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 people 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 Fifth and Fifteenth part of their moveables to speed and execute it 4. That this their banishment was by the unanimous desire judgement edict and decree both of the King and his Parliament and not by the King alone and this Banishment totall of them all and likewise final Never to return into England Which Edict and Decree though not now extant in our Parliament Rolls many of which are utterly lost nor in our printed Statutes yet it is mentioned by all these Authorities and Records 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 well as by the ancient Romans Athenians and Syracusians Laws no Citizen of Rome Athens Syracuse could be banished his City or Country but by the lawfull judgement of the Senat and People in their Parliamentary Assemblies and Senates which were very numerous as is evident by Magna Charta c. 29. The banishment of Sir Thomas Wayband Chief Justice of the Common Pleas 19 E. 1. Rot. Pat. 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. 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. Parl. n. 16 17. For the banishment of Thomas Arundel Arch-bishop of Canterbury The Statute of 35 Elâ—z 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 Shipmoney Iudges p. 22. My New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny p. 166 167 168. Walsingham Hâ—st Anglâ—ae p 394. and other Testimonies as also by 1 E. 3. c. 54. H. 4. c. 13. The Statute for the pressing of Souldiers for Ireland 17 Caroli Exact Collect. p. 435. The Barons opposition and refusal to assist King Henry the 3 in their persons or purses in his foraign wars in Apulia and elsewhere as no way obliged thereunto 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 foraign parts 25 E. 1. Walsingham Hist p. 35 37 38. Henry de Knyghton de Event Angl l. 3. c. 11.14 or in Gascoign France Normandy Scotland or Ireland Cook 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 Pierce Gaveston Walsingh Ypodig Neust p. 104 101 152. Hist Angl. p. 68.71 72. Holinshed p. 328. Speeds Hist. 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 Parliament against Roger Mortimer Earl of March 17 R. 2. Rot. Parl. n. 18. for the pardon and restitution of the Justices banished into Ireland 21. R. 2. n. 55. to 71. for confirmation of the repeal of the exile of Hugh de la Spencer Father and Son An. 15 E. 2. and the revocation of the repeal thereof in 1 E. 3. A notable full record in point The revocation of Abbot Dunston his sentence of banishment by King Edgar and his great Council held at Brentford Anno Dom. 959. 3 H. 7.10 4 H. 7.10 1 H. 7 4. 10 H. 7.22 b. 15 E. 3. Fitz. Petit. 2. 9 E. 2.23.24 9 E. 4.1 b. with sundry other Records for the repeals of Iudgements and Acts of former Parliaments by the subsequent Judgements 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 re-admitted 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 unanimous 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 concâ—â—â—ing 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 funt sanctissimum eum diem imitatione atque consuetudine Iudaeorum câ—lebrare qui manibus suis nefario flagitio contaminatis non injuria quoque animis sunt excaecati homines scelerati Quidni enim lâ—ceat gente ea rejecta rectiore verioreque ordine quem à primo passionis diâ— hucusque servavimus ad futura quoque saecula observationis hujus ritum transmittere Item nihil nobâ—s commune sit cum infestissma Judaeorum turba c. Quin strict or ipsa atque exactior ratio flagitare vâ—detur NEQUA NOBIS CUM IUDAEORUM PERIURIO COMMUNIO From whence as all may juiâ—ly resolve that the blinded wicked Jews ought not to be introduced amongst nor to have communion with us nor we with them so no rational man can thence inferr that there were any Jews at that time observing their Jewish passeover in Britain of which I
except only to Popery and Prelacy yet certainly it can no ways extend to the toleration or protection of Iews and their Antichristian blasphemies against Christ himself and the Gosple seeing they are so far from professing faith in Iesus 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 Doctrine of the Gospel and so by consequence are necessarily secluded by this Instrument and Oath for its observation from practising their Jewish worship Ceremomies 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 Parliamennt 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 former Charters Previledges 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 39. 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 Mâ—rchants 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 wholesom 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 Novemb. 1648. and Mr. John 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 faecit 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 Maxims and no ways to be admitted 4ly The Jews heretofore in England and still in all other parts being most grievous Clippers coyners forgers of money Vsurers Extortioners and the greatest cheators 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 clippâ—ng coyning usury extortion frauds deceipts in any Merchandizes or Manufactures whatsoever unless we intend to have them now more practised by them and others among us than ever heretofore The rather because they were never admitted free Trading and Habitation in England by any of our Laws touching Alien 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 therfore not to be admâ—tted to those new desired priviledges from which all these forecited Laws in my weak Judgement with the former old Parliamentary Judgement and Edict for their perpetual banishment in Law Justice Conscience still debarre them re-admittance til repealed and they if ever readmitted against all these Acts and Statutes must be introduced re-setled 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 thought meet to inform the Nation touching those Laws and Statutes which in my poor opinion directly or by consequence oppose their re-admission and refute those Lawyers mis-information 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 resolutely engage us against their re-admission 1. Matth. 5.13 Luke 14.34 35. Salt is good but if the salt have lost its savor wâ—erewith 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 loâ—t both their Saviour and their favor too Therefore not fit for our land nor yet for our dunghils but to be kept and cast out from amongst us and trodden under foot of all true Christian men whiles unbeliever s. 2. 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha That is separated and cast out from all Christian society and communion until the day of Judgement the highest kind of Jewish Excommunication Now the Jews are such who doe 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 cohabitation 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. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you The
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
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 them together with our Church Nation at once unto these their inveterate enemies For whose Conversion not National but of the very small 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 Kingdom Patience of Jesus Christ William Prynne Lincolnes-Inne 14 December 1655. A Short Demurrer to the Jews long discontinued Remitter into ENGLAND HOw the Nation of the Jews once Gods own beloved special 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 sin especially made the saddest spectacles of divine Justice and humane Misery of all other Nations in the World being quite extirpated out of their owne 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 end c. 12.15 c. 22.15 Mich. 1.21 Mat. 24. Or what banishments punishments oppositions restraints by penal Lawes suppressions of their Synagogues Ceremonies they have received in all ages from Christian Kings Princes Republikes in Forein 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 Paul Eber 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 Heylins 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 readmission 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. c. 5. records That William the Conqueror King of England translated the Jews from Rhoan to London and the Magdeburg Centuries out of him Cent. 11. cap. 14. col 686. adde thereto that it was OB NUMERATUM PRECIUM for a sum 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 appointed them a place to inhabit and occupy reputing their very first introduction a Grievance to the English and hard dealing Which Iohn Stow in his Annals of England p. 103. and Survey of London printed 1633. p. 288. thus seconds King William FIRST brought the Iews from Rhoan here to inhabit in England and Sir Richard Baker in his Chronicle of the Kings of England London 1653. p. 39. This King was the FIRST that brought the Iews to inhabit here in England But this Law concerning the Jews inserted amongst the Laws in the Confessors time seems to prove their arival and settlement in England to be before this Normans reign unless mis-placed in point of time amongst his Laws 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 amongst whose Laws or the Conquerors it is not to be found in Abbot Ingulphus his Original copy published by Mr. Selden in his Notae Spicilegium ad Eadmerum p. 172 c. as the words themselves import De Judaeis in Regno consticutis SCiendum est quoque quod omnes Judaei ubicunque in Regno sunt sub tutela defensione Domini 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 detinuerit eos vel pecuniam eorum 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 so they were all under him only as his meer Vassals their persons and goods being his alone and that they could dispose of neither of them without his license Into which slavish condition they doubtless 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 sequel 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 with pious solicitude of such who were afraid of the Christian Faiths miscarriage And from this
