newly delivered their Opinions there was no Law against it To which I answered That the Jews were in the yeer 1290. all banished out of England by Judgement and Edict of the King and Parliament as a great Grievance never to return again for which the Commons gave the King the fifteenth part of their Moveables and therefore being thus banished by Parliament they could not by the Laws of England be brought in again without a special Act of Parliament which I would make good for Law He replied I wish it might not be done otherwise that this business had been formerly moved in the Bishops time rather than now To which I subjoyned That it was now a very ill time to bring in the Jews when the people were so dangerously and generally bent to Apostacy and all sorts of Novelties and Errors in Religion and would sooner turn Jews than the Jews Christians He answered He thought it was true and was sorry he could not discourse longer with me the Committee about the Jews being sate and staying for him as he feared Whereupon as he was turning in towards White-Hall-Gate I told him The Jews had been formerly great Clippers and Forgers of Mony and had crucified three or four Children in England at least which were principal causes of their banishment To which he replied That the crucifying of Children was not fully charged on them by our Historians and would easily be wiped off Whereto I answered He was much mistaken and so we parted As I kept on my way in Lincolnes-Inne Fields passing by seven or eight maimed Soldiers on Stilts who begged of me I heard them say aloud one to another We must now all turn Jews and there will be nothing left for the poor And not far from them another company of poor people just at Lincolnes-Inne back Gate cried aloud to each other They are all turned Devils already and now we must all turn Jews Which unexpected concurrent Providences and Speeches made such an impression on my Spirit that before I could take my rest that night I perused most of the passages in our English Histories concerning the Jews carriage in England with some of their misdemeanors in other parts to refresh my memory and satisfie my judgement making some Collections out of them which after I enlarged and digested into this ensuing Demurrer with as much speed as the sharpness of the season would permit and was induced to publish it knowing no particular discourse of this Subject extant for the general information satisfaction of others and honour of my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the righteous whom the Jews with malicious hearts and wicked hands crucified in person heretofore and their posterity by their blasphemies despiteful actions against Christ his Kingdom Offices Gospel crucifie afresh every day trampling under foot the Son of God putting him to open shame offering despite to the Spirit of Grace counting the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing And in all their publick and private Devotions praying constantly for the sodain universal total final subversion extirpation perishing of Christs Kingdom Gospel and all his Christian Members which they plot and continually expect such is their implacable transcendent malice I have deduced their introduction into England only from William surnamed the Conqueror because I finde not the least mention of them in any of our British or Saxon Histories Councils Synods Canons which doubtlesse would have mentioned them and made some strict Laws or Canons against their Iewish as well as against Pagan Superstitions had they exercised them here as they would have done as well as in Spain other places had they resided here That any of them were here in the time of our famous Emperor Constantine is but a dream of such who because they finde an Epistle of Constantines in the Council of Nice to all the Churches of Christ in Sir Hen. Spelmans Collections of the Decrees Canons and Constitutions of the British World wherein is mention made of the Churches of Britain in that age as well as in Rome France and other parts keeping the Passeover in a different manner from the wicked blinded Iews would thence infer there were then Jews resident in Britain of which there is not one syllable in that Epistle nor in any Classick Author Forrain or Domestick I yet ever saw or heard of That they were setled in our Island in the Saxons time is collected onely from that Law inferted by Hoveden and Spelman amongst Edward the Confessors here cited p. â— But there being no mention of the Jews in any of our Saxon Kings Raigns Councils Decrees Laws before the Confessor out of which all his Laws were wholly extracted and this Law of the Jews being not to be found in the true Original Copy of the Confessors and Conquerors Laws of Abbot Ingulphus who flourished in that age was present at their confirmation and then brought them to Croyland Abby published by Mr. Iohn Selden nor yet in Bromton I cannot but reject it as counterfeit and esteem it rather a Declaration of the Jews Condition in England in Hovedens time inserted by him as well as some other things of puâ—ier date amongst these Laws rather than any Law of or in the Confessors days wherein I can finde no evidence of any Jews residence here but only this interpolation and forged Law which Mr. Selden wholly omittes in his Collection of his Laws The History of King William Rufus his compelling the Iews of Rhoan that were turned Christians to renounce their Christianity and turn Iews again ACCEPTO PRETIO APOSTASIAE upon the complaint and mony given him by the Infidel Jews there with the Dialogue between Him and Stephen the Jew cited out of Holinshed here p. 5 6. I finde originally recorded of him by Eadmerus living in his raign who though very bitter and injurious to him by reason of the great Contests between him Anselme whose Favourite Follower and Companion in adversity Eadmerus was yet he relates it not as a certain Truth but as a Report of others of that Country who had another Opinion of Rufus Quam de Christianis Christianos Lex Christiana docet habere quae tamen sicut illa accepimus simpliciter ponam non astruens vera an secus extiterint an non Onely he addes this passage to the story of Stephen which Holinshed omits That St. Stephen appearing to him as he was travelling on the way he demanding of him who he was Answered That he was long since of a Jew made a Christian and was Stephen the first Martyr but for this cause I have now come down from Heaven to Earth that thou casting away thy Iewish Superstition mightest be made a Christian and being baptized in Christ mightest be called by my name Whereupon he became a Christian and was baptized That immediately after the conference between the King and Stephen which agrees with that in Holinshed he
and subversion of our only Lord Saviour Redeemer Mediator Jesus Christ his Person Offices Kingdom Gospel and Christianity it self without any thoughts of turning Christians themselves In which case not to be passionately zealous not to contend earnestly for the Faith against these ungodly men turning the Grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ is in a great measure to deny and betray him together with our Church Nation at once unto these their inveterate enemies For whose Conversion not National but of the Elect Remnant of them as I shall pray so I cannot but pray and write against their Re-admission amongst us on these or any other terms for the Reasons here humbly presented to thy view and Christian Consideration by Thy Christian Brother and Companion in tribulation and in the Kindom Patience of Jesus Christ William Prynne Lincolnes-Inne 14 December 1655. ERRATA Title p. for quandam read quorundam p. 9. l. 12. est r. et p. 12. l. 7. homes r. houses p. 22. l. 21. p. 23. l. 26 r. Iuvel p. 37. six r. ten p. 48. l. 3. quod l. 8. coâ—um p. 51. l 16. exâ—aecati p. 70. l. 2. dele record p. 88. l. 1. receive revive A short Demurrer to the Jews long discontinued Remitter into ENGLAND HOw the Nation of the Jewes once Gods own beloved speciall chosen People after their malitious crucifying of our Saviour Jesus Christ and imprecation That his Bloud might be on them and their children were for this their crying sinne especially made the saddest Spectacles of divine Justice and humane Misery of all other Nations in the World being quite extirpated out of their own Land almost totally deleted by the sword pestilence famine carried away Captives and dispersed like so many Vagabonds over the face of the whole Earth as the very off-scowring of the world and execration derision of all other people having no place City Form of Government or Republike of their own in any corner of the Universe according to Gods Comminations against them Levit. 26. 14. to 46. Deut. 28. 15. to 68. Jer. 9. 10. c. 13. 24. Ezech. 5. 2. to the mid c. 12. 15. c. 22. 15. Mich. 1. 