A History Of The Jews In England

By Cecil Roth, 1941.

Reader in Post-Biblical Jewish Studies
In the Uniersity o! "#!ord
"$%"R& U'I()RSI*+ PR)SS ,-)' ."US), ).C. 4
/ondon )dinbur0h 1las0ow 'ew +or2 *oronto
-elbourne Ca3etown Bo4bay Calcutta -adras
.U-P.R)+ -I/%"R&
PUB/IS.)R *" *.) U'I()RSI*+
%IRS* )&I*I"', 1941 R)PRI'*)&, 1945
PRI'*)& I' 1R),* BRI*,I'
CONTENTS
Preface
Bibliographical Note
I Settle!ent and Consolidation "to ##$%&
II
The Beginning of Persec'tion and the Organi(ation of
Jewry) ##$%*#+#,
III The -oyal .itch cow) #+#,*/+
I0 The E1p'lsion) #+/+*%2
0 Anglo*Jewry in the .iddle Ages
0I The .iddle Period) #+%2*#,2%
0II -ead!ission) #,2%*,3
0III The Jewry of the -estoration) #,,3*#/2+
I4 The Jews 'nder Anne and the 5irst Hano6erians) #/2+*,2
4 The -eign of 7eorge III) #/,2*#$#8
4I E!ancipation) #$#8*8$
Epilog'e
Additional Notes
P-E5ACE
Cecil Roth Centre
IT is c'rio's that none of the great Jewish co!!'nities of the
western world fo'nd an historian so early as the n'!erically
'ni!portant n'cle's in England The first for!al history of the
Jews in this co'ntry was) in fact) p'blished !ore than two
cent'ries ago9the Anglia J'daica of :r :;Blossiers To6ey) li<e
!yself a !e!ber o rerton College) O1ford ";by !e ne6er to be
!entioned witho't ter!s of Affection and -espect;) if I !ay be
per!itted to repeat his words& This co!prehensi6e wor<) which
can still be cons'lted with profit) was itself based on the
researches of the E1che='er historian .ado1 and the anti*
Se!itic pa!phleteer Prynne) the latter ha6ing p'blished his
findings eighty years earlier as a contrib'tion to the debate 'nder
the Co!!onwealth on the read!ission of Jews to England The
res'lts of this early interest in the s'b>ect ha6e not been
altogether good? for the general histories of Anglo*Jewry)
prod'ced in a !ore scientific age and with access to 6ast new
stores of infor!ation) ha6e tended to be based 'pon their re!ote
forer'nners with a fidelity which is often noteworthy and
so!eti!es regrettable This is the reason for the present atte!pt
to f'rnish a co!pletely new wor< on the s'b>ect) s'!!ing 'p the
res'lts of the 6ol'!ino's and e1ceptionally i!portant researches
of the last half*cent'ry
So far as the !edie6al period is concerned) down to the reign of
John) one ill'strio's scholar) Joseph Jacobs) laid the fo'ndations
in his re!ar<able wor<) the Jews of Ange6in England) a
pioneering atte!pt of astonishing !at'rity @hile so!e o his
incidental hypotheses were at once disp'ted with considerable
6igo'r) his general concl'sions ha6e been accepted by
s'bse='ent writers witho't e1a!ination B't there are so!e
serio's flaws in the wor< Jacobs clai!ed to bring together e6ery
scrap of infor!ation that co'ld be asse!bled on the life of Anglo*
Jewry 'ntil #+2, He incl'ded) indeed) a great deal of d'bio's
!aterial B't his o!issions) tho'gh less patent) are perhaps !ore
stri<ing Th's) in the first Pipe -oll of Henry I) which e!bodies
the oldest official record of Jews in England) he o!itted one
entry o't of si1) conf'sed another) and introd'ced !ista<es into
two !ore 5or that of the first year of -ichard I) he gi6es only ten
entries of Jewish interest) o't of a possible thirty*fo'r in the
printed te1t e6en then a6ailable? for the first year of John "for
which he had reco'rse) with typical (eal) to the original
!an'script& he gi6es only fo'r entries o't of a possible si1ty*si1
His translations too) whether fro! the Aatin or the Hebrew) are
e1tre!ely 'nreliable) and so!eti!es l'dicro'sly !isleading 1
@hat has been said here is not intended to be in disparage!ent
of Jacobs; re!ar<able wor< B't it is eno'gh to indicate that he is
not to be relied 'pon i!plicitly) and that at e6ery t'rn it is
necessary to ha6e reco'rse to the original a'thorities) the
p'blished !ass of which has !oreo6er increased enor!o'sly
since his day 5ro! the beginning of the thirteenth cent'ry)
where Jacobs left off) the Calendar of the Plea -olls of the
E1che='er of the Jews) three 6ol'!es of which ha6e now
appeared) constit'te an ine1ha'stible b't hitherto i!perfectly
'tili(ed so'rce There is) too) a 6ery great a!o'nt of !aterial) o't
of all proportion to the slight n'!erical i!portance of those
in6ol6ed) in the long series of Patent and Close -olls and si!ilar
record*so'rces) which ha6e been drawn 'pon only sporadically in
the past If those of !y chapters which deal with this period !ay
appear so!eti!es to be i!perfectly digested) it is beca'se the
6ol'!e of new !aterial has necessitated p'blic degl'tination
5or the ;.iddle Period; of three and a half cent'ries after the
E1p'lsion of #+%2 "d'ring which) contrary to the general belief)
there were few interl'des when no Jew was to be fo'nd in the
co'ntry& the so'rces of o'r infor!ation are ='ite different Bse
has not been !ade hitherto in any general wor< of the
re!ar<able recent disco6eries bearing 'pon this) which ha6e
re6ol'tioni(ed o'r <nowledge of the Jews in Sha<espeare;s
England in partic'lar .oreo6er) there is still !'ch to be
re6ealed in this field The present 6ol'!e contains) for e1a!ple)
the first acco'nt of an ill'strio's gro'p of crypto*Jewish
physicians 'nder Henry 0III) whose distinction e1ceeded that of
-oderigo Aope( a generation later In dealing with the
-esettle!ent) ha6e drawn la6ishly and at ti!es 6erbally on !y
Life of Menasseh ben Israel) which) tho'gh based to a large
e1tent on original so'rces) has re!ained 'n<nown in this
co'ntry owing to the fatal accident of Transatlantic p'blication I
ha6e) howe6er) been able to ta<e ad6antage of later and riper
in6estigations here as well) at so!e points with i!portant res'lts
Attention !ay be drawn to the co!pletely new acco'nt of the
pre!at're atte!pt by 7entile enth'siasts to sec're the recall of
the Jews to England in #,3$) and the drastic restate!ent of the
part played by Cro!well in the negotiations of the following
decade
5or the s'bse='ent period) an atte!pt has been !ade to
co!press into a h'ndred and fifty pages the n'!ero's
!onographs and articles p'blished d'ring the last forty years
B't I ha6e endea6o'red to eschew the parochial and personal
aspect which has hitherto !onopoli(ed attention and to write the
history of the Jews in England rather than the !e!orabilia of the
co!!'nity of Aondon) which ha6e engaged the attention of
pre6io's writers Here and there) !oreo6er) I ha6e been able to
!a<e 'se of 'ne1plored !an'script !aterial and ephe!eral
p'blications) which correct or s'pple!ent the accepted acco'nt
I ha6e concl'ded !y wor< with the Parlia!entary E!ancipation
of the Jews in #$8$C%) with which English) Jewry entered
definitely into English life? b't an Epilog'e gi6es an o'tline of the
!ost i!portant s'bse='ent de6elop!ents Thro'gho't) I ha6e
tried to stress the social side and to describe) not only what
happened to the Jews in England) b't also what !anner of !en
they were and what part they played in the life of the co'ntry
Perhaps as !'ch as one*half of the data gi6en in this 6ol'!e
ha6e not appeared in any pre6io's wor< de6oted to the s'b>ectD
b't it is rather this approach which) I 6ent're to belie6e) !a<es
the story I ha6e told 6irt'ally a new one
It is a pleasant d'ty for !e to ac<nowledge the great debt I owe
to .r J . -ich) who genero'sly placed at !y disposal his
abstracts of !edie6al English records relating to the Jews)
prepared for a wor< of his own which I tr'st will see the light in
the f't're His liberality enables !e to parade a !a1i!'! of
er'dition with a !ini!'! of effort) and to hi! is d'e a great
part of the credit for any special ='ality in !y first chapters I a!
deeply gratef'l) too) to the -e6 .ichael Adler) for!erly
President of the Jewish Historical Society of England? to .r
Christopher Cheney) -eader in :iplo!atic in the Bni6ersity of
O1ford? and to .r .a1 Beloff) Aect'rer in .odern History in the
Bni6ersity of .anchester) who between the! read the typescript)
ga6e !e the benefit of their criticis!s and s'ggestions) and sa6ed
!e fro! !any egregio's displays of ignorance 5inally) I a!
happy to ha6e this opport'nity of e1pressing !y than<s to .r
Harry Sacher and the associated fo'nders of the -eadership in
Post*Biblical Jewish St'dies in the Bni6ersity of O1ford) which
pro6ided !e with the opport'nity of carrying into effect a pro>ect
that had long re!ained in the li!bo of 'nf'lfilled hopes
This Preface is dated on the si1 h'ndred and fiftieth anni6ersary
of the Banish!ent of the Jews fro! England in #+%2
C. R. 6 "#!ord 6 1st 'oe4ber 1947
"$%"R&
BIBAIO7-APHICAA NOTE
A CO.PAETE Bibliography of Anglo*Jewish history) containing
'pwards of +)222 entries) has recently been p'blished 'nder the
editorship of the present a'thor "Magna Bibliotheca Anglo-
Judaica) Aondon) #%E/? to be referred to in the following pages
as Bibl) with the section and n'!ber of the entry in ='estion& It
is therefore s'perfl'o's to gi6e here any detailed bibliographical
indications) which by co!parison !'st be inade='ate and
inco!plete The list that follows contains only the titles of so!e
s'bse='ent wor<s and those cited !ost fre='ently in the
s'cceeding pages
AB-AHA.S)
B A
The E1p'lsion of the Jews fro!
England in#+%2 "O1ford) #$%8&
F E1p'lsion
AB-AHA.S)
I) and
STOGES) H P
Starrs and Jewish Charters
preser6ed in the British
.'se'!) with additions byH
Aoewe "E 6ols) Ca!bridge)
#%E2*#%E+&
F Starrs
A:AE-) . Jews of .edie6al England
"Aondon) #%E%&
F J.E
BA-NETT A
: "ed&
El Aibro de los Ac'erdos
"O1ford)#%E2
F Aibro
Be6is .ar<s -ecords "O1ford)
#%32) Hc&
F B.
-ecords
:A0IS? . : ShetarothDHebrew :eeds of
English Jewsbefore #+%2
"Aondon) #$$$&
F Shetaroth
Henri='es) H
S I
The Jews and the English Aaw
"O1ford) #%2$&

Jacobs) J The Jews of Ange6in EnglandD
:oc'!ents and-ecords
"Aondon) #$%E&
F JAE
-igg) J . Select Pleas) Starrs) and other
records fro! theE1che='er of
the Jews) #++2*#+$3 "Aondon)
#%2+&
F PEJ
9 Calendar of the Plea -olls of the
E1che='er of the Jews "E 6ols
Aondon) #%28*+%D third 6ol'!e
edited byH Jen<inson&
F EJ
-OTH) C Aife of .enasseh ben Israel
"Philadelphia) #%E3& 9 "ed&
.agna Bibliotheca Anglo*
J'daicaD a Bibliographical
7'ide to Anglo*Jewish History
"Aondon) #%E/& 9 "ed& Anglo*
Jewish Aetters) ##8$*#%#/
"Aondon)#%E$&
F Bibl
STOGES) H P St'dies in Anglo*Jewish History
"Edinb'rgh)#%#E&
F St'dies
@OA5) A .enasseh ben Israel;s .ission
to Oli6er Cro!well "Aondon)
F Essays
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter #
Settle!ent and Consolidation
8to ##$%9
There can be no do'bt that the Jews began to be associated with
England and the British Isles later than with any other co'ntry of
western E'rope that recei6ed the! in the .iddle Ages 5antasy
has indeed atte!pted to carry the story bac< to a re!ote
anti='ity) to the period of the fall of the <ingdo! of J'daea and
the destr'ction of Jer'sale! by Neb'chadne((ar? while so!e
sober st'dents do not consider it i!probable that) with the
Phoenician traders who reached Cornwall in the se6enth or
eighth cent'ry before the Christian era) there !ay ha6e co!e a
few a ad6ent'ro's Hebrews fro! the !ariti!e territories of the
Holy Aand 1 B't it is !ore li<ely that the conne1ion began
cent'ries later) in -o!an ti!es) when !erchants or capti6es
fro! Palestine reached e6ery pro6ince of the E!pire
The legendary !issionary >o'rney of St Pa'l) which led to the
fo'ndation of the British ch'rch) pres'pposes the e1istence of a
Jewish co!!'nity9always the initial ob>ect of his propaganda9
e6en before the capt're of Jer'sale! by Tit's in the year /2
After that catastrophe) the entire -o!an world was flooded with
Palestinian sla6es) and there is no reason to i!agine that Britain
was e1cepted Tangible proof of interco'rse between the two
lands at this period has been pro6ided by the disco6ery) d'ring
the co'rse of e1ca6ations in Central Aondon) of a Jewish coin
!inted in J'daea d'ring the interl'de of local independence
'nder Bar Cochba "A: #E+*8& 5 @hoe6er bro'ght it9-o!an
legionary or Jewish capti6e9it is probable that trade and traders
went between the two pro6inces by the sa!e ro'te that was
followed by this insignificant relic There is accordingly good
reason to belie6e that the greater 'rban centres in Britain
harbo'red) if not organi(ed Jewish co!!'nities) at least so!e
n'cle's of Jewish pop'lation St Jero!e) in the fo'rth cent'ry)
certainly tho'ght so? and) in !ore than one passage of his
writings) he specifically referred to the e1tension of the :iaspora
as far as this re!ote island pro6ince) and to the con6iction of the
Jews of his day that their co*religionists wo'ld be gathered e6en
thence at the ti!e of the great final :eli6erance :
If s'ch a co!!'nity e1isted it !'st ha6e been wiped o't in the
anarchical interl'de of the Te'tonic in6asions) when the
-o!anised Celts yielded to the Anglo*Sa1ons) and Britannia
beca!e England In the Sa1on period the Jewish traders) then so
i!portant in the .editerranean world and on the Continent of
E'rope) !ay ha6e e1tended their acti6ities as far as the British
Isles) b't all the e6idence for!erly add'ced in s'pport of this
hypothesis is apocryphal. 4 @hether or no indi6id'als 6isited the
co'ntry) it !ay be stated with confidence that no per!anent
settle!ent was for!ed) no co!!'nity established) and no
synagog'e b'ilt
This is not the place to describe in detail how the nor!ally
constit'ted Syrian people <nown as the Jews were dispossessed
of their ancestral ho!e) scattered to e6ery corner of the <nown
world) and dri6en o6erwhel!ingly into an 'rban e1istence
Tho'gh before the fall of the -o!an E!pire e6en those of the
:iaspora in E'rope contin'ed to be interested in agric'lt're) as
their brethren in Palestine and .esopota!ia had been) they were
grad'ally e1cl'ded fro! this The rise of Christianity
'nder!ined their econo!ic and social life The Ch'rch "and its
o6er*ready disciples) the Christian e!perors& frowned on their
interco'rse with tr'e belie6ers on e='al ter!s) ha!pered their
ownership of land) and flatly forbade the! not only to ha6e
Christians in their e!ploy!ent) b't e6en to ac='ire !oral
a'thority o6er the! in a professional capacity Slowly) they were
dri6en o't of ordinary acti6ities) and restricted to those for which
their international conne1ions) their adaptability) and their
ac'!en ga6e the! perhaps special ='alification ;
In the :ar< Ages) the ter!s ;!erchant; and ;Jew; were so!eti!es
'sed) in western E'rope) 6irt'ally as synony!sD and certain
branches of trade and !an'fact're were al!ost e1cl'si6ely in
Jewish hands B't) as ti!e went on) 7entile co!petition in these
spheres beca!e increasingly strong The Italian !ariti!e
rep'blics e!bar<ed 'pon co!!ercial acti6ities with a degree of
cohesion) reinforced by political bac<ing) which the Jews co'ld
not e!'late Trade was e6erywhere organi(ed on a co*operati6e
basis) and i!pregnated with a feeling of religio's solidarity
which left few loopholes for the 'nbelie6er Accordingly) the Jew
was dri6en to e!ploy his capital in the only !anner that
re!ained open Bnable to engage in personal enterprise) he had
to finance that of others9to lend o't his capital) that is) at
interest This tendency beca!e all the !ore !ar<ed since an
i!possible idealis! bac<ed by fa'lty e1egesis was ca'sing the
Ch'rch9obli6io's of the fact that credit is a necessity in any
society which has progressed beyond its !ost r'di!entary stage
9to oppose the lending of !oney at interest in any circ'!stances
whatsoe6er Not 'ntil the .iddle Ages were drawing to their
close did the change beco!e anything li<e general Ne6ertheless)
in so!e parts of E'rope) the process had !ade great progress as
early as the ele6enth cent'ry) when the Jewish financier or
!oneylender "the ter!s are interchangeable& was already a
fa!iliar fig're Partic'larly was this the case in north*eastern
5rance) with which "as we shall see& !edie6al Anglo*Jewry) as
England generally) was to be !ost inti!ately associated
@ith the Nor!an Con='est of #2,, England beca!e an integral
part of the E'ropean syste! for the first ti!e since the -o!an
e6ac'ation Th's it entered at last into the cogni(ance of the
Jewish co!!'nities of the Continent) hitherto barely aware of its
e1istence < The 6irt'al absence of a !iddle class and the scarcity
of !oney "now rendered !ore necessary by new social and
econo!ic de6elop!ents& ga6e enterprising capitalists a 'ni='e
opport'nity In the continental possessions of @illia! the
Con='eror) considerable Jewish co!!'nities were already to be
fo'nd at -o'en) for e1a!ple) they had been settled fro! abo't
the year #)222 at the latest& = It was nat'ral for so!e of the !ore
ad6ent'ro's spirits to follow their d'<e to the new field of
enterprise that offered itself) e6en if "as is so!eti!es reported&
he did not specifically in6ite the! > @ithin a short period)
congregations9probably consisting in no case of !ore than a
handf'l of persons9were to be fo'nd in a few of the greater
cities) that of Aondon of co'rse predo!inating The earliest
settlers originated al!ost e1cl'si6ely fro! northern 5rance) on
which the English co!!'nities re!ained to a 6ery large degree
dependent c'lt'rally) ling'istically) and econo!ically 5ro! the
beginning there were also a few indi6id'als fro! the -hineland)
which at that ti!e for!ed a singleblocwith Cha!pagne in the
geography of the Jewish world S'bse='ently) isolated
indi6id'als or fa!ilies arri6ed fro! f'rther afield
The infl'1 was slow) b't its effects were i!portant @hile the
face of England was being Nor!ani(ed) while the ad!inistration
was being refor!ed on the continental pattern) and while
fe'dalis! in its widest sense was being established) England ga6e
its tardy welco!e to a band of Jewish wanderers) and the !ost
narrowly fe'dal of all the Jewish co!!'nities of the .iddle Ages
ca!e into e1istence
Of the history of the English Jews 'nder the first two Nor!an
!onarchs) hardly anything is <nown 5ro! the scanty gli!pses
that we are afforded) it wo'ld see! that they were treated with
fa6o'r9conte!pt'o's) perhaps) b't solid E1cept for the
incidental state!ent that Jews had been bro'ght o6er fro!
-o'en to England by @illia! the Con='eror) there is no
a'thentic reference to the! d'ring his reign?illia4
Ru!usenco'raged the e1otic strangers so!ewhat too
e1'berantly) words at least) if we are to belie6e conte!porary
acco'nts On a certain sole!nity when the Jews of Aondon
bro'ght hi! a gift he pers'aded the! to enter into a religio's
disc'ssion with bishops and ch'rch!en present at co'rt Not
content with the scandal ca'sed by this) he >estingly swore) by the
Holy 5ace of A'cca) that if they were 6ictorio's he wo'ld hi!self
e!brace J'dais!9an i!piety which can hardly ha6e enhanced
their pop'larity in ecclesiastical circles 9 Not) indeed) that there
was any ob>ection on the part of the Ch'rch to religio's
disc'ssion as s'ch Abo't the sa!e ti!e) a certain Jew who had
st'died at the fa!o's Tal!'dic acade!y of .ain( entered into a
friendly arg'!ent on !atters of faith with 7ilbert Crispin) abbot
of @est!inster) with who! he had b'siness dealings The tenor
of the con6ersation) far !ore a!icable in tone than !ost
!edie6al enco'nters of the sort) was afterwards co!!itted to
writing by the abbot and co!!'nicated to St Ansel!) the
learned archbishop of Canterb'ry 17 In conse='ence of these
arg'!ents "so at least the ecclesiastical cha!pion clai!ed& a Jew
was con6erted to Christianity and beca!e a !on<? and he was
followed to the font not long afterwards by another) who was
earnestly co!!ended by Ansel! to the charity of (ealo's
Christians 11 This is absol'tely all that is <nown with any degree
of ass'rance of the Jews in England 'ntil ##22
It was at this period that there too< place the great !assacre of
the Jews of -o'en by the Cr'sading <nights in #2%,9a prel'de
to the atrocities on the -hineland9when all who ref'sed to
accept baptis! were b'tchered forthwith Those who !anaged to
escape wo'ld nat'rally ha6e so'ght ref'ge in their d'<e;s
do!ains across the Channel) as yet 'nto'ched by the Cr'sading
fren(y It is li<ely that a settled and relati6ely n'!ero's Anglo*
Jewish co!!'nity owes its origin to this e6ent) tho'gh there is
no doc'!entary e6idence to s'pport the ass'!ption
@ith the reign of Henry I "##22*E8& we begin to be on s'rer
gro'nd It is <nown that he iss'ed a charter of protection to the
Jews) or at least to certain indi6id'als The te1t of this is now
lost) b't it was so i!portant that it contin'ed to be referred to
and i!itated for nearly two cent'ries as a !odel doc'!ent) and
it !ay be regarded as the f'nda!ental charter of liberties of
!edie6al English Jewry It g'aranteed) abo6e all) liberty of
!o6e!ent thro'gho't the co'ntry) relief fro! ordinary tolls)
protection fro! !is'sage) free reco'rse to royal >'stice and
responsibility to no other) per!ission to retain land ta<en in
pledge as sec'rity) and special pro6ision to ens're fair trial It
confir!ed the co!!'nity) in short) in a position of pri6ilege as a
separate entity9e1isting for the <ing;s ad6antage) protected by
hi! in all legiti!ate transactions and answerable to hi! alone
This charter was confir!ed by s'cceeding r'lers after their
accession) tho'gh not grat'ito'sly 15
Protected by these pri6ileges) English Jewry slowly gathered
strength So far did n'!bers increase that in the co'rse of this
reign preachers are said to ha6e been dispatched to Aondon)
Jor<) Ca!bridge) O1ford) Norwich) and Bristol9the principal
towns of the real!9to act as a correcti6e to Jewish infl'ence 5or
so!e years an ill'strio's e1*Jew was pro!inent as royal
physician9the Spaniard Petr's Alfonsi "c #2,+*###2&) an
i!portant fig're in the history of the trans!ission of the Hellenic
legacy of the Arabs to !edie6al E'rope) a'thor of the ho!iletic
collection <nown as the Training School for Clergy) and a
welco!e 6isitor at .al6ern Abbey 1: The first !ention of the
;Street of the Jews; in Aondon is fo'nd abo't ##+$) in the ;Terrier;
of St Pa'l;s? 14 while references to Jewish acti6ities in finance
are recorded three years later in the earliest e1tant record of the
E1che='er) the Pipe -oll of the E#st year of Henry I "##E2*#&
This in6al'able doc'!ent shows 's a co!!'nity centred in
Aondon At its head is a certain -abbi Joseph) pop'larly <nown
as -'bi 7otsce 1; 9ob6io'sly a person of considerable
rep'tation in the intellect'al world and pres'!ably the
o'tstanding scholar in Anglo*Jewry in the first half of the twelfth
cent'ry 1< He appears to ha6e originated in -o'en) with which
city his children retained their associations His descendants
contin'ed to play an i!portant part in Anglo*Jewish life for !ore
than a cent'ry Besides being a notable scholar) -'bi 7otsce was
also a capable financier Three or fo'r other pro!inent Aondon
b'siness!en are also !entioned) especially .anasser
".enasseh& and Jacob) who was assisted in his b'siness affairs
by his wife Their transactions were on a large scale) and !ainly)
it see!s) with the nobility "Jacob has dealings also with the
Abbot of @est!inster& As always in later history) the Crown was
ac='isiti6e rather than bene6olent) and wo'ld i!partially accept
a pro!ise of !oney fro! a noble to e1ert press're on the Jews to
re!it his debts) or a gift fro! the Jews to e1ert press're on the
other side to pay the! -'bi 7otsce and his associates were on
the other hand !a<ing ad6ances to the Crown also) tho'gh of
relati6ely s!all a!o'nts A r'thless !ethod of e6ading pay!ent
was fo'nd) as will be seen later? so r'thless indeed as to ='alify
the accepted 6iew) that this was in e6ery respect a halcyon period
for English Jewry 1=
Indeed) fro! the few gli!pses that we are afforded it does not
appear that the condition of the co!!'nity) tho'gh generally
tran='il) was en6iable :'ring the ci6il war between Stephen and
the ;E!press; .atilda) they clearly s'ffered !ore than the rest of
the pop'lation The case of O1ford was no do'bt typical In ##3#)
d'ring her occ'pation of that city) .atilda i!posed a le6y on the
Jews @hen the place was recapt'red by her ri6al) he de!anded
fro! the!) by way of p'nish!ent for their co!plaisance) three
and a half ti!es as !'ch Since the 6icti!s were 'nwilling) he
sent incendiaries bearing lighted torches with instr'ctions to set
fire to all the Jewish ho'ses Only when one of the finest had
been cons'!ed by the fla!es "it was that of the co!!'nal
!agnate) Aaron fil; Isaac) the earliest <nown O1ford Jew& did his
co*religionists pro6ide what was as<ed 1>
Tho'gh the Cr'sading !o6e!ent had as yet gained only a slight
footing in England) the fanatical spirit which it engendered was
not altogether absent Abo't ##E2 the Aondon Jews were acc'sed
of <illing a sic< !an) who perhaps had gone to one of the! for
!edical treat!ent9an anticipation of the cr'der acc'sations
which were to !a<e their appearance not long after This charge
see!s to ha6e gi6en rise to a persec'tion of so!e sort9how
6ir'lent cannot be deter!ined B't) li<e !ost 6icissit'des of
Jewish life) it was t'rned to the ad6antage of the E1che='er The
Aondon co!!'nity) with -'bi 7otsce at its head) was fined the
enor!o's s'! of K+)222 O't of this the clai!s of Jewish
financiers on the Crown were satisfied) or rather cancelled) the
credit balance being th's t'rned into a debit balance of a far
greater !agnit'de and a considerable cash pay!ent being !ade
besides The ti!eliness of the acc'sation) fro! the point of 6iew
of the E1che='er) was s'ch as to !a<e one s'spect that the
coincidence was not altogether accidental 19
In ##33 the conception i!plicit in this charge recei6ed a terrible
e1tension On Easter E6e of that year) the dead body of a yo'ng
s<inner;s apprentice) na!ed @illia!) was fo'nd in a wood near
Norwich .odern in='irers) after caref'l e1a!ination of the
facts) ha6e concl'ded that the child probably lost conscio'sness
in conse='ence of a cataleptic fit) and was b'ried pre!at'rely by
his relati6es It was br'ited abo't) howe6er) that he was a 6icti!
of the Jews) who had enticed hi! away fro! his fa!ily and
cr'cified hi! after synagog'e ser6ice on the second day of
Passo6er) in !oc<ery of the Passion of Jes's This was the first
recorded instance in the !edie6al world of the infa!o's -it'al
.'rder acc'sation) which s'bse='ently ca'sed the Jews
thro'gho't E'rope 'ntold !isery A wa6e of religio's e1altation
swept thro'gh the city? and the child;s body was b'ried with all
sole!nity in the Cathedral) where !iracles were said to be
wro'ght at the gra6eside The ci6il a'thorities did not indeed gi6e
any enco'rage!ent to this o'tbrea< The Jews were protected to
his 't!ost ability by the sheriff) who per!itted the! to see<
ref'ge in the Castle) and wo'ld not allow the! to be ta<en to the
bishop;s co'rt for a biased trial Ne6ertheless) after they 6ent'red
into the open) one of the leaders of the co!!'nity was !'rdered
by the followers of a lawless <night who was in his debt? and this
was not apparently the only case :own to the ti!e of the
-efor!ation) the relics of @illia! of Norwich were 6enerated as
those of a saint and !artyr) and he re!ained a pop'lar fig're in
the hagiology of the eastern co'nties 57
It is not recorded that these allegations had any wider
reperc'ssions That there were none is hardly to be creditedD in
##3,) indeed) d'ring the Second Cr'sade) Bernard of Clair6a'1
tho'ght it necessary to address his fa!o's appeal against the
!olestation of the Jews to England) as well as to 7er!any and
5rance A few indi6id'als resident in England fo'nd it ad6isable
at this period to ret'rn to Cologne) near which place one of the!)
Si!eon the Pio's of Tre6es) was !'rdered by the Cr'saders on
ref'sing to be bapti(ed Ne6ertheless) a conte!porary Hebrew
chronicler gratef'lly records how Stephen) <ing of England) was
inspired to protect the Jews of his real!) not allowing the! to be
!olested in their persons or property Th's safeg'arded) the
Anglo*Jewish co!!'nities were able to consolidate the!sel6es)
attaining in the ne1t generation the (enith of their prosperity
:'ring the long reign of Henry II "##83*$%& they and the co'ntry
en>oyed peace The cr'sading spirit had as yet gained little hold
There was no prete1t therefore for English!en to i!itate the
!assacres which inter!ittently contin'ed on the Continent The
<ing !'lcted the Jews) indeed) to the 't!ost? b't at the sa!e
ti!e he protected and to a certain e1tent e6en enco'raged the!
He not only confir!ed) b't e6en e1tended) his grandfather;s
charter of protection) for!ally granting the Jews of England the
pri6ilege of internal >'risdiction in accordance with Tal!'dic
law) e1cept in the case of offences against p'blic
order 51 Conte!porary chroniclers spea< bitterly "if with
palpable e1aggeration& of the fa6o'r with which the so6ereign
treated his Jewry ;By an abs'rd arrange!ent;) writes one of
the!) ;they were happy and renowned far !ore than the
Christians) and) swelling 6ery i!p'dently against Christ thro'gh
their good fort'ne) did !'ch in>'ry to the Christians 55 J'rnet
"FJacob&) a great Norwich capitalist) who at the beginning of the
reign co!!itted the deadly sin of !arrying a Christian heiress
and act'ally con6erted her to J'dais!) was per!itted to ret'rn
to England? tho'gh he had to pay a st'pendo's fine "for which
the co!!'nities of the real! were !ade responsible&) and his
bride forfeited her lands 5: Jews were allowed to hold property
as tenants*in*chief of the Crown) tho'gh the world wo'ld ha6e
been scandali(ed had they atte!pted to discharge their
obligations by perfor!ing !ilitary ser6ice 54 E6en ch'rch!en
treated the! with !ar<ed tolerance Notwithstanding the laws
which forbade it) Jewish financiers lent !oney to abbeys and
!insters on the sec'rity of plate) 6essels 'sed in di6ine worship)
and9worst scandal of all9relics of the saints 5; They were
allowed to place their wo!enfol< and children in the !onasteries
for safety at ti!es of dist'rbance They <ept their b'siness*deeds
in the cathedral treas'ries) then generally 'sed for safeg'arding
6al'ables in e!ergency In Canterb'ry and B'ry St Ed!'nds)
they e6en too< sides in !onastic politics when a fresh abbot was
elected) and prayed in their synagog'e for the s'ccess of the
candidate who! they fa6o'red They were fa!iliar fig'res in St
Pa'l;s Cathedral in Aondon) to which they resorted to see< their
debtors Jews and clerics rode together on >o'rneys) and >ested
together in bad 5rench 5< In Aondon) Aincoln) and Jor<) the
Jewish financiers aro'sed co!!ent by the stone ho'ses9al!ost
fortress*li<e in their strength9which they b'ilt for their sec'rity
at a ti!e when the !a>ority of the pop'lation had to content
the!sel6es with fli!sy constr'ctions of wood 5=
At the beginning of the reign of Henry II) according to the official
Treas'ry records) there were Jewish n'clei not only in Aondon
b't also in Norwich) Aincoln) @inchester) Ca!bridge) Thetford)
Northa!pton) B'ngay) O1ford) and 7lo'cester "the order gi6en
is that of financial) and pres'!ably in !ost cases n'!erical)
i!portance& 5> In addition) isolated fa!ilies were li6ing in
@orcester and Aeicester) and fro! other so'rces we <now
co!!'nities to ha6e e1isted in Bristol and Jor< In conse='ence
of fa6o'rable conditions) there see!s to ha6e been d'ring the
co'rse of the reign a 6eritable infl'1 fro! the Continent9
sti!'lated witho't do'bt by the e1p'lsion of the Jews fro! the
Ile de 5rance in ##$+) and facilitated by the i!!ense e1tension of
the Ange6in possessions o6erseas The area of settle!ent
e1panded) the records showing f'rther gro'ps before the end of
the reign at E1eter) Sta!ford) Aynn) B'ry) Bedford) :e6i(es)
Ipswich) Canterb'ry) Hereford) :'nstable) Chichester Newport)
and so!e s!aller places New arri6als !ay so!eti!es be traced
in literary so'rces Abraha! ibn E(ra) the wandering Spanish
scholar) was in Aondon in ##8$? and there are indications that he
ret'rned to England to die 59 -abbi Jo!tob of Joigny) an
e!inent p'pil of the fa!o's Jacob of -a!er'pt ";-abben'
Ta!;&) settled at Jor< His conte!porary and fellow disciple)
Jacob of Orleans) !igrated to Aondon The infl'1 fro! 7er!any
was so great that an e!bassy was sent to England in ##,$ by
5rederic< Barbarossa protested "as it see!s& at the loss of these
profitable s'b>ects) o6er who! the e!peror clai!ed special
rights As a res'lt) so!e of the! were forced to ret'rn o6erseas)
while a fine of 8)222 !ar<s was e1acted fro! those who
re!ained :7 In a roll of the co!!'nity of Aondon in ##$, we
find Jews fro! Spain) .orocco) and 5rance "Eta!pes) Joigny)
and Pontoise& This was paralleled in other cities of the <ingdo!
Jews fro! Paris and elsewhere in 5rance were settled at Jor<?
Jews fro! Italy "<nown as LAo!bard;& in Aincoln Nottingha!)
and @inchester? and there is recorded e6en an indi6id'al fro!
-'ssia) where the -abbis of Gie6 and No6gorod were already
fa!o's The official records at the close of the reign show
scattered abo't the co'ntry so!e E22 Jewish b'siness !en and
ho'seholders) whose contrib'tions to the E1che='er were worth
recording :1
Hitherto) the b'rial*gro'nd in Aondon had to ser6e for the whole
<ingdo! @hen a death occ'rred) the body was transported
thither by wagon) e6en fro! places as far away as E1eter or Jor<
The toll*lists specified the charge to be !ade for a dead Jew? and
we read gr'eso!e acco'nts of how the dogs wo'ld bay after the
corpse on the road :5 @ith the increase of pop'lation) s'ch an
arrange!ent was o't of the ='estion? and) in ##//) each
co!!'nity was per!itted to p'rchase a place for interring its
dead o'tside the city walls ::
5ew <nown episodes dist'rbed the tenor of Anglo*Jewish life
d'ring the reign) b't it was not in6ariably s!ooth Before the
terrible precedent set at Norwich in ##33 was i!itated abroad
"the first -it'al .'rder acc'sation on the Continent was that of
Blois) in ##/#& a si!ilar case too< place in the city of 7lo'cester)
where a n'!ber of Jews asse!bled in .arch ##,$) at Passo6er*
ti!e) in hono'r of a circ'!cision in the fa!ily of a pro!inent
!e!ber of the co!!'nity It was alleged that they too<
ad6antage of this to sei(e 'pon a Christian child na!ed Harold)
who! they !artyred with 'nspea<able tort'res) afterwards
throwing the body into the -i6er Se6ern In ##$ a si!ilar incident
was reported at B'ry St Ed!'nds) where a certain -obert was
the alleged 6icti!? and there was yet another in Bristol in
##$E :4 The relics of these yo'ths) li<e those of ;St; @illia! of
Norwich) were s'bse='ently 6enerated as those of !artyrs None
of these cases apparently entailed any serio's conse='ences 'pon
the Jewish co!!'nity at large) safe in the royal protection It is
tr'e that the Assi(e of Ar!s of ##$# "which ens'red the
possession by e6ery English!an of ade='ate weapons& forbade
Jews to retain ;!ail or ha'ber<;) which were to be sold or gi6en
away? b't this cla'se was clearly pro!pted by the desire to ha6e
all weapons deposited where they wo'ld be !ost 'sef'lly
e!ployed) rather than by any wish to lea6e the Jews
'nprotected :;
The fa6o'r and protection en>oyed by the Jews 'nder the first
Plantagenet r'ler were not d'e "as was the case) with certain
reser6ations) later on& si!ply to their i!portance as ta1*payers
This was of co'rse considerable? and when the <ing went abroad)
he often raised large s'!s by fine or loan fro! leading !e!bers
of the co!!'nity B't they were at the sa!e ti!e what !ight be
ter!ed Treas'ry agents) ad6ancing large s'!s to the Crown to
defray day*to*day e1pendit're or 'ne1pected calls) and being
repaid by drafts on the sheriffs) sec'red on the Lfer! of the Shire;
or co'nty re6en'e Already in the ti!e of Henry I) as we ha6e
seen) -'bi 7otsce of Aondon and certain of his associates had
dealings with the Crown These were greatly e1tended 'nder
Henry II when) for con6enience as well as sec'rity) certain
capitalists fo'nd it con6enient to pool their reso'rces and to
wor< together Hence) after the !iddle of the reign) we find a few
pro!inent consortia of Jews dealing with the Treas'ry) the hea6y
ad6ances that they !ade being reflected in orders for repay!ent
in d'e co'rse o't of the co'nty re6en'es Br'n of Aondon) Josce
I'atreb'ches) and the brothers J'rnet and Benedict of Norwich
for! one gro'p) pro6iding the Crown on a single occasion) in
##//) with as !'ch as 8)/82 !ar<s "KE)$EE ,s $d& in one
pay!ent) whether as a loan or enforced gift Another gro'p was
for!ed by :eodat's Episcop's) :< 0i6es of Ca!bridge) and the
brothers .oses and Benedict fil; Sara whose na!es are noted in
at least thirty Treas'ry transactions in the co'rse of a single
year := In the west of England) .oses of Bristol and Belaset his
wife acted as Crown agents Isaac9fil;* -abbi) son of -'bi 7otsce
and the principal !e!ber of the Aondon co!!'nity) wor<ed in
loose association with the first gro'p) ha6ing been officially
a'thori(ed to enter into partnership with J'rnet of Norwich
S'ch was his stat's that he and his fa!ily were granted the
!anor of Ha! by the Crown for ser6ices rendered :> 5or so!e
years his financial s'pre!acy was 'n='estioned After ##,,)
howe6er) he began to be o'tdone in financial i!portance by his
occasional associate) Aaron of Aincoln) who for so!e years
occ'pied the leading place a!ong the Jews of England) and was
a!ong the o'tstanding E'ropean financiers of the twelfth
cent'ry Between the two of the!) English Jewry was organi(ed
to a certain e1tent into a great co*operati6e ban<ing association)
spread thro'gho't the co'ntry
Ai<e the other Jewish financiers) Aaron of Aincoln periodically
!ade ad6ances to the Crown on the sec'rity of the local ta1ation?
in ##,, "when his transactions are first !entioned& these
a!o'nted to o6er K,22 He ad6anced !oney to pri6ate
indi6id'als on corn) ar!o'r) estates) and ho'ses) ac='iring th's
i!portant interests in twenty*fi6e co'nties "especially in the east
and so'th*east of England&) in at least se6enteen of which he
!aintained his agents Aoans were contracted with hi! to assist
in the b'ilding of no less than nine Cistercian abbeys) as well as
the cathedrals of Aincoln and Peterboro'gh So considerable was
his assistance in the constr'ction of the fa!o's con6ent'al
ch'rch at St Albans that he 'sed to boast) with !ore
o'tspo<enness than tact) that it was he who had !ade the great
window in the ch'rch) and had prepared a ho!e for the saint
when he had been witho't one His !ansion at Aincoln is said to
be the oldest speci!en of do!estic architect're in the co'ntry
still in occ'pation
@hen he died) abo't ##$8) Aaron of Aincoln was probably the
wealthiest person in England) in li='id assets The <ing therefore
did not scr'ple to 6indicate his legal rights "seldo! e1ercised to
the f'll& and to declare all the property of the deceased 's'rer
escheated to the Crown The b'llion and treas're was sent o6er
to 5rance to assist in the war then in progress against Philip
A'g'st's The 6essel in which it was con6eyed was lost with all it
contained while crossing the Channel fro! Shoreha! to :ieppe)
in 5ebr'ary ##$/ The o'tstanding credits a!o'nted to K#8)222)
being e='i6alent to three*='arters of the royal inco!e in a
nor!al year) owed by so!e 3E2 persons distrib'ted o6er a great
part of England To deal with the collection of these a!o'nts) it
was fo'nd necessary to establish a special branch of the
E1che='er) the Scaccari'! Aaronis) with two treas'rers and two
cler<s) whose labo'r of sorting o't the debts and ascertaining
what was d'e to the Crown too< nearly fi6e years This b'rea'
contin'ed in e1istence 'ntil #+2#) when "notwithstanding the
chancellor;s ann'al e1hortation to debtors to co!po'nd with
hi! for their d'es& one*half of the total was still o'tstanding
A!ong those with who! the dead financier was fo'nd to ha6e
had dealings were the Ging of Scotland) the Co'nt of Brittany) the
Archbishop of Canterb'ry) the earls of Northa!pton) Ar'ndel)
A'!ale) and Aeicester) the bishops of Bangor and Aincoln) the
Abbot of @est!inster) the Prior of the Gnights Hospitallers) and
the towns of @inchester and So'tha!pton :9 S'ch transactions
ne6er failed to be t'rned to the ad6antage of the E1che='er It
has been esti!ated that an a6erage of KE)2229that is) so!ething
li<e one*se6enth of the total re6en'e9was deri6ed at this period
fro! the Jews e6ery year in the nor!al co'rse of ta1ation)
witho't ta<ing into acco'nt occasional windfalls when indi6id'al
or co!!'nity were a!!erced for so!e real or i!aginary
trespass In ##8%) !oreo6er) there had been a fresh depart're in
the financial ad!inistration On the occasion of the <ing;s
e1pedition against rebellio's To'lo'se) the cost of the
e1peditionary force was defrayed in part by an arbitrary le6y) or
;tallage;) on the towns of the co'ntry) and on the Jews 47 The
a!o'nts in6ol6ed on this occasion were not e1cessi6ely hea6y
B't) especially as far as the infidel financiers were concerned) it
was a partic'larly dangero's inno6ation Instead of ha6ing their
ability 'tili(ed) as hitherto) they co'ld henceforth be e1ploited) by
a facile !ethod which was to end in their r'in
It was not indeed 'ntil the close of the reign that the f'll
potentialities of the new instr'!ent were reali(ed In ##$$) in
order to finance the <ing;s proposed Cr'sade) the Saladin Tithe 9
the first English ta1 on personal property9was r'thlessly le6ied
thro'gho't the <ingdo! The Jews had been assessed separately
in the pre6io's year at 7'ildford) their contrib'tion being fi1ed
not at one*tenth of their property) as was the case with the other
inhabitants of the co'ntry) b't at one*fo'rth It is significant that
this was e1pected to bring in no less than K,2)222) as against
K/2)222 fro! the general le6y Th's) the Jewish capital was
esti!ated to constit'te !ore than one*third of the !obile wealth
of the nation9certainly an e1aggeration) yet at the sa!e ti!e
indicati6e of their relati6e i!portance to the E1che='er 41 The
collection of this 6ast s'!9the e='i6alent of perhaps K#)822)222
in !odern 6al'es9had not been co!pleted when) in ##$%) Henry
Plantagenet ended his long life of str'ggle) lea6ing the throne to
his worst*hated son
%ootnotes
Chapter #
# The disco6ery d'ring e1ca6ations at 7a(a of orna!ents
!ade of Irish "M& gold pro6es that there was indirect
interco'rse between the British Isles and Palestine e6en
before con='est) the Israelite con='est) and renders this
hypothesis so!ewhat less i!probable
+ I a! not aware that the details of this find ha6e been
p'blished The disco6ery was !ade d'ring the
constr'ction of the present 7eneral Post Office The
Narchaeological; e6idence hitherto ad6anced for the
presence of Jews in England d'ring the -o!an period9
the <eystone to a 6a'lt of b'rnt corn fo'nd in Aondon in
the se6enteenth cent'ry) bearing what was i!agined to be
a bas*relief of Sa!son9does not deser6e serio's
consideration
E Co!!enta to Isaiah l16i +2 A!os 6iii#+ and Oephaniah
ii $ "%& ".igne) Patrolog(a Aatina 11i6 ,/+) 116 #2$E)
#E,3& The phrasing !a<es it clear that Jero!e belie6e
Jews to be li6ing in Britain and e6en to ha6e attained
positions of dignity thereD he !entions the pro6ince
together with Spain) Italy) 7a'l? etc) where they were
ind'bitably settled in his day
3 See note # "a& p +,%
5. The process described here in a few lines was of co'rse a
long and grad'al one) e1tending o6er so!e cent'ries 5or
a f'ller acco'nt see the present writer;s Short History of
the Jewish People "Aondon) #%E,& or) in greater detail) H
7raet() Geschtchte der Juden "preferably in the
7er!an originalD latest edition) Aeip(ig) #$%2*#%##&? S
:'bnow) Weltgeschichte des jdischen Volkes
"Berlin) #%+8*%&? and two recent wor<s by Ja!es Par<es)
The onflict of the hurch and the !"nagogue
"Aondon) #%E3& and The Je# in the Medie$al
o%%unit" "Aondon) #%E$&) with the a'thorities listed
in the!
