Argument of dishonest private filthy under-hand Bribes or Lucre by which they usually scrue themselves into those places whence they have been exiled transcends my shallow capacity to comprehend especially at this season when we are so over-stored with English that some think of sending and planting Colonies in another world whither these Gold-thirsty Jews may do well to transplant themselves if they be weary of their former habitations 9. The forecited Christian Authors Historians old and new much applaud and magnifie those Christian Emperors Kings Magistrates States who have most opposed restrained suppressed by severest Laws Edicts the Jewish Synagogues Ceremonies Superstitions Rites Abuses and banished these Antichristian Blasphemers and Enemies of Christ Jesus out of their Kingdoms and Territories especially for their Infidelity and censured those who favoured them And Matthaeus Flacius Illericus Johannis Wigandus Andreas Corvinus Thomas Holthuter 4 famous learned Protestant Historians and Divines in their laborious learned Ecclesiastical Centuries as they every where do the like So in their 12. Cent. cap. 7. col 1078 1079. they passe this sharp censure against the Decrees of Pope Alexander the 3. and Clement the 3. prohibiting the Jews to build any new Synagogues where were none before yet tolerating theÌ„ only to repair old ones where they were fallen down or defaced to use their rites in But withall forbidding all Christians under pain of Excommunication communion with them for fear of being seduced to their Superstitions c. Denique ut EXTREMAM Romanorum Paparum IMPUDENTIAM ET STUPENDAM IMPIETATEM VIDEAS non pigebit eorum Decreta PRO BLASPHEMA IN DEUM GENTE JUD AEORUM LATA adscribere And Peter Herlin in his Microcosme p. 569 570. writing That the Iews having been put to divers fines and ransoms they are at last even quite thrust out of Europe also They were banished out of England by Edward the 1. Anno 1290. Out of France Spain Portugal Naples and Sicily by the Kings forecited subjoyns by way of Censure Yet are they found in great numbers in the Romish part of Germany and Poland in most Cities of Italy especially Rome where there are not lesse than 15000. or 20000. of them and also in the Popes Country of Avignion The reason why they are permitted to live thus under our Holy Fathers nose is forsooth AN EXPECTATION OF THEIR CONVERSION WHICH IS A MERE PRETENCE THE REASON BEING INDEED THE BENEFIT HENCE ARISING TO HIS HOLINESSE COFFERS But the hopes of their conversion is small and the means less c. And therfore we cannot now readmit them in to England upon the self-same Papal pretence and Ground of Gain without incurring the like Censures from Protestants and Papists too and bringing intollerable Scandal Dissâ—onor Reproach on our Nation and Religion in these times of pretended highest Reformation they being the professed Enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ who will not not have him to rule over them Luk. 19 27. and so odious to the very Turks them selves for cruâ—fying Christ that they oft use to say in detestation of a thing I would I might die a Jew Neither will they permit a Jew to turn Turk unless he be first baptized 11 Many of the wisest Heathen Law-givers Polititians States have especially prohibited the introduction and habitation of foraigners amongst them Hence Lycurgus the famous Legislator and the Spartans by his Law and advice expelled all foraigners out of their City and Country lest by insinuating themselves amongst them they should teach their Citizens some ill introduce foraign manners and an ill disordered kind of life upon which ground they all prohibited their Citizens to travell into foraign Countries Upon these grounds the Thebans and also Apotloniatae in imitation of the Spartans banished all foraigners out of their City as Aelian Variae Historiae l. 13. c. 16. Alexander ab Alexandro l. 4. c. 10. record Plato the Philosopher Dialogo 12. de Legumlatione though he permits forainers by way of study trade travel and embassie to come into his City and Republike under certain Laws Râ—ules yet he totally secludes them from inhabiting therein or to trade without strict Laws to prevent their danger Solet enim civitatum in commercâ—is permixtio varios mores civitatibus ammiscere dum externi externiis vicissim novationes inducum quae res civitatibus per rectas leges benè institutis MAXIMUM DETRIMENTUM AFFERT Arist. observes Thatthe bringing in of forainers is a principal cause of seditions quarels Qui inquilinas aut advenas 〈…〉 nt in vitatem Hi ferè Omnes aut certè plurimi SEDITIONIBUS CONFLICTANTUR Dr. Jo. Case gives the reason of it Nam ut nihil citius corpus humanum inficit quà m pestilentium vaporum malis humoribus copulatio ita NIHIL VELOCIUS CORRUMPIT CIVITATEM QUAM PEREGRINORUM HOMINUM ADMISSIO in qua contagio venenum latet And hereupon he raiseth this question from Aristotles Text Utrum periculosa sit in Rempublicam peregrinorum admissio And thus resolves it It is perillous to take Snakes into the Bosom and Forraigners into the Commonwealth for as they being refreshed with heat doe bite and sting So these being enfranchised destroy the Republike To prove this by arguments we may consider that every Nation hath its proper manners and ceremonies which they bring along with them do not change with the climat when they come into another Country VVherefore there is great danger lest by receiving strangers the ancient manners Laws should be changed into new and forain Now what sooner begets sedition then alteration of Laws and Customs as we may see even in sundry Scripture examples which he remembers not and of the Jews especially Acts 14. 2. to 7. 16. c. 16. 19. to 25. c. 18. 5 6 7 17 18 19. c. 17 12. to 18 c. 19. 24. to 41. c. 21 27 to 40. c. 22. 22. c. c. 23. 24. 25. VVhat therefore is more perillous than the admission of Foraigners into our Commonwealth Moreover wherefore hath Nature instructed like to associate together with like if it should draw men of strange and different manners into a Republike Nature will not that sheep should be associated with wolves neither wills Prudence that Natives should be coupled with forraigners For Philosophy perswades this that contraries cannot dwell in the same place but strangers for the most part are enemies to the Citizens with whom they converse Adde to this that as Locusts are to the corn so are foraigners to the Republike for as they do wast and consume the grain of corn so these devour the fruit of the Commonwealth for although they are branches of the same plant yet they suck not wholesom juyce but poyson from the root wherewith at length the whole plant being infected perisheth This he proves by several examples out of Aristotle himself as by the Trezenii Zanclei Sybarites Bysantii Antissiaei Apolloniatae Chii Syracusani Aniohipoliâ—e who by
Rom. 11. 26 27 28. And so all Israel shall be saved being meant only of the Elect and true Israel of God both Jews and Gentiles as many judicious Expositors and Rom. 2 26 27 28 29. c. 9. 6 7 8. c. 11. 1. to 8. Gal. 3. 7 9 14 16 22 28 29 c. 6. 16. seem to expound it not of the whole Jewish Nations calling and salvation at the last 2ly It is agreed by most who expect such a general calling and conversion of the Iews That it shall not be till the fullnesse of the Gentiles become in as Rom 11 24 25. resolves And whether this fullnesse be yet come in there being so many Gentile Nations yet unconverted especially in Asia Africa and America and those infinitely exceeding the Gentiles yet converted to the Gospel let those consider who now expect the Iews conversion 3ly If this fullnesse of the Gentiles conversion to Christ must preceed the general calling of the Iews as a necessary preparative and introduction thereunto then we ought by this allegation in the first place to call the Turks Tartars Persians Chinoys and all other unconverted Gentile Nations into England and first convert them to the Christian faith before we bring in the Iews whose conversion is to succeed theirs and the Gentiles fullnesse And then we shall have Religions enough in England to please all Novellists and a thousand aliens to each English Native 4ly There are farre more expresse direct promises texts grounds both in the Old and New Testament for the calling conversion of all Gentiles and yet unconverted Heathen Nations to the faith of Christ then of the Iewish Nation not one Nation of them for ought we read being so far rejected broken off and given up to an obduration of heart and blindness of mind by Gods judiciall decree as we read the Jews to be Isa 6. 9 10 11 c. 8 14. 15 16. c. 29. 9 10 11 12. Mat. 13. 14 15. Mar. 4. 11 12. Lu. 8. 10. Iohn 12. 37 38 39 40. Act 28. 25 26 27 28. Rom. 11. 