Act appeareth by former records as take one for many From the 17 of December in the 50 year of H. 3. until the Tuesday in Shroveride the 2 year of Edward the first whâ—ch was about 7 years the Crown had four hundred and twenty thousand pounds fifteen shillings and four pence De exitibus judaiâ—mi at which time the ounce of silver was 20 d. and now it is more than treble so much So as the recital of the Preamble is true That he and his Ancestors had received great profit from Iudaism Many provisions were made both by this King and others Some time they were banished but their cruel usury continued and soon after they returned and for respect of lucre and gain King John in the second year of his reign granted unto them laâ—ge Privileges whereby the mischiefs rehearsed in this Act multiplyed But the lucre and gain which King John had and expected of the Infidel Iews made him impie judaisare for to the end they should exercise the Laws of their Sacrifices which they could not do without a Priesthood the King by his Charter granted them to have one c. Which for the great rarity thereof and for that we find it not either in our Books or Histories I will rehearse In haec verba Rex omnibus fidelibus suis omnibus Judaeis Anglis salutem Sciatis nos concessisse Jacobo Judaeo de Londoniis Presbytero Judaeorum Presbyteratum omnium Judaeorum totius Angliae Habendum tenendum quamdin vixerit liberè quietè honorificè integrè it a quod nemo ei super hoc molestiam aliquam aut gravamen inferre presumat Quare volumus firmiter praecipimus quod eidem Jacobo quoad vixerit Presbyteratum Judaeorum per totam Angliam garantetis manu-teneatis pacificè defendatis Et si quis et super eo forisfacere praesumpserit id ei sine dilatione salva nobis emenda nostra de forisfactura nostra emendare faciatis tanquam Dominico Judaeo nostro quem specialiter in servicio nostro retinuimus Prohibemus etiam ne de aliquo ad se pertinâ—nte ponatur in placitum nisi coram nobis aut coram capiâ—ali Justiciario nostro sicut Charta Regis Richardi sratris nostri testatur Teste S. Bathonien Episcopo c. Dat. per manus Huberti Cantuarientis Archiepiscopi Cancellarii nostri apud Rothomagum 12 die Julii Anno Regni nostri primo To which Charter Sir Edward Cook annexeth this marginal Note Thâ—s King had a most troublesom and dishonourable reign God raising against him for his just punishment two potent Enemies Pope Innocent the 3. and Philip Kâ—ng of France And besides which was the worst he lost the heart and love of his Baronage and Subjects and at the last had a feaâ—full end He adds Our Noble King Edward 1. and his Father H. 3. before sought by dâ—vers Acts and Ordinances to use some means and moderation herein but in the end it was found That there was no mean in mâ—schief and as Seneca saith Res profecto Stulta est nequitiae modus And will it not be so now in their new limited re-admission if consented too And therefore King Ed. 1. as this Act saith for the honour of God and for the common profit of his people without all respect in respect of these of the filling of his own Coffers did ordain That no Jew from thenceforth should make any bargain or contract for usury nor upon any former contract should take any usury from the Feast of St. Edward then last past So in effect all Iewish Vsury was forbidden This Law struck at the root of this pestilential weed for hereby usury it self was forbidden and thereupon the cruel Iews thirsting after rich gain to the number of 15060 departed out of this Realm into forraign parts where they might use their Jewish trade of usury and from that time that Nation never returned again into this Realm Some are of opinion and so it is said in some of our Historâ—es That it was enacted by authority of Parliament that the usurious Iews should be banished out of the Realm â—â—t the truth is that their usury was banished by tâ—â—s Act of Paâ—liament and that was the cause that they banished themselves iâ—to other Countries where they might lâ—ve 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 Statute against their Usury But under the favour of this deceased reverend Judge whose memory and judgement in Law I generally reverence this opinion of his is a meer mistake For 1. This Statute de Iudaismo was not made in the Parliament of 18 E. 1. as he confidently affirmeth without any ground or Authority at all but in the 3d year of his reign as I have formerly proved being full 15 years before the Jews banishment out of England the term the Statute de Iudaâ—smo allowed them to take Lands and Houses to farm but no longer If then they resided here full 15. years after the banishment of their Usury by this Statute it is most certaine it was not the ground of all their voluntary banishments in 18 E. 1. as he strangely fancieth but some particular Act for their general expulsion then made upon the Commons importunity else they would have voluntarily exiled themselves 15 years before upon the first publication of this Statute against their Usury in all probability rather than so long after its banishment of it in 3 2. This Stat. hath not one syllable of their banishment in it but expresly authorizeth them to take houses and lands to farm and continue here 15 years space but no longer Now had it been made in 18 E. 1. as Sir Edw. Cooke affirms the King and Parliament had been so far from banishing them that year as the premised Histories and Records he cites do joyntly attest they did that they had thereby authorized them to continue here 15 years longer even till 33 E. 1. Yea the Commons had been much overseen to give the Kâ—ng a fifteen in the Parliament of 18 E. 1. for the present banishment of all the Iews out of England had they passed the Statute de Iudaismo at that very time which allows them 15 years space longer to take Houses and Lands to farm to extend the moâ—ty of the Lands and Goods of their Creditors to be resident in the Kings Cities and Burroughs where their chests for Indentures were to grant them the Kings Peace and Protection both for their persons and estates and exempt them from suits in all Courts but the Kings and from all Taxes with other Subjects And that clause of this Statute prescribing them to wear a badge on their uttermost Garments after they were 7. years of age and to pay 3 d. the poll yearly to the King after they were 12 years old had been meerly ridiculous if
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
Remitter into ENGLAND HAving in my late Short Demurrer to the Jews long discontinued barred Remitter into England presented the world with an Exact Chronological History of the English Jews and their affairs from their very first arival in England under King William the Conqueror till their universal final Banishment and Expulsion thence in the 18 year of King Edward the first after about 260 years continuance in our Island collected out of the best printed Historians Law-books and some few Records I conceived it not only expedient but necessary to second amplifie and illustrate it with this new Chronological Collection of such unprinted and generally unknown Records remaining in the Tower of London and Exchequer during the respective reigns of King John King Henry the 3. and Edward the 1. as properly relare to the History State affairs Legal transactions Proceedings Contracts Government of the Iews in England under these three Kings and to their final Banishment hence which for want of time and other causes I could not conveniently insert into my first Demurrer The Reasons inducing me hereunto are 1. The Rarity and Novelty of these Records never formerly published in print I have been informed by persons of Credit that our great learned late deceased Antiquary Mr. Iohn Selden many years since made a particular collection of the Records concerning the English Iews and gave them to Mr. Samuel Purchas to insert into his Pilgrimage who in his 3. Edit thereof Lond. 1617. B. 2. ch 10. Sect. 17. p. 171. published a Section with this Title to it Of the Jewes somtimes living in England collected out of antient Records by Mr. JOHN SELDEN of the Inner-Temple wherin there is such a poor maimed accompt given of them out of Records or Histories and so different from that delivered him that upon the publication thereof Mr. Selden was very much offended with Mr. Purchas for abusing him in such a manner and his Readers likewise there being not above 3 Records and those maimedly cited in that whole Section which defect I thought meet here to supply 2ly The rectifying and refuting of some Mistakes in Sir Edward Cook his 2 Institutes concerning the Statute de Iudaismo and the Jews Banishment out of England which I have more fully refelled in my second Edition and shall here further clear by several Records 3ly The illustration and ratification of some Passages in our Historians touching the slavish condition and frequent Taxes imposed on the Jews by our Kings 4ly The fuller discovery of the manner of their Contracts Stars Legal Proceedings Judicatories transactions and Government whilst in England wherein our Histories and Lawbooks are very defective 5ly The manifestation of the Machiavillian Policy