, The earliest e1plicit !ention of England in Hebrew
literat're appears to be in the pse'do*Joseph's
"Josippon;&) probably co!posed in so'th Italy in the ninth
cent'ry
/ There is a se!i*legendary record of a persec'tion at this
place in #22/) when the Pope is said to ha6e inter6ened to
pre6ent the !assacre of those Jews who ref'sed to accept
baptis! Howe6er ='estionable the details) the acco'nt
pres'pposes the e1istence of a fairly n'!ero's Jewish
co!!'nity
$ See Note I "b&) p +,%
% @illia! of .al!esb'ry) 7esta) i6 E#/
10. 7isleberti Crispini abbatis @est!onasteriensis :isp'tatio
J'daei c'! Christiano in .igne) Patrologia Aatina) cli1
#2E3 s==D cf J Ar!itage -obinson) 7ilbert Crispin)
Abbot of @est!inster "Ca!bridge) #%##&) pp ,2*/) I Ae6i)
-EJ 6 +E$*38) and) !ost recently) A A'<yn @illia!s)
Ad$ersus Judaeos "Ca!bridge) #%E8&) pp E/8*$2 The
probable historicity of the acco'nt appears fro! the
!etic'lo'sness of so!e of the detailsD eg the state!ent
that Crispin;s interloc'tor had st'died in .ain() which
was in fact one of the great centres of -abbinic learning at
the ti!e) and the reference to b'siness relations "for
which we ha6e doc'!entary e6idence& between the abbot
of @est!inster and Aondon Jews
## S Ansel!i Epistolae) iii c16ii
#+ The original grant of this charter by Henry I is s'ggested
in the prea!ble to John;s confir!ation of #+2# "-ot Cart
i %E&D ;to hold all that fro! 's which they held fro! Ging
Henry o'r father;s grandfather; 5or its 6ario's
confir!ations see below) pp to) #%) E#*+) ,,
#E Aegacy of Israel) pp +2$*%) Hc
#3 See Note I "c&) pp +,%*/2
#8 Prono'nced rotsce or Josce) the 7 being e='i6alent to r
#, Jacobs; identification "JAE) pp #8) +E& with the
Tal!'dist and e1egete - Joseph Bechor*Shor of Orleans
is 'ntenable) the latter ha6ing been a disciple of - Jacob
Ta! of -a!er'pt and belonging therefore to the second
half of the cent'ry
#/ Another entry of the earliest Pipe -oll for Norfol< and
S'ffol< "Pp- ##E2*#) P %#D reference sho'ld in e6ery case
be !ade to the original) as Jacobs; e1cerpts are both
defecti6e and inacc'rate& refers to a certain Ben>a!in who
acco'nts for K3 8s c'stodiat placita ='ae coronae regis
pertinent9apparently an early anticipation of the office of
Coroner .aitland s'ggests that ;a Ben>a!in who has no
s'rna!e loo<s 'nco!!only li<e a Jew) and perhaps the
pleas that he wishes to P<eepP are pleas concerning the
Jews; The reference !ight be for licence to decide cases
according to Jewish Aaw
#$ A @ood) Annals) i #3$) referring to the lost chronicle of
Nigel of -ewley
#% Pp- p #3% The a!o'nt of the fine) K+)222) !'st be
!'ltiplied by twenty to thirty ti!es to get any idea of its
significance in !odern c'rrency It represented so!ething
li<e one*tenth of the total royal inco!e) esti!ated for this
period at K+2)222
+2A Jessopp and . - Ja!es) St @illia! of Norwich
"Ca!bridge) #$%,& It !ay be added that on this occasion
"as in s'bse='ent cases in England& the essential ele!ent
of the continental blood acc'sation was lac<ing) as no
s'ggestion was apparently !ade that the blood was
re='ired for rit'al p'rposes
+# This concession was renewed by John in #+2# "infra) pp
E+*E& apart fro! his confir!ation of Henry I;s charter)
with specific reference to the grant by Henry II The
original iss'e !ay be dated c ##,3) when the a'tono!y of
the Jews was p't forward as an arg'!ent in fa6o'r of the
a'tono!y of the clergy "J C -obertson) .aterials for the
History of Tho!as Bec<et) i6 #3$&
++ @illia! of Newb'rgh) Historia rer'! anglicar'!) ed
Howlett) i +$2
+E 5 Blo!efield) Topographical History of the Co'nty of
Norfol<) i6 "#$22&) 8#2? Pp- ##$,*/) p 33
+3 Infra) p #8 Jacobs "JAE) p +23) Hc& grossly
e1aggerates the I!plications
+8 Benedict Abbot) ed St'bbs) i #2,D a general state!ent
interestingly confir!ed in Pp- ##,%*/2) p $) and ##$+*E)
p #3) which show Jews paying a fine for ha6ing ta<en
ch'rch 6essels in pledge) and in the story "@harton)
Anglia Sacra) i ,38*,& that Bishop Nigel of Ely "##EE*,%&
pledged relics with the Jews of Ca!bridge
+, 7irald's Ca!brensis) Itin Co!b ti 1iii ".any of these
points are re6erted to below) in chap 0&
+/ In the acco'nts of the Aondon and Jor< !assacres) the
strength of the ho'ses in the Jewish ='arter is
accent'ated) while in Aincoln act'al speci!ens dating
fro! this period are e1tant 5or a stone ho'se b'ilt at
Canterb'ry in ##%o) see Adler) J.E) p ,% "Cf also p
#+E infra&
+$5or these Jewish centres) cf Pp- ##8$*%) pp I) E) #+) #/)
+3) +$) E8) 3,) 8E) ,8 The a!o'nts specified wo'ld
s'ggest that the Aondon co!!'nity was at this ti!e three
ti!es as large as that of Norwich B't too !'ch stress
sho'ld not be laid on this? O1ford for e1a!ple is shown as
paying only +2 !ar<s as against Aondon;s +22) b't it had
been !'lcted too !ar<s only a short while pre6io's "Pp-
##88) p E,& The i!portance of Thetford !ay be d'e to the
fact that) li<e Norwich) it had a !intD the na!e of :a6id
the !oneyer is s'ggesti6e
+% Bibl A i t 3#? infra) p #+,
E2This see!s to be the !ost rational interpretation of a
highly obsc're passage "7er6ase of Canterb'ry) ed
St'bbs) i +28&
E# See the lists in JAE) pp E38*,%
E+ Acta sanctor'! "Br'ssels) #$8E&) 6iii 8/,? cf Ne'ba'er in
Collectanea of the O1ford Historical Society) ii "#$%2&) pp
+$+ s==
EE The Jor< ce!etery) which was shared with the co!!'nity
of Aincoln "and pres'!ably Northa!ptonD see the deed of
p'rchase of the e1tension in #+E2 in Adler) J.E) pp
#,8*/&) was sit'ated in what is now <nown as Jewb'ry
That of O1ford was near the ri6er ban<) on the site of the
present botanical 7ardens Jewin Crescent in the City)
!ar<s the position of the for!er Aondon b'rial*gro'nd
E3 Historia !onasterii S Petri 7lo'cestriae "-olls Series&) p
+#? Jocelin de Bra<elond "ed Ca!den Society&) P #E?
Chronicle of .elrose) ed Anderson) p 3E? Adler) J.E)
pp #$8*,
E8 That this cla'se of the Assi(e of Ar!s was enforced is
shown by Pp- ##$8*,) p /$9a Jew fined 3o !ar<s on
acco'nt of the ha'ber< that his wife had ta<en in pledge
;against the prohibition;
E, Probably F Nathaniel haCohenD see below) p %3
E/ Pp- ##/,*/) introd'ction) p 11iii Another o'tstanding
Anglo*Jewish financier of the period was Josce of
7lo'cester) who ad6anced !oney to Strongbow at the ti!e
of his raid on Ireland "JacobQs concl'sion JAE p 8#) that
he ;financed; the con='est) is hardly >'stified by the
e6idence&
E$ -y!er) 5oedera) i 8#D the fa!ily also owned the !anor of
Th'rroc<s) ac='ired by p'rchase fro! the Earl 5errers
"ibid& and sold in ##%% to Henry de 7ray "Pp- ##%%) p
,b& Abraha! of 5el!ingha!) who recei6ed a grant of
land for bringing Henry II a report that the Ging of
Scotland had been capt'red "Boo< of 5ees) # #E2& was
contrary to appearances "his son;s na!e was IsaacR& not a
Jew) as is clear fro! other references 5or so!e reason)
Isaac fil; -abbi ne6er paid the fee for his partnership*
licence
E% A detailed st'dy of the acti6ities of Aaron of Aincoln) by
Joseph Jacobs) is in Trs JHSE) 6ol iii? see also .rs
Stenton;s infor!ati6e introd'ction to Pp- ##%#*E 5or
Aaron;s 6ery i!portant transactions with the Ging of
Scotland see A C Aa'rie) Annals of .alcol! and @illia!)
p cc1i1 Jacobs; date for Aaron;s death) ##$/) is too lateD cf
J H -o'nd) Pp- ##$8*,) p 111 The a!o'nt of his debts
in Aincolnshire and Jor<shire was so great that a special
!e!brane dealing with the! had to be added to the Pipe
-oll B't it sho'ld be noted that @illia! Cade) the
5le!ish Christian 's'rer) who died abo't ##,,) had
wor<ed on si!ilar lines rather earlier than Aaron) and
probably on a larger scaleD see H Jen<inson;s essay in
St'dies Presented to - Aane*Poole) pp #%2*+#2
32Pp- ##8$*%) pp 3,) EE) Hc This was anterior to the
tallage of 8)222 !ar<s in ##,$) said by -igg "PEJ) p 16i&
to be the earliest
3# 5or the le6y) see Pp- ##$,*/) p 33 It was e1pected to be
so profitable that the Crown s'spended the collection of
debts fro! leading Jews) to the a!o'nt of so!e K,)822
The ='estioned state!ent of 7er6ase of Canterb'ry "i
3++& that it was to bring in K,2)222 is therefore not !'ch
of an e1aggeration) tho'gh the res'lts are not li<ely to
ha6e been so l'crati6e as the e1pectations Sir Aionel
Abraha!s "Trs JHSE 6iii #$,*/& ='estions whether
7er6ase is referring to the 7'ildford Tallage) b't two s'ch
le6ies co'ld not ha6e been !ade al!ost si!'ltaneo'sly If
the raid on the Jews was the !odel for that on the general
pop'lation) it was of profo'nd i!portance in English
financial history
Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter +
*he Be0innin0 o! Persecution and
the "r0ani@ation o! Jewry
11>9-151<
:B-IN7 the co'rse of the past few years the tide of religio's
feeling had been rising The recent e1actions had been
occasioned by the fact that Henry II hi!self had ;ta<en the
Cross;) pledging hi!self th's to go on Cr'sade to deli6er the Holy
Aand fro! the infidel He had died witho't being able to f'lfil his
6ow? b't his son and s'ccessor) -ichard Aion*Heart) ascended
the throne pledged to the great enterprise) and deter!ined to
carry it into effect
5or the first ti!e Cr'sading enth'sias!9hitherto at a low ebb9
spread thro'gho't England a!ong all classes) fro! highest to
lowest It was ine6itable that the feeling against the Jews was
accent'ated The hea6y e1actions of the pre6io's reign) of which
they had been to so!e e1tent the instr'!ents) were not
forgotten) and there was little prospect that the policy of the
go6ern!ent wo'ld change Increasing n'!bers and prosperity
were a prolific ca'se of >ealo'sy In ##/% Pope Ale1ander III had
felt obliged to e1hort the <ing to protect the !on<s of St
A'g'stine;s) Canterb'ry) in their b'siness dealings with the Jews)
which !'st ha6e been of considerable 6ol'!e 1 The anti*Jewish
legislation of the Third Aateran Co'ncil of that sa!e year had
applied to England as to other co'ntries The recent s'ccession of
Blood Acc'sations !ar<ed the direction and intensity of the
c'rrent The gro'nd was th's f'lly prepared for an o'tbrea< in
the continental style) which England had hitherto escaped It was
an 'nfort'nate coincidence) if nothing !ore) that the Assi(e of
Ar!s had left the Jews helpless) witho't the prospect of
defending the!sel6es as other !en co'ld when the stor! bro<e
A tri6ial episode at the coronation of the new <ing pro6ed to be
the spar< which set the tinder abla(e The proceedings at
@est!inster were long and stately) and the sole!nity of the
occasion was e!phasi(ed by a procla!ation ordering that no
wo!an) and no Jew) sho'ld be ad!itted 5 Ne6ertheless) on the
afternoon of the coronation day "S'nday) Septe!ber Erd) ##$%&)
while the festi6ities were at their height) a dep'tation fro! the
Jewish co!!'nities of the <ingdo! presented itself at the
gateway of @est!inster Hall) bearing rich gifts9probably in the
hope of obtaining a renewal of the charter of pri6ileges granted
originally by Henry I So!e of the!) eager to see the
!agnificence) too< ad6antage of a !o!entary disorder to slip in)
and were dri6en o't by a (ealo's door<eeper with 'nnecessary
br'tality This was eno'gh to aro'se the crowd at the palace
gates Se6eral !e!bers of the dep'tation were beaten or
tra!pled to death before they co'ld escape The wealthy
Benedict) who had co!e as one of the representati6es of the
co!!'nity of Jor<) sa6ed his life by consenting to e!brace
Christianity) and was i!!ediately bapti(ed in the ad>acent
Ch'rch of the Innocents by a priest fro! his own city
E1aggerated r'!o'rs of what was happening at @est!inster
soon spread to Aondon) where it was reported that the <ing had
gi6en orders for the Jews to be e1ter!inated In their well b'ilt
stone ho'ses) the inhabitants were able to resist for so!e ho'rs
'ntil) towards nightfall) one of the !ob threw 'p a lighted torch
which set fire to a thatched roof The fla!es rapidly spread) and
before long the whole of the Jewry was in a bla(e Tho'gh so!e
of the inhabitants fo'nd ref'ge in the Tower of Aondon or 'nder
the protection of friendly neighbo'rs) se6eral perished in their
ho'ses) and others were done to death when they 6ent'red into
the street Thirty persons lost their li6es) a!ongst the! being the
e!inent -abbi Jacob of Orleans) not long since arri6ed fro! the
Continent
The news was reported to the <ing as he sat ban='eting He
i!!ediately dispatched the >'sticiar) -an'lph de 7lan6ille) to
chec< the disorders) b't he was 'nable to !a<e any i!pression
The o'tbrea< had indeed been of so 'ni6ersal a character) and
en>oyed s'ch general sy!pathy) that it was not considered
ad6isable to ta<e serio's !eas'res against those who had
participated Ne6ertheless) so!e of the ringleaders were arrested)
and three were hanged9one for robbing a Christian and two
beca'se the fire they had <indled b'rned down a Christian ho'se
Aittle else was done e1cept to dispatch letters to all parts of the
<ingdo! ordering the Jews to be left in peace The day after the
riot -ichard sent for Benedict of Jor<) who ad!itted that he had
adopted Christianity only in order to escape death T'rning to the
archbishop of Canterb'ry) the <ing in='ired how he sho'ld be
dealt with ;If he will not ser6e 7od) let hi! ser6e the de6il;)
replied the prelateD and his conte!pt'o's ad6ice was followed :
The royal procla!ation was s'fficient to sec're the !aintenance
of peace only so long as the <ing was in the co'ntry In :ece!ber
he crossed to the Continent) and for si1 !onths re!ained in
5rance gathering his forces .eanwhile) in e6ery town in
England) Cr'sading detach!ents were asse!bled in readiness
for depart're o6erseas Their reasoning was si!ilar to that of
Cr'saders e6erywhereD that it was not right to allow Jewish
infidels to en>oy their ill*gotten riches 'ndist'rbed at ho!e)
while the soldiers of the Cross were facing 'ntold dangers to
co!bat .osle! infidels o6erseasD the rede!ption of the Holy
Sep'lchre) and the a6enging of the Cr'cifi1ion) sho'ld begin in
England itself There was a widespread i!pression that the
sla'ghter of a single payni! wo'ld gain Paradise e6en for the
!ost hardened sinner Bnhappily) the asse!bly of the Cr'saders
coincided with the season of Aent) when the deepest*rooted
religio's passions were aro'sed and the !ost infla!!atory
recollections re6i6ed
Early in 5ebr'ary the first o'tbrea< too< place at the port of
Aynn) in Norfol< "s'bse='ently Ging;s Aynn& Here) a recent
apostate fro! J'dais! too< ref'ge fro! the ins'lts of his for!er
coreligionists in a ch'rch) where the latter had the i!pr'dence to
follow hi! 4 The conse='ent 'proar de6eloped into a riot) in
which foreign sailors in port too< a leading part The co!!'nity
was all b't e1ter!inated) the ho'ses being stor!ed an pillaged)
and the inhabitants b'tchered or b'rned in the fla!es which
destroyed a good part of the city ; A few days after) the news
reached Norwich) the principal town in the eastern co'nties)
where the e1a!ple was followed "5ebr'ary ,th&) tho'gh !ost of
the Jews too< ref'ge pre6io'sly in the royal castle Aarge
n'!bers of Cr'saders and others !eanwhile asse!bled at
Sta!ford for the Aent 5air ;Indignant that the ene!ies of the
cross of Christ who dwelt there sho'ld possess so !'ch when
they had not eno'gh for the e1penses of so great a
>o'rney;) < they !ade a si!ilar attac<) p'tting to the sword all
who did not get to the castle in ti!e The ho'ses in the Jewry
were pillaged) and a large a!o'nt of property was sei(ed ".arch
/th& At the pop'lo's city of Aincoln) !ost of the Jews were able
to p't the!sel6es and their 6al'ables 'nder the protection of the
royal officers in good ti!e) b't !'ch ha6oc was effected
ne6ertheless 5'rther attac<s appear to ha6e ta<en place in
Colchester) Thetford) and Ospringe = At other places) not
!entioned in the records) there !ay also ha6e been o'tbrea<s)
for a conte!porary tells 's that it was only at @inchester) than<s
to the phleg!atic nat're of the citi(ens) that the Jews were
'nscathed? b't) as if to co!pensate) this city was the scene of a
rit'al !'rder acc'sation two years later > At :'nstable it is
reported that the entire di!in'ti6e co!!'nity sa6ed itself fro!
!assacre by s'b!itting to baptis! Jewish tradition preser6ed
the !e!ory of one place containing a s!all congregation of
twenty*two so'ls who were e1ter!inated witho't e1ception 9
The worst o'tbrea< of all) which has s'r6i6ed in the recollection
of both the English and the Jewish peoples as a classical e1a!ple
of star< tragedy) too< place at Jor< Here) the e1istence of a
co!!'nity is first recorded in the year ##E2) b't in s'ch ter!s as
to !a<e it e6ident that it had already been established for so!e
years and was of considerable i!portance Bnder Henry II it had
grown in wealth and n'!bers It was one of the principal seats of
Aaron of Aincoln;s acti6ity) and had apparently attracted so!e
disting'ished settlers fro! the Continent The local baronage
was hea6ily indebted to the Jews9 partic'larly -ichard
.alebysse ".albis&) whose fierce te!per led hi! to be
nic<na!ed by his creditors ;the E6il Beast; On hearing the news
of the so'thern o'tbrea<s) he and 6ario's !e!bers of the Percy)
5a'lconbridge) and :arrel fa!ilies deter!ined to sei(e the
opport'nity to wipe o't their indebtedness One stor!y .arch
night) when an o'tbrea< of fire ca'sed conf'sion in the city) a
n'!ber of the conspirators bro<e into the ho'se of Benedict of
Jor< "who had died of his wo'nds on his way bac< fro! Aondon&)
!'rdered his widow and all the other persons who! they fo'nd
there) sei(ed all the !o6able property and set the b'ilding in
fla!es The ne1t !orning) the other Jews "headed by Benedict;s
colleag'e Josce) who had been one of the principal agents of
Aaron "of Aincoln& so'ght ref'ge with their !ore precio's
belongings in the castle) lea6ing only a few s'bordinates behind
as careta<ers 5ollowing the e1a!ple set at Norwich and Aincoln)
the @arden did what he co'ld to protect the!) allowing the! to
ta<e 'p ='arters in the <eep s'bse='ently called Clifford;s Tower)
which stood isolated on an artificial !o'nd A few nights later)
an assa'lt was deli6ered on Josce;s residence) those left in it
being b'tchered Pop'lar feeling and greed were now thoro'ghly
aro'sed) and the few Jews who re!ained in the city were gi6en
the alternati6e of baptis! or death
The ref'gees in the castle beca!e !ore and !ore apprehensi6e)
and in the end) anticipating treachery) ref'sed ad!ittance e6en
to the @arden The latter applied for help to the sheriff) John
.arshall) who rashly s'!!oned the ar!ed forces of the co'nty
to assist in reco6ering the stronghold That e6ening "it was
5riday) .arch #,th) ##%29the e6e of the ;7reat Sabbath; before
Passo6er) and two days before Pal! S'nday according to the
calendar of the Ch'rch& a terrible scene occ'rred The 6enerable
-abbi Jo!tob of Joigny "a poet and legalist) one of whose hy!ns
is still chanted in !ost Synagog'es on the E6e of Atone!ent&
'rged his co*religionists to anticipate their ine6itable fate in
heroic fashion 5ire was set to their 6al'ables) and by the light of
the fla!es) which soon set the whole b'ilding in a bla(e) the
proposal was carried into effect The n'!ber of 6icti!s was
reported to e1ceed one h'ndred and fifty) besides those who !et
their death in the town D a!ong the! being probably -abbi
Eli>ah of Jor<) whose opinions were cited with respect by the
-abbinical a'thorities on the Continent The last to die were
Josce and -abbi Jo!tob) who <illed the for!er before !a<ing
away with hi!self
Ne1t !orning at daybrea<) when the besiegers gathered to
deli6er the final assa'lt) the few who had not s'cc'!bed were
pers'aded to throw open the gates) with a pro!ise of cle!ency if
they e!braced Christianity As they 6ent'red o't) they were set
'pon and !assacred to a !an I!!ediately the b'tchery was
o6er) the ringleaders went to the Cathedral and forced the
sacristan to gi6e 'p the bonds which the Jews had deposited
there These they b'rned on the floor of the .inster) <indling the
fla!es fro! the light on the High Altar All the attendant
circ'!stances go to indicate that the o'tbrea< was at least as
!'ch econo!ic as religio's in origin 17
Not long afterwards) the !a>ority of those responsible left for the
Cr'sade The handf'l of s'r6i6ors were re!o6ed to Aondon as
soon as order was re*established "their transport cost only eight
shillings& 11 It was !any years before any co!!'nity was re*
established at Jor<) and it ne6er again attained the i!portance
which it had en>oyed before that fiery night 15
The co!!'nities of Aynn and Jor< were not the only ones which
ca!e to an end at this ti!e Bnder the walls of the great
!onastery of B'ry St Ed!'nds a relati6ely considerable Jewish
co!!'nity had grown 'p in the twelfth cent'ry :'ring the loose
r'le of the Abbot H'gh "##/E*$2& the ho'se fell deeply into their
debt This was largely owing to the i!pro6idence of the sacristan
and cellarer) who borrowed on their own responsibility s'!s
which increased at interest with startling rapidityD tho'gh the
greatest indi6id'al creditor was) as it happened) a Christian The
sacristan) @illia!) was on friendly ter!s with the local Jews)
allowing the! to deposit their deeds and !oney in his charge)
and to lodge their wi6es and children in the refectory in ti!e of
disorder In ret'rn) they stren'o'sly fa6o'red his clai!s to be
elected abbot on the death of H'gh in ##$2 One of the first
actions of Abbot Sa!son) the s'ccessf'l candidate) was to depose
the sacristan fro! office I!!ediately afterwards) he set abo't
freeing the !onastery fro! the b'rden of debt in which it had
beco!e in6ol6ed 1:
The rapid growth of anti*Jewish feeling in the little !onastic
town is indicated by the rit'al !'rder acc'sation which too<
place there) with the conni6ance of the !on<s) in the inter*
regn'! before Abbot Sa!son;s election) when the child -obert
was alleged to ha6e been !'rdered "J'ne #2th ##$#& The gro'nd
was th's a!ply prepared for !ore 6iolent !anifestations The
day after the tragic occ'rrences at Jor<) on Pal! S'nday) ##%2) a
!assacre too< place) fifty*se6en Jews being <illed Shortly
afterwards) Abbot Sa!son proc'red a writ fro! the so6ereign)
a'thori(ing the s'r6i6ors "there cannot ha6e been !any& to be
e1pelled fro! the town) on the gro'nd that all its inhabitants
o'ght to be 6assals of St Ed!'nd An ar!ed escort was pro6ided
to cond'ct the e1iles to their new places of residence Henceforth)
they were allowed to stay in the town for no longer than two days
at a ti!e for the p'rpose of collecting their debts) a sentence of
e1co!!'nication being prono'nced against any person who
sho'ld gi6e the! f'rther hospitality
The news of these tragic happenings was not long in reaching the
Continent? and it was soon s'bstantiated by the splendid
!an'scripts pillaged at Jor<) which were bro'ght to Cologne for
sale 5or the first ti!e Jewish historians incorporated the
s'fferings of the co!!'nities of England in their !artyrologies)
and -abbi .enahe! ben Jacob) of @or!s) bewailed what had
ta<en place in a heart*bro<en elegyD
Silenced are those of the Island:
Uprooted is all their delight.
Glory is ended amongst them,
For God drew His sword in their sight.
His hand dealt disasterthey vanished
!ven their ref"ge is no longer #nown
In the Isle of the Sea, all the noble
Have been bro"ght low, low from their throne.
$abies, thirst parched, bend forward,
%e&see#ing the mother's soft breast,
(hilst fathers praise God for their offering
)ade ready at His own behest.
H"rled from the %oc# are o"r *rinces
+he learned, the wealthy, the fair:
Stripped of their glorio"s raiment,
!,posed to the fowl of the air.
(ho will bewail them, the perfect,
-ll crowned with the .rown of the /aw,
%eared "p on scarlet and p"rple,
+o st"dy the $oo# witho"t flaw0 &'
The news of the o'tbrea< at Jor< reached the ears of the <ing
"who was still in 5rance co!pleting his preparations& thro'gh a
special !essenger dispatched on Easter .onday 1; The
i!pression !ade on hi! and his ad6isers was profo'nd Any
breach of the peace was !anifestly against p'blic policy) e6en if
infidels only were concernedD and the Jews had been specifically
ta<en into the royal protection not !any !onths before
.oreo6er9and this was !ore i!portant9the E1che='er stood
to lose hea6ily) both by the i!po6erish!ent of the Jews who
s'r6i6ed and by the despoiling of those who had perished) part at
least of whose property wo'ld nor!ally ha6e escheated to the
Crown on their de!ise Accordingly) when @illia! Aongcha!p
"bishop of Ely) and chancellor and co*>'sticiar of the <ingdo!)
who happened to be with the <ing at the ti!e& ret'rned to
England after the holyday) he was instr'cted to ta<e 6igoro's
proceedings against the c'lprits Early in .ay he sent his brother
Osbert north with an ar!ed force to sta!p o't any e!bers of
disorder) following hi! a little later to ad!inister >'stice The
panic*stric<en citi(ens of Jor< denied co!plicity in the o'trages)
while the baronial ringleaders fled to Scotland before they co'ld
be to'ched Howe6er) the estates of se6en f'giti6es were
confiscated "tho'gh s'bse='ently restored&) fines were inflicted
'pon so!e fifty pro!inent b'rghers) and hostages for f't're
good cond'ct were sent in c'stody to Northa!pton The sheriff
was p'nished by re!o6al fro! office) being replaced by
Aongcha!p;s brother Not a single capital penalty was indeed
inflicted) b't few o'tbrea<s against the Jews in !edie6al ti!es
ga6e rise to proceedings so drastic On the other hand) it was
obser6ed that p'nish!ent fell !ost hea6ily on the adherents of
the Percies) the relati6es and allies of Aongcha!p;s ri6al and co*
>'sticiar) the Bishop of :'rha! 1< 5or the restoration of the
destroyed <eep) in which the tragedy had occ'rred) an
e1pendit're of o6er K+22 was necessary in the co'rse of the
year 1= 5ro! Jor< the chancellor proceeded to Aincoln) ta<ing
with hi! si1ty pairs of fetters to sec're the prisoners who! he
anticipated B't he 'nder*esti!ated) for in the e6ent no less than
eighty persons belonging to all classes in the city were arraigned)
tho'gh p'nished only by fine 1>
By now -ichard was i!!ersed in the final preparations for his
Cr'sade) which officially opened at the beginning of J'ly The
enterprise was brilliant as a !ilitary achie6e!ent) tho'gh not
pec'liarly s'ccessf'l in its ob>ect It was bro'ght to a concl'sion
in ##%+ by a three*year tr'ce with Saladin) which protracted the
life of the atten'ated 5ran<ish <ingdo! in Palestine for a little
longer) and sec'red Christian pilgri!s access to Jer'sale!
@hile he was in the East it is reported that -ichard in6ited the
great Jewish philosopher and physician) .oses .ai!onides
"then !edical attendant to the go6ernor of Egypt&) to enter his
ser6ice 19 5ort'nately perhaps for hi!self and for posterity) the
sage preferred Cairo to Aondon
On his ret'rn >o'rney "it is a fa!iliar story& -ichard was
capt'red by his old ene!y) the :'<e of A'stria) who in t'rn
handed hi! o6er to the E!peror Henry 0I A h'!iliating treaty
and a ranso! of K#22)222 were the price of his release In
England e6ery fibre was strained in order to raise the a!o'nt
The Jews) as always) contrib'ted disproportionately) being
assessed at 8)222 !ar<s) or three ti!es as !'ch as the b'rghers
of Aondon "inco!parably the wealthiest city of the real!& Their
representati6es were s'!!oned to !eet at Northa!pton on
.arch Eoth) ##%3) to decide what a!o'nt each co!!'nity
sho'ld pay towards this s'! The Northa!pton :on'!) as it is
called) which records the o'tco!e of their deliberations) is a
partic'larly 6al'able record of !edie6al English Jewry It re6eals
the presence of Jews in abo't twenty !a>or co!!'nities) as well
as in a n'!ber of !inor places scattered thro'gho't the co'ntry
The !ost i!portant centres were Aondon) Aincoln) Canterb'ry)
Northa!pton) and 7lo'cester) each with fro! twenty to forty
contrib'tors) these being the !ost affl'ent !en of affairs in each
place The concentration of the greater capitalists in Aondon is
indicated by the fact that its contrib'tion easily e1ceeded that of
Aincoln and Northa!pton co!bined) whereas the n'!ber of
direct contrib'tors !entioned is less than half of their total
Jor<) Sta!ford) :'nstable) Aynn) and B'ry) where the worst of
the o'tbrea<s of fo'r years pre6io's had occ'rred) are
conspic'o's by their absence 57 The a!o'nt act'ally raised was
only abo't one*half of what was de!anded9a fact in which it
does not see! 'nreasonable to see a reflection of recent
trib'lations
The <ing and his ad6isers had not forgotten the flo'ting of his
a'thority by the rioters and the loss to the E1che='er that had
ens'ed It was the ad!inistrati6e geni's of H'bert @alter)
archbishop of Canterb'ry) that de6ised a !eans for pre6enting a
repetition of the disaster @hen the >'stices went ;on eyre; that
a't'!n) for the ad!inistration of >'stice in the 6ario's parts of
the <ingdo!) they were en>oined to cond'ct an in='iry into the
e6ents of ##%2 Any person who had been i!plicated in the
attac<s and had not yet co!po'nded for his offence was to be
arrested A diligent in='iry was to be !ade into the state of the
affairs of the 6icti!s before their death9what had been in their
possession) what s'!s had been owing to the!) and what
pledges they had held All this was to be ;ta<en into the <ing;s
hands;) so that those responsible sho'ld be pre6ented fro!
profiting fro! their cri!e 51
5inally) pro6ision was !ade to safeg'ard the royal rights in case
of f't're disorder Two E1che='er officials "the first were
@illia! of Sainte*.Tre*Uglise) f't're bishop of Aondon) and
@illia! de Chi!illi& were designated to s'per6ise the affairs of
the Jews) a!ong other d'ties Orders were gi6en for all Jewish
possessions and credits to be registered) and for si1 or se6en
cities "probably Aondon) Aincoln) Norwich) @inchester)
Canterb'ry) O1ford) and either Northa!pton) Ca!bridge)
7lo'cester) Nottingha!) or Bristol& to ser6e as centres for all
b'siness operations in the f't're In each of these places a
b'rea' consisting of two rep'table Jews and two Christian cler<s
was to be set 'p) 'nder the s'per6ision of a representati6e of the
newly established central a'thority All deeds and contracts were
to be drawn 'p in d'plicate) in the presence of these fi6e officials)
the co'nterparts being deposited in a chest "archa& pro6ided with
three loc<s and seals As a final preca'tion e6ery Jewish financier
was to ta<e a sole!n oath 'pon the Hebrew Pentate'ch) or Scroll
of the Aaw) that he wo'ld register his transactions witho't
conceal!ent) and deno'nce to the a'thorities all forgeries or
e6asions that ca!e to his notice 55 Th's) howe6er the Jews
!ight be !altreated in f't're) the Treas'ry and its clai!s were
safe? for the death of their creditors wo'ld !erely place the
debtors in the hands of the <ing) who was infor!ed e1actly of all
o'tstanding clai!s Th's also it beca!e possible to control the
affairs of the Jews the!sel6es witho't lea6ing any loophole for
e6asion) thereby !a<ing the new syste! of arbitrary ta1ation
te!ptingly si!ple
This organi(ation rapidly de6eloped The central a'thority
established in ##%3 beca!e e1tended into the instit'tion of
@ardens) or J'stices) of the Jews 5: @hen this office is first
!entioned) in ##%$) it was filled by three Christians wor<ing in
collaboration with one Jew "the first were Si!on of Patesh'll)
Henry of @inchenton) and Joseph Aaron on the one side) with
Benedict of Tal!ont on the other& 54 After ##%% the last*na!ed
ceased to fig'reD no Jewish na!e is incl'ded thereafter) the
J'stices of the Jews being e1cl'si6ely Christian 5; Their n'!ber
6aried between two and fi6e) tho'gh it was seldo! that there
were so !any The office was considered to be one of dignity as
well as profit) and later on persons of the highest i!portance in
the ad!inistration were so!eti!es appointed to fill it) tho'gh
witho't gi6ing 'p their other f'nctions
The instit'tion o6er which these officials presided beca!e <nown
as the E1che='er of the Jews9a depart!ent of the 7reat
E1che='er of the real! By degrees it e1panded into so!ething a
good deal !ore i!portant than the original plan had i!plied
There was a nat'ral tendency for the financial depart!ents of the
central ad!inistration in England to de6elop >'dicial f'nctions)
as was the case with the 7reat E1che='er itself In precisely the
sa!e way the acti6ities of the Scaccari'! J'daeor'!) as it finally
e6ol6ed) were not p'rely fiscal b't at the sa!e ti!e
ad!inistrati6e and >'dicial) tho'gh restricted to !atters in which
so!e Jewish transaction or acti6ity was 'lti!ately "tho'gh in
so!e cases 6ery re!otely& in6ol6ed It nat'rally had co!plete
control o6er the local centres The half*do(en specified in the
ordinance of ##%3 were fo'nd ins'fficient9!ore by reason of the
slowness of co!!'nications than press're of b'siness
Accordingly) a chirograph*chest was 'lti!ately established in
each of the principal Jewish centres in the co'ntry) so!e twenty*
se6en in n'!ber) incl'ding a few which were 6ery s!all and
owed their i!portance to the acti6ity of a single indi6id'al At
ti!es of pop'lar 'nrest in s'bse='ent years) the first ob>ect of
the rioters wo'ld be to sei(e the archa and destroy the records of
indebtedness that it contained 5<
In conne1ion with this organi(ation there e6ol6ed the office of
Presbyter >'daeor'! This was not "as was once held& a ;Chief
-abbi;) or spirit'al head of the Jews of the co'ntry) b't an
officially appointed e1pert on Jewish affairs and acti6ities
generally a wealthy !agnate9who was selected witho't any
necessary regard to the general desire 5= It arose probably o't of
the office of the Jewish representati6e a!ongst the J'stices of
the Jews) first e!erging in the sa!e year "at the beginning of the
reign of John& in which the latter appears for the last ti!e The
first inc'!bent was a certain Jacob of Aondon) who i!!ediately
after -ichard;s death followed the new <ing to Nor!andy in
order to 'rge his clai! to office In J'ly ##%% he recei6ed at
-o'en for!al appoint!ent to the Presbyterate) together with a
safe*cond'ct ho!e Aittle is <nown as to his career) whether
before or after pro!otion) tho'gh the ter!s of his appoint!ent
are indicati6e of cordial relations at Co'rt 5> He was s'cceeded
in #+2/ by a person of !ore e!inence9Josce fil; Isaac) a
grandson of -'bi 7otsce His father) Isaac fil; -abbi) the great
financier of his day) s'r6i6ed his ri6al Aaron by so!e years and in
##$2 sec'red fro! -ichard I a confir!ation for hi!self and his
ho'sehold of the Charter of Pri6ileges which the tragic e6ents of
the pre6io's year had pre6ented the co!!'nities of the real!
fro! obtaining as a collecti6ity His son) the new Arch*presbyter)
inherited his father;s position as a leader of Aondon Jewry He
was) howe6er) deposed so!e ti!e before his death) being
s'cceeded in t'rn by Aaron of Jor< "#+E,&) Elias le E6es<e
"#+3E&) Hagin fil; -abbi .oses of Aincoln "#+8$&) and lastly Co<
Hagin fil; :e'lecresse "#+$#& To all of these we shall ha6e
occasion to ret'rn @ith the de6elop!ent of this office) the
organi(ation of !edie6al English Jewry in its relation to the state
was co!pleted
The benefits of the !echanis! for the e1ploitation of the Jews)
perfected by the !inisters of -ichard I) were en>oyed by his
s'ccessor The r'ling passion of John;s nat're) his rapacity) was
the <ey too to his attit'de towards the Jews At the o'tset of the
reign their contrib'tions to the E1che='er were considerable) b't
not beyond their !eans They paid therefore with good grace)
and were rewarded by 6ario's pri6ileges Aater) when his
treas'ry was e!pty) the <ing set abo't e1torting !oney fro!
the! by a series of desperate e1pedients which betray his short*
sightedness Th's he set the e1a!ple of e1tortion which was
followed with s'ch fatal res'lts) and o6er a far longer period) by
his s'ccessor The rebellio's baronage !oreo6er resented the
assistance that the <ing deri6ed fro! his Jewish chattels) who
beca!e identified !ore and !ore in their !inds with the royal
oppression Hence the reign of John !ar<s the beginning of the
political) as distinct fro! the religio's) reaction against the Jews
a!ongst the English people
At the o'tset) there was no reason to anticipate this Tho'gh the
first acts of the new so6ereign incl'ded the pardon and
restoration to his possessions of -ichard .alebysse "the ring*
leader of the Jor< !assacre of nine years before& 59 and the
appoint!ent of new J'stices of the Jews) :7 this did not indicate
the ina'g'ration of an anti*Jewish policy A Jew) Aeo of Norwich)
was royal golds!ith? :1 others recei6ed special grants of
protection and fa6o'r? :5 and) in appointing Jacob of Aondon
presbyter >'daeor'! in ##%%) John referred to hi! as ;well*
belo6ed; "dilect's et fa!iliaris noster&9a phrase generally
reser6ed for the great officers of state Two years later) on April
#2th) #+2#) the old e1e!plary charter of liberties for the Jews of
England and Nor!andy was reiss'ed) confir!ing their right to
dwell in the co'ntry and to en>oy all the rights and liberties
granted by pre6io's so6ereigns :: This concession cost the Jews
of the real! 3222 !ar<s9a s'! so great in their red'ced
circ'!stances that they were co!pelled to pay it in fo'r
instal!ents :4
This was only a !inor detail of the re6en'e e1tracted by John
fro! the Jews o6er and abo6e their c'sto!ary d'es He
contin'ed on a 6ast scale the e1a!ple of e1e!pting certain
debtors) ob6io'sly for a !onetary consideration) fro! the
necessity of paying the Jews interest or e6en the capital of their
debts? and he wo'ld genero'sly !a<e o6er to his fa6o'rites lands
which had fallen into the hands of the !ortgagees The fines
i!posed on indi6id'als rose to a fantastic le6el) the 'nfort'nate
Isaac of Norwich) for e1a!ple) being !'lcted in #2)222 !ar<s) to
be paid off at the rate of one !ar< daily o6er a period of nearly
thirty years :; The cost of the 5rench wars was in part defrayed
by cancelling the debts d'e to the Jews by those willing to ser6e
o6erseas :< @hen in #+28) in order to hono'r his !other;s
!e!ory) John ordered a general release of all persons
incarcerated in the <ingdo!) the Jews were a!ong those
e1pressly e1cl'ded fro! its scope := This was pres'!ably in
conne1ion with an e1traordinary le6y recently !ade on the!
Two high officials) incl'ding one of the J'stices of the Jews) had
been appointed to s'per6ise it? pere!ptory instr'ctions were
sent to the sheriffs) 'rging the! to greater efforts in their
e1actions) 'nder dar< threats that otherwise they wo'ld
the!sel6es be held responsible? :> and the possibilities of
e6asion were !ini!i(ed by an order forbidding the Jews to place
their chattels in ch'rches for safe*<eeping The assistance
deri6ed by the <ing so ostentatio'sly fro! his Jewish s'b>ects
bore its ine6itable fr'it in a deterioration of the relations between
the latter and their 7entile neighbo'rs In Aondon) in #+2E)
feelings ran so high as to necessitate a pere!ptory
co!!'nication fro! the <ing to the !ayor) ta<ing the Jews
'nder his protection ";If I gi6e !y peace e6en to a dog;) he wrote
conte!pt'o'sly) ;it !'st be <ept in6iolate;& ) and threatening
s'!!ary 6engeance in case any attac< on the! sho'ld ta<e
place :9
In #+2, there ca!e a t'rning*point in Anglo*Jewish history) as in
that of England as a whole 5ro! the !o!ent of the Jewish
settle!ent) a cent'ry and a ='arter before) the co'ntry had been
closely connected9politically) c'lt'rally) and ling'istically9 with
northern 5rance It was thence that the Jewish settlers had co!e
in the first instance) and they re!ained bo'nd to it by !anifold
ties Ai<e the nobility) English Jewry was to a certain e1tent
Anglo*Nor!an in character In fact) the Charters of Pri6ileges
conceded by s'ccessi6e so6ereigns) fro! Henry I onwards) were
iss'ed to the Jews of England and Nor!andy) i!plying an
association of organi(ation as well as of interest between the
co!!'nities of the two co'ntries Howe6er) in the years #+23*,)
Nor!andy was lost thro'gh John;s !ilitary inco!petence Once
!ore England beca!e) politically) an island9a fact of
inco!parable i!portance in English history
To the Jews the conse='ences were no less !o!ento's than to
the co'ntry at large They) too) were henceforth c't off to a
considerable e1tent fro! the great centres on the Continent It
was no longer easy for a Jewish fa!ily) li<e that of -'bi 7otsce)
to carry on b'siness si!'ltaneo'sly on both sides of the English
Channel 47 The infl'1 fro! abroad was chec<ed) the na!es of
nati6e scholars are henceforth !ore pro!inent) and England had
to beco!e intellect'ally self*s'pporting The ci6il a'thorities
accent'ated this tendency) forbidding the Jews to appeal to
continental scholars against the decisions of their own
-abbis 41 On the other hand) it was his endea6o'rs to reco6er
Nor!andy which led John to weigh down the co'ntry with
arbitrary ta1ation) and th's to hasten the decline of !edie6al
Anglo*Jewry
It was not long before the change began to !anifest itself In
#+#2) on the <ing;s arri6al in Bristol after his fatef'l ca!paign in
Ireland) he iss'ed instr'ctions for all the Jews of the <ingdo!
