care and cost as the richest Pearls Treasures and Jewels of the Nation To which I answerâ— 1. That all our wisest Kings Parliaments Ancestors Statesmen in former ages had ever a special care to record all businesses of publike or private ocncernment and to preserve our ancient Records as the choicest Treasures appointing special Treasuâ—ies places to preserve them in and Custodes Râ—tulorum Treasurers Chamberlains Registers Clerks to keep them safe from injury corrupting and embeâ—â—lâ—ing and enacting many Statutes for this purpose wiâ—neâ—â—e not only the Chests Cyrographers Officers and oâ—hers forementioned for keeping the Records and Charteâ—s of the Jews and their Rolls but also 13 E. 1. c. 25.30 1 E. 3. c. 4. 5 E. 3. c. 12. 9 E. 3. c. 5. 6 R 2. c. 4. 13 H. 4. c. 7. 2 H. 5. c. 8. 4 H. 6. c. 3. 8 H. 6. c. 12.15 10 H. 6. c. 4. 18 H. 6. c. 1.9 27 H. 8. c. 16. 32 H. 8. c. 28. 34 H. 8. c. 22.28 37 H. 8. c. 1. 2 E. 6. c. 10.3 4 E. 6. c. 1.1 2 Phil. Mar. c. 2. 23 Eliz. c. 3. 27 Eliz. c. 9. 31 Eliz. c. 3. 1 Jac. c. 6. with other Acts And must they now after all these Statutes be all maâ—e a burnt-offring unto Vulcan upon the crack-brain'd Motion of an Ignatian Incendiary 2. The Statute of 8 H. 6. c. 12. still in force Oâ—daiâ—s That if any Record or parcel of the same writ retoriâ— paâ—el proces or warrant of Attorney in the Kiâ—gs Couâ—ts of Chancery Eschequer the one Bench or other or in his Treasury be willingly stolen taken away withdrawn or avoided by any Clerk or other Person by cause whereof any judgement be reveâ—sed 〈…〉 â—alâ—r taker away wiâ—hdrâ—â—◠〈◊〉 and avoider their Procurers Counsellors and Abettors being thereof inaâ—â—ted and by process theâ—eupon 〈◊〉 thereof duly convict by their own confession or by enquest to be taken by legal men whereof the one half shall be of the men of some Court of the same Courts and the other halâ— of â—â—her shall be judged for Felons and shall incurre the pain of Felons And that the Iudgâ—s of the saiâ—â—ourâ—â—â— of the one Bench and of the other have power to hear and detâ—rmine such defaults before them and thereoâ— to mâ—ke due puniâ—hment as is aforesaid And now Hugh Peters if I may be thy Counselâ—or in sober sadnesse look to thy neck which as thou hast oft indangered forfeited by thy late Fire-works to blow up Kings Kingdoms Parliaments Lords our old fundamental Lawes Liberties Government as Straffords Canterburies late Impeachments Sentences with Mr. St. Iohns and others Arguments at their Attaâ—ndâ—rs will resolve thee and thy open treasonable advising abetting the seising imprisoning of my self and above 40 more Members of Parliament in Hell on the bare boards Decemb. 6. 1648. whose names thou didst then list with an iron Sword under thy arme instead of the Sword of the Spirit So this thy Iesuitical Project to burn all our old Records whereby all former Judgement Titles Fines Recoveries c. will be nulled reversed which thou publickly abettest counsellest thy Magistrate to effect in Print proclaimes thee by thine own Confession without other evidence a Notorious Felon within this Act in the highest degree The burning avoiding of all our Records in general being a more transcendent Felony yea Treason to the whole Kingdom Nation than the embezelling only of one or two private Records or Writs relating but to one private person And if ever thou be brought to a legal Trial for it before such a Iury and such Iudges as this Act prescribes thou art sure to undergoe a Halter-Martyrdome at Tyburne which all will cry up according to thy Pamphlets Title for A good work of a good Magistrate and a short cut to great quiet for thy devoting all our old Records to a fiery Martyrdom in Smithfield which I trust they shall never undergo And that upon these enâ—uing weighty Considerations First theâ—e old Records which he would have burnt contain in them all the antient Rights Titles Evidences Charters Agreements Leagues Compacts of the Kings Kingdom Nation and people of England to all their pristine and present Dominions Jurisdictions Prerogatives Preheminences Priviledges Hereditaments and enjoyments both at home and abroad by Land and by Sea as they are a Kingdom Nation Republike body Politick in general and that both in relation to themselves and their own intrinsecal affairs at home as they have been owned reputed negotiated treated with upon special occasions as a Kingdom Nation Republike by any forraign Kings Princes Kingdoms States whose ancient undoubted Rights Titles to all or any of our Dominions Territories Jurisdictions Royalties cannot otherwise be legally câ—eared judicially evidenced upon any emergenr occasion or controversie between our Kingdom Nation and other Forraign States and Realms or between our selves at home but by our old Records the only publike evidences of the whole Kingdom and English Nation as necessary to defend maintain justifie their common publick Rights Dominions Possessions Jurisdictions Claims priviledges upon all occasions as any private Noble or Gentlemans ancient Charters Records Writings are to