of King Iohn and Henry the 3d to draw the Jews from forraign parts into England by granting them ample Liberties and Protection on purpose afterwards to ensnare oppress vex squeeze prey upon them and their estates with far greater greedinesse and advantage 6ly To publish to the world the zealous pious care of our Ancestors even in grossest times of Popery to prevent all communion of Christians with and seduction by the Jews to suppress their blasphemy convert them by compelling them to resort to the Friers Sermons for their edification providing for their converts by sundry Ordinances not mentioned in any printed English Historians but only in the Records here published 7ly To adde a further Barr to their Re-admission into England they having been invited hither if Menasseh Ben-Israel may be credited by divers EMINENT PERSONS excelling both in Piety and Learning as well as power who from the beginning of their Government of this Commonwealth have professed much respect and favor towards them made known unto them some years since that wished for liberty that they now are about to grant them as he in his late Humble Addresses and Declaration to the Commonwealth of England hath published to the world in print being now inquiring after a convenient Summer-house intending to settle himself at least if not his exiled Nation here among us whereas Pierce Gaveston a Forraigner and the two Spencers great Potent Englishmen have heretofore lost their lives and heads for returning into England without the Parliaments and Nobles license though by the Kings own invitation and license when banished thence by Parliament which this Jewish Rabbi and his banished Countrimen may do well advisely to consider for fear of afterclaps The first Records of our former Kings now extant except some few Charters and Exemplifications of them in Leiger-books Records and Histories are those oâ— King Iohn preserved in the Tower of London and Exchequer Amongst the Charter Rolls of this King Iohn I find a special Charter of his in favour of the Jews made in the first year of his reign dated at Rhoan July 31. Anno Dom. 1199. whereby he grants to James of London a Jewish Priest the Priesthood of all the Jews throughout England to have and hold it during his life freely quietly honorably and intirely without moâ—â—sâ—ation trouble or disturbance by any Jew or English 〈◊〉 in the exerâ—â—se thereof c. Such a Chaâ—teâ— as Mâ—â—â—sseh Bâ—n-Isrâ—el now aspires after for himâ—elf as his Addresses intiâ—â—â—â—â— which because I finde printed by Mr. Samuel Purchas and Sir Edward Cook and I have already published it verbatim in my Short Demurrer Edit 1. p. 44. and Edit 2. p. 50.51 I shall here pretermit with this obâ—ervation that in the close thereof there is mention made of a Charter of King Richard granted to this Jew That he should not be impleaded for any thing appertaining to him but only before the King himself or his chief Justice This is the very first Charter extant on record conning the English Jews What is recorded of them in our Histories before this rime I have elsewhere published at large I find another Charter of Safe-conduct granted by K. John to this Jewish Priest the self-same day and year as the former for his safe and free passage and of all things appertaining to him in all places both on this side and beyond the Sea without any injury molestation impediment or grievance to be done unto him more then to the King himself which being never yet printed I have here transcribed out of the Record it self Johannis Dei gratia c. Omnibus fidelibus suis ad quos Literae praesentes pervenerint tà m ultrà mare quà m citra Mandans vobis praecipiens Quatenus per quascunque Villas loca Jacobus Presbyter Judaeorum dilectus familiaris Noster transierit ipsum salvò liberè cum omnibus ad ipsum pertinentibus transire conduci faciatis nec ipsi aliquod impedâ—mentum molestiam aut gravamen fieri sustineatis plus quam Nobis ipsis Et si quis ei in aliquo forisfacere praesumpserit id ei sine dilatione emendadari faciatis Teste VVillielmo Marisco c. Dat. per manum Hu. Cantuar. Archiepiscopi
Patents made of the Jews houses by the King in the 20 year of his reign intituled in the Roll and Margin Patentes de Domibus Judaeorum concessis Post eorum Exilium ab Anglia the first whereof in Memb. 2. runs thus Rex omnibus ad quos c. salutem Sciatis quod concessimus pro Nobis et haeredibus nostris Willielmo de Tabâ—rer de Bedeford Katerinae uxori ejus Domos illas quae fuerunt Cok filii Benedicti de Bedeford Per Exilium ejusdem Iudaei a Regno nostro tanquam Escaeta nostra in manu nostra existentes et â—uâ—ae ad sex soudos extenduntur Habendum et tenendum eisdem Willielmo Kater et haeredibus suis vel cui ilias secundum consuetudineÌ„ villae praedictae donare vel assignare voluerint de Nobis haeredibus nostris imperpetuum Reddendo inde Nobis haeredibus nostris unum denarium per manum Vicecom nostri Bedf. singulis annis ad Scaccarium nostrum ad festum Sancti Michaelis Et faciendo aliis dominis feodi illius servicia inde debita consueta T. Rege apud Westm 29 die Novemb. After which follow near 20 patents more of other Jews houses made that year in the same form Therefore by the unanimous irrefragable verdict of all these manifold Patents the Jews were legally and judicially Banished out of England and by this their Judgment of Banishment both by the King and Parliament all their houses and lands actually escheated into the Kings hands who thereupon seized and sold them to others in fee upon this very Title of Escheat by their Exile out of England which had Sir Edward Cooke known or observed I am confident he would never have asserted this untruth that they voluntarily banished themselves out of England only because their Usury was banished thence To these Records I might annex the case of the Prior of Bridlington which himself cites in the Placita Parliamenti post Pascha apud London 21 E. 1. rot 4. recited again in alio Rotulo Anno 22 E. 1. rot 5. wherein there is this double recital of the Jews exile hence and of a Debt of 200 l. due to the King thereby which he had Judgement to recover against the Prior. Et quia praedictus Prior cognoscit quod praedâ—cta pecunia praed Judaeo debebatur nec ei solvebatur Ante Exilium Iudaeorum et quicquid remansit eorum debitis catallis in Regâ—â— Post eorum Exilium Domino Regi fuit Consideratum est quod Dominus Rex recuperet pecuniam praedictam An unanswerable euidence of their judicial legal actual Banishment hence here twice together repeated in this Plea in Parliament but three years after their exile I have now traced the History of the English Jewes through the obscure untrodden generally unknown and almost forgotten path of our English Records yet remaining in the Tower of London and Exchequer from the very first year of King John where our yet extant Records begin to the 22. of King Edward the first full 4 years after their universal Banishment out of England which as it then put a period to any further memorial of them in our subsequent Records so it now sets a final conclusion to this my Chronological Collection of such Records as concern the generality of the English Jews and their affairs To which I shall only annex some few Records in succeeding times relating to some particular Jewish Converts since their general banishment hence and to the forementioned house of the Iewish Converts now the Rolls in Chancery Lane which are some wayes pertinent like so much gleanings after the Harvest to the Jewish History and so draw toward a conclusion of this my Undertaking There being a great want of Jewish Converts after the Jews banishment hence to receive the Alms Revenues formerly setled on their house by the premised charters of our Kings I find King Edw. the 3d in the 18th year of his reign by special Patents granted to other poor people who had nothing to live on both the benefit and easment of the Houses and Gardens of the House of the Converts together with a penny a day out of the Exchequer and so much besides as any one Convert there received out of the Rents and profits of the house Partiâ—ularly he granted to one Alianor Quae non habet unde 〈◊〉 quod habeat tantum in omnibus pro sustentatione sua iam de pecunia ad Scaccarium videlicet per diem 1 d. et pro aisiamento Domorum Gardinarum sicut una Conversorum habet et capit ac de Deodandis alâ—is proficuis quam de Redditibus Tenementis Conversorum Domus London et alibi infra Regnum Angliae commorant c. quantum una Conversa inde percepit After this a converted Jew John Castell by name coming over into England in the 30 year of King Edward the 3d. the King thereupon granted him such admittance into and sustenance in this house of Convertr as other Converts had in former times received by this ensuing writ of Privy Seal Rex dilecto Clerico suo Hen de Ingleby Custodi Domus nostra Conversorum in civitate nostra London salutem Quia volumus quod Johannes de Chastell à ritu Judaeorum conversus qui in Regnum nostrum Angliae nuper venit habeat talem sustentationem in Domo nostra praedicta de Elemosina nostra qualem alii ejusdem conditionis in eadem ante hoc tempus habuerunt Vobis mandamus quod ipsum Johannem in domum nostram praedictam admittatis et ei sustentationem hujusmodi pro uno converso consuetum de eadem domo liberari habere facias T. Rege apud Westm primo die Iulii Per Breve de privato Sigillo This Henry de Ingelby afterwards resigning his Office of Keeper or Gardian of the House of Converts to the King thereupon King Edward the 3. in the 45 year of his reign granted this Office to William de Burstall Clerk during his life by this following Patent Rex omnibus ad quos c. Sciatis quod dedimus concessimus dilecto Clerico nostro Will de Burstal custodiam domus nostrae conversorum London vacantem per resignationem Hen. de Ingleby ultimi Custodis domus praedictae et ad nostram Donationem spectantem habendum tenendum cum omnibus ad custodiam illam quoquo modo spectantibus ad totam vitam ipsius Willielm In cujus c. T. R. apud Westm 22 die Julii Per ipsum Regem Et Mandatum est Vicecomit London quod ipsum Will. in corporalem possessionem Domus praedictae inducant vel induci faciant habendum juxta tenorem Literarum Regis praedictarum Teste ut supra Per ipsum Regem This house with the Chappel and other Edifices being greatly ruined after the Jews banishment through the negligence of former Guardians William Burstal being made keeper thereof bestowed much money upon