"that is pres'!ably) the wealthier ho'seholders and !en of
affairs& to be arrested and sent to hi! while a scr'tiny was !ade
into their reso'rces9a process now si!plified by the
organi(ation of the E1che='er of the Jews and its !in'te register
of e6ery Jewish b'siness transaction In conse='ence) on All
Saints; :ay "No6e!ber #st&) they were tallaged for ,,)222 !ar<s)
'ntil the collection of which they were to be <ept in prison To
facilitate pay!ent) Jewish sheriffs were no!inated in the 6ario's
co'nties to distrain 'pon debtors and force the! to pay their
d'es) which were trans!itted forthwith to the
E1che='er) 45 Since diffic'lty was still fo'nd in raising so great a
s'!) the property of those who were in arrears was ordered to be
confiscated o'tright and sent to the E1che='er 7reat cr'elties
were perpetrated 'pon the prisoners to !a<e the! re6eal where
their wealth was concealed? and the story of a Jew of Bristol)
whose teeth were e1tracted one by one 'ntil his resistance bro<e
down) beca!e pro6erbial 4: E6en those of the poorest class)
whose property was not s'fficient to allow the! to be assessed
for tallage) had to pay a le6y of forty shillings each) or else ab>'re
the real! 44 It was a r'ino's act of persec'tion @orst of all) it
set a new fashion in the !anner of e1ploiting the Jewish wealth)
which was followed r'thlessly in the s'bse='ent period whene6er
occasion de!anded) and fre='ently when it did not
In the circ'!stances) England ceased to be a land of sec'rity and
of prosperity) as in pre6io's reigns There was a considerable
e1od's fro! the <ingdo!) attaining s'ch proportions that one
chronicler act'ally spea<s of a general e1p'lsion in #+#2 and in
the following year se6eral scholars >oined a great pilgri!age of
three h'ndred 5rench and English -abbis to Palestine9possibly
to attend a synod on the writings of .ai!onides 4;
The arrears of the Bristol Tallage were ine1orably le6ied in the
ens'ing period) together with fresh e1actions Hardly had there
been ti!e for the Jews to reco6er a little fro! their losses when
in #+#E a f'rther in='iry into their property was ordered 4< In
the following year the sheriffs again bro'ght press're to bear
'pon the! to pay their arrears On this occasion those who
pleaded pen'ry were i!prisoned at the other end of the co'ntryD
th's) the recalcitrant !e!bers of the few Ha!pshire
co!!'nities were dispatched to Bristol to be sh't 'p in the
castle) while the wealthiest !e!ber of Bristol Jewry was sent to
the Tower of Aondon 4= Thro'gho't the co'ntry the ho'ses of
Jews were confiscated and !ade o6er to royal
fa6o'rites 4> Aarge n'!bers fled the real!) none being allowed
bac< 'nless he co'ld gi6e sec'rity that he wo'ld pay his
d'es 49 So red'ced were the once*wealthy Jews of Aondon that
in the words of the chronicler) ;they prowled abo't the city li<e
dogs; ;7
The o'tbrea< of ci6il war not long after !ade their position e6en
worse 0iolence beca!e rife? and the barons) seeing in the Jews
not only creditors b't also the royal agents) considered the!
do'bly deser6ing ob>ects of attac< @hen Aondon was occ'pied
on .ay #/th) #+#8) the Jewry was the first ob>ecti6e of the
ins'rgents It was r'thlessly sac<ed) the ho'ses being de!olished
and the stone 'sed to repair the City walls
@hen the .agna Carta was e1torted fro! the <ing a short ti!e
later) the part which the Jews were forced to play as passi6e
instr'!ents of the royal e1actions) and the 'npop'larity which
they earned in conse='ence) was indicated by the tenth and
ele6enth cla'ses In these it was stip'lated that debts d'e to the!
or other 's'rers sho'ld bear no interest d'ring the !inority of
the heir of a deceased debtor) and that if they fell into the <ing;s
hands in s'ch circ'!stances "as !ight be the case) for e1a!ple)
if the creditor died& the capital only) witho't any interest) sho'ld
he e1acted Si!ilarly) a widow;s dowry and the s'pport of
children 'nder age was to be a first charge on e6ery estate) debts
contracted by the father being payable o't of the resid'e only
These cla'ses) with the b'rning sense of grie6ance which
'nderlies the!) gi6e so!e idea of the ani!osity with which the
royal satellites were now regarded by those with who! they
transacted their principal and !ost l'crati6e b'siness Had the
reign contin'ed) they wo'ld ine6itably ha6e <nown f'rther
attac<s by the one side and f'rther spoliation by the other John;s
death in #+#,) as he was preparing his re6enge) 'n='estionably
sa6ed the! fro! !'ch fresh s'ffering
%ootnotes
Chapter +
# Tho!as El!ha!) Hist .onast Sancti A'g'stini) p 3E#
It is s'ggesti6e that) less than ten years later) in ##$/) the
Jews of Canterb'ry were (ealo'sly s'pporting the !on<s
of Christch'rch in their str'ggle against their ri6als of St
A'g'stine;s) praying for the! in Synagog'e and
s!'ggling in s'pplies of food and wine for their 'se
"Adler) J.E) p 8+& The co!plaint of ##/% probably had
an inner history
+ Beca'se of the !agic arts which Jews and so!e wo!en
notorio'sly e1ercise at royal coronations) according to
.atthew Paris "Hist Angl ii %& It !ay be obser6ed that
Jewish c'sto! prescribes a special benediction on seeing a
!onarch) the recital of which !ight concei6ably gi6e rise
to a s'spicion of this sort
E @illia! of Newb'rgh) ed Howlett) i +%3? .atthew Paris)
Hist Angl) ii % "-og @end iii /&? - Howden) ed
St'bbs) iii #3? Ephrai! of Bonn in Ne'ba'er*Stern)
Hebrdische Berichte Vber die J'den6er6olg'ngen
wWhrend der Gre'((Vge "Berlin) #$%+&) pp ,%*/2
"translation in Trs JHSE 6 /$? that in Jacobs) JAE)
pp #2/*$) is grotes='ely inacc'rate& The fact that the
charter of John "not of Henry I or II&) was confir!ed by
Henry III s'ggests that the original !ay ha6e been
destroyed d'ring the coronation riots
3 This conte!porary story does not carry con6ictionD the
!edie6al Jew !ay not always ha6e been tolerant) b't
e1perience had ta'ght hi! to be circ'!spect
8 C5 the references to the incendi'! de Aenna in Pp-
##%#*+) pp E/) #$+
, @illia! of Newb'rgh) i E#2
/ These attac<s are not !entioned by the chroniclers) b't
!ay be inferred fro! the entries relating to recent
!'rders of Jews at these places in Pp- ##%#*+) pp #3/)
+2E) E#E? Pp- ##%E) p #38) and in C-- ##%3) pp #8) #,
and it has s'ggested "Pp- ##%29#) p 11ii& that so!e
con6erts fro! J'dais! shared the fate of their for!er co*
religionists) since two of the!) Nicholas and John) who
and S'rrey) henceforth disappear fro! the records and are
replaced by born 7entiles In the Pipe -olls for ##%#*+
abo't +22 Jewish na!es only occ'r) as against E22 in
Jacobs; lists for the close of the reign of Henry II
$ -ichard of :e6i(es) ed Howlett) pp E$E) 3E8 The
chronicler;s sarcastic acco'nt) which has led to the
s'spicion that the whole story is fictitio's) is gri!ly
confir!ed by a record of the e1penses for escorting the
Jews of @inchester to @est!inster "Pp- ##%E*3) p #E3&
There was an alar! of the sa!e nat're at Aincoln in #+2+)
when the disco6ery of a child;s body o'tside the walls
bro'ght the Jews 'nder s'spicion "Earliest Aincoln Assi(e
-oll "Aincoln -ecord Society&) X %%,&) and in the sa!e
year a Jew of Bedford was acc'sed of ca'sing the death of
a Christian child by ;e!ent'lating; hi! "To6ey) Anglia
J'daica) p ,,? Select Pleas of Crown) Selden Society) i +,?
5owler) -oll of J'stices in Eyre at Bedford) i #EE)+3/&
% This place is possibly to be identified with Aynn) where
according to the English so'rces the sla'ghter see!s to
ha6e been co!prehensi6e Ephrai! of Bonn and the
chroniclers who deri6e fro! hi!) followed by all !odern
a'thorities) spea< of this as a ;co!!'nity of proselytes;
This is highly 'nli<ely) and the reading is plainly d'e to a
fa'lty passage in the chronicle of Ephrai! of Bonn) where
7eri! ";proselytes;& was read for 7ari! ";inhabitants;&D a
s'bse='ent copyist fi1ed the conf'sion by adding the
Tal!'dic gloss ;a co!!'nity of proselytes is considered a
co!!'nity;
#2 See Note II "a&) p +/2
## Pp- ##$%*%2) p /8
#+ In the Northa!pton :on'! of ##%3) Jor< does not fig're
By #++# it was s'fficiently reco6ered to contrib'te !ore
than any other city to the Aid to !arry the <ing;s da'ghter
"infra) p 33 n&? b't this 'nprecedented trib'te was
probably raised in Jor< itself Not all the co!!'nity
perished in the !assacreD Aaron of Jor<) the great
thirteenth*cent'ry capitalist) was one of Josce;s sons
#E The details of the episode are fa!iliar to English readers
fro! Carlyle;s acco'nt "based on Jocelin of Bra<elonde& in
his Past and Present
#3 The Hebrew original fro! which this 6ersion is !ade was
p'blished by Schechter in Trs JHSE ii $*#3 B
:inab'rg) in his So'rce*boo< of Jewish History "Tel*A6i6
#%+,D Hebrew&) II i 38) erroneo'sly refers it to the period
following the Second Cr'sade? b't the heading specifies
the year ##%2
#8 Pp-##%2*# p E
#, St'bbs) Introd'ction to -oger Howden in Historical
Introd'ctions to the -olls Series) p +#$? Pp- ##%29#)
passi! It is interesting to note the callings of so!e of
those p'nished9eg :aniel le bonier "dro6er& and
7alfrid's carnife1 "b'tcher& In so!e cases the c'lprits
appear not to ha6e been inhabitants of Jor<) ha6ing been
attracted thither by the prospect of pl'nder
#/ Pp- ##%#*+) p ,#? Archaeological Jo'rnal) #%E3) p +%,
#$ See the list in Pp- ##%#*+) pp +3+*E
#% I Abraha!s and : Jellin) .ai!onides "Aondon) #%2E&) p
+2The lists) which are a!ong the !ost i!portant so'rces for
the condition of the Jews in England at the close of the
twelfth cent'ry) and ha6e been drawn 'pon to a
considerable e1tent in the co'rse of the present st'dy) are
p'blished in f'll in .isc JHSE) part i The relati6ely
s!all n'!ber of Aondon contrib'tors is possibly d'e to
the presence there of the head='arters of the great
consortia and to the fact that the co!!'nity was called
'pon for assistance at !ore fre='ent inter6als
+# See St'bbs) Select Charters "ed :a6is&) p +8E for the te1t
The in='iry see!s to ha6e re!ained part of the reg'lar
f'nctions of the J'stices in EyreD cf Annales .onastici) i
EE2) EE$
++ St'bbs) op cit) pp +8,*/? and) for a !ore detailed
acco'nt of the syste! in its final de6elop!ent) below) pp
##2*## These inno6ations see! to ha6e been i!itated in
5rance) where in ##%$ the Prod'it des J'ifs was
established as a depart!ent of the E1che='er and after
#+2, notaries were appointed in e6ery town to register
Jewish debts 5or the c'stodes >'daeor'! in Nor!andy)
see P- #+23) P E%b
+E Infra) pp ##+*#E Aater on) there was a @arden of the Jews
for Ireland also
+3 Notwithstanding his na!e) Joseph Aaron was a Christian
and in !inor orders) holding a prebend at St Chad in
Shrewsb'ry "C- #+#+) p ##,,D it is possible) howe6er)
that he was a con6ert& Benedict of Tal!ont "the royal
residence near Aa -ochelle) to which centre he belonged&
is !entioned as a Jew in P- #+2+) p #3) b't the reference
in Trs JHSE 6iii 8+*E is in ter!s which s'ggest the
contrary
+8 The Jewish Arch*presbyter "infra) pp E2*#& and the
Assessors at the E1che='er of the Jews were) howe6er)
so!eti!es styled ;J'stices;? cf C- #+3%) pp #,E)#,8)
#//)#/%) and #+8+) p +/#
+, The best acco'nt of the E1che='er of the Jews is still that
by C 7ross in Papers AJHE "Aondon) #$$$&? b't there
are i!portant additions and a!plifications by -igg and
Jen<inson in the prefaces to the E1che='er of the Jews
and Trs JHSE 6iii #$*83) i1 #$8 s== 5or a f'ller
description see below) pp ###*#E
+/ There has been a great deal of disc'ssion with regard to
the e1act significance of this office H Adler) in Papers
AJHE) cha!pioned the older 6iew p't forward in the
se6enteenth cent'ry by Co<e and Selden) that the office
was ecclesiasticalD while Prynne and) two and a half
cent'ries later) H P Sto<es "St'dies) pp +E*3E& and .
Adler "J.E) pp #E/*%& ha6e !aintained that it was
essentially sec'lar Tho'gh this is certainly tr'e) the title
Presbyter and the occasional alternati6e Sacerdos clearly
indicate so!ething !ore than lay f'nctions "the office was
so!eti!es filled indeed by persons of recogni(ed
scholarship& and the inc'!bent;s opinion !'st
occasionally ha6e been cons'lted in !atters of religio's as
well as financial practice "The continental PCo'rt -abbiP
etc f'rnishes a close parallel&
+$Ch- ##%%) pp ,b) / Sto<es "St'dies) p +3) following
Jacobs) JAE) p +2E& s'ggests that Jacob of Aondon;s
no!ination was a reappoint!ent) the origins of the
Presbyterate going bac< to the pre6io's reign B't the te1t
"Sto<es) p +3E& see!s to all'de rather to the general
pri6ileges granted in the Charter of ##$2) X 6) and at the
!ost only >'stifies the ass'!ption that Jacob had a
personal grant of protection fro! the pre6io's r'ler 5or
the details regarding the 6ario's Presbyters) cf the
chapter in Sto<es) pp +E*3E) and infra) pp 8#) /%*$2) ##+
+% Obl- ##%%) p 3# "Jacobs; 6ersion) JAE) p #%2) is 6ery
inacc'rateD for Norwich haw<s read Norway haw<sD for
two leashes of leopards read two leashes of greyho'nds&
B't .alebysse "ancestor of the Jor<shire fa!ily of
Bec<with& had !ade a no!inal co!position so!e years
beforeD see Pp- ##%+) p ++#) and St'bbs) Historical
Introd'ctions to the -olls Series) p +#$ It is c'rio's to
find Jews gi6ing hi! f'rther opport'nity to defa'lt on his
debtsD C- #+28) p 8$b
E2Ch- #+22) p ,#
E# Ch- ##%%) p ,+,? P- #+2$) p $# b
E+ P- #+2$) p +/ D
EE Ch- #+2#) p %E The alleged additions in John;s reiss'e)
fro! which :r J Par<es draws significant concl'sions
"The Jew in the .edie6al Co!!'nity) Aondon) #%E$) pp
#,%*/2&) are non*e1istent
E3 Obl- #+2#) p #EE
E8 P- #+#$) p #$2 He was son of the J'rnet of Norwich
!entioned abo6e pp#2 #8
E, Aib- #+2E) pp 33) 3$ s==
E/ P- #+28) p83
E$ P- #+23) p E$b
E% P- #+2E) p EE "J'ly +%th) #+2E? not J'ly ++nd) #+23) as
in Jacobs& It is accent'ated in the co!!'nication that
elsewhere in England the Jews were 'n!olested
32Cf Aib- #+2E) p /+) and Ch- #+2E) p #28b) for
indications of the fa!ily;s continental interestsD Abraha!)
a grandson of -'bi 7otsce) had to sell his ho'ses and
lands in England and in Nor!andy to pay his debt to the
Crown
3# Infra) pp 88)##,*#/
3+ See EJ i 3D this s'rprising inno6ation does not see! to
ha6e been i!itated on any s'bse='ent occasion
3E Sir B A Abraha!s) in Trs JHSE 6iii 8/%*$2) gi6es
good reason for do'bting the traditional acco'nt of this
episode "for which see 5lores Historiar'!) iii +E#*+D
Adler) J.E) pp +22) +2E& Johan O1endes "ed Ellis p
#+,& reco'nts that other rich Jews had their eyes pl'c<ed
o't and two "one was Isaac of Canterb'ryD Adler) J.E) p
,3& were hanged The a!o'nt in6ol6ed in this le6y)
='estioned by Abraha!s is confir!ed by EJ i 3
33 Cf C- #+88) p #$,b
38 5or the organi(ation of this) the er'dite Jacob ben Bar'<h
of Clisson crossed to England) where he was arrested and
his precio's b'rden of boo<s sei(ed ".S .ich Add II in
Bodleian Aibrary) O1ford) f ## ? .SS Codices Hebraici
Biblioth IB :e*-ossi) ii I # # ? cf Bibl A 3 ,2& The
5lores Historiar'!) ii #E%) specifically !ention an e1od's
of Jews fro! England prae !a1i!a affliction as a res'lt of
the financial e1tortions of #+#2? on the other hand) J de
O1enedes) 'bi s'pra) s'ggests the e1p'lsion of those
'nable to pay
3, P- #+#E) p %/
3/ Adler) J.E) pp +22**8? cf P- #+#E) p #2+b) and :a6is)
Shetaroth) p E/#
3$Ch- #+#3) p +22b) Hc
3% C- #+#,) p #$,b
82 Chronicle of Aanercost) p /? cf J de O1encdes) ed Ellis)
p #+8
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter E
*he Royal -itch cow
151<-=5
THE beginning of the long reign of Henry III) an infant of nine at
the ti!e of his father;s death) bro'ght an i!!ediate respite for
all sections of his s'b>ects @illia! .arshal and H'bert de
B'rgh) the s'ccessi6e regents) set the!sel6es to restore order and
stability) and in this they had the f'llest s'pport of the nation at
large) which reali(ed the necessity of reasserting the legiti!ate
prerogati6es of the Crown There was still so!e s'ffering in store
for the Jews while the e!bers of disorder were being sta!ped
o't) 1 b't otherwise they i!!ediately felt the change for the
better As part of the policy of re*establishing the financial
syste!) e6erything possible was done to renew their confidence
and resc'e the! fro! the deplorable condition into which they
had fallen Th's) in the confir!ation of .agna Carta which too<
place at Bristol al!ost i!!ediately after John;s death) the
cla'ses relating to the Jews were o!itted) as pre>'dicial to the
interests of the E1che='er? and they were not reinserted in any of
the !any reiss'es in s'bse='ent years 5 Instr'ctions were gi6en
for the release of those Jews i!prisoned at the close of the
pre6io's reign or in the s'bse='ent 'nrest) and in so!e cases
their se='estered bonds were restored and they recei6ed safe*
cond'cts : In the following year) when preparations for the
Cr'sade proclai!ed by the Pope in #+#8 renewed the bitter
!e!ories of the last reign b't one) preca'tionary steps were
ta<en in good ti!e In e6ery city in which Jews were to be fo'nd
in any n'!ber) the royal officers were instr'cted to select as
s'reties twenty*fo'r b'rgesses who wo'ld be held responsible for
any o'trage on those placed 'nder their care By this !eans) a
repetition of the !'rdero's o'tbrea<s of Jor< and Aondon was
effecti6ely pre6ented 4 The right of the Jews to li6e in Hereford)
@orcester) Jor<) Aincoln) Sta!ford) 7lo'scester) Bristol)
Northa!pton) and @inchester was e1pressly confir!ed) the local
officials being en>oined not to !olest the! or to per!it
'na'thori(ed persons to interfere with the! in any way ;
In conse='ence of the i!pro6ed conditions) there was a renewal
of i!!igration fro! abroad) so!e of those who had fled in the
pre6io's reign do'btless ret'rning to their for!er ho!es
:iffic'lties were enco'ntered by !any on their arri6al owing to
the 'nfriendly attit'de of the @ardens of the Cin='e Ports) which
controlled co!!'nications with the Continent @hen this
beca!e <nown) the latter were pere!ptorily instr'cted to
liberate those who! they had thrown into prison and to ad!it
intending i!!igrants freely in f't're No for!ality was to be
re='ired fro! the! henceforth e1cept to gi6e a g'arantee that
they wo'ld present the!sel6es before the J'stices of the Jews to
be enrolled On the other hand) no Jews were to be allowed to
lea6e the real! witho't licence9renewed testi!ony to their
i!portance to the State <
The policy of the ecclesiastical a'thorities was less liberal
Stephen Aangton) archbishop of Canterb'ry) had been one of the
leading spirits at the 5o'rth Aateran Co'ncil of #+#8) which
affected the Jews profo'ndly Considering their infl'ence to ha6e
been responsible for the alar!ing spread of heresy in E'rope) it
renewed all the degrading restrictions that the Ch'rch had
post'lated acade!ically in its first fl'sh of tri'!ph) with so!e
e6en !ore stringent additions .oreo6er) it atte!pted to e1tend
to the! the obligation to pay ch'rch tithes and9partic'larly
where the borrowers were Cr'saders9to restrict their ;'s'ry; "the
practice of which by Christians had been a principal
preocc'pation of the Third Aateran Co'ncil of ##/$*%&
Transgression in these !atters was to be placed) !oreo6er)
'nder the >'risdiction of the ch'rch co'rts The English
a'thorities) partic'larly s'bser6ient to -o!e at this period) had
no ob>ection against the first part of this policy? and England was
th's the first co'ntry in E'rope to enforce consistently the
restricti6e and h'!iliating cla'ses in the new anti*Jewish code
B't it was i!possible for the! to tolerate the atte!pt to dri6e the
Jews o't of the acti6ities that pro6ed so 'sef'l to the Treas'ry) or
to per!it the e1tension o6er the! of the power of the
ecclesiastical trib'nals This therefore was sto'tly resisted? and
the conflict that res'lted between the sec'lar and spirit'al
a'thorities contin'ed inter!ittently thro'gho't the first half of
the reign
The conflict of policy began to !anifest itself as soon as order
was restored The !ost no6el and least palatable of the recent
Aateran reg'lations was that which introd'ced into the Christian
world for the first ti!e the obligation for all the 'nbelie6ers to
wear a disting'ishing badge9ostensibly in order to pre6ent the
scandal of 'nwitting se1'al interco'rse between the adherents of
different faiths This was introd'ces into England as early as
#+#$)when a royal decree en>oined e6ery Jew to wear at all ti!es
a !ar< on his o'ter gar!ent "the for! was caref'lly prescribed&
by which he !ight be differentiated fro! Christians = At the
sa!e ti!e) the Ch'rch was beginning to enforce other
inno6ations of the sa!e sort) witho't any ob>ection being
raised > B't !atters were different when it e!bar<ed 'pon a
ca!paign to 'nder!ine the econo!ic position of the Jews and
bring the! 'nder the discipline of its own co'rts This co'ld not
be tolerated) and in reaffir!ing the right of 'ndist'rbed
residence for the Jews the ci6il a'thority specifically rep'diated
all clerical clai!s to interference) ;as the Bishops ha6e no concern
with o'r Jews; 9 The all*powerf'l papal legate) Pand'lph) co'ld
not re!ain indifferent In a pere!ptory letter of co!plaint
addressed to the >'sticiar) he 6oiced his indignation at what he
considered the e1cessi6ely fa6o'rable position of the Jews Abo6e
all) he ob>ected to the cond'ct of Isaac of Norwich "the wealthiest
English Jew of the age) whose caricat're e1ec'ted by a playf'l
E1che='er cler< is still e1tant) and who was still paying off at the
rate of one !ar< daily the fantastic fine i!posed on hi! by Ging
John&? and he re='ested that the proceedings pending between
the financier and the Abbey of @est!inster sho'ld be postponed
'ntil he was hi!self at liberty to be present 17
The reaction was strengthened by a dra!atic episode that too<
place at this period At the Co'ncil of the Pro6ince of Canterb'ry)
held in O1ford in #+++) the !ost 6iolent passions were aro'sed
by the trial of a certain deacon who had been Ind'ced thro'gh
the st'dy of Hebrew to adopt J'dais! and had !arried a
Jewess 11 He was degraded and handed o6er for p'nish!ent to
5aw<es de Brea'tT) the sheriff of O1fordshire The latter)
swearing ;by the throat of 7od; that he wo'ld be a6enged on the
blasphe!er) and e1pressing his regret that he wo'ld go to Hell
witho't his para!o'r) i!!ediately had hi! b'rned 15 "This
incident ser6ed as the co!!on*law precedent for the
p'nish!ent of heretics by b'rning) for which the notorio's
stat'te ;:e Heretico Co!b'rendo; passed in #32# was in fact
'nnecessaryD accordingly) it was the occasion for !any
e1ec'tions both before the passing of this law and after its
repeal& Thoro'ghly stirred by this episode) the Co'ncil went on
to reiterate the anti*Jewish reg'lations decreed at the Aateran
se6en years before) with a few elaborations Jews were forbidden
to e!ploy Christian ser6ants) to enter ch'rches or store their
property in the!) or to b'ild new synagog'es? they were en>oined
to pay tithes to the priests of the parishes in which they resided
not only on their real estate b't also on their 's'rio's profits?
they were once !ore ordered to wear a disting'ishing badge) the
si(e of which was stip'lated for the first ti!e? and they were
s'b!itted to the ecclesiastical a'thority in cases of
neglect 1: B't this was not eno'gh In o6er*!etic'lo's
obedience to the Aateran canons which ordered those who
practised ;i!!oderate; 's'ry or e1acted it fro! Cr'saders to be
c't off fro! interco'rse with Christians) the Archbishop of
Canterb'ry apparently deter!ined to apply this drastic discipline
to all Jews witho't discri!ination Oealo'sly s'pported by the
Bishops of Norwich and Aincoln) he p'blished an in>'nction
threatening with e1co!!'nication those who entered into
fa!iliar relations with Jews or e6en sold the! pro6isions
Obedience to this wo'ld ha6e res'lted in the annihilation of the
Jewish co!!'nities in a large part of the co'ntry by star6ation
Accordingly) H'bert de B'rgh) now chancellor) iss'ed an order
forbidding the <ing;s s'b>ects 'nder pain of i!prison!ent to
ref'se to pro6ide Jews with the necessities of life 14 B't the
English Ch'rch re!ained st'bbornly set on this plan) and at
inter6als d'ring the reign the central a'thority had again to be
e1erted to pre6ent its e1ec'tion
Against !inor ecclesiastical annoyances) on the other hand) there
was no protection9least of all in the pio's yo'ng <ing) who had
shown his pre>'dices by ha6ing the Jews of Aondon sh't 'p in
the Tower d'ring his recoronation cere!ony in #++2 In #++# the
Blac< 5riars "to be followed three years later by the 5ranciscans&
were granted a tene!ent in the O1ford Jewry ;to the end that by
their e1e!plary carriage and gift of preaching the Jews of O1ford
!ight be con6erted to the Christian faith; In #+#+ a synagog'e
recently erected in Aondon) and said to be of great !agnificence)
was confiscated and !ade o6er to the brethren of St
Anthony 1; The sa!e year) in i!itation of an instit'tion
fo'nded in #+#E by the Prior of Ber!ondsey in the s'b'rb of
So'thwar<) so'th of the Tha!es) there was set 'p in Aondon
'nder the royal a'spices) an establish!ent <nown as the L:o!'s
Con6ersor'!Q for the reception of those Jews who abandoned
their ancestral faithD and proselyi(ation was henceforth carried
on !ore and !ore syste!atically 1<
Ecclesiastical 6e1ations notwithstanding) the condition of the
Jews re!ained tolerable d'ring the royal !inority) and so long
as the old !inisters were entr'sted with a'thority Howe6er) on
the fall of H'bert de B'rgh in #+E+) a new spirit pre6ailed The
Co'rt) thronged with alien fa6o'rites) was e1tra6agant to a
degree The <ing;s intensely artistic nat're) his lo6e of the
bea'tif'l) his passion for b'ilding) pro6ed a constant strain on
his reso'rces) being no less a so'rce of !isery for his s'b>ects
than of delight for their posterity His foreign policy) which
c'l!inated in a series of 'ns'ccessf'l wars) was r'ino'sly
e1pensi6e E1tre!e piety led hi! to s'pport i!plicitly the
sche!es of a s'ccession of popes against the Holy -o!an
e!peror) which were largely financed by the people of England
Ta1ation beca!e oppressi6e) and of all the <ing;s s'b>ects "as was
dee!ed nat'ral and proper& the Jews were !ade to s'ffer !ost
The old syste!) 'nder which they had been per!itted to a!ass
wealth as the financial agents of the Crown) was now s'perseded
Henceforth they were regarded only as a so'rce of re6en'e9an
ob>ect of pitiless e1coriation) regardless of the 'lti!ate res'lt
5ro! an e1traordinary e1pedient resorted to only in case of
e!ergency) the raising of !oney by arbitrary tallage beca!e a
reg'lar so'rce of inco!e) e1ploited with e6ery circ'!stance of
cr'elty
:'ring the !inority) the e1traordinary a!erce!ents on the Jews
had been co!parati6ely !ild 1= @ith the beginning of the <ing;s
personal r'le in #++/) conditions changed) and d'ring the ne1t
ten years alone tallages were e1acted to the co!bined 6al'e of at
least ,8)222 !ar<s9nearly fo'r ti!es as !'ch as the total
e1acted d'ring the pre6io's decade This was) howe6er) far fro!
representing the total b'rden The cost of the foreign ca!paigns
fro! #+E2 onwards was defrayed to a considerable e1tent by the
re!ission of the interest on) or so!eti!es the principal of) the
debts owed to the Jews by those who participated9whether the
whole or part) te!porarily) or for good 1> In #+E/) in the inter6al
between two hea6y tallages) the co!!'nities of the real! were
co!!anded to !a<e a gift of E)222 !ar<s to the Earl of
Cornwall) the <ing;s brother) for the p'rpose of his intended
Cr'sade) and this beca!e a precedent henceforth whene6er a
!e!ber of the royal fa!ily anno'nced his intention of going to
fight the Saracens One debtor after another obtained fro! the
sy!pathetic r'ler an order for the e1tension of ti!e and !ore
reasonable ter!s for the repay!ent of his debt The b'rden of
tallage was !ade !ore serio's on the general body by the
e1e!ption fro! participation) for special considerations) of so!e
of the wealthier? 19 and the ad!inistration of the E1che='er of
the Jews passed into the hands of the <ing;s foreign !inisters)
who were alleged to 'se it as a !eans of patronage and e1tortion
The only possible !ethod of e6asion was by flight) and the
e1od's fro! the co'ntry see!s to ha6e reached considerable
proportions 57
As long as Henry;s a'thority was s'pre!e) there was no brea< in
the record of spoliation 5ro! the close of the royal !inority
down to #+8%) a total of o6er +82)222 !ar<s in tallages was
e1torted fro! English Jewry) witho't rec<oning other wholesale
le6ies of 'nspecified a!o'nt 51 The !ethods of e1action beca!e
!ore and !ore cr'el and rapacio's In #+E, ten of the richest
Jews of the real! were ta<en into c'stody as sec'rity for the s'!
of #2)222 !ar<s to be contrib'ted by their co*religionists Three
years after) an alleged !'rder in Aondon was p'nished by the
confiscation of one*third of their property 55 #+32 witnessed a
cens's of e6ery Jew and Jewess in the co'ntry abo6e the age of
twel6e) pres'!ably with a 6iew to assessing the le6ies of the
following year 5: On this occasion) the so*called ;Parlia!ent of
Jews; consisting of fro! two to si1 !e!bers of each of the
twenty*one co!!'nities of the real! then recogni(ed) was
s'!!oned to !eet at @orcester to apportion a!ong the!sel6es
a fresh tallage of +2)222 !ar<s) no!inally e='i6alent to one*
third of their property) for the collection of which they were
personally held responsible Appalled at the a!o'nt) 'n*
precedented hitherto in the reign) so!e of the Aondon
co!!'nity set o't after the Co'rt to e1post'late 54 The <ing
was 'naffected and ordered drastic steps to be ta<en .any Jews
fro! all parts of the co'ntry) 'nable to raise their f'll
assess!ent) were arrested with their wi6es and children and
i!prisoned in the Tower) the deficiency being pres'!ably !ade
'p by the sei('re of their property 5;
The s'ccess attending the e1peri!ent was so great that the <ing
was e!boldened to repeat it on a yet larger scale In #+33 a fine
of the st'pendo's s'! of ,2)222 !ar<s was assessed on the
Jews on the prete1t that they had been g'ilty of a rit'al
cri!e 5< So!ehow the a!o'nt was raised) tho'gh it was si1
years before the last arrears were collected .eanwhile) the sa!e
year) a !inor le6y of 3)222 !ar<s was e1torted in order to repay
a loan to the Italian !erchants) 5= and in the ne1t a fresh tallage
of $)222 !ar<s was i!posed to !eet the e!ergency e1pendit're
of the @elsh war On this occasion) pay!ent was sec'red by a
threat that) in case of 'nd'e delay) the wealthiest of the Jews
wo'ld be dispatched to Ireland to be i!prisoned It was only
nat'ral that so!e) fearing a repetition of the wholesale arrests of
#+3#) placed their wi6es and children in hidingD a preca'tion for
which they and their fa!ilies were o'tlawed and their property
confiscated 5> On the <ing;s safe ret'rn fro! @ales that
a't'!n) a than<*offering of forty gold !ar<s was e1acted) tho'gh
it is ='estionable whether those who paid it in fact appreciated
the e6ent. 59 @hen in #+82 Henry was co!pelled by the
press're of debt and po6erty to ta<e the Cross) and proclai!ed
his contrition by begging the forgi6eness of the people and
ordering a red'ction in his ho'sehold e1pendit're) he consoled
hi!self by a f'rther raid on the Jews 5irst) an official in='iry
was !ade thro'gho't the <ingdo! into concealed Jewish
propertyD and in the following year a new le6y of #2)222 !ar<s
was ordered) instr'ctions being iss'ed that no Jew was to be
spared) and the co!!'nity of @ilton at least being i!prisoned
en !asse :7 The co!!issioners to who! the assess!ent was
entr'sted were acco!panied by an 'nprincipled Jew) Abraha!
of Ber<ha!sted) who 'rged the! to greater se6erity and
threatened to deno'nce the! if they showed the slightest
!oderation :1 @hen in #+8E Henry crossed to 7ascony) the
Jews had to ;pacify; hi! with a pay!ent of 8)222 !ar<s :5
Ne1t year the Treas'ry was again e!pty The <ing sent ho!e
'rgent instr'ctions to his brother) -ichard of Cornwall) who had
already shown hi!self the only co!petent financier of the fa!ily)
to raise !oney by any e1pedient to !eet the anticipated in6asion
Barons) prelates) and Co!!ons were all 'nhelpf'l) and the br'nt
of the attac< fell on the Jews) whose representati6es were
asse!bled at @est!inster to hear the royal co!!'nication
After being <ept waiting abo't for three wee<s) they were
s'!!oned before the earl and told what was wanted Elias le
E6es<e of Aondon) who had been appointed Presbyter
J'daeor'! in #+3E) :: and was at the head of the Jewish
representati6es) was aghast at the !agnit'de of the s'!
de!anded In a pathetic speech) he inti!ated that his co*
religionists had no !ore left to gi6e and begged in their na!e for
per!ission to lea6e the co'ntry -ichard was s'fficiently !o6ed
by what he said to !odify his de!ands) e1acting only an a!o'nt
which was within the bo'nds of possibility The licence to
e!igrate was of co'rse ref'sed Howe6er) after his ret'rn fro!
7ascony in the following year) when he was in desperate straits to
find !oney in order to obtain the throne of Sicily for his son
Ed!'nd) the <ing repeated the e1peri!ent) de!anding fro! the
'nhappy Elias i!!ediate pay!ent of $)222 !ar<s 'nder the
penalty of hanging He was !et once !ore by a blan< confession
of inability to pay) and a f'rther re='est for per!ission to lea6e
the real! This he angrily ref'sed "LI a! a !'tilated and
di!inished Ging;) he e1clai!ed ;It is dreadf'l to thin< of the
debts in which I a! in6ol6ed) and I a! 'nder the necessity of
obtaining !oney fro! e6ery ='arter;&? and the @ardens of the
Cin='e Ports were en>oined to arrest any intending
e!igrants :4
It was now ob6io's that all i!!ediate possibilities for raising
re6en'e were e1ha'sted Henry) o6er head and ears in debt) now
e1ercised his rights as s'(erain by !ortgaging the whole of the
co!!'nity as sec'rity for a loan of 8)222 !ar<s to his wealthy
brother) who "in the words of the chronicler& ;was th's per!itted
to dise!bowel those who! the Ging had flayed; "#+88& This
a!o'nt) with an additional #)222 !ar<s by way of do'ce'r) was
to be paid by the detested 's'rers in instal!ents o6er a period of
two years) d'ring which two adroit Jewish financiers were
appointed to ad!inister the affairs of their co*religionists9for all
the world li<e an estate in ban<r'ptcy :; In fact) -ichard "whose
relations with the Jews had been consistently good) and whose
candidat're to the I!perial Throne in 7er!any they are said to
ha6e fa6o'red& pro6ed hi!self a co!parati6ely !ild !aster B't
i!!ediately this period was at an end) the Jewish co!!'nities
were !ade o6er in a si!ilar !anner for three years) with the
whole !echanis! of the Jewish E1che='er) to the <ing;s son
Edward) the heir to the throne) to sec're his loyalty) in ret'rn for
an ann'al re6en'e of E)222 !ar<s fro! his estates? and he was
e6en allowed to !aintain his own prison for incarcerating the!
in case of need "#+,+& :< The latter in t'rn assigned the! after a
little !ore than twel6e !onths to their b'siness co!petitors) the
Cahorsin !erchants "who were ac='iring an increasingly e6il
rep'tation for their 's'rio's acti6ities& in sec'rity for a
loan := "The co!parati6ely s!all a!o'nts which were in
='estion at this period indicate how far the 6icti!s had been
i!po6erished&
.eanwhile) 'nprecedented s'!s were e1acted fro! indi6id'als
In #+82 the <ing p't forward a clai! to s'cceed to the possession
of all ho'ses owned by Jews on their de!ise) tho'gh he did not
carry it into e1ec'tion Ne6ertheless) when any wealthy capitalist
died) 6ast reliefs were e1acted) in accordance with c'sto!) fro!
his heirs? and in #+8/ a loan of #2)222 !ar<s was raised fro! the
5lorentine !erchants in Aondon largely on the sec'rity of the
Escheats of Jewry :> On the reb'ilding of @est!inster Abbey in
#+38) the Jews were forced to contrib'te both in their corporate
capacity and as indi6id'als Aicoricia) widow of a wealthy O1ford
financier) was !ade to gi6e o6er K+)822? .oses of Hereford
f'rnished KE)222? Elias le E6es<e had to pro6ide a sil6er*gilt
chalice? others defrayed the cost of internal
e!bellish!ents :9 "It was a needless aggra6ation of ins'lt by
in>'ry to sell the Hebrew scrolls of the Pentate'ch 'sed by the
J'stices of the Jews for ad!inistering oaths) so as to defray the
cost of a new chas'ble and other app'rtenances& 47 The worst
indi6id'al s'fferer was Aaron of Jor<) son of the Josce of Jor<
!artyred in ##%2 and Presbyter J'daeor'! before Elias le
E6es<e
@ith dealings e1tending o6er at least fo'rteen English co'nties)
and with so!e twenty co*religionists ser6ing as his local agents)
he was the greatest Anglo*Jewish financier of the thirteenth
cent'ry) as Aaron of Aincoln had been of the twelfth His
i!portance to the Treas'ry !'st ha6e been as high) tho'gh
different in type At e6ery e1igency of the reign) it was to hi! that
reco'rse was had by the Co'rt In #+3E) on the occasion of
-ichard of Cornwall;s !arriage to the ='een;s sister) Sanchia of
Pro6ence) he had to pro6ide 322 gold and 3)222 sil6er !ar<s to
defray the e1penses) as against a bagatelle of #22 le6ied fro! the
re!ainder of English Jewry? and conte!porary obser6ers were
shoc<ed at the spectacle of the <ing of England de!eaning
hi!self to accept the gold "tho'gh not indeed the sil6er& with his
own hands 5i6e years later Aaron was fined #)222 gold !ar<s)
and he was !'lcted in a f'rther 3)222 !ar<s in #+82 on a charge
of forging a deed) apart fro! his contrib'tions to the general
b'rden of ta1ation in the inter6al The ne1t year) he was assessed
for tallage at +)222 !ar<s .eanwhile) Henry) 'nable to restrain
his greed) had beg'n to wring fro! the financier;s fa!ily the
estate*d'ty which they were e1pected to pay on his death9a
pres'!ption not in fact >'stified) as) worn o't by incessant
e1actions) he ended his days in pen'ry In se6en years only) he
co!plained to .atthew Paris) the historian of the reign) the co'rt
had recei6ed fro! hi! 'pwards of E2)222 !ar<s) witho't
rec<oning what he had to pay the ='een 41
.eanwhile) as the <ing;s r'thless Poite6in !inisters consolidated
their power) the ab'ses in the ad!inistration of the Jewish
E1che='er reached their cli!a1 In #+E+ the office of J'stice of
the Jews) together with the @ardenship of the Jews of Ireland)
was held by Peter de -i6a'1) who at this ti!e concentrated in his
hands an acc'!'lation of ad!inistrati6e positions 'ni='e in
English history) fro! Treas'rer and Geeper of the @ardrobe
downwards His coad>'tors in the office were -obert Passelewe)
:ep'ty Treas'rer of the real!) and Stephen Segra6e) the
J'sticiar9the only English!an of the trio It does not see! that
the Jewish E1che='er was incl'ded in their drastic
ad!inistrati6e reorgani(ation) fig'ring rather "so at least their
ene!ies alleged& as an ine1ha'stible opport'nity for personal
enrich!ent They i!prisoned their charges to obtain ranso!)
!anip'lated their ta1es) !ade the! pay e1aggerated s'!s for
licences to li6e where they wished) co!pelled the! to red'ce
debts and ret'rn pledges) charged a co!!ission for no!inal
assistance in collecting d'es) e1torted free*will gifts in !oney
and >ewels on the slightest prete1t or none at all) e6en held the
archa to ranso! and abstracted the bonds) which were p'blicly
offered for sale in @est Cheap The E1che='er itself was alleged
not to be safe fro! their a'dacityD on one occasion) when the
Jews were to pay a tallage of K822) they were assessed for no less
than K/22 of which) howe6er) the <ing recei6ed only K3,+
@hen in #+E3 the Archbishop of Canterb'ry forced the <ing
'nder !enace of e1co!!'nication to dis!iss these 'npop'lar
ad!inistrators) their cond'ct at the E1che='er of the Jews
constit'ted one of the long series of charges against the! The
palace re6ol'tion too< place with dra!atic s'ddennessD on .ay
Erd the Jewish co!!'nities had been en>oined to gi6e Passelewe
i!plicit obedienceD on .ay E2th they were told to obey hi! no
longer) and the J'stices of the Jews were directed to report all
!atters of i!portance direct to the <ing) and not to :e -i6a'1 as
hitherto In the s'bse='ent in='iry) eighteen Aondon Jewish
b'siness !en ga6e da!ning e6idence of the !anner in which
they and their co*religionists had been fleeced by the disgraced
trio9especially Passelewe9for their own enrich!ent They were
ne6ertheless restored to fa6o'r two years later) :e -i6a'1 ha6ing
the opport'nity later on of i!posing his a'thority once !ore as
Treas'rer 45
P'nish!ent so half*hearted was al!ost an incite!ent to
i!itation There is accordingly little wonder that f'rther
irreg'larities were disco6ered in #+E,) when H'gh de Bathe was
dis!issed) and again in #+33*8) when the entire staff of the
E1che='er) Jewish as well as Christian) was s'spended) one of
the J'stices being cashiered a little later on 4: Before long) in
#+3%) after a drastic reorgani(ation of personnel) 44 a fresh
coterie of royal fa6o'rites obtained control Their chief was the
notorio's Philip Ao6el who! Henry had ad6anced fro! a si!ple
cler<ship to the highest offices of state In #+8# he and another
official of the Jewish E1che='er) Nicholas of St Albans) were
acc'sed of corr'ption and were disgraced) the sa!e happening in
the following year to one of his colleag'es) -obert de la Ho) who
was fo'nd g'ilty of gross ab'ses B't before twel6e !onths had
passed) Ao6el was bac< in office again) now en>oying the dignity
of Ging;s Treas'rerD his s'bordinates were Si!on Passelewe) who
followed faithf'lly in the path of his brother -obert) and Henry
de Bathe) for!erly one of the J'stices of Co!!on Pleas) who had
recently been fined for corr'pt practice 5or se6eral years this
>'nto contin'ed in a'thority 4; The Jewish offcials at the
E1che='er were no safeg'ard to their Co*religionists? and one
arch*presbyter after the other9Josce fil; Isaac of Aondon "#+2/*
E,&) Aaron of Jor< "#+E,*3E&) and Elias le E6es<e "#+3E*3/&9was
re!o6ed fro! office The last na!ed was dri6en in the end to
beco!e con6erted to Christianity) and tried to reinstate hi!self
in fa6o'r by bringing wild acc'sations against his for!er co*
religionists So obno1io's had the instit'tion of the arch*
presbyter beco!e d'ring his oppressi6e period of office that an
'nderta<ing was obtained fro! the <ing not to !a<e any f'rther
appoint!ent e1cept by the election of the Jewish co!!'nity)
whose no!inee wo'ld recei6e official sanction Their choice fell
'pon 0i6es) or Hagin) son of .aster .oses of Aincoln) !e!ber of
a fa!ily o'tstanding for its scholarly rep'tation 4< Needless to
say) this pri6ilege also was granted only at the price of a
considerable pay!ent
The conse='ences of s'ch rapacity sho'ld ha6e been ob6io's to
any intelligent being The <ing was li<e a spendthrift with a
che='e*boo<) drawing one a!o'nt after the other in 'tter
indifference to the dwindling of his reso'rces E6en as regards
his personal interests) the policy was foolish It progressi6ely
i!po6erished the English Jewries) rendering the! less and less
re!'nerati6e to the E1che='er as ti!e went on .oreo6er) in
order to s'pport these constant calls 'pon their p'rse) they were
co!pelled to e1ercise still greater ac='isiti6eness in their
b'siness affairs) grinding desperately o't of their clients the
a!o'nts that they wo'ld be co!pelled so ine1orably to
s'rrender to the Crown Ne6er was it !ore tr'e that the Jews
were li<e a sponge) s'c<ing 'p the floating capital of the co'ntry
to be s='ee(ed fro! ti!e to ti!e into the Treas'ry? while so!e
<ing) high abo6e the! and s'bli!ely conte!pt'o's of their
transactions) was in fact the arch*'s'rer of the real!