defend manifest his right and Title to his private Inheritance and Injoyments witnesse the famous Letter of the King Parliament and Nobles of England written and sent to the Pope Anno 1302. to clear the subordination of Scotland to the Crown of England and the Homage of the Kings of Scotland made for their kingdom to the Kings of England as their superiour Lords from time to time manifested by the ancient Histories and Records of England beyond all contradiction Mr. Selden his Mare Clausum proving the Dominion and Jurisdiction of the Kings of England oâ—er the Narrow Seas by Records and Sir Robert Cottons Posthuma Therefore it must necessarily be as bad and mad a worke for a bad and mad Magistrate to burn all the publick Evidences and Records of the whole Kingdom and Naâ—ion upon the frantick motion of a Bedlam in this particular as for a Great landed Nobleman to burre all the old Charters Evidences of his Lands and Honors or for a rich Usurer to burn all his Bonds and Morgages which all wise men will repute an act of Frenzy and Hugh Peters too in his right senses 2. They contein in them all the great publike Charters Contracts Agreements Leagues formerly granted or made by the Kings of England to or with the Prelates Earles Barons Freemen Commons of England Ireland Scotland Wales Gernsey Iersy Man and all other Isles and Dominions belonging to the Crown of England in general all Charters Patents Grants Contracts Writs Releases Gifts Pardons Offices Honors Liberties Franchises Customs Priviledges Faires Markets Inheritances Rents Revenues Licences compositions formerly granted by our Kings to the respective Counties Cities Towns Burroughs Villages Hundreds Arch-bishops Bishops Deans Chapters Prebends Abbies Priories Nunneriâ—s Colledges Hospitals Free-schools Universities great Officers Chancellors Generals Admirals Marshals Justices Nobles Gentlemen Citizens Merchants Societies Fraternities most private persons both in England Ireland Wales
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
held in Lent the young men and Souldiers who had taken upon them the sign of the Crosse and were then ready to go to Ierusalem with the King assembling together there out of divers counties disdaining that the Jews being the enemies of the crosse of Christ possessed such great store of goods and wealth when as they had not sufficient to defray the necessary expences of so great a journey and imagining that they should do God good service if they assaulted these his enemies boldly rushed upon them no man opposing himself against so great attempts whereupon divers of the Jews were slain and the rest being received into the castle hardly escaped with their lives their goods being all plundered and the plunderers departing freely away with their booty none of them being so much as questioned or punished by the Kings discipline The citizens of Lincoln hearing what was done to the Jews of Stanford taking occasion and being animated by the examples of others were willing to do something against them and being assembled together against the Jews inhabiting together with them became inraged against them But these Jews being made more wary by the slaughters and damages of others some few of them suffering harm and damages the rest fled timely with their monies into the Royal Fort and there secured themselves In all other places wheresoever the Jews were found they were pillaged and slain by the hands of the Pilgrims who hastning through England towards Ierusalem decreed to rise up first against the Jews before they invaded the Saracens Hereupon all the Jews who were found in their own houses at Norwich were slain on the 8 of February some few of them only escaping to the Castle At the same time the Nobles and Gentry of Yorkeshire nothing fearing the Kings Proclamation the wicked Jews having by Usury reduced them to extreme poverty joyning with them some holy foldiers brake up the Houses of the chief Jews equal to the Kings Palace slew their families spoild their Goods burnt their houses in the night then retired themselves to their homes in the dark After which the promiscuous multitude making an assault upon the Jews slew them without distinction of sex or age except some few who would give up their names to Christ in baptism to save their lives On the 18 day of April being Palm-Sunday the rest of the Jews in the City of Yorke being 500 men and women besides their children fearing the violence of the Christians shut up themselves within the castle of Yorke by the will and consent of the Guardian thereof and of the Sheriff who being thus received into the castle for their defence by the Guardian and Sheriff would not afterwards deliver it up unto them again Whereupon the Sheriff and keeper of the castle being much offended with them assembled the souldiers of the county and men of the city that they might free the castle from those Jews exhorting them to do their utmost endeavors to effect it who when they had assaulted the castle day and night the Jews offered a great summ of money to save