21. Mat. 24. Or what banishments punishments oppositions restraints by penal Laws suppressions of their Synagogues Ceremonies they have received in all ages from Christian Kings Princes Republikes in Forreign parts for their implacable malice blasphemie against our Saviour Jesus Christ Christians Christian Religion and other Crimes and Misdemeanors to which they are most addicted is not the subject of my intended Brief Discourse and so fully related by Josephus Egesippus Eusebius Nicephorus Zonaras Paulus Diaconus the Magdeburgian Centuriators out of them and other Historians in their 2. to their 13 Centuries chap. 14 and 15. in Baronius his Annals and Hâ—ylâ—â—s Microcosm p. 568 569 570. where all may peruse them that I shall not spend time to recite them but wholly confine my self to a Brief Relation of their first admission into their ill deportment misdemeanors sufferings popular insurrections against them in and their final banishment by Judgement and Edict of Parliament out of England never to return again collected out of the best Historians to which I shall subjoyn a taste only of such Laws Scriptures and Reasons as seem strongly to plead against their re-admission into our Island especially at this season When the Jews came first into England appears not certainly by any Historians there being no mention of their being here in any of our British or Saxon Kings reigns to my remembrance Antoninus in his Chronicles Tit. 16. ca. 5. records That William the Conqueror King of England translated the Jews from Rhoan to London and the Magdeburg Centuries out of him Centur. xi cap. 14. Col. 686. adds thereto that it was OB NUMERATUM PRECIUM for a summ of money given to him by them which I find not in Antoninus Both these Authors intimate That this was their first arival in England yet in what year of this King they are silent With them concurs Raphael Holinshed Vol. 3. p. 15. where thus he writes Among other grievances which the English sustained by the hard dealings of the Conqueror this is to be remembred That he brought Jews into the Land from Rouen and appointed them a place to inhabit and occupy reputing their very first introduction a Grievance to the English and hard dealing Which John Stow in his Annals of England p. 103. thus seconds King William brought the Jews from Rhoan here to inhabit in England But this Law concerning the Jews inserted amongst the Laws in the Confessors time seems to prove their arrival and settlement in England to be before this Normans reign unlesse mis-placed in point of time amongst his Lawes by Hoveden being rather in my opinion a Declaration of the Jews servile condition under King William and Richard the first when Hoveden writ then any Law in King Edwards reign or before as the words import De Judaeis in Regno constitutis SCiendum est quoque quod omnes Judaei ubicunque in Regno sunt sub tutela defensione Domim Regis sunt nec quilibet eorum alicui diviti se potest subdere sine Regis licentia Judaei omnia sua Regis sunt Quod si quispiam detinuerit eis pecuniam suam perquirat Rex tanquam suum proprium or detmuerit eos vel pecuniam corum perquirat Rex si vult tanquam suum proprium as Sir Henry Spelman renders it This Law or Declaration being the first record making mention of their being and condition in England proves That as all the Jews when they came first into England were under the Kings protection and patronage where ever they resided that they were under him only as his meer Vassals their persons and goods being his alone that they could dispose of neither of them without his License Into which slavish condition they doubtlesse then put themselves being banished out of other Nations for their Villanies only to avoid the fury of the common people to whom they were most detestable who else would have quickly murdered or ston'd them to death and stript them of all their wealth as the sequell will declare The next Passage in Historians concerning the Jews being and condition in England is that of William of Malmsbury in William Rufus his reign The Jews writes he in his time gave a testimony of their insolency Once at Rhoan endeavouring by gifts to perswade and revoke certain men to Judaism who had deserted their error Another time at London being animated to enter into a combate or dispute against our Bishops because the King in merriment as I believe had said That if they should overcome the Christians and confute them by open arguments he would then revolt to them and become one of their Sect Whereupon it was managed with great fear of the Bishops and Clergy and
Wayland Chief Justice of the Common Pleas 19. E. 1 Rot. Parl. rot 12. and these Jews then banished Exilium Hugonis le Dispenser patris filii Tottles Magna Charta f. 50 51. The double banishment of Peter de Gaverston out of England assensu communi Procerum Magnatum and of the King in Parliament Walsingham Hist Angliae p. 68 71 72. The Statute of 1 Edward the 3. c. 2. 11 Richard the 2. c. 2 3 4. for the banishment of Belknap and other Judges into Ireland 21. R. 2. Rot. Paâ— l. n. 16. 17. For the banishment of Thomas Arundel Arch-bishop of Canterbury The Statute of 35 Eliz. c. 1. of 39 Eliz. c. 4. For banishing dangerous Sectaries Rogues out of the Realm after conviction upon Indictment only not before which could not be done by Law before these Acts Cooks 2 Institutes f. 47. Mr. St. Iohns speech against the Shipmony Judges p. 22 My New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny p. 166 167 168. VValsingham Hist. Angliae p. 394 and other Testimonies as also by 1 E. 3. r. 5. 4 H. 4. c. 13. The Statute for the pressing of Souldiers for Ireland 17 Caroli Exact Collect p. 435. The Petition and Protestation of the Lords and Commons in Parliament against serving the King in person or contribution to his wars in Flanders and other forain parts 25 E. 1. Walsingham Hist. p. 35 37 38 c. nor yet in Gascoigne France Notmandy Scotland or Ireland Cooks 2 Instit p. 528. 4. H. 4. n. 48. 1 H. 5. n. 17. 7 H. 5. n. 9. 18 R. 2. n. 6. So none once banished the Realm by judgement or Act of Parliament can may or ought by the fundamental and known common Laws of England to be restored and recalled again but only by a like judgement Act and Restitution in full Parliament as is adjudged declared resolved by the cases and Petitions of the two Spencers and Peirce Gaveston VValsingham Ypodig Neustriae p. 152. and Hist Angl. p. 68. 71 72. Holinshed p. 328. Speeds History p. 674. The Printed Statute of 20 R. 2. c. 6. for the restitution of Belknap and the other exiled Judges 28 E. 3. Rot. Parl. n. 8. to 14. and 29 E. 3. Rot Parl. n. 29. touching the Repeal of the Judgement in Parl. against Roger Mortimer Earl of March 17 R. 2. Rot. Parl. n. 18. for the pardon and restitution of the Justices banished into Irel. 21 R. 2. n. 55. to 71. for confirmation of the repeal of the exile of Hugh de la Spencer Father Son An. 15. E. 2. and the revocation of the repeale thereof in 1 E. 3. A notable full Record in point 3 H. 7. 10. 4 H 7. 10. 1. H. 7. 4. 10 H. 7. 22 b. 15. E. 3 Fitz Petâ—t 2. 9. E. 3. 23 24. 9 E. 4. 1 b. with sundry other Records for the repeals of Iudgements and Acts of former Parliaments by the subsequent Judgments and Acts of other Parliaments in Cooks 4 Institutes c. 1. and Ashes Tables Parliament 16. and Statutes 68. Therefore the Jews being so long since by Judgement Edict and Decree both of the King and Parliament for ever banished out of England never since repealed or reversed neither may nor can by Law be readmitted reduced into England again but by common consent and Act of Parliament which I conceive they will never be able to obtain I have now presented you with a true Historical and exact Chronological Relation of the Jews first admission into England not in the time of the Emperour Constantine the great as some groundlesly would collect from his General Epistle to all Churches touching the Decrees of the Council of Nice and the Vnanimous observation of the Feast of Easter not after the Jewish computation wherein there is mention of the Churches in Britain as well as in Rome Africk Spain France and other places concurring with other Churches herein but not one syllable of any Jews therein or in Britain then nor in any other particular places but onely these general passages against Christians complying with them in their Paschal observation Ac primum quidem indigna res fuit sanctissimum eum diem imitatione atque consuetudine Iudaeorum celebrare qui manibus suis nefario flagitio contaminatis non injuria quoque animis sunt excaecato homines scelerati Quidni enim liceat gente ea rejecta rectiore verioreque ordine quem à primo passionis die hucusque servavimus ad futura quoque saecula observationis hujus ritum transmittere Item nihil nobis commune sit cum infestissima Iudaeorum turba c. Quin strictior ipsa atque exactior ratio flagitare videtur NEQUA NOBIS CUM IUDAEORUM PERJURIO COMMUNIO From whence no rational man can inferr that there were any Jews at that time observing their Jewish Passeover in Britain of which I can