Parado1ically) !eas'res were ta<en at the sa!e ti!e which
tended to restrict their acti6ities In #+E3 Crown tenants were
forbidden to borrow !oney fro! Jews on the sec'rity of their
estates? 4= and fo'r years later the pro6ision was e1tended to all
who held their property by !ilitary ser6ice Th's) it was ens'red
that fail're to redee! their lands "6ery fre='ently followed) or
else forestalled) by sale to the Ch'rch& wo'ld not ha6e any
'ntoward effect 'pon the fe'dal le6ies of the real!) or !a<e it
diffic'lt for the tenants*in*chief to raise their ='ota 4> The
o'tco!e of other reg'lations was si!ilar As a concession to
religio's ho'ses) it was ordered that estates gi6en to the! sho'ld
be e1e!pt fro! any liability on acco'nt of the debts of the
original donor? henceforth) therefore) an i!po6erished lay!an
who raised a loan fro! the Jews and was 'nable to repay co'ld
present the sec'rity to the Ch'rch "perhaps in ret'rn for a slight
!onetary co!pensation& and thereby both ens're the felicity of
his so'l and depri6e the Jewish creditor of his d'es 49 The
papal decree that interest co'ld not be ta<en fro! a cr'sader was
enforced) and e6en e1tended to intending cr'saders who
s'pported the <ing with !oney instead of going in
person? ;7 and the pro6ision of the .agna Carta) that it co'ld
not be charged on the property of a !inor on acco'nt of his late
father;s debts) was re*enacted separately ;1 In order to
safeg'ard the Ch'rch;s right to tithes) the ac='isition of f'rther
land or tene!ents in the capital was forbidden The ine6itable
res'lt of these restrictions) which in their c'!'lati6e effect
tended to cripple Jewish acti6ity) was that the rate of interest
rose) and it was fo'nd necessary to li!it it by law to the
con6entional twopence wee<ly on e6ery po'nd) corresponding to
3EY per cent per ann'! ;1B
Theological odi'! !eanwhile was increasing !ore and !oreD a
c'rrent perhaps fostered by) and e1pressed in) the legend of the
@andering Jew) the earliest !edie6al literary e1pression of
which is connected with the 6isit of an Ar!enian archbishop to
England in #++$ ;5 5eelings ran especially high in the eastern
co'nties) where !edie6al English anti*Se!itis! was always !ost
ac'te At Norwich it was noted with resent!ent how the Jewish
co!!'nity had swollen in conse='ence of recent e1p'lsions
elsewhere in the neighbo'rhood) and the pop'lar hatred was
'nconcealed Here) accordingly) in #+E3) certain Jews were
acc'sed of ha6ing sei(ed and forcibly circ'!cised fo'r years
pre6io'sly the son of a certain Benedict) a physician9possibly a
con6erted Jew) whose offspring they considered to belong by
right to their co!!'nity Tho'gh the alleged offence had
happened so long before) and the traces of the operation had
been partly effaced) the conse='ences were !ost serio's Ten
persons were arrested and sent to Aondon for trial The case was
heard before the <ing hi!self) in the presence of the Archbishop
of Canterb'ry and !any bishops and barons of the real! They
decided that) as an offence against the Ch'rch) it sho'ld be tried
by ecclesiastical law) and it was re!itted accordingly to the
Ordinary of Norwich for decision In the end) after long delays
and a 6ain atte!pt "reinforced by la6ish gifts& to sec're trial by a
!i1ed >'ry) in which Jews too wo'ld ha6e been incl'ded) so!e of
the prisoners were conde!ned to be drawn and hanged) while
one) who had fled the real!) was o'tlawed ;: .eanwhile)
repeated rioting too< placeD se6eral Jewish ho'ses were set on
fire? and there was a clash between the !ob and the soldiers sent
fro! the castle to protect the!
@hen in the following year the <ing passed thro'gh Norwich) he
was !et by a throng of citi(ens and priests) headed by the !ayor)
6ocifero'sly co!plaining of the increase in the Jewish pop'lation
and of the se6erity of the sheriff in p'nishing those i!plicated in
the recent disorders ;4 Tho'gh these co!plaints did not lead to
any drastic action) procla!ation was !ade not long after
thro'gho't the eastern co'nties once again forbidding Christian
wo!en to enter Jewish e!ploy!ent as n'rses or do!estic
ser6ants ;; Elsewhere conditions were not 6ery different -oyal
inter6ention was periodically necessary to ens're that the
'nbelie6ers sho'ld not be star6ed o't by a boycott on the sale of
foodD ;< and d'ring the festi6ities at the ti!e of the <ing;s
!arriage to Eleanor of Pro6ence in #+E, the entire Aondon
co!!'nity too< the preca'tion of see<ing ref'ge in the
Tower ;= There is so!e e6idence ;> that at this stage the Jews
appealed to the Holy See for protection? b't there were certainly
no positi6e res'lts The Ch'rch Synods held at @orcester "#+32&)
at Chichester "c #+3,&) and at Salisb'ry "c #+8,& renewed the
prohibition to e!ploy Christians) with the rest of the old anti*
Jewish reg'lationsD in the diocese of Aincoln Bishop of
7lo'cester too< steps to pre6ent friendly interco'rse between
Jews and their neighbo'rs? and in the Co'ncil of .erton in #+8$)
and of Aa!beth three years later) it was ordered that those who
transgressed in !atters ecclesiastical sho'ld be forced to appear
before the Ch'rch a'thorities and) in case of cont'!acy) be c't
off fro! all association with the faithf'll ;9 The <ing readily
followed the lead set by the Ch'rch
On the first Sat'rday of Aent in #+32) while the Jews were at
ser6ice in their synagog'es) their boo<s were sei(ed in obedience
to a papal decree) and all copies of the Tal!'d were s'bse='ently
b'rned <7 In #+3# a prete1t was fo'nd to ='alify the a'tono!y
of English Jewry in internal !atters <1 In #+3, the lending of
!oney on the sec'rity of ecclesiastical 6est!ents or
app'rtenances was !ade a capital offence? <5 and in #+8# Jews
were forbidden to eat !eat on 5ridays or d'ring Aent) when
Christians had to do witho't it. <:
The episode at Norwich pro6ed to be the first of a fresh series of
acc'sations of rit'al o'trage) now !ade with the conni6ance or
e6en the enco'rage!ent of the ci6il a'thorities <4 On the 5east
of St Alban "J'ne ++nd& #+E%) a bloody riot was started in
Aondon when a Jew was acc'sed of !'rder Henry;s principal
!inister at this ti!e was Brother 7eoffrey of the Te!ple)
recently appointed Geeper of the @ardrobe) who co!bined the
religio's (eal of a Ch'rch!an with the >ealo'sy of what was in
effect a ri6al body of ban<ers Accordingly) he a6idly sei(ed the
opport'nity offered hi! A n'!ber of Jews were thrown into >ail)
se6eral were p't to death) and a ta1 of one*third of their property
"for the collection of which the Gnights Te!plars the!sel6es
acted as agentsR& was le6ied collecti6ely fro! the entire
co!!'nity as a p'nish!ent for the cri!e <; 5i6e years later) in
#+33) another acc'sation9this ti!e wholly prepostero's9was
!ade in the capital It was alleged that the body of a child fo'nd
in the ch'rchyard of St Benet;s bore an incri!inating Hebrew
inscription c't into the flesh) pro6ing that it had been done to
death for rit'al p'rposes Abs'rd tho'gh the tale was) the corpse
was clai!ed by the canons of St Pa'l;s Cathedral and b'ried
near the High Altar) and it cost the Jewish co!!'nities of the
co'ntry a pay!ent of a f'rther ,2)222 !ar<s to the Treas'ry to
escape worse conse='ences << In #+82) Abraha! of
Ber<ha!sted) who has been !entioned abo6e as one of the
wealthiest financiers of his ti!e) was arrested on a charge of
!altreating an i!age of the 0irgin and !'rdering his wife for her
ref'sal to i!itate hi! On the inter6ention of -ichard of
Cornwall) his patron) he was released witho't f'rther
p'nish!ent than the pay!ent of a hea6y fine "in itself it wo'ld
see! testi!ony of his innocence& <=
The reaction c'l!inated in the !ost fa!o's case of all the
fantastic and tragic series In Aincoln) at the end of A'g'st #+88)
large n'!bers of Jews fro! all parts of England had asse!bled
in hono'r of the !arriage of Belaset) da'ghter of .agister
Benedict fil; .oses "al!ost certainly identical with Berechiah ben
.oses of Nicole) who fig'res in the -abbinic literat're of the
ti!e& On the day after the wedding there was disco6ered in a
cesspool near the ho'se of one of the co!!'nity the body of a
little*Christian boy) H'gh) the son of a widow na!ed Beatrice
He had been !issing for o6er three wee<s) and there is e6ery
reason to belie6e that he fell in accidentally while r'nning after
his ball at play To the thirteenth*cent'ry !ind) howe6er) there
co'ld9be only one e1planation The corpse was re!o6ed to the
Cathedral) to the acco!pani!ent of !irac'lo's !anifestations
which !ade it ob6io's to those who wished to belie6e so) that it
was that of a !artyr It was escorted by the dean and canons) and
a long procession of officials bearing crosses) candles) and
censers) a!id chanting and weeping The Jew Copin) near whose
ho'se it had been fo'nd) was sei(ed and tort'red 'ntil he
;confessed; that the child had been p't to death for rit'al
p'rposes at a representati6e gathering of his co*religionists
The <ing hi!self) who was in the neighbo'rhood) heard the news
and h'rried to Aincoln to in='ire into the !atter in person The
i!!ediately ordered Copin to be hanged) after being dragged 'p
and down the precipitate streets of the city tied to a horse;s tail
The rest of the Jews i!plicated) to the n'!ber of nearly one
h'ndred) were bro'ght to Aondon followed by a >'ry; of twenty*
fo'r b'rgesses and twenty*fo'r <nights to try the case Eighteen
of those acc'sed preferred not to s'b!it to the >'dge!ent of this
biased trib'nal) and de!anded a !i1ed >'ry of Jews and
Christians This was ta<en as a confession of g'ilt) and they were
i!!ediately hanged The re!ainder "with the e1ception of one
ac='itted and two pardoned before the case ca!e on were
con6icted and sentenced So far were pop'lar passions aro'sed in
Aondon that the inter6ention of the 5ranciscans <> whose
learned teacher Ada! .arash pleaded elo='ently for
!oderation) was generally ascribed to bribery and bro'ght so
!'ch 'npop'larity 'pon the Order that for so!e ti!e the
co!!on people of Aondon withheld their c'sto!ary al!s
.aterial considerations carried greater weight) and than<s to the
inter6ention of -ichard of Cornwall "to @ho! the Jewry of the
<ingdo! had recently been !ortgaged) and who was nat'raly
an1io's to safeg'ard his property& the s'r6i6ing prisoners were
'lti!ately released <9
The case of ;Aittle; St H'gh of Aincoln "as he was called) to
disting'ish hi! fro! the bishop of the sa!e na!e) benign e6en
towards the Jews) who had died half a cent'ry before& was of
!ore than te!porary i!portance The body was b'ried in a
splendid shrine in the Cathedral) where the relics were 6enerated
down to the ti!e of the -efor!ation as those of a !artyr)
wor<ing !irac'lo's c'res The legend entered into the fol<lore of
the English peopleD it was cited and i!itated by Cha'cer in his
Canterb'ry TalesD it for!ed the inspiration of !any ballads) in
English) in 5rench) and in Scots) which were handed down for
cent'ries in the !o'th of the peasantry Th's) in after
generations) when no Jew was left in England) it was fro! the
poetical descriptions of this half*legendary e6ent that a large part
of the pop'lation recei6ed its i!pressions of the despised race
All these episodes contrib'ted to increase the 'npop'larity of the
Jew in the eyes of the English people .any places) not content
with restrictions) began to de!and e1cl'sion In conse='ence
there was a co!plete re6ersal of the tolerant policy of the early
years of the reign) when the settle!ent of the Jews in e6ery part
of the co'ntry had been so sed'lo'sly enco'raged The lead in
the reaction was ta<en by Si!on de .ontfort) son of the warrior
of the sa!e na!e who had harried the Jews and Albigensians in
Pro6ence) and of the fanatical Aady Alice de .ont!orency) who
in #+#/ had gi6en the Jews of To'lo'se the alternati6e of baptis!
or death His personal religio's pre>'dice was heightened by the
reali(ation that the Jews were in a large !eas're the instr'!ent
of the royal absol'tis!) of which he was so deter!ined an
opponent? and in addition "it can hardly ha6e been witho't effect
'pon his !ind& he was hi!self hea6ily indebted to the! His
pre>'dice fo'nd e1pression in #+E#) when he iss'ed an edict
e1pelling the Jews fro! his city of Aeicester9the first !eas're of
the sort recorded since the e1p'lsion fro! B'ry St Ed!'nds
forty*one years before =7
The e1a!ple was readily followed In #+EE an in='iry was held in
the diocese of Aincoln) and perhaps elsewhere) to disco6er
whether any Jews were now li6ing in places fro! which they had
pre6io'sly been absent This was the prel'de to a whole series of
local e1p'lsions9fro! Newcastle) @yco!be) the entire co'nty of
@arwic< and parts of East Anglia in #+E3) fro! So'tha!pton in
#+E,) fro! Northa!ptonshire "o'tside the co'nty town& in #+E/)
fro! Ber<ha!sted in #+3+) fro! Newb'ry and Speenha!land in
#+3E =1 The tendency c'l!inated in #+8E) in an order forbidding
settle!ent) e1cept by special licence) in any place where no
recogni(ed co!!'nity was to be fo'nd Hitherto the Jews were
per!itted to li6e in any place fro! which they were not e1pressly
e1cl'ded? now they were e1cl'ded fro! all places where they
were not e1pressly per!itted to li6e The conse='ent infl'1 into
the few !a>or centres left open ca'sed !'ch resent!ent a!ong
the general pop'lation It was nat'ral for Canterb'ry Jewry to
!a<e an atte!pt at this period to e1cl'de f'rther i!!igration
li<ely to pre>'dice its interests =5
The restriction of the area of residence was the concl'sion and
c'l!ination of the ;.andate to the J'stices assigned to the
C'stody of the Jews; iss'ed on Jan'ary E#st) #+8E) which
crystalli(ed Henry;s policy The first of the thirteen paragraphs
was typical of the whole) stip'lating as it did that no Jew sho'ld
re!ain in England 'nless his presence were of benefit to his
so6ereign S'bse='ent cla'ses re*enacted in e1cr'ciating detail
all the restrictions e!bodied in the c'rrent papal legislation9
fro! b'ilding new synagog'es) conta!inating Christian ears by
o6er*lo'd psal!ody in those which already e1isted) entering a
ch'rch and disp'ting on !atters of religion) or i!peding
con6ersions to the tr'e faith down to the scandali(ing of
Christians by eating !eat d'ring Aent) e!ploying Christian
ser6ants and n'rses or daring to discard the Jewish badge of
sha!e. =:
.eanwhile) pop'lar disli<e contin'ed to e1press itself in
inter!ittent local o'tbrea<s Th's in #+33 the O1ford st'dents
had attac<ed the Jewry "in what is now Pe!bro<e Street and St
Aldate;s& and sac<ed the solidly constr'cted ho'ses of their
creditors =4 In #+,# there was a si!ilar onsla'ght) in which
!any !on<s and priests participated) at Canterb'ry) where a
deter!ined atte!pt was !ade to set fire to the Jewish
='arter =; It will be recalled that here) in the pre6io's cent'ry)
relations between Jews and !on<s had been especially cordial
5ro! the o'tset of the constit'tional str'ggle between Henry III
and his barons) led by Si!on de .ontfort) the Jews for!ed one
of the ob>ects of disp'te The lesser baronage was partic'larly
in6ol6ed with the!) and therefore desired so!e chec< to be
placed 'pon their acti6ities At the sa!e ti!e it was bitterly
reali(ed by the !ore far*sighted that they were) in fact) !erely an
instr'!ent in the hands of the Crown In the period of agitation
and 'nrest which preceded the Ci6il @ar one of the refor!s
de!anded fro! ti!e to ti!e was ;that the E1che='er of the Jews
sho'ld be a!endedQ? and it was proposed in #+33 that the
Co'ncil of the -eal! sho'ld be allowed to no!inate at least one
of the J'stices of the Jews and th's share in the control of this
i!portant branch of the E1che='er =< Plainly this co'ld to'ch
only the fringe of the proble!) which was essentially econo!ic
One of the co!plaints specifically 6entilated at the Parlia!ent of
O1ford in #+8$ was that the Jews sold lands pledged to the! to
the great !agnates of the real!) who too< possession and
s'bse='ently ref'sed to accept pay!ent of the debt if it were
offered Th's) if the debtor died lea6ing an infant child as his heir
"when) in accordance with pro6ision of .agna Carta re*enacted
in #+E8) the interest on debts was cancelled and the rights of
inheritance safeg'arded& the latter entirely lost his rightf'l d'e
"It !ay be noted that the Jews are !entioned here only
incidentally? in the following cla'se they do not fig're with the
Cahorsins a!ong those whose 's'ry was co!plained of&
.oreo6er) e6en when pay!ent was accepted) the !agnate often
prolonged the negotiation 'nnecessarily on the prete1t that he
co'ld do nothing witho't the <nowledge of the Jew who had
!ade the loan in the first place
In the Pro6isions of O1ford) which were forced on the <ing;s
acceptance as a res'lt of these deliberations) an 'nderta<ing was
gi6en in general ter!s to cope with the proble! and to refor!
the E1che='er of the Jews As a preli!inary) 7'ardians of the
Jewries were to be appointed The a't'!n of the following year
saw a f'rther set of de!ands p't forward) one of which
stip'lated that the J'sticiar and Treas'rer of the real! sho'ld
appoint honest !en to see that the E1che='er of the Jews was rid
of its ab'ses == To satisfy these de!ands) Ao6el) Bathe) and
Passelewe were re!o6ed fro! the control of the instit'tion which
they had controlled for the past ten years) and two hardwor<ing
>'dges were appointed in their place 5or so!e ti!e they
contin'ed to ad!inister its affairs efficiently) the <ing chafing
against their incorr'ptibility Bnable to replace the!) he fo'nd a
!eans to render the! i!potentD and in #+,#) when he !ade a
6iolent atte!pt to rid hi!self of baronial control) he appointed
his faithf'l instr'!ent) John .a'nsell) chancellor of St Pa'l;s
and noted pl'ralist) o6er the head of the J'stices of the Jews)
who in .ay #+,# were en>oined to obey hi! in all things =>
The Jews th's re!ained an integral part of the financial syste!
of an 'npop'lar go6ern!ent Accordingly on the o'tbrea< of the
Ci6il @ar) they s'ffered terribly at the hands of the baronial
party) recr'ited as it was largely fro! the class !ost hea6ily in
their debt) and led by a !an who had already gi6en fre='ent
testi!ony to his e1tre!e anti*Jewish bias In e6ery city that the
barons entered) the Jewry for!ed their first ob>ecti6e) and its
b'siness records were at once destroyed The e1a!ple was set in
Aondon shortly after the o'tbrea< of hostilities) on Pal! S'nday)
#+,E A disp'te between a Jew and a citi(en) concerning the
interest on a tri6ial debt) ser6ed as the prete1t The great bell of
St Pa'l;s tolled the tocsin and a n'!ero's !ob asse!bled) led
by Stephen B'c<rel) the !arshal of Aondon) and John 5it(John)
a leader of the baronial party The Jewry was sac<ed !ercilessly)
the n'!ber of 6icti!s being esti!ated at fo'r h'ndred of either
se1? it wo'ld ha6e been greater b't for the fact that !any
pretended to accept baptis!) or were able to ta<e ref'ge in the
Tower or in the ho'ses of friendly Christians The !ost
disting'ished of the 6icti!s was the wealthy Co< "or Isaac& fil;
Aaron) who! 5it(John hi!self r'thlessly ran thro'gh with his
sword) thereafter sei(ing his treas're A large a!o'nt of property
was confiscated to e='ip the baronial forces) the leaders of which
did not lose !'ch ti!e before they ='arrelled a!ongst
the!sel6es o6er the distrib'tion A newly constr'cted synagog'e
was b'rned to the gro'nd =9
The e1a!ple spread li<e wildfire thro'gh the co'ntry The Jewry
at @inchester was pl'ndered with !'ch bloodshed by Si!on de
.ontfort the yo'nger) who was co!!anding in the west) before
he began his !arch thro'gh the .idlands The s'bse='ent
onsla'ght of the royalists 'pon hi! at Northa!pton ca'sed his
father to lea6e Aondon and h'rry northwards At St Albans he
recei6ed the news of his son;s capt're) and fell bac< on Aondon
with bitterness in his heart His disappointed followers wrea<ed
their resent!ent on the Jewry) finding >'stification in the report
that its deni(ens) besides f'rnishing the <ing with !oney) were
plotting to betray the city to the royalists on the anni6ersary of
the !assacre of the pre6io's year) ha6ing prepared d'plicate
<eys to open the gates and 7ree< fire to set the ho'ses in
fla!es >7 They were again p't syste!atically to the sword)
e1cept for a few concerning who! the baronial leader wished to
!a<e in='iries with a 6iew to s'bse='ent spoliation The total
n'!ber of dead was esti!ated9probably with so!e
e1aggeration9at #)822 so'ls 5or the first ti!e for three*='arters
of a cent'ry) the echo of English e6ents reached the ears of the
continental !artyrologists) who ann'ally co!!e!orated this
tragedy in their synagog'es >1
The e1a!ple of the .ontforts) father and son) was followed by
their associate) the Earl of 7lo'cester) when he capt'red
Canterb'ry Here !any Jews were <illed and the archa in which
the record of their debts was preser6ed was sei(ed and con6eyed
to :o6er At @orcester) Aincoln) Bristol) and Bedford si!ilar
o'tbrea<s too< place) the chirograph*chests being b'rned or
carried off Isolated fa!ilies in r'ral centres were fort'nate if
they escaped with their li6es >5 Henry de .ontfort) another of
Si!on;s sons) despoiled the Jews at Gingston The co!!'nity of
Northa!pton was forced to ta<e ref'ge in the castle >: Aarge
n'!bers of f'giti6es fro! other towns so'ght ref'ge in O1ford)
their lac< of 6isible !eans of s'stenance ca'sing the a'thorities
serio's preocc'pation After the baronial 6ictory at Aewes ".ay
#+,3& there were fresh disorders at Aondon) Aincoln) and
Nottingha!) and !any ho'seholders) despairing of a restoration
of order) fled to the Continent In the last phase of the str'ggle
"#+,,*/& a f'rther wa6e of dist'rbance was ca'sed by the so*
called :isinherited "the last re!nant of the anti*-oyalist party&)
who carried off the archa fro! Ca!bridge to the Isle of Ely and
sac<ed the synagog'e at Aincoln The re!nants of the
co!!'nity of Aondon were dri6en) in the incongr'o's co!pany
of the papal legate Ottoboni) to ta<e ref'ge in the Tower) which
they !anf'lly assisted to defend against the assailants "5ebr'ary
#st) #+,,C/& >4
:'ring the co'rse of the si1teen !onths ".ay #+,3ZA'g'st
#+,8& when he was personally in control of the go6ern!ent of
England) Si!on de .ontfort see!s to ha6e been sobered by the
responsibilities of office) and his attit'de towards the Jews
changed At last "late tho'gh it was& he reali(ed their i!portance
to the E1che='er) and atte!pted to restore their confidence The
Aondon Jews were pers'aded to lea6e their ref'ge and were
ta<en 'nder the <ing;s no!inal protection? those of Northa!pton
had to e6ac'ate the castle and ret'rn to their ho!es? the ref'gees
in O1ford were ordered bac< to their places of origin Aetters
patent were addressed to the a'thorities in the principal cities
where the disorders had ta<en place) bidding procla!ation to be
!ade that the Jews !ight ret'rn and res'!e their acti6ities
peaceably) with twenty*fo'r citi(ens in each place as g'arantors
responsible for their protection fro! f'rther !olestation The
Jewish chirographs were as far as possible reasse!bled and the
Jewish archae renewed? and instr'ctions were gi6en for those
records which were still e1tant to be cons'lted to see whether it
was feasible to retrie6e the hea6y losses s'ffered Towards the
end of the winter) nor!al conditions were so far re*established
that it was possible for the J'stices of the Jews to res'!e their
sessions "5ebr'ary #+,8& >; Jet at the sa!e ti!e the dangero's
and 'necono!ic precedent was followed of rewarding (ealo's
adherents of the new regi!e by cancelling their debts @hen the
Aord Edward) the <ing;s son) to who! the Jewries of the real!
had been pledged in #+,+) >oined the opposition to .ontfort)
Henry was forced by the latter to res'!e his no!inal control)
forbidding any !oney to be paid to his son;s representati6es or
obedience gi6en to the J'stices who! he had recently
appointed ><
:e .ontfort;s defeat in the s'!!er of #+,8 initiated a !ore
settled state of affairs A new effort was now !ade to strengthen
the position of the Jews9not fro! altr'istic !oti6es so !'ch as
in anticipation of the benefit which wo'ld accr'e Persons who
had fled o6erseas were enco'raged to ret'rn Edward was
per!itted to res'!e control of the Jewries) which were restored
in !atters regarding b'siness transactions to the position that
had obtained before the Battle of Aewes All .ontfort;s acts of
pardon to Christian debtors were re6o<ed) the Jews being
enabled to clai! their debts as before "notwithstanding the
destr'ction of the archae& if reasonable proof were forthco!ing
A cler< was appointed to s'per6ise their writs and records
Special protection was gi6en to the co!!'nities of @ilton)
Ca!bridge) and Aondon in consideration of the hea6y losses
which they had recently s'stained) a n'!ber of citi(ens in each
place being again no!inated to safeg'ard the! Those of
Bedford as a body) as well as !any indi6id'als elsewhere)
recei6ed a pro!ise that none of their Christian debtors sho'ld be
pardoned by the royal a'thority for fi6e years In consideration of
a cash pay!ent of K#)222 in #+,%) the <ing pledged hi!self that
no f'rther tallage sho'ld be i!posed for the ne1t three years)
'nless he or his son sho'ld go on cr'sade At the sa!e ti!e)
se6eral indi6id'als who had been of ser6ice d'ring the recent
tro'bles were gi6en special protection) and others i!po6erished
in the wars had their debts to the Crown re!itted Th's the
Jewries of the real! were afforded a breathing*space in which to
rec'perate >=
The partial reco6ery was a'to!atically followed by a re*
cr'descence of co!plaint 5or a long ti!e past) discontent had
been rife "as has been seen& in conne1ion with the loans !ade by
Jews on the sec'rity of land If the debt were not repaid) their
si!plest co'rse was to dispose of the clai! to so!e Christian
!agnate) who did not scr'ple to foreclose Th's there was a
tendency for pri6ate estates) and therewith !ilitary power) to
beco!e !ore and !ore concentrated in the hands of the great
landowners) the increase in whose infl'ence was highly 'n*
welco!e to the Crown Alternati6ely) either debtor or creditor
!ight see< the assistance of the Ch'rch by selling or
s'rrendering his title The reasons wo'ld) of co'rse) be
dia!etrically oppositeD in the one case it was to e6ade repay!ent)
in the other to sec're it B't so far as the interests of the State
were concerned the res'lt was identical9the loss of fe'dal d'es
and abo6e all of !ilitary ser6ice
Hence the !ere fact of the lending of !oney by Jews to
i!pro6ident landowners constit'ted) thro'gh no fa'lt of theirs) a
national proble! At inter6als d'ring the past thirty years or
!ore) half*hearted atte!pts had been !ade to cope with
it >> The restoration of peace bro'ght the ='estion forward
again in an accent'ated for! The Jews) on the 6erge of r'in)
pressed their legal clai!s with a deter!ination hitherto 'n's'al)
beca'se i!politicD the Crown) deter!ined to assist their financial
reco6ery) abstained fro! granting debtors those concessions
which had for!erly ser6ed as a safety*6al6e Edward) the heir to
the throne) whose infl'ence in affairs of state had co!e to be
preponderant) reali(ed that if the !onarchy were to be strong)
and the power of the great !agnates c'rbed) steps !'st be ta<en
to cope with this proble! @ith his brother Ed!'nd he placed
hi!self at the head of those who de!anded refor!) thereby
attaining !'ch pop'larity a!ong the lesser baronage The res'lt
was the enact!ent of the Pro6isions of Jewry) which were
deli6ered at the E1che='er by @alter de .erton in Jan'ary #+,%
No debts whatsoe6er !ight be contracted in f't're with Jews on
the sec'rity of lands held in fee? all obligations of the sort already
registered were cancelled? the transference to a Christian of a
debt th's sec'red was to be treated as a capital offence? and
debts of any other nat're co'ld henceforth be disposed of to a
third party only by special licence) and on condition that the
principal only) witho't any interest) was e1acted >9
Th's pre6ented fro! reali(ing loans !ade on the sec'rity of
land) the Jews so'ght co!pensation in a different direction) so as
to be able to li='idate past transactions witho't loss Hitherto)
when a !ortgage fell in) they had often held property in their
own na!e for a short while Now they atte!pted to reg'lari(e
and e1tend this practice They accordingly presented a petition
re='esting per!ission to hold !anors) with all the c'sto!ary
fe'dal ;incidents; en>oyed by Christian landowners At the sa!e
ti!e they sec'red a re*confir!ation of their traditional Charter
of Pri6ileges first granted a cent'ry and a half before) in which
the right to hold land was e1pressly g'aranteed 97 The !atter
ca!e to a head conte!poraneo'sly in an act'al case) when the
financial !agnate and s'bse='ent arch*presbyter) Co< Hagin fil;
:e'lecresse of Aondon) was for!ally enfeoffed by one of his
debtors with the !anor of Childewic<) in spite of the efforts of
the !onastery of St Albans to obtain possession He was
pre6ented fro! entering into occ'pation) and a laws'it followed)
in which the !onastery was s'ccessf'l In the royal co'ncil a
strong body of opinion 9infl'enced) as was ine6itably alleged) by
bribery9fa6o'red the application Ne6ertheless) in the end
"largely thro'gh the infl'ence of a !inorite friar) Henry of
@odstone& the opposition tri'!phed 91 Not only was the
petition of the Jews re>ected) b't it was deter!ined to clarify the
position and to c'rtail the pri6ileges which they had en>oyed in
6irt'e of their traditional Charter for the past cent'ry and a half
A new law was enacted forbidding the! to ha6e free holdings
henceforth in any !anor or lands) whether by charter) by gift) or
by enfeoff!ent E6en in cities they !ight in f't're possess no
ho'ses e1cept those in the personal occ'pation of the owner) or
let by hi! to other Jews In the e6ent of any disp'te arising o't of
property th's held) proceedings were allowed only before the
J'stices of the Jews) and not as in other cases by writ of
Chancery Aands already in Jewish occ'pation were to be 6acated
i!!ediately) on the pay!ent of the capital of the loans for which
they ser6ed as sec'rity) witho't any interest " J'ly +8th)
I+/#& 95 As a res'lt of these !eas'res) the econo!ic acti6ities of
the Jews were greatly restricted 5orbidden to lend !oney at
interest on landed sec'rity) whether to nobles or to citi(ens "who
co'ld at that ti!e offer little else&) they co'ld no longer engage in
any !a>or transaction At a stro<e their stat's was 6irt'ally
red'ced to that of pawnbro<ers
E6en before this) their i!po6erish!ent had gone far It had not
been so easy for the! to reco6er fro! the s'ccession of blows
which they had recei6ed at the ti!e of the Barons; @ars and
d'ring the pre6io's !isr'le On the depart're of Edward on his
cr'sade in #+/#) as his father;s dep'ty) a co!parati6ely !oderate
tallage of ,)222 !ar<s towards the e1penses had been i!posed
on the! The a!o'nt they co'ld raise fell short by one*third of
this total The re!ainder was ad6anced by -ichard of Cornwall)
<ing of the -o!ans) to who! the Jews were assigned once !ore
for one year as sec'rityD on the last occasion when they had been
pledged with hi! it had been for nearly three ti!es as !'ch
On -ichard;s death) not long before his own) Henry too< the Jews
again into his own hand and laid 'pon the! a tallage of 8)222
!ar<s) of which one*fifth was assigned to the <ing;s p'r6eyor for
his disb'rse!ents for the royal table 9: After a little ti!e fierce
!eas'res were adopted to e1act the arrears of this le6y All who
co'ld not f'rnish sec'rity to pay within fo'r !onths "they
incl'ded the entire co!!'nity of Hereford& were thrown into
>ail @hen the ti!e*li!it had elapsed) those e6en part of whose
d'es were still o'tstanding were held ;at the Ging;s !ercy;) with
their fa!ilies and chattels9red'ced) that is) to beggary and
serfdo! 94 Aarge n'!bers were i!prisoned in the Tower and
elsewhere) in the hope that their s'fferings wo'ld help the! to
recollect so!e 'ntapped reser6e E6en the Jews; opponents) the
5riars) and their ri6als) the Cahorsins) are said to ha6e pitied
their lot on this occasion Jet hardly was this transaction
co!pleted when they were re*entr'sted to Ed!'nd of Al!ain)
-ichard of Cornwall;s son) so that the resid'e of the +)222 !ar<s
d'e to hi! !ight be e1tracted 9; This typical !eas're was one
of the last in Henry;s long reign He died in No6e!ber #+/+)
lea6ing his s'ccessor) instead of the prospero's Jewry which he
hi!self had fo'nd on e!erging fro! his !inority) a r'ined
co!!'nity) the condition of which was one of the !ost serio's
proble!s of the following years
%ootnotes
Chapter E
# C- #+#/) p E#E) Hc 5or the Jews 'nder Henry III) see
especially Adler) J.E) which deals !ainly with this
period) and Bibl A 3 #
+ They were) howe6er) re*enacted separately later onD see
below) p 8+
E P- #+#/) pp 8%) %8) %$) #28
3 C- #+#$) pp E83b) E8/) E8%
8 P- #+#$) p #8/) LS'ha!toniaQ i!plies Ha!pshire9ie
@inchester
, P- #+#$) p #$2) The last i!portant infl'1 see!s to ha6e
been in conse='ence of the e1p'lsion fro! Brittany in
#+E% "-EJ 1i6) $,& The 5lores Historiar'!) ii) +#$)
spea< of Italian "and SpanishM& see<ing ref'ge in England
in #+E,) b't the persec'tion alledged to be responsible for
this i!!igration is recorded nowhere else
/ C- #+#$) p E/$, To6ey) Anglia >'daica) p /%) followed
after two cent'ries by !odern historians "Norgate)
.inority of Henry III) p %/) and) with f'rther ded'ctions)
7ibbs and Aang) Bishops and -efor!) #+#8*#+/+) pp #E3*
/) Hc&) states that the inno6ation was intended to sa6e the
Jews fro! !olestation? b't there is no a'thority for this
interpretation which) in 6iew of what is <nown of the
history and ob>ects of the Badge thro'gho't E'rope) is
abs'rd 5or the instit'tion as it obtained in England) see
below) pp %8*,
$ The !ost (ealo's of the English bishops was apparently
@illia! de Blois) bishop of @orcester) who as early as
#+#% forbade the Jews to e!ploy Christian n'rses or
ser6ants) to ta<e sacred ob>ects in pledge) to lend o't on
's'ry !oneys recei6ed fro! non*Jews) or to contin'e to
deposit their property in ch'rches for safe*<eeping
"@il<ins) Concilia .agnae Britanniae) i 8/2*#& These
constit'tions were repeated by the sa!e prelate ten years
later "ibid) p ,+,& and by his s'ccessor @alter de
Cantel'pe in #+32 in !'ch the sa!e for!) with an
additional cla'se forbidding resort to Jewish soothsayers
"ibid) pp ,/#) ,/8& B't it is not easy to 'nderstand why
there sho'ld ha6e been s'ch interest in the Jews in this
dioceseD see below) p #E2
% P -#+#$) p#8/The clerical antagonis! is not li<ely to
ha6e been !ini!i(ed by an alleged atte!pt of a Jew to
defra'd the Prior of :'nstable "who had recently
per!itted a few of the! to li6e within his lordship on
pay!ent of a no!inal trib'te& by forging a bond for K/29
in bad Aatin) it appears) which added Ins'lt to in>'ry The
forger;s co*religionists sa6ed hi! fro! the gallows by a
pay!ent of K#22) le6ied in #++#D see To6ey) Anglia
J'daica) pp $8 s==) Trs J H SE) 1i) %/*%
#2 -oyal Aetters) iE8 5or so!e transactions of Isaac of
Norwich see C- #+#$) P E,/? #+#%) p #$2) and passi!?
:a6is Shertaroth) pp +*3 and +3*,? and Adler) J.E)
frontispiece and pp +2) #3,
## Bibl) A3 ,/
#+ The :eacon of O1ford is so!eti!es identified with -obert
of -eading) abo't who! a si!ilar tale is told? b't the
latter see!s to ha6e belonged to a later generation See
below p $E
#E @il<ins) Concilia) i 8%#*+ "XX 111i1) 1l&
#3 C- #++E) p 8,/ There see!s to ha6e been
'npleasantness elsewhere in England at this ti!e In the
spring of #++# the Jews of Jor< once !ore re='ested the
royal protection "P- #++#) p +%2&? and) the ne1t year)
those of Sta!ford were arrested on a charge "which the
a'thorities in Aondon do not see! to ha6e ta<en too
serio'sly& of !a<ing a ga!e in !oc<ery of the Christian
faith "C- #+++) p 3%#D fro! the dates) it see!s probable
that a !isinterpretation of a P'ri! !as='erade was
responsible for this charge&
#8 The site is now occ'pied by the @est!inster Ban< in
Threadneedle Street) nearly opposite the -oyal E1change
The b'ilding was long <nown as St Anthony;s Hospital
#, Adler) J.E) pp +/% s== Aegally) con6erts fro! J'dais!
forfeited to the crown all their property) as ha6ing been
ac='ired by the sinf'l !eans of 's'ry :estit'te as they
were) a hostel was indispensable 7enerally) howe6er) the
E1che='er wai6ed part of its rights in s'ch cases The
acco'nt repeated by !ost historians of the establish!ent
of a si!ilar Ho!e for Con6erted Jews at O1ford in #++#) is
based on a !isinterpretation ".iscJHSE) ii +% s==&D
tho'gh there was one at Bristol) as early as ##83 "Adler)
J.E) pp #$E) +$#&
#/ Apart fro! an inter!ittent atte!pt which contin'ed till
#++# to collect the re!nants of the Bristol Tallage "Adler)
J.E) p +28D cf 5- #+E8) p #/3& and the le6y of an
'nspecified a!o'nt in #+#%) when s'reties were sent to
Aondon for i!prison!ent "Sto<es) St'dies) pp +82*#&) the
tallages in these years consisted of #)222 !ar<s in #++#
towards the dowry of the <ing;s sister) E)222 in #++E)
8)222 in #++3*8 "when the rest of the real! paid the <ing
one*fifteenth in ret'rn for the confir!ation of .agna
Carta&) E)822 in #++8) and 3)222 in #++,D the grad'al
increase is significant
#$ See the repeated e1a!ples in 7ascon -olls) 6ol i
#% eg Isaac of Norwich "P- #+E#) P 38E? -ot 5in #+E+) p
++,& or Aaron of Jor< "P- #+E8) p %E& A pro!ise that
on his ret'rn fro! 7ascony the <ing wo'ld !a<e
pro6ision for lightening the b'rden on certain hard*
pressed !e!bers of the co!!'nity "C- #+E2) p 3E%&
does not see! to ha6e had any practical o'tco!e
+2Adler) J.E) p +##
+# See Note III "a&) pp +/2*#
++ . Pairs) Cron .a> iii 83E? .isc JHSE ii #/*#%? infra)
p 88
+E C- #+32) p +E$
+3 C- #+3#) p +,$
+8 In this year) too) donations were obtained fro! wealthy
indi6id'als to defray the e1penses of the ='een;s childbed
"C - #+3#) p +%2&
+, . Paris) Chron .a> i6 E//*$? see below) p 88
+/ P- #+338 p 338? PEJ p /3
+$C- #+33) p +/8
+% C- #+33) p E/#
E2C- #+8#) p 833? . Paris) Chron .a> 6 ##3*#,) Hist
Angl iii /,
E# P- #+82) pp ,3) /# ". Paris dates this le6y in #+8E&
E+ C- #+8E) p E$, The a!o'nt incl'ded #)222 !ar<s
ad6anced by -ichard of Cornwall) who fro! this date
beca!e !ore and !ore interested in the financial
ad!inistration of Jewry
EE Elias le E6es<e "for who! see Sto<es) St'dies) p E2& has
been conf'sed with .agister Elias fil; .agister .oses "ie
-abbi Eli>ah .enahe!D infra) pp ##3) #+/& of Aondon)
whose brother Hagin was the other;s s'ccessor B't the
two are !entioned indi6id'ally in the sa!e doc'!ent
"Sto<es) p ,&) while .agister Elias) who died in #+$3) is
spo<en of as a professing Jew long after his na!esa<e;s
e6ent'al apostasy
E3 . Paris) Hist Angl iii EE3? C- #+88) pp ++/) +EE
E8 . Paris) Hist Angl iii ##8? P- #+88) pp 322) 3E%
E, P- #+,+) p +EE? C- #+,+) p /%? Selected Cases before
the Ging;s Bench) Edward I "Selden Society&) 6ol ii p
c1l6i s=
E/ P- #+,E) p +,E
E$ P- #+8/) p 8,+
E% Trs JHSE 1ii #EE) E2%? Adler) J.E) p #3$
32C- #+38) p +%+
3# 5or the career of Aaron of Jor< "d #+,$& see Adler;s 6ery
f'll st'dy) J.E) PP #+/*/E He is belie6ed to ha6e
pro6ided the !oney for the 5i6e Sisters window in Jor<
.inster
3+ . Adler) ;The Testi!ony of Aondon Jewry against the
.inisters of Henry III;) in Trs JHSE) 1i6 #3+*$8
3E C-) #+3,) p 3#,
33 C- #+3%) pp #,E) #,8) #/8) #//) #/%) #$2
38 . Paris) Chron .a> 6 +,#) E+2) E38 The e1a!ple of the
central ad!inistration of the Jewish E1che='er was
nat'rally followed at the local archae) where e6ery now
and again s'spected chirographers had to be re!o6ed9
eg at @ilton in #+8, "C- #+8, p #8&
3, Sto<es) St'dies) pp E*##? P- #+8/) pp 8/2*#? Ch- #+8$)
p $
3/ C- #+E3) P 8%+
3$C- #+E$) p ##% It sho'ld be re!e!bered that s'ch
reg'lations did not necessarily !ean that the practices
stopped? the sa!e co!plaints and restrictions periodically
rec'r 'ntil the Jews were e1pelled
3% C- #+3#) p 828
82 P- #+8#) p /8? #+8+) p #,3 Hitherto) the ecclesiastical
reg'lations had not been enforced consistently) 'nless the
debtor were on good ter!s with those in a'thority So at
least .aster -obert of 7lo'cester "not 7lo6er) as in the
English translation in 7ray(el) The Ch'rch and the Jews)
pp +E#*E& asserted in #+E/ to pope 7regory I4 a!ong his
other co!plaints against the Archbishop of Canterb'ry
"A'6ray) -egistres de 7regoire I4) X E3#%&
8# C- #+E8) p +#3 C- #+3$) pp ,3) ##3) +#,
8+ . Paris) Chron .a> iii #,#*E) 0 E3#
8E Bibl A$ #/%? . Paris) Chron .a> i6 Eo? -oger of
@endo6er) iii tot? -igg) PEJ) pp) 1li6 s==? C- #+32)
pp #,$*/8 5 Aieber!ann "EH- 16ii 883& obser6es that
the deposition against the Jews shows at least one gross lie
and three self*contradictions
83 Bibl A$ #/% It see!s that there were f'rther anti*Jewish
riots at Norwich three years later) 'nless the In='isition of
#+E$ abo't the fire raised in the Jewry "op cit) p EE#&
refers to the earlier disorders
88 C- #+E3) p #E
8, C- #+E8) p E+%? #+38) P E/$
8/ C- #+E,) p EE3
8$ J de O1enedes) p #,3? Bart de Coton) p ##$ It is possible
that this sho'ld be connected with the p'blication of the
bene6olent papal edict of Septe!ber #+E8 "7ray(el) op
cit) pp ++$) +E#&) which) howe6er) was not specifically
addressed to England
8% @il<ins Concilia) i ,/#) ,/8) ,/,) ,%E) /#%) /E%) /8#?