their lives but all in vain the people being so incensed against them that they would not accept it whereupon a certain Iew skillfull in their Law stood up and said Men of Israel hearken to my counsel It is better for us to die for our Law then to fall into the hands of the enemies of our Law and our very Law commands the same thing Upon which all the Jews as well women as men consented to his counsel and every Father of a family going with a sharp razor first of all cut the throats of his own wife and children and then of his family casting the dead corps of those whom they had thus sacrificed to Devils over the castle walls upon the Christian people After which burning their rich cloathes and casting their golden Vessels and Jewels into Privies that the Christians might not be inriched by them these murderers shutting up themselves and the rest they had killed in the Kings house set it on fire and so burnt both themselves and it After which the Citizens of Yorke and the souldiers of the county burning all the Jews houses together spoiled their goods seized their possessions to themselves and burn'd all the charters of their debts The King being informed hereof and much incensed both for the contempt of his Royal proclamation and Authority and dammage to his Exchequer to which all the Goods and Debts of the Iews being Usurers belonged commanded his Chancellor to inflict due punishment upon the authors of this Sedition Whereupon after Easter the Bishop of Ely the Kings Chancellor gathering a great Army together came to Yorke to apprehend those as malefactors who had destroyed the Jews of the city And understanding that this was done by the command of the Sheriff and Governour of the castle he put them both from their Offices and took sureties from the Citizens of the City for to keep the Peace of the King and kingdom and to stand to the Law in the Kings court concerning the death of the Jews and commanded the Souldiers of the County who were at the destruction of the Jews to be apprehended but the chief of them flying into Scotland escaped not one of them all being put to death for this great Massacre and Riot Henry de Knyghton De Eventibus Angliae l. 2. c. 13. gives this censure of these slaughters popular tumults against the Jews The Zeal of the Christians conspired against the Jews in England but in truth not sincerely that is for the cause of faith but either out of emulation and envy because of their felicity or out of gaping after their goods The Justice truly of God not at all approving such things but decently ordering them that by this means he might punish the insolency of a perfidious Nation He likewise addes that one Iohn a most bold Christian flying from Stanford with many spoyls of the Jews to Northampton was there secretly slain by his Host to get his money and thrown without the city in the night the murderer flying thereupon After which through the dreams of old women and fallacious signs the simple people attributing to him the merits of a martyr honoured his Sepulchre with solemn vigils and gifts This was derided by wise men yet it was acceptable to the Clerks there living by reason of the gains Which the Bishop hearing of presently unsaincted him and prophaned the Monuments of this false martyr continued by the study of simple and covetous persons I wish no such plunderers as this might be saincted and adored in our age as too many of them are even before their deaths who will be un-saincted after them as well as this bold plunderer of the Jews Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments Vol. 1. p. 305. relating the story of the massacres of the Jews this year out of the Chronicle of Westminster saith That there were no less than
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
alio discesserunt Ita profuga Gens de Anglia in perpetuum exivit misera semper alicubi terrarum petiâ—ura usque eo dum denique deleatur But I shall pass from Latin to our more common Englâ—sh Historians Fabian in his Chronicle part 7. p. 133. Mr. Iohn Fox in his Acts and Monuments Lond. 1640. Vol. 1. p. 443. and Richard Grafton in his Chronicle p. 169. thus report it in the same words almost This year also 1290. all the Iews were utterly banished the Realm of England for the which the Commons gave he King a fifteenth Nâ—cholas Trivet Polychronicon l. 7. c. 38. and William Caxton in his Chronicles printed 1502. in the life of K. Edward the 1. thus stories the Jews banishment out of Hygden and Trevisa in their words Anone after the King had done his will of the Iustices tho lete he inquere and espye how the Iews dysceyved and beguyled his people thorough the synne of falseness and of usury And lete Ordain a Prevy Parlement among his Lords So they ordainned among theim That all Iewes should void out of Englande for their Mysbyleve and also for their false vsury that they did unto Crysten Men. And for to speed and make an end of this thing All the Comynalte of Englande gave unto the King the XV. Penny of all theyr Goodes mevable and so were the Iewes driven out