7 8 9 10. Therefore our prayers and endeavours ought first to be for the conversion of all Gentiles yet unconverted to the faith being more hopefull more successfull in all probability than our prayers endeavors for the Iews conversion at least till the Gentiles fullnesse be come in 5ly Admit either a general or special calling and conversion of the Iews in the latter end of the world yet the calling of them into England to cohabit with us in such a manner as they now desire is no ways necessary for that end For 1. it is no where declared in Gods word that they must be called in England or by English men 2ly If they were principally to be converted by English Divines or Laicks we may with more ease lesse danger and prejudice to our Nation and Religion send English Divines and Laicks into other forraign parts where they now reside to instruct teach convert them to the faith than call them into England to convert them now in this giddy unsetled apostatizing age wherein they are likelier to gain a thousand English Proselytes to their Judaisme than we one Jewish convert to Christianity if introduced with their Synagogues and Jewish ceremonies perhaps their hopes of such a harvest here is the principal motive that they are so pressing to be now admitted again into our English climate without delay 3ly If we admit them with all their Jewish worship Synagogues Ceremonies as they now propose it will be rather a means to harden then convert them a doing of evil that good may come of it a swallowing down of a certain deadly poyson in hope to correct it with a subsequent antidote and to set up a present Synagogue of Satan upon hopes hereafter to convert it into a Church of Christ 4ly God can convert them in any other Countries as well as in England and by any other Christian Nations as well as Englishas he hath done some few of them in all ages as Petrus Alphonsus Lyra and Junius three eminent Divines and Writers amongst others And there being as learned able Protestant Divines in Holland Germany France Denmarke as any in England if they cannot convert them what hopes have we to do it 5ly Conversion of their hearts to the truth of the Gospel and saving Grace is only the work of God not men who can work it when where and by whom he pleaseth and is not tied either to place or persons much lesse to our English climate to effect it And it is Gods and Christs usual prescribed way of converting Nations People to send Apostles Ministers to preach the Gospel to and convert them in the Countries places where they dwell not to call them into another Forraign Land where the Gospel first shined or where it is entertained as he sent his Apostles from Jerusalem into all the world to convert the Gentiles not called them all to Ierusalem or Palestine to be there instructed and converted Mat. 9. 38. c. 10. 5. 6. c. 28. 19 20. Mar. 16. 15. Isay 2. 3 4. Acts 9. 15. c. 10. 20. c. 22. 12. Ephes 3. 8. 2 Tim. 4. 17. 3. Iohn 7. Why then we should take this new-found contrary way of calling the Iews in to us to convert them and not rather send out Ministers to them I cannot discern The rather because the Council of Basil An. 143 1. Sessio 19. prescribes this course both for the converting of the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles to the Orthodox Faith That all Diocesans should yearly at appointed times provide certain men well learned in holy Scriptures and in the Tongues to preach and explain the truth of the Catholick Faith IN SVCH PLACES WHERE THE IEWES AND OTHER INFIDELS DID DWELL in such sort that they acknowledging their error might for sake the same To which preaching they should compell all of both Sexes that were at years of discretion to resort by interdicting them commerce with Christians and other sitting penalties Provided the Diocesans and Rreachers should behave themselves towards them mercifully and with all charity whereby they might win them to Christ not only by declaring of the truth but also by other Offices of humanity 6ly If the observation of learned Paraeus be true that the overflowing of all sorts of wickednesses crimes murders wars oppressions rapines injustice tyranny cruelty extortions usuries the infinite multiplicity contrariety of Sects Schisms Religions and unchristian heathen atheisticall practises of one Christian towards another be principal obstacles to hinder the Jews conversion especially amongst Protestants as these with idolatrous worship of Images Saints and the Hostia amongst Papists than the calling of them now into England where all these abound more than ever heretofore and more than in other Nations will be a means more to harden them and hinder their conversion then any furtherance thereunto the rather because the desperate Apostacy and atheistical actions of
newly delivered their Opinions there was no Law against it To which I answered That the Jews were in the yeer 1290. all banished out of England by Judgement and Edict of the King and Parliament as a great Grievance never to return again for which the Commons gave the King the fifteenth part of their Moveables and therefore being thus banished by Parliament they could not by the Laws of England be brought in again without a special Act of Parliament which I would make good for Law He replied I wish it might not be done otherwise that this business had been formerly moved in the Bishops time rather than now To which I subjoyned That it was now a very ill time to bring in the Jews when the people were so dangerously and generally bent to Apostacy and all sorts of Novelties and Errors in Religion and would sooner turn Jews than the Jews Christians He answered He thought it was true and was sorry he could not discourse longer with me the Committee about the Jews being sate and staying for him as he feared Whereupon as he was turning in towards White-Hall-Gate I told him The Jews had been formerly great Clippers and Forgers of Mony and had crucified three or four Children in England at least which were principal causes of their banishment To which he replied That the crucifying of Children was not fully charged on them by our Historians and would easily be wiped off Whereto I answered He was much mistaken and so we parted As I kept on my way in Lincolnes-Inne Fields passing by seven or eight maimed Soldiers on Stilts who begged of me I heard them say aloud one to another We must now all turn Jews and there will be nothing left for the poor And not far from them another company of poor people just at Lincolnes-Inne back Gate cried aloud to each other They are all turned Devils already and now we must all turn Jews Which unexpected concurrent Providences and Speeches made such an impression on my Spirit that before I could take my rest that night I perused most of the passages in our English Histories concerning the Jews carriage in England with some of their misdemeanors in other parts to refresh my memory and satisfie my judgement making some Collections out of them which after I enlarged and digested into this ensuing Demurrer with as much speed as the sharpness of the season would permit and was induced to publish it knowing no particular discourse of this Subject extant for the general information satisfaction of others and honour of my blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the righteous whom the Jews with malicious hearts and wicked hands crucified in person heretofore and their posterity by their blasphemies despiteful actions against Christ his Kingdom Offices Gospel crucifie afresh every day trampling under foot the Son of God putting him to open shame offering despite to the Spirit of Grace counting the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing And in all their publick and private Devotions praying constantly for the sodain universal total final subversion extirpation perishing of Christs Kingdom Gospel and all his Christian Members which they plot and continually expect such is their implacable transcendent malice I have deduced their introduction into England only from William surnamed the Conqueror because I finde not the least mention of them in any of our British or Saxon Histories Councils Synods Canons which doubtlesse would have mentioned them and made some strict Laws or Canons against their Iewish as well as against Pagan Superstitions had they exercised them here as they would have done as well as in Spain other places had they resided here That any of them were here in the time of our famous Emperor Constantine is but a dream of such who because they finde an Epistle of Constantines in the Council of Nice to all the Churches of Christ in Sir Hen. Spelmans Collections of the Decrees Canons and Constitutions of the British World wherein is mention made of the Churches of Britain in that age as well as in Rome France and other parts keeping the Passeover in a different manner from the wicked blinded Iews would thence infer there were then Jews resident in Britain of which there is not one syllable in that Epistle nor in any Classick Author Forrain or Domestick I yet ever saw or heard of That they were setled in our Island in the Saxons time is collected onely from that Law inferted by Hoveden and Spelman amongst Edward the Confessors here cited p. â— But there being no mention of the Jews in any of our Saxon Kings Raigns Councils Decrees Laws before the Confessor out of which all his Laws were wholly extracted and this Law of the Jews being not to be found in the true Original Copy of the Confessors and Conquerors Laws of Abbot Ingulphus who flourished in that age was present at their confirmation and then brought them to Croyland Abby published by Mr. Iohn Selden nor yet in Bromton I cannot but reject it as counterfeit and esteem it rather a Declaration of the Jews Condition in England in Hovedens time inserted by him as well as some other things of puâ—ier date amongst these Laws rather than any Law of or in the Confessors days wherein I can finde no evidence of any Jews residence here but only this interpolation and forged Law which Mr. Selden wholly omittes in his Collection of his Laws The History of King William Rufus his compelling the Iews of Rhoan that were turned Christians to renounce their Christianity and turn Iews again ACCEPTO PRETIO APOSTASIAE upon the complaint and mony given him by the Infidel Jews there with the Dialogue between Him and Stephen the Jew cited out of Holinshed here p. 5 6. I finde originally recorded of him by Eadmerus living in his raign who though very bitter and injurious to him by reason of the great Contests between him Anselme whose Favourite Follower and Companion in adversity Eadmerus was yet he relates it not as a certain Truth but as a Report of others of that Country who had another Opinion of Rufus Quam de Christianis Christianos Lex Christiana docet habere quae tamen sicut illa accepimus simpliciter ponam non astruens vera an secus extiterint an non Onely he addes this passage to the story of Stephen which Holinshed omits That St. Stephen appearing to him as he was travelling on the way he demanding of him who he was Answered That he was long since of a Jew made a Christian and was Stephen the first Martyr but for this cause I have now come down from Heaven to Earth that thou casting away thy Iewish Superstition mightest be made a Christian and being baptized in Christ mightest be called by my name Whereupon he became a Christian and was baptized That immediately after the conference between the King and Stephen which agrees with that in Holinshed he