7rosseteste) Epistolae) ed A'ard) pp E#/*#$ "8+33M&
,2The papal instr'ctions concerning this were specifically
addressed also to Henry III and the English ecclesiastical
a'thorities "7ray(el) op cit) pp +32*E& and it is
i!probable that they were neglected) tho'gh positi6e
e6idence is lac<ing
,# C- #+3+) p 3,3? infra) pp ##,*#/
,+ C- 8+3,) p 3/8
,E . Paris) Hist Angl iii #2E? 5lor Hist ii E/,) iii +/3
,3 See Note III "b&) pp +/#*+
,8 S'pra) p 38 The ta1 bro'ght in ,2)222 !ar<s) according
to .atthew Paris? see Adler) J.E) pp #3+*E
,, Ibid) p +$/? s'pra) P 38
,/ See Note III "c&) p +/+
,$According to the B'rton Annalist "Ann .onast i E3,*/&
it was the :o!inicans who inter6ened
,% 5or the Aincoln Blood Acc'sation) see the wor<s listed in
Bibl A$ #8/*,E
/2 The edict is reprod'ced in facsi!ile in Jrs 6 3#
/# C- #+E3) pp 3,,) 8#8? #+E3*/) pp +2) ++8) 3+8? #+3E) p
83% These e1p'lsions were not necessarily finalD there
was an archa again at @arwic< in #+,#
/+ Adler) J.E) p $E? .isc JHSE iii /,*%
/E -igg) PEJ) p 1l6iii s=
/3 -ashdall) Bni6ersities of E'rope in the .iddle Ages "ed
#%E,&) iii $8 Tho'gh forty*fi6e of the rioters were
arrested) the episode res'lted in the reg'lation of the
interest chargeable to st'dents and the recognition of the
right of the chancellor to >'risdiction in cases arising o't
of s'ch transactions
/8 Adler) J.E) pp /$*%
/, . Paris) Chron .a> i6 E,/
// Petition of the Barons) in St'bbs;s Select Charters) X 440 ?
Pro6isions of O1ford) ibid tit :e 6esc'ntes? Ann .on i
38#) 3/$
/$ P- #+,#) p #8, Ao6el and Passelewe reappear at the
Jewish E1che='er at the close of the reign "7ross) 'bi
s'pra) pp +#/*#$&
/% Ann .on ii tot) 382? i6
$2Ibid ii +E2
$# S Salfeld) :as .artyrologi'! des NVrnberger
.e!orb'ches "Berlin) I$%$&) p #8E Hc
$+eg at Sittingbo'rne in GentD Eg i #E+*E
$E C- #+,3) pp $+*E? #+,8) p ,,? -y!er) i 33#? P- #+,3)
p E,E After the o'tbrea< at @orcester on .arch +%th)
#+,3 "Ann .on i6 33%&) the archa was carried off by the
Earl of :erby to one of his castles The ringleader of the
dist'rbances at Northa!pton was arraigned a
considerable ti!e afterwards) b't the Jews preferred not
to prosec'teD H'nter) -ot'li Selecti) p +#2
$3-igg) PEJ) pp 1116ii) +) /,? Holinshed) History) iii +/+?
5lor Hist iii #3? Sto<es) St'dies) pp #,o*+ There see!s
to ha6e been 6iolence at Bristol alsoD Adler) J.E) p ++2
$8 P- #+,3) pp E++ "Aondon&) E+E "@inchester&) 3+#
"Aincoln& ? C- #+,8) pp #g) 3+) $+*E After the disorders
the Jews failed to re*establish the!sel6es in so!e of the
s!aller centres Th's in #+/+ the sheriff of S'sse1
reported that the Jews of Ar'ndel and Aewes ;ha6e
nothing sa6e e!pty ho'ses) and are no longer in his
bailiwic<; "7ross in Papers AJHE) p #%2&
$,C- #+,8) pp E+) ,+
$/ C- #+,8) p #3/? #+,%) p E38? P- #+,8) p 3E ? #+,,) pp
#E) +#
$$Abo6e) pp 8+*E) ,2
$%Te1t in -igg) PEJ) p 1l6iii? P- #+,%) p E/,? C- #+,%)
p tot? -ed Boo< of E1che='er) iii %/$D the prea!ble
specifically !entions that the Pro6isions had been decided
'pon by the <ing ;par le conseil Sire Eadward) son f'i(
esnee; B't his attit'de was highly inconsistentD the first
recipients of a licence to ac='ire Jewish debts)
notwithstanding the Pro6isions) were a yeo!an of
Edward;s) his wife;s tailor) and his agent Stephen
Penchester "P- #+,%) p E8%? #+/2) p 332& A fresh
inspection of the Chirograph Chests at this ti!e "P-
#+,%) p E$+& was probably intended to pre6ent e6asion of
the new reg'lations
%2Ch- ii #,3 "5ebr'ary +Erd) #+/#&
%# Aittle in Collectanea 5ranciscans) ii #82*/D cf P- #+/+) p
,33
%+ Te1t in -igg) PEJ) pp i9i6
%E Ibid) p 1116iii
%3 Ibid) p /o? P- #+/+) p ,,2
%8 P- #+/+) p ,/# The b'rden was increased by the corr'pt
practices of the J'stices of the Jews) Sir -obert de
5'lha!) @illia! de @atford) and @illia! de Th'rleaston)
who were re!o6ed fro! office this yearD the te!ptations
see! to ha6e been irresistible
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter 3
*he )#3ulsion
15=5-97
At the ti!e of his accession Edward I was still in the East)
engaged in his cr'sade against the Saracen He ret'rned to
England two years later) in #+/3) to find hi!self confronted with
the proble! of the Jew The conse='ences of the policy of his
father;s last years were by now apparent The co!!'nities of the
real! were all b't r'ined Constant e1actions had beg'n the
wor<D it had been co!pleted by the recent enact!ents which
!ade i!possible financial operations on a large scale .any
debtors) who co'ld well afford to pay what they owed) had been
e!boldened to e6ade their d'es) with so little conceal!ent that
the go6ern!ent had to inter6ene 1 A tallage of #+)822 !ar<s
"now only considered e='i6alent to one*third of their property&
which had been i!posed by the Co'ncil of -egency d'ring the
new <ing;s absence) with the se6ere !ethods that had beco!e
recogni(ed as nor!al) had failed to reali(e the a!o'nt
anticipated) notwithstanding the inspection of the chirograph*
chests which as 's'al had preceded it Se6eral once*affl'ent
financiers had to sell their ho'ses in order to !eet their
obligations E6en so) the arrears were so great that) on No6e!ber
#st) #+/3) it was fo'nd necessary to appoint a special co!!ission
to e1act the! Those 'nable to pay were banished) in confor!ity
with the old idea that Jews were tolerated in England only if they
co'ld be of benefit to the Crown 5 S'ch desperate !ethods
co'ld not be repeated indefinitely It was ob6io's that the general
condition of the Jewish co!!'nities called 'rgently for refor!
Conte!porary e6ents abroad indicated one !anner in which this
!ight be effected In the year of the <ing;s ret'rn) the Co'ncil of
Ayons) 'nder the sti!'l's of Pope 7regory 4) 'rged the Christian
world to greater efforts against the sin of 's'ry) and pere!ptorily
de!anded that no co!!'nity) corporation) or indi6id'al sho'ld
contin'e to tolerate those who followed this heino's practice)
whether they were nati6e*born or foreign Edward) loyal son of
the Ch'rch that he was) too< i!!ediate steps to p't this policy
into e1ec'tion) ordering an in='iry to be !ade into the 's'rio's
acti6ities of the 5lorentine ban<ers) who had been carrying on
their acti6ities in the <ingdo! since #++E : Ne1t he t'rned his
attention to the Jews9with an a'sterity that !ost of his
conte!poraries wo'ld ha6e regarded as e1cessi6e since) as
;infidels;) they were not considered to be bo'nd by canon law in
the sa!e way as professing Christians 5or nearly two cent'ries
the Jewish financiers had been enco'raged to carry on their
acti6ities in England for the benefit of the Crown Now)
i!po6erished as they were) their 'tility co'ld be o6erloo<ed
Accordingly) Henry III;s policy of restricting Jewish acti6ities)
and the Ch'rch;s of s'ppressing 's'ry) were co!bined and
carried to their logical concl'sion) in an atte!pt to pre6ent the
Jews fro! lending !oney at interest on whate6er sec'rity) and to
di6ert their energies into prod'cti6e channels
The conception was not altogether a new one 5orty years before)
when the Jews had been e1pelled fro! Aeicester by Si!on de
.ontfort) a !o6e!ent had been set on foot by the Co'ntess of
@inchester and other landowners to ad!it the ref'gees to their
estates) where they wo'ld be enco'raged to wor< with their
hands This proposal was s'b!itted to -obert 7rosseteste)
afterwards bishop of Aincoln) whose appro6al it recei6ed? b't it
does not see! to ha6e had any practical o'tco!e 4 .ore
recently Tho!as A='inas had 'rged si!ilar action 'pon the
:'chess of Brabant ;If r'lers thin< they har! their so'ls by
ta<ing !oney fro! 's'rers;) he wrote) ; they sho'ld see that
the Jews are co!pelled to labo'r; ; The sa!e idea had entered
the !ind of Ao'is I4 of 5rance) who in #+8E sent ho!e
instr'ctions fro! the Holy Aand that all Jews sho'ld lea6e his
do!inions) e1cept those who beca!e traders or too< 'p !an'al
toil < This pro>ect does not see! to ha6e been carried into effect
It was therefore left for Edward I to atte!pt to apply) for the first
ti!e) a radical sol'tion to the Jewish proble! in accordance with
the ideas of his day
The Stat't'! de J'deis!o was iss'ed at @orcester in the
Co!!on Co'ncil of the -eal! in #+/8 = By it Jews were
absol'tely forbidden) as Christians were) to lend !oney at
interest Any person of whate6er faith entering in f't're into a
's'rio's contract) whether as borrower or lender) wo'ld be liable
to p'nish!ent) and s'ch agree!ents wo'ld no longer be
enforceable at law O'tstanding transactions were to be wo'nd
'p as soon as possible and pledges in Jewish hands redee!ed by
the following Easter) while no interest !ight henceforth be
charged on for!er loans Stringent r'les were laid down li!iting
the right of distraint on land) no reco6ery being per!issible on
acco'nt of interest) and only one*half of the debtor;s property
"which e6en so !ight not incl'de his chief residence& for the
principal As a f'rther preca'tion the alienation of real estate by
Jews witho't special licence was forbidden >
The prohibition of 's'ry left the! witho't any !eans of
li6elihood The restrictions were therefore acco!panied by
concessions 5or the first ti!e in English history they were
e!powered to beco!e !erchants and artisans) and for this
p'rpose "tho'gh for no other& to enter into free interco'rse with
Christians They were) !oreo6er) a'thori(ed "tho'gh this licence
was to e1pire after fifteen years& to lease lands for tillage and
far!ing for ter!s not e1ceeding one decade Si!'ltaneo'sly) as
tho'gh to i!press the fact that these concessions did not i!ply
any i!pro6e!ent in general stat's) 6ario's intolerant
restrictions were renewed Jews were to be allowed to li6e only in
towns 'nder direct royal a'thority) and only where chirograph*
chests "now s'perfl'o's& had for!erly e1isted The obligation to
wear the badge of sha!e was e1tended to all persons) of either
se1) fro! the age of se6en 'pwards 9 while those abo6e twel6e
years of age were to pay ann'ally at Eastertide a poll*ta1 of three
pence
I!!ediately after the pro!'lgation of the Stat'te the
representati6es of the Jewish co!!'nities of the real! !et
together to consider its effects) and drew 'p a long petition
i!ploring the <ing and Co'ncil to !odify certain details It was
ine='itable) they pleaded) that if a debtor died witho't heirs and
his estate de6ol6ed 'pon the o6erlord) or if he had nothing to
offer as sec'rity sa6e his principal residence) the right of distraint
sho'ld be restricted Notwithstanding the new prohibition poor
Jews o'ght to be allowed to dispose of their ho'ses to their
wealthy co*religionists) rather than be forced to tear the! down
for the sa<e of the b'ilding*!aterial As far as the licence to trade
was concerned) it was !eaningless Jews co'ld not tra6el abo't
safely) as Christians co'ld) nor was there any li<elihood that they
wo'ld be paid if they ga6e credit Hence they wo'ld ha6e to b'y
dearer and sell dearer than other !en) and in s'ch circ'!stances
co'ld not hope to !a<e a li6ing The petition closed with a
pathetic plea for !ercy) that the s'pplicants !ight contin'e to
li6e peaceably 'nder Edward as they had done 'nder his
predecessors since the Con='est 17
This caref'lly reasoned appeal had no effect) e1cept perhaps in
so!e relati6e tri6ialities "There is so!e e6idence) for e1a!ple)
that o'tstanding transactions were not i!!ediately wo'nd 'p
after all& 5or it was not in its details) b't rather in its spirit) that
the Stat't'! de J'deis!o was i!practicable On the s'rface it
was a well*!eaning and indeed conscientio's atte!pt to
e!ancipate the Jews econo!ically Jet it did not go far eno'gh
Bnder !edie6al no less than 'nder !odern conditions) econo!ic
e!ancipation was i!possible witho't social e!ancipation .en
cannot transact b'siness 'nless they !eet as e='als? !erchants
cannot !a<e a li6ing if there is a lac< of 'nderstanding with their
c'sto!ers? artisans need a friendly en6iron!ent in which to
ser6e their apprenticeship) to practise their craft) and to dispose
of their prod'ctions All this was e1pressly e1cl'ded by the ter!s
of the Stat'te) which affir!ed and e1tended "instead of
!odifying& the for!er discri!ination) and forbade the Jews to be
;le6ant and co'chant; a!ongst the general pop'lation In the
towns) b'ying and selling was confined to b'rgesses 5or Jews to
be ad!itted to their n'!ber was already highly
e1ceptional? 11 b't it was now e1pressly forbidden) on the gro'nd
that they were the <ing;s 6assals To enter the 7ild .erchant
which controlled trade) or the Craft 7ilds which controlled
ind'stry) was si!ilarly o't of the ='estion? for these bodies)
besides ha6ing a definite religio's aspect) pres'pposed feelings of
social sy!pathy absent between Jew and Christian .oreo6er)
the Jews were deliberately and e1pressly e1cl'ded fro! the
protection gi6en to !erchants) nati6e and foreign) by the fa!o's
Stat'te of Acton B'rnell in #+$E 15 In far!ing) these precise
diffic'lties did not apply Ne6ertheless) r'ral solit'de had no
attraction for !en whose li6es were 'nder constant !enace)
while any sense of sec'rity and per!anence was !ade ='ite
i!possible by the li!itation of the e1peri!ent to a period so
short that it wo'ld barely ha6e s'fficed for the necessary training
The restriction of residence to a few 'rban centres constit'ted yet
another obstacle) which sho'ld ha6e been ob6io's eno'ghD yet it
was aggra6ated by periodical orders) beginning in #+//) for the
arrest of those persons not li6ing in the handf'l of a'thori(ed
Jewries 1: "perhaps in conse='ence of the report of H'gh of
:igne'eton) who in that year was co!!issioned to in6estigate
how far the new reg'lations were being obeyed&. 14 To change in
short the Jew;s !anner of life while he re!ained s'b>ect to the
sa!e insec'rity) the sa!e pre>'dices) and the sa!e
differentiation as before was an i!possible tas<
.oreo6er) notwithstanding his pio's resol6e to reno'nce the
so'rce of re6en'e so profitably e1ploited by his father) the <ing
contin'ed to i!pose e1traordinary le6ies on his Jewish s'b>ects
as tho'gh their wealth were 'ndi!inished Al!ost
si!'ltaneo'sly with the enact!ent of the Stat't'! de J'deis!o)
on No6e!ber +3) #+/8) instr'ctions were iss'ed to seal the
chirograph*chests) as a preli!inary to the e1action of a last
tallage on the old basis -'ined by the new legislation) the greater
n'!ber of the Jews were 'nable to pay) tho'gh the a!o'nt was
co!parati6ely !oderate In the following year all those whose
d'es were o'tstanding were i!prisoned once again) their chattels
sold for the benefit of the Treas'ry) and their wi6es and children
deported o6erseas 1; Notwithstanding the diffic'lties on this
occasion) in #+//*$ a f'rther tallage of E)222 !ar<s was i!posed)
and others followed at inter6als The J'stices of the Jews were
<ept in being) rapacio'sly acti6e? and the new poll*ta1) rigoro'sly
e1acted) was no negligible b'rden for the poor 5or the Jews to
obtain !oney to satisfy these de!ands by the econo!ic acti6ities
to which they were now confined by law was i!possible
Edward;s well*!eaning e1peri!ent hence ended in fail're A
n'!ber of the wealthier financiers were able to t'rn to wholesale
trade in corn and wool9co!!odities on which they had
pre6io'sly been acc'sto!ed to !a<e ad6ances) and in which they
had traded when forced to foreclose In pro6incial centres this
branch of acti6ity pro6ed partic'larly attracti6e) Jews of Bristol)
Canterb'ry) E1eter) and Hereford engaging largely in the corn*
trade) while at Aincoln) Norwich) and O1ford they were interested
also in wool 1< Aicences to trade were iss'ed also to a n'!ber of
notable Aondoners It was relati6ely easy) too) for so!e of the
for!er pledge*bro<ers to deal in trin<ets and >ewellery) as they
had do'btless done pre6io'sly when the occasion offered B't
only a 6ery few persons rented lands for the stip'lated period)
and if the case of the ill*fated Abraha! fil; :e'lecresse of
Norwich was typical) it was for the sa<e of wood*c'tting rather
than agric'lt're 1=
The poorer) howe6er) were in !any cases faced with star6ation)
finding their old so'rce of li6elihood c't off and the s'bstit'tes
offered ill'sory So!e are said to ha6e ta<en to highway robbery
Others) less ad6ent'ro's) were dri6en to apostasy) the n'!ber of
in!ates of the :o!'s Con6ersor'! in Aondon rising s'ddenly to
nearly one h'ndred 1> Aarge n'!bers saw no alternati6e b't to
carry on their old profession Clandestinely) a6ailing the!sel6es
of the de6ices in6ented by Christian 's'rers to e6ade canon law9
the ;false che6isa'nce;) or !a<ing o't agree!ents for larger s'!s
than had act'ally been lent) or 6eiling the nat're of the
transaction by stating it in ter!s of co!!odities) or charging a
;co'rtesy; instead of interest .any) on the other hand) forbidden
to !a<e any profitable 'se of their capital in a legal fashion)
endea6o'red to e<e a li6ing o't of it illegally by ;clipping; the
coinageD that is) filing the edges and p'tting it bac< into
circ'lation while !elting the clippings into b'llion It was an
offence of which the Jews of northern E'rope were not
infre='ently acc'sed in the .iddle AgesD for as the chief owners
of !oney they were te!pted to ind'lge disproportionately in this
type of dishonest practice 19 Ne6ertheless) tho'gh they were
p'nished !ore sa6agely than others if clipped coins were fo'nd
in their hands) they recei6ed only incidental !ention in the
Assi(e of .oney and other reg'lations of the reign of John
concerning the c'rrency 57 and in #+E$ offered the <ing K#22
for an i!partial in='iry into the ab'se and the banish!ent of
those g'ilty) a co!!ission of Jewish !agnates going on circ'it
with the J'stices to ta<e part in the in6estigation Ten years later)
an official in='iry placed no !ore responsibility on the Jews than
on their Cahorsin co!petitors and the 5le!ish wool*traders) the
other classes thro'gh whose hands large s'!s of !oney
passed 51 @ith the enact!ent of the Stat't'! de J'deis!o)
howe6er) and the c'tting off of what had for!erly been their
solitary channel of li6elihood) conditions changed Prosec'tions
beca!e !ore fre='ent) 55 'ntil at last the <ing too< drastic steps
and appointed a special >'dicial co!!ission to loo< into the
!atter
On No6e!ber #/th) #+/$) the Jews thro'gho't the co'ntry were
arrested) and a ho'se*to*ho'se search was !ade in their ='arters
in each city Those against who! any e6idence co'ld be fo'nd
were sent for trial to Aondon) where ,$o were i!prisoned in the
Tower Their p'nish!ent was drastic) no less than +%E being
hanged in the capital in the following year) besides so!e in other
citiesD their property) of co'rse) escheating to the <ing A!ongst
the 6icti!s were so!e of the !ost noteworthy fig'res in English
econo!ic life) who can hardly ha6e needed to resort to s'ch
paltry dishonesty9persons li<e Benedict fil; Aicoricia) one of the
!ost pro!inent Jews of @inchester) and Belaset) da'ghter of
.aster Benedict of Aincoln) who herself had been engaged in
b'siness on a large scale 5: A few !ore sa6ed their li6es by a
ti!ely reali(ation of the 6erity of Christianity The Christians
i!plicated in the cri!e were treated !ore leniently) only three
being conde!ned to death) tho'gh !any others were hea6ily
fined That pre>'dice had entered into the proceedings was
ob6io's e6en to conte!poraries 54 The initial i!prison!ents
had pro6ided a!ple opport'nity for personal ene!ies to
introd'ce e6idence of g'ilt into their ho'ses? and so!e Jews)
who had the co'rage to s'e for an in6estigation into the
ownership of tools for coin*clipping disco6ered a!ong their
property) were d'ly ac='itted 5; Si!ilar petty persec'tions and
new acc'sations followed all o6er the co'ntry) <eeping the Jews
e6erywhere in a constant state of alar! At length) on .ay /th)
#+/%) an order was iss'ed sharply prohibiting proceedings of this
type witho't the f'llest s'bstantiation 5<
This drastic action !'st ha6e p't an end to large*scale offences
against the coinage This 6ery fact is li<ely to ha6e dri6en the
poorer class of Jew into the less c'lpable cri!e of clandestine
's'ry It beca!e increasingly ob6io's that the atte!pt to effect a
s'dden re6ol'tion in the econo!ic life of the English Jews had
ended in fail're
Theological odi'!) d'ring the past decades) had increased !ore
and !ore Here and there thro'gho't the co'ntry "partic'larly in
Aincoln and Norwich& the shrines of rep'ted boy*!artyrs) who
were said to ha6e been p't to death by the Jews) were recei6ing
'ni6ersal 6eneration At O1ford) there was near .erton College a
cross) erected at the e1pense of the local co!!'nity in e1piation
of the act of one of their n'!ber who) in a s'dden fren(y) had
thrown down a cr'cifi1 at that spot when it was borne in sole!n
procession to the shrine of St 5rideswide on Ascension :ay in
#+,$ 5= All the anti*Jewish enact!ents f'l!inated by s'ccessi6e
popes d'ring the past cent'ry had been obeyed in England !ore
pro!ptly and !ore i!plicitly than in any other co'ntry of
E'rope Nowhere was the Jewish badge !ore rigoro'sly
enforced The Stat'te of Pillory) of #+,/) forbade Christians to
p'rchase !eat which the Jews fo'nd rit'ally 'nfit In #+/+ "as
once before) in #+E2& the principal Aondon synagog'e was
confiscated) on the prete1t that the chanting dist'rbed the ser6ice
in the neighbo'ring chapel of the 5riars Penitent) to who! it was
now assigned 5> @orship was henceforth carried on in the
pri6ate oratories which so!e of the wealthier Jews !aintained in
their ho'ses Howe6er) ten years later) John Pec<ha!)
Archbishop of Canterb'ry) ordered the confiscation and
dis!antling of these also) with one e1ception His instr'ctions
were carried o't with an e1cess of (eal by the Bishop of Aondon)
who wo'ld allow no reser6ations) and was with diffic'lty
pers'aded by his ecclesiastical s'perior to per!it the reopening
of a single Bethel) in a pri6ate ho'se 59 In the pro6incial centres
!atters were no better? at Bristol) for e1a!ple) certain Jews were
p't 'nder the ban by the Bishop in #+/8 on a charge of ha6ing
ins'lted the chaplain of St Peter;s when he ca!e to ad!inister
the Holy E'charist to a sic< person in Jewry? :7 while at
Hereford Bishop Swinfield broadcast e1co!!'nications on both
sides when so!e of his floc< attended a Jewish wedding despite
his prohibition :1
.eanwhile) the Holy See too< ad6antage of the fa6o'rable
at!osphere to 'rge on its repressi6e policy) ass'red in !ost
other co'ntries of only theoretical obedience In No6e!ber #+$,)
in a letter addressed to the Archbishops of Canterb'ry and Jor<)
Pope Honori's reaffir!ed the decisions of the Aateran Co'ncils
He pointed o't the e6il effects of free interco'rse between Jews
and Christians in England "which he depicted in e1aggerated
ter!s&) the pernicio's conse='ences of the st'dy of the Tal!'d)
and the contin'al infringe!ent of the canon laws on the s'b>ect
As tho'gh this were the !ost pressing b'siness which confronted
Christendo!) he sternly called for co'nter!eas'res) incl'ding
ser!ons and spirit'al penalties) to end this i!proper state of
affairs :5 His co!!'nication was ta<en into consideration at
the :iocesan Synod of E1eter in the following year) which
obediently reinforced all the ancient canonical strict'res against
the Jews) with a se6erity rarely paralleled :: They were
forbidden to e!ploy Christian ser6ants) to hold p'blic office) to
feast with tr'e belie6ers) to attend the! in the ='ality of
physicians) to b'ild new synagog'es) to 6ent're into ch'rches) to
lea6e their ho'ses or e6en <eep their windows open at Eastertide)
to neglect the wearing of the Jewish badge) or to withhold the
pay!ent of tithes on the lands which they had beg'n to till
The <ing) too) had ta<en a hand) the 'nenlightened fanaticis!
e1pressed in his edicts regarding the Jews pro6ing hi! a tr'e son
of his father) and showing his character in its least ad!irable)
and least fa!iliar) aspect Henry III;s 6ir'lent co!pendi'! of
anti*Jewish legislation) the ;Pro6isions concerning the Jewry; of
#+8E "partially repeated in his restricti6e law of #+/#& had been
categorically renewed in the Stat't'! de J'deis!o In #+/, the
<ing was personally responsible for re6i6ing an allegation of
rit'al !'rder which had been hanging o6er the Aondon
co!!'nity since the close of the pre6io's reign) when the body
of a boy) bearing what were s'pposed to be to<ens of cr'cifi1ion)
was disco6ered in the Tha!es :4 On 7ood 5riday) #+/%) a
f'rther acc'sation of the sa!e sort was !ade at Northa!pton)
whence se6eral persons were ta<en in chains to the capital and
cr'elly p't to death :; That sa!e year the J'stices on Eyre were
instr'cted to ha6e p'blic procla!ation !ade in all places in
which Jews li6ed) warning the! 'nder penalty of death not to
offend Christianity ;by saying or doing any detestable error in
blasphe!y of the cr'cifi1 of the Catholic faith or of St .ary the
0irgin or of the Ch'rch Sacra!ents;) and threatening con6erts
who ret'rned to J'dais! with the sa!e p'nish!ent :< At the
sa!e ti!e) the wearing of the Jewish badge by wo!en) and the
prohibition against e!ploying Christian ser6ants) were
reaffir!ed) as they were once again in #+$#) with other
restrictions of the sa!e sort :=
New de6ices) too) were so!eti!es fo'nd On J'ne %th) #+$o)
Edward attended in person a 7eneral Chapter of the :o!inican
Order held at O1ford by which "in accordance with the pro6isions
of the Papal B'll 0inea! Sore of the pre6io's year& con6ersionist
ser!ons were instit'ted in England This inno6ation was
reinforced shortly after by the f'll weight of royal a'thority) in a
decree ordering all Jews to attend the disco'rses that were to be
arranged for their benefit d'ring the co!ing Aent :> To
enco'rage con6ersions) !oreo6er) Edward wai6ed for a se6en*
year period his legal clai! on the property of those who left their
faith 5ro! now on they !ight retain one*half of what they
pre6io'sly owned) tho'gh a!assed in sin) the re!ainder "with
certain other inco!e fro! Jewry) incl'ding the proceeds of the
recently instit'ted poll*ta1& being de6oted to the 'p<eep of the
:o!'s Con6ersor'! in Aondon :9
Tho'gh now red'ced to the lowest depth of !isery and
degradation) the Jews contin'ed to be harassed ad!inistrati6ely
as well On 5ebr'ary ,th) #+$E a special co!!ission was set 'p
'nder Ha!o Ha'teyn) one of the J'stices of the Jews) to
in6estigate the charges !ade against certain of the! who were
s'spected of selling foreign !erchants plate !ade of clippings or
of sil6ered tin 47 B't the ad!inistrator of >'stice was hi!self far
fro! i!peccable) and three years later he was re!o6ed fro!
office) after an in='iry held by the Earl of Cornwall) for gross
pec'lation in the discharge of his f'nctions 41 On .ay +nd) #+$/
there was a s'dden re6ersion to the harsh !ethods of past reigns)
all the Jews of the <ingdo! being si!'ltaneo'sly arrested and
thrown into prison They were not released 'ntil they had paid a
fine of +2)222 !ar<s9a le6y which !'st ha6e co!pletely
e1ha'sted their re!aining slender reso'rces 45
.eanwhile) the Jewish arch*presbyter had once !ore co!e into
'npleasant notoriety) for the instr'!ent of the royal e1actions
co'ld not be o6er*scr'p'lo's in his !ethods Hagin) son of the
learned .aster .oses of Aondon) whose election by the
co!!'nities of the real! in s'ccession to Elias le E6es<e had
recei6ed royal sanction in #+8$) had a tro'bled ter! of office
After the Aondon !assacre in #+,3 "when he had sa6ed his life by
fleeing to the Tower& he too< ref'ge in Nor!andy So!e ti!e
after his ret'rn he was acc'sed of ha6ing concealed the death of
an infant child of Co< fil; Aaron) the !ost ill'strio's 6icti! of the
!assacre 4: To escape the conse='ences he again fled to the
Continent Not long after) hoping that the scandal had died
down) he 6ent'red to ret'rn) b't was i!!ediately thrown into
prison again 5'rther acc'sations and i!prison!ents contin'ed
inter!ittently 'ntil his death in #+$2 He was s'cceeded in the
following year by Co< Hagin fil; :e'lecresse of Aondon The
latter had not long before been e1co!!'nicated by his co*
religionists for ref'sing to bear his share of the tallage) and owed
his rehabilitation and present position to the infl'ence of the
='een*!other) in whose fa6o'r he stood high 44 It was in his
ho'se alone that p'blic worship was per!itted after the
destr'ction of the Aondon synagog'es in #+$E His se6en*year
ten're of office was destined to be the !ost tragic of all
This was the condition of affairs when) in the s'!!er of #+$%)
Edward ret'rned to England fro! a prolonged 6isit to his
continental possessions His atte!pt to sol6e what he regarded as
the Jewish proble! had !anifestly ended in fail'reD he had only
s'cceeded in adding illegality to its other co!plications Three
possibilities were left One was to e1tend to the Jews that social
e!ancipation the absence of which !ade their econo!ic
e!ancipation an i!possibility This) howe6er) was a conception
which co'ld not ha6e occ'rred to the !ind either of Jew or of
Christian in the thirteenth cent'ry The ti!es were not ripe for it?
neither side probably wo'ld ha6e accepted it? and the e1tre!e
attit'de which had been ta<en 'p d'ring the <ing;s absence both
by the pope and by the English Ch'rch finally placed it beyond
the bo'nds of feasibility The second possibility was a confession
of fail're9to ret'rn to the pre6io's state of affairs and to
legiti!i(e !oneylending once !ore This sol'tion was certainly
ta<en into consideration To the period >'st before the <ing;s
depart're probably belongs a draft of a law in Nor!an 5rench)
setting forth the !anner in which the Jews had flo'ted the
6ario's restrictions on their acti6ity To a6oid this in f't're) they
were to be a'thori(ed to lend !oney again henceforth) 'nder the
strictest control and at a specified rate of interest 4; It does not
appear that this !eas're) tho'gh for!ally drafted) was e6er p't
into e1ec'tion All that was done apparently was to reopen the
chirograph chests in the 6ario's Jewish centres in order to
control the li='idation of for!er transactions) and to register
those in which they were now engaged) pres'!ably with the
intention of chec<ing the worst irreg'larities 4<
Only one possible !ethod of coping with the iss'e re!ainedD to
sweep away the proble! which it had been i!possible to sol6e
The banish!ent of the Jews was by no !eans a new conception
It had been e!ployed all o6er Christian E'rope as early as the
se6enth cent'ry On the royal de!esne in 5rance) it had been
effected by Philip A'g'st's) a cent'ry before) in #$+) and again
decreed by St Ao'is "tho'gh the order relating to it was ne6er
apparently carried into e1ec'tion& in #+3% In England a si!ilar
idea is stated to ha6e crossed the !ind of Henry III) while in
#+$#) according to one report) parlia!ent had endea6o'red to
pers'ade the <ing to dri6e the Jews o't of the co'ntry) offering a
le6y of one*fifth by way of ind'ce!ent On this occasion the
danger had been a6erted) it is said) by a higher offer on the part
of the 6icti!s 4=
Aocally) !atters had gone f'rther As we ha6e seen) there were
!any cities in England fro! which the Jews had been e1pelled in
the pre6io's reign The precedent had been followed 'nder
Edward9a stri<ing instance "#+/E& was Bridgnorth) where only a
year before they had been specifically co!!itted to the
protection of the sheriff 4> In #+/8 there had been a wholesale
!eas're of the sort when the ='een*!other obtained letters
patent e1pelling the! fro! her dower*towns) incl'ding
.arlboro'gh) 7lo'cester) @orcester) and Ca!bridge 49 .ore
recently still) the <ing had ordered their re!o6al fro! the royal
boro'gh of @indsor "#+$E& ;7 E6en d'ring the period of
consolidation that followed the Barons; @ars) when the Jews
ti!idly atte!pted to e1tend their area of settle!ent) they were
harshly e1pelled ti!e after ti!e fro! those places where no
chirograph chests were f'nctioning ;1 The citi(ens of Newcastle*
on*Tyne as early as #+E3) and those of :erby in #+,2*#) had gone
so far as to p'rchase the ;liberty; of e1cl'ding Jews fro!
residence within their bo'ndaries in perpet'ity) the latter city
caref'lly specifying Jewesses as well? and in #+$3 the charters of
the newly created boro'ghs of North @ales followed this !odel
At present) co!!'nities e1isted in fewer than twenty cities in the
<ingdo!) all on the royal de!esne) as against at least twice that
n'!ber where they had at one ti!e been fo'nd In !any cases
these e1p'lsions had been effected at the re='est of the
b'rgesses) or were in confor!ity with their <nown desires? for
"religio's considerations apart& the latter had little li<ing for this
alien ele!ent) who were in the town b't not of it The increase in
pop'lation in those few Jewries which were now tolerated) and
the perpet'al infl'1 of needy ref'gees fro! the centres whence
they had been e1pelled) !'st necessarily ha6e increased local
ani!osity? and s'ch occ'rrences as the riot of #+/3 at
So'tha!pton) when the sheriff ca!e to distrain for a debt owing
to a Jew) or at Bristol in #+/8) when fire was set to the Jewry and
!any ho'ses were sac<ed) were beco!ing increasingly
co!!on ;5
Ill*feeling had been sti!'lated as well by the ob6io's insincerity
of !ost of the recent neophytes) pro!pted by con6enience rather
than con6iction) and the reported ret'rn of a few of the! to
J'dais! Officially) indeed) the e1p'lsion of the Jews fro!
England "li<e the greater tragedy in Spain two h'ndred years
later& was partially >'stified) if not act'ated) by this
consideration ;: It was not altogether a fictitio's plea In #+/3)
for e1a!ple) a n'!ber of pro!inent Aondon Jews were acc'sed
of ha6ing abd'cted a wo!an con6ert and coerced her to go
o6erseas in order to re6ert to J'dais!? ;4 and as late as #+%2 the
O1ford Jews assa'lted a con6ert who had the te!erity to co!e
a!ong the! to collect ta1es ;; .eanwhile the 7ascon
a'thorities co!plained to the chancellor of England that the
In='isitors in Aang'edoc had ordered the! to dispatch to
To'lo'se for trial certain Jews fro! England who were acc'sed
of ha6ing relapsed after con6ersion ;< Abo't the sa!e ti!e
aca"se celebreof a !ore startling nat're) which e6o<ed 'ni6ersal
scandal) occ'rred in the capital -obert of*-eading) a :o!inican
friar) had been sti!'lated by his st'dy of Hebrew literat're to
e!brace J'dais! ass'!ing the na!e of Haggai and !arrying a
Jewish wife ;= It was this e6ent) according to so!e Chroniclers)
which was responsible for the oppressi6e reg'lations incl'ded in
theStat"t"m de 1"deismoand for the e6en !ore serio's
conse='ences which were to follow
5ro! the p'rely selfish point of 6iew there was no reason for
Edward to refrain fro! carrying his intention into effect The
Jews were no longer of pri!ary i!portance to the E1che='er A
cent'ry before) their a6erage ann'al contrib'tion to the royal
inco!e in ordinary ta1ation has been esti!ated at abo't KE)222)
or appro1i!ately one*se6enth of its totalD now it was red'ced to
so!e K/22) which represented little !ore than one*h'ndredth of
the a!o'nt to which the re6en'e had by now increased
Econo!ically) too) the f'nction they perfor!ed was no longer
essential Not only was the co'ntry better de6eloped than at the
ti!e of their settle!ent) when the nati6e !iddle class had been
al!ost non*e1istent? b't in addition the Cahorsin and Italian
's'rers) wor<ing 'nder the highest patronage b't concealing
their acti6ities by ingenio's s'bterf'ges) !ade their presence
s'perfl'o's If the state desired to borrow !oney the s'!s which
co'ld be pro6ided by these foreign consortia) speciali(ing in
go6ern!ent loans) !ade the reso'rces of the Jews appear
negligible On the other hand) their operations with pri6ate
indi6id'als were !ore of a danger than a benefit to a <ing who
was endea6o'ring to b'ild 'p a strong central a'thority The
!iddle tenants and lesser baronage had for!erly been the Jews;
!ost profitable clients) and the 'lti!ate res'lt of these
operations had fre='ently been "as we ha6e seen& the re6ersion of
the estates pledged with the! to the Ch'rch or the tenants*in*
chief) the increase in whose power was one of the proble!s that
engaged Edward;s attention thro'gho't his reign Now that the
Jews were no longer i!portant to the E1che='er) no reason of
state pre6ented hi! fro! s'pple!enting his attac< 'pon the
barons by ridding the co'ntry of their instr'!ents The pope and
the Ch'rch were appealing for action The <ing hi!self) fro!
otherwise 'ns'spected religio's !oti6es) was nat'rally inclined
to obey His ='een was indeed notorio'sly a6ailing herself of the
!edi'! of Jewish financiers and their acti6ities to ac='ire fresh
estates ;> His !other on the other hand had plainly indicated
her pre>'dices on !ore than one occasion) and is e6en reported
to ha6e instigated the final step fro! the n'nnery whither she
had now retired The e1peri!ental period of fifteen years d'ring
which the Jews had been e!powered to lease far!s by the
Stat't'! de J'deis!o e1pired in #+%2) shortly after the <ing;s
ret'rn to England Not !any !onths later) gi6ing 'p both the
atte!pt at radical refor! and the idea of restoring the for!er
state of affairs) he set abo't applying to the Jewish proble! the
only sol'tion which logically re!ained
The fatal step was ta<en on J'ly i$th) #+%2 by an act of the <ing
in his Co'ncil It happened to be "as was long after re!e!bered
with awe& the fast of the ninth of Ab) anni6ersary of !anifold
disasters for the Jewish people) fro! the destr'ction of
Jer'sale! onwards ;9 On the sa!e day writs were iss'ed to the
sheriffs of the 6ario's English co'nties) infor!ing the! that a
decree had been iss'ed ordering all Jews to lea6e England before
the forthco!ing feast of All Saints "No6e!ber #st&? any who
re!ained in the co'ntry after the prescribed day were declared
liable to the death penalty The news was greeted by the general
pop'lation with >oy) and the Parlia!ent which had asse!bled
only three days before indicated its appro6al by pro!pt assent to
the royal de!and for a fifteenth of !o6ables) and a tenth of the
spirit'al re6en'e) in ta1ation
The edict was e1ec'ted with scr'p'lo's fairness) and al!ost
h'!anity) 'nli<e s'bse='ent proceedings of the sort on the
Continent P'blic procla!ation was !ade in e6ery co'nty that no
person sho'ld ;in>'re) har!) da!age) or grie6e; the Jews) in the
ti!e which was to elapse 'ntil their depart're Those who chose
to pay for it were escorted to Aondon The @ardens of the Cin='e
Ports were instr'cted to see that the e1iles were pro6ided with
safe and speedy passage across the sea and that the poor were
enabled to tra6el at cheap rates <7 Indi6id'al safe*cond'cts
were iss'ed to so!e of the !ore i!portant <1 They were
allowed to ta<e with the! all cash and personal property in their
possession at the ti!e of the edict) together with s'ch pledges
deposited by Christians as were not redee!ed before a fi1ed date
Their bonds and real estate howe6er) incl'ding their ce!eteries
and synagog'es) escheated to the Crown Ne6ertheless) a few
indi6id'als who en>oyed especial fa6o'r "s'ch as Co< Hagin) the
last arch*presbyter& were allowed to dispose of their ho'ses and
fees to any Christian who wo'ld b'y the! <5
On the !orrow of St :enis;s :ay "T'esday) October io
#+%2& <: the Aondon Jews of the poorer sort started on their way
to the coast ;'nder the c'stody of the Aord Ging;) bearing their
Scrolls of the Aaw <4 .any of the richer had e!bar<ed at
Aondon) with all their property At I'eenboro'gh) at the !o'th
of the Tha!es) anchor was cast at ebb*tide) and the ship
gro'nded on a sandban< The !aster then in6ited his passengers
to dise!bar< with hi! to stretch their legs @hen the tide began
to rise) he ran bac< to the side and cli!bed bac< on dec<)
reco!!ending the 'nhappy Jews to call 'pon their prophet
.oses) who had resc'ed their fathers at a si!ilar >'nct're in the
past The whole party) witho't e1ception) was drowned) and the
property left on board di6ided a!ongst the sailors Howe6er) the
news got abo't and after their ret'rn to England the c'lprits
were tried and hanged A tradition was long c'rrent that)
howe6er cal! the weather) at the spot where the o'trage too<
place the waters of the Tha!es are ne6er still B't these were not
the only 6icti!s <;
A considerable body of e1iles) n'!bering #)EE8 in all) and
consisting largely of the poorer class) were transported to
@issant near Calais) at a charge of fo'rpence for each
person << It was the stor!iest season of the year So!e of the
6essels were lost with all aboardD others of the passengers were
cast destit'te 'pon the coast :espite a papal protest) a n'!ber
of the ref'gees were allowed by the 5rench <ing to settle in
A!iens) and others in Carcassonne In the following year the
;Parle!ent de la Chandele'r; decreed that all those who had
arri6ed fro! the English possessions sho'ld lea6e the co'ntry by
the !iddle of the following Aent <= Th's these asyl'!s were
bro<en 'p
The 'lti!ate fate of the e1iles is obsc're Notwithstanding this
harsh enact!ent) it is probable that !any of the f'giti6es fro!