find no syllable in any Domestick or forreign Historians or Writers whatsoever nor yet that they inhabited here or were here in the Briton Saxon or Danish Kings reigns which if they had some of our Historians Synods Decrees and Laws in those ages would have mentioned it as well as the Gothish Spanish Histories Laws Councils and Constitutions where they resided in which there is not one syllable of them but only in the forecited Law foisled in amongst the Confessors to which doubtlesse it was puny but in Will the Conq. reign Together with their ill deportments misdemeanors suffrings massacres servile condition and manifold popular tumults against them during all the time of their residence in England final banishment out of it never yet to my knowledg collected into one intire History before The serious consideration whereof will in my weake judgement sufficiently satisfie convince the whole English Nation that they have just grounds and reasons in point of piety of policy never to re-admit them more into our Island and likewise resolve the very Jewes themselves that they have little cause or reason at all to desire to re-plant themselves in England where their ancestors in times past susteined so many miseries massacres affronts oppressions fleecings upon all occasions themselves can expect little better usage for the future To this principal part of my undertaking for fuller satisfaction I shall hereunto subjoyn a Taste of such Lawes Scriptures Reasons as seem strongly to plead yea conclude against their re-admission into England at least in that latitude and freedom as formerly they there enjoyed As 1. To erect new Synagogues Temples amongst us or turn any of our Churches Chapels into Synagogues for the free publique exercise of their Judaisme Jewish Worship Customes Religion diametrically contrary to the Gosple Person Kingdome Priesthood Offices Mediation Redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ which they thereby professedly deny renounce as false and fabulous 2ly To set up a Jewish Corporation or Fraternity amongst us in our Cities and Corporations distinct and separate from the English subject to their own immediate peculiar
Officers and Judges as heretofore 3ly To purchase Houses Habitations Rents Lands Exercise of all sorts of Trades and Manufactures amongst us as free Denizens or Merchants upon such terms and qualifications as shall be indulged to them 1. For our Laws and Statutes these following make directly or obliquely by way of necessary consequence against their re-admission 1. For their Jewish Synagogues worship Sacraments Religion these ancient pious Laws of our Saxon and Danish Kings made in their great Parliaments and Councils before the Jews first coming into England strongly oppose their admission now As namely the Laws of King Alfred and Guthern Lex 1. 2. of King Ethelred in the Council of Aenham c. 1. 3. 27 29 30. of Habam c. 1. with the Laws of King Cnute the Dane Lex 1. 27 28 All which enact That the only true God and our Lord be loved worshipped in all ages by all the people with all their might the one Christian holy Catholick faith orthodoxly kept and the Churches of God to be diligently frequented throughout the Realm That all Paganisme and false Religions be renounced both in words and deeds That who ever wickedly resisteth the Laws of Christ shall be grievously fined and put to death and that all men should diligently seek out by all means Ut recta Christi religio maxime provehatur That the right Religion of Christ might be most of all advanced obtesting all Ecclesiiastical and secular persons again and again most earnestly to keep the sincere faith unanimously in the true God and the right Christian faith in a right manner diligently to hear the Teachers of Gods word studiously to follow their Doctrine and Precepts to maintain peace and tranquility in the Church of God and there diligently to pour forth their prayers All which particulars exclude all Jewish Synagogues and Judaisme and are of perpetual force being grounded on the very Law of God Moreover King Cnute his Ecclesiastical Laws made by the advise of his wise men to be observed throughout all England prohibited That no Christian should be sold or sent out of the Realm or banished amongst those who had not as yet embraced the faith in Christ lest per adventure those Souls should perish at anytime which our Lord Iesus Christ had redeemed with his own blood and life If Christians for this cause ought not to be sent sold or banished amongst Jews and Infidels much more then ought not Infidel Jews with their Jewish Synagogues Religion Ceremonies to be now introduced amongst us Christians to the hazard of many Christian Souls redeemed by Christs blood 2. All the Statutes concerning Uniformity of Common Servicc administration of the Sacraments as 1 Ed. 6. c. 1 2. 2 Ed. 6. c 1. 6 Ed. 6. c. 1. 1 Eliz. c. 2. 23 Eliz. c. 1. 35 Eliz. c. 1. 2. most of them still in force being never legally repealed do fully and directly oppugne the introduction of any Jewish Synagogues Service Sacraments Worship Ceremonies with the use of them in any place within our Realm 3. The Statutes of 3 E. 6. c. 10. 13 Eliz. c. 2. 23 El. c. 1. 28 Eliz. c. 2. 6. 35 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Iac. c. 4. against Popish Recusants Seminary Priests Iesuites Friers Masse-Books Agnus Dei's Popish Books Superstitions for preventing the withdrawing of the Subjects of this Realm from the publique Ordinances Sacraments and Religion here established and for speedy banishing all Seminary Priests and Jesuites and keeping them perpetually out of the Realm upon this account amongst others though professing Christ Christian Religion and agreeing with us in all Articles of the Creed and most fundamental points of Christianity Must in Substance Law Reason in this regard much more perpetually exclude abolish all Jews Jewish Priests Rabbies Synagogues worship Ceremonies Superstitions out of our Dominions being farre more dishonourable to Christ opposite to our Christian Religion and destructive to the peoples souls if once admitted then any Jesuits Seminary Priests Friers Popish Recusants or any Romish Masses Superstitions whatsoever And if the Jewish Priests Judaism and Jewish Ceremonies may be now set up and practised publiquely amongst us notwithstanding all these Statutes then much more Masse-Priests Masses Popery and Prelacy by the self same reason justice equity To these I might annex all the late Ordinances for the Directory The solemn League and Covenant and for Suppressing punishing of Heresy and Blasphemy therefore of Iudaism which is both Heresy and Blasphemy and Jewish assemblies the very Synagogues of Satan and Iews great blasphemers by Christs own resolution Rev. 2. 9. c. 3. 9. Acts 18. 6. Rom. 2. 21. With the late printed Instrument of Government which though it allows not only toleration but protection to all Sects and Religions professing faith in God through Iesus Christ though differing from the Doctrine and Discipline publtkely held forth in the Nation except only to Popery and Prelacy yet certainly it can no ways extend to the toleration or protection of Jews and their Antichristian blasphemies against Christ himself and the Gospel seeing they are so far from professing faith in Jesus Christ that they utterly renounce and professedly decry him to be the true Saviour and Messiah of the world rejecting the whole New Testament and Doctrin of the Gospel and so by consequence are necessarily secluded by this Instrument and Oath for its observation from practising their Jewish worship Ceremonies or erecting any Synagogues in our Nation for that purpose 2ly Though the Kings of England by the Law and their Prerogative may in sundry cases erect New Corporations of their Subjects by their Charters only yet notwithstanding no Corporation or Fraternity of Iews being meer Aliens may can or ought to be erected in England by the Fundamental Lawes and Constitutions of the Realm but only by full consent of the Nation in Parliament by special Acts of Parliament it being one of the greatest Intrenchments that can be upon the English Nations Rights Liberties Customs Priviledges Profit and a violation of all the ancient Charters Priviledges Rights Franchises confirmed to them by the Great Charter of England forty times since ratified by new Acts of Parliament This is evident by the Statutes of Magna Charta c. 9. 37. 34 E. 1. c. 4. 1. E. 3. c. 9. 14. E. 3. c. 1. 1. H. 4. c. 1. 2. H. 4. c. 1. 7. H. 4. c. 1. 9. H. 4. c. 1. 13. H. 4. c. 1. 3. H. 5. c. 1. 2. H. 6. c. 1. compared with 2 E. 3. c. 9. 27. E. 3. c. 1. to 29. 28 E. 3. 13. 15 36. E. 3. c. 7 19 H. 7. c. 12 and all other Acts for the Staple and Styliard and with 3. E. 4. c. 6. 1. R. 3. c. 9. 14 H. 8. c. 2. 21 H. 8. c. 16. 22 H. 8. c. 8. 32 H. 8. c. 16. touching Artificers Merchants and Aliens 3ly The preambles of the Statute of Merton 20 H. 3. 3 E. 1. with c. 17. 48. 6 E. 1.
of Quo Warranto and of Glocester 13 E. 1. 12 E. 2. of York 9 10 14 15 25 28 36 37. E. 3. 1. 3 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 21. R. 2. 1 2 4 6. H. 4. 1 8 10 12. 36. H. 6. 18 E. 3. c. 1 2 3. R. 2. Rot. Parl. n. 36 40. 6 H. 6. c. 5. and other Acts declare and resolve That the Kings of England by their Oath and Duty and the Lords and Commons in Parliament are all obliged by their trusts and our Laws to advance uphold maintain and defend the welfare wealth safety of the Church Realm Subjects People of England and to prevent redresse suppresse remove by wholsom Laws and Ordinances all Grievances Mischiefs Damages Inconveniences Disinherisons contrary thereunto it being a fundamental Maxime both in our Laws and Law-Books SALUS POPULI SUPREMA LEX which the Army Officers in their Declaration of 16 Nov. 1648. and Mr. Iohn Pym in his Speech against Strafford 12 April 1641. p. 3. c. printed by the Commons special Order much insist on Moreover it is another Maxime in our Law Summa ratio est quae pro religione facit Now the admission of the Jews into England as appeareth by the Statute de Judaismo and premised Histories is no way consistent with the welfare profit wealth safety of the Church Realm Subjects People or Religion of England and will be an extraordinary damage mischief grievance inconvenience and disinherison to them all Therefore prohibited enacted against by the general scope of all these Laws and Maximes and no wayes to be admitted 4ly The Jews heretofore in England an â— still in all other parts being most grievous Clippers Coyners Forgers of money Usurers Extortioners and the greatest Cheaâ—ors Cozeners Impostors in the world in all their Merchandizes and Manufactures whatsoever upon this accompt they are and ought to be still excluded and never re-admitted amongst us by the provisions of all our Laws yet in force prohibiting clipping coyning usury extortion frauds deceipts in any Merchandizes or Manufactures whatsoever unlesse we intend to have them all now more practised by them and others among us then ever heretofore The rather because they were never admitted free Trading Habitation in England by any of our Laws touching Alten Merchants and Artificers free Traffick amongst us from the time of their forementioned banishment till this present under the Name and Notion of Jews Foraign Merchants or Artificers And therefore not to be admitted to those desired Priviledges from which all these forecited Laws in my weak Judgement with the former old Parliamentary Judgment and Edict for their per petual banishment in Law Justice Conscience still debarre them readmittance till repealed and they if ever readmitted against all these Acts and Statutes must be introduced resetled by special Acts of Parliament which no English Parliament in probability will ever indulge unto them as the peoples general present declamations in all places against their endeavoured introduction prognostick And thus much I thoughr meet to inform the Nation touching those Laws Statutes which in my poor opinion directly or by consequence oppose their re-admission and refute those Lawyers misinformation who confidently averred there is no Law of England at all against it if Mr. Nye did truly inform me 2. For Scriptures these Texts may engage us against their re-admission 1. Matth. 5. 13. Lu. 14. 34 35. Salt is good but if the salt have lost its savor wherewith shall it be seasoned It is neither fit for the land nor yet for the dunghil but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men This is the condition of the Jews who have lost both their Saviour their Savor too Therefore not fit for our land or dunghils but to be kept and cast out from amongst us and trodden under foot of all true Christian men 2. 1 Cor. 16. 22 If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha That is separated and cast out from all Christian society and Communion until the day of Judgment the highest kind of Jewish Excommunication Now the Jews are such who do not only not love but deny defie and hate our Lord Jesus Christ in the highest degree Therefore to be excommunicated and secluded from our Christian Communion and Cohahitation amongst us to which they can pretend no right 3. 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 c. Be ye not unequally yoaked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness and what concord hath Christ with Belial and what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols c VVherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you The unconverted Jews are both Unbelievers Infidels Darknesse Belialids and the very Synagogue of Satan as the Scripture resolves them Acts 14. 1. Mar 6. 6. Rom. 11. 20. 23. 32. Heb. 4. 6. 11. Ioh. 1. 5. Mat 8. 12. Rev. 2. 9. 1 Thâ—ss 2. 14 15 16. Therefore we Christians ought not to be unequally yoaked or to have any fellowship communion agreement part or mixture with them much lesse to receive them into our land and boâ—omes from whence they were formerly spued out but to keep our selves separated from amongst them lest God reject us as he hath done them 4. 2 John 9. 10. 11. VVhosoever transgressith and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Sonne If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds The Jews abide not in the Doctrin of Christ and if they come unto us they will not bring this Doctrine to us but the quite contrary Therefore we ought not to receive them into our Dominions or Houses nor bid or wish them God speed in returning to dwell amongst us And if any do the contrary they are and shall be partakers of their evil deeds 5 Tit. 1. 10 11 13 14 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers ESPECIALLY THEY OF THE CIRCUMCISION whose mouthes must be stopped WHO SUBVERT WHOLE HOUSES teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucres sake VVherfore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith NOT GIVING HEED TO JEWISH FABLES and commandements OF MEN THAT TURNE FROM THE TRUTH If the circumcised Jews were such unruly Deceivers seducers and subverters of whole houses even in the Apostles own dayes and their Jewish fables then did turn so many from the truth With what colour of Christianity piety conscience can we call them in amongst us now in these times of fearfull and almost universal Apostacy from the truth when lesse dangerous
undermine our Religion Church and State and sow the seeds of Heresie Blasphemy Popery Superstition Schisms and Divisions amongst us they having formerly sent over some of late years amongst us under the notion and vizard of converted Jews as Ramsey the Scot and Eleazer and Joseph Ben-Isaiah all Jesuitical wicked cheating Impostors the two last whereof have cheated the honest people of the Nation of many thousand pounds being notorious Villains one of them formerly a Trooper and Plunderer in Prince Ruperts army as he confessed to his Hostesse at Dursly in Glocestershire in his drink where he would have ravished the Maid-servant of the house locking the door upon her whiles she was warming his bed in the night and upon her crying out for help fled away presently in the night to avoid apprehension And yet wanders about cheating the people in other places instead of being brought to Tyburne for his Villanies And if they abuse and cheat us thus already much more will they doe it upon and after the Jewes admission 9. To pretermit their banishment out of Rome by the Emperor Claudius recorded Acts 18. 2. and that as Ecclesiastical Historians report for their cheating and tumults there raised I shall only in brief relate how they have from time to time been banished expelled many Christian Cities Countries Kingdoms and their Synagogues burnt and destroyed especially for their Infidelity and other forementioned Misdemeanors Crimes Villanies About the year of Chriâ—â— 430. at the instigation of St. Cyril Bishop of Alexandriâ— and the Christians there they were expelled and banished that famous City where they had long inhabited for their insolencies seditious conspiracies against the Christians About the year of Christ 615. they were banished out of Jerusulem it self by Heraclius the Emperour as Zonaras Tom. 3. in his life Paulus Diaconus rerum Rom. l. 18. Cent. Magd. 7. c. 14. storie 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 Her aâ—lius the Emperour as Regino Chron. l. 1. Cent. 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 The Emperor Phocas about the year 60â— banished them out of the City of Antioch for the tumults they had there raised against the Christians and Government 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 these reasons because they had divers times crucified children of Christians in Paris and elswhere 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 in contempt of the Sacrament and casting the silver Vessels Crosses and guilded Books of the Gospel pawned to them into 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 Upon 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 on their behalf and the proffers of great summes 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 banished 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 Imperial 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 Ludovicus Duke of Bavaria about the year 1450 banished all the Iews out of his Territories as Aeneas Picolomâ—neus in his Europâ— staius sub Frederico l. 3. c. 32. p. 79. assures us 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 K. Iohn 2. 8. Duckets for every poll of them at first for their admission which much augmented his Eschequer 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 Rubeaquenses Anno 1309. and 1338. Munst Cosm l. 3. p. 547. out of Worms and Spires An. 1092. Munsteri Cosm l. 3. p. 580. Out of Prague by VVratislaus for hating and slaying the Christians Geor. Bartholdus Pontanus Bohemiae Piae l. 2. p. 20. Out of Berne An. 1287. Munsteri Cosm l. 3. p. 582. 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
receiving strangers into their Cities and Countries were all much infested and some of them quite supplanted and ejected by them the rest enforced to expel them by force of arms Then he subjoyneth That the strangers admitted among Gods own people proved briars and thorns unto them and Solomon himself by many strange women fell into idolatry concluding thus The Spaniards in my judgement did not unjustly BANISH THE SEDITIOUS JEWES OUT OF THEIR COASTS propius non accedo sed Christum oro ne peregrinarum turbâ immanis turbo in civitate fiat As these Grecians in ancient times prohibited the introduction of strangers amongst them for the forementioned reasons so likewise did some of the wisest Romans Pennus in ancient times and Papius after him as Cicero relates Peregrinos Vrhibus prohibent eosque exterminant which although he thus censures as a cruelty usu verò urbis prohibere peregrinos sanè inhumanum est Yet he intends it only of excluding strangers from all trading and commerce not from cohabitation as Denizens from which he holds it just to debarre them there being a special Law then in force for that purpose which he thus expresseth Nam esse pro cive qui civis non sit RECTUM EST NON LICERE QUAM LEGEM TULERUNT SAPIENTISSIMI CONSULES Crassus Scaevola Hence Claudius the Emperour benished the Jews out of Rome Acts 18. 2 and Suetonius in his life And the mischief of admitting forraigners is largely argued in Cornelius Tacitus who were after his time banished out of Room as Coelius Rhodiginus relates out of Ammianus Marcelinus So the Carthaginians Scithians Scythotauri Jamphasanti Seres Indians and Aegyptians in some places The Aethenians also exluded forraigners company and conversation Ne cives longo usu dissimiles mores imbuerent in alienas leges ritusque transirent as Alex. ab Alexandro Gen. Dierum l. 4. c. 10. and Boêmus de Mor. Gentium record And we read of the Tartars and most politick Inhabitants of China at this day that they will admit no strangers into their Countries so much as to travel or traffick for fear of discerning their secrets and corrupting their maners and those few they admit by special licence to enter into their Country they will by no means suffer to return thence nor permit Merchants and Marriners there trading to walk abroad publikely in their Cities and Countries nor to lodge on land but only in their ships which practises of theirs being if not grounded on yet at least warranted by Gods own forcited Precepts to the Israelites and being warranted by the Jews own practise who had no dealings with the Samaritans John 4. 9. and the Samaritans reciprocal carriage towards the Iews whom they would neither lodge nor entertain Lu. 9. 51 52 53. Why we should not upon this account seclude those alien Jews so different from us both in manners customs Laws Religion and obeying not the Laws of our Saviour Christ Jesus it being not for the Kings or the Kingdoms profit to suffer them as Haman Esther 3. 8. once said of them in another case I referre it to all wise Statesmen to resolve since it may be truly said of such unwelcom guests Turpius ejicitur quâm non admittitur hospes Neither will this contradict that Gospel precept Heb. 13. 2. Be not forgetfull to entertain strangers or Deutr. 10. 18. 19. c. 23. 7 Mat. 25. 35 43. which extend only to Christian hospitality liberality and pity towards exiles travellers and other private distressed strangers coming in to lodge or sojourn with us for a short season in our houses or Country and standing in need of our releif as is clear by the Texts themselves compared with Rom. 12. 13. 1 Pet. 4. 9. 3. Iohn 5. but especially to such who are of the houshold of faith not Jews or Infidels Gal. 6. 10. Not to the reception of any whole foraign Nation or Colony into our Island to cohabit perpetually with us the only point in question which the Scripture noe where commands nor in ends but disallows in the forecited Texts and Neh. 9. 2. c. 13. 30. And these Scripture expressions Pro. 5. 10. Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth Isay 1. 7. your land strangers devour in your presence and it is desolate as overthrown by strangers Lam. 5. 2. Our inheritance is turned unto strangers our Houses to aliens Hosea 7. 9. Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not sufficiently manifest both the illegallity folly and sad consequences of our receiving Jews and other strangers in such a nature of which our Ancestors had sufficient experience in the Jewes themselves enforcing them for ever to exile them hence These general Reasons against the Jews readmission premised which I hope will satisfie most men I shall conclude with some particular Reasons drawn from late published Declarations of our Grandees which I conceive will best satisfie them of any other and for this end I hope without any just offence or Scandalum Magnatum I shall crave leave to presse them home in this common cause for the defence of the Glory honor Scepter Gospel Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ the only Potentate the Prince of the Kings of the Earth the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the head of all Principality and power and God over all blessed for ever before whose feet all other subordinate Kings and Potentates whatsoever ought to prostrate not only their persons but Crowns and most peremptory Royal Wills and Edicts too for whose pleasure honor and glory alone all things and powers likewise both are and were created in whose cause we must be most bold and zealous not fearing the faces of any Mortals My 1. Reason shall be drawn from the very words of the Declaration of 21 Novemb. 1655. inviting the people of this Commonwealth to a day of solemn Fasting and Hum liation on the 6. of December last a day of trouble and of rebuke of blasphemy provocation in respect of the violence acted on it that time seven years when the children were come to the birth and there was no strength to bring forth but only to obstruct and pull out the Members to prevent our peace and settlement The principal cause whereof they Declare to be The abominable Blasphemies vented and spreading of late through the Apostacy of and the abuse of Liberty by many professing Religion And to joyn with them in solemn and earnest supplications to the throne of Grace That the Lord will disappoint the designs of those that labour to lift themselves up against the interest of Christ and his people That he will rebuke the foresaid Evils and give his people to know the things that belong to their Peace that so we may with one heart and shoulder serve the Lord both theirs and ours The Jews of all other Nations in the world are the greatest venters spreaders of abominable Blasphemies against our Saviour