with pious solicitude of such who were afraid of the Christian Faiths miscarriage And from this combate the Jews only brought away nothing besides confusion although they would many times boast that they were overcome not by argument but by a faction Antoninus relating the story in the same words addes only this That the Jews comming to this King on a certain Solemnity and offering him gifts after their removal from Rhoan to London he thereupon animated them to a conflict against the Christians swearing by St. Lukes face that if they overcame them he would revolt to their Sect as if he spake it in good earnest with whom the Magdeburge Centuries accord By which we may observe That the Jews were no sooner transported and setled in Rhoan and London but they presently began to grow very insolent against the Christians 1. Endeavouring to pervert some of them by monies to Judaism 2ly Attempting to corrupt the King himself by gifts to side with them against the Bishops and Clergy and to become one of their Sect. 3ly By entring into open Disputations with the Bishops and Clergy against the Christian Faith to the great fear of the Professors and hazard of the Christian Religion 4ly By boasting frequently when they were overcome That it was only by power and faction not truth or disputation And will not this be their very practise now if re-admitted to the hazard of our Christian Religion and seduction of many simple unstable souls in this unsetled apostatizing age when not only the ignorant People but many great Professors turn Atheists Hereticks Seekers Apostates Blasphemers Ranters Quakers Antiscripturists and what not but real Christians This History of William Rufus causing a disputation between the Christians and the Jews is related by Raphael Holinshed in his Chronicle Vol. 3. p. 27. who likewise records of him That he being at Rhoan on a time there came to him diverse Jews who inhabited that City complaining to him that divers of that Nation had renounced their Jewish Religion and were become Christians wherefore they besought him that for a certain summe of money which they offered to give it might please him to constrain them to abjure Christianity and turn to the Jewish Law again He was content to satisfie their desires and so receiving the money called them before him and what with threats and putting them otherwise in fear he compelled divers of them to forsake Christ and to turn to their old errors Hereupon the Father of one Stephen a Jew converted to the Christian Faith being sore troubled for that his Son was turned a Christian and hearing what the King had done in such like matters presented to him 60 Marks of Silver conditionally That he should enforce his Son to return to his Jewish Religion whereupon the young man was brought before the King unto whom he said Sirra thy Father here complaineth that without his license thou art become a Christian If this be true I command thee to return again to the Religion of thy Nation without any more adoe To whom the Young man answered Your Grace as I guess doth but jest Wherewith the King being moved said VVhat thou dounghil knave should I jest with thee Get thee hence quickly and fulfill my commandement or by St. Lukes face I shall cause thine eyes to be plucked out of thine head The Young man nothing abashed thereat with a constant voice answered Truly I will not do it but know for certain that if you were a good Christian you would never have uttered any such words for it is the part of a Christian to reduce them again to Christ which are departed from him and not to separate them from him which are joyned to him by Faith The King herewith confounded commanded the Jew to avant and get him out of his sight But his Father perceiving that the King could not perswade his Son to forsake the Christian Faith required to have his money again To whom the King said He had done so much as he promised to doe that was to perswade him so far as he might At length when he would have had the King to have dealt further in the matter the King to stop his mouth tendred back to him the one half of his money and received the other to himself All which increased the suspition men had of his Infidelity By this History we may perceive what a prevailing Engin the Jews money is both to scrue them into Christian Kingdoms though the most bitter inveterate professed Enemies of Christ himself Christians and Christianity and how their money can induce even Christian Princes to perpetrate most unchristian and antichristian actions and enforce by threats and violence even converted Christian Jews to renounce their Christianity and apostatise to their former Jewish Errors which they had quite renounced And do not they still work even by the self-same Money-Engin preferred by too many Christians even before Christ himself and Christianity In the year of our Lord 1145. during the reign of King Stephen the Jews grew so presumptuous in England that they crucified a child called VVilliam in the City of Norwich in derision of Christian Religion as Matthew VVestminster Flores Historiarum Ann. 1145. p. 39. Chronicon Johannis Bromton Col. 1048. Hygden in his Polychronicon Antoninus Centuriae Magdeburgenses Cent. 12. c. 14. Mr. John Fox in his Acts and Monuments 1640. Vol. 1. p. 302. Richard Grafton in his Chronicle p. 46. Raphael Holinshed in his Chronicle Vol. 3. p. 56. and others joyntly attest Not long after this Anno 1160. the 6. year of Henry the II. they cracifyed another child at Gloucester in contempt of Christ and his Passion as John Bromtons Chronicon col 1050. Henry de Knyghton de Eventibus Angliae l. 2. col 2394 Polychronicon Fox Acts and Monuments Vol. 1. p. 302. Grafton in his Chronicle p. 46. and others record And in the same Kings reign Anno 1181. upon the same account the Jews on the Feast of Easter martyred and crucified another child at St. Edmonds-bury called Robert who was honourably interred soon after in the Church of St. Edmunds and grew famous by miracles there wrought as Gervasius Dorobernensis in his Chronica col 1458. relates What punishments were then inflicted on them for these Murders and Insolencies I find not recorded perchance they purchased their Peace with monies For I read That in the year 1168. King Henry the 2. wanting monies banished the wealthiest of the Jews out of England and fined the rest of them in 5000 Marks most likely for these their Misdemeanors The Jews though there were a great multitude of them in England in every quarter of the Realm had only one Church-yard alotted them and that at London in which they were enforced to bury all-their dead corps wheresoever they died which being a great trouble and annoyance to them thereupon in the year 1178. they petitioned King Henry the 2. being at Stanstede for a License
and a Christian and as the condition so the operation is changed As Mathew Paris Ironically writes of him A certain Jew in the year 1260 fell into a Privy at Teukâ—sbury but because it was then the Sabbath he would not suffer himself to be pulled out except on the following Lords day for the reverence of his Sabbath Wherefore Richard Clare Earl of Glocester commanded him in reverence of the Lords Day to be kept there till Munday at which time he was found dead of the stink or hunger The Barons of England Ann. 1262. robbed and slew the Jews in all places There were slain of them in London to the number of 700. the rest were spoyled and their Synagogues defaced The original occasion of which massacre was because one Jew had wounded a Christian man in London within Cole-church and would have enforced him to have paid more than two pence for the Usury of 20 s. for one week In the year 1264. in the Passion week the Jews that inhabited the City of London being detected of Treason which they had devised against the Barons and Citizens were slain almost all the whole number of them and great riches found in their houses which were taken and carried away by those that ransacked the same houses The disinherited Barons and Gentlemen in the Isle of Oxholme in the year 1266 took and sacked the City of Lincoln spoyled the Iews and slew many of them entred their Synagogue and burnt the Book of their Law In the 7th year of King Edward the 1. Ann. Dom. 1278. as some or 1279. as others compute it the King held a Parliament at London which was chiefly called for the reformation of his coyn which was then sore clipped by reason whereof it was much diminished and impaired In the time of this Parliament in the moneth of November all the Jews throughout England as Matthew VVestminster or many of the Jews in London and other parts of the Realm were apprehended in one day and imprisoned in London for clipping of money and in December following divers Enquests were charged in London to enquire of the said Jews and all others who had so blemished and clipped the Kings Coyn By which Enquests the Jews of the City with the Gold-smiths that kept exchanges of silver were indicted Andshortly after Candelmas the Mayor and Justices of the Land sat at London where before them was cast 297 persons for clipping of the which 3 only were Englishmen and all the other were Jews born either within this Realm or elsewhere but most of them English Jews who were all of them at sundry places and times put to execution in London who impeached the chief men of London and very many Christians who consented to their wickednesses After which a very great multitude of Jews were hanged in other Cities of England for the same offence Anno 1279. The Jews of Northampton crucified a Christian boy but did not throroughly kill him upon Good-Friday for the which fact many of the Jews at London after Easter were drawn at Horses tails and hanged In the year of our Lord 1282. John Peckham Arch-bishop of