of Englande And tho went the Iews into France and there they dwellyd thrugh leve of Kyng Phylip that tho was Kyng of France Raphael Holinshed in his Chronicles out of them Vol. 3. p. 285. thus publisheth it In the same year was a Parliament holden at Westminster wherein the Statutes of Westminster the 3 d. were ordained It was also DECREED That all the Jews should avoid out of the Land in consideration whereof a fifteenth was granted to the King and so hereupon were the Jews banished out of all the Kings Dominions and Never since could they obtain any priviledge to return hither again All their goods not moveable were confiscated with their tailles and obligations but all their goods that were moveable together with their coyn of gold and silver the King licensed them to have and convey with them A sort of the richest of them being shipped with their Treasure in a mighty tall ship which they had hired when the same was under sail and got down the Thames towards the mourh of the River beyond Quinborow The Master Mariner bethought him of a wile and caused his men to cast anchor and so rode at the same till the ship by ebbing of the stream remained on the dry sands The Master herewith inticed the Jewes to walke out with him on land for recreation and at length when he understood the tyde to be comming in he got him back to the ship whither he was drawn by a cord The Jews made not so much hast as he did because they were not ware of the danger But when they perceived how the matter stood they cryed to him for help Howbeit he told them that they ought to cry rather unto Moses by whose conduct their Fathers passed through the red Sea and therefore if they would call to him for help he was able enough to help them out of these raging flouds which now came in upon them They cryed indeed but no succour appeared and so they were swallowed up in the water The Master returned with the ship and told the King how he had used the matter and had both thanks and reward as some have written But others affirm and more truly as should seem that divers of those Marriners which dealt so wickedly against the Jews were hanged for their wicked practise and so received a just reward of their fraudulent and mischievous dealing In Capitula Itineris in Totles Magna Charta f. 151. made in Edward the first his reign There is one chapter of Inquiry De catallis Judaeorum occisorum et eorum chartis vadiis qui ea habeant taken out of the Eyre of Rich. the 1. forecited which relates to these Jewes thus drowned and slain as I conceive since I read of no other massacre of them near that time John Stow in his Annals p. 204. and Survey of London p. 289. writes thus of it King Edward banished all the Iews out of England gâ—ving them to bear their enaâ—rges till they were out of the Realm The number of the Iews then expelled was fifteen thousand and sixty persons whose housâ—s being sold the King received an infinite masse of money Iohn Speed in his History of Great Britain p. 545 thus varieth the expression of it King Edward Anno 1290. to purge England from such corruptions and oppressions as under which it groaned not neglecting therein his particular gaâ—n banished the Iews out of the Realm confiscating all their goods leaving them nothing but money to bear their charges they by their cruel Usuries having eaten his People to the bones To passe by Heylins Microcosm p. 570. Henry Isaacsons Chronology Anno 1290. Sir Rich. Baker his Chronicle of the Kings of England p. 146 147. with others who mention this their final banishment out of England I shall conclude with the words of Samuel Daniel his History p. 160. Of no lesse grievance than corrupt Judges then fined displaced banished this King eased his people by the banishment of the Jews for which the kingdom willingly granted him a fifteenth having before in Anno Regis 9. offered a fifth part of their goods to have them expelled But then the Jews gave more and so stayed till this time which brought him a great benefit by confiscation of their immoveables with their Tallies and Obligations which amounted to an infinite value But now hath he made his last commodity of this miserable people which having never been under other cover but the will of the Prince had continually served the turn in all the necessary occasions of his Predecessors but especially of his Father and himself Sir Edward Cook in his 2 Institutes p. 506 507 508. in his Commentary upon Statutum de Judaismo forecited seems to contradict these forecited Historians touching their banishment whose words I shall at large rehearse and refute too in this particular This Statute was made writes he in the Parliament of 18 Ed. 1. That the mâ—schiefs before this Statute against Jewish Usury were these 1. The evils and disherisons of the good men of the land 2. That many of the sins and offences of the Realm had risen and been committed by reason thereof to the great dishonour of Almighty God And are noâ— theâ—e two sufficient grounds to keep them out now as well as to restrain and banish them then The difficulty adds he was how to apply a remedy considering what great yearly revenue the King had by the Usury of the Iews and how necessary it was that the King should be supplyed with Treasure What benefit the Crown had before the making of this
