereof to his Iustices This year the King granted to Hagino fil Mossei and some other Jews that they should be exempted quieti de omnibus auxiliis et Tallagiis super ipsis assidendis et de quibuscunque debitis in quibus nobis tenentur from the feast of St. Andrew usque in terminum proximo sequent T. R. apud Clarendon 27 die Novemb. In the Clause Rolls this year I find fines made by the Jews to the King to enjoy the goods and debts of other Iews Prohibitions to the Iustices iâ—inerant not to suffer any Iews to be vexed or prosecuted before them cum sicut nostis Iudei Angliae coram aliquibus Iustic nostr de aliquibus Judaismum nostr tangentibus non debeanâ— placitare vel respondere nisi coram Iustic nostris ad custod Iud. assignatis A grant to some Iews not to pardon acquit prorogue or extend their
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
dictus Normannus tenebatur Aaroni de la Rye et Mossaeo de Clare nondum habuerit ut accepimus Vobis mandamus quod Cartas praedictas ab Archa Cirograph extrahi et cum irrotulatae fuerint reponi et debita illa secundum Legem et consuetudinem Judaismi praedicti levari et praefatae Consorti nostrae habere et sic fieri et irrotulari faciatis Itaquod praefata Consors nostra eisdem Cartis commodum suum facere possit prout magis viderit expedire Teste Rege apud Westm 4 die Julii Mandantum est Justiciariis ad Custodiam Judaeorum assignatis quod Scrutatis Rotulis de Scaccatio Judaismi nostri Regi sub Sigillo suo ejusdem Scaccarii sine dilatione â—onâ—â—are faciant quibus quot debitis Williâ—mus de Appledresfeld tenetur in Judaismo Regis vel Judaeis suis quibuscunque per Cartas suas vel alio modo Et hoc Breve remittant T. R. apud Bellum locum Regis 24 die Ianuar. Praeceptum est Vicecom Suthampt. quod demandam quam de dicto VVillo de Appledresfeld fac per summonitionem Scaccarii Regis de Judaismo pro debitis quibuscunque Regis vel aliquibus Judaeis Regis solvend ponat in respectum usque in tres Septimanas post Festum Purificationis bearae Mariae prox furtur Teste ut supra Rex Justiciariis ad Custodiam Judaeorum assignatis salutem Volentes dilecto fideli nostro VV. de Appledres gratiam facere specialem Vobis mandamus quod demandam quam ei faciâ—is per breve nostr Scaccatii nostri de Judaismo pro debitis quibuscunque nobis vel aliquibus Judaeis nostris solvendis ponatis in respectum usque in tres septimanas post festum Purif Beaâ—ae Mariae prox furtur Ita quod ex tunc de debitis illis respondeat prout de jure secundum legem Judaismi nostri fuerit faciend T. R. apud Bellum Locum Regis 25 die Ian. These Writs fully manifest the manner of proceedings and respects in cases of Debts and Obligations before the Justices appointed for the Custody of the Jews in the Kings Exchequer for the Jews In this 3 year of King Edward the 1. were the Statutes de Iudaismo made and enacted in Parliament by the King and Nobles as I have elsewhere proved at large not in the 18 year of his reign as Sir Edward Cooke very grosly mistakes which I shall infallibly evidence by these two Records in 4 E. 1. the very next year after their enacting which I have formerly touched and shall here transcribe at large expresly citing these very Statutes and awarding execution according to their prescription and words Rex Justiciariis suis ad Custodiam Judaeorum assignatis salutem Ex parte Gamalielis de Oxon. Judaeo London Nobis est ostensum quod cum nuper Sacro de Geregrave per diversas Cartas quandam pecuniae summam mutuasset et idem Saerus qui tunc temporis pro libero habebatur servilis conditionis nunc existens ut dicitur omnes terras et tenementa sua quae libere dare vendere potuit obligare ad voluntatem suam post confectionem praedictarum Cartarum in tantum vendidit diversis Christianis adhuc eadem tenentibus quod nihil penes ipsum remansit praeter quandam portionem terrae quam nunc tenet in Villenagio et quam vendere nec alicui obligare potuit per quod dictus Judaeus de praedicto debito suo minus juste elongatur Volentes igitur eidem Judaeo ad debitum suum recuperandum pro ut justum fuerit subvenire ita quod in hac parte sibi non fiat injuria Vobis mandamus quod licet sic fuerit quod dictus Saerus terras et ten quae tempore confectionis praedict Cart. libere tenuit post illud tempus vendidit nunc servilis conditionis extiterit propter hoc non omittatis quin per Sacramentum 12 liberorum legalium hominum per quod rei veritas melius sciri poterit et qui nulla assinitate attingunt praedictum Saerum vel tenentes terras tenemâ—nta praedicta diligenter inquiri faciatis quas terras redditus tenementa dictus Saerus habuit tempore confectionis praedictarum Cartarum quae tunc aut postea libere dare vendere obligare potuit ad voluntatem suam qui praedictas terras reddit us tenementa quae sunt vadium praedict Judaei pro praedicto debito nunc tenent quantum valeant per annum quantum quilibet inde tenet Et tunc inspectis debitis dicti Judaei ad quantum videlicet se extendunt SECUNDUM STATUTA NOSTRA IUDAISMI omnes quos praedictarum terrarum reddit et tenementer quae idem Saerus libere dare et obligare potuit tempore praedicto ut praedictum est et quae sunt vadium ipsius Judai per praedictam Inquisitionem tenentes invoneritis in quorum manibus exllant diâ—tringi faciatis viz. tam praefatum Saerum si aliquam liberam terram teneat quam alios singulatim pro portione ipsum de praedicto debito contingente eidem Judaeo solvend Et si idem Saerus aut aliquis Christianus de praedictis tenentibus aliquod Starrum acquietantiae vel râ—cepti de praedicto Judaeo ostendere poterit illud eidem faciatis allocari T. R. apud West 6. die Junii Rex Thesaurario et Baronibus suis de Scaccario et VVillielmo de Middleton salutem Cùm Secundum Assisam et Statuta Iudaismi nostri Judaei nostri in Regno nostro habere debeant a Christianis debâ—toribus medietatem terrarum redituum et Catallâ—rum sucrum quousque debita sua perceperint ac Willielmus de Lascel de Oteringham qui Gamalieli de Oxon Judaeo per plures et diversas Cartas in centum et quinquaginta Libris et amplius tenetur non habeat terras aut tenementa in quibus distringi possit nisi viginti libras quas Johannes fil Mart. de Oteringham ei debet et centum solides et duodecim quarteria frumenti annui redditus percipiend à dicto Johanne ad terminum vitae ipsius Will. Volentes praefato Iudaeo ad debita sua praedicta recuperanda subveniâ—e Vobis mandamus quod si ita est tunc praedicto Judaeo Secundum Statutum praedictum habere facias medietatem dictarum 20 librarum et medietatem dictorum centum solidorum et 12. quarter frumenti per annum quousque diâ—tus Iudaeus Iuxta Statutum Nostrum de Iudaismo editum debitum suum perceperit antedictum Et nolumus quod praedict Willielmus possit dare vendere vel alienare medietatem dictarum 20 librarum nec medietatem dicti annui redditus quousque dict debitum praefato Judaeo plenarie per solvatur T. Rege apud Westm 14 die Maii. In these two memorable Records Anno 4 E. 1. wee have an expresse recital of the