A Short DEMURRER To the JEWES Long discontinued REMITTER into ENGLAND Comprising An exact Chronological Relation of their first Admission into their ill Deportment Misdemeanors Condition Sufferings Oppressions Slaughters Plunders by popular Insurrections and regal Exactions in and their total final Banishment by Iudgment and Edict of Parliament out of England never to return again collected out of the best Historians With a Brief Collection of such English Laws Scriptures as seem strongly to plead and conclude against their Readmission into England especially at this season and against the General calling of the Jewish Nation With an Answer to the chief Allegations for their Introduction By William Prynne Esq a Bencher of Lincolnes-Inne 2 Chron. 19. 2. Shouldst thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Prov. 6. 27. Can a man take coals in his bosome and his cloaths not be burnt Concil Toleta 4. cap. 57. Surius Concil Tom. 2. p. 734. Tanta est quandam cupiditas ut quidam eam appetenles etiam a fide erraverint multi quippe hucusque ex Sacerdotibus atque Laicis accipiâ—ntes a Judaeis munera perfidiam corum suo patrocinio sovent qui non immerito ex corpore Antichristi esse noscuntur quia contra Christum faciunt Quicunque ergo deinceps Episcopus sive Clericus sive Secularis illis contra fidem Christianam suffragium vel munere vel savore praesâ—iterit vere ut prophanus Sacrilegus anathema effectus ab Ecclesia Catholica Regno Dei habeatur extraneus quia dignus est ut a corpore Christi separetur qui inimicis Christi PATRONUS efficitur Printed at London for EDWARD THOMAS dwelling in Green-Arbor 165â— To the Christian Reader THat I may not justly suffer so much as in thy Thought as a busie-body in other men's matters for publishing my Opinion in a publick Case wherein I conceive my self some wayes interessed both as a Christian and English Free-man I shall inform thee of the true original cause of this my sodain unpremeditated undertaking Being much affected with God's late admirable Providence in causing the sixth day of this instant December to be set a part for a Day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation for the late Rebukes we have received the Tares of Division that have been sown by the envious one and the growth they have had through his subtilty the abominable Blasphemies Apostacies and abuse of Liberty by many professing Religion and the continual Series of Difficulties we have been exercised under and inviting all the People of God in these three Nations on that day to joyn in solemn and earnest Supplications to the Throne of Grace That the Lord will be pleased truely to humble our present Governours and the Nation under his Righteous Hand that we may be every one searching out the Plague of his own Heart and turn unfeignedly from the evil of our wayes This being the very day of the Month whereon this time seven yeers December 6. 1648. Colonel Pride with other Officers of the ARMY besetting the Parliament-House with their armed Forces raised to Defend its PRIVILEDGES and MEMBERS against their Trusts Duties forcibly seised secured my self with above forty Parliament-Members more as we were going into the Commons-House to discharge our duties translating us that day from the Queens Court where they first imprisoned us to Hell in Westminster and there lodging us upon the bare boards without Beds all that miserable Cold Night like so many Turkish Gally-slaves rather than Parliament Members seconded with other succeeding Restraints and high unparalel'd Violations both of our Parliamentary Priviledges and Hereditary Laws and Liberties Which transcendent Exorbitancies as we may justly fear are the Plague of the Heart and Evil of their Wayes who were the chief Contrivers or Actors of them if not the greatest Rebukes the English Parliament or Nation ever received the most dangerous Tares of Division that have ever been sowen by the envious one in our Realm which have since extraordinarily grown and spread amongst us through his subtilty the saddest Apostacy and abuse of Liberty by men prosessing Religion ever heard of amongst Christians and the very Fountain of all that continued series of difficulties we have since been exercised under For which the principal Architects Executioners and whole English Nation had never publickly been humbled nor seriously lamented repented them in seven whole yeers space It pleased God by his over-ruling Providence beyond the Intentions or Thoughts of Men so at last to bring it about that this very forgotten sad day whereon this was publickly acted should be now by a printed Declaration specially devoted for A Day of solemn Fasting Humiliation throughout this Commonwealth to lament and bewail these former enormious Actions on it as well as other Crimes Having informed divers thereof both before and on this Fast-day who were much taken with it On the seventh of December the day after the Fast on which the secured Members that time seven yeers were carried from Hell to White-Hall and there kept fasting till past seven a clock at night to attend the Army-Officers who pretended a desired conference with them and at last without vouchsafing to see them sent them PRISONERS through the dirt with Musqueteers at each of their backs other Guards of Horse by their sides to the King's Head and Swan where they long remained I walked down to Westminster to visit some of my then Fellow-Prisoners and Members to acquaint them with this memorable Providence in my passage thither in Martin's-Lane I unexpectedly met with Sir John Clotworthy who was one of them leading his Lady on foot towards Wallingford-house the place whether the Officers promised to carry and there to confer with us when they thrust us into Hell who taking notice of and saluting me I informed him of the foresaid adorable Providence in appointing the former dayes Fast on that day seven yeers whereon we were seised who prosessing he had forgotten it and that it came not within his thoughts but in truth it was very miraculous and worthy special observation We thereupon walked on discoursing of it till we came to Wallingford-house-gate where Colonel Pride who then seised met us full but and I not perfectly knowing him Sir John told me here is Colonel Pride and then gave him this seasonable Memento Fellow Pride Remember this time seven yeers So we parting company I went visited some others of my then Fellow Prisoners in Westminster discoursing with them of these Providences wherewith they were much affected as having not observed them before and of our Fast at White-Hall this day seven yeers In my return homewards that day by the Garden-wall at White-Hall Mr. Nye the Minister going very fast there overtook and saluting me by name presently demanded this unexpected Question of me Whether there were any Law of England against bringing in the Jews amongst us for the Lawyers had
being thrust out and meeting his Father standing before the door expecting the event being animated against him said O Son of death and â—ewel of eternal perdition is not thine own damnation sufficient for thee unless thou also cast me head long into it together with thee But God forbid that I to whom Christ is now revealed should ever acknowledge thee henceforth for a Father because the devil is thy father I have omitted in this Demurrer no passage to my knowledge in any of our Historians relating to our former English Iews reciting them all in a Chronological Order in the Historians own words quoted in the Margin only I finde these 2 Records concerning them which I shall here supply Rot. Claus 1. E. 1. Râ—â— The King constituted by his Charter Hamon Hattain and Robert de Luvenham his Iustices for the custody of the Jews and thereupon issued a Mandate to the Treasurer and Barons of the Eschequer to deliver unto them the Keys of the Chest of the Iews together with the Rolls Writs all other things belonging to that Office of the Iews as had formerly been accustomed to be done to other Iustices And Rot. Claus 3. Ed. 1. Mem. 17. The King sent a Mandate to the Iustices of the Iews to do justice and proceed in a cause according to the custome of Iudaism I have herein only briefly touched not handled the great Question of the general calling conversion of the Iewish Nation to the Faith of Christ towards the end of the world for which I cannot finde any satisfactory grounds in Scripture That Text of Levit. 26. 41 to 46. on which some build their general call having these two clauses in it that seem strongly to oppose or make it very dubious v. 41. IF THEN their uncircised heart be humbled and that they accept of the punishment of their iniquity c. v. 46. I will not cast them away neither will I abhor them to DESTROY THEM UTTERLY And that other Text of Rom. 11. whereon others most rely having this conditional passage express clauses against it v. 23. And they also IF they abide not still in unbelief shall be grafted in for God is able he saith not resolved to graffe them in again And v. 3 to 8. I have reserved to my self 7000 men c. Even so then at this present time there is a Remnant according to the election of grace c. But the Election hath obtained it and the rest were hardned or blinded Which compared with Rom. 9. 27 29. Isaiah also saith concerning Israel Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a remnant of them only shall be saved Isa 10. 22 23 c. will necessarily evince that Rom. 11. 26. And so all Israel shall be saved c. on which they ground this general call must be intended onely of all this small elect remnant of the Israel of God and seed of Abraham according to the faith not flesh Rom. 4 11 12 13 14 15 16. Gal. 3. 7 8 9 14 16. Ga. 6. 16. of all such who are Jews inwardly and have the Circumcision of the heart Rom. 2. 28 19. not of the whole Jewish Nation And those who will strain that Text further must necessarily aver not only an universal calling but likewise salvation and taking away the ungodliness and sins of that whole Nation then by Christ of which that Text only speaks not only conttary to these forecited Scriptures and Gods dealing with all other Churches Nations but to Jer. 3. 14. I will take you one of a City and two of a Tribe and I will bring you to Sion Mat. 21. 16. Many are called but few chosen few saved Mat. 7. 14. Luke 13. 23. Therefore for any to call in the Jews among us upon this surmise of their general approaching Conversion is a strange Solecism both in State Policy and Christianity especially in this age wherein that Speech of Walâ—ramus Bishop of Naumburge is most truely verified Diabolus videns Idola derelicta per nimium credentium populum sedes suas ac templa deserta excognitavit novam fraudem ut sub ipso Christiani nominis titulo fallat incantos haeresesque inevnit schismata quibus subverteret fidem corrumperet veritatem Exinde divisa est Ecclesia divisa sunt Ecclesiae Sacerdotia atque omnia scandalorum orta sunt geneâ—a Exinde crevit grave diuturnum bellum non solum civile bellum sed plusquam civile bellum factae sunt absque divino pariter humano respectu vastationes Ecclesiarum caedes hominum Exinde etiam corruptae sunt divinae pariter humanae leges sine quibus non subsistit vel Dei Ecclesia vel Imperii Respublica ex inde violata est fides publica Catholica exinde etiam illa crevit injustitia ut pro veritate falsa testimonia pro fide Catholica abundent perjuria ut post quam Leges bello silvere coactae impleaturiam ista Domini sententia per Osee Prophetam Non est veritas non est misericordia non scientia Dei in terra maledictum mendacium homicidium furtum adulterium inundaverunt sanguis sanguinem tetigit Ipse Diabolus videtur nunc de carcere suo solutus esse Hinc publicae civium contra Cives congressiones aliis pro pastoribus legitimis aliis vero contra pastores dimicantes as he and Gerhobus Richerspergensis writ of Pope Hildebrands dayes If any man chance to censure me as overharsh or earnest in my expressions against the Jews I hope that speech of their royal Prophet a man after Gods own heart Ps 139. 20 21 22. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am I not grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies for they speak against thee wickedly depart from me therefore ye bloody men will apologize for me especially seeing their Proposals are Not only to be admitted and received into our Commonwealth under the protection and safeguard of our Governours AS THE NATIVES THEMSELVES and that all the Heads and Generals of Arms may take an Oath to defend them upon all occasions that they may be permitted to traffick freely in all sorts of Merchandize as others but to be judged by their Judges in differences between themselves according to the Mosaick Law And to be allowed PUBLICK SYNAGOGUES not onely in ENGLAND but also IN ALL OTHER PLACES under our tower and TO OBSERVE IN ALL THINGS THEIR RELIGION AS THEY OUGHT That in case there have been any Laws against their Jewish Nation they may IN THE FIRST PLACE and BEFORE ALL THINGS BE REVOKED A clear evidence of an intended design in them only to set up their Synagogues of Satan Judaism Jewish Ceremonies in the highest degree amongst us as lawful in direct opposition
the cause that they banished themselves into other Countries where they might live by their usury So that by his opinion they were not then banished by the King or Parliament but only voluntarily banished themselves upon the making of this Statutes aginst their Usury But under the favour of this deceased reverend Judge whose memory I generally reverence this opinion of his is a meer mistake For 1. This Statute of Judaisme was made some years before their banishment hence as I formerly hinted and the last clause thereof for renting houses to continue for 15 years manifests not in 18E 1. 2ly No Record nor Historian mentions that they voluntarily banished themselves upon the making of this Law neither can their voluntary departure hence upon this occafion be stiled a Banishment 3ly The forecited Historians record that they gave but few years before a vast sum of money to prevent their banishment then urged in Parliament by the Commons with the profer of the 5 part of their goods to the King for their banishment and therefore it is very improbable they would at the same time volunntarily banish themselves 4ly All the last cited Historians of these latter times unanimously record and theywere judicially really banished both by the King and Parliament principally for their infidelity and other fore-alloaged reasons commanded under pain of hanging to depart out of it by a set day for the effecting and hastning whereof the Commons gave the King a sifteenth Therefore not banished by of themselves alone Who are more to be credited than this Judges singular opinion 5ly His own subsequent words and Records in direct terms contradict this opinion of his no lesse 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 grosse mistakes contradicted by 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 Man that they might passe out of the Realm in safety they made Petition to the King that a certain day might he 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 grievance be offered to them in the mean time One of which Writs we will transcribe Rex Vic G. Cum Judaeis Regni nostri universis CERTUM TEMPUS PRAEFIXERIMUS therefore prefixed by the King himself without their Petition â— regno illo transfretandi Nolentes quod ipsi per ministros nostros aut alios quoscunque aliter quam sieri consnevit indebite pertrectentur Tibi praecipimus quod per totam Ballivam tuam publice proclamari firmiter inhiberi facias ne quis eis intra terminum predictum 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 Westminst 18. die Julii Anno 18 E. 1. This Statute De Judaismo was made at the Parl. post festum Hilarii Anno 18 E. 1. At which Parliament the King had a 15 granted to him PRO EXPULSIONE JUDAEORUM Therfore by his own confession they were banished by the King and Parlament against their wils 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 that by banishing of Usury Did they banish it onely not the Jews the Jews would not remain And thus this Noble King by this means BANISHED FOR EVER THESE INFIDEL USURIOUS JEWS Ergo their persons as well as Usury only the number of which Jews THUS BANISHED was fifteen thousand and threescore VVe will here adde a Parliament Record de Priore de Bridlington thus Et quod praedictus Prior cogno cit quid praedicta pecunia praed Judaeo debebatur viz. 300l nec ei solvebatur ANTE EXILIUM JUDAEORUM 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 reorum debitis aut catallis in regno POST EORUM EXILIUM again repeated Domino Regi fuit Consideratum est quod Dominus Rex recuperec pecuniam praedictam dictum est eidem Priori quod non exeat Villaean equam 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. An. 22 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 Recesse By all these concurrent Testimonies it is apparent against Sir Edward Cooks groundlesse conceit 1. That all the Jews were then banished out of England never to return again at the special instance and request of the Commons in two several Parliaments as an intollerable grievance and oppression under which they then groaned 2. That the principle grounds of this their perpetual banishment were their infidelity Usury forgeries of Charters clipping and falsifying of monies by which they prejudiced the King and kingdom and much oppressed and impoverished the pople 3. That this their banishment was so acceptable to all the people who oft-times pressed it in Parliament that they gave the King a Fift and Fifteenth part of their moveables to speed and execute it 4. That this their banishment was by the unanimous desire Iudgement Edict and Decree both of the King and his Parliament and not by the King alone and this Banishment total of them all and likewise final Never to return into England Which Edict and Decree not now extant in our Parliament Rolls many of which are lost nor printed Statutes yet it is mentioned by all these Authorities From whence I shall inferre and conclude That as by the fundamental Laws of England No Freeman and Natives of England can be justly banished or exiled out of it but by special judgement of Parliament or by Act of Parliament as is evident by Magna Charta c. 29. The banishment of Sir Thomas
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 whither these Gold-thirsty Jews may do well to transplant themselves if they be weary of their former habitations 9. The forecited Christian Authors Historians old and new much applaud and magnifie those Christian Emperors Kings Magistrates States who have most opposed restrained suppressed by severest Laws Edicts the Jewish Synagogues Ceremonies Superstitions Rites Abuses and banished these Antichristian Blasphemers and Enemies of Christ Jesus out of their Kingdoms and Territories especially for their Infidelity and censured those who favoured them And Matthaeus Flacius Illericus Johannis Wigandus Andreas Corvinus Thomas Holthuter 4 famous learned Protestant Historians and Divines in their laborious learned Ecclesiastical Centuries as they every where do the like So in their 12. Cent. cap. 7. col 1078 1079. they passe this sharp censure against the Decrees of Pope Alexander the 3. and Clement the 3. prohibiting the Jews to build any new Synagogues where were none before yet tolerating theÌ„ only to repair old ones where they were fallen down or defaced to use their rites in But withall forbidding all Christians under pain of Excommunication communion with them for fear of being seduced to their Superstitions c. Denique ut EXTREMAM Romanorum Paparum IMPUDENTIAM ET STUPENDAM IMPIETATEM VIDEAS non pigebit eorum Decreta PRO BLASPHEMA IN DEUM GENTE JUD AEORUM LATA adscribere And Peter Herlin in his Microcosme p. 569 570. writing That the Iews having been put to divers fines and ransoms they are at last even quite thrust out of Europe also They were banished out of England by Edward the 1. Anno 1290. Out of France Spain Portugal Naples and Sicily by the Kings forecited subjoyns by way of Censure Yet are they found in great numbers in the Romish part of Germany and Poland in most Cities of Italy especially Rome where there are not lesse than 15000. or 20000. of them and also in the Popes Country of Avignion The reason why they are permitted to live thus under our Holy Fathers nose is forsooth AN EXPECTATION OF THEIR CONVERSION WHICH IS A MERE PRETENCE THE REASON BEING INDEED THE BENEFIT HENCE ARISING TO HIS HOLINESSE COFFERS But the hopes of their conversion is small and the means less c. And therfore we cannot now readmit them in to England upon the self-same Papal pretence and Ground of Gain without incurring the like Censures from Protestants and Papists too and bringing intollerable Scandal Dissâ—onor Reproach on our Nation and Religion in these times of pretended highest Reformation they being the professed Enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ who will not not have him to rule over them Luk. 19 27. and so odious to the very Turks them selves for cruâ—fying Christ that they oft use to say in detestation of a thing I would I might die a Jew Neither will they permit a Jew to turn Turk unless he be first baptized 11 Many of the wisest Heathen Law-givers Polititians States have especially prohibited the introduction and habitation of foraigners amongst them Hence Lycurgus the famous Legislator and the Spartans by his Law and advice expelled all foraigners out of their City and Country lest by insinuating themselves amongst them they should teach their Citizens some ill introduce foraign manners and an ill disordered kind of life upon which ground they all prohibited their Citizens to travell into foraign Countries Upon these grounds the Thebans and also Apotloniatae in imitation of the Spartans banished all foraigners out of their City as Aelian Variae Historiae l. 13. c. 16. Alexander ab Alexandro l. 4. c. 10. record Plato the Philosopher Dialogo 12. de Legumlatione though he permits forainers by way of study trade travel and embassie to come into his City and Republike under certain Laws Râ—ules yet he totally secludes them from inhabiting therein or to trade without strict Laws to prevent their danger Solet enim civitatum in commercâ—is permixtio varios mores civitatibus ammiscere dum externi externiis vicissim novationes inducum quae res civitatibus per rectas leges benè institutis MAXIMUM DETRIMENTUM AFFERT Arist. observes Thatthe bringing in of forainers is a principal cause of seditions quarels Qui inquilinas aut advenas 〈…〉 nt in vitatem Hi ferè Omnes aut certè plurimi SEDITIONIBUS CONFLICTANTUR Dr. Jo. Case gives the reason of it Nam ut nihil citius corpus humanum inficit quà m pestilentium vaporum malis humoribus copulatio ita NIHIL VELOCIUS CORRUMPIT CIVITATEM QUAM PEREGRINORUM HOMINUM ADMISSIO in qua contagio venenum latet And hereupon he raiseth this question from Aristotles Text Utrum periculosa sit in Rempublicam peregrinorum admissio And thus resolves it It is perillous to take Snakes into the Bosom and Forraigners into the Commonwealth for as they being refreshed with heat doe bite and sting So these being enfranchised destroy the Republike To prove this by arguments we may consider that every Nation hath its proper manners and ceremonies which they bring along with them do not change with the climat when they come into another Country VVherefore there is great danger lest by receiving strangers the ancient manners Laws should be changed into new and forain Now what sooner begets sedition then alteration of Laws and Customs as we may see even in sundry Scripture examples which he remembers not and of the Jews especially Acts 14. 2. to 7. 16. c. 16. 19. to 25. c. 18. 5 6 7 17 18 19. c. 17 12. to 18 c. 19. 24. to 41. c. 21 27 to 40. c. 22. 22. c. c. 23. 24. 25. VVhat therefore is more perillous than the admission of Foraigners into our Commonwealth Moreover wherefore hath Nature instructed like to associate together with like if it should draw men of strange and different manners into a Republike Nature will not that sheep should be associated with wolves neither wills Prudence that Natives should be coupled with forraigners For Philosophy perswades this that contraries cannot dwell in the same place but strangers for the most part are enemies to the Citizens with whom they converse Adde to this that as Locusts are to the corn so are foraigners to the Republike for as they do wast and consume the grain of corn so these devour the fruit of the Commonwealth for although they are branches of the same plant yet they suck not wholesom juyce but poyson from the root wherewith at length the whole plant being infected perisheth This he proves by several examples out of Aristotle himself as by the Trezenii Zanclei Sybarites Bysantii Antissiaei Apolloniatae Chii Syracusani Aniohipoliâ—e who by