in the Jews amongst us for the Lawyers had 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 sudden 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 〈◊〉 â—ere 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 inserted by Hoveden and Spelman amongst Edward the Confessors here cited p. 3. 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 punier 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 omits 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 APOSTASLE 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
were then so odious to the whole Nation that they would not permit them to bury their very dead corps in any English soyl for fear of polluting it nor near any Christians bodies without the Kings special License Neither did they desire to be interred near or amongst any Christians corps out of detestation to them as if one earth could no more contain them than one Heaven which the Jews would engross to themselves alone King Richard the first being to be crowned King at London in the year of our Lord 1189. the chiefest of the Jews flocked together from all parts to his Coronation resolving to purchase the favour of the New King with most ample gifts and to get their former priviledges confirmed which they feared they should lose But they being suspected of Sorcery and Magick the King by a publick Proclamation prohibited all Jews from entring the Church whiles he was crowning or his Palace whiles he was therein feasting Notwithstanding some of the principal Iews secretly got into the Church and Palace who being discovered one after another were well beaten and thrust out of the Church and Court by the Kings Officers and Christians Upon which the common people then flocking in great multitudes to the Kings coronation fell upon the Jews standing in great multitudes at the Palace gate first beating them with their fists and then taking up clubs and stones slew some of them and left the others half dead whereupon one of them called Benedict of York being so beaten and wounded that he despaired of life and extraordinarily terrified with the fear of death received Baptism from William Prior of St. Maries of Yorke and thereby escaped the peril of death and hands of the persecutors In the mean while there was a great rumor spred throughout the city of London upon this occasion That the King desired and had commanded that all the Iews should be banished and destroyed Whereupon an infinite number of people as well out of the City as most counties of England then coming to the coronation inflamed with the desire of booty betaking themselves to their arms fell pell-mell upon the Jews and slew and pillaged them both in the streets and in their houses and those who defended themselves for a time in such strong houses which they could not enter were there soon after burnt and consumed together with their houses by the furious multitude who put fire to their houses and burnt down most of them Synagogae datae dedecori and likewise defaced their Synagogues as Radulphus de Diceto records The King being informed hereof whiles he was feasting with his Nobles thereupon sent Ranulphus de Glanvil then chief Justice of the Realm a potent and prudent man together with other great Noblemen to perswade and restrain these bold people But all in vain for in so great a multitude none would hear their voices nor reverence their persons but rather murmuring against them exhorted them speedily to return whereupon they advisedly declining their unbridled rage the fury of these plunderers ceased not til the next day Ac licet immensitas tantae rabâ—ei si dissimulata multa transiret primordia regiae majestatis denigraret plurimum propter reorum tamen infinitam multitudinem dissimulari oportuit quod vindicari non potuit writes Henry de Knyghton Yet the very next day the King sending his Officers throughout the City commanded some of the said malefactors to be apprehended and brought before him of which three were hanged by the judgement of his Court one because he had stollen the goods of a certain Christian and two because they had made a fire in the City whereby the houses of Christians were burned After which the King sent for the man who of a Jew was made a Christian and demanded of him in the presence of those who had seen him baptized Whether he were made a Christian Who answered That he was not but that he permited the Christians to do to him what they would that he might escape death Then the King demanded of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the presence of many Archbishops and Bishops What was to be done concerning him who answering very indiscreetly said If he will not be a man or servant of God let him be a man or servant of the Devil And so he returned to the Judaical Law and pravity like a dog to his vomit and soon after died at Northampton and was deprived of the common burial of the Jews because he had been made a Christian in this manner and likewise of common burial with the Christians because he apostatized to the Iewish wickednesse for which some would have had him proceeded against as an Apostate In the mean time the King sent his Writs throughout all the Counties of England prohibiting That none should doe any harm to the Iews but that they should enjoy his peace But before that Edict was published the Jews which were in the Town of Dunstaple to preserve their lives from the peoples fury being converted to the Christian Faith were baptized betroathing their wives after the manner of Christians which was likewise done through many Cities of England And although the King by his Proclamation had decreed peace to the Jews yet notwithstanding the fury against the Jews kindled at London not verily out of a zeal of Faith but of Gain vehemently raged in other places of the Land For a certain Jew at Lynne happening to be made a Christian thereupon the Jews persecuting him as a prevaricator of their Law taking an opportunity assaulted him with arms as he passed throgh the city whereupon he took sanctuary in the Church yet notwithstanding the raging Jews would not rest quiet for this but with a continued fury presently began to assault the Church with great violence presently hereupon there arose a great clamor and the Christians assistance was defired with loud out-cries This clamor and fame incensed the Christian people and young men which were strangers of which a great number at that time resorted thither by reason of traffick who running to the Church armed valiantly assaulted the proud Jews who being unable to resist the assault of the Christians presently betook themselves to flight After which the Christians assaulting and taking their houses spoyled and then burnt them with fire Hereupon the young men who were strangers laden with prey departed with it speedily to their ships failed thence lest they should be questioned perchance inforced to restore their booty by the Kings officers But the Inhabitants of the place when they were questioned for this by the Kings Officers translated this fact to the strangers who were then departed from thence although themselves were not altogether innocent taking up arms against the Jews upon the out-cry but yet doing nothing against the Jews for fear of the Kings displeasure Not long after in Lent there arose a new storm against the Jews at Stanford for there being solemn Fairs there
held in Lent the young men and Souldiers who had taken upon them the sign of the Crosse and were then ready to go to 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