Commission how intollerably the poor Jews were taxed and fleeced by the Kings Tax-masters every year and what rigorous penalties and assessments were extorted from them yet neither these heavy uncessant annual Tallages nor the banishment of their Usury by the forementioned Statute would expel or force them hence before a direct Edict of Parliament and Proclamation for their exile by a set day under pain of hanging some years after this enjoyned banishment and abjuration to such as refused to pay this Tâ—llage ferretted them all out of England In the 7th year of King Edward the first I find this memorable Writ Proclamation and Edict of his to 〈◊〉 Justices for the inhibiting and punishing the Blasphemies of the Jews then frequent against Christ crucified and the faith of Christ Jesus with loss of Life and Member with other strict Orders for preventing their Apostacyes and propagation of their Jewish Rites and all communion betwixt them and Christians worthy our special observation Rex dilectis et fidelibus suis Stephano de Pentecester VValtero de Helynn Johanni de Cobham Iusticiariis suis ad Placita Transgressiorum Monâ—tae audienda et terminanda assignatis et dilecto Clerico suo Philippo de VVylegheby salutem Quia datum est Nobis intelligâ— Quod quidam Judaei Regni nostri fidem Caâ—holicam et Sacra Ecclesiastica hactenus diversimode Blasphemare non formidarunt nec adhuc formidant in Divini nominis contumeliam et totius Christianae professionis opprobrium Nos hujusmodi Blasphemias sicut Principem Catholicum decet reprimi cupientes Volumus Quod nullus Iudaeus taliter de caetero blasphemare praesumat videlicet aliquod erroneum detestabile aut abhominabile dicendo vel faciendo in Blasphemia Crucifiri fidei Catholicae seu beatissimae matris Mariae Virginis seu Ecclesiasticorum Sacramentorum Volumus etiam quod hoc per omnia loca Regni nostri in quibus Iudaei morantur publice proclamatur et ne aliquis Iudaeus sub periculo Vitae et Membrorum talia facere vel dicere praesumat Et si quis notorius Blasphemat or inveniatur ita quod per Inquisitionem per Sacramentum Christianorum bonorum et graviorum inde convinci possit evidenter Volumus quod quilibet talis puniretur secundum quod in hujusmodi casibus alias fieri consuevit Idem fiat de ipsis qui aliquando ad fidem Catholicam conversi baptisati fuerunt et postmodum ad Iudaicam pravitatem perversi ab eadem fide Apostatare praesumpserint Volumus etiam quod Mulieres Iudeae de caetero portant signa in superiori veste sicut Iudaei Mares Et quod Iudaei de caetero nullos habeant servientes Christianos mares aut faeminas secum in quibuscunque obsequiâ—s commorantes nec in domibus propriis nec aliis in Civitatibus am locis aliis ubi morantur set ipsi Iudaei sibi invicem in omnibus sibi serviant et ministrent Et hoc ubique precipiatur tam Christianis quam Iudaeis sub gravi forisfactura nostra Volumus etiam quod omnes Christiani qui pignora sua inter bona Iudaeorum dampnatorum inventa redimere voluerint hujusmode pignora per testes fideles et bonae famae probent esse sua et ea per certa signa et indicia describant hujusmodi Testibus eatenus credatur quatenus ipsis maâ—oris vel minoris famae esse constiterit Et si fortè pignora illa sua esse per testes probare non possint eo quod testes defuncti vel absentes sunt ita quod eos habere non possint vel quia secrete et absque testimonio impignor atae fuerunt tunc ad pignora illa recuperanda sufficiat tantummodo Sacramentum ipsorum quorum illa existunt dum tamen pignora illa certis signis et indiciis descâ—ibant sicut praedictum est Et hoc propter lapsum anni a tempore impignorationis hujusmodi nullatenus omiâ—tatur Volumus insuper quod omnes illi qui per Testes fide dignos probare possint debita sua pro suis pignoribus persolvisse et pignora illa propter certam aliquam rationem per ipsos coram vobis ostendendam aut propter maliciam ipsorum Iudaeorum ab eisdem Iudaeis non recipisse ad iteratam solutionem debitorum illorum faciendam nullatenus compellantur testibus illis credatur juxta famam personarum additis testibus aliis si necesse fuerit juxta discretionem vestram De libris autem apud Oxon impignoratis volumus quod nullum fiat judicium usque ad Festum omnium sanctorum prox futurum Volumus etiam quod per Civitates Burgos Villas mercatorias et alias publice proclametur ne quis bona Iudaeorum dampnatoruÌ„ seu dampnandoruÌ„ recipiat seu jam recepta celet vel occultet sedea Nobis restituet citra Fest beati Petri ad vincula prox futur Alioquin Nos versus ipsos tanquam ad caelatores et occultatores Thesauri regni graeviter capiemus Et ideo vobis mandamus quod omnia praedicta fieri et firmiter observari faciatis in forma praedicta T. Rege apud Westmon x. die Maii. Consimiles Literae diriguntur Barth de Sutlegh Will de beof Ade de Boteler Ioh de Fauconer Consimiles Literae Breve diriguntur Ioh. Beks Alex de Kirketon Ranulpho de Dacre Hugoni de Kendale In this 7th year of King Edw. the 1. as our Historians elsewhere cited record there was a Parliament held at London principally to inquire after the great clipping and falsifying of the Kings coin and prevent it for the future during this Parliament most of the Jews throughout England were apprehended and hundreds of them by several Inquests found guilty before the Justices mentioned in these VVrits specially appointed for that end for clipping counterfeiting and corrupting the Kings money whereof 294 Jews in London alone were convicted and soon after executed and multitudes more of them in other places throughout the Realm which occasioned these VVrits and Proclamations made most probably by advice of the Parliament and approved by it to be issued forth and put in execution for the just punishment of the blasphemous Jewish Malefactors and better discovery of their concealed confiscated estates for the Kings greater advantage and likewise for releif of such subâ—ects who had any pawns or goods in the then condemned Iews possession As those Iews who were legally convicted for clipping and corrupting the Kings coyne were executed for it in all places so many more of them were accused imprisoned for the same crime much oppressed maligned generally by the people and inforced to make fines and ransomes to the King and the houses and estates of those who were executed sold strickt inquiry made after all concealments of their estates as the last these ensuing Records will at large inform us far better than any of our Historians I shall begin with that which is most large Rex