Canterbury sent an expresse precept and command to the Bishop of London to suppresse and destroy all the Synagogues of the Jews within his Diocesse On May 2. Anno 1287. All the Jews of England were apprehended by the Kings precept for what cause was not known who ransomed themselves for 12000l of silver They had then a Synagogue at Canterbury Fabian writes that the Jews of England were sessed at great sums of mony perchance the cause of their seisure which they paid unto the King But of other Authors it is said That the Commons of England then granted to the King the fifth part of their moveables for to have the Iews banished out of the land For which cause the said Jews for to put the Commons from their purposes gave of their free wills great sums of money to the King which saying appeareth to be true for that the said Jews were exiled within few years after with whom Grafton and Holinshed accord A strong evidence of the potency of Jewish money over-powring the whole Commons of England in Parliament and this their Liberal subsidy for their banishment at that season About this year as I conceive the Statutes of Edward the first Intituled de Judeismo were made and published Printed in rench in Tottles Magna Charta Anno 1556. part 2. f. 58 59. which being not printed amongst our Statutes at large in the English Tongue I shall here insert and translate 1. For that the King hath seen that many mischiefs disherisons of honest men of this land have happened by the Usuries which the Jews have made therein in times past and that many sins have therein risen from thence Albeit he and his Ancestors have had great profit from the Jews both now and in times past Notwithstanding this for the honour of God and for the common benefit of the People the King doth ordain and establish that no Jew hereafter shall take ought for usury upon lands rents nor upon other things and that no Usury shall run from the Feast of St. Edward last past and before but that the Covenants before made shall be held save only that the Usuries themselves shall cease Provided that all those who are indebted to Jews upon pawns moveable shall discharge them between this and Easter at furthest and if not let them be forfeited And if any Jew shall take usury against this establishment The King neither by himself nor any of his Officers will not intermeddle to cause him to recover his debt or use but will punish him at his pleasure for the Trespasse and shall do right to the Christian to recover his gage 2. And it is provided that the distresses for the debt of Jews shall not hereafter be so grievous that the moity of Lands and Chattels to the Christians shall not remain for their sustenance And that no distresse shall be made for the debt of a Jew upon the heir to the Debtor named in the Charter of the Jew nor upon other which holds the Land which was the Debtors before the debt shall be dereigned and acknowledged in Court And if the Sheriff or other Bayliffs by commandment of the King ought to make seisin to a Jew to one or more for their debt of chattels or of lands to the value of the debt the chattels shall be praised by the Oath of honest men the chattels shall be delivered to the Jew or Jewesse or to their Attorney to the value of the debt And if the chattels be not sufficient the lands shall be extended by the same Oath before that the seisin shall be delivered to the Jew or Jewesse every one according to the value and so that they may after know certainly the Debt is discharged that the Christian afterwards may then have his lands saving to the
Jews out of England giving them their expences into France confiscated the rest of their goods This year the King held A Parliament in which were made the Statutes called Westminster the 3d. In quo etiam Parliamento pro expulsione Iudaeorum concessa sunt Regi a Populo quinta decima pars bonorum In which Parliament likewise for the banishment of the Iews there was granted to the King by the People a fifteenth part of their goods Henry de Knyghton a Canon of Leâ—cester a most diligent Antiquary flourishing in Richard the 2ds reign rendreth it in these terms King Edward grievously punished the Iews and their consorts for clipping of money and corrupt exchanges where upon in one day he caused all the Iews to be apprehended some he hanged the rest he banished When he had done his will upon his corrupt Iudges fined deposed and some of them banished in the same Parliament that the Jews were exiled presently another cause moved him concerning Money which he found to be basely clipped and corrupted to the preiudice of the Crowns and the great damage of the people By the Infidelity and Malice of the Iews as it was inquired and found Et feâ—it stabilire unum Parliamentum in quo convicti sunt Iudaei de ea falsitate Et statuit quod omnes Iudaeos exirent de Terra Angliae deinceps non redituri propter eorum incredulitatem principaliter et propter falsitatem quam eis dure imposuerat et pro hac causa cum festinatione facienda et sine dâ—latione explenda communes regni â—ederunt Regi quintum denarium de omnibus bonis suis mobilibus And he caused a Parliament to be 〈…〉 ed wherein the Iews are convicted of that falshood And he ordained that all the Iews should depart out of the Realm of England not to return again afterwards for their incredulity principally and for their falsenesse which he had hardly pressed upon them And for this their banishment speedily to be made and executed without delay the Commons of the Realm gave to the King the fifth part of all their moveable goods Iohn Major and the Centuriators of Magdeburgh out of him thus register it to posterity In the year 1290 the Iews were banished out of England for the Englishmen had made a great complaint to Edward the 1. that by their usuries and frauds most mâ—n of the inferior sort were reduced to nothing which thing was gainfull to the King for every of the Commoners gave the King the fifteenth penny that he might banish the Jews = Our learned Iohn Bale Polydor Virgil and the Century VVriters out of him thus expresse it Anno 1291 It should be 1290 In the Parliament at London there was a debate in the first place Concerning the banishing of the Jews whereof there was a great multitude throughout England Sed edicto Publico Concilii Londinensis writes one Publico igitur decreto saith another But by the publick Edict of the Parliament assembled in London and by a publick decree They were all commanded to depart the Realm with their goods which they Concilii jussis obedientes obeying the commands of the Parliament speedily did To these Latin Authors I might annex Thomas Stubs his Act a Pontificum Eboracensium col 1728. who makes mention of this universal banishment of them out of all England in one day but I shall passe to our more Common English Historians Fabian in his Chronicle part 7. p. 133. Mr. Iohn Fox in his Acts and Monuments Lond. 1640. Vol. 1. p. 443. and Richard Grafton in his Chronicle p. 169. thus report it in the same words almost This year also 1290. all the Jews were utterly banished the Realm of England for the which the Commons gave the King a fifteen Nicholas Trivet in his Polychronicon and VVilliam Caxton in his Chronicles printed 1502. in the life of K. Edw. the 1. thus stories the Jews banishment out of Hygden and Trevâ—sa in their words A none after the King had done his will of the Justices tho lete he inquere and espye how the Iews dysceyved and beguyled his people thorough the synne of falsness and of Usury And lete Ordain a Prevy Parlement among his Lords So they ordained among theim That all Iewes should voyde out of Englande for their Mysbyleve and also for their false Vsury that they did unto Crysten Men. And for to speed and make an end of this thing All the Comynalte of Englonde gave vnto the King the XV. Penny of all theyr Goodes mevable and so were the Iewes driven out of Englonde And tho went the Iewes into France and there they dwellyd thrugh leve of Kyng Phylip that tho was Kyng of France Raphael Holinshed in his Chronicles out of them Vol. 3. p. 285. thus publisheth it In the same year was a Parliament holden at Westminster wherein the Statutes of Westminster the 3d. were ordained It was also DECREED That all the Jews should avoid out of the Land in consideration whereof a fifteenth was granted to the King and so hereupon were the Jews banished out of all the Kings Dominions and NEVER SINCE COULD THEY OBTAIN ANY PRIVILEDGE TO RETURN HITHER AGAIN All their goods not moveable were confiscated with their tailles and Obligations but all their goods that were moveable together with their coyn of gold and silver the King licensed them to have and convey with them A sort of the richest of them being shipped with their Treasure in a mighty tall ship which they had hired when the same was under sail and got down the Thames towards the mouth of the River beyond Quinborow The Master Marmer bethought him of a wile and caused his men to cast anchor and so rode at the same till the ship by ebbing of the stream remained on the dry sands The Master herewith inticed the Jews to walk out with him on land for recreation and at length when he understood the tyde to be comming in he got him back to the ship whether he was drawn by a cord The Iews made not so much hast as he did because they were not ware of the danger But when they perceived how the matter stood they cryed to him for help Howbeit he told them that they ought to cry rather unto Moses by whose conduct their Fathers passed through the red Sea and therefore if they would call to him for help he was able enough to help them out of these raging floods which now came in upon them They cryed indeed but no succour appeared and so they were swallowed up in the water The Master returned with the ship and told the King how he had used the matter and had both thanks and reward as some have written But others affirm and more truly as should seem that divers of those Marriners which dealt so wickedly against the Jews were hanged for their wicked practise and so received a just reward of their fraudulent and mischiâ—vous dealing
John Stow in his Annals p. 204. writes thus of it King Edward banished all the Jews out of England giving them to bear their charges till they were out of the Realm The number of the Jews then expelled was fifteen thousand and sixty persons whose houses being sold the King received an infinite mass of money Iohn Speed in his History of Great Britain p. 545. thus varieth the expression of it King Edward Anno 1290. to purge England from such corruptions and oppressions as under which it groaned not neglecting therein his particular gain banished the Iews out of the Realm confiscating all their goods leauing them nothing but mony to bear their charges they by their cruel Vsuries HAVING EATEN HIS PEOPLE TO THE BONES To passe by Heylms Microcosm p. 570. Henry Isaacsons Chronology Ann. 1290. with others who mention this their final banishment out of England I shall conclude with the words of Samuel Daniel his History p. 160. Of NO LESSE GRIEVANCE than corrupt Judges then fined displaced banished this King eased his people by the banishment of the Jews for which the kingdom willingly granted him a Fifteenth HAVING BEFORE in Anno Regis 9. OFFERED A FIFTH PART OF THEIR GOODS TO HAVE THEM EXPELLED But then the Iews gave more and so stayed till this time which brought him a great benefit by confiscation of their immoveables with their Tallies and Obligations which amounted to an infinite value But now hath he made his last commodity of this miserable people which having never been under other cover but the will of the Prince had continually served the turn in all the necessary occasions of his Predecessors but especially of his Father and himself Sir Edward Cook in his 2d Institutes p. 506 507 508 in his Commentary upon Statutum de Judaismo forecited seems to contradict these forecited Historians touching their Banishment whose words I shall at large rehearse and refute to in this particular This Statute was made writes he in the Parliament of 18 Edw. 1. That the mischiefs before this Statute against Jewish Usury were these 1. The evils and disherisons of the good men of the land 2. That many of the sins and offences of the Realm had risen and been committed by reason thereof to the great dishonour of Almighty God And are not these two sufficient grounds to keep them out now as well as to restrain and banish them then The difficulty adds he was how to apply a remedy considering what great yearly revenue the King had by the Usury of the Jews and how necessary it was that the King should be supplyed with Treasure What benefit the Crown had before the making of this Act appeareth by former records as take one for many From the 17 of December in the 50 year of H. 3 until the Tuesday in Shrovetide the 2d year of Edward the first which was about 7. years the Crown had four hundred and twenty thousand pounds fifteen shillings and four pence De exitibus Judaismi at which time the ounce of silver was but 20 d. and now it is more than treble so much So as the recital of the Preamble is true That he and his Ancestors had received great profit from Judaism i Many provisions were made both by this King and others Some time they were banished but their cruel usury continued and soon after they returned and for respect of lucre and gain King John in the second year of his reign granted unto them large Liberties and Priviledges whereby the mischiefs rehearsed in this Act multiplyed But the lucre and gain which King John had and expected of the Infidel Jews made him IMPIE JUDAISARE for to the end they should exercise the Laws of their Sacrifices which they could not do without a Priesthood the King by his Charter granted them to have one c. Which for the great rarity thereof and for that we find it not either in our Books or Histories I will rehearse in haec verba Rex omnibus sidelibus suis omnibus Judaeis Anglis salutem Sciatis nos concessisse Jacobo Judaeo de Londoniis Presbytero Judaeorum Presbyteratum omnium Judaeorum totius Angliae Habendum tenendum quam in vixerit liberè quietè honorificè integrè it à quod nemo â—i super hoc molestiam aliquam aut gravamen inferre praesumat Quare volumus firmiter praecipimus quod eidem Jacobo quoad vixerit Presbyteratum Judaeorum per totam Angliam garantitis manu-teneatis pacificè defendatis Et si quis eum super eo sorisfacere praesumpserit id ei sine dilatione salva nobis emenda nostra de forisfactura nostra emendare faciatis tanquam Dominico Judaeo nostro quem specialiter in servicio nostro retinuimus Prohibemus etiam ne de aliquo ad se pertinente ponatur in placitum nisi coram nobis aut coram capitali Justiciario nostro sicut Charta Regis Richardi fratris nostri restatur Teste S. Bathoniens Episcopo c. Dat per manus Huberti Cantuariensis Archiepiscopi Cancellarii nostri apud Rothomagum 21 die Julii Anno Regni nostri primo To which Charter Sir Edward Cook annexeth this marginal Note This King had a most troublesom and dishonourable rrign God raising against him FOR HIS JUST PUNISHMENT two potent Enemies Pope Innocent the 3 and Philip King of France And besides which was the worst he lost the heart and love of his Baronage and Subjects and at the last had a fearfull end He adds l Our Noble King Edward 1 and his Father H. 3 before him sought by divers Acts and Ordinances to use some means and moderation herein but in the end it was found That there was no mean in mischief and as Seneca saith Res profecto Stulta est nequitiae modus And will it not be so now in their new limited readmission if consented too And therefore King Ed. 1. as this act saith for the honour of God and for the common profit of his people without all respect in respect of these of the filling of his own Coffers did ordain That no Jew from thenceforth should make any bargain or contract for usury nor upon any former contract should take any usury from the Feast of St. Edward then last past So in effect all Jewish Usury was forbidden This Law struck at the root of this pestilent weed for hereby Usury it self was forbidden and thereupon the cruel Jews thirsting after rich gain to the number of 15060 departed out of this Realm into foraign parts where they might use their Jewish trade of Usury from that time that Nation never returned again into this Realm Some are of opinion and so it is said in some of our Histories That it was enacted by authority of Parliament that the usurious Iews should be banished out of rhe Realm But the truth is that their usury was banished by this Act of Parliament and that was
Wayland Chief Justice of the Common Pleas 19. E. 1 Rot. Parl. rot 12. and these Jews then banished Exilium Hugonis le Dispenser patris filii Tottles Magna Charta f. 50 51. The double banishment of Peter de Gaverston out of England assensu communi Procerum Magnatum and of the King in Parliament Walsingham Hist Angliae p. 68 71 72. The Statute of 1 Edward the 3. c. 2. 11 Richard the 2. c. 2 3 4. for the banishment of Belknap and other Judges into Ireland 21. R. 2. Rot. Paâ— l. n. 16. 17. For the banishment of Thomas Arundel Arch-bishop of Canterbury The Statute of 35 Eliz. c. 1. of 39 Eliz. c. 4. For banishing dangerous Sectaries Rogues out of the Realm after conviction upon Indictment only not before which could not be done by Law before these Acts Cooks 2 Institutes f. 47. Mr. St. Iohns speech against the Shipmony Judges p. 22 My New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny p. 166 167 168. VValsingham Hist. Angliae p. 394 and other Testimonies as also by 1 E. 3. r. 5. 4 H. 4. c. 13. The Statute for the pressing of Souldiers for Ireland 17 Caroli Exact Collect p. 435. The Petition and Protestation of the Lords and Commons in Parliament against serving the King in person or contribution to his wars in Flanders and other forain parts 25 E. 1. Walsingham Hist. p. 35 37 38 c. nor yet in Gascoigne France Notmandy Scotland or Ireland Cooks 2 Instit p. 528. 4. H. 4. n. 48. 1 H. 5. n. 17. 7 H. 5. n. 9. 18 R. 2. n. 6. So none once banished the Realm by judgement or Act of Parliament can may or ought by the fundamental and known common Laws of England to be restored and recalled again but only by a like judgement Act and Restitution in full Parliament as is adjudged declared resolved by the cases and Petitions of the two Spencers and Peirce Gaveston VValsingham Ypodig Neustriae p. 152. and Hist Angl. p. 68. 71 72. Holinshed p. 328. Speeds History p. 674. The Printed Statute of 20 R. 2. c. 6. for the restitution of Belknap and the other exiled Judges 28 E. 3. Rot. Parl. n. 8. to 14. and 29 E. 3. Rot Parl. n. 29. touching the Repeal of the Judgement in Parl. against Roger Mortimer Earl of March 17 R. 2. Rot. Parl. n. 18. for the pardon and restitution of the Justices banished into Irel. 21 R. 2. n. 55. to 71. for confirmation of the repeal of the exile of Hugh de la Spencer Father Son An. 15. E. 2. and the revocation of the repeale thereof in 1 E. 3. A notable full Record in point 3 H. 7. 10. 4 H 7. 10. 1. H. 7. 4. 10 H. 7. 22 b. 15. E. 3 Fitz Petâ—t 2. 9. E. 3. 23 24. 9 E. 4. 1 b. with sundry other Records for the repeals of Iudgements and Acts of former Parliaments by the subsequent Judgments and Acts of other Parliaments in Cooks 4 Institutes c. 1. and Ashes Tables Parliament 16. and Statutes 68. Therefore the Jews being so long since by Judgement Edict and Decree both of the King and Parliament for ever banished out of England never since repealed or reversed neither may nor can by Law be readmitted reduced into England again but by common consent and Act of Parliament which I conceive they will never be able to obtain I have now presented you with a true Historical and exact Chronological Relation of the Jews first admission into England not in the time of the Emperour Constantine the great as some groundlesly would collect from his General Epistle to all Churches touching the Decrees of the Council of Nice and the Vnanimous observation of the Feast of Easter not after the Jewish computation wherein there is mention of the Churches in Britain as well as in Rome Africk Spain France and other places concurring with other Churches herein but not one syllable of any Jews therein or in Britain then nor in any other particular places but onely these general passages against Christians complying with them in their Paschal observation Ac primum quidem indigna res fuit sanctissimum eum diem imitatione atque consuetudine Iudaeorum celebrare qui manibus suis nefario flagitio contaminatis non injuria quoque animis sunt excaecato homines scelerati Quidni enim liceat gente ea rejecta rectiore verioreque ordine quem à primo passionis die hucusque servavimus ad futura quoque saecula observationis hujus ritum transmittere Item nihil nobis commune sit cum infestissima Iudaeorum turba c. Quin strictior ipsa atque exactior ratio flagitare videtur NEQUA NOBIS CUM IUDAEORUM PERJURIO COMMUNIO From whence no rational man can inferr that there were any Jews at that time observing their Jewish Passeover in Britain of which I can find no syllable in any Domestick or forreign Historians or Writers whatsoever nor yet that they inhabited here or were here in the Briton Saxon or Danish Kings reigns which if they had some of our Historians Synods Decrees and Laws in those ages would have mentioned it as well as the Gothish Spanish Histories Laws Councils and Constitutions where they resided in which there is not one syllable of them but only in the forecited Law foisled in amongst the Confessors to which doubtlesse it was puny but in Will the Conq. reign Together with their ill deportments misdemeanors suffrings massacres servile condition and manifold popular tumults against them during all the time of their residence in England final banishment out of it never yet to my knowledg collected into one intire History before The serious consideration whereof will in my weake judgement sufficiently satisfie convince the whole English Nation that they have just grounds and reasons in point of piety of policy never to re-admit them more into our Island and likewise resolve the very Jewes themselves that they have little cause or reason at all to desire to re-plant themselves in England where their ancestors in times past susteined so many miseries massacres affronts oppressions fleecings upon all occasions themselves can expect little better usage for the future To this principal part of my undertaking for fuller satisfaction I shall hereunto subjoyn a Taste of such Lawes Scriptures Reasons as seem strongly to plead yea conclude against their re-admission into England at least in that latitude and freedom as formerly they there enjoyed As 1. To erect new Synagogues Temples amongst us or turn any of our Churches Chapels into Synagogues for the free publique exercise of their Judaisme Jewish Worship Customes Religion diametrically contrary to the Gosple Person Kingdome Priesthood Offices Mediation Redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ which they thereby professedly deny renounce as false and fabulous 2ly To set up a Jewish Corporation or Fraternity amongst us in our Cities and Corporations distinct and separate from the English subject to their own immediate peculiar
Officers and Judges as heretofore 3ly To purchase Houses Habitations Rents Lands Exercise of all sorts of Trades and Manufactures amongst us as free Denizens or Merchants upon such terms and qualifications as shall be indulged to them 1. For our Laws and Statutes these following make directly or obliquely by way of necessary consequence against their re-admission 1. For their Jewish Synagogues worship Sacraments Religion these ancient pious Laws of our Saxon and Danish Kings made in their great Parliaments and Councils before the Jews first coming into England strongly oppose their admission now As namely the Laws of King Alfred and Guthern Lex 1. 2. of King Ethelred in the Council of Aenham c. 1. 3. 27 29 30. of Habam c. 1. with the Laws of King Cnute the Dane Lex 1. 27 28 All which enact That the only true God and our Lord be loved worshipped in all ages by all the people with all their might the one Christian holy Catholick faith orthodoxly kept and the Churches of God to be diligently frequented throughout the Realm That all Paganisme and false Religions be renounced both in words and deeds That who ever wickedly resisteth the Laws of Christ shall be grievously fined and put to death and that all men should diligently seek out by all means Ut recta Christi religio maxime provehatur That the right Religion of Christ might be most of all advanced obtesting all Ecclesiiastical and secular persons again and again most earnestly to keep the sincere faith unanimously in the true God and the right Christian faith in a right manner diligently to hear the Teachers of Gods word studiously to follow their Doctrine and Precepts to maintain peace and tranquility in the Church of God and there diligently to pour forth their prayers All which particulars exclude all Jewish Synagogues and Judaisme and are of perpetual force being grounded on the very Law of God Moreover King Cnute his Ecclesiastical Laws made by the advise of his wise men to be observed throughout all England prohibited That no Christian should be sold or sent out of the Realm or banished amongst those who had not as yet embraced the faith in Christ lest per adventure those Souls should perish at anytime which our Lord Iesus Christ had redeemed with his own blood and life If Christians for this cause ought not to be sent sold or banished amongst Jews and Infidels much more then ought not Infidel Jews with their Jewish Synagogues Religion Ceremonies to be now introduced amongst us Christians to the hazard of many Christian Souls redeemed by Christs blood 2. All the Statutes concerning Uniformity of Common Servicc administration of the Sacraments as 1 Ed. 6. c. 1 2. 2 Ed. 6. c 1. 6 Ed. 6. c. 1. 1 Eliz. c. 2. 23 Eliz. c. 1. 35 Eliz. c. 1. 2. most of them still in force being never legally repealed do fully and directly oppugne the introduction of any Jewish Synagogues Service Sacraments Worship Ceremonies with the use of them in any place within our Realm 3. The Statutes of 3 E. 6. c. 10. 13 Eliz. c. 2. 23 El. c. 1. 28 Eliz. c. 2. 6. 35 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Iac. c. 4. against Popish Recusants Seminary Priests Iesuites Friers Masse-Books Agnus Dei's Popish Books Superstitions for preventing the withdrawing of the Subjects of this Realm from the publique Ordinances Sacraments and Religion here established and for speedy banishing all Seminary Priests and Jesuites and keeping them perpetually out of the Realm upon this account amongst others though professing Christ Christian Religion and agreeing with us in all Articles of the Creed and most fundamental points of Christianity Must in Substance Law Reason in this regard much more perpetually exclude abolish all Jews Jewish Priests Rabbies Synagogues worship Ceremonies Superstitions out of our Dominions being farre more dishonourable to Christ opposite to our Christian Religion and destructive to the peoples souls if once admitted then any Jesuits Seminary Priests Friers Popish Recusants or any Romish Masses Superstitions whatsoever And if the Jewish Priests Judaism and Jewish Ceremonies may be now set up and practised publiquely amongst us notwithstanding all these Statutes then much more Masse-Priests Masses Popery and Prelacy by the self same reason justice equity To these I might annex all the late Ordinances for the Directory The solemn League and Covenant and for Suppressing punishing of Heresy and Blasphemy therefore of Iudaism which is both Heresy and Blasphemy and Jewish assemblies the very Synagogues of Satan and Iews great blasphemers by Christs own resolution Rev. 2. 9. c. 3. 9. Acts 18. 6. Rom. 2. 21. With the late printed Instrument of Government which though it allows not only toleration but protection to all Sects and Religions professing faith in God through Iesus Christ though differing from the Doctrine and Discipline publtkely held forth in the Nation except only to Popery and Prelacy yet certainly it can no ways extend to the toleration or protection of Jews and their Antichristian blasphemies against Christ himself and the Gospel seeing they are so far from professing faith in Jesus Christ that they utterly renounce and professedly decry him to be the true Saviour and Messiah of the world rejecting the whole New Testament and Doctrin of the Gospel and so by consequence are necessarily secluded by this Instrument and Oath for its observation from practising their Jewish worship Ceremonies or erecting any Synagogues in our Nation for that purpose 2ly Though the Kings of England by the Law and their Prerogative may in sundry cases erect New Corporations of their Subjects by their Charters only yet notwithstanding no Corporation or Fraternity of Iews being meer Aliens may can or ought to be erected in England by the Fundamental Lawes and Constitutions of the Realm but only by full consent of the Nation in Parliament by special Acts of Parliament it being one of the greatest Intrenchments that can be upon the English Nations Rights Liberties Customs Priviledges Profit and a violation of all the ancient Charters Priviledges Rights Franchises confirmed to them by the Great Charter of England forty times since ratified by new Acts of Parliament This is evident by the Statutes of Magna Charta c. 9. 37. 34 E. 1. c. 4. 1. E. 3. c. 9. 14. E. 3. c. 1. 1. H. 4. c. 1. 2. H. 4. c. 1. 7. H. 4. c. 1. 9. H. 4. c. 1. 13. H. 4. c. 1. 3. H. 5. c. 1. 2. H. 6. c. 1. compared with 2 E. 3. c. 9. 27. E. 3. c. 1. to 29. 28 E. 3. 13. 15 36. E. 3. c. 7 19 H. 7. c. 12 and all other Acts for the Staple and Styliard and with 3. E. 4. c. 6. 1. R. 3. c. 9. 14 H. 8. c. 2. 21 H. 8. c. 16. 22 H. 8. c. 8. 32 H. 8. c. 16. touching Artificers Merchants and Aliens 3ly The preambles of the Statute of Merton 20 H. 3. 3 E. 1. with c. 17. 48. 6 E. 1.
of Quo Warranto and of Glocester 13 E. 1. 12 E. 2. of York 9 10 14 15 25 28 36 37. E. 3. 1. 3 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 21. R. 2. 1 2 4 6. H. 4. 1 8 10 12. 36. H. 6. 18 E. 3. c. 1 2 3. R. 2. Rot. Parl. n. 36 40. 6 H. 6. c. 5. and other Acts declare and resolve That the Kings of England by their Oath and Duty and the Lords and Commons in Parliament are all obliged by their trusts and our Laws to advance uphold maintain and defend the welfare wealth safety of the Church Realm Subjects People of England and to prevent redresse suppresse remove by wholsom Laws and Ordinances all Grievances Mischiefs Damages Inconveniences Disinherisons contrary thereunto it being a fundamental Maxime both in our Laws and Law-Books SALUS POPULI SUPREMA LEX which the Army Officers in their Declaration of 16 Nov. 1648. and Mr. Iohn Pym in his Speech against Strafford 12 April 1641. p. 3. c. printed by the Commons special Order much insist on Moreover it is another Maxime in our Law Summa ratio est quae pro religione facit Now the admission of the Jews into England as appeareth by the Statute de Judaismo and premised Histories is no way consistent with the welfare profit wealth safety of the Church Realm Subjects People or Religion of England and will be an extraordinary damage mischief grievance inconvenience and disinherison to them all Therefore prohibited enacted against by the general scope of all these Laws and Maximes and no wayes to be admitted 4ly The Jews heretofore in England an â— still in all other parts being most grievous Clippers Coyners Forgers of money Usurers Extortioners and the greatest Cheaâ—ors Cozeners Impostors in the world in all their Merchandizes and Manufactures whatsoever upon this accompt they are and ought to be still excluded and never re-admitted amongst us by the provisions of all our Laws yet in force prohibiting clipping coyning usury extortion frauds deceipts in any Merchandizes or Manufactures whatsoever unlesse we intend to have them all now more practised by them and others among us then ever heretofore The rather because they were never admitted free Trading Habitation in England by any of our Laws touching Alten Merchants and Artificers free Traffick amongst us from the time of their forementioned banishment till this present under the Name and Notion of Jews Foraign Merchants or Artificers And therefore not to be admitted to those desired Priviledges from which all these forecited Laws in my weak Judgement with the former old Parliamentary Judgment and Edict for their per petual banishment in Law Justice Conscience still debarre them readmittance till repealed and they if ever readmitted against all these Acts and Statutes must be introduced resetled by special Acts of Parliament which no English Parliament in probability will ever indulge unto them as the peoples general present declamations in all places against their endeavoured introduction prognostick And thus much I thoughr meet to inform the Nation touching those Laws Statutes which in my poor opinion directly or by consequence oppose their re-admission and refute those Lawyers misinformation who confidently averred there is no Law of England at all against it if Mr. Nye did truly inform me 2. For Scriptures these Texts may engage us against their re-admission 1. Matth. 5. 13. Lu. 14. 34 35. Salt is good but if the salt have lost its savor wherewith shall it be seasoned It is neither fit for the land nor yet for the dunghil but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men This is the condition of the Jews who have lost both their Saviour their Savor too Therefore not fit for our land or dunghils but to be kept and cast out from amongst us and trodden under foot of all true Christian men 2. 1 Cor. 16. 22 If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha That is separated and cast out from all Christian society and Communion until the day of Judgment the highest kind of Jewish Excommunication Now the Jews are such who do not only not love but deny defie and hate our Lord Jesus Christ in the highest degree Therefore to be excommunicated and secluded from our Christian Communion and Cohahitation amongst us to which they can pretend no right 3. 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 c. Be ye not unequally yoaked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion hath light with darkness and what concord hath Christ with Belial and what part hath he that believeth with an Infidel and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols c VVherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch no unclean thing and I will receive you The unconverted Jews are both Unbelievers Infidels Darknesse Belialids and the very Synagogue of Satan as the Scripture resolves them Acts 14. 1. Mar 6. 6. Rom. 11. 20. 23. 32. Heb. 4. 6. 11. Ioh. 1. 5. Mat 8. 12. Rev. 2. 9. 1 Thâ—ss 2. 14 15 16. Therefore we Christians ought not to be unequally yoaked or to have any fellowship communion agreement part or mixture with them much lesse to receive them into our land and boâ—omes from whence they were formerly spued out but to keep our selves separated from amongst them lest God reject us as he hath done them 4. 2 John 9. 10. 11. VVhosoever transgressith and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Sonne If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds The Jews abide not in the Doctrin of Christ and if they come unto us they will not bring this Doctrine to us but the quite contrary Therefore we ought not to receive them into our Dominions or Houses nor bid or wish them God speed in returning to dwell amongst us And if any do the contrary they are and shall be partakers of their evil deeds 5 Tit. 1. 10 11 13 14 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers ESPECIALLY THEY OF THE CIRCUMCISION whose mouthes must be stopped WHO SUBVERT WHOLE HOUSES teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucres sake VVherfore rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith NOT GIVING HEED TO JEWISH FABLES and commandements OF MEN THAT TURNE FROM THE TRUTH If the circumcised Jews were such unruly Deceivers seducers and subverters of whole houses even in the Apostles own dayes and their Jewish fables then did turn so many from the truth With what colour of Christianity piety conscience can we call them in amongst us now in these times of fearfull and almost universal Apostacy from the truth when lesse dangerous
sundry late eminent Professors have caused many English Christians to turn Antiscripturists Seekers Atheists and like the Iews to repute Christ and Christianity meer Fables 7ly Most of the Iews who since their dispersion have been baptized and turned Christians in any age or place have done it either out of fear to save their lives or estates when endangered by popular tumults or judgments of death denounced against them for their Crimes or for fear of banishment or by coercion of penal Laws not cordialâ—y and sincerely they still playing the Jews in private upon every occasion and renouncing their baptism and christianity at last either before or at their deaths as our own forecited Historians the 4th Council of â—oledo cap. 58 59 62. 63. Leges Wesigothorum lib. 12. Tit. 2 3 Vincensius Beluacensis spec Hist. l. 29. c. 25. Rodericus Toletanus de rebus Hisp l. 2. c. 17. Aventinus Annal. Boiorum l. 5. p. 468. Abbas Uspergensis Chrou p. 227 228. and other authors at test Of which we have this late memorable History recorded by Munster in his Cosmography l. 2. c. 19. f. 72 73. There being no lesse than one hundred twenty four thousand Jews banished out of Spain Anno 1492. leaving all their gold jewels houses behind them and paying two duckets a pole to the King for their transportation into Portugal some of them there seemingly turned Christians and were baptized but yet secretly practised their Judaival rites being Christians only in shew but not in heart observing the Passeover and eating flesh with the Iewes Upon the discovery hereof there arose a great tumult of the people against them in Lisbon the people complaining thereof to the King Anno 1506. Whereupon the King commanded 16 of them to be imprisoned and at last dismissed them without other punishment Upon this the Citizens conspiring againg the King and Governour raised a commotion against these Iews and false Christians slaying all those false converted new Iews they could find throughout the City to the number of six hundred whom they likewise burnt which example spreading into the Country there were slain in the City and Country of these Iewish false converts to the number of 1630 which the King hearing of being then absent he was so incensed against the Iews that he imprisoned very many of them whereof some were burned others beheaded others hanged on Gibbets and all the rest spoiled of their goods then expelled and banished the Kingdom A sad judgement on them for their Hypocritical conversion and such converts mostly we are like to find them and none other 7ly If any private Iews out of meer conscience or sincere desires of being converted to the Christian faith shall upon that account alone desire admission into England to be instructed by our English Divines I suppose no English Christians will oppose but further their desires herein and contribute both their prayers and best endeavors for their conversion and if there be cause admit them into our Churches Communion upon real testimonies of the truth of conversion in and work of grace upon them which is as much as they can desire at our hands But to admit whole multitudes and Colonies of infidel Iews at once into our Nation who neither desire nor pretend conversion to Christianity together with the free use of their Iewish Synagogues Rites Ceremonies which they strongly insist upon is such an Impious Unchristian Antichtistian dangerous president glossed over only with a possibility of their future conversion as no sincere English Christians can approve of nor the Iews themselves desire For as the Iews by Gods own Laws and their own Iewish Rabbies precepts neither might nor yet would permit any Heathen Gentiles heretofore to set up any Altars Images Idols Groves or exercise any Idolatrous worship amongst them or to blaspheme reproach their God or Religion under pain of death if they transgressed therein There being the self sume Law of God in these things both to Gentiles Iews And like as they afterwards would not permit the Apostles and Christians in Ierusalem or any other Cities for to preach the Gospel and exercise the Christian Religion freely but raised up present tumults against and persecuted and cast them out as 1 Thes 2. 14 15 17 the whole History of the Acts and premises abundantly testifie So by the very self same justice and equity they can neither now demand nor expect that we or any Christian Realm or State should tollerate or connive at much lesse openly countenance and protect them in the publick or private exercise of their Iudaisme or Iewish Rit and Blaspemies against our crucified Saviour and his Gospel All then that English Christians can do for them is to desire and pray for the conversion of all Gods elect amongst them in his due time by such means as he shall think meetest and to instruct them in the faith by learned Ministers sent to them if they desire it but not to admit them and perchance many disguised Iesuits Papists and Friars with them promiscuously into our Nation to undermine our Church and Religion and undo many thousand Souls it being our duty as to give no just offence to the Iew so neither to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God whom their admission amongst us will offend Lastly those Popes and Popish Princes who have heretofore admitted any Iews to inhabit amongst them have done it under these several cautions and limitations prescribed to them by their Laws Councile Canons Decrees Divines and Canonist's 1. That they should build no new Synagogues nor repair any old ones quite demolished 2. That where there were old Synagogues formerly used by them they should only repair but not enlarge or build them higher than before nor extraordinarily adâ—rn them 3. That they should not stir out of their doors on good Friday nor open their doors windows shops or do any servile work on the Lords days or other solemn Christian Festivals 4. That they shall utter no blasphemons words speeches against God Christ Christians or Christian Religion nor manifest their open contempt of them by gestures or actions under pain of peouniary corporal and capital punishments according to the quality of the offence 5. That they shall be admitted to no degrees of learning honour dignity office or preferment whatsoever in state or Church because it is most absurd and unjust that any blasphemer of Christ should exercise any power or authority over Christians in any Christian State 6. That they should neither eat nor drink nor have any dayly familiarity or communion with Christians nor entertain any Christian man or woman in or out of their houses either as a Servant Nuâ—se to thâ—ir Children or otherwise nor yet administer physick to any Christian in his sicknesse lest any simple Christians should be seduced by them to Judaisme by thâ—se means 7. That all Iews both males and females should always wear a specicial badge or sign in
A Short DEMURRER To the JEWES Long discontinued REMITTER into ENGLAND Comprising An exact Chronological Relation of their first Admission into their ill Deportment Misdemeanors Condition Sufferings Oppressions Slaughters Plunders by popular Insurrections and regal Exactions in and their total final Banishment by Iudgment and Edict of Parliament out of England never to return again collected out of the best Historians With a Brief Collection of such English Laws Scriptures as seem strongly to plead and conclude against their Readmission into England especially at this season and against the General calling of the Jewish Nation With an Answer to the chief Allegations for their Introduction By William Prynne Esq a Bencher of Lincolnes-Inne 2 Chron. 19. 2. Shouldst thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Prov. 6. 27. Can a man take coals in his bosome and his cloaths not be burnt Concil Toleta 4. cap. 57. Surius Concil Tom. 2. p. 734. Tanta est quandam cupiditas ut quidam eam appetenles etiam a fide erraverint multi quippe hucusque ex Sacerdotibus atque Laicis accipiâ—ntes a Judaeis munera perfidiam corum suo patrocinio sovent qui non immerito ex corpore Antichristi esse noscuntur quia contra Christum faciunt Quicunque ergo deinceps Episcopus sive Clericus sive Secularis illis contra fidem Christianam suffragium vel munere vel savore praesâ—iterit vere ut prophanus Sacrilegus anathema effectus ab Ecclesia Catholica Regno Dei habeatur extraneus quia dignus est ut a corpore Christi separetur qui inimicis Christi PATRONUS efficitur Printed at London for EDWARD THOMAS dwelling in Green-Arbor 165â— To the Christian Reader THat I may not justly suffer so much as in thy Thought as a busie-body in other men's matters for publishing my Opinion in a publick Case wherein I conceive my self some wayes interessed both as a Christian and English Free-man I shall inform thee of the true original cause of this my sodain unpremeditated undertaking Being much affected with God's late admirable Providence in causing the sixth day of this instant December to be set a part for a Day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation for the late Rebukes we have received the Tares of Division that have been sown by the envious one and the growth they have had through his subtilty the abominable Blasphemies Apostacies and abuse of Liberty by many professing Religion and the continual Series of Difficulties we have been exercised under and inviting all the People of God in these three Nations on that day to joyn in solemn and earnest Supplications to the Throne of Grace That the Lord will be pleased truely to humble our present Governours and the Nation under his Righteous Hand that we may be every one searching out the Plague of his own Heart and turn unfeignedly from the evil of our wayes This being the very day of the Month whereon this time seven yeers December 6. 1648. Colonel Pride with other Officers of the ARMY besetting the Parliament-House with their armed Forces raised to Defend its PRIVILEDGES and MEMBERS against their Trusts Duties forcibly seised secured my self with above forty Parliament-Members more as we were going into the Commons-House to discharge our duties translating us that day from the Queens Court where they first imprisoned us to Hell in Westminster and there lodging us upon the bare boards without Beds all that miserable Cold Night like so many Turkish Gally-slaves rather than Parliament Members seconded with other succeeding Restraints and high unparalel'd Violations both of our Parliamentary Priviledges and Hereditary Laws and Liberties Which transcendent Exorbitancies as we may justly fear are the Plague of the Heart and Evil of their Wayes who were the chief Contrivers or Actors of them if not the greatest Rebukes the English Parliament or Nation ever received the most dangerous Tares of Division that have ever been sowen by the envious one in our Realm which have since extraordinarily grown and spread amongst us through his subtilty the saddest Apostacy and abuse of Liberty by men prosessing Religion ever heard of amongst Christians and the very Fountain of all that continued series of difficulties we have since been exercised under For which the principal Architects Executioners and whole English Nation had never publickly been humbled nor seriously lamented repented them in seven whole yeers space It pleased God by his over-ruling Providence beyond the Intentions or Thoughts of Men so at last to bring it about that this very forgotten sad day whereon this was publickly acted should be now by a printed Declaration specially devoted for A Day of solemn Fasting Humiliation throughout this Commonwealth to lament and bewail these former enormious Actions on it as well as other Crimes Having informed divers thereof both before and on this Fast-day who were much taken with it On the seventh of December the day after the Fast on which the secured Members that time seven yeers were carried from Hell to White-Hall and there kept fasting till past seven a clock at night to attend the Army-Officers who pretended a desired conference with them and at last without vouchsafing to see them sent them PRISONERS through the dirt with Musqueteers at each of their backs other Guards of Horse by their sides to the King's Head and Swan where they long remained I walked down to Westminster to visit some of my then Fellow-Prisoners and Members to acquaint them with this memorable Providence in my passage thither in Martin's-Lane I unexpectedly met with Sir John Clotworthy who was one of them leading his Lady on foot towards Wallingford-house the place whether the Officers promised to carry and there to confer with us when they thrust us into Hell who taking notice of and saluting me I informed him of the foresaid adorable Providence in appointing the former dayes Fast on that day seven yeers whereon we were seised who prosessing he had forgotten it and that it came not within his thoughts but in truth it was very miraculous and worthy special observation We thereupon walked on discoursing of it till we came to Wallingford-house-gate where Colonel Pride who then seised met us full but and I not perfectly knowing him Sir John told me here is Colonel Pride and then gave him this seasonable Memento Fellow Pride Remember this time seven yeers So we parting company I went visited some others of my then Fellow Prisoners in Westminster discoursing with them of these Providences wherewith they were much affected as having not observed them before and of our Fast at White-Hall this day seven yeers In my return homewards that day by the Garden-wall at White-Hall Mr. Nye the Minister going very fast there overtook and saluting me by name presently demanded this unexpected Question of me Whether there were any Law of England against bringing in the Jews amongst us for the Lawyers had