the rest of my Realm by the like Law lest a Jew might seem better than a Christian that for any injury whatsoever done to the Iew so long as he shall enjoy his Charter you shall not be convented before any Iudge except my self The Knight returning with this priviledge the Jew considering that danger and peril hung over his head voluntarily renounced his Charter evacuating the condition of his priviledge and wishing that both parties might be subject to the Common Law The year following Anno 1289. King Edwaâ—d taking upon him the character of the Crosse at Blankeford in Gascoigne presently banished all the Jews out of Gascoigne and all other his Lands which he possessed in the Realm of France AS ENEMIES OF THE CROSSE From whence returning into England Anno 1290. he was joyfully received at London both by the Clergy and all the people and the same year exiling the Jews likewise out of England giving them expences into France he confiscated all the rest of their goods together with their Lands and Houses and in 19 20 E. 1. he made several Gifts of the Jews Houses and Lands to others as appears by the Patent Rolls in the Tower of London Upon what grounds by what Authority for what time in what manner with what desire of and content to all the whole Commons and Realm of England the Jewes were then banished thence these ensuing Historians will at large relate in their own words which I shall transcribe for the better information and satisfaction of all sorts of men whether Christians or Jews Matthew Westminster flourishing at that time gives this relation of it About these days namely the 31 of August the exasperating multitude of Jews which dwelt confidently in times past through divers Cities strong Forts JUSSA EST was commanded with their wives children together with their moveable goods to depart out of England about the Feast of All Saints which was assigned to them for the term WHICH THEY DARED NOT TO TRANSGRESSE UNDER PAIN OF HANGING whose number was supposed to be 16511. Such A DECREE had issued out before from the laudable King of England in the parts of Aquitain from whence all the Jews were likewise banished Thomas Walsingham living near that age thus records it The King returning out of Gascoigne to London was solemnly received by the Clergy and all the people who the same year banishing all the Jews out of England giving them their expences into France confiscated the rest of their goods This year the King held A Parliament in which were made the Statutes called Westminster the 3d. In quo etiam Parliamento pro expulsione Iudaeotum concessa sunt Regi a Populo quinta decima pars honorum In which Parliament likewise for the banishment of the Jews there was granted to the King by the People a fifteenth part of their goods Henry de Knyghton a Canon of Leicester a most diligent Antiquary flourishing in Richard the 2ds reign rendreth it in these terms King Edward grievously punished the Jews and their consorts for clipping of money and corrupt exchanges whereupon in one day he caused all the Iews to be apprehended some he hanged the rest he banished When he had done his will upon his corrupt Judges fined deposed and some of them banished in the same Parliament that the Jews were exiled presently another cause moved him concerning his money which he found to be basely clipped and corrupted to the prejudice of the Crowne and the great damage of the people By the Infidelity and Malice of the Iews as it was inquired and found or found upon inqâ—iry et fecit stabilire unum Parliamentum in quo convicti sunt Iudaei de ea falsitate Et statuit quod omnes Iudaeis exirent de Terra Angliae deinceps non redituri propter eorum incredulitatem principaliter et propter falsitatem quam eis dure imposuerat et pro hac causa cum festinatione facienda et sine dilatione explenda communes regni dederunt Regi quintum denarium de omnibus bonis suis mobilibus And he caused a Parliment to be summoned wherein the Jews are convicted of that falshood And he ordained that all the Jews should depart out of the Realm of England not to return again afterwards for their incredulity principally and for their falsenesse which he had hardly pressed upon them And for this their banishment speedily to be made and executed without delay the Commons of the Realm gave to the King the fifth part of all their moveable goods John Major and the Centuriators of Magdeburgh out of him thus register it to posterity In the year 1290. Iudaei Anglia pulsi sunt the Jews were banished out of England for the Englishmen had made a great complaint to Edward the 1. that by their usuries and frauds most men of the inferior sort were reduced to nothing which thing was gainfull to the King for every of the Commoners gave the King the fifteenth penny ut Iudaeos ejiceret that he might banish the Jews Our learned Iohn Bale Polydor Virgil and the Century Writers out of him thus expresse it Anno Dom. 1291 it should be 1290 In the Parliament at London theâ—e was a debate â—n the first place de Iudaeorum ejectione Concerning the banishing of the Iews whereof there was a grâ—â—t mâ—ltitude throughout England Sed Edicto publico Concilii Londinensis writes one Publico igitur Decreto jussi sunt alio commigrare ut infra paucos dies omnes exirent saith another But by the publick Edict of the Parliâ—meâ—t assembled in London and by a publicke decree They were all commanded to depart the Realm with their goods within a few days which they Concilii jussis obedientes obeying the commands of the Parliament speedily did Thomas Stubs his Acta Fontificum Eboracensium c. 1728 thus relates the universal banishment of them out of all England in one day Anno Dom. 1290. In câ—rastino animarum Exulati fuerunt Iudaei a Regno Angliae et hoc eodem die per totam Angliam Raphael Volaterianus Geograph lib. 3. f. 25. thus expresseth it Iudaei omnes expulsiâ—â— Annales Dominicanorum Colmarionsium thus relate it Anno 1291. Rex Angliae omnes Iudaeos Regno expulit Gilbertus Genebrardus Chronogr l. 4. p. 659. thus records it Anno 1291. Concilium Londinense ad Westmonasterium jussu Edwardi Regis Eo in Concilio Publico Edicto jussi sunt Iudaei de Anglia in perpetuum exire words most express Abraham Bzouius thus Anna Ecclesiasticorum Tom. 13. Anno 1291. n. 1. col 966. Londini ad Westmonasterium celebratum est Concilium In hoc imprimis agitatum est De ejectione Iudaeorum quorum erat per omnem Angliam ingens multitudo quo sic oves ab hoedis segregarentur Itaque Publico jussum est Edicto ut intra paucos dies omnes abierint cum bonis illi jussis Concilii parentes alii
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
can find no syllable in any Domestick or foreign Historians or Writers whatsoever nor yet that they inhabited here or were here in the Briton Saxon or Danish Kings Reigns which if they had some of our Historians Synods Decrees and Laws in those ages would have mentioned it as well as the Gothish Spanish Histories Laws Councils and Constitutions where they resided in which there is not one syllable of them but only in the forecited Law foisted in amongst the Confessors to which doubtless it was puny but in William the Conquerours reign Together with their ill deportments misdemeanors sufferings massacres servile condition and manifold popular tumults against them during all the time of their residence in England and final banishment out of it never to my knowledge collected into one intire History before The serious consideration whereof will in my weake judgement sufficiently satisfie convince the whole English Nation that they have just grounds and reasons in point of piety of policy never to re-admit them more into our Island and likewise resolve the very Jewes themselves that they have little cause or reason at all to desire to re-plant themselves in England where their ancestors in times past susteined so many miseries massacres affronts oppressions fleecings upon all occasions themselves can expect little better usage for the future To this principal part of my undertaking for fuller satisfaction I shall hereunto subjoyn a Tast of such Laws Scriptures Reasons as seem strongly to plead yea conclude against their re-admission into England at least in that latitude and freedom as formerly they there enjoyed and now petition for As 1. To erect new Synagogues Temples amongst us or turn any of our Churches Chappels into Synagogues for the free publique exercise of their Judaism Jewish Worship Customs Religion diametrically contrary to the Gospel Person Kingdom Priesthood Offices Mediation Redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ which they thereby professedly deny renounce as false and fabulous 2ly To set up a Jewish Corporation or Fraternity amongst us in our Cities and Corporations distinct and separate from the English subject to their own immediate peculiar Officers and Judges as heretofore 3ly To purchase Houses Habitations Rents Lands exercise Merchandizes and all sorts of Trades and Manufactures amongst us as free Denizens or Merchants upon such terms and qualifications as shall be indulged to them 1. For our Laws and Statutes these following make directly or obliquely by way of necessary consequence against their re-admission 1. For their Jewish Synagogues Worship Sacraments Religion these ancient pious Laws of our Saxon and Danish Kings made in their great Parliaments and Councils before the Jews first coming into England strongly oppose their admission now As namely the Laws of King Alfred and Guthern Lex 1.2 of King Ethelred in the Council of Aenham c. 1.3.27 29 30. of Habam c. 1. with the Laws of King Knute the Dane Lex 1.27 28. All which enact That the only true God and our Lord be loved worshipped in all ages by all the people with all their might the one Christian holy Catholick faith orthodoxly kept and the Churches of God to be diligently frequented throughout the Realm That all Paganisme and false Religions be renounced both in words and deeds That who ever wickedly resisteth the Laws of Christ shall be grievously fined and put to death and that all men should diligently seek out by all means Ut recta Christi relâ—gio maximè provehatur That the right religion of Christ might be most of all advanced obtesting all Ecclesiastical and secular persons again and again most earnestly to keep the sincere faith unanimously in the true God and the right Christian faith in a right manner diligently to hear the Teachers of Gods word studiously to follow their Doctrine and Precepts to maintain peace and tranquility in the Church of God and there diligently to pour forth their prayers All which particulars exclude all Jewish Synagogues and Judaisme and are of perpetual force being grounded on the very Law of God Moreover King Cnute his Ecclesiastical Lawes made by the advise of his wise men to be observed throughout all England prohibited That no Christian should be sold or sent out of the Realm or banished amongst those who had not as yet embraced the faith in Christ lest per adventure those Souls should perish at any time which our Lord Jesus Christ had redeemed with his own blood and life If Christians for this cause ought not to be sent sold or banished amongst Jews and Infidels much more then ought not Infidel Jews with their Jewish Synagogues Religion Ceremonies to be now introduced amongst us Christians to the hazard of many Christian Souls redeemed by Christs blood 2. All the Statutes concerning Uniformity of Common Seâ—vice and administration of the Sacraments as 1 Ed. 6. c. 1 2. 