dilectis et fidelibus suis Stephano de Pentecester Waltero de Helynn et Ioh. de Cobham Justiciariis ad placita Transgressionis Monerae audienda salutem Quia omnes Judaei nuper rectati et per certam suspicionem indictare de retonsura monetae nostrae inde convicti cum ultimo supplicio puniuntur quidam eorum eadem occasione omnia bona et catalla sua satisfecerunt et in prisona nostra liberantur in eadem ad voluntatem nostram detinendi Et cum accepimus quod plures Christiani ob odium Judaeor propter discrepantiam fidei christianae et ritus Judaeorum et diversa gravamina per ipsos Judaeos christianis hactenus illata quosdam Judaeos nondum rectatos â—â— indictatos de transgressione monetae per leves et voluntarias accusationes accusare et indictare de die in diem nituntur et proponunt impouentes eis ad terrorem ipsorum quod de hujusmodi transgressione culpabiles existunt super ipsos Judaeos faciendae et sic per minas hujusmodi accusationis ipsis Iudaeos metu incutiant et pecuniam extorqueant ab eisdem Ita quod ipsi Judaei super hoc ad legem suam saepe ponuntur in vitae suae periculum manifestum Volumus quod omnes Iudaei qui ante primum diem Maii proxim praeterit indictati vel per certam suspicionem rectati non fuerunt de transgressione Monetae predictae et qui facere voluerint finem juxta discretionem vestram ad opus nostrum facere pro sic quod non occasionentur de bujusmodi transgressionibus factis ante primum diem Maii propter novas accusationes christianorum post eundem diem inde factas non molestentur sed pacem inde habeant in futurum Proviso quod Iudaei indictati vel per certam suspicionem rectati de huâ—usmodi transgressione ante praedictum diem Maii judicium subeant coram vobis juxta formam prius inde ordinatam provisam Et ideo vobis mandamus quod fines hujusmodi capiatis et praemissa fieri et observari faciatis in forma praedicta Teste Rege apud Cantuar. 8 die Maii. Consimiles Literae diriguntur Barthol de Sulley et Sociis suis justiciar ut supra T. Rege ut supra Consimiles Literae diriguntur Iohan. Beks et sociis suis Iusticiariis ut supra T. Rege ut supra Rex dilect et fidel suis Stephano de Pentecester Walt. de Helynn Ioh. de Cobham Justiciar ad placita Monetae audiend et terminand assignatis salutem Quia Omnes Judaei nuper rectati et per certam suspicionem indictati de retonsura Monetae nostrae et inde convicti cum ultimo supplicio puniuntur et quidam eorum eadem occasione omnia bona et catalla sua forisfecerunt et in prisona nostra liberantur in eadem ad voluntatem nostram detinendi Volumus quod omnes illi Judaei qui bona et catalla sua forisfecerunt ut praedict est et qui in prisona nostra ea occasione detinentur et qui pro deliberatione corporum suorum finem facere voluerint vobiscum ad opus nostrum hujusmodi finem juxta vestram discretionem facere possint Et quod mulieres Judeae quae fuerunt uxores Judaeorum dampnatorum et etiam uxores Judaeorum quorum bona et catal forisfact sunt et quae habent unde redimi possunt similit fin facere possunt vobisc ad opus nostr juxta discretionem vestram et juxta quantit bonorum quae viri sui habuerunt et quae nondum inventa et per eosdem Judaeos occulte deponantur et sic per hujusmodi finem a prisona qua occasione praedict detinentur deliberari Ita quod Judeae pauperes quae fuerunt uxores hujusmodi dampnat Judeorum et similiter uxores Judaeorum quae bona et catalla sua forisfecerunt et quae non habent unde redimi possunt per vos absque redemptione deliberentur a Prisona Volumus insuper et mandamus quod citra festum sancti Ioh. Baptistae de terris et tenementis Judaeorum hujusmodi quae sunt escaeta nostra diligenter inquiratis in quibuscunque locis existent et pro quanto vendi possint et quis plus dare velit pro eisdem et nobis precium inde citius persolvere Ita quod inde infra Terminum praedict ad plenam nos cerciorare possitis Et ideo vobis mandamus quod fines hujusmodi a dictis Judaeis tam Masculis quam femellis et omnia praemissa faciatis in forma praedicta Test Rege ut supra Consimiles literae diriguntur Iohan. Beks et sociis suis Justiciariis ut supra T. R. ut supra Consimiles literae diriguntur Barthol de Suleye et sociis suis Justiciar ut supra T. R ut supra Besides these Patents to the Justices the King then issued forth special Patents and Commissions to divers others to sell the Houses and Tenements of the condemned and hanged Jews for his best advantage in this form Rex omnibus c. salutem Sciatis quod dedimus potestatem dilectis et fidel nostris Thomae de Sodyngton Hugoni de Lendale et Majori Eborum ad domos nostras quae sunt escaeta nostra in civitate Eborum et extra per feloniam quorundam Judaeorum ibid. et alibi nuper suspensorum et tenementa quorundam aliorum Judaeorum qui se in patriam ponere renuerunt vendendi et homines inde feoffandi prout ad opus nostrum magis viderint expedire Dedimus etiam potestatem dilecto et fideli nostro Hamoni Hauteyn praedict Hugoni et Thomae fil Roberti ad hujusmodi domos in Civitate Lincoln et extra vendendi in forma praedicta Dedimus etiam potestatem eisdem Hamoâ—i Hugoni Gilberto de Cestreton ad hujusmodi domos in Villa Stanford et extra vendendi in forma praeâ—icta Dedimus etiam potestatem eisdem Hamoni Hugoni Vicâ—comiti Warw. ad hujusmodi domos in Villa Warw. et extra vendendi in forma praedicta Ratum habituri et firmum quicquid praedicti fideles nostri vel duo eorum in singulis Comitatibus Villis praedictis nomine nostro duxerint faciendum Nos enim factum eorum in hac parte per Literas nosâ—ras Patentes ratificabimus In cujus c. T. Rege apud Westm 17 die Novemb. The like Letters Patents and Commission were then issued forth to others to sell the condemned and executed Jews houses lands rents in other places Rex dilecto fideli suo Willielmo de Braybeof salutem Sciatis quod dedimus vobis potestatem vendendi omnes terras et redditus Judaeorum dampnatorum pro transgressionibus sibi impositis in locis in quibus vos ad inquirendum de hujusmodi Transgressionibus assignati estis prout vobis injunximus viva voce et prout ad opus nostrum magis videbitur vobis expedire Et