England) spea<ing as they did the lang'age of the co'ntry) were
able to re!ain in 5rance 'ndist'rbed In a roll of Paris Jewry)
dating fro! fo'r years after the E1p'lsion fro! England) se6eral
na!es appear with the addition of LlQEnglesche; or LlQEnglois;)
while isolated indi6id'als are enco'ntered at 0eso'l and
elsewhere <> A little gro'p was settled in Sa6oyD <9 while the
Clerli fa!ily of 0enice) long after traced its descent legendarily to
English e1iles The s'rna!e Ingles was fo'nd occasionally
a!ongst the Jews of the obsc're island of 7o((o) near
.alta =7 Hebrew !an'scripts @ritten in England fo'nd their
way to 7er!any) Italy) and Spain The title*deeds of an English
!onastery were disco6ered in the l'!ber*roo! attached to the
ancient synagog'e at Cairo9ob6io'sly bro'ght there by an
English ref'gee =1 E1cept for s'ch rando! recollections) English
Jewry of the .iddle Ages beca!e entirely assi!ilated in the
greater body of their co*religionists o6erseas =5
In England the traces left were inconsiderable On the depart're
of the Jews) certain categories of their property) as we ha6e seen)
fell into the hands of the <ing This co!prised their synagog'es
and ce!eteries) their ho'ses) and their bonds9partly for the
repay!ent of !oney) partly for the deli6ery of wool and corn
The ann'al inco!e of the real estate) after all allowances had
been !ade) ca!e to abo't K#E2 The 6al'e of the debts) as shown
in the register !ade by the officers of the E1che='er) was a little
o6er K%)222 Howe6er) the <ing wo'ld only to'ch the original
capital of this a!o'nt) pio'sly wai6ing his right on any interest
that !ight ha6e acc'!'lated =: Nat'rally there was a good deal
of e6asion) which affected e6en the highest circles On his way
ho!e fro! the Papal C'ria at -o!e in #+%+ John le -o!eyn)
archbishop of Jor<) enco'ntered in Paris his old ac='aintance
Bona!i the Jew) and ac='ired fro! hi! his clai! to a debt of
KE22 o'tstanding fro! the !onastery of Bridlington) which he
did his best to e1act The episode beca!e <nown) and in the
following year the Pri!ate was i!peached for his action =4 In
the e6ent) the a!o'nts d'e to the Crown were not f'lly collected
Pay!ent was per!itted to be deferred -enewal of the
ren'nciation of interest in #E#8) and again in #E+/) shows how
long so!e of the debts re!ained o'tstanding 5inally) in
response to a petition of the Co!!ons in this year) Edward III
ga6e 'p all clai! to the pay!ent of a!o'nts still owing to
hi! =; Originally it had been intended to de6ote to pio's 'ses
the 6al'e of the ho'ses which had escheated to the Crown In fact
a considerable proportion was gi6en away to the <ing;s
fa6o'rites =< Till the si1teenth cent'ry at least) certain property
was still designated in the conser6ati6e legal phraseology as being
in the <ing;s hands ;thro'gh the e1p'lsion of the Jews;
In the pop'lar !ind the i!pression left was slight In the greater
cities thro'gho't the co'ntry) the old Jewries contin'ed to be
designated by their for!er na!es In !any places stone ho'ses
re!ained to recall the for!er owners; legendary s<ill as b'ilders
In Aincoln an a'thentic synagog'e has s'r6i6ed to the present
day Here and there newly granted boro'gh charters) i!itating
those of an earlier date) a'to!atically e1cl'ded the Jews)
regardless of the fact that they were no longer tolerated in the
co'ntry == The c'lt of the hypothetical boy*!artyrs contin'ed
till the period of the -efor!ation) co!!e!orated in n'!ero's
ballads and still strong eno'gh to poison the !ind of the gentle
7eoffrey Cha'cer a cent'ry later English cathedrals9-ochester)
Salisb'ry) probably others9displayed in the con6entional fashion
a sy!bolic stat'e of the blindfold and de>ected Synagog'e) in
contrast to the tri'!phant Ch'rch
E='ally slight were the effects of the E1p'lsion 'pon the life of
the co'ntry generally) tho'gh the !o!entary shortage of capital
which ens'ed !ay ha6e been responsible in part for the financial
crisis of #+%3 A f'rther conse='ence deser6es consideration
I!po6erished tho'gh the Jews were) their potential i!portance
to the Treas'ry e6en in the last years was not negligible It was
not witho't its i!portance in the de6elop!ent of the English
constit'tion that this 'ncontrolled) and 'ncontrollable) so'rce of
royal re6en'e was finally re!o6ed 5ro! this date the detailed
reg'lation of finance by the representati6es of the people beca!e
possible It is th's not witho't its significance9tho'gh the
i!portance of the fact sho'ld not be e1aggerated9that the .odel
Parlia!ent of Edward I asse!bled) and the English constit'tion
recei6ed its shape) fo'r years after the E1p'lsion of the Jews =>
5or nearly fo'r cent'ries England disappears al!ost entirely
fro! the hori(on of the Jewish world -eferences to her in
Hebrew literat're are sparse) and the acco'nts of English e6ents
s'bse='ent to the period of the Third Cr'sade are garbled to a
degree =9 In the chronicles the na!e of the co'ntry re!ained a
prototype of cr'elty and oppression The rep'tation was
'ndeser6ed Ne6ertheless) England had played an i!portant and
'nen6iable role in the !artyrdo! of the Jewish people It was
here that the -it'al .'rder Acc'sation) which s'bse='ently
pro6ed responsible for s'ch widespread !isery) first reared its
head At no other ti!e in the blood*stained record of the .iddle
Ages were the English horrors of ##$%*%2 s'rpassed And there
was one other aspect) which Jewish writers f'lly appreciated The
final tragedy of #+%2 was the first general e1p'lsion of the Jews
fro! any co'ntry in the !edie6al period Aocal precedents only
had been <nown before B't it was Edward I who set the e1a!ple
for the wholesale banish!ent of the Jews) which was followed
with s'ch deadly effect in 5rance si1teen years after) by Philip le
Bel) and two cent'ries later by 5erdinand and Isabel of Spain) in
the c'l!inating tragedy of !edie6al Jewish history
%ootnotes
Chapter 3
# C- #+/3) p #2E The a'dit ordered at this period of all
pay!ents !ade by sheriffs since #+,, on acco'nt of
Jewish debts "EJ ii ,3*8& see!s to s'ggest widespread
corr'ption in addition
+ P- #+/3) p ,E
E Proceedings were instit'ted si!'ltaneo'sly against a
Aondon citi(en s'spected to be g'ilty of the sa!e offenceD
see "Sir& B A Abraha!s) The E1p'lsion of the Jews fro!
England in #+%2 "O1ford) #$%8&) p E# "The present
chapter is necessarily dependent to a large e1tent on this
ad!irable) tho'gh not e1ha'sti6e) wor<&
3 7rosseteste) Epistolae) ed A'ard) X 6 "pp EE s==&
8 Op'sc'l'! ad :'cissa! Brabantiae) X 11i
, Aa'riTre) Ordonnances des rois de 5rance) i /8 ":e
-efor!andis .orib's;&? . Paris) Chron .a> 6 E,#*+
/ Stat'tes of the -eal!) i ++2*# "the date is gi6en in 5lor
Hist iii 38 and Ann .on i6 32$&
$ As regards the possession of land) the Stat't'! de
J'deis!o was slightly !ore liberal than the legislation of
fo'r years earlier) which prohibited it entirely e1cept for
personal occ'pation .oreo6er) in Easter Ter! #+/$) the
J'stices of the Jews r'led that) notwithstanding the ter!s
of the Stat'te) debts contracted before it ca!e into force
sho'ld contin'e to bear interest "El!an in Historia
J'daica) i %,&
% Se6en years was earlier than was c'sto!ary on the
Continent) where the Badge generally had to be worn fro!
the age of thirteen in the case of boys and twel6e in that of
girls The Co'ncil of O1ford of #+++ had e1tended the
obligation to wo!en) b't this does not see! to ha6e been
enforced hitherto by royal a'thority
#2 Select Cases in Co'rt of Ging;s Bench) Edward I "Selden
Society) #%E%&) 6ol iii) pp 111i) c1i6
## Cf) howe6er) the case of Benedict of @inchester) infra) pp
##3) #+2
#+ Stat'tes of -eal!) # ++#
#E E J iii E#/) E#%? C- #+$3) p +8, "J'ne +$th) #+$3&
#3 P- #+//) p +32
#8 P- #+/8) p #+,? EJ iii #2E*3
#, See Note I0 "a&) p +/+
#/ EJ iii +%/*%9a contract of partic'lar interest A Aondon
Jew) too) traded in firewood on a large scale "ibid) pp
#+$*%& The concl'sion of the 3%th pro6ision of the Synod
of E1eter of #+$/ "@il<ins) Concilia) ii 888? infra) pp //*
$& is the sole indication that lands were leased for
c'lti6ation 5or :e'lecresse of Norwich) see infra) p /$n
#$ Adler) J.E) p E2,
#% The offence is bitingly conde!ned in the twelfth*cent'ry
ethical wor<)) Sepher Hassidi!) X or ZH and is recorded
as one of the ca'ses for the e1p'lsion fro! Englandy
-abbi .eir of -othenb'rg in his -esponsa "ed Ae!berg)
X +3,& So also the chroniclers) Ibn 0erga and Bs='e) in
their acco'nts of the last tragedy? and) less sceptically)
Isaac Abrabanel in his Tesh'oth .eshiho) p 3,9probably
deri6ed fro! Profiat :'ran;s lost ;-ecord of Persec'tions;
"Oichron haShe!adot&) which he cites in conne1ion with
English affairs
+2P- #+28) PP 3/b) 83b
+# Cf C- #+33) p +38? #+3,) p 3EE? P- #+E$) p ++$? Aib
- #+3E) p #$/? #+33) p +3+? -ot 5in #+3,) i 3,#? .
Paris) Chron .a> i6 ,2$ "b't see ibid 6 #8 and Hist
Angl iii /,&? J de O1enedes) p +8E? -igg PEJ) pp
116iZ116ii The o'tco!e of the trial in #+E2 of a n'!ber of
Shropshire Jews for stealing cloth and clipping the
coinage "C- #+E2) p E23& is not <nown
++ EJ ill +%2*#) E2%) Hc
+E 5or Benedict fil; Aicoricia of @inchester "not to be
conf'sed with the hono'red Benedict fil; Abraha!& cf Trs
JHSE 4 +23 The ho'se confiscated fro! Belaset of
Aincoln is still standing in Steep Hill As late as #+%E)
twenty !en of this city were indicted for concealing the
property of conde!ned Jews "-ot Parli 8#a& 5or the
official in6entory of the property confiscated "e1tant only
for Bristol) :e6i(es) and @inchester& see .isc JHSE ii
8,*/# It is an ironic consideration that Edward I was the
first English so6ereign <nown to ha6e resorted officially to
the e1pedient of clipping the coinage
+3 ;Nescio si >'ste 6el in>'ste; re!ar<s a !onastic chronicler
in reporting the escape of the non*Jewish !oneyers fro!
p'nish!ent "Ann .on i6 +/$*%&
+8 P- #+/$) p +$8? cf -igg) PEJ) and EJ) #+/%) passi!
+, C- #+/%) p 8+% Those responsible for the acc'sations
were in so!e cases persons of notorio'sly bad character
It see!s that after this episode the sale or e1port of b'llion
by Jews was prohibited? cf P- #+$E) pp 8,) /%
+/ C- #+,$) pp #3*#8) 88E? #+,%) pp ++*E? Ne'ba'er in
Collectanea "O1ford Historical Society&) ii +$, The part
played on this occasion by Edward) who posted off to his
father at @oodstoc< with the news) sho'ld be noted The
inscription to be fo'nd on the Cross is gi6en by To6ey)
Anglia J'daica) p #/8 In #+/, there was a ='estion of
repairing it9nat'rally) at the e1pense of the Jews "EJ iii
+23&
+$This site) at the north*east corner of Old Jewry) is now
occ'pied) not inappropriately) by the offices of the
Co!!issioners of the National :ebt
+% .artin) -egistr'! Epistolar'! J Pec<ha!) i +#E) ii 32/)
3#2
E2Adler) J.E) p ++,
E# Infra) p #+2
E+ Cal Papal -egisters) i 3%# The fact that this
co!!'nication fig'res in the -egister of the Bishop of
Hereford "Capes) -egistr'! - de Swinfield) pp #E%*32&
!a<es it possible that it was pro!pted by the reports of
the recent con6i6iality between Jews and Christians in that
city
EE @il<ins) Concilia) ii #88 The code echoes) b't o'tdoes)
the reg'lations drawn 'p at 0ienna in #+,/ [See note I0
"b& pp +/+*E\
E3 C- #+/,) pp +/#*+) +/E*3
E8 5lorence of @orcester) Chronicon) ii +++? Bart de Coton)
Historia Anglicana) p #8%? J de O1enedes) p +83 Abo't
the sa!e ti!e) so!e other o'trage of the sort too< place at
Norwich) where Abraha! fil; :e'lecresse was drawn and
hanged for blasphe!y "Blo!efield;s Norfol<) i ,#/? P-
#+$2) p E//? Ch - #+/%) p +#E&
E, C- #+/%) pp 8,8*,
E/ C- #+$#) p #/,
E$ See P- #+$2) p E8,) the royal instr'ctions of Jan'ary
+nd to the local a'thorities to co!pel the Jews to listen to
the ser!ons of the :o!inicans On the Continent it was
only at the period of the Co'nter*-efor!ation that the
syste! of con6ersionist ser!ons "for the instit'tion of
which in #+/% see B'llari'! -o!an'!) i6 38& was
perfected and syste!atically enforced
E% Adler) J.E) pp E2#*+ 5or a case of 5orced Baptis! in
Aondon in #+%2) when redress was ref'sed by the <ing) see
-ot'li Parlia!entor'!) i 3,a
32P- #+$#*%+) pp 8,) /%) %$) #$/) +%#) Hc
3# Select Cases in Co'rt of Ging;s Bench) Edward I) Selden
Society) 6ol i) pp cl6cli1 Ha'teyn;s colleag'e) Sir -obert
de A'dha!) was also cashiered ".ado1) History of
E1che='er) ed) #/##) p) #/E&
3+ See Note I0 "c&) p +/E
3E The ob>ect of the conceal!ent was apparently to sa6e the
boy;s brothers "one of who! was his own son*in*law& fro!
the necessity of paying an inheritance*ta1 for the second
ti!e within a 6ery few years
33 Sto<es) St'dies) pp E8*/ Hagin fil; :e'lecresse appears to
ha6e belonged to the fa!ily of - .oses of Aondon) being
a nephew of his predecessor in office He is con>ect'red to
be identical with the Hagin who translated certain
astrono!ical wor<s of Abraha! ibn E(ra into 5rench and
the I!age d' .onde into HebrewD see) howe6er) below) p
#+$
38 See Note I0 "d&) p +/E
3, The chirograph chests see! to ha6e been f'nctioning
nor!ally at the ti!e of the E1p'lsion "cf B A Abraha!s
in Trs JHSE ii $8 s==&) and the 'np'blished rolls of
the E1che='er of the Jews gi6e the sa!e pict're The
bonds in ter!s of !oney registered in #+%2 as being fro!
the ;New Chests;) n'!bering only #E$ as against 82$ in
ter!s of co!!odities "El!an) loc cit) pp %,*$&) !'st
ne6ertheless refer to ostensibly co!!ercial transactions
3/ . Paris) Hist Angl iii #2E*3
3$Al!ost si!'ltaneo'sly the Jews were e1pelled fro!
@inchelsea "as they had been fro! -o!sey se6en years
before? P- #+,,) p ,#E&
3% P- #+/8) p /,D Eleanor;s dower*towns incl'ded also
Bath) where howe6er there were few Jews The 7lo'cester
co!!'nity was re!o6ed en !asse to Bristol) b't
afterwards scatteredD Adler) E.E) pp ++8*,
82 -y!er) 5oedera) i ,E3 "October #Eth) #+$E& The
state!ent "Trs JHSE 6ii 8,& that before the E1p'lsion
the !a>ority of the Jews of @inchester had re!o6ed to
So'tha!pton is based on a !isinterpretation of the
doc'!ent printed ibid ii I 2+*a list of @inchester Jews
headed ;So'tha!pton; beca'se the sheriff of
So'tha!ptonshire "F Ha!pshire& was the responsible
a'thority
8# C- #+,%) p ##, Hc? s'pra) p /+
8+ P- #+/3) p #2/? Adler) >.E) pp +#3) ++,*/ "This riot
was led by @illia! 7iffard) for!erly sheriff of Norfol< and
S'ffol<) who was deeply in6ol6ed with Jewish !oney*
lenders& There were other disorders at the sa!e ti!e at
5renningha! "where two Jews were <illed&) 7'ildford)
Bedford) and @inchester "EJ ii 33)%3*8)#3+)#%,)++/)
+E#) +,E&) and later at Jor< "C- #+/%) P 8//&
8E Cf especially Archbishop Pec<ha!;s co!plaint to the <ing
on No6e!ber +nd) #+$# "-egistr'! Epistolar'!) ed
.artin) i +E%&) and that of Pope Honori's in his
co!!'nication to the English Ch'rch fi6e years later
"s'pra) p //&
83 EJ ii +2%*#2) iii #$) 3#) # # # ? Adler) E.E) pp EE*39an
interesting case fro! the point of 6iew of social history
88 P- #+%2) p E%/
8, A;Angnloise) Philippe le Hardi) p ++# "#+$o& B't it is
possible that the reference is to 7ascon Jews
8/ 5lorence of @orcester) ed Thorpe) ii +#3*#,) s'pported by
the Hebrew so'rces in Trs J H S E6i+8, s== This
episode is often !erged in that of the O1ford deacon who
!arried a Jewess fifty years before "s'pra) p 3#&) and the
two are identified in the !e!orial tablet at O1ford
8$ Pec<ha!;s -egistr'!) ed .artin) ii ,#% "to the ='een)
#+$E& and iii %E/ "to .aster 7eoffrey Aspal) #+$,&
8% The date is preser6ed in Isaac Abrabanel;s co!!entary on
Jere!iah) ii +3) apparently ='oting fro! Profiat :'ran;s
lost -ecord of the Persec'tions of Israel? the day
corresponds with that of the writ to the sheriffs of J'ly
t$th) which !'st therefore ha6e been iss'ed
si!'ltaneo'sly with the edict of e1p'lsion) now lost
,2P- #+%2) p +/$
,# eg Bona!i of Jor< "P- #+%o) pp E/%) E$+& and .oses
of O1ford "ibid) p E$#&
,+ The beneficiaries see! to ha6e been the chattels of
notablesD eg) besides Co< Hagin who PbelongedP to the
I'een) Aaron fir 0i6es "infra p %/&
,E Not St :enis;s :ay itself) as in Abraha!s) E1p'lsion) p
/2D see the official entry fro! the Ging;s -e!e!brancer
.e!oranda -oll in Trs JHSE i1 #$/) and Prynne)
Short :e!'rrer) ii ##8
,3 ;Bna c'! libris s'is; "Bart de Coton) Historia Anglicana)
-S) p #/$&
,8 In #+%3 certain sailors recei6ed a pardon at Ports!o'th
fro! their o'tlawry for their late !'rder of Jews on the
high seas "7ascon -olls) iii #$/) #$$) #%#& There see!s to
be a 6ag'e echo of the I'eenboro'gh episode in the
Jewish chroniclers; acco'nt "eg S Bs='e) Consolaya! as
Trib'lacoens de Israel) iii X 1ii& of the pa6ilion erected
o6er the sea) into which those English Jews who adhered
to their faith were enticed to be drownedD see note I0 "e&)
pp +/E*3
,, Abraha!s) E1p'lsion) p /#? Jacobs and @olf) Bibliotheca
Anglo*J'daica) p 16ii
,/ Aa'riere) Ordonnances des rois de 5rance) i E#/? -EJ iii
++#? Abraha!s) loc cit A!ong the ref'gees later fo'nd in
Paris was Bona!i of Jor< "cf Bibl A to +$ and below) p
$$& who was a'thori(ed by Philip A'g'st's to settle where
he pleased in 5rance and to dispense with the Jewish
badge in ret'rn for a tallage of too li6res to'rnois yearly
"Aanglois in Notices et e1traits des !an'scrits de la
Bibliothi='e Nationale) 111i6 #$&
,$-EJi ,,*%) 1116iii +3+) 1liii +%$ Bona!i of Jor< is
!entioned in the first of these lists) and Co< Hagin) the
last arch*presbyter) possibly in the last
,% A doc'!ent of #E+% p'blished by . Stern "Br<'ndliche
Beitrage fiber die Stell'ng der Papste (' den J'den) i
"Giel) #$%E&) p %&) !entions a!ong the Jews of Cha!bery
;Eliott'! anglic'!;) ;.anisse'! anglic'!; and
;:o!in'! Crescentern dict'! anglic'!;
/2 -oth) History of the Jews in 0enice) p ),$? 5 Baer) :ie
J'den i! christlichen Spanien) # ii E23? Trs JHSE 1ii
#%+) #%%) +2%
/# E N Adler) Catalog'e of Hebrew .SS "Ca!bridge) #%+#&)
p 6i
/+ See note I0 "e&) pp +/E*3
/E -igg) PEJ) p 1li
/3 -ot'li Parlia!entor'!) i #+2a
/8 Ibid ii $a) i tb? Stat'tes of -eal!) +88 Bp to this ti!e
fre='ent pay!ents ;for ac='ittance against the Jews; "ie
debts for!erly owing to the Jews& are registered in the
Charters "cf Ch- #8/ "tEio& and ++$ " ;E#8&& The s'!s
recei6ed by the Crown were not) howe6er) inconsiderable)
a!o'nting in #+%3 alone to #Es 3d In #+%E it was decided
that arrears of rent on property which had escheated to
the Crown were to be paid to the landlords "-ot'li
Parlia!entor'!) i %$*%&
/, Cf the lists of grants in -ot Orig in Scaccario) pp /E*,
Abraha!s is not ='ite >'stified in stating "E1p'lsion) p
/E& that ;they were nearly all gi6en away to the Ging;s
friends; Th's) tho'gh the Canterb'ry synagog'e was
!ade o6er to I'een Eleanor;s tailor) the rest of the real
estate belonging to ten Jewish property owners de6ol6ed
on the Prior and Con6ent of Christch'rchD cf H.C i1
App I for the proceedings of the >'ry of citi(ens which
in='ired into the escheated property
// eg O6erton "#+%+& D so also in the confir!ation of older
charters) as that of Bea'!aris as late as #8,+
/$ .ention sho'ld be !ade also of the con>ect're that
certain English legal practices9the writ eligit) certain
details of the syste! of !ortgage) and the separate
e1a!ination of h'sband and wife in the proced're of final
concords9owe their origin to the Jewish proced're
fa!iliari(ed thro'gh the E1che='er of the Jews "cf 5 A
Aincoln) The Starra) their effect on early English law and
ad!inistration) O1ford) #%E%& There is conte!porary
a'thority for the state!ent that the incl'sion of the word
;defend; in property*transfers was intended in the first
place to !eet the case of the JewsD cf Jear*boo< of 444
Edward I) ed A J Horwood) p #%2
/% Cf partic'larly Joseph haCohen;s Chronicles of 5rance
and T'r<ey "English trans by C 5 H Bialloblot(<y)
Aondon) #$E8&) where the acco'nt of fifteenth*cent'ry
English history is barely recogni(able Conte!porary
references to the closing stages of the history of the Jews
in England are little less inacc'rate
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter 8
,n0lo-Jewry in the -iddle ,0es
THE Jewish co!!'nity that !aintained a precario's e1istence
in England fro! the close of the ele6enth cent'ry to the close of
the thirteenth was essentially artificial in origin It was to crated
by the Nor!an and Plantagenet r'lers for an e1press p'rpose
and en>oyed 6irt'ally no rights e1cept in conne1ion with these
li!ited f'nctions) It possessed in conse='ence a re!ar<able
ho!ogeneity and co!pactness) and th's has a significance for
the historical st'dent o't of proportion to its !agnit'de or its
achie6e!ents) It !ay be considered in fact the type of the Lfe'dal;
Jewry of the .iddle Ages) as regards co!position) acti6ity) and
organi(ation 5or this reason) its str'ct're deser6es detailed
e1a!ination 1
Of the Jewries in the principal co'ntries of western E'rope in the
.iddle Ages) indeed) that of England was ind'bitably the least
i!portant) both n'!erically and c'lt'rally At the ti!e of the
E1p'lsion of #+%2 it was belie6ed to co!prise appro1i!ately
#,)222 so'ls) b't this n'!ber is probably far higher than the
facts warrant 5 This body was scattered thro'gho't the co'ntry)
tho'gh !ost thic<ly in the eastern and so'th*eastern co'nties In
the thirteenth cent'ry there were twenty*se6en centres in which
archae for the registration of Jewish debts were established9
Bedford) Bristol Canterb'ry) Colchester) :e6i(es) E1eter)
Hereford) H'ntingdon) IpswichM Aincoln) Aondon) Northa!pton)
Norwich) Nottingha! O1ford) Starnfoisl) @ilton @inchester) and
Jor<? Ber<ha!sted) Ca!bridge) 7lo'cester) .arlboro'gh)
S'db'ry) @allingford) @arwic<) and @orcester At the ti!e of
the E1p'lsion of #+%2 they were e1cl'ded fro! the eight places
last !entioned) only nineteen co!!'nities then
e1isting : Besides these towns there were a few others where
settle!ents had at one ti!e been fo'nd) tho'gh not pro6ided
with an archaD these co!prised B'ry St Ed!'nds) Aeicester)
Co6entry) :erby) @inchelsea) Bridgnorth) Newcastle) Newport)
@yco!be) So'tha!pton) Newb'ry) and so!e others In one or
two !ore centres) s'ch as Aynn) the co!!'nity e1ter!inated by
the !assacres of ##%2 had ne6er been re*established) tho'gh
indi6id'als !ay ha6e !anaged to obtain a foothold Before the
decree of #+8E li!iting residence to those towns where
co!!'nities were then established) isolated ho'seholds or
gro'ps were to be fo'nd also in r'ral centres thro'gho't the
co'ntry? s'bse='ently) too) so!e !anaged to establish
the!sel6es in s'ch places) fro! which they were periodically
e1pelled 4 The settle!ent was thic<est in the so'th and east of
England No co!!'nity e1isted north of Newcastle*on*Tyne or
west of E1eter) tho'gh indi6id'als were certainly to be fo'nd in
Cornwall ; None are enco'ntered in Scotland in pre*E1p'lsion
ti!es b't Jewish financiers did b'siness fro! ti!e to ti!e with
the Scottish so6ereign) an the were settled in those parts of @ales
"Conway) Caernar6on) Chepstow) and Caerleon& which were
'nder English infl'ence In Ireland9we <now little of their
condition or distrib'tion) b't their n'!bers >'stified the
establish!ent of a local branch of the E1che='er of the Jews)
presided o6er by the @arden of the Jews of Ireland <
It is by no !eans easy to ga'ge the relati6e density of the 6ario's
co!!'nities To the ;Northa!pton :on'!; of ##%3) that of
Aondon contrib'ted rather !ore than one*='arter9a proportion
perhaps 'nd'ly high by reason of the concentration there of the
greatest capitalists and propin='ity to the seat of go6ern!ent
E6en if we accept the highest esti!ates of the total Anglo*Jewish
pop'lation) the co!!'nity of the capital cannot ha6e co!prised
!ore than +)222 so'ls) as contrasted with the +)222 ho'seholds
who i!pressed the i!agination of the !edie6al Jewish
historiansD = b't one*fifth that n'!ber is probably nearer the
!ar< The two co!!'nities ne1t in si(e) those of Aincoln and
Canterb'ry) were perhaps half as large At the ti!e of the
E1p'lsion) the for!er incl'ded so!e si1ty persons engaged in
b'siness transactions on their own acco'nt) in !any cases)
howe6er) belonging to the sa!e fa!ily > The a6erage s!all
co!!'nity is 'nli<ely to ha6e co!prised !ore than fifty to a
h'ndred so'ls all told
.edie6al English Jewry deri6ed in the !ain fro! northern
5rance) li<e the Nor!an con='erors in whose wa<e they
followed Their 's'al port of e!bar<ation "we are infor!ed in
-abbinic so'rces& was :ieppe) whence) if the winds were good)
the English coast !ight be reached in one day 9 -elations were
close also with the -hineland A !inority ca!e fro! farther
afield9fro! Spain) Italy) .orocco) and e6en -'ssia 17 The
original ele!ent re!ained) howe6er) predo!inant A!ong
the!sel6es the English Jews spo<e and e6en >ested in Nor!an
5rench 11 They were generally called) too) by 5rench e='i6alents
to their Hebrew na!es 5or the !en we find :e'leben or
Benedict "Berechiah) Bar'ch& Bone6ie or 0i6es "Hayyi!)
generally rendered as Hagin&) 15 Bonenfa'nd "Tob*Ete!&)
:e'lesa'lt "Isaiah&) :e'lcresse or Cresse "Solo!on) so!eti!es
7edaliah&) :iai or :e'*ai "Elea(ar&) :e'done "Nathaniel&)
Ben>a!in& Issaac) in its Hebrew for!) was shortened by the
o!ission of the first syllable into Co< or Ha<) which !ight be
gi6en the di!in'ti6e for! Ha<elin) while by a si!ilar process
Jacob beca!e Conin and Sa!'el .ol<in) So) too) Ben>a!in was
anglici(ed as Bate!an) while Asher with ob6io's all'sion to
7enesis 1li1) +2) beca!e Swete!an P'rely non*Jewish na!es)
s'ch as Tho!as or Peter "corresponding to Pere(& are
occasionally fo'nd) the tendency increasing in the thirteenth
cent'ry 1:
5or wo!en a Hebrew e='i6alent was considered 'nnecessary)
and we find pict'res='e appellations s'ch as Belaset "Bellasse(&)
:'(elina Precie'se) Aicoricia) -egina) Chera Past'rella) 7lorietta)
.irabilia) Br'netta) BonaD with so!e Anglo*Sa1on for!s s'ch as
Swetecot) 7ertelot) or Alfild 14 S'rna!es) so far as they were in
'se) indicated place of origin "A'!bard) Peite6en) Ange6in) 1; le
5rancais) de Hibernia etc& occ'pation "le .ire) le Scri6ene'r or
le;Escri6ein) le Point'r& 1< or personal pec'liarity) "-'f's) le
7ros) Ae Aong) le En6eyse) le 5ort) l;A6e'gle& Only in a few cases
li<e lQE6es<e "Cohen& 1= Co!tissa "nessiah&D apparently deri6ing
fro! the na!e of an ancestress&) or Go<hab StarD perhaps
applied to as fa!ily originating at Estella in Na6arre& did they
correspond to s'rna!es in the !odern sense .ore distincti6ely
English in for! were the agno!ens -'ssell "Brsel&) B'lloc<)
Barlibred) Hanprid) 5'r!entin) or Bigel! B't it was !ore 's'al
for a Jew to be disting'ished fro! others of the sa!e na!e by
indicating his city of residence) the na!e of his father) or)
e1ceptionally "perhaps when the father died yo'ng) or was less
pro!inent in b'siness& that of his !other -abbis were generally
referred to) e6en in sec'lar records) as ;.aster; ".agister&
O'twardly the English Jew of the .iddle Ages rese!bled his
conte!poraries In the thirteenth cent'ry the !ost 's'al
e1ternal gar!ent for was a hooded cloa<) thro'gh the typical
pointed Jewish hat the pile'! corn't'! "as prescribed by the
Co'ncil of 0ienna in #+,/&) was also worn The hair) b't not the
beard) was allowed to grow long @o!en wore the crown*shaped
head*dress and wi!ple characteristic of the period. 1> The
s'perficial rese!blance to general pop'lation !'st ha6e indeed
been considerable in order to >'stify the Jewish badge) which was
enforced in England earlier and !ore consistently than any other
co'ntry in E'rope after its establish!ent by the Aateran Co'ncil
of #+#8 It was first p't into 6igo'r in #+#$ by the earl !arshall)
who ordered e6ery Jew) at all ti!es in the city or o'tside it)
wal<ing or riding sho'ld wear 'pon his o'ter gar!ent a piece of
white cloth or parch!ent whereby he !ight be disting'ished
fro! Christians) the sign was to ta<e the for! of the so*called
tab'la Z the legendary shape of the Two Tables of Stone which
bore the Ten Co!!and!ents Z sy!boli(ing the Old Testa!ent
The in>'nction was repeated in #+++ at the Co'ncil of O1ford)
when it was enacted that all Jews of either se1 sho'ld wear on the
breast a badge two fingers wide and fo'r long) of a different
colo'r fro! the rest of the gar!ent In #+8E Henry III renewed
the cla'se) ordering the tab'la to be borne in a pro!inent
position Edward I ret'rned to the charge in his Stat't'! de
J'deis!o of #+/8 In order to sec're greater pro!inence) he
stip'lated the colo'r of the badge and increased the si(e A piece
of yellow taffeta) si1 fingers long and three broad) c't in the sa!e
shape as before) was henceforth to be worn o6er his heart by
e6ery Jew abo6e the age of se6en years "elsewhere the age*li!it
was !'ch higher& 19 Two years later an in='iry was instit'ted
into the !anner in which this and other reg'lations were being
obeyed The res'lt was seen in #+/% when orders were iss'ed
once !ore e!phasi(ing the necessity for Jewish wo!en as well
as !en to wear the Badge of Sha!e The Synod of E1eter) in
#+$/) repeated the ecclesiastical in>'nction There was plainly
6ery little opport'nity for forgetf'lness? it was not one of the
occasions when !edie6al legislation e1pressed only an ideal
As elsewhere in E'rope in the .iddle Ages the Jews were
rec<onedservi camerae regis) or Serfs of the -oyal Cha!ber
Nowhere) indeed) was this laid down !ore e1plicitly Henry III;s
;.andate to the J'stices assigned to the C'stody of the Jews; of
#+8E started with the specific in>'nction that ;no Jew re!ain in
England) 'nless he perfor! the ser6ice of the GingD and
i!!ediately any Jew shall be born) !ale or fe!ale) he shall ser6e
Bs in so!e !anner; In the so*called ;Aaws of Edward the
Confessor; "which) tho'gh apocryphal) faithf'lly represent the
point of 6iew of the !iddle of the twelfth cent'ry&) the
constit'tional theory of the period is s'ccinctly s'!!ed 'pD ;All
Jews) where6er in the real! they are) !'st be 'nder the Ging;s
liege protection and g'ardianship) nor can any of the! p't
hi!self 'nder the protection of any powerf'l person witho't the
Ging;s licence) beca'se the Jews the!sel6es and all their chattels
are the Ging;s If therefore anyone detain the! or their !oney)
the Ging !ay clai! the!) if he so desire and if he is able) as his
ownQ
Apart fro! this general a'thority) a power yet !ore absol'te was
e1ercised o6er the <ing;s ;de!esne Jews; resident in the royal
boro'ghs or Crown lands 57 This absol'te proprietorship was
so!eti!es de!onstrated by the concession of wealthy
indi6id'als as a gift to Co'rt fa6o'rites) with the sole right of
e1ploitation Th's) at the close of the reign of Henry III) his son
Ed!'nd was presented with Aaron fil; 0i6es) a conspic'o's
!e!ber of the Aondon co!!'nity The latter was 'n's'ally
fort'nate in certain respects) for he recei6ed per!ission to
establish hi!self in any city of the <ingdo! that he pleased) and
was e1e!pted by his new !aster fro! all e1traordinary financial
b'rdens in ret'rn for an ann'al trib'te of a pair of gilt sp'rs The
profit e1pected to accr'e thro'gh his acti6ities !'st) on the other
hand) ha6e been 6ery great) as a special chirograph chest was to
be !aintained for hi! where6er he !ight be resident and an
assessor was appointed to act in the Jewish E1che='er in his
!aster;s interest sho'ld any case concerning ;his; Jew co!e
before it 51 .agnates indeed regarded the presence of Jews on
their de!esne as highly desirable) wo'ld in6ite the! to settle on
pay!ent of a p'rely no!inal trib'te "s'ch as a pair of sil6er
spoons&) and wo'ld obtain fro! the Crown letters of protection
to safeg'ard the! 55 E6en the ='een) the papal legate) or the
Archbishop of Canterb'ry did not disdain to solicit special
pri6ileges for so!e fa6o'red indi6id'al 5:
As a nat'ral conse='ence of this state of 'tter dependence) the
Crown e1pected to profit9and to profit i!!oderately9at e6ery
stage of the life and acti6ity of the Jew A hea6y pay!ent9
so!eti!es as !'ch as +)222 !ar<s9was e1acted fro!
foreigners for per!ission to reside and carry on b'siness in
England @hen a b'siness transaction was registered at the
archa) a fee was paid by both parties The profits of >'stice) if a
laws'it res'lted) belonged as a !atter of co'rse to the <ing
.oreo6er) before initiating >'dicial proceedings) the Jew had to
pay twenty shillings9three ti!es as !'ch as a Christian did in
si!ilar circ'!stances? and if he proc'red a writ of reco6ery
"costing one be(ant& one*tenth of the proceeds de6ol6ed on the
E1che='er No ac='ittance was 6alid 'nless properly enrolled) a
fee being of co'rse e1acted 54 :'ring the last phase) !oreo6er)
each indi6id'al had to pay a poll*ta1) 'lti!ately de6oted to the
'p<eep of the :o!'s Con6ersor'! in Aondon The ro'tine
profits of Jewry) d'ring the eight lean years after the Battle of
E6esha!) a!o'nted on an a6erage to 'pwards of K322
This reg'lar re6en'e was) howe6er) only a detail of the total
obtained In certain circ'!stances a debtor wo'ld !a<e a cash
pay!ent to the <ing so as to be absol6ed fro! the pay!ent of the
interest) or e6en principal) of his debt to a Jew? alternati6ely) on a
plea of pen'ry) he !ight obtain an order for an ;e1tent; or
6al'ation of his !eans) which wo'ld be followed by instr'ctions
to his creditor to grant ;reasonable ter!s; "so!eti!es derisory&
for repay!ent Jews) on the other hand) so!eti!es paid hea6y
s'!s for an 'nderta<ing) not always obser6ed) that no ;e1tents;
affecting the! wo'ld be !ade d'ring a specified period 5; 5or a
6ariety of !isde!eano'rs a Jew;s entire property !ight be
confiscated) tho'gh in e1ceptional circ'!stances s'fficient
wo'ld be left for his s'stenance E6en when one beca!e
con6erted to Christianity e6erything he had pre6io'sly possessed
went to the Crown) as ha6ing been a!assed in sin 5< Altho'gh
the third Aateran Co'ncil had e1pressed its disappro6al of this
practice) it was only 'nder Edward I that the right was wai6ed)
the con6ert being per!itted henceforth to retain half while the
rest was de6oted to the :o!'s Con6ersor'! B't there was an
e6en !ore parado1ical practiceD if a Jew) e1co!!'nicated by his
co*religionists) failed to !a<e his peace with the! within forty
days) the Crown confiscated all his worldly goods
The nor!al occ'rrences of life were no less sed'lo'sly e1ploited?
and tho'gh s'ch pay!ents were not the prerogati6e of any single
section of the nation) the Jew was a far !ore reg'lar so'rce of
profit than his neighbo'r He wo'ld pay for per!ission to change
his place of abode) or to li6e in so!e place where there was no
settled co!!'nity) or to enter into partnership) or to alter his
na!e) 5= or to !arry the person of his choice) or to be di6orced)
or to attend a wedding in Aondon) or to e!ploy a Christian n'rse
for his son) or to ha6e the c'stody of children The co!!'nities
of the real! wo'ld find !oney for proceedings to be ta<en
against so!e person whose cond'ct they considered
co!pro!ising) or to be withheld fro! so!e person who! they
tho'ght innocent .oreo6er) a le6y wo'ld be !ade) fro! the
generality or fro! indi6id'als) on the occasion of the !arriage of
a !e!ber of the royal fa!ily) or when the <ing ret'rned safe
fro! a >o'rney) or when the ='een was in childbed So!eti!es
the spoliation called for no e1c'se at all 5>
5ro! the reign of John the principal so'rce of inco!e fro! the
Jews was by tallage) hitherto regarded as an e1traordinary
e1pedient resorted to only in e!ergency So co!!onplace did
this beco!e that 'nder Henry III) when a !arriage was arranged
between yo'ng people) it was tho'ght necessary to !a<e special
pro6ision to !eet this probable contingencyD 59 while a Aondon
financier) by a species of pri!iti6e ins'rance) paid hea6ily for a
g'arantee that he wo'ld not be tallaged at a higher rate than #22
!ar<s ann'ally for a specified period of years :7 There was no
li!it to the 6iolence that !ight be e!ployed on the occasion of a
le6y) the i!prison!ent of all the Jews or the leading
ho'seholders) so!eti!es acco!panied by their wi6es and
children) often ser6ing as a preli!inary :1 At ti!es of greater
!oderation) representati6es of the co!!'nities of the real!
!ight be s'!!oned together at so!e central spot to di6ide the
b'rden a!ong the!sel6es Alternati6ely) it wo'ld be apportioned
by a special co!!ission) consisting so!eti!es of as few as two)
and so!eti!es of as !any as twel6e pro!inent Jews appointed
by the Crown? they occasionally acted in con>'nction with an
elected or co*opted ele!ent) which howe6er was always in a
!inority :5 S'reties) 'p to forty in n'!ber "so!eti!es identical
with the assessors&) wo'ld be no!inated on occasion and held
responsible for the collection of the f'll a!o'nt In each
co!!'nity there wo'ld be a s!all co!!ittee of ;tallagers; in
which the three econo!ic classes9wealthy) well*to*do) and poor
9!ight ha6e separate representationD :: in accordance with
-abbinic law) howe6er) !e!bers had to stand aside when the
contrib'tion of a close relati6e ca!e 'p for consideration
Ta1payers had the right to appeal against their assess!ent) a
!i1ed >'ry in='iring into their !eans :4 On the other hand) a
co!!'nity which was not represented in the Assess!ent
Co!!ission !ight !a<e a pay!ent to the <ing to ens're that
one of its !e!bers sho'ld be present to watch its interests when
the ti!e ca!e :; 7enerally spea<ing) those with a capital of less
than forty shillings did not ha6e to contrib'te) tho'gh 'nder
John this a!o'nt was e1acted e6en fro! the poorest The le6y
was 's'ally preceded by an inspection of the archae) by which it
was possible to ascertain what o'tstanding credits e6ery
b'siness!an possessed In case the f'll contrib'tions were not
paid) the recalcitrant were banished and their property
confiscated) 'nless they had anticipated this by flight9a
contingency which the a'thorities did e6erything to pre6ent The
Jews on their side enforced pay!ent by !eans of
e1co!!'nication) the only weapon at their co!!and? b't this
was s'perfl'o's when they were in agree!ent with the
a'thorities) and f'tile when they were not :<
The royal prerogati6es o6er the Jew incl'ded that of confiscating
his property on his death "as on his con6ersion&) on the gro'nd
that it had been ac='ired by sinf'l !ethods This right9which
applied to non*Jewish 's'rers as well9was carried into
e1ec'tion by Henry II in the classic case of Aaron of Aincoln) and
was reaffir!ed by Henry III a cent'ry after as regards real
estate := Jet it was seldo! so drastic in reality as it was in
theory? for it was ob6io'sly to the royal interest to lea6e the heirs
s'fficient to carry on b'siness and a!ass ta1able profit
7enerally) on the death of a wealthy Jew) his estate was attached
and li='idated by a !i1ed >'ry sitting in con>'nction with
representati6es of the fa!ily A third part wo'ld be retained by
the Crown) while the rest wo'ld be allowed to de6ol6e according
to Jewish law of inheritance or the testa!entary dispositions of
the deceased :> It was pres'!ably in order to forestall this right
that gifts of ho'ses were so!eti!es !adeinter vivos Th's) for
e1a!ple) grandparents wo'ld transfer rights o6er their property
to a grandson on the e1press condition that they co'ld contin'e
in occ'pation as long as they li6ed :9 Often the <ing;s portion of
the assets of a deceased 's'rer was co!!'ted by a fine or ;relief;
This was payable by instal!ents) the estate being released as
soon as ade='ate sec'rity was f'rnished The a!o'nts th's
e1acted were h'ge @hen Ha!o of Hereford died in #+E8 his
da'ghter paid a total of ##)222 !ar<s as a relief) this being nearly
si1 ti!es as !'ch as the !a1i!'! which co'ld legally be
e1acted fro! the son of an earl 47 5re='ently) !oreo6er) the
Crown lawyers !ight !a<e o't a case for co!plete confiscation
on the gro'nd of so!e alleged !isde!eano'r If the deceased
left infant children the <ing ass'!ed the right of wardship as a
!atter of co'rse) granting release only on the pay!ent of a
s'bstantial fine and ta<ing si!ilar toll in the e6ent of !arriage
In the case of Aaron of Jor<) Henry III a6aricio'sly began the
e1action of the death d'ties before his de!ise? b't this was an
'nprecedented ab'se
Apart fro! this contin'al financial e1ploitation) the Jews of
England were s'b!itted to a n'!ber of petty 6e1ations At one
ti!e they were pre6ented fro! b'rying their dead 'ntil all clai!s
'pon the property were settled "This ab'se was specifically
prohibited by the traditional charter of liberties& They were not
per!itted to sell to Christians !eat fo'nd rit'ally 'nfit for
Jewish 'se Synagog'es) or e6en pri6ate ho'ses) !ight be sei(ed
and destroyed beca'se they were in pro1i!ity to Christian
ch'rches 41 As in !any places on the Continent9partic'larly in
so'thern E'rope9they were co!pelled on occasion to act as
tort'rers and e1ec'tioners) and in this capacity they inc'rred
great oblo='y at the close of the reign of John 45
In certain respects) on the other hand) they en>oyed 'n!ista<able
pri6ileges 4: If they were the property of the <ing and whate6er
they possessed or a!assed belonged to hi!) it followed that he
was 6itally interested in protecting the! and gi6ing the!
facilities to carry on their b'siness They were the only persons in
the co'ntry e1pressly a'thori(ed to lend !oney at interest They
co'ld s'e in the royal co'rts for reco6ery) and distrain 'pon their
sec'rity with the assistance of the royal officers They were
e!powered to tra6el abo't the co'ntry witho't interference)
tho'gh not allowed to e!igrate 'nless they had special licence
Bp to the !iddle of the thirteenth cent'ry they !ight settle
where they pleased) with the e1ception of the few towns fro!
which they had been e1cl'ded They were e1e!pt fro! paying
any c'sto! or toll or any d'e on wine) in >'st the sa!e way as the
<ing hi!self whose chattels they were 44 They followed the
royal Co'rt and did b'siness in the royal ante*cha!ber Tho'gh
their con6ersion was enco'raged) the e!ploy!ent of force for
that p'rpose was forbidden? and the children of con6erts were
allowed "no!inally at least& to choose freely what religion they
desired to follow 4; To co'nterbalance the red'ction of debts
d'e to Jews) the <ing !ight order a co!!ission of ;honest and
tr'stworthy !en; to in='ire into the !eans of a recalcitrant
debtor) and see whether he was in fact 'nwilling or 'nable to pay
what he owed They were consistently protected against 6iolence
or attac< The sheriffs and other royal officers always inter6ened
to shield the! when necessary) and the royal castles were
generally open for the! to ta<e ref'ge in ti!es of e!ergency
@hen in #+,/ certain Jews paid the <ing a fine in order to re!ain
at Bridgnorth) they stip'lated that they were to be allowed the
'se of the castle in ti!e of danger 4< In @inchester Castle their
habit'al ref'ge went by the na!e of the Jews; Tower 4=
In their e1ternal relations the Jews were go6erned in accordance
with a so!ewhat indeter!inate body of pri6ileges) reg'lations)
precedents and c'sto!ary law) probably ne6er codified) <nown
as the Assi(e of Jewry 4> They co'ld loo<) as of right) to the <ing
for >'stice) which) as Edward I wrote) 49 ;we are bo'nd to
ad!inister to Jews as well as to Christians; J'risdiction in cases
in which they were in6ol6ed was reser6ed to the Crown9a
profitable !onopoly) indeed) b't one that !'st necessarily ha6e
sa6ed the! fro! !'ch 'nfair discri!ination ;7 In the law*
co'rts the Jew en>oyed certain prescripti6e rights If he
s'!!oned a Christian for the pay!ent of a debt) he was allowed
to prod'ce in e6idence the agree!ent drawn 'p between the!