2 Ed. 6. c. 1. 6 Ed. 6. c. 1.1 Eliz. c. 2.23 Eliz. c. 1.35 Eliz. c. 1.2 most of them still in force being never legally repealed do fully and directly oppugne the introduction of any Jâ—wish Synagogues Service Sacraments Worship Ceremonies with the use of them in any place within our Realm 3. The Statutes of 3. E. 6. c. 10.13 Eliz. c. 2.23 Eliz. c. 1.28 Eliz. c. 2.6 35 Eliz. c. 1.3 Jac. c. â— against Popish Recusants Seminary Priests Jesuites Friers Masse-Books Agnus Dei's Popish Books Superstitions for eventing the withdrawing of the Subjects of this Realm from the publique Ordinances Sacraments and Religion here established and for speedy banishing all Seminary Priests and Jesuites and keeping them perpetually out of the Realm upon this account amongst others though professing Christ Christian Religion and agreeing with us in all Articles of the Creed and most fundamental points of Christianity Must in Substance Law Reason in this regard much more perpetually exclude abolish all Jews Jewish Priests Rabbies Synagogues worship Ceremonies Superstitions out of our Dominions being far more dishonourable to Christ opposite to our Christian Religion and destructive to the peoples souls if once admitted then any Jesuites Seminary Priests Friers Popish Recusants or any Romish Masses Superstitions whatsoever And if the Jewish Priests Judaism and Jewish Ceremonies may be now set up and practised publiquely amongst us notwithstanding all these Statutes then much more Masse-Priests Masses Popery and Prelacy by the self-fame reason justice equity To these I might annex all the late Ordinances for the Directory The solemn League and Covenant and for Suppressing punishing of Heresy and Blasphemy therefore of Judaism which is both Heresy and Blasphemy and Jewish assemblies the very Synagogues of Sâ—tan and Jews great blaspemers by Christs own resolution Rev. 2.9 c. 3.9 Acts 18.6 Rom. 2.21 With the late printed Instrument of Government which although it allows not only toleration but protection to all Sects and Religions professing faith in God through Jesus Christ though differing from the Doctrine and Discipline publickly held forth in the Nation
Jews may do well to transplant themselves if they be weary of their former habitation 10. 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 Matheus 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 pass 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 tollerating them only to repair old ones where they were fallen down and defaced to use their rites in But withall forbidding all christians under pain of Excommunication any communion with them for fear of being seâ—ucâ—d to their Superstitions â— Denique ut extremamâ—â—omanorum â—â—omanorum Paparum impadentiam et stupendam impletatem videas non pige â—iâ—â—orum Decreta pro blasphema in deum gente Iudaeorum lata adscribere â—â—ough some Popish Schoolmen as Alexander Alensis Summa Theologiae pars 2. qu. 61 Aquinas 2.2 quest 10. Art 9 10 11 12. Scotus in l. 4. Sent. dist 4. qu. 9. are not ashamed to justifie Quod ne deterius quid contingat aliquo modo bonum eliceatur tollerandi sunt Judaei ritus suos servare to graâ—â—fie their Popes herein which they likewise affirm of the iâ—olatrous Gentiles rites and worship as well as of the Jews And Peter Heylin in his Microcosme p. 569 570. writing That the Jews having been put to divers fines and ransoms they are at last even thrust quite out of Europe also They were banished out of England by Edward the 1. Anno 1290. Out of France Spain Portugal Naples and Sicil by the Kings forecited subjoyns by way of censure Yet are they found in great numbers in the Romish part oâ— Germany and Poland in most Cities of Italy especially Rome where there are no 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 â—athers Nose is forsooth an expectation of their conversion which is a meer pretence the reason being indeed the benefit hence arising to his Holinesse coffers but the hopes of their converâ—ion is small and the means lesse c. And therefore we cannot now re-admit them into England upon the self-same pretence and ground of gain without incurring the like censures from Protestants and Papists too and bringing intollerable Scandal Dishonour Reproach both 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 have him to rule over them Luk. 19.27 and so odious to the very Turks themselves for crucifying 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 Politicians States have specially 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 an ill disordered kind of life upon which ground they also prohibited their Citizens to travel into foraign countries Upon these grounds the Thebans Apoloniatae in imitation of the Spartans banished all foraigners out of their City as Aelian Var. Hist l. 13. c 16. Alexander ab Alex. l. 4. c. 10 record Plato the Philosopher Dialogo 12. de Legumlatione though he permits foraigners by way of study trade travel and embassie to come into his city and Republike under certain Laws and Rules yet he totally secludes them from inhabiting therein or to trade without strict Laws to prevent their danger upon this ground Solet enim civitatum in commerciis permixtio varios mores civitatibus ammiscere dum externi externis vicissim novationes inducunt quae res civitatibus per rectas leges benè institutis maximum deirimentum affert Aristotle observes That the bringing in of foraigners is the principal cause of seditions tumults Qui inquilinas aut advenas recipiunt in civitatem Hi fere omnes aut certe plurimi seditionibus conflictantur Dr. Jo. Case gives the reason of it Nam ut nihil citius corpus humanum inficit quam pestilentium vaporum malis humoribus copulatio ita nihil velocius corrumpit Civitatem quam peregrinorum 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 Foraigners into the Commonweal for as they being refreshed with heat do bite and sting So these being enfranchised destroy the Republike To prove this by arguments we may consider that every Nation hath its proper ceremonies which they bring along with them and do not change with the climat when they come into another Countrey Wherefore there is great danger lest by receiving strangers the ancient manners and Laws should be changed into new and foraign Now what sooner begets sedition than alteration of Laws and Customes 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. What 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 associâ—ted with wolves neither wills Prudence that Natives should be coupled with Foraigners For Philosophy perswades this that contraries cannot dwell in the same place but strangâ—rs for the most part are Enemies to the Citizens with whom they converse Adde to this that as Locusis are to the Corn so are Foraigners to the Republike for as they doe 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 wholsom juyce but poyson from the root wherewith at length the whoâ—e plant being infected perisheth This he proves by several examples out of Aristotle himself by the Trezenii Zanclei
the repairing of it out of his own purse which done upon consideration thereof and to keep the same in constant Repair for the future upon the supplication of the said William then Keeper likewise of the Rolls of the Chancery he procured King Edward to annex the house and Chappel of the Converts to the Custos of the Rolls of the Chancery and his Successors for ever in the 51 year of King Edward the 3d. by this Patent Rex omnibus ad quos c. salutem Sciatis quod Nos considerantes qualiter Domus Conversorum in Suburbio Civitatis nostrae London de Patronatu nostro existens et Capella Edificia Clausura ejusdem tempore quo dilectus Clericus noster Willielmus de Burstall custodiam ejusdem Domus ex collatione nostra primo habuit per negligentiam et incuriam aliorum qui antedictum Willielmum custodiam Domus illius habuerunt et ibidem morari seu inhibitare non curarunt multipliciter debilitata quasi totaliter in ruina extiterunt Et quod praedict Willielmus tempore suo de bonis suis propriis grandes fecit custus et expensas super reparatione et emendatione Domus Capellae Edificiorū Clausurarum praedict At etiam super factura novarum Domorum ibidem Nos ut Domus Conversorum capella edificia clausurae et novae Domus supradicta compatentur sustententur custodiantur in futur ad supplicationem praedicti Will qui Custos Rotulorum Cancellariae nostrae existit in praesenti concessimus de gratia nostra speciali pro Nobis haeredibus nostris quod post mortem ejusdem Willielm dicta Domus Conversorum cum suis Juribus pertinentiis quibuscunque remaneat et moretur in perpetuum Clerico custodi Rotulorum Cancellariae nostrae et haeredum nostrorum pro tempore existenti Et sit annexa ad idem Officium imperpetuum Et quod Cancellarius Angliae vel Custos sive custodes Magni Sigilli nostri et haeredum nostrorum Angliae pro tempore existentes post mortem ipsius Will. habeat et habeant Potestatem ad quamlibet Vacationem dicti Officii custodis Rotulorum per mortem cessionem vel mutationem personae quocunque