decernentur Volentes hoc idem de Judeabus ejusdem regni generaliter firmiter observari Vobis mandamus quod tam in Ciâ—itate noâ—tra London quam in aliis Civitatibus Burgis villis alibi infra Regnum praedictum ubi Judaei converâ—antur publice proclamari faciatis sub gravi forisfactura nostra Ut omnes singulae Judeae ejusdem Tabulas hujusmodi publice deferant in forma quae provisa eâ—t de Judeis praedictis Facias insuper inhiberi publice proclamari per totum regnum praedictum Ne aliquis Judaeus quascunque carnes quoquo modo presumat vendere Christianis Nec Christianum secum in hospitio â—uo seu alibi in servicio suo audeat decaetero reâ—inere Teste Rege apud Westm 1 die Decembris In the 11 year of King Edward the 1 Upon complaint of the Jews clipping and falsifying his coyn and other Merchants trading with them therein the King issued forth this following Commission to inquire thereof the hanging and punishing of so many of them but three or four years before for the like offences not reclaiming the Survivers of them from this their usual Jewish practise Rex dilecto fideli suo Hamoni Hauteyn et aliis salutem Qâ—ia ex relatu fide dignorum nostrorum intelleximus quod quidam Judaei nostri mercantur cum quibusdam Mercatoribus extraneis aliis in Platis de Retonsura Monetae nostrae fundatis etiam falsis platis de Stagno exterius deargentatis Vobis mandamus quod diligenter super hoc faciatis inquisitionem quotiescunque videritis expedire Et si vobis constare poterit ita esse tunc Mercatores illos alios quoscunque hujusmodi platas mercantes vel a Judaeis nostris emendas petentes arrestari salvo custodiri faciatis donec super hoc alâ—ud duxererimus ordinandum Et Judaeos illos a quibus â—ujusmodi platas petierint emendas dummodo hujusmodi venditioni seu emptioni non fuerint consentientes per talem munucaptionem qualem videritis optimam ponatis in cujus c. Teste Rege apud â—othele 6 die Febr. In the 12 year of King Edward the 1. I find these 4. several Writs and Records concerning the Jews in one Schedule The first prohibiting them to live or reside in any City Burrough or Town where they had no common Chest and commanding their Jusâ—ices to remove them thence The second commanding the Collector of the condemned Jews goods and estates and his Clerks to give an Account thereof and of the summe they amounted unto The 3d commanding the Sheriffs in all Counties where they resided with two discreet and â—egal Knights of the County to seal up and secure all there Chests and Charters in them till farther order The 4th commanding the Justices assigned for the Custody of the Jews to certifie the Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequer the state of all the Jews Debts and to distinguish which were clear debts and which not that so they might be there recovered for the Kings use I shall recite them in order as they are recorded the Writs bearing date the 11th year before Edwardus Dei Gratia Rex Angliae Dominus Hiberniae Dux Aquitaniae Justiciariis suis ad custoâ—iam Judaeorum assignatis salutem Quia secundum consuâ—tudinem Judaisminostri Iudaei nostri in aliis Civitatibus Burgis aut Villis habitare aut morari non debent quam in illis quibus Archa Chirographar Iudaeorum existat et diversi Iudaei diversas villas in Regno nostro sunt ingressi eas inhabitant in quibus hujusmodi Archa non existat per quod eosdem Iudaeos ab hujusmodi villis volumus amoveri Vobis mandamus firmiter injungentes quod universâ—s singulos Iudaeos in Civitatibus Burgis et Villis in quibus dicta Archa non existit habitantes seu morantes absque dâ—mno eis de corporibus seu de rebus suis faciendo sine dilatione faciaâ—is amoveri ab eisdem Ita quod ipsi Judaei ab eisdem villis modis omnibus amoveantur ante quindenam Pasche prox futuram Non permittentes ipsos in huâ—usmodi villis habitare decetero vel morari Et ita vos habeatis in hoc mandato nostro exequendo quod non oporteat Nos vobis iterata mandata nostra diâ—igere ex hac causa T. Rege aâ—ud Newark 28 die Jan. Anno Regni nostri 11. Edwardus Dei gratia Rex Angliae c. Dilecto et fideâ—i suo Waltero de Warham nuper receptori bonorum catallorum quorundam Judaeorum dampnatorum salutâ—m Quia quibusdam de causis super summa exituum bonorum et catallorum praedict volumus certiorari Vobis mandam is quod die Pasche proximo futuro in quinque Septimanas sâ—tis coram Thesaur Baronibus nostris de Scaccario una cum clericis et rotulis vestris de bonis et catallis illis ut iidem Clerici compotum reddant tunc ibidem de exitibus praedictis et ulterius faciant ea quae compotum et negoâ—ium illud conâ—ingunt T. R. ut supra Eodem modo mandatum est Ioh. Beks Ade Kirketon and 7. others more there named Rex Vio Midd. salutem Praecipimus tibi quod assumptis tecum duobus de discretionibus et legalioribus Militibus eâ—usdem Comitatus in propria scil persona tua accedas ad universas singulas Archas Cyrograf Judaeorum in Balliva tua existentes et eas sigillis eorundem Militum et sigillo tuo 〈◊〉 igâ—ari facias Ita quod Archae illio sic consignatae cum Rotulis in locis quibus nunc existunt sub tua costodia remaneâ—ant donec aliud inde praeceperimus et hoc nullo modo omittas T. ut supra Eodem modo mandatur Vic. Linc. Cant. Hunt Kanc. Warw. Leicest Norff. Suff. Wigorn Northampt. Surrey Suffex Colcest Oxon Berks Hereford Essex Hertford Glocest Darby Bedeford Notingh Devon Cornub. Wilts Suthampt. Exon Devises Ebor. Rex Justiciariis suis ad Custodiam Judaeorum assignaâ—as salutem Quia volumus quod Thesaur Barones nostri de Scaccario super omnibus debitis quae nobis deâ—entur ad Scaccarium Judaismi nostri ex quacunque â—â—â—sa per vos ad plenum certificentur Vobis mandamus quo dâ—d certum diem quem praedict Thesaur Barones vobis scire facient coram ipsis in Scaccario praedicto cum â—otulis vestris veniatis ad certificandum ipsis super debitis praedictis quae videlicet sunt clara et quae non clara ut ex tunc debita illa levantur secundum consuetudinem Scaccarii praedicti et hoc nullatenus omittatis T. ut supra Moreover In the Patent Rolls of this 12 year the King granted this ensuing Commission to enquire of all the concealed goods and chattels of those formerly condemned and of their clipping falsifying counterfeiting money and trading with others in such deceitful coyn Rex dilectis fidelibus suis Solomoni
de Roff. Magist Hen de Bray et Hen de Waleyes salutem Scratis quod assignavâ—mus vos ad inquirendum per Sacramentum tam Christianorum quam Judaeorum per quos c. de omnibus bonis et catallis quorumcunque Iudeorum dampnatorum nobis concelatis et modo et ad quorum manus hujusmodi bona devenerint Et etiam de Mercatoribus et Iudaeis invicem vendenâ—ibus et ementibus seu cambientibus platas argenteas et falsas platas de stagno et alio metallo conflatas et exterius deargentatas et de omnibus aliis circumstantiis negotium illud qualitercunque contingentibus prout magis videritis expedire ad plenam et celerem Justitiam inde faciâ—ndam Et ideo vobis mandamus quod ad certos dies et loca quos ad hoc provideritis praemissa faciatis in formâ— praedicta Mandamus enim Majori Vicecom nostris London quod ad certos dies et loca quos eis scire faciatis venire faciant coram vobis tam Christianos quam Judaeos per quos rei veritas in praemissis melius sciri poterit et inquiri In cujus c. T. Rege apud Cestr 15 die Septemb. This Inquisition as was usual in the case of Jews was to be made as well by Jews and Christians and so were their trials ordinarily per Medietatem linguarum as in the case of other Foreigners for the greater indifferency and prevention of Injustice through malice or emulation In 14 E. 1. I find a Commission issued out for opening and searching the Chests of the Jews and inrolling and certiâ—ying their Debts agreeable with those already cited And likewise a Writ to the Treasurer and Barons of the Kings Exchequer to discharge John de Sto. Dionisio Custos Domus Conversorum Regis London from giving any Account of his Office and Receipts before them Quia compotus hujusmodi nunquam in Scaccario hactenus à Predecessoribus suis custodibus Domus praedictae fieri consuevit T. Rege apud Westm 24 die Feb. This Iohn of St. Denys Custos Domus conversorum dying in the 16 year of Edw. 1. the King thereupon granted the Custos Office of this house to Robert de Scardeburgh Clerk Quamdiu Nobis placuerit and commanded that he should be permitted to dwell in this house and that all the Converts therein should be intendent and obedient to him as their Governor His Patent bearing date the 13 of Octob. This same year the Jews still persevering in their Trade of clipping and counterfeiting the Kings coin thereupon there issued out several Letters Patents and commissions to diverse Justices to make inquiry thereof and of all concealed goods and chattels of all the Jews forfeited to the King as this following commission of Association to pretermit all others will resolve us Rex dilecto fideli suo Hugoni de Cressingham salutem Quia dilectus et fidelis noster Henricus le Waleys quem nuper cum dilectis et fidelibus nostris Solomone de Roff. Magistro Henrico de Bray assignavimus ad quasdem Inquisitiones faciendas de omnibus bonis catallis quorumcunque Judaeorum dampnatorum Nobis concelatis forisfactis etiam de Mercatoribus Judaeis invicem vendentibus ementibus seu cambientibus plateas argenteas falsas plateas de stagno alio metallo conflatas et exterius deargentatas de aliis circumstantiis negotium illud qualitercunque contingentibus prout in literis nostris Patentibus quos eisdem Solomoni Henrico Henrico inde fieri fecimus plenius continetur nobiscum in partibus transmarinis pro quibusdam negotiis nostris specialibus quibus ibidem intendit moram facit per quod idem Henricus le Waleys ad praemissa una cum prefatis Solomone Magistro Hen. facienda non potest intendere ad praesens vos loco ipsius H. le Waleyes ad praemissa una cum prefatis Magist Henrico ad praedictas Inquisitiones faciendas juxta tenorem literarum nostrarum patentium praedictarum Et ideo vobis mandamusquod ad praemissa facienda una cum praedictis Solomone Magistro Henrico intendatis in forma praedicta Mandamus enim eisdem Solomoni Magistro Henrico quod vos ad hoc in socium admittant sicut praedictum est In cujus rei c. Teste Ed. Comite Cornubii Consil Regis apud Westm. 26 die Jan. This year I find a strange case A Jew and his wife complained to the King that some had maliciously defamed the Wife in reporting that she had turned Christiand was baptized to their great prejudice and grievance when as it was a malitious scandal Whereupon they procured this Writ from the King to the Justices of the Jews to inquire the truth thereof by an Inquisition of Christians and Jews and to do them right if slandered Rex Justic suis ad custodiam Judaeorum assignatis salutem Monstraverint nobis Mosseus de Hornden Suetecota uxor ejus Judaei Lond. quod cum ipsa Suetecota christiana non sit nec aliquo tempore fuerat baptizata quidam Emuli eorum maliciose confingentes ipsam Suetecotam baptizatam fuisse inter duo bella de Lewes Evesham eam super hoc defamarunt in ipsorum Mossei Suetecotae dampnum non modicum gravamen Et ideo vobis mandamus quod inquisita inde plenius veritate per Christianos Judaeos sicut mos est Si inveneritis praedicta Suetecota non fuit baptizata sicut sibi imponitur tunc eisdem Mosseo Suetecotae juxta officii vestri debitum pacem habere inde faciatis T Com. If the Jews deem it so great a scandal and grievance to them for others to report them to have been Christians and baptized there is little hopes of their real general conversion to Christianity now The Jews were such absolute slaves and villains to our Kings that they sometimes granted them with all their goods and chattels to others by their Charters as they did their other villanies as this memorable Record of 17 E. 1. will inform us Rex driecto fideli suo Rado de Berners Constabul Tur. London salutem Cum Dom. H. Rex pater noster per Cartam suam dederit concesserit Edmundo fratri nostro carissimo Aaron fil Vynes Judeo London una cum omnibus bonis et catallis suis er omnibus quae ad ipsum patrem nostrum ratione ipsius Judaei quocunque modo possint pertinere et nos postmodum eandem donationem et concessionem continuari volentes ipsam prefato fratri nostro confirmavimus per nostras literas Patentes ac idem Frater noster manuceperit habere coram nobis eundem Aaron ad voluntatem nostram adstandum recto super omnibus quae ipsum Aaron contingunt quandocunque nos vel alii versus ipsum in aliquo loqui voluerimus per quod eidem fratri nostro per manucaptionem suam
the repairing of it out of his own purse which done upon consideration thereof and to keep the same in constant Repair for the future upon the supplication of the said William then Keeper likewise of the Rolls of the Chancery he procured King Edward to annex the house and Chappel of the Converts to the Custos of the Rolls of the Chancery and his Successors for ever in the 51 year of King Edward the 3d. by this Patent Rex omnibus ad quos c. salutem Sciatis quod Nos considerantes qualiter Domus Conversorum in Suburbio Civitatis nostrae London de Patronatu nostro existens et Capella Edificia Clausura ejusdem tempore quo dilectus Clericus noster Willielmus de Burstall custodiam ejusdem Domus ex collatione nostra primo habuit per negligentiam et incuriam aliorum qui antedictum Willielmum custodiam Domus illius habuerunt et ibidem morari seu inhibitare non curarunt multipliciter debilitata quasi totaliter in ruina extiterunt Et quod praedict Willielmus tempore suo de bonis suis propriis grandes fecit custus et expensas super reparatione et emendatione Domus Capellae Edificiorū Clausurarum praedict At etiam super factura novarum Domorum ibidem Nos ut Domus Conversorum capella edificia clausurae et novae Domus supradicta compatentur sustententur custodiantur in futur ad supplicationem praedicti Will qui Custos Rotulorum Cancellariae nostrae existit in praesenti concessimus de gratia nostra speciali pro Nobis haeredibus nostris quod post mortem ejusdem Willielm dicta Domus Conversorum cum suis Juribus pertinentiis quibuscunque remaneat et moretur in perpetuum Clerico custodi Rotulorum Cancellariae nostrae et haeredum nostrorum pro tempore existenti Et sit annexa ad idem Officium imperpetuum Et quod Cancellarius Angliae vel Custos sive custodes Magni Sigilli nostri et haeredum nostrorum Angliae pro tempore existentes post mortem ipsius Will. habeat et habeant Potestatem ad quamlibet Vacationem dicti Officii custodis Rotulorum per mortem cessionem vel mutationem personae quocunque tempore futuro instituendi successive Custodes Rotulorum praedictorum in dicta Domo Conversorum et Custodes illos ponendi in possessionem ejusdem cum suis juribus et pertinentiis quibuscunque In cujus c. T. Rege apud Shene x. die Aprilis Per Breve de privato Sigillo Since which by vertue of this Patent this house of the Converts hath continued annexed to the Custos and Mastership ol the Rolls of the Chancery yet still liable and subject to the first charitable uses for habitation and sustentation of such Jewish and other Converts to which it was at first designed For which I shall now only recite one president more already printed by John Stow out of the Records of 5 R. 2. One William Pierce a Jew that became a Christian and was baptized was by this Kings Charter in the 5 th of his reign admitted and received into this ancient Domus Conversorum and had there 2 d. a day allowed him by the King during his life And by the self-same Equity if the Jews be now readmitted into England and any of them shall chance to be converted to Christianity and baptized either upon real or hypocritical or politick grounds they ought to be there received and maintained in the self-same manner as they were in former times I have now courteous Reader presented thee and the world with the exactest Chronicle and History of the English Iews from the 1. year of King Iohn Anno Dom. 1599. till their total and final banishment hence in the 18 year of Edward the 1. Anno Dom. 1290 and some years after it hitherto published in any age sincerely collected with no little diligence pains search and cost out of the most excellent Rolls Records of those times yet extant in the Tower and Exchequer all which I diligently perused with mine own eys faithfully transcribed not taking them upon trust as others commonly do and so frequently miscite or mistake them all which Records being diligently entred very year successively under these Kings reigns by publick Clerks and Notaries imployed for that end and faithfully relating every thing concerning the Jews and all other transactions publick or private as they were then really acted are the truest best most unerring guides that posterity can follow the infalliblest evidences they can surely rely on or any Historians make use of in relating the History or proceedings of former ages the ignorance of which Records hath occasioned many mistakes both in matters of fact and Law in most of our Historians Chronicles and Law Books Some whereof relating to the English Jews I have here rectified in the by From all the Records here printed in their own words and language give me leave in brief to observe for thy better information these few general heads concerning the Jews to which they are reducible 1. That though our Kings by their forementioned Charters Writs and Proclamations granted many large Priviledges Protections Immunities to the Jews especially in the beginning of their reigns as if they were their only favourites and darlings above all other of their Subjects yet these their Royal Protectors and their Justices specially appointed for their custody soon after notwithstanding all their former Charters Declarations and promised Liberty Peace Protection proved their most unsatiable merciless perfidious tyrannical Exactors Fleecers Oppressors Taxmasters Tormentors almost without any intermission in one kind or other 2 That the Jews under all these Kings reigns notwithstanding all their indulged Liberties were but their most absolute Bondslaves and exquisite Villains in all respects as these particulars will evidence First their names were all inrolled in the Kings Exchequer for the Jews and they confined to live and abide only in such places as the King and his Justices assigned for their custody should prescribe them from which they might not remove without special license 2ly They were to be there constantly resident that the Kings Officers might there finde both them and their families upon all occasions 3ly They were translated from place to place at the Kings pleasure and permitted to reside in no place but where they had a common chest 4ly Their persons wives children infants families were imprisoned distrained sent to remote Prisons Castles banished executed tormented put to fines and ransoms upon all occasions especially for their Taxes and Debts to the King 5ly They were both by poll and wholesale granted and sold to others like Bondslaves and Villains in grosse by the King and morgaged to those who would purchase them or advance any monies upon their assignment 6ly They were alwayes to wear a badge and Table on their outmost garments as well females as males whereever they rod or went to distinguish them from Christians with
the like 7. That notwithstanding all the Injuries Oppressions Indignities cruelties they here sustained both from our Kings their Officers the generality of the people by Gods just curse and vengeance on them fot their sins yea notwithstanding all means used by our Kings Magistates Bishops preaching Friers and others both for their reformation and conversion to the Christian Faith yet the generality of them continued persevered still in their willfull obstinacy infidelity blindnesse enmity malice blasphemies despite against our crucified Saviour and Christianity which they manifested upon all occasions in publike and private by circumcising and crucifying chistian children breaking the Crucifix in Oxford and trampling it under foot in the midst of the Universities soleme Procession and otherwise expressed at large in the forementioned records as likewise in their extorsions clipping and falsifying moneys Charters usuries frauds rapes murders forgeries very few of them turning Christian converts and that either to save their lives or prevent some imminent dangers to their persons families estates and those of the poorer sort for the most part to get a present livelyhood from the Christians who frequently turned Apostates or flagitious malefactors to the scandal of religion 8. That the Jews here had their Synagogues Schools Priests Presbyter and Comptroller of their Exchequer Escheator Cofferers Cyrographers Attornies Bayliffs with their proper Judges and Court of Exchequer wherein only they were to be sued proceeded against and by whom they were Iudged their Prisons Attachers Tax-Masters Record-Keepers ordered in all things according as the King by his Writs and Letters directed All which Offices were appointed by the Kings special Patents Writs whose Names Powers Jurisdictions Salaries together with their legal trials and proceedings of all sorts civil criminal the forms of their Starrs Charters Extents of Lands assignments of Debts Releases Reliefs Fines with the names of the chiefest Jews are registred and most clearly fully related in the forecited Records and in no other prinâ—ed History or Law-book whatsoever 9. That the Jews were exempt from all other Temporal and Ecclesiastical Courts and Jurisdictions but the Justices specially appointed for their custody and the Kings Exchequer for the Jews yea from all publike Taxes imposed on the English and could not be excommunicated by the Masters of their Law without the Kings special license 10. That the Iews usury was no ways counâ—enanced nor approved but generally condemned and frequently released by our Kings long before the Statute de Judaismo which most infallibly appears to be made in 3 Ed. 1. not in 18. as Sir Edward Cook very grosly mistook And that the banishment of their Usury by it was not the cause of their voluntary banishment hence as he most fondly conceited 11. That the Presbyteratus Judeorum totius Angliae was not the High Priests spiritual function as Sir Edward Cook and others affirm but only a temporal office and Comptrolership in the Kings Exchequer of the Jews 12. That our Kings and Auncestors in times of Popery made and published â—undry excellent Ordinances against the blasphemies abuses of the Jews and were very zealous industrious to convert them to Christianity and carefull to maintain support confirm and provide for them when converted in their Domus Conversorum That King Edward the first remitted his right to all the goods of convert Jews by an unchristian usage confiscated formerly to the Crowne by their very conversion allowing all Converts the moity of their estates to maintain them and granting the other moity of their Estates together with his Deodands and all forfeitures and Chevages of the Jews for the support of the Converts and their House Chappel Chaplains Yet very few of them were converted 13. That King Edward the 1 in the 18 year of his reign did by publike Edict of Parliam actually banish all the Jews out of England except the Converts by a set prefixed day beyond all contradiction much against the Jews good wills as I have undeniably proved by sundry Records forecited here and by multitudes of Historians in my first Demurrer against Sir Edw. Cooks grosse error A truth so clear that the very Jews themselves as I am informed by those best versed in their Manuscript Antiquities do make special mention of this their Banishment out of England in their Chronicles in Manasseh Ben-Israels custody taking their later computations of years from thence as a time very remarkable and ominous to their whole Nation And well might they do so seeing learned Mr. Edward Brerewood in his Enquiries touching the diversities of Languages and Religions throughout the chief parts of the world London 1614. c. 13. p. 92. assures us that The first Country of Christeâ—â—om whence the Iews were expelled without hope of Return was our Country of England whence they were Banished Anno 1290. by King Edward the first By which example Not long after they were likewise banished France Anno 1307. by Philippus Pulcher Only of all the Countries of France in the Iurisdiction of Avignon the Popes State some are remaining Out of Spain An. 1492. by Ferdinand and shortly after out of Portugal Anno 1539. by Emanuel Out of the Kingdome of Naples and Sicilie Anno 1539. by Charls the V. as he there writes Out of which Sir Edward Cooke might have as well averred they only voluntarily banished themselves as that they voluntarily banished themselves out of England withâ—ut any special Edict for their exile thence What other particulars of lesâ—er moment concerning the Jews occurre in these Records I have formerly touched in their respective places and shall here omit Having thus compleated my JUDAISMUS ANGLICANUS REDIVIVUS if I may so stile it or Chronological Collections of the Historical and Legal affairs of the English Jews out of the rich unknown Magazine of our generally neglected slighted precious old Records which Hugh Peters the great New-modeller Reformer of our former Lawes Liberties Government Kingdom Republike Church Religion Justice Law Merchandise Navy the Poor and what not but himself out of his rash fiery Zeal and transcendent ignorance would now make all new Martyrs but yet be none himself For which end in his Good Work for a good Magistrate London 1651. after his proposal of A short Model for the Law p. 28. c. he concludes with this advice as a Good Work fit for his good Magistrate p. 33. This being done It is very advisable to burn all the old Records yea even those in the Tower the Monuments of Tyranny that so his New Whimâ—es only might be known and adored for our English Lawes and Monuments in all succeeding ages I shall therefore crave Liberty to inform the World and this Ignoramus of the incomparable Excellency Utility Necessity of preserving these Records which he hath so brutishly devoted to the fire before he either knew their contents or worth which our Ancestors even in all former Wars Revolutions as well as times of peace and settlement preserved with much
if faithfully transcribed and methodically digested into a Parliamentary Chronicle would for rare usefull matter Excellency certainty far exceed all Histories Statute-Books Law-Books Chronicles ever yet compiled rectifie many grosse mistakes in most of them and make more able knowing Lawyers Judges parlamentmen Statesmen than former ages have produced Besides the old Records in the respective Treasuries of the Tower Courts at Westminster and the Rolls faithfully relate at large the Institutions Jurisdictions procedings Judgements Writs Formalities Debates commissions Law-cases Judges Officers names customes Fees of all the great courts of Law Justice Equity civil Ecclesiastical Military Marine Justices Itinerant Justices of the Forrest Justices of Assize Oyer and Determiner of most other inferiour Courts and Commissioners boâ—h in England Wales Ireland Scotland Gascoyne Normandy Poyters the Isles of Man Gernsy Iersy Alderny Serk Silly and other Isles the Stanneries in Cornwall and in most Corporations Counties Hundreds Honors Mannors in them Record all sorts of commissions charters Writs Warrants Instruments relating to Law Iustice Trade peace Waâ— The Courts Jurisdictions priviledges Mannors Lands Fees Rents exemptions Liberties Royalties Tenures Services customs Offices Successions pedigrees of the Kings Princes Queens Archbishops Bishops Deans Chapters cities corporations Fraternities Guiâ—ds Nobility Gentry Freâ—holders of England Ireland Wales Scotland and all Dominion Isles annexed to them with sundry other particulars necessary for an accomplished Lawyer out of which industrious Lawyers if countenanced by authority and encouraged by a a publike Salary might collect such a rare new Body and Systeme of the Laws customs courts and ancient legal proceedings in all the courts of Justice throughout our Dominions as would as far excell all other Abridgements collections Reports Institutes Registers Law-Books hitherto published for use excellency as the richest Diamond exceeds the basest pibble and bring more honour benefit to the English Nation than all the Shepheards Calenders and New-corps or Models of our old English Laws attempted by Hugh Peters Sword-men and â—ome bold illiterate Ignoramusses of the Law who neuer yet perused any of our old Records nor read over half our English Law-books and yet will be reformers or deformers rather of what they neâ—er exactly knew nor understood In brief the exact knowledge of our Records wiâ—â— furnish industrious Lawyers with such rare usefull materials of all sorts for the publike service of their Natiâ—e country upon all emergent occasions the benefit information of their clyents the honour of their profession and their own reputation advancement profit as will enable them to outshine all others of their robe unversed in the Records as far as the Sun and Moon outshine the lesser stars which lose all their borrowed splendor when â—hey once apâ—ear in place Witnesse Mr. Noy Mr. Seldon Mr. Littleton and some other Lawyers of late times whose real and Sir Edward Cooke whose borrowed superficial insight in Records advanced not only their Names Fames Arguments Books but practise and imployments likewise whiles they practisâ—d above all others of their Profession and hath immortalized their memories to posterity A sufficient Argument to engage all generous Students and Practisers of the Law to spend some years or long Vacations at least in the Study of our almost forgotten Records which though it may hinder their present gains and practise for a time will abundantly increase them afterwards the longest Studies in this kind like Merchants longest voyages being recompenced with the richest returns 2. All persons of quality desirous thoroughly to enable themselves to serve their Soveraign or Country in any publick great State-Offices Imployments at home or in foreigne parts may out of our Records furnish themselves with all former publike Negotiations Embassies Treaties Truces Leagues Contracts Agreements Transactions Letters Missives Commissions Instructions Claims Controversies Debates between the Kings Parliaments Nobles Clergy Merchants Kingdom People of England Ireland Scotland Wales and Dominions thereunto annexed or any of them and any other forraigne Kings Kingdoms Princes States Cities Embassadors Agents Legates Merchants relating to Peace Warre Amity Trade Marriages Alliances Government mutual aid Jurisdictions Soveraigntie Regulation of Injuries Abuses Depredations c. and likewise between themselves All Passages Writs Commissions Debates resolves relating to the Parliaments Judicatories Laws Justice Trade Merchandise Manâ—factures Navy Shipping Ports defence Militia by Land or Sea Coins Weights Measures of England Ireland and other our Dominions formerly specified with all other particulars fit for an accomplished Statesman no where extant but in our Record wherein they are faithfully registred for the information and benefit of posterity 3. All Heroick English Spirits desiring exact knowledg in the History and Chronology of England may find in our old Records all the choicest materials relating there unâ—o faithfully recorded with all the particular dates circumstances of time and place All Grounds Occasions Commissions Summons of Arrayes Armies Navies Fleets Ships Fortifications of Townes Castles Conâ—ultations Articles Instructions transactions relating to our Civil Foraign wars by Land or Sea with the Names of the Generals Officers Marshals Admirals and persons of greatest eminency in them All Truces Leagues Embassies Contracts Agreements Letters passages of State Parliamentary affairs Coronations Charters Patents of our Kings and what ever may compleat adorn our English History exactly registred which if faithfully transcribed and digested into order would make a farre more usefull compleat excellent English History and Chronicle then any yet published or compiled And if all the Charters Patents Commissions Records Writs Mandates priviledges Leâ—ters granted sent written by our Kings Parliaments Counsel and Officers of State relating to England Wales Ireland Scotland Jersey Gernsey Man and our other Isles and Dominions and to the particular Counties Hundreds Cities Corporations Ports Officers Bishopricks Monasteries Colleges Hospitals Free Schooles Parishes Churches Noblemen Gentlemen and particular Mannors places in them were judiciously collected digested after the moddel of Mr. Cambdens Britannia I dare affirm they would as far excel it in use and benefit as it transcends all former publications of our British world and Monarchy 4. Such Gentlemen as are addicted to Heraldry may find a Rich Magazine of all choice materials belonging to the Office and Study of an English Herald relating either to the Regal Noble Gentile families Great Officers Pedegrees Marriages Successions Coats Titles of Honor Chivalry c. of England Scotland Ireland Wales and other parts of our English Dominions The Coronations and Solemnities of our Kings the creations of our Nobles Knights Officers of all sorts with their Formalities Robes c. Most of our English Heraulds having been either Keepers of our Records or Clerks under them out of which they extracted most of their knowledge 5. All Divines studious of eminency in the Church History of England may read in our Records many excellent Letters Embassies passages Debates between our English Kings Parliaments Prelates Clergy Councils Synods and the Popes Cardinals Legates Court of Rome and forraign Councils