In co!!ercial s'its a >'ry co!posed of twel6e Jewish
b'siness!en was asse!bled to in='ire into the facts Instead of
bringing ele6en ;co!p'rgators; to attest to his character) a Jewish
s'spect who fo'nd it diffic'lt to !'ster this n'!ber !ight p'rge
hi!self by his bare oath while holding a Scroll of the Hebrew
Pentate'ch9a sole!nity regarded with the 't!ost awe If) on the
other hand) he stood his trial) he en>oyed "e1cept d'ring an
interl'de after the accession of Edward I& the pri6ilege of ha6ing
a !i1ed >'ry) on which Jews and Christians were represented in
e='al n'!bers
In certain cases "s'ch as sacrilege) blasphe!y) illicit conne1ion
with a Christian wo!an) or stri<ing a cler<& the Ch'rch clai!ed
>'risdiction This was hotly disp'ted by the royal co'rts) in which
the acc'sed !ight ac='it hi!self if he prod'ced a Christian and a
Jew to testify to his innocence) and the ='estion beca!e part of
the larger iss'es between the ecclesiastical and sec'lar trib'nals
Howe6er) in #+8$) at the Co'ncil of .erton) it was decided that
those who ref'sed to plead before the Bishop;s Co'rt in s'ch
cases sho'ld be placed 'nder an interdict) the faithf'l being
forbidden 'nder pain of e1co!!'nication to traffic) contract) or
con6erse with the! ;1 A social and co!!ercial boycott of this
sort was a 6ery serio's !atter e6en for Jews) and it is probable
that the atte!pt to red'ce the! to obedience was s'ccessf'l In
O1ford there was a prolonged disp'te) regarding the >'risdiction
in cases between st'dents and their Jewish creditors) between
the Constable of the Castle and the Chancellor of the Bni6ersity)
b't it was 'lti!ately settled in fa6o'r of the latter ;5
The !ain occ'pation of the Jews of England down to the last
years9the prete1t for the toleration which they en>oyed and the
sole officialraison d'2treof their e1istence9was the profession of
!oneylending) forbidden by canon law yet indispensable for the
e1igencies of daily life In this the s!ooth*tong'ed infidels were
'bi='ito's There was no li!it on the nat're of the pledges which
they were prepared to accept) fro! wearing apparel to
agric'lt'ral prod'ce) fro! >ewellery to loads of hay) fro! boo<s
to <nightly ar!o'r They wo'ld !a<e ad6ances to the <ing on the
sec'rity of the fer! of the shire and to the ho'sewife on the
sec'rity of her ho'sehold pots ;: The only restrictions legally
i!posed were with regard to bloodstained cloth ;4 "which !ight
ha6e been ac='ired as the o'tco!e of 6iolent robbery& and
ch'rch 6essels 'sed in :i6ine worship Howe6er "as has been
seen& the latter restriction was so far neglected 'nder Henry II
that they act'ally !ade loans on the sec'rity of holy
relics ;; Priests and religio's ho'ses raised !oney by pledging
their 7ospels) :ecretals) and theological wor<s ;< At one ti!e it
was a6erred that the poor st'dents of O1ford had pawned so
!any of their boo<s with the Jews that they co'ld not go on with
their st'dies ;= The !ost l'crati6e transactions) howe6er) were
on the sec'rity of land or rent*charges) !any ho'ses falling into
Jewish hands by this !eans) especially in Aondon This
contin'ed 'ntil late in the reign of Henry III) when the new
restrictions 6irt'ally confined the erstwhile Jewish financier to
pawnbro<ing ;> So closely did the details of the process of
lending !oney on landed sec'rity rese!ble the later syste! of
!ortgage that it is not wholly 'nreasonable to trace its origin to
these Jewish transactions
There was a considerable co*operati6e ele!ent in this acti6ity
Not only did the greater of the financiers !aintain local agents
e6erywhere) b't also9in part for con6enience) in part for
sec'rity) in part beca'se of the diffic'lty of pro6iding large s'!s
at short notice9they wor<ed in close collaboration) so!eti!es
a!o'nting al!ost to partnership) with one another There th's
ca!e into e1istence an elaborate syste! of interrelated loan
offices) always prepared to f'rnish reciprocal assistance for any
l'crati6e transaction The rec'rrence on the records of certain
na!es) ti!e after ti!e9eg in the thirteenth cent'ry) those of
Aaron of Jor<) :a6id of O1ford) .oses of Aondon) or Ha!o of
Hereford9s'ggests that the !ost i!portant b'siness was carried
on in the na!e of a few leading personalities) the capital 'sed by
who! represented the 'nited riches of the entire ne1's at the
head of which they stood E6ery son and son*in*law wo'ld in d'e
co'rse enter into the fa!ily b'siness) each th's ha6ing at his
co!!and what appeared to his si!ple clients to be 'nli!ited
reso'rces ;9
The rate of interest was high) tho'gh it tended to decrease after
one or two preli!inary operations had instilled !'t'al
confidence <7 E1ceptionally it wo'ld reach ,o per cent or e6en
$/ per cent) tho'gh there wo'ld be special reasons for so high a
rate <1 .ore 's'ally it 6aried between one penny and twopence
in the po'nd wee<ly) or +# +CE to 3E #CE per cent per ann'!
This last fig're) recogni(ed as a fair charge in the twelfth cent'ry)
was fi1ed 'nder Henry III as the !a1i!'! rate e6en for O1ford
st'dents <5 In consideration of the e1tre!e 'ncertainty that
always pre6ailed) and the cr'shingly hea6y d'es e1acted by the
Crown) this was not e1cessi6e) e6en by !odern
standards <: .oreo6er) e6en in the case of Jewish loans)
interest no!inally began to r'n "at least on so!e occasions& only
after the lapse of fi6e or si1 !onths) so as to a6oid the appearance
of 's'ry <4 Co!po'nd interest on the other hand was strictly
forbidden This fact ob6io'sly ca'sed a greater rapacity or greater
disingen'o'sness on the part of the creditor) for who! a fresh
operation with enhanced capital was far !ore profitable than a
protraction of the old one Notwithstanding all these restrictions)
a s'! lent o't at the legal rate wo'ld do'ble itself in a co'ple of
years This fact e1plains what appeared to be the 'nli!ited
reso'rces of the Jews and their prodigio's power of reco6ery
After a year and a day) the Jewish creditor had the right to reali(e
the pledge deposited with hi! So!eti!es) acco!panied by the
royal officers) he wo'ld go to distrain 'pon the property which
was now legally his own? an operation which in6ariably led to
resent!ent and so!eti!es to blows In the case of real estate) he
too< for!al ;seisin;) and recei6ed the fealty of the
tenants <; Since) howe6er) a Jew co'ld not hold land in
fee << he wo'ld either sell his ac='isition after holding it for a
year to establish his clai!) or else ad!inister it and reco'p
hi!self o't of the inco!e In the first part of the reign of Henry
III the for!er process led to considerable transference of
property) to the detri!ent in so!e cases of the fe'dal
prerogati6es of the Crown As has been seen) the right to !a<e
loans on the sec'rity of real estate was fro! this period
progressi6ely restricted <= E6en before this it had beco!e 's'al)
in disposing of property) to bar s'bse='ent re*transfer to Jews
"as to the Ch'rch& which !ight res'lt in the loss of fe'dal rights
by the tenant*in*chief? and o6er a long period the insertion of the
cla'see,ceptis locis religiosis et 3"deismowas c'sto!ary in all
s'ch contracts <>
As elsewhere in E'rope) the financial operations of the Jews were
not loo<ed 'pon with 'n!itigated odi'!) the !ethods of their
irreg'lar Christian co!petitors being e6en !ore disli<ed -obert
7rosseteste) the great bishop of Aincoln) scornf'lly co!pared the
fi1ed rate of interest charged by Jewish !oneylenders with the
crafty syste! of the Cahorsins) who wo'ld !a<e o't a bond for
half as !'ch again as the a!o'nt of the loan) payable at the end
of the year) th's e1acting 82 per cent interest for howe6er short a
period <9 Another !ethod practised by the latter was to lend
the a!o'nt free of interest for the first three !onths) b't to
charge as !'ch as 82 per cent for e6ery three !onths
afterwards It is noteworthy that) in the petition of the barons
presented in #+8$ at O1ford) co!plaint was !ade of the grinding
acti6ities of the Christian 's'rers onlyD with respect to the Jews
the solitary ab'se !entioned was that the great !agnates to
who! they sold their debts ab'sed their position) by absorbing
the pledged property into their de!esne far!s In the thirteenth
cent'ry) the notorio's Cha!berlain of the E1che='er) Ada! de
Stratton) !ade a practice of b'ying 'p Jewish; debts as
e1tensi6ely as possible) lea6ing the! in the na!es of the for!er
principals The latter th's beca!e !ere collectors on behalf of a
7entile) Stratton being in effect one of the !ost i!portant
!oney*lenders of his day 7reat !agnates also bo'ght 'p debts
owing to Jews which they e1acted the!sel6es9for e1a!ple)
@illia! of 0alence) Henry III;s half*brother) or e6en the
notorio's Jew* baiter 7ilbert Clare) earl of 7lo'cester =7
The econo!ic f'nction perfor!ed by the Jews co'ld not easily
ha6e been dispensed with Th's at O1ford) it was only after #+,+)
when the St 5rideswide;s Chest and si!ilar f'nds were fo'nded)
that the needy st'dent had any alternati6e b't reco'rse to the!
when he re='ired assistance? and it was so!e ti!e before the
new p'blic instit'tions were able to replace the! ade='ately 5or
two !a>or occ'pations of the .iddle Ages9b'ilding and warfare
9the assistance of the Jew was indispensable The great English
capitalists of the twelfth cent'ry) s'ch as Aaron of Aincoln) were
responsible in part for a good deal of the ecclesiastical
constr'ction which characteri(ed that period A Jew ad6anced
!oney to Strongbow at the ti!e of his raid on Ireland? and the
Third Cr'sade) fro! which the Jews of England s'ffered so
terribly) was rendered possible largely by their !onetary
assistance In nor!al ti!es they were resorted to by the
baronage for ready !oney to defray their ;sc'tage;) whereby they
ac='itted the!sel6es of their obligations to the Crown witho't
direct !ilitary ser6ice Jewish acti6ities th's assisted in a certain
!eas're in b'ilding 'p a strong central a'thority on the r'ins of
the fe'dal syste! The 'nending e1penses of !edie6al litigation
co'ld so!eti!es be !et only with the help of so!e
acco!!odating Jew Th's at each stage of the long process
between ##8% and ##,E by which the yo'ng aristocrat -ichard of
Anesty reco6ered his fa!ily lands9obtaining the <ing;s writ fro!
across the sea) sending his cler<s to -o!e) pleading in the
6ario's co'rts) ha6ing his writ of appeal sealed) !a<ing
pay!ents to the E1che='er) and e6ery other point of the
inter!inable proced're9it was to so!e Jewish financier that he
t'rned for help =1 And it was to Jews) too) that the <ing reg'larly
resorted for cr'de gold for his personal 'se) so that in the
thirteenth cent'ry they filled a f'nction al!ost e='i6alent to that
of official b'llion*bro<ers to the Crown =5
5ro! the period of the reorgani(ation 'nder -ichard I these
acti6ities were caref'lly reg'lated and controlled In each of the
!a>or co!!'nities of the co'ntry a so*called archa or
chirograph chest was established This was ad!inistered by fo'r
;chirographers;) of who! two were Jews and two Christians)
assisted by two copyists and a Cler< of the Escheats The
chirographers were chosen by !i1ed >'ries s'!!oned by the
sheriffs) consisting of Jews and Christians in e='al n'!ber) and
on election were re='ired to find s'reties for their good
cond'ct =: In their presence all contracts between Christians
and Jews had to be drawn 'p and registered =4 These were in
the for! of an indent're) the bond being written on a strip of
parch!ent) together with a d'plicate copy or !e!orand'! to
the sa!e effect The two sections wo'ld be di6ided by c'tting in
an irreg'lar line thro'gh the word Chirograph'! written in bold
characters across the entire width The original was sealed and
deli6ered to the creditor) the d'plicate retained by the debtor or
deposited in the archa constit'ting a safeg'ard against
fra'd'lent alteration =; In the !iddle of the thirteenth cent'ry
the practice was altered) the sealed part being retained by the
chirographers and co'nterparts iss'ed to both of the parties
concerned Each transaction was) !oreo6er) recorded in three
special rolls9one <ept by the cler<s) one by the Christian
chirographers) and one by their Jewish associates "in this case) in
Hebrew& =< Aater) yet a fo'rth was prepared) for cons'ltation in
case of need by the Cler< of the Escheats The presence of a
!a>ority of the officials was necessary for any 6alid transaction
On the repay!ent of the loan the Jew wo'ld !a<e o't an
ac='ittance This was called by the Hebrew ter! Shetar) which)
'nder its Aatin for! Starr'!) passed into general c'rrency) and
!ay possibly ha6e gi6en its title to the notorio's Star Cha!ber at
@est!inster == These doc'!ents were generally written in
Hebrew with a Aatin transcript) so!eti!es in Aatin alone9in one
or two instances in Hebrew characters9occasionally in Nor!an
5rench They were signed by the creditor in Hebrew) and his seal
was appended "English restrictions in this respect did not go
='ite as far as those in 5rance) where after #++E the 'se of seals
by Jews was forbidden& A receipt of this nat're entitled the
debtor to the cancellation and deli6ery of thepes) or foot) of the
original bond of indebtedness Howe6er) fro! the !iddle of the
thirteenth cent'ry at least) no ac='ittance was 6alid 'nless
enrolled at the E1che='er of the Jews9a reg'lation which
incidentally bro'ght considerable profit to the Treas'ry
So!eti!es the receipts wo'ld be gi6en in the for! of a wooden
;tally; with notches and c'ts indicating the a!o'nt) which was
split longit'dinally so as to !a<e a d'plicate record So!e
h'ndreds of these) recording Jewish transactions or pay!ents)
are still preser6ed =>
As co*ordinating a'thority o6er the pro6incial archae) the
E1che='er of the Jews "Scaccari'! J'daeor'!& established
'nder -ichard I) contin'ed its acti6ities in its official cha!ber on
the west side of @est!inster Hall =9 Its f'nctions were
threefold In the first place there was the financial side) as it
s'per6ised the collection of tallages and other inco!e deri6ed
fro! Jewry >7 Secondly) it was an ad!inistrati6e body) acting
as the channel of co!!'nication between the Crown and the
Jewish co!!'nities) all new !e!bers of which had to present
the!sel6es before it for enrol!ent 5inally) it was a >'dicial body)
deciding in disp'tes in6ol6ing Jews or those which arose) directly
or indirectly) o't of transactions between the! and
7entiles >1 It had cogni(ance 'lti!ately in all cases in which
property once in Jewish hands was concerned Th's it played
='ite an i!portant part in the >'dicial ad!inistration of the
co'ntry) so!eti!es in !atters in which Jews were not
i!!ediately i!plicated) a large part of its b'siness dealing with
land transferred to fresh ownership beca'se of the acti6ities of
Jewish financiers
At its head) as we ha6e seen) were the @ardens or J'stices of the
Jews4."stodes 1"daeor"m, 1"stitiarii ad c"stodiam 3"daeor"m
as signati, 5c& 6arying in n'!ber between two and fi6e
So!eti!es) tho'gh not always) there was no!inally incl'ded
a!ong the! the Presbyter J'daeor'!) who attended their
sessions as technical ad6iser in specifically Jewish !atters and
<ept certain records >5 If he were 'nable to be present) he had
to appoint a dep'ty >: One of the Jewish chirographers of the
Aondon archa generally acted as cler< of the co'rt) while there
was also a Jewish escheater to s'per6ise the li='idation of those
estates which fell into the <ing;s hands) and an assessor to collect
thea"r"m reginae) of #2 per cent on the renewal of leases and
granting of charters) which was d'e to the ='een >4 The
J'stices of the Jews were) howe6er) s'bordinated) on one
occasion at least) to a higher official !ore directly a!enable to
control) to who! the <ing ;co!!itted the s'perior care of his
Jewry; >; A branch of the Scaccari'! J'daeor'!) presided o6er
by its own @arden "'s'ally non*resident) and identical with one
of the J'stices&) s'per6ised the affairs of the handf'l of Jews in
Ireland
The caref'l syste! of recording all operations carried on by Jews)
to which the Jewish E1che='er owed its origin) was of
considerable i!portance Thro'gh this it beca!e possible for the
wealth of the financiers to be assessed and ta1ed witho't any
possibility of e6asion .oreo6er) henceforth the le6ies were not
necessarily paid in cash @hen it was desired to e1act a new
tallage) the archae co'ld be i!po'nded and bonds to the desired
a!o'nt sent to the E1che='er in a closed py1 >< Blti!ately the
Crown preferred to le6y its d'es in the for! of well*sec'red debts
rather than pro!issory notes which !ight not be !et p'nct'ally
Again) it was by no !eans 'n's'al for bonds of indebtedness to
change hands) by p'rchase or otherwise They ser6ed al!ost as
ban<notes) and their e1istence considerably increased the
a6ailable c'rrency >= It is not diffic'lt to i!agine that a Jew of
Aondon) whose b'siness too< hi! to E1eter) wo'ld p'rchase
fro! one of his co*religionists a well*sec'red debt registered in
the local archa The bond relating to this "s'itably endorsed& he
wo'ld ta<e with hi! to cash or to disco'nt 'pon his arri6al In
this way the Jews sti!'lated the de6elop!ent of the credit
syste! of the co'ntry as a whole
It is o't of the ='estion that the entirety of English Jewry can
ha6e been engaged in the predo!inant occ'pation of
!oneylending The co!!'nal !agnates were certainly
financiers :ependent 'pon the!) howe6er) directly or indirectly)
there wo'ld necessarily be n'!ero's s'bordinates) agents and
cler<s to help in their b'siness) synagogal officials to carry o't
di6ine worship) scribes to draw 'p their b'siness doc'!ents or
to copy o't their literary and de6otional co!positions) attendants
to perfor! the ho'sehold ser6ices forbidden by the Ch'rch to
7entiles No roll of the co!!'nity of Aondon) in the twelfth
cent'ry) contains !ore than forty na!es) b't it can hardly be
do'bted that this represents only a !inority of the total n'!ber
of heads of fa!ily So!e of the great financiers9Jacob of Aondon
or Benedict of Jor<9see! to ha6e !aintained n'!ero's
ho'sehold staffs Aaron of Aincoln and his ho!ony!) Aaron of
Jor<) had their agents all o6er England
Tho'gh the o6erwhel!ing !a>ority of the doc'!ents at o'r
disposal deal with the financiers) a !inority was engaged in other
professions The records f'rnish the na!es of at least twel6e
physicians @e !eet with one e6en at a s!all place s'ch as Aynn)
where his practice !'st ha6e been al!ost e1cl'si6ely a!ongst
the general pop'lationD while at Norwich) in the thirteenth
cent'ry) the profession was hereditary in one fa!ily >> .aster
Elias "Eli>ah .enahe!& of Aondon) >'st before the E1p'lsion)
en>oyed s'ch rep'tation that he was s'!!oned by the Co'nt of
Haina'lt to go o6erseas to attend 'pon hi! >9 An occasional
Jewish golds!ith is enco'ntered) incl'ding one in the ser6ice of
Ging John 97 If the ad!ission of Benedict fil; Abraha! to the
!erchant*gild at @inchester in #+,$ was not an e!pty
co!pli!ent) it is ob6io's that he !'st ha6e engaged in
trade 91 At Norwich we enco'nter :iaia le Scalari's ";the
ladder*!a<er;&) and at 7lo'cester Abraha! le S<ir!ise'r) or
fencing*!aster 95 The !oneylenders) too) !ight be in6ol6ed in
co!!ercial operations when the pledges in their hands9
especially >ewels and l'1'ry articles9re!ained 'nredee!ed
So!e persons) 'p to #+/# at least) co'ld ha6e li6ed co!fortably
fro! their rent*rolls) tho'gh fro! the close of the reign of Henry
III there was an increasing tendency to confiscate all real estate
in a Jew;s hands on his death 9: Hebrew so'rces indicate that
the Jews in England) as elsewhere) were engaged to so!e e1tent
in peddling) partic'larly of cloth? 9:B and they certainly
i!ported wine on a large scale) and not only for their own
'se 94 After the Stat't'! de J'deis!o) as has been seen) the
Jews tended to engage especially in the corn and wool trades A
legend of so!e anti='ity preser6es the na!e e6en of a Jewish
artist) .arlibr'n of Billingsgate) who) li<e his conte!poraries in
Spain) did not scr'ple to paint holy i!ages 9; Se6eral
s'ggesti6ely Biblical na!es) s'ch as Isaac of Jor<) fig're on the
coinage of the twelfth cent'ry as !inters) in which calling a
Canterb'ry con6ert was certainly engaged at this ti!e 9<
Jewesses played a significant part in econo!ic life E6ery roll of
English Jewry !entions the na!es of wo!en who contrib'ted
i!portant s'!s to the E1che='er9not always the widows of
dead financiers) b't fre='ently wi6es or perhaps e6en spinsters in
b'siness on their own acco'nt Belaset of @allingford) and
Aicoricia) widow of :a6id of O1ford) were a!ong the !ost acti6e
English financiers of the thirteenth cent'ry E6en .argaret)
da'ghter of J'rnet of Norwich and a Christian heiress) 9= is
fo'nd engaging in independent b'siness transactions S'ch
acti6ity was assisted by the conspic'o'sly high >'dicial and social
stat's of wo!en in Jewish life) which co!pared 6ery fa6o'rably
with that of the ordinary Englishwo!an of the period
@hile co!pletely s'b>ect to the Crown in e1ternal !atters) the
Jewish co!!'nities of the <ingdo! en>oyed a!ongst the!sel6es
a considerable degree of a'tono!y As elsewhere) they e1ercised
the right of le6ying do!estic ta1ation 9> Their co!!'nal
reg'lations) licensed by the Crown on the pay!ent of the
ine6itable fee) were enforced e6en by the ci6il power :o!estic
disp'tes were decided by their own a'thorities in accordance
with Tal!'dic law9a right en6ied by the Ch'rch which was
apparently granted by Henry II) confir!ed by John) and 'tili(ed
when con6enient by the a'thorities On one occasion) for
e1a!ple) application was !ade to the ;.asters of the Aaw; for a
r'ling 'pon the 6e1ed ='estion) whether it was per!issible for
one Jew to ta<e 's'ry fro! another) 99 and on another) they
were allowed to decide that a person who did not inti!ate his
religio's allegiance i!!ediately he was ='estioned co'ld no
longer be considered a Jew 177 The Jewish co'rts were
reg'larly resorted to for decision in !atri!onial cases) and
instit'tions of Jewish ci6il law "s'ch as the right of a widow to a
prior clai! on her late h'sband;s chattels for the repay!ent of
her dowry 171 or the -abbinic instit'tion of 's'caption or
prescripti6e right& 175 were 'n='estioningly ad!itted by the
a'thorities Howe6er "by a sort of co'nterpart of the law of
prae!'nire) which forbade reco'rse to ecclesiastical trib'nals
abroad&) steps were ta<en to <eep s'ch >'risdiction within the
real! and to pre6ent appeal fro! the English -abbis to
a'thorities on the Continent 17: This >'dicial a'tono!y was
='alified only in cases of the so*called ;pleas of the Crown;
"ho!icide) assa'lt) rape) ho'sebrea<ing) larceny) arson) treas're
tro6e) and !ayhe!& which always had to be tried before the royal
>'stices In !any cases an e1cl'si6ely Jewish >'ry of twel6e
persons was sworn) it being pres'!ed that they wo'ld ha6e a
greater <nowledge of the facts
All legal doc'!ents between Jew and Jew were drawn 'p in
Hebrew) and according to the -abbinic for!'lae Their wills)
!ade in accordance with the Tal!'dic prescriptions) were
recogni(ed as 6alid by the co'rts) while if a person died intestate)
his property was di6ided a!ong his heirs in accordance with
Jewish practice 174 The 'lti!ate sanction for the enforce!ent
of internal reg'lations was that of e1co!!'nication) which was
recogni(ed by and on occasion t'rned to the profit of the Crown
"As we ha6e seen) a person who re!ained 'nder the ban for !ore
than forty days had his property confiscated to the e1che='er&
.ore than once licence was gi6en for p'tting 'nder the ban those
who failed to pay the a!o'nts pro!ised for the 'p<eep of the
ce!etery in Aondon) with the pro6iso that any e6ent'al profits
sho'ld accr'e to the <ing 17; The Jews of e6ery city clai!ed a
6oice in deter!ining the co!position of the co!!'nity Th's) in
#+,,) those of Canterb'ry bo'nd the!sel6es by oath not to allow
any ;liar) i!proper person or slanderer; fro! another town to
co!e to li6e there) and stip'lated what sho'ld be done in case
so!e 'ndesirable i!!igrant were pro6ided with royal
licence 17<
The internal organi(ation of English Jewry in the .iddle Ages
was 6ery si!ilar to that which pre6ailed elsewhere in E'rope
Aife centred abo't the synagog'es "scholae >'daeor'!&) 17= of
which) down to the close of the thirteenth cent'ry) all the
i!portant co!!'nities had !ore than one These were !ostly
s!all establish!ents) often !aintained by wealthy !agnates in
their own ho'ses 17> Here) as places of general asse!bly)
co!!'nal !eetings wo'ld be held) e1co!!'nications f'l*
!inated) and anno'nce!ents !ade The synagog'e for!ed also
the channel of co!!'nication with the ci6il a'thorities)
necessary procla!ations being !ade in it) both in Aatin and in
Hebrew) 179 on two or three Sabbaths in s'ccession In='iries
were !ade in it) too) concerning o'tstanding debts If a !an were
banished he had to ;ab>'re the real!; there p'blicly) holding a
Scroll of the Aaw in his ar!s
At the head of the co!!'nity "Universitasor.omm"nitas
3"daeor"m& of each place stood itsbailliv"s) corresponding to the
Hebrewparnas"LPerna(; in the records& The gabbai) or
Treas'rer) is also !entioned fre='ently The salaried officials
incl'ded theshohetor rit'al b'tcher) theha6anor reader
";Chante'r;&) and pres'!ably the se1ton ";.hapeleyn',
'.apellan"s'& 117 The instit'tion of the professional -abbi had
barely !ade its appearance) tho'gh ;!asters of the Jewish law;
"well*<nown b'siness !agnates in so!e cases) as well as
scholars& were to be fo'nd in !ost places 111 The a'thority they
e1ercised was principally !oral) tho'gh none the less effecti6eD
yet they clai!ed the power to inflict physical p'nish!ent on
st'bborn !e!bers of their floc< 115 England had its
representati6es of the 7er!an ascetico*!ystical school of
Hasidi! "literally ;pio's;&) who) in the twelfth and thirteenth
cent'ries) are fo'nd in !ore than one centre 11: The a6erage
English Jew of the .iddle Ages followed the hardly less
stren'o's path of nor!al obser6ance) tho'gh there were
occasional instances of la1ity The synagog'e rit'al was 6ery
si!ilar to that followed in 5rance) tho'gh not lac<ing
independent feat'res 114
Bp to the reaction at the close of the twelfth cent'ry the Jews
see! to ha6e li6ed on e1cellent ter!s with their neighbo'rs They
disc'ssed religio's ='estions together in a friendly spirit To the
s'rprise of Jewish a'thorities they dran< together "the specially
prepared wine for their 'se being i!ported nor!ally fro! 5rance
or 7er!any& 11; They rode together on >o'rneys 11< No
ob>ection was raised e6en to their presence in ch'rches and
!onasteries) where they sent their chattels confidently for safe
<eeping 11= They !ight enter into arrange!ents with their
debtors e6en in the ante*cha!ber of the Archbishop of
Jor< 11> Cases of inter!arriage were not altogether 'n<nown
Con6erts J'dais!) incl'ded clerics as well as lay!en so!e) of
who! apparently escaped 'ntoward conse='ences 119 :own to
the 6ery end the wheel did not t'rn f'll circle It was possible for
a Jew of O1ford to find twel6e b'rghers to testify that he had
been ;bro'ght 'p a!ongst the! fro! infancy) and bore hi!self
e6er leally in all !anner of lealty; 157 In @inchester Benedict fil;
Abraha! was ad!itted in #+,$ into ;f'll !e!bership of the
liberty of the city) and citi(enship) and gild rights in the .erchant
7ild) with all the pri6ileges in the said liberty; 151 A Jewess of
the sa!e city) in #+8$) be='eathed a ring to the <ing) as tho'gh
he were the !ost bene6olent of !onarchs 155 Con6ersely) the
royal charity e1tended e6en to a Jewish cripple 15: In #+// there
was a fa!o's case at Colchester) when Jews and Christians were
arraigned together for the offence of chasing a deer thro'gh the
town 154 As late as #+$,) when the gloo!iest period in the
history of English Jewry had dawned) a wealthy financier of
Hereford in6ited his Christian friends to his da'ghter;s wedding)
which was celebrated with great po!p Bishop Swinfield) aghast
at s'ch con6i6iality) prohibited attendance 'nder pain of
e1co!!'nication) b't e6en this was an ins'fficient
deterrent 15; :own to the e6e of the E1p'lsion) despite the
atte!pt to enforce segregation) Jewish 6isitors to Aondon wo'ld
lodge with their attendants and horses at the ho'ses of
Christians 15< :'ring the 'nrest at the ti!e of the Barons; @ars
they were fre='ently able to ta<e ref'ge in the ho'ses of their
neighbo'rs) or deposit property with the! So!eti!es) indeed)
the latter wo'ld place it with their own in ch'rch) where it wo'ld
be safe fro! !olestation 15= @hen order was restored) it was a
friendly 7entile who was sent abroad to bring the infant son of
the !artyred Co< fil; Aaron bac< to England 15> 7enerally
spea<ing) cri!es of 6iolence against the Jews were p'nished li<e
any others) tho'gh the syste! of fran<*pledge "or !'t'al
responsibility a!ong !e!bers of a tithing& did not apply in the
case of !e!bers of the Jewish corn!'nity 159
Ine6itably the English Jews shared the pre>'dices and
s'perstitions of their en6iron!ent E!inent scholars) s'ch as
-abbi Eli>ah .enahe! of Aondon) dabbled in !agical
prescriptions for !edical p'rposes) or to sa6e ho'ses fro! fire?
and the i!prison!ent of a de!on in a signet*ring was an
achie6e!ent credited to one English Jew of the period In cases
of sic<ness they !ight resort to the care of Christian wo!en who
speciali(ed in char!s) tho'gh it was !ore co!!on for Christians
to cons'lt the! regarding their f't're fate and actions 1:7 They
were ='ite prepared to regard barnacle geese as a 6egetable
prod'ct) tho'gh not with ='ite the sa!e cred'lity as their
neighbo'rs) who) in contro6ersy with the!) add'ced the sa!e
!ythical creat're as proof of the possibility of the 0irgin
Birth 1:1
The standard of cond'ct a!ongst English Jews was not
s'pernat'rally perfect The !a>ority of the offences enco'ntered
a!ongst the! were nat'rally connected with their
b'siness) 1:5 tho'gh there can be no do'bt that at the close
so!e were dri6en to the sordid offence of coin*clipping Cri!es
of 6iolence were not rare) the !edie6al English Jew not being by
any !eans a paragon of !ee<ness) whether his own co*
religionists or 7entiles9e6en soldiers 1:: 9were in6ol6ed @e
find a few cases of !'rder 1:4 and so!e trespasses against the
5orest Aaws 1:; Se1'al offences are not co!!on) and the !ost
circ'!stantial allegation on record failed to res'lt in a
con6iction 1:< Tho'gh the Assi(e of Ar!s depri6ed the! after
##$# of the possession of weapons) so!e English Jews had no
ob>ection to settling their differences by the ordeal of battle) li<e
tr'e sons of their age 1:= That they were not lac<ing in !ilitary
proficiency is apparent fro! the fact that a 5rench Jew na!ed
Han'chin was gi6en special licence to li6e in England beca'se of
the good ser6ice he had done d'ring the wars in Nor!andy
'nder Ging John 1:> They see! to ha6e been fo'nd partic'larly
s'itable as cross*bow!en and sergeants*at*ar!s) who needed
special technical training and did not for! part of the fe'dal le6y?
and se6eral con6erts fro! J'dais! are fo'nd ser6ing in these
capacities 1:9
As was c'sto!ary at the period betrothals were arranged
between children too yo'ng to 'nderta<e the responsibilities of
!arriage) the cere!ony being deferred as long as fo'r years after
the preli!inaries 147 After the wedding the yo'ng co'ple wo'ld
li6e in the ho'se of the bride;s father for a year or !ore) the latter
'nderta<ing to pro6ide the! with food and clothing) to discharge
any tallage which !ight be i!posed d'ring that period) and e6en
to engage a teacher with who! his son*in*law !ight contin'e to
st'dy 141 If a girl were left an orphan her brothers wo'ld bind
the!sel6es by deed to find her a ;beco!ing and pleasant spo'se;
and to gi6e her an ade='ate dowry) as well as to !a<e proper
pro6ision for their !other 145 The !arriage settle!ent !ade by
the bridegroo! wo'ld nor!ally a!o'nt to as !'ch as K#22
;according to the c'sto! of the Isle;9a stri<ing co!!entary
'pon the general prosperity of the co!!'nity 14:
The Jews were pioneers in the art of do!estic architect're Their
high standard of co!fort) their foreign conne1ions and
e1perience) and abo6e all their need of sec'rity) all co!bined to
bring this abo't They were apparently a!ong the first to
introd'ce the 'se of stone ho'ses for ordinary occ'pation into
England) and in the capital their residences were s'fficiently
desirable to be ta<en o6er by so!e of the wealthiest a!ong the
nobility Thro'gho't the co'ntry the Jews long re!ained
associated in pop'lar lore with certain ancient dwelling*ho'ses)
for no apparent reason other than their solidity of constr'ction
The a'thentic e1a!ples at Aincoln are the oldest pri6ate
residences in this co'ntry still in occ'pation 144
7enerally) the infidels li6ed by the!sel6es in a special street)
e6en before the canon of the Third Aateran Co'ncil which !ade it
obligatory This was 'ni6ersally <nown as the Jewry "fro! the
Old 5rench >'ierie&) a ter! which contin'es to the present ti!e
as a street*na!e in se6eral of the older English cities This was
not a 7hetto in the technical sense) nor were the Jews confined to
it by law In Jor<) indeed) they were specifically allowed to li6e
where they pleased) e6en so late as #+/$? 14; and the great
!agnates had their residences in the heart of the city9in
.ic<legate) 5eltergayle and elsewhere9as well as in the !ain
Jewish ='arter in Coney Street Aincoln Jewry had its centre in
one of the principal roads leading 'p to the .inster) where the
architect'ral relics to which reference has been !ade !ay still be
seen In Aondon the original Jewry e1tended fro! Cheapside
across Aothb'ry to what is now Cole!an*street) and into the
ad>acent Iron!onger*lane) where the first synagog'e was
sit'ated At a later period they see! to ha6e been crowded o't of
this area) the ;Old Jewry; "as it is still ter!ed& being s'perseded
e6en before the E1p'lsion of #+%2 The Ch'rch !ade a point of
establishing centres of acti6ity a!ongst the infidel "the Hospital
of St Tho!as of Acre) or Acon) on the site of the birthplace of
Tho!as Bec<et) and two ordinary places of worship) were
introd'ced in the co'rse of the twelfth cent'ry alone& In
addition) the barons who desired lodgings near the tilting*gro'nd
in the Cheap see! to ha6e been especially attracted by the
!ansions of the wealthy Jews In the year of .agna Carta) no
fewer than three earls were occ'pying ho'ses for!erly in the
possession of !e!bers of the co!!'nity As a res'lt) the centre
!o6ed a little westwards) 'p Cat*street and Aad*lane "now
7resha!*street) where the ch'rch of St Aawrence Jewry bears
witness to their n'!bers& and down the side t'rnings abo't the
Cheap) especially .il<*street and @ood*street In the t'rb'lent
ti!es which followed) a few Jews see! to ha6e ta<en ref'ge in
the sal'tary neighbo'rhood of the Tower) where Jewry*street
"for!erly <nown as ;Poor Jewry;& off Aldgate) is belie6ed to
preser6e the !e!ory 14<
The standard of ed'cation was characteristically high @e do not
!eet a single illiterate Jew in the considerable !ass of
doc'!ents of the period which ha6e s'r6i6ed 14= E6en an
isolated ho'seholder) li6ing in a co'ntry 6illage) wo'ld ha6e a
t'tor for the instr'ction of his children 14> In a fa!o's Aincoln
case of #+/# the !ost i!portant ite! in the bride;s dowry was a
bea'tif'l .assoretic Bible 149 English lit'rgical codices were
<nown in 5rance) 1;7 and the bea'ty of the !an'scripts looted
at Jor< e1cited the ad!iration of the Jews of Cologne) whither
they were bro'ght for sale 1;1 A few Anglo*Jewish !an'scripts
of this period ha6e s'r6i6ed to the present day 1;5 Joseph's was
also fa!iliar to English Jews 1;: The religio's practices c'rrent
in ;the isle of the sea; "as it was generally called& 1;4 were ='oted
with appro6al by the continental a'thorities) tho'gh it was
regarded as a !atter of s'rprise that they did not scr'ple to drin<
wine prepared by 7entiles and in their co!pany) or e6en to !a<e
'se of signet*rings which contained the li<eness of the h'!an
fig're "the practice) as we <now fro! act'al e1a!ple) of Aaron of
Jor<& Tho'gh as a r'le the Jews were 'nable to write in Aatin
characters) whether 5rench) English) or Aatin were in ='estion)
they co'ld generally decipher "and) e1ceptionally) e6en
forge& 1;; those lang'ages All contracts between the!sel6es)
and their own set of the rolls recording their transactions) were
drawn 'p in Hebrew) in which tong'e they 's'ally endorsed
Aatin deeds when necessary .aster Elias of Aondon) howe6er)
corresponded freely in 5rench 1;< @o!en were not o6erloo<ed
in the ed'cational syste! Ne6ertheless) it was fo'nd necessary
to translate the do!estic ser6ice on Passo6er E6e into the
6ernac'lar) for their benefit and that of the children 1;=
5ro! the literary standpoint) the stat's of English Jewry was not
re!ar<able In this respect too they were on the whole an
offshoot of the co!!'nities of northern 5rance) 'pon which
their literat're contin'ed to be dependent .any of their
fore!ost intellect'al fig'res ca!e fro! abroad) s'ch as the first
Anglo*Jewish scholar <nown to 's by na!e) -abbi Joseph or
;-'bi 7otsce;) who played a leading role in the Aondon
co!!'nity in the ti!e of Henry I Thereafter se6eral
b'siness!en !entioned in the English records are disting'ished
by the title of ;.agister;) indicating pro!inence in -abbinic "or
possibly !edical& st'dies Bnder Henry II n'!ero's foreign
scholars 6isited England 5ore!ost a!ong the! was the fa!o's
Abraha! ibn E(ra) that restless) 6ersatile Spaniard who wrote on
al!ost e6ery s'b>ect which co'ld interest the !edie6al !ind) and
had at least a gli!!er of the principles of Higher Criticis! He
was in Aondon "whither) indeed) he is said to ha6e ret'rned to
die& in ##,$) writing there his Jesod .orah "L5o'ndation of
-e6erence;& and probably his Iggereth haShabbath ";Sabbath
Epistle;&) 'nder the patronage of Joseph de .oreil 1;> Jacob of
Orleans) a disting'ished Tosaphist) 1;9 perished in the Aondon
!assacre of ##$%? Jo!*Tob of Joigny) a lit'rgical poet whose
hy!ns are e6en now recited in the synagog'e) was the central
fig're in the tragic e6ents which too< place at Jor< in the
following year? Berechiah haNa<dan) a'thor of the fa!o's 5o1
5ables) and translator into Hebrew of the I'aestiones Nat'rales
of Adelard of Bath) !ay perhaps be identical with Benedict le
Point'r of O1ford 1<7
The following generation witnessed a greater degree of
indigeno's acti6ity) sti!'lated no do'bt by this infl'1 of
scholars 1<1 Jacob ben J'dah) theha6anor reader in the
synagog'e of Aondon) co!posed a code of religio's law <nown
as!t6 Hayyim";The Tree of Aife;&) which incidentally co!prises
the te1t of the Jewish lit'rgy in 'se in pre*E1p'lsion England)
and one or two original hy!ns -abbi Jo!*Tob ben .oses of
Bristol was the a'thor of a wor<) probably >'ristic)
entitledSepher ha +annaim";The Boo< of Conditions;& .oses
haNa<dan) his son "s'bse='ently of Aondon&) wrote a treatise on
Hebrew p'nct'ation and gra!!ar which beca!e a standard
wor< He was the p'pil) apparently) of -abbi Sa!'el haNa<dan)
a'thor of a si!ilar wor< entitled :eya<'t ";.in'tiae;&) and
pres'!ably to be identified with the Sa!'el le Point'r of Bristol
whose na!e fig'res in a ta1*roll of ##%3 A!ong .oses of
Aondon;s p'pils was .oses ben Isaac haNessiah "grandson of the
wo!an financier Co!itissa of Ca!bridge&D he wrote not only an
introd'ction to Hebrew gra!!ar) Aeshon Ai!!'di! ";Tong'e
of Instr'ction;& now lost) b't also the well*<nown le1icographical
co!position) Sepher haShoha!) or Ony1 Boo<9the !ost
i!portant wor< prod'ced in its field at this period) which 6i6idly
ill'strates the range of <nowledge of !edie6al English Jewry
Another o'tstanding fig're was Eli>ah .enahe! "Elias& of
Aondon) who) besides en>oying a considerable rep'tation as a
physician) co!posed a notable co!!entary on the .ishnah "the
second*cent'ry code which lies at the basis of the Tal!'d&) !'ch
'sed by s'bse='ent scholars Another er'dite descendant of
Jo!*Tob of Bristol was .oses ben Jacob of Aondon) a 6icti! of
the E1p'lsion of #+%2) who wrote a gra!!atical wor< the
!an'script of which incidentally contains a record of fi6e
generations of his fa!ily who li6ed in England -abbi .eir of
Angleterre co!posed a handboo< of the laws inc'!bent 'pon a
!o'rner) and is possibly identical with that .eir ben Eli>ah of
Norwich who wrote so!e in6ol6ed lit'rgical and didactic
poe!s 1<5
The na!es or opinions of a few other scholars) who left no
independent wor<s) are also re!e!bered The sages of
Norwich) 1<: of who! the poet .eir was pres'!ably one) are
!entioned with deference in the+osaphoth So also is the
!artyred -abbi Eli>ah of Jor<) another 6icti! of the !assacres of
##%2) 1<4 and Berechiah of Nicole) or Aincoln) a f'rther
grandson of Jo!*Tob of Bristol -abbi Ben>a!in of Canterb'ry)
or rather Ca!bridge "the spelling of the two place*na!es in
Hebrew is al!ost identical& is probably to be identified with the
.agister Ben>a!in who flo'rished in the last*na!ed city in the
reigns of -ichard I and John -abbis Aaron of Canterb'ry)
Je<'thiel of Aondon) Elea(ar of Aondon) Joseph of Aincoln) 0i6es
of Jor<) Eli>ah of @arwic<) and Joseph of Bristol were also
a'thorities of note in their day) tho'gh now no !ore than na!es
The con>ect'red conne1ion with England of Joseph Behor*Shor
of Orleans) Sir Aeon of Paris and other Tosaphists ? of Elhanan
ben Isaac) the lit'rgical poet and a'thor of Sod halbb'r ";Secret
of A'nar Intercalation;&? of Hagin) who translated the I!age d'
.onde and other wor<s of Abraha! ibn E(ra into 5rench? and of
a n'!ber of other celebrities clai!ed by patriotic Anglo*Jewish
scholars) 1<; is open to considerable do'bt
In spite of the co!parati6e pa'city of na!es in this list) it is
possible to see that the intellect'al hori(on of English Jewry was
by no !eans restricted They c'lti6ated poetry) biblical e1egesis)
belles*lettres) and abo6e all) gra!!ar) in which their
contrib'tions were of solid i!portance A !inority were
interested in philosophy) for there were followers of .oses
.ai!onides at O1ford) and the first part of a new translation of
J'dah haAe6i;s G'(ari was bro'ght to England before the wor<
was co!pleted 1<< B't9tr'e to the tradition of 5ranco*7er!an
Jewry) to which the English co!!'nities owed their origin) and
with which they contin'ed so closely associated9 their interests
were) abo6e all) de6oted to the st'dy and for!'lation of religio's
law and practice Pope Honori's) in his !andate to the
archbishops of Canterb'ry and Jor< in #+$,) co!plained of the
infl'ence in England of the boo< co!!only called ;Thala!'d;)
which the Jews of the real! p't forth as being of greater
a'thority than the law of .oses 1<= Correspondence was carried
on with) and in='iries addressed to) all the greatest rabbinical
a'thorities of the age) fro! Jacob ben .eir of -a!er'pt
";-abben' Ta!;& to .eir of -othenb'rg Thro'gh the for!er;s
!eans) the persec'tions on the Continent soon beca!e <nown to
the inhabitants of the ;Isle of the Sea;) who !o'rned the!
wholeheartedly) 1<> while on the other hand English !assacres
were co!!e!orated in the 5ranco*7er!an !artyrologies and
dirges 1<9
In non*Jewish circles) <nowledge of Hebrew was still at a low
ebb It was indeed an English!an) -oger Bacon) who set the
e1a!ple to !edie6al E'rope for the scientific st'dy of the sacred
tong'e) 1=7 and recent in6estigations ha6e re6ealed a praise*
worthy (eal a!ong the 5riars for the st'dy of the Old Testa!ent
in the original 1=1 Jet interest in Jewish lore was !ainly
pro!pted by contro6ersial and con6ersionist !oti6es As early as
the reign of @illia! -'f's) 7ilbert Crispin) abbot of
@est!inster) set down the tenor of a religio's disc'ssion that
had ta<en place in Aondon between hi! and a certain Jew
ed'cated in the fa!o's rabbinical school of .ain( 1=5 A less
capable contro6ersialist i!itated this so!e thirty or forty years
later in the-ltercatio 3"daei c"m christiano de fide christiana)
addressed to Ale1ander) bishop of Aincoln 1=: Towards the close
of the cent'ry Baldwin) the cr'sading archbishop of Canterb'ry
"d ##%2& incl'ded a pole!ical ser!on on Jewish blindness in
his/iber de commendatione fidei) 1=4 while Peter of Blois) then
archdeacon of Aondon) wrote his Aiber contra perfidia!