extirpated the Infidelity prevarications and superstitions of the Jews neither would he permit any one of them to live in his Realm who would not become a Christian For which this Council highly commended him rendered special thanks to God for it and withall enacted by the conâ—ent of the Nobles that every King of Spain in future times before he should be installed and crowned King should take an Oath That he would not suffer the Jews to violate the Christian Faith and that he would in no wise favour their infidelity through any kind of negligene or covetousnes nor give entranc to any thing tending to the precipices of infidelity prevarication c. About the year of Christ 615. they were banished out of Jerusalem it self by Heraclius the Emperour as Zonaras Tom. 3. in his life Paulus Diaconus rerum Rom. l. 18. Cent. Mag. 7. c. 4. storie near that age out of Arverna Bibl Patr. Tom. 6. part 2. p. 243. Venantii Fortun. l. 5. c. 5. About Anno 616. King Sisebutus banished them all out of Spaine unlesse they would turn Christians which the most of them refusing to doe departed thereupon into France as the marginal Authors unanimously attest About the year 618. they were all banished out of France by King Dagobert unlesse they would renounce their Judaism and turn Christians upon the command and instigation of Heraclius the Emperour as Regâ—no Chron. l. 1. Cert Magdeb. 7. c. 14. relate King Wamba about the year 710. banished them out of the Province of Narbon as Rodericus Toletanus de Rebus Hisp. l. 3. c. 11. informs us About the year 1196. they were banished out of the City of Mentz and near the same time out of the City of Triers and the Bishoprick thereof by Bishop Everhard Philip Augustus King of France banished them all out of France by several Edicts Anno 1152. 1162. 1182. for theâ—e reasons Because they had divers times crucified children of Christians in Paris and elsewhere in contempt of Christ and his passion entertained Christian men servants and maid servants in their houses who did likewise play the Jews with them contrary to the Decrees of God and the Church above measure oppressed impoverished by their Usuries the Citizens Knights Gentry and Country people both in the Cities Suburbs and Villages of France and detained some of them prisoners in their houses like captives binding them by an oath not to depart out of them most vilely profaned the sacred Vessels pawned to them by Church-men in cases of necessity causing their little children ordinarily to drink wine and eat sops out of them yea to lay their excrements in them as Petrus Cluniancensis records in contempt of the Sacrament and casting the silver Vessels Crosses and guilded Books of the Gospel pawned to them into a Jakes in a sack that the Christians might not find them and because the Saracens upbraided the Christians for entertaining them amongst them being the professed Enemies of Christ Vpon these grounds as also because their wealth and number were so increased that they had almost gotten half the city of Paris into their hands King Philip caused them to be all apprehended through France in one day as they were in their Synagogues then spoiled them of all their rich gold and silver garments confiscated all their Lands Houses possessions and banished them the Realm notwithstanding the intercessions of many Bishops and Nobles bribed with their gold and gifts in their behalf and the proffers of great sums of money to him by the Jews wherewith he would not be mollified After which he caused their Synagogues to be prophaned and then consecrated and converted to churches that so where Christ was first blasphemed after the manner of the Jews he might in the same places be praised both by the Clergy and people as Vincentius records at large After this creeping into that Realm again by money and bribes they were again bannished out of France and their goods confiscated by King Philip the Fair in the year 1293. as some or 1307. as others compute it and driven into Germany In the year 1349. at the earnest importunity of the people they were all banished out of Alsatia and the Impeâ—ial Cities by the agreement of the Bishops and Nobles and most of them burnt and destroyed as they had been formerly in those parts by Earl Emicho An. 1102. who then banished them thence Ludovâ—cus Duke of Bavaria about the year 1425. banished all the Jews out of his Territories as Aeneas Picolomineus in his Europae status sub Frederico l. 3. c. 32. p. 79. assures us and that for conspiring against the Christians c. Procul ejicienda Gens mpia finibus quae in contumeliam Christi in subversionem vergit Christianorum as Abraham Bzovius writes The Jews were banished out of the Kingdome of Castâ—le by K. John the 2. about the year 1430. In the years 1474 1482. and 1492. they were all banished out of Spain by King Ferdinand surnamed the Catholique from whence they were transported and received into Portugal they paying to King John the 2.8 Duckets for every poll of them at first for their admission which much augmented his Exchequer though it diminished his piety and honour Not long after Anno 1497. they were driven and banished out of Portugal by King Emanuel And in the year 1539. they were banished out of Naples and Sicily by Charles the 5th To which I might adde the destruction burning and utter extirpation of the Jews by the Rubeaqueâ—ses Anno 1309. and 1338. Munst Cosm l. 3. p. 547. Their banishment out of Germany Anno 1385. out of Misnia and Thuringia Anno 1410. out of Wormes and Spires Anno 1092. Munsteri Cosm l. 3. p. 582. Out of Prague by Wratislans for hating and slaying the christians Geor. Bartholdus Pontanus Bohemiae Piae l. 2. p. 20. Out of Berne Anno 1287. Munsteri Cosm l. 3. p. 582. Out of Trent Anno 1475. for crucifying a child And out of Rome it self Anno 1508. by Pope Pius quintus for their horrid extravagant usuries oppressions combining with Theeves and Robbers Forgeries and ungodly charmes in wooing of women to their lusts Having therefore been thus frequently banished by Christian Kings Princes from time to time at the earnest sollicitation of their godly christian Ministers Bishops people and by our King and Parliament too out of England so long since never to return again what shadow colour of piety policy prudence justice law reason there can be for any person or persons whatsoever to re-admit them except the argument of dishonest private filthy under-hand Bribes or Lucre by which they usually scrue themselves into those places whence they have been exiled transcends my shallow capacity to comprehend especially at this season when we are so over-stored with English that some think of sending and planting Colonies in another world whithet these Gold-thirsty
audacias turpitudines ne dicam scelera indigna audiru profatuque quae vix credenti non modò enunciata sed visa comperta fuere Iason Matassalanus Ludovicus Matha quum sacerdotalibus quibus fungebantur muneribus cedere nollent quaesitis occasionibus ad inimicorum libidinem tetro carcere usque eò tenti fuere donec illorum arbitrio singulis ornamentis fama fortunis omnibus exturbati quoad illis liberet excruciati sunt non verò judicio sed praesidentis sola temeritate libidine ne prosequar viros vitae inculpassimae summa integritate fide falsis criminibus circunuentos ab impotentibus inimicis miseros laborentes in quos graviter crudeliterque consultum vidimus vel ut afflictas fortunas invaderent ipsosque de possessione antiquissimis sedibus deturbarent vel ut invidorum libidini obtemperarent aliaque in miseros edita exempla nulla pietate in supplices calamitosos eosque innoxios turpibus judiciis conflictari usque premi ab his qui gratiâ opibus plus possunt pollentque alios vero autores manifesti facinoris ne appellari quidem Quae cum viderem patronisque contra vim potentiorum aut gratiam nihil praesidii esse nihil opus frustra nos in legum controversiis ediscendis tot casuum varâ—etatibus â—am pensiculatè editis tantum laboris vigiliarum suscipere tantoque nos studio fatigari dicebam quum ad ignavissimi impurissimique cujusque temeritatem qui jure dicundo praesideret quem leges virum bonum esse volunt non aequo jure sed ad gratiam libidinem judicia ferri decretaque legum tanto consilio edita convelli labefactari viderem FINIS ERRATA EPistle p. 8. l. 17. servants were r. Converts will be l. 33. excogitavit p. 10. l. 10. discover Book p. 9. l. 8. r. multa p. 20. l. 21. r. quesuerunt sufflatis p. 35. l. 10. thence from p. 41. l. 11. r. Claus 4. E. 1. l. 12. r. Gamalict l. 19. parte ne r. Regno nostro p. 45. l. 20. Judaei p. 62. l. 4. fift r. first p. 105 l. 11. CeremonÃes l. 35. these p. 109. l 32 others r their Margin p. 35. l. 13. Geogr. p. â—9 l. â— c 10. p 105. l. 1. Imo â— 23 1 Tiâ— 5.8 p. 115. l 17. 〈◊〉 l. 22. servirebant p. 116. l. 42. Episcopalis l. 42. Calâ—ernâ—nus The Second Part of a Short DEMVRRER TO THE IEWES Long discontinued REMITTER into ENGLAND Containing a Brief Chronological Collection of the most material RECORDS in the reigns of King John Henry 3. and Edward 1. relating the History Affaires State Condition Priviledges Obligations Debts Legal Proceedings Justices Taxes Misdemeanors Forfeitures Restraints Transactions of the Jews in and final Banishment out of England never formerly published in Print with some short usefull Observations upon them Worthy the knowledge of all Lawyers Scholars Statists and of such Jews who desire Re-admission into England By VVilliam Prynne Esquire a Bencher of Lincoâ—ns-â—nne Amos 3.3 Can two walk together unless they be agreed Gregorius lib. 7. Registri Epist 226. Surius Tom. 2. Concil p. 698. Cùm Excellentia vestra Reccaredus Rex Gothorum Suevorum Constitutionem quandam contra Judaeorum perfidiam dediâ—â—et â—i de quibus prâ—â—â—â— fuerat rectuudinem vestrae mentis inflectere pecuniarum summam offeâ—â—◠〈…〉 sunt quam Excellentia vestra contempsit omnipotentâ—s Dei placere judâ—â—â—â—r quiâ—â—nâ— auro innocentiam praetulit Si igitur ab armato Regâ— in Sacâ—ificiuâ— Dâ—â— vâ—â—sa câ—â— aqua contempta pensemus quale sacrificium omnipotenti Dâ—o Râ—x â—â—â—uâ—it qui pro amore illius non aquam SED AURUM ACCIPERE CONTEMPSIT Itaque fili Excellentissime fidentâ—â— dicam quia libaâ—iâ— AURUM Dâ—mino quod contra cum habere noluisti LONDON Printed and sold by Edward Thomas in Green Arbor 1â—56 To the Ingenuous Reader THe Extraordinary Coldness and Shortness of the Time I had to compile transcribe publish my Short Demurrer to the Jews long discontinued Remitter into England that it might come into the world in due season before any final Resolves upon the late Whitehall Debates and Consults concerning it necessitated me not only to omit three or four less pertinent Passages in some of our Historians concerning the English Jews with some few others relating to their misdemeanors in foraign parts which I have since supplied and to be more sparing in refuting reverend Sir Edward Cooks mistakes touching the time of the making of the Statute de Judaismo and the Jews voluntary banishing of themselves thereupon without any particular Act or Edict of the King and Parliament for their universal Exile and Expulsion hence which I have more fully refuted in the second inlarged Edition thereof beyond all contradiction But likewise to leave out most of the unprinted Records in the reigns of King John Henry the 3. and Edward the 1. relating to the History State Affairs of the Iews in England under them and to their final Banishment thence which Records because I could not conveniently insert into the Second Impression for fear of incrâ—asing it into an over-large bulke and of oâ—er prejudicing those who had bought the first Edition I have therefore digested into a Chronological method according to their series of time and published apart by themselves in this Second Paâ—t that so such who have bought the first Impression may annex them thereunto and those who shall buy the second may bind them up with it if they see cause into which Impression I have insâ—rted only such new Records not extant in the first as were necessary to clear some passages in our Histories and to refute our learned Sir Edwâ—rd Cooks mistakes whose venerable Authority hath misguided many especially of the long robe in point of the Jews expulsion and date of the Statute de Iudaismo VVhat new light information or satisfaction this Additional Publication may yield to the judicious Readers consisâ—ing of unprinted and for the most part unknown Records never formerly published I cannot diâ—ine yet the great satisfaction my former Demurrer hath given to and kind acceptation it hath found with most godly and judicious persons throughout the Nation give me some good assurance that this Appendix to back and illustrate it will not be unwelcom but delightfull to them especially to those of my own Profession for whose information I principally intended it I hope both of them united will through Gods blessing prove a perpetual Barr to the Antichristian Iews re-admission into England both in this new-fangled age all future Generations maugre all printed pleas and Endeavors for their present Introduction the sole end of their publication by The unfeigned weak Endeavor to Promote his Saviours Honour Religions Safety with his Native Countries weal and Prosperity by this Undertaking WILLIAM PRYNNE Lincolnes Inne Feb. 1. 1655. 6. The Second Part of a short Demurrer to the Iews long discontinued barred
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
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
of The Court of the Justices assigned for the Government of the Jews he saith But when the Iews were utterly banished as hath been said this Court ceased with them in 18 E. 1. Anno Dom 1290. misprinted 1293. but likewise in this very Chapter his own subseqvent words and Records in direct terms contradicting this opinion of his no less than 5 times which I wonder he observed not I shall recite them at large to undeceive his over-credulous Readers of the long Robe who take his words and works for Oracles though in many things very full of gross mistakes contradicted by his own Records he cites specially in his Chapter of Parliament and Admiralty And for that writes he they were odious both to God and Men that they might pass out of the Realm in safety they made Petition to the King that a certain day might be prefixed to them to depart the Realm it was prefixed by the King and Parliament against their wills to the end that they might have the Kings writ to his Sheriffs for their safe conduct and that no injury molestation damage or greivance be offered to them in the mean time for which perchance they did petition though not for their departure hence One of which Writs we will transcribe Rex Vic G. Cum Judaeis Regni nostri universis Certum tempus praefixerimus a regno illo transfretandi therefore prefixed by the King hâ—mself without their Petition and that for the banishment of them all out of the Realm Nolentes quod ipsi per ministros nostros aut alios quoscunque aliter quam fieri consuevit indebite pertrectentur Tibi praecipimus quod per totam Ballivam tuam publice proclamati firmiter inhiberi facias ne quis eis intra terminum praedictum injuriam molestiam damnum inferat seu gravamen Et cum contingat ipsos cum catallis suis quae eis concessimus versus partes London causa transfretationis suae dirigere gressus suos salvum securum conductum eis habere facias sumptibus eorum Proviso quod Judaei praedicti ante recessum suum Vadia Christianorum quae penes se habent illis quorum fuerint si ea acquietare voluerint restituant ut tenentur Teste Rege apud Westmin 18. die Julii Anno 18 E. 1. This Statute De Judaismo was made at the Parl. post festum Hilarii Anno 18 E. 1. a gross mistake At which Parliament the King had a 15 granted to him pro expulsione Iudaeorum Therefore by his own confession they were expelled banished by the King and Parlament against their wills and a fifteenth given for it as the former Historians note And this writ was granted in July following in pursute therefore of their Judgement of banishment not upon their petition the King beginning his reign Novemb. 16. For the Parliament knew a strange conceit of a Judge for how could they certainly know it that by banishing of Usury though they banished it only not the Jews the Jews would not remain And thus this Noble King by this means banished for ever these infidel usurious Iews Ergo their persons not their Usury only the number of which Jews thus banished was fifteen thousand and threescore We will here adde a Parliament Record de Priore de Bridlington thus Et quod praedictus Prior cognoscit quod praedicta peonnia praed Judaeo debebatur viz. 3 col nec ei solvebatur Ante exilium Iudaeorum therefore by this Parliamentary record but 3 years after they were judicially banished by Parliament not voluntarily of themselves no banishment in Law Et quicquid remansit eorum debitis aut catallis in regno post eorum Exilium again repeated as most certain Domino regis suit Confideratum est quod Dom. Rex recuperet pecuniam praedictam dictum est eidem Priori quod non exeat Villa antequam Domino Regi de praedicta pecunia satisfaciat Et respondeat Johannes Archiepiscopus Eborum quia praecepit dicto Priori solvere Valetto suo praedictam pecuniam in deceptionem Regis contra Sacramentum fidelitatem suam Domino Regi datam Idem in alio Rot. Ann. 27. E. 1. rot 5. Therefore by these 3 records resolutions cited by himself the Jews were all banished by sentence of Parliament in such sort as our Historians record and not in his New sence alone amounting but to a voluntary Recess And to put this beyond all future doubt or controversie though the particular Act and Parliament Roll for their Banishment be utterly lost for ought I can find upon diligent search and inquiry after it as are all other Parliament Rolls during this Kings reign yet there is a particular Roll still extant in the Tower of the particular sales of all the Jews Houses and Lands in London Yorke Canterbury Northampton and all other places of England where they resided made by King Edward the 1. in the 19 and 20 years of his reign the next years after their exile reciting they were all escheated into the Kings hands By the Iews banishment out of England which Roll was thus indorsed in that age Charta de Judaismo Patentes de domibus Iudaeorum concessis post eorum exilium de Anglia Annis 19 20. E. 1. The fifth Charter mentioned in the Roll of 19 E. 1. conteins this Kings Grant of the House of one Leo a Jew in St. Martins Parish in London Domus Leonis filu Cusae filii Eliae Judaei de Parochia Sancti Martini c. per Exilium ejusdem Iudaei e Regno nostro tanquam escheata in manu nostra existentis After which follow near one hundred other several charters of other particular Jews houses to particular Englishmen the same year in the self-same Roll as escheated to the King per Exilium ejusdem Iudaei After these in the same Roll follow several other Patents of this King of the Jews houses made in the 20 year of his reign the first whereof is this Kings grant Domus Benedicti Iudaei per Exilium ejusdem Iudaei ex Regno nostro tanquam escheata nostra in manu nostra existentis After which follow several other Charters of other Jews Houses in the self same form So that by the testimony of all these Charters and Records likewise of the Patent Roll of 19 E. 1. granting all the profits of the Jews houses a tempore Exilii eorundem to charitable uses the two very next years after their exile the Jews were all immediatly and legally banished out of England against their wills and all their houses there upon escheated into the Kings hands who upon this Title made sales of them to Englishmen recited in all their Charters the Rolls whereof I have lately perused in the Tower where all who please may examine them for their satisfaction herein By all these concurrent irrefragable Records and Testimonies it is apparent against Sir Edward Cooks grounlesse conceit 1. That all the Jews