tempore futuro instituendi successive Custodes Rotulorum praedictorum in dicta Domo Conversorum et Custodes illos ponendi in possessionem ejusdem cum suis juribus et pertinentiis quibuscunque In cujus c. T. Rege apud Shene x. die Aprilis Per Breve de privato Sigillo Since which by vertue of this Patent this house of the Converts hath continued annexed to the Custos and Mastership ol the Rolls of the Chancery yet still liable and subject to the first charitable uses for habitation and sustentation of such Jewish and other Converts to which it was at first designed For which I shall now only recite one president more already printed by John Stow out of the Records of 5 R. 2. One William Pierce a Jew that became a Christian and was baptized was by this Kings Charter in the 5 th of his reign admitted and received into this ancient Domus Conversorum and had there 2 d. a day allowed him by the King during his life And by the self-same Equity if the Jews be now readmitted into England and any of them shall chance to be converted to Christianity and baptized either upon real or hypocritical or politick grounds they ought to be there received and maintained in the self-same manner as they were in former times I have now courteous Reader presented thee and the world with the exactest Chronicle and History of the English Iews from the 1. year of King Iohn Anno Dom. 1599. till their total and final banishment hence in the 18 year of Edward the 1. Anno Dom. 1290 and some years after it hitherto published in any age sincerely collected with no little diligence pains search and cost out of the most excellent Rolls Records of those times yet extant in the Tower and Exchequer all which I diligently perused with mine own eys faithfully transcribed not taking them upon trust as others commonly do and so frequently miscite or mistake them all which Records being diligently entred very year successively under these Kings reigns by publick Clerks and Notaries imployed for that end and faithfully relating every thing concerning the Jews and all other transactions publick or private as they were then really acted are the truest best most unerring guides that posterity can follow the infalliblest evidences they can surely rely on or any Historians make use of in relating the History or proceedings of former ages the ignorance of which Records hath occasioned many mistakes both in matters of fact and Law in most of our Historians Chronicles and Law Books Some whereof relating to the English Jews I have here rectified in the by From all the Records here printed in their own words and language give me leave in brief to observe for thy better information these few general heads concerning the Jews to which they are reducible 1. That though our Kings by their forementioned Charters Writs and Proclamations granted many large Priviledges Protections Immunities to the Jews especially in the beginning of their reigns as if they were their only favourites and darlings above all other of their Subjects yet these their Royal Protectors and their Justices specially appointed for their custody soon after notwithstanding all their former Charters Declarations and promised Liberty Peace Protection proved their most unsatiable merciless perfidious tyrannical Exactors Fleecers Oppressors Taxmasters Tormentors almost without any intermission in one kind or other 2 That the Jews under all these Kings reigns notwithstanding all their indulged Liberties were but their most absolute Bondslaves and exquisite Villains in all respects as these particulars will evidence First their names were all inrolled in the Kings Exchequer for the Jews and they confined to live and abide only in such places as the King and his Justices assigned for their custody should prescribe them from which they might not remove without special license 2ly They were to be there constantly resident that the Kings Officers might there finde both them and their families upon all occasions 3ly They were translated from place to place at the Kings pleasure and permitted to reside in no place but where they had a common chest 4ly Their persons wives children infants families were imprisoned distrained sent to remote Prisons Castles banished executed tormented put to fines and ransoms upon all occasions especially for their Taxes and Debts to the King 5ly They were both by poll and wholesale granted and sold to others like Bondslaves and Villains in grosse by the King and morgaged to those who would purchase them or advance any monies upon their assignment 6ly They were alwayes to wear a badge and Table on their outmost garments as well females as males whereever they rod or went to distinguish them from Christians with
the like 7. That notwithstanding all the Injuries Oppressions Indignities cruelties they here sustained both from our Kings their Officers the generality of the people by Gods just curse and vengeance on them fot their sins yea notwithstanding all means used by our Kings Magistates Bishops preaching Friers and others both for their reformation and conversion to the Christian Faith yet the generality of them continued persevered still in their willfull obstinacy infidelity blindnesse enmity malice blasphemies despite against our crucified Saviour and Christianity which they manifested upon all occasions in publike and private by circumcising and crucifying chistian children breaking the Crucifix in Oxford and trampling it under foot in the midst of the Universities soleme Procession and otherwise expressed at large in the forementioned records as likewise in their extorsions clipping and falsifying moneys Charters usuries frauds rapes murders forgeries very few of them turning Christian converts and that either to save their lives or prevent some imminent dangers to their persons families estates and those of the poorer sort for the most part to get a present livelyhood from the Christians who frequently turned Apostates or flagitious malefactors to the scandal of religion 8. That the Jews here had their Synagogues Schools Priests Presbyter and Comptroller of their Exchequer Escheator Cofferers Cyrographers Attornies Bayliffs with their proper Judges and Court of Exchequer wherein only they were to be sued proceeded against and by whom they were Iudged their Prisons Attachers Tax-Masters Record-Keepers ordered in all things according as the King by his Writs and Letters directed All which Offices were appointed by the Kings special Patents Writs whose Names Powers Jurisdictions Salaries together with their legal trials and proceedings of all sorts civil criminal the forms of their Starrs Charters Extents of Lands assignments of Debts Releases Reliefs Fines with the names of the chiefest Jews are registred and most clearly fully related in the forecited Records and in no other prinâ—ed History or Law-book whatsoever 9. That the Jews were exempt from all other Temporal and Ecclesiastical Courts and Jurisdictions but the Justices specially appointed for their custody and the Kings Exchequer for the Jews yea from all publike Taxes imposed on the English and could not be excommunicated by the Masters of their Law without the Kings special license 10. That the Iews usury was no ways counâ—enanced nor approved but generally condemned and frequently released by our Kings long before the Statute de Judaismo which most infallibly appears to be made in 3 Ed. 1. not in 18. as Sir Edward Cook very grosly mistook And that the banishment of their Usury by it was not the cause of their voluntary banishment hence as he most fondly conceited 11. That the Presbyteratus Judeorum totius Angliae was not the High Priests spiritual function as Sir Edward Cook and others affirm but only a temporal office and Comptrolership in the Kings Exchequer of the Jews 12. That our Kings and Auncestors in times of Popery made and published â—undry excellent Ordinances against the blasphemies abuses of the Jews and were very zealous industrious to convert them to Christianity and carefull to maintain support confirm and provide for them when converted in their Domus Conversorum That King Edward the first remitted his right to all the goods of convert Jews by an unchristian usage confiscated formerly to the Crowne by their very conversion allowing all Converts the moity of their estates to maintain them and granting the other moity of their Estates together with his Deodands and all forfeitures and Chevages of the Jews for the support of the Converts and their House Chappel Chaplains Yet very few of them were converted 13. That King Edward the 1 in the 18 year of his reign did by publike Edict of Parliam actually banish all the Jews out of England except the Converts by a set prefixed day beyond all contradiction much against the Jews good wills as I have undeniably proved by sundry Records forecited here and by multitudes of Historians in my first Demurrer against Sir Edw. Cooks grosse error A truth so clear that the very Jews themselves as I am informed by those best versed in their Manuscript Antiquities do make special mention of this their Banishment out of England in their Chronicles in Manasseh Ben-Israels custody taking their later computations of years from thence as a time very remarkable and ominous to their whole Nation And well might they do so seeing learned Mr. Edward Brerewood in his Enquiries touching the diversities of Languages and Religions throughout the chief parts of the world London 1614. c. 13. p. 92. assures us that The first Country of Christeâ—â—om whence the Iews were expelled without hope of Return was our Country of England whence they were Banished Anno 1290. by King Edward the first By which example Not long after they were likewise banished France Anno 1307. by Philippus Pulcher Only of all the Countries of France in the Iurisdiction of Avignon the Popes State some are remaining Out of Spain An. 1492. by Ferdinand and shortly after out of Portugal Anno 1539. by Emanuel Out of the Kingdome of Naples and Sicilie Anno 1539. by Charls the V. as he there writes Out of which Sir Edward Cooke might have as well averred they only voluntarily banished themselves as that they voluntarily banished themselves out of England withâ—ut any special Edict for their exile thence What other particulars of lesâ—er moment concerning the Jews occurre in these Records I have formerly touched in their respective places and shall here omit Having thus compleated my JUDAISMUS ANGLICANUS REDIVIVUS if I may so stile it or Chronological Collections of the Historical and Legal affairs of the English Jews out of the rich unknown Magazine of our generally neglected slighted precious old Records which Hugh Peters the great New-modeller Reformer of our former Lawes Liberties Government Kingdom Republike Church Religion Justice Law Merchandise Navy the Poor and what not but himself out of his rash fiery Zeal and transcendent ignorance would now make all new Martyrs but yet be none himself For which end in his Good Work for a good Magistrate London 1651. after his proposal of A short Model for the Law p. 28. c. he concludes with this advice as a Good Work fit for his good Magistrate p. 33. This being done It is very advisable to burn all the old Records yea even those in the Tower the Monuments of Tyranny that so his New Whimâ—es only might be known and adored for our English Lawes and Monuments in all succeeding ages I shall therefore crave Liberty to inform the World and this Ignoramus of the incomparable Excellency Utility Necessity of preserving these Records which he hath so brutishly devoted to the fire before he either knew their contents or worth which our Ancestors even in all former Wars Revolutions as well as times of peace and settlement preserved with much
if faithfully transcribed and methodically digested into a Parliamentary Chronicle would for rare usefull matter Excellency certainty far exceed all Histories Statute-Books Law-Books Chronicles ever yet compiled rectifie many grosse mistakes in most of them and make more able knowing Lawyers Judges parlamentmen Statesmen than former ages have produced Besides the old Records in the respective Treasuries of the Tower Courts at Westminster and the Rolls faithfully relate at large the Institutions Jurisdictions procedings Judgements Writs Formalities Debates commissions Law-cases Judges Officers names customes Fees of all the great courts of Law Justice Equity civil Ecclesiastical Military Marine Justices Itinerant Justices of the Forrest Justices of Assize Oyer and Determiner of most other inferiour Courts and Commissioners boâ—h in England Wales Ireland Scotland Gascoyne Normandy Poyters the Isles of Man Gernsy Iersy Alderny Serk Silly and other Isles the Stanneries in Cornwall and in most Corporations Counties Hundreds Honors Mannors in them Record all sorts of commissions charters Writs Warrants Instruments relating to Law Iustice Trade peace Waâ— The Courts Jurisdictions priviledges Mannors Lands Fees Rents exemptions Liberties Royalties Tenures Services customs Offices Successions pedigrees of the Kings Princes Queens Archbishops Bishops Deans Chapters cities corporations Fraternities Guiâ—ds Nobility Gentry Freâ—holders of England Ireland Wales Scotland and all Dominion Isles annexed to them with sundry other particulars necessary for an accomplished Lawyer out of which industrious Lawyers if countenanced by authority and encouraged by a a publike Salary might collect such a rare new Body and Systeme of the Laws customs courts and ancient legal proceedings in all the courts of Justice throughout our Dominions as would as far excell all other Abridgements collections Reports Institutes Registers Law-Books hitherto published for use excellency as the richest Diamond exceeds the basest pibble and bring more honour benefit to the English Nation than all the Shepheards Calenders and New-corps or Models of our old English Laws attempted by Hugh Peters Sword-men and â—ome bold illiterate Ignoramusses of the Law who neuer yet perused any of our old Records nor read over half our English Law-books and yet will be reformers or deformers rather of what they neâ—er exactly knew nor understood In brief the exact knowledge of our Records wiâ—â— furnish industrious Lawyers with such rare usefull materials of all sorts for the publike service of their Natiâ—e country upon all emergent occasions the benefit information of their clyents the honour of their profession and their own reputation advancement profit as will enable them to outshine all others of their robe unversed in the Records as far as the Sun and Moon outshine the lesser stars which lose all their borrowed splendor when â—hey once apâ—ear in place Witnesse Mr. Noy Mr. Seldon Mr. Littleton and some other Lawyers of late times whose real and Sir Edward Cooke whose borrowed superficial insight in Records advanced not only their Names Fames Arguments Books but practise and imployments likewise whiles they practisâ—d above all others of their Profession and hath immortalized their memories to posterity A sufficient Argument to engage all generous Students and Practisers of the Law to spend some years or long Vacations at least in the Study of our almost forgotten Records which though it may hinder their present gains and practise for a time will abundantly increase them afterwards the longest Studies in this kind like Merchants longest voyages being recompenced with the richest returns 2. All persons of quality desirous thoroughly to enable themselves to serve their Soveraign or Country in any publick great State-Offices Imployments at home or in foreigne parts may out of our Records furnish themselves with all former publike Negotiations Embassies Treaties Truces Leagues Contracts Agreements Transactions Letters Missives Commissions Instructions Claims Controversies Debates between the Kings Parliaments Nobles Clergy Merchants Kingdom People of England Ireland Scotland Wales and Dominions thereunto annexed or any of them and any other forraigne Kings Kingdoms Princes States Cities Embassadors Agents Legates Merchants relating to Peace Warre Amity Trade Marriages Alliances Government mutual aid Jurisdictions Soveraigntie Regulation of Injuries Abuses Depredations c. and likewise between themselves All Passages Writs Commissions Debates resolves relating to the Parliaments Judicatories Laws Justice Trade Merchandise Manâ—factures Navy Shipping Ports defence Militia by Land or Sea Coins Weights Measures of England Ireland and other our Dominions formerly specified with all other particulars fit for an accomplished Statesman no where extant but in our Record wherein they are faithfully registred for the information and benefit of posterity 3. All Heroick English Spirits desiring exact knowledg in the History and Chronology of England may find in our old Records all the choicest materials relating there unâ—o faithfully recorded with all the particular dates circumstances of time and place All Grounds Occasions Commissions Summons of Arrayes Armies Navies Fleets Ships Fortifications of Townes Castles Conâ—ultations Articles Instructions transactions relating to our Civil Foraign wars by Land or Sea with the Names of the Generals Officers Marshals Admirals and persons of greatest eminency in them All Truces Leagues Embassies Contracts Agreements Letters passages of State Parliamentary affairs Coronations Charters Patents of our Kings and what ever may compleat adorn our English History exactly registred which if faithfully transcribed and digested into order would make a farre more usefull compleat excellent English History and Chronicle then any yet published or compiled And if all the Charters Patents Commissions Records Writs Mandates priviledges Leâ—ters granted sent written by our Kings Parliaments Counsel and Officers of State relating to England Wales Ireland Scotland Jersey Gernsey Man and our other Isles and Dominions and to the particular Counties Hundreds Cities Corporations Ports Officers Bishopricks Monasteries Colleges Hospitals Free Schooles Parishes Churches Noblemen Gentlemen and particular Mannors places in them were judiciously collected digested after the moddel of Mr. Cambdens Britannia I dare affirm they would as far excel it in use and benefit as it transcends all former publications of our British world and Monarchy 4. Such Gentlemen as are addicted to Heraldry may find a Rich Magazine of all choice materials belonging to the Office and Study of an English Herald relating either to the Regal Noble Gentile families Great Officers Pedegrees Marriages Successions Coats Titles of Honor Chivalry c. of England Scotland Ireland Wales and other parts of our English Dominions The Coronations and Solemnities of our Kings the creations of our Nobles Knights Officers of all sorts with their Formalities Robes c. Most of our English Heraulds having been either Keepers of our Records or Clerks under them out of which they extracted most of their knowledge 5. All Divines studious of eminency in the Church History of England may read in our Records many excellent Letters Embassies passages Debates between our English Kings Parliaments Prelates Clergy Councils Synods and the Popes Cardinals Legates Court of Rome and forraign Councils