>'daeor'! at the e1press re='est of the Bishop of @orcester for
'se in disc'ssion with arg'!entati6e Jews 1=; -obert of
Cric<lade) prior of St 5rideswide and chancellor of the Bni6ersity
of O1ford) endea6o'red to con6ince the Jews of the error of their
reasoning on the a'thority of the s'spected Christological
passage of Joseph's -obert 7rosseteste) the great bishop of
Aincoln) co!posed his fa!o's treatise7e cessatione
legali"mwith si!ilar con6ersionist intentions) besides
translating the Testa!ent of the Twel6e Patriarchs) belo6ed of
!edie6al theologians)ad ma3orem 3"daeor"m
conf"sionem 1=< @illia! de Ar'ndel) archdeacon of
H'ntingdon) was so opti!istic as to try to get a con6ersionist
pa!phlet) which he co!pleted in #+32) translated into Hebrew
:'ns Scot's) tho'gh i!b'ed with the ideas of the Hebrew
A6icebron "Ibn 7abirol&) did not waste his ti!e on contro6ersy)
b't ad6ocated forcible baptis! for the Jewish children) and the
e1ercise of threats to pers'ade their fathers to follow the
e1a!ple 1== 5ew English writers of the !edie6al period show
indeed !'ch sy!pathy with the Jews) tho'gh the historian
Tho!as de @y<es) co!!enting on the Aondon .assacre of
#+,E) saysD
'-nd tho"gh the 1ews were not of o"r religion, it seemed base
and impio"s to #ill them, when we o"ght to love them beca"se
they are men and have been created in the image of God :
8beca"se the remnant shall ret"rn, even the remnant of 1acob,
"nto the -lmighty God8.9 &()
The foregoing gi6es so!e idea of the nat're and the co!position
of the Anglo*Jewish co!!'nity in the .iddle Ages It presents)
indeed) few points of differentiation fro! the greater Jewish
agglo!erations of the Continent Its i!portance consists rather
in its typical character It is rigidly self*contained) within the
bo'ndaries of the Nor!an Con='est on the one hand and the
E1p'lsion of #+%2 on the other) with >'st s'fficient ='alification
at either e1tre!ity to re!ind 's that in Jewish) as in all history) it
is i!possible to generali(e too sweepingly The co!!'nity was
i!!ersed in) and indeed gi6en its econo!ic >'stification by) the
profession characteristic of the Jews of the !edie6al world) !ore
e1cl'si6ely than was the case in any other co'ntry of western
E'rope? b't at the sa!e ti!e) there were eno'gh e1ceptions to
pro6e that wider interests were not e1cl'ded Its co!ponents
were all of recent origin in the co'ntry? there was th's no ancient
settle!ent) as was the case elsewhere) to contin'e association
with the soil The royal control was pec'liarly close and
co!prehensi6e The strength of the central go6ern!ent was s'ch
as to ens're 'nifor!ity of treat!ent and th's to facilitate
generali(ation .oreo6er) than<s to the !agnificent preser6ation
of the English records) we are partic'larly well infor!ed on the
s'b>ect
E6ery characteristic facet of !edie6al Jewish history) !oreo6er)
finds its reflection in England d'ring the two cent'ries in which
the Jews were settled in the co'ntry9enco'rage!ent
degenerating into persec'tion) which finally c'l!inated in
e1p'lsion) of which England pro6ided the first general e1a!ple
E6en in their intellect'al acti6ities) the Jews of the co'ntry were
eclectic) i!!ersing the!sel6es9witho't i!portant
conse='ences) and with a strong bias in certain specific
directions 9in all c'rrent branches of Hebrew literat're and
tho'ght It is beca'se of this typical character that !edie6al
Anglo*Jewish history has its indi6id'al ='ality and interest
%ootnotes
Chapter 8
# So!e of the points elaborated in this chapter ha6e already
been referred to c'rsorily abo6e
+ See Note 0 "a&) pp +/3*8
E The 's'al en'!eration has been correctedD there is no
e6idence that the Jews had been e1cl'ded fro!
H'ntingdon and :e6i(es) while Ipswich is to be added to
the n'!ber of places with an archa
3 E1p'lsions fro! all places witho't a chirograph chest too<
place in #+,%) #+//) and #+$3 Ne6ertheless) the in!ates of
the :o!'s Con6ersor'! between #+$2 and #E2$ incl'ded
for!er Jews fro! .erton) B'ry) Ar'ndel) Cric<lade)
7illingha!) and Gendal "Adler) J.E) p E2,&) while in
#+/+ they were resident at 7'ildford) Chichester) Aewes)
Ar'ndel Seaford Hatcha!) Bottisha!) and Hol!
Ca!bridgeshire "-igg) PEJ) pp ,$*/2&) and in #+/E*8 at
Bradesworth) Berha! 5renningha!) H'ngerford)
-oyston) Sandwich) and Tic<hill "EJ ii passi!& Officially
a Jew residing witho't royal licence in any place fro!
which Jews were e1cl'ded was p'nished by confiscation of
his property "-igg) PEJ) p ++& 5or Jews in So'thwar<
"where a ho!e for con6erts was established in #+#E& cf
Bibl A$ ++ The total n'!ber of settle!ents e1ceeds
#+2D infra) pp +/3*8)+$%
8 Cf Jacobs) JAE) pp #$,*$) ='oting fro! the Aiber
-'be's The passage wo'ld indicate that the Jews were
interested in tin*!ining "On the Continent) Italy and
Spain Z the Jews to were certainly engaged in !ining at
this period) so that the s'ggestion is not entirely fancif'l&
Ne6ertheless the Jews) LTin and JewsQ Ho'ses of !ore
!odern ti!es are in all probability based on an erroneo's
fol<*ety!ology for the Jews in Cornwall) see Bibl A$
#E/*32
, Bibl A$ #8+
/ eg Ibn 0erga in the Hebrew chronicle Shebet Jeh'dah) X
16iii 5or the e1tent of the Aondon Jewry) see Bibl A$ #E
and below) p #+3
$ Cf lists in Trs JHSE ii /,*#28
% .oses of Co'cy) .a>or Boo< of Precepts) X 116
#2 See the na!e*lists in Jacobs) JAE) pp E38*/# The na!e
A'!bard) fo'nd thro'gho't this period) plainly indicates
i!!igrants fro! Italy as a whole rather than fro! the
northern pro6inces "That it denotes ;!oneylender;) as has
been !aintained) wo'ld be in the case of Jews a
distinction witho't a difference? b't possibly9especially
when 'sed as a praeno!en9it !ay signify ;Aong*Beard;&
Jacobs) JAE) p /E) identifies Isaac of -'ssia) who was
in Ha!pshire in ##$#) with -abbi Isaac of Chernigo6) and
s'ggests that he was ;possibly the first -'ssian in historic
ti!es who p't foot on English soil;
## The passage fro! 7irald's Ca!brensis cited below "p
+//& is inco!prehensible e1cept on the ass'!ption that
the !edi'! of con6ersation was 5rench
#+ Prono'nced) howe6er) Hayin) they so'nd being generally
rendered by g That the na!e !eans ;life; was reali(ed
e6en at Co'rt? hence Henry III;s p'n "C- #+,,) p +2$&D
;the Ging wishes to .aster Hagin son of .oses) a better
state of life;
#E Anglo*Jewish no!enclat're is disc'ssed by Sto<es)
St'dies) pp ,E*/#) and Aoeb) -EJ 16i +%,*% and 16iii
#8+ The c'rio's s'rna!e ;Arrow; s'ggested in :a6is)
Shetaroth) p 16) is based on a !isreading? see below) p
##$ n It is not necessary to de6ote space to serio's
consideration of the recent con>ect're that the na!e
.anser was 'sed as the e='i6alent of the Hebrew .a!(er
"bastard&) being adopted as a co!pli!ent to @illia! the
Con='eror Ai<e the conte!porary 5rench .enessier)
.anassier) Hc) it is clearly a corr'ption of .enasseh or
else ":a6is) Shetaroth) p ,& .enahe!
#3 Aist in Adler) J.E) p +# Belaset corresponded to
-achelD cf 7en 11i1 #/
#8 These three are also fo'nd) s'rprisingly) as praeno!ens)
Peite6in and Ange6in of Canterb'ry being brothers The
na!e ;le T'r<; indicates origin fro! Tho'ars in Poito'
"Aatin Th'arci'!&) and ;:e Br'gP a resident of
Bridgnorth) not of Br'ges in 5landers
#, Below) p ##$
#/ The identity of E6es<e) or episcop's) with the Hebrew
Cohen is ob6io's) tho'gh Jacobs endea6o'rs to pro6e that
it indicated -abbinic f'nctions 5or a disc'ssion of the
point) see Sto<es) St'dies) pp #$*++ There is a c'rio's
reference "Ging;s -e!e!brancer .e!oranda -oll) #+E2*#
"P-S #%EE) P ,3& to Solo!on fit; Benedict) ;episcop's de
con6entib's >'daeor'!; B't) as the dealings referred to in
the doc'!ent are with a prioress and n'ns) this is
pres'!ably a notarial witticis!
#$ Three caricat're*portraits of English Jews of the !edie6al
period are e1tantD one "#+EE& of Isaac of Norwich and two
of his agents) of who! .osse .o<<e wears the pile'!
corn't'! and Abigail is dressed as a wo!an of the period
"see Adler) J.E frontispiece&? one of Aaron of
Colchester) whose son Isaac was in6ol6ed in an offence
against the 5orestry Aaws in #+// "see ill'stration in
edition del'1e of Catalog'e of AJHE) p %&? and a third)
as yet 'np'blished) in a roll of #+32 "Ging;s
-e!e!brancer .e!oranda -oll) No 3/& in the P'blic
-ecord Office
#% Cf) for the history of the Jewish Badge) Blysse -obert) Aes
Signes d;infa!ie a' !oyen age "Paris) #$%#&) and abo6e)
pp 32) 3+) 8%) /# The edict of #+++ was probably the
earliest !eas're by which the obligation to wear the badge
was e1tended to wo!en The caricat're of Aaron of
Colchester shows hi! wearing a badge of the stip'lated
shape
+2Cf C- #+88) p E%,) Hc In granting 7'y de -o='efort the
castle of Colchester and the lands belonging to it Henry III
e1pressly e1cl'ded ;the wood of Gingswood and the Jews
of the town; "P- #+8,) p 3$+&
+# -igg) PEJ) pp ,+*E? P- #+/2) P 332? #+/#) p 8#8
++ To6ey) Anglia J'daica) p $3? C- #++,) p #+E
+E P- #+,$) p +23? #+83) p E#$? #+$#) P 3EE
+3 .any of these pay!ents were al!ost in the nat're of a
sta!p*d'ty) and were not e1acted fro! Jews only B't the
scale in their case was fre='ently far higher) and as they
engaged in a larger n'!ber of for!al transactions than
their neighbo'rs the b'rden on the! was infinitely
greater
+8 P- #+,+) pp +2#) +28? #+,8) p 8++? C- #+,/) p 3+E It
goes witho't saying that) if the creditor appealed against
the findings) a fee was e1acted "C- #+82) P 3+E&
+, There was a !ore sordid reason for this The Jew was
a'thori(ed to 'se his capital only for the <ing;s benefitD
when this beca!e i!possible) he was depri6ed of it
+/ EJ ii #%? b't why Abraha! .ot'n desired to change his
cogno!en is not easy to 'nderstand
+$Cf C- #+8#) p 833D ;The Ging wills that the gold c'p he
has p'rchased fro! Elias Episcop's Jew of Aondon for
+8o !ar<s [cf Aib - #+3%) P +,3\ sho'ld re!ain the
Ging;s by gift of the Jew) and the !oney shall be restored
to hi!;
+% Th's) Jo!*Tob) son of -abbi .oses of Norwich)
betrothing his da'ghter Oionah to Solo!on) son of Eliab)
in #+3% bo'nd hi!self ;to ac='it the a!o'nt of their
tallage if it sho'ld be i!posed 'pon the! d'ring that year;
":a6is) Shetaroth) PP EE*8&
E2P- #+82) p /# The pitiless acti6ities of the ta1*gatherers
are feelingly described in the ;5o1 5ables; of Berechiah
haNa<dan "of O1fordM see below) p #+,& X ci9the fable of
the .erchant) the -obbers) and the Gnight
E# That the reality was not always as drastic as the theory on
these occasions is s'ggested by the allegations against the
Constable of the Tower) EJ iii #2E
E+ C- #+3,) p E%8? #+3/) p 82,? #+8+) p #E$? P- #+E/) P
#$/? #+3%) p 3, To be a tallager was an 'nwelco!e
b'rden) e1e!ption fro! which !ight be p'rchasedD EJ
ii #E
EE Cf the detailed reg'lations of #+#% p'blished by Sto<es)
St'dies) pp +829# The sa!e syste! is once fo'nd for the
selection of the general tallagers) fo'r no!inated
!e!bers of the wealthier class ha6ing to co*opt two fro!
each of the other sections to assist the! ;so that the rich be
not spared and the poor not too !'ch grie6ed; "P- #+3%)
p 3,& This tripartite econo!ic di6ision was co!!on in
the !edie6al Jewish co!!'nity) partic'larly in 5rance
and Spain
E3 C- #+8+) p #/$D cf :a6is) Shetaroth) p E/o :eferred
pay!ent was so!eti!es per!itted) on condition that in
case of 'np'nct'ality do'ble the a!o'nt wo'ld be e1acted
"EJ ii 3,&
E8 C- #+3/) p 823
E, There is a partic'larly detailed acco'nt of the !echanis!
for le6ying two s!all tallages of 822 and #)222 !ar<s
respecti6ely for -ichard of Cornwall in P- #+88) pp 3E%*
32? 33#*3? three Jews of each co!!'nity were selected to
assess the le6y) and g'arantors 6arying in n'!ber
between two and fo'r were designated in each place
E/ Cf C- #+3%) p E3,D ;Of ancient c'sto! pre6ailing in o'r
real! we o'ght to s'cceed to the ho'ses and land bo'ght
by Jews;
E$ Cf Cal In= .isc i #,E for a detailed instance of an
in='iry preceding s'ch a settle!ent "estate of Copin of
O1ford) #+8+& The co!position of the estate is interestingD
bonds) K#3+ #3s 3d? wor<ing capital "gold& K,, #3s 3d?
!iscellaneo's property and real estate) K+8 #Es .aster
Elias of Aondon) on his death in #+$3) left credits to the
6al'e of K%,, #Es 3d? s!all articles "pledgesM& worth
K+,, #Es 3d? rents in Aondon bringing in K#% #,s 2d a
year? and a ho'se worth K8 a year
E% :a6is) op cit) pp +8%*,+
32Adler) J.E) p #3, Ha!o "for who! see Trs JHSE
iii #%# s==& fig'res in the tallage rolls as the richest Jew in
Hereford) and was a partner of Aaron of Jor< The d'ty on
the estate of Aeo of Jor< "#+33& was /)222 !ar<s? of :a6id
of O1ford "#+3,& 8)222 The heirs of Isaac of Norwich paid
in #+3#) as arrears of death d'ties) K3)$/$ /s #2d
3# C- #+,8) p #3,? s'pra) pp 3E) /,*/
3+ 5or John;s 'se of the Jews as e1ec'tioners) cf Chronicle of
.ailross) s'b anno #+#, This ab'se obtained also in the
By(antine E!pire) Corf') Sicily) Spain
3E The ;-ightlessness of !edie6al English Jewry; is o6er*
e!phasi(ed by 5 Schechter in his article JI-) NS) #0
#+#*8#
33 Towards the end of the thirteenth cent'ry) howe6er)
special tolls were a'thori(ed to be charged at the newly
constr'cted bridges9#d for e6ery Jew on horsebac< and
Yd for one on footD cf P- #+/%) p EE# "H'ntingdon&?
#+$3) p ##, ".onefordD for a dead Jew) the standard
charge was $d&
38 C- #+E,) p E8$ In so!e cases) con6erts re6erted to
J'dais! e6en after ta<ing the preli!inary steps in an
ecclesiastical career "Aib - #+3/) p #EE? C- #+38) p
+%$& .ost s'rprising of all is that a s'it for defa!ation of
character was entertained on the gro'nds of an 'ntr'e
allegation of baptis! "C- #+$$) p 822& Innocent I0;s
prohibition of baptis! by force "#+3,& was sent to England
as to other co'ntries ". Stern) BeitrWge Vber die Stell'ng
der PWpste (' den J'den) ii 38*,& and generally obeyed ?
tho'gh see s'pra p /%
3, 7ross in Papers AJHE) p #%+ At s'ch places as O1ford
"P- #+8%) p ,2& and Norwich "Aib - 8+E,) p +32& the
offices of Constable of the Castle and Geeper of the Jews
were e1plicitly co!bined
3/ Aib - #+3%) pp +E8*, The Tower !ay ha6e been 'sed for
their periodical i!prison!ents
3$EJ i 3E) Hc? C- #+,/) pp 323*8? P- #+,/) p #83) and
!any other conte!porary so'rces 'se this phrase) which
!ay concei6ably refer to a written body of reg'lations now
lost Its ter!s ha6e been hypothetically reconstr'cted by
Jacobs) JAE) pp E+%*E/
3% 7ascon -olls) ii /$% ":ece!ber +$th) #+$3& B't @alter
.ap e1cl'ded Jews and Cistercians fro! his oath to do
>'stice to all !en
82 In Aondon) disp'tes between Jews and Christians
regarding pledges 'p to the 6al'e of 3os were ad>'dicated
by the Constable of the Tower) who had c'stody of those
co!!itted to prison "C-- #+,#) p E$8&
8# S'pra) p 83
8+ Trs JHSE 1iii E2+*E? -ashdall) Bni6ersities of E'rope)
ed #%E,) iii $8*,? P- #+,o) p #28? #+,#) p E,2? #+$,) p
+E,? Cal 7eneal #+,#) p %/ Cf Cal In= .isc i %E
"#+,#&D ;The Chancellor ta<es no fines fro! either scholars
or Jews) b't only no'rishes peace and ='iet between
the!) and affords speedy >'stice to both sides;
8E See Note 0 "b&) p +/8
83 ;Pann's sang'inolent's; cannot 6ery well !ean scarlet
cloth) as has been s'ggestedD for there was no reason why
Jews sho'ld not ha6e had this in their hands) and their
dealings in it were in fact legally recogni(ed "cf -igg) PE
J) p ###&
88 This was forbidden also by Jewish a'thorities fro! the
second half of the twelfth cent'ry) whether fro! religio's
scr'ples or fro! ner6o'sness "A 5in<elstein) Jewish Self*
7o6ern!ent in the .iddle Ages) New Jor<) #%+3) pp
#/$)#$$*%&D it was th's a do'ble offence
8, Aoans to religio's ho'ses were restricted after ##$$ when
the Cistercians "pre6io'sly e1cellent clientsD see abo6e) p
#8& were forbidden to pay 's'ry or to borrow !oney fro!
Jews in any circ'!stances ": Gnowles) The .onastic
Order in England) Ca!bridge) #%32) p ,8,&
8/ C- #+/%) pp 8,8*, Cf -igg) PEJ) pp #2E and ##3 for
an in6entory of boo<s deposited with certain O1ford
Jewesses and an esti!ate of their 6al'es9an inti!ate
gli!pse into acade!ic life No less than fifty*fo'r Aatin
boo<s) sold "with one in Hebrew& for %s all told) were
a!ong the effects of Sal'! of Chippenha! in #+$8 ".isc
JHSE ii ,+& Cf) for a disc'ssion of boo<s pledged with
Jews) Sto<es in Trs JHSE 6iii /$*%/
8$ See Note 0 "c&) pp +/8*,
8% There is a detailed analysis of 6ario's Jewish econo!ic
transactions in !edie6al England in Caro) op cit i E#E*
3%
,2Th's) in the second Hebrew bond that has been preser6ed
":a6is) Shetaroth) pp E*3& a debt of K#,2 to E!!a de
Bea'foi is charged with a yearly interest d'ring her
lifeti!e of ten !ar<s) or only 3 #C, per cent
,# It is fo'nd in one case "ibid) p 3/& between Jews
,+ C- #+3$) pp ##3) +#, That this was the econo!ic rate is
shown by the fact ":a6is) pp /+*8& that it was charged by a
Jew to his own brother*in*law In so'thern E'rope) where
e1ploitation of the Jews was less se6ere and sec'rity was
generally greater) the standard rate was far less*+E per
cent to E/ per cent in Italy) +2 per cent in Spain I do not
belie6e that there is any recorded instance of a !edie6al
Jew charging anything li<e the +,,# per cent e1acted in
the so'th of 5rance by the 7ianfiglia((i fir! of 5lorence
,E The English .oney*Aending Acts of today regard 3$ per
cent as a not 'nconscionable rate of interest
,3 Cf the instance in -igg) PEJ) p 1i1 It sho'ld be borne
in !ind that the ta<ing of interest e6en by Jews was
against the letter of canon law) since it was regarded as a
probr'! contra ho!ines as well as contra :e'!
,8 Cf the case described in C-- #+2$) p #,%
,, Bracton;s Note Boo<) ed .aitland) iii E3+ "X #E/,& D b't
cf s'pra) pp #2*##) ,,
67. Abo6e) pp ,3 s== A case of #E28 reported in Horwood)
rear Boo<s of 111ii9111iii Edward I "-S&) p E83) 6i6idly
ill'strates a transaction on landed sec'rity Si!on the Jew
was to be repaid for a loan by two ann'ities) of K#22 and
too !ar<s respecti6ely) sec'red on the inco!e of a certain
!anor @hen the arrears a!o'nted to K,22 he s'ed for
repay!ent ;in the Jewry;) and was granted the !anor in
de!esne He then !ade it o6er to an ancestor of @illia!
de la So'che) against who! awrit of .osinagewas bro'ght
in #E28 on the gro'nds that the transference had been
illegal
,$The practice goes bac< at least to the beginning of the
thirteenth cent'ryD cf an instance of #+23 in Jacobs)
JAE) p ++# A si!ilar pro6ision begins to !a<e its
appearance in B'rgage tene!ents fro! #++$
,% . Paris) Chron .a> 6 323 There was of co'rse the great
difference that the Cahorsins were ostensibly !erchants
or !oneychangers) whereas the Jews were depri6ed of any
s'ch protecti6e ca!o'flage
/2 See Note 0 "d&) p +/,
/# See H'bert Hall) Co'rt Aife 'nder the Plantagenets) pp
E,*/ and +23 "with plate facing& ? Palgra6e)
Co!!onwealth) Tr 11i69116ii
/+ C- #+82) p +88? Aib - #+82) p +/+ Jews co'ld not)
howe6er) p'rchase gold b'llion witho't licence "Pp-
##$%*%o) p no& In C- #+,,) p +2$ there is an instance of
a co!parati6ely ad6anced ban<ing transaction carried o't
for the Crown by Hagin of Aondon) who was instr'cted to
!a<e certain pay!ents o't of the !oney recei6ed by hi!
on the <ing;s behalf
/E C- #+,8) p 3+ The appoint!ent see!s to ha6e been
regarded as a b'rdenso!e oneD cf "P- #+,o) p #+%& a
grant for life to a b'rgess of Bristol that he sho'ld not be
!ade a Ging;s Cofferer of the Jews against his will
/3 5or a day*to*day acco'nt of the acti6ities of the Norwich
chirographers in #++3*,) see ;The Norwich :ay Boo<; "Trs
JHSE 6 +3E*/8&
/8 It has been con>ect'red "5 A Aincoln) The Starra) O1ford)
#%E%& that the con6entional English syste! of d'plication
owed its origin to the practice of the E1che='er of the
Jews) b't in fact it goes bac< to the twelfth cent'ry
/, C- #+8+) p #,3
// Its later stellar decoration !ay ha6e deri6ed fro! the
na!e) not 6ice 6ersa
/$ Bibl A3 ##
/% C- #+E8) p +22 At ti!es the E1che='er of the Jews
followed the royal Co'rt abo't the co'ntry? th's in #+// it
sat in Shrewsb'ry Abbey "Select Cases before the Ging;s
Bench) Edward I) Selden Society) #%E$) ii l11iii s=&
$2See Note 0 "e&) p +/, [arid now A C Cra!er in
Spec'l'!) 16i ++,*%\
$# Cf C- #+8/) p +ED the J'stices in Eyre are instr'cted that
Jews are to plead and be s'ed only before the J'stices of
the Jews In Aondon) howe6er) cases regarding real estate
were assigned in #+82 to the .ayor;s co'rt) and later on
were tried in Chancery? it was only after #+/# that they
again ret'rned to the cognisance of the E1che='er of the
Jews "-igg) PEJ) p 11ii& In #+/,) the Aondon Jewry
p'rchased e1e!ption fro! the >'risdiction of the J'stices
in Eyre by a pay!ent of 82 It was per!issible for Jews to
be represented before the co'rt by an attorney "narrator?
cf -igg) PEJ) p 83&
$+5or the Presbyter >'daeor'! see abo6e) pp E2*# In #+E%
the arch*presbyter Elias le E6es<e and Aaron fil; Abraha!)
another pro!inent financier) were gi6en e='al rights at
the E1che='er) both ha6ing the stat's of J'stice of the
Jews "C- #+3%) p #/%& It does not see! to ha6e been an
'nprofitable officeD EJ i /# Aocally) the ter! presbyter
denoted p'rely synagogal f'nctions D Sto<es) St'dies) p
++
$E C- #+3E) p 8#
$3C- #+8+) p +/# There were also 6ario's s'bordinate
officials s'ch as the sergeantD the E1che='er of the Jews
clai!ed >'risdiction in all cases where they were
concerned
$8 S'pra) p ,2
$,EJ ii 83
$/ The Aincoln archa contained in #+32 bonds to the 6al'e of
K#)222
$$A deed of #+,, p'blished by :a6is) Shetaroth) pp #E+*8)
introd'ces 's to the herbier of Solo!on the physician) son
of Isaac the physician) in Saddlegatestreet) Norwich ":r
Charles Singer infor!s !e that this is the first pri6ate
herb*garden of the .iddle Ages of which he <nows& It is
to be pres'!ed that Jacob le .ire "EJ iii E%) Hc&) Aeo le
.ire ".isc JHSE ii ,E&) and Salle le .ire ":a6is) op
cit) p E%#& were also physicians One chir'rgeon)
Sa!pson of Aondon) is enco'ntered "EJ ii #3&
$%Bibl A3 3/
%2S'pra) p E+ "There were also se6eral con6erts engaged in
this callingD cf -igg) p ##E and Adler) J.E) pp +%E)
+%,& The fact that se6eral persons engaged in other
professions than !oneylending are !entioned only once
in the records) !a<es it probable that others are not
!entioned at all9an i!portant factor in considering the
co!position of !edie6al English Jewry
%# Infra) p #+2
%+ Trs 6 +8,*/D C- #+82) p E+% A conte!porary Jewish
fencing*!aster in 7er!any is !entioned in the -esponsa
of .eir of -othenb'rg "#+#8*%E&) ed Berlin #$%#) X EE8
The teaching of fencing) as of dancing) was one of the
characteristic professions of Italian Jews at the close of the
.iddle Ages In Bristol) a fa!ily went by the na!e of
5'r!ager "Adler) J.E) p #%,& They !ay ha6e been the
accredited cheese*!a<ers to the Jewish co!!'nity) who
wo'ld not eat cheese !ade by 7entiles witho't
s'per6ision The !ysterio's ;Jewish Aawyers; who fig're
in Jacobs) JAE) passi!) sho'ld be law*worthy Jews;
"J'daei legales&
%E See Note 0 "f&) pp +/,*/
"%E B& Trs JHSE 1ii ##+ This has an i!portant bearing
on the proble! of the Jewish pop'lation in England in the
.iddle AgesD the official records at o'r disposal relate
al!ost e1cl'si6ely to the financiers 5or the general
='estion see now P El!an;s st'dy) ;Jewish Trade in #Eth*
Cent'ry England; in Historia J'daica) i "New Jor<) #%E%&)
pp %#*#23
%3 S'pra) p #2E? C- #+3E) p ###? Adler) J.E) p #E8 The
i!portation of wine by Aaron of Jor< was not apparently a
'ni='e case) as Jews were occasionally en>oined to f'rnish
6ario's royal no!inees with a s'pply "C- #+E/) p 32%&)
or e6en allowed to rec<on the 6al'e of wines ta<en for the
<ing;s 'se as part of their tallage d'es "C- #+/+) pp 3$$)
3%E*3) 3%$*%& Ne6ertheless an English -abbi of the
thirteenth cent'ry deplored the absence of wine in
England "Steinschneider 5estschrift) Aeip(ig) #$%,) p
+2/& See also below) p ##%) n 3
%8 - Newco'rt) -epertori'! ecclesiastic'! parochiale
Aondinense "Aondon) #/2$&) i +3o) /,8? Bibl A3 +3?
Trs1i6 %E*3
%, Jacobs) JAE) pp +8%*,2? Adler) J.E) p ,8 "On the
Continent) Jews often acted as !inters&
%/ Bnless) as is not i!possible) she was J'rnet;s da'ghter by
another !arriage 5or the episode see abo6e) p to The
role of the Jewish wo!an in !edie6al England is
described in Adler) J.E) pp #/*38
%$The organi(ation and !achinery of this are not !ade clear
by the records at o'r disposal @e read) howe6er) in a
Hebrew deed ":a6is) Shetaroth) p %$& of a ;Synagog'e
Ta1; le6ied on real estate
%% Pp- ##%3) p ##/ The decision is not recorded) b't was
pres'!ably in the negati6e) 'nless the English -abbis
were in 6iolent disagree!ent with their continental
conte!poraries Ne6ertheless) it is ob6io's fro! -igg)
PEJ) pp ,8*,) and :a6is) Shetaroth) pp 3/ s==) ,E s==)
Hc) that legal fictions "eg the no!inal interposition of a
Christian inter!ediary& were 'sed in order to a6oid the
legal prohibition
#22-igg) PEJ) pp $+) %8*, Anglo*Jewish -abbinical
con6entions and ordinances !ay be inferred fro!
Shetaroth) p E3
#2#The 'ncon6erted wife of a con6erted Jew) A'g'stine of
Canterb'ry) went so far as to assert "tho'gh
'ns'ccessf'lly& her dower*right according to Jewish law
o6er a ho'se which he had !ade o6er to the abbey of St
A'g'stine;s) and which had been s'bse='ently p'rchased
by another Jew "C- #+E3) p 888 ? cf C- #+,8) p ,,&
#2+C- #+8+) p Ito In the code of .ordecai ben Hillel
"thirteenth cent'ry& there is an instance of the acceptance
by a Jewish co'rt as e6idence of death of the testi!ony of
a thief who) before e1ec'tion) confessed to the !'rder
so!e ti!e pre6io'sly of a Jew who was ta<ing K#2 fro! a
certain J'dith in Aincoln "cf :a6is) Shetaroth) pp +%$
s==& to her brother in Jor<
#2EBibl A3 +E
#23Cal In= P . i +3+ The enforce!ent of Hebrew
agree!ents by the ci6il a'thority was ens'red by
stip'lating a forfeit to the Ging etc in case of non*
f'lfil!ent
#28-y!er) 5oedera) i +/3? P- #+82) p /+
#2,Adler) J.E) p $E The right of the Jewish co!!'nity
to control i!!igration by !eans of the Settle!ent Ban
"Here! harish'b& was a reg'lar instit'tion of -abbinic
law) and it is clear that the iss'e on this occasion was the
ratification of s'ch an agree!ent by the ci6il powerD cf
.isc JHSE iii /,*% See also P- #+,+) p +28) for a
case of the e1p'lsion fro! Bedford of the ri6als of a Jewish
wo!an financier
#2/It !'st be pointed o't that the ter! schola) Hc) applied
to the synagog'e has no essential ed'cational significance)
indicating nothing !ore than the !eetingplace of a
corporate bodyD cf Blondhei!) Aes parlers >'dTo*ro!ans
et la 0et's Aatina "Paris) #%+8&) pp #2,*$ On the other
hand) the co!!'nity of Norwich see!s to ha6e had a
separate b'ilding for its school) or Tal!'d TorahD ;their
ho'se called the Thor; 5ro! Archbishop Pec<ha!;s letter
to the Bishop of Aondon) Epistolae) ii 32/ "in which he
spea<s of the synagog'es ='as 6ocant scholas& it wo'ld
appear that the for!er Aondon synagog'es were
decorated with !'ral paintings
#2$See Note 0 "g&) p +//
#2%ie J'daeo*5renchM
##25or these officials see :a6is) Shetaroth) p #+%? EJ i #38?
Sto<es) St'dies) chapters 696iii The Capellan's or
Chapeleyn !ay perhaps be identical with the ser'iens
>'daeor'! "EJ i +38&) b't Sto<es considers that it !ay
ha6e beco!e an hereditary s'rna!e in 6iew of the fact
that persons so described were co!!only engaged in
financial transactions) and in one instance e6en in a forest
offence The records also !ention the Sopher or Scribe
":a6is) p E8,D e='i6alent to the Scri6ene'r or Escri6ein&
and also the Point'r "probably identical with the Na<dan
who p'nct'ated codices after they had been writtenD see
Note 0 "<&) p +/$) and the disc'ssion in Adler) J.E) p
#%%&? b't these cannot 6ery well ha6e been f'll*ti!e
e!ployees
###A Canterb'ry Jew signs hi!self) howe6er) ;Jeho(ada< son
of Jeho(ada<) J'dge and Teacher; ":a6is) Shetaroth) p
EE$&) and a Aincoln scholar ;Abraha! Hayi! son of
Joseph) Teacher; "Adler) J.E) p 38) correcting :a6is)
pp +%,) E2+& apparently indicating -abbis by profession
##+JI-) ns) 1i1 E8 "This can hardly i!ply the pillory&
##ECf Si!eon) !'rdered in 7er!any in ##3, "s'pra) p to&?
Joseph of B'ngay "Shetaroth) p 8&? and Abraha!) father
of Aaron of Aondon "Adler) J.E) p +,%& The ter! in
the twelfth and thirteenth cent'ries clearly !eant !ore
than ;the pio's; in the con6entional sense
##3It is described) fro! a 'ni='e !an'script) by :
Ga'f!ann in JI- i6 +2 s==
##8Jacobs) JAE) p +,%? C- #+$2) p ,o "i!portation fro!
7ascony of se6en t'ns of ;good wine !ade according to the
Jewish rite;& Tosaphoth on Aboda Oara) f ,# "Hisronoth
haShas) X #+/) p E%a) o!itted in !odern editions& D ;The
wine bo'ght by 7entiles in 7er!any) which is e1ported to
England 'nder seal in order to be sold there to Jews) was
per!itted for cons'!ption by -abbi Jacob of -a!er'pt
towards the end of his days; [notwithstanding the fact that
it was not 'nder contin'al s'r6eillance\
##,See Note 0 "h&) p +//
##/S'pra) p +3 etc ? C- #+28) p lob On one occasion) the
<ing ordered the prior of Norwich to recei6e into his
c'stody the tallies and charters of the local !agnate) Isaac
"C- #++E) p 8+E&? b't co!p'lsion was 's'ally
'nnecessary
##$C- #+2#) pp E$%*%2
##%S'pra) pp #2) 3#) $E
#+2EJi $$
#+#P- #+,$) p ++E It is possible that this e1ceptional
concession was d'e to Benedict;s patron) the papal legate?
for two years later the relations between Benedict and his
neighbo'rs were s'ch that the <ing had to ta<e the
@inchester Jews into his protection "ibid) #+/2) p 3#/&
Owing to a !is'nderstanding of the records) Benedict
recei6ed posth'!o's pro!otion) at the hands of recent
historians) to the dignity of !ayor of So'tha!pton
#++C- #+8$) p ++% The be='est !ay not ha6e been
spontaneo's? a legacy to the pope was !andatory) later
on) for the Jews of A6ignon Cf Shetaroth) p #3+) for a
Jewish benefaction to the Aondon la(ar*ho'se
#+EC- #++$) p ,8
#+3J Jacobs) Jewish Ideals) pp ++8*EE? it was this episode
which ga6e the scribe the opport'nity to !a<e his
caricat're of ;Aaron fil; :iaboli;
#+8@ @ Capes) -egistr'! - de Swinfield) pp #+2) #+#?
s'pra) p // The acco'nt of ;displays of sil< and cloth of
gold) horse!anship or an e='estrian procession) sport and
!instrelsy; see!s e1aggerated
#+,-igg) PEJ) pp 8$*% A decree of Edward I "C- #+$#) p
#/,& as well as a Canterb'ry anecdote of the pre6io's
cent'ry "Jacobs) p #8E& see! to point to the e1istence of
inns "hospicia& <ept by Jews) in which Christians were
henceforth forbidden to lodge
#+/Cf "EJ i #EE& the case of Aaron of Sittingbo'rne Not
only did the townspeople loo< after his property) b't they
consented to s'rrender hi! only when de .ontfort;s
followers threatened to b'rn the city
#+$Cf the e1tre!ely interesting details in -igg) PEJ) pp
/E*,
#+%;Nec f'it in franco plegio) ='ia ill'd accidit in J'dais!o;
".'ni!enta 7ildhallae) Aiber Alb's) i %% "#+E/*$&&
#E2JI-) Ns) 1i1 E+? Trs JHSE 6 #8, "='oting Harley
.S #+ "+3&) E#3*#/& ? Jacobs) JAE) p #8E? @il<ins)
Concilia) i ,/# ":ecree of Synod of @orcester) #+32&
#E#Jacobs) JAE) pp 83) %+*E 5or Jewish cred'lity on the
s'b>ect) see Trs JHSE 1ii##2
#E+Jews were) howe6er) so!eti!es the 6icti!s rather than
the perpetrators of b'siness offencesD cf 7ascon -olls)
#+83) X E$,E
#EEP- ##$+) p #,8? ##$E) p #3+ Cf P- #+/$) pp +$/) +%2)
for a brawl between Jewish and Christian wo!en) and
-igg) PEJ) pp ##*#+) for a li6ely acco'nt of an episode at
@arwic< in #+33) when a Jewess was stated to ha6e ;eaten
the !o'th and ears; of another There is a hardly credible
story "C- #+3$) p #2$& of a riot of the O1ford Jews
against the ho'se of .aster John .a'nsell) Henry III;s
!inister
#E3See Note 0 "i&) p +//
#E8S'pra) p ##%D cf also P- #+2#) p %E? #+,$) p /$
#E,-igg) PEJ) p #23 :etails of an e1traordinary episode
are gi6en in EJ iii E##*#+9the case of Sa!pson fil; Sa!;)
who ass'!ed the habit of a .inorite 5riar and preached
Christianity The p'nish!ent was e6en !ore pict'res='e
than the cri!e
#E/C-- ##%3) p /%
#E$P- #+23) p 3/
#E%Adler) J.E) pp +%3*/) and ide! in JC 86iii#$%$ It is
not perhaps a coincidence that the !aintenance of
crossbow!en was regarded as a special obligation of the
Jewish co!!'nityD cf Adler) J.E) p #3#? Trs JHSE
1iii E2$) and other cases 5or the alleged !an'fact're of
7ree< fire by the Aondon Jews) see abo6e) p ,) The na!e
.iles) occasionally fo'nd a!ong !edie6al English Jewry)
does not indicate ;the Gnight;) as has been stated) b't is
clearly a 6ariant of the Hebrew .eir
#32:a6is) Shetaroth) p +%%
#3#Ibid) pp EE*8
#3+Ibid) pp 3E*,
#3EIbid) p E2+ It is possible that) as in northern 5rance "cf
Tosaphoth) Get'both 83 b? JI- ns) 111 "I!o&) pp ++#
s==&) this was a no!inal fig're? yet) altho'gh the
da'ghters of other fa!ilies recei6ed only ten !ar<s
":a6is) op cit) pp 3E*,& or K32 "C- #+E/) p 3,3&) we
ha6e a case "P- #+82) p $ ? C- #+8#) p 3+2& of the
official allocation of a dowry of as !'ch as K+22
#33Colo'r is gi6en to the legends associating s'ch ho'ses
with Jews by s'ch references as ;two stone ho'ses) late of
.oses of Ca!bridge; "Ch- #++/) p 88? cf ibid) #++$) p
/,& The ;stone ho'se; of .aster Elias in the Aondon Jewry
had an e1tensi6e solari'! attached "P- #+$,) p ++3&
Aess a'thentic than the Aincoln e1a!ples are ;.oses Hall;
at B'ry St Ed!'nds) and ;.'sic; ".osesM& Hall at
Norwich) Hc There was for!erly a ;Jew;s Ho'se; at
So'tha!pton " J S :a6ies) History of So'tha!pton)
#$$E) p 38,& 5or an acco'nt of the Aincoln ho'ses see .
@ood in Archaeological -e6iew) 1cii "#%E8&) pp #%3 s==
#38Adler) J.E p #E+? b't his reference) C- #+/%) p 8//)
hardly bears this interpretation
#3,The !edie6al English Jewry was not) of co'rse) pro6ided
with gates and gate<eepers) li<e the later continental
7hetto? the ill'stration in Encyclopaedia J'daica) 6i ,83)
conf'singly depicts the old archway leading into :'<e;s
Place) Aldgate "the heart of the eighteenth*cent'ry colony&
as the entrance to the for!er 7hetto The ;Jewry @all; at
Aeicester is now pro6ed to ha6e been part of the -o!an
basilica 5or ;Poor Jewry;) Aondon) see JC 3 i6 #%2+) +2
0iii #%2+
#3/Co!pare ne6ertheless EJi #/ for an indication that not
all English Jews were literate
#3$Cf Pp - ##%#*+) pp E+) #/E "Isaac !agister p'eror'! of
Birdfield) Esse1& In conne1ion with the Jewish
preocc'pation with scholarship) it !ay be pointed o't that
there was little else with which the 'nfort'nate 's'rer
co'ld occ'py his e1tensi6e leis're
#3%:a6is) Shetaroth) pp +%$*E2+? Adler) J p 3E
#82A O'n() :ie -it's des synagogalen 7ottesdienstes
"Berlin) #$8%&) pp ,+*E
#8#S'pra) p +8 An interesting re6en'e entry of ##%+ records
a pay!ent of loos fro! Josce Crispin and the two
da'ghters of .orell Tor their share of the boo<s of the
said .orell; "Jacobs) JAE) pp 8E) #38) 32$) endea6o'rs
to identify the scholar here in ='estion with the e!inent
Sir .orell of 5alaise& @hen :a6id of O1ford died in #+33
it was e1pressly stated that if any boo< ;against the law of
the Christians or of the Jews; were fo'nd in his library) it
sho'ld be conde!ned It is possible that this 'n's'al
cla'se refers to wor<s of .oses .ai!onides) a disp'te
regarding which had recently led to their conde!nation by
the :o!inicans
#8+eg The wor< treated of by : Ga'f!ann "Bib; A#2 ++2&)
a lit'rgical frag!ent described by . Abraha!s "Bib;
A## ##& and perhaps the B'ry Psalter in the Bodleian
Aibrary) O1ford 5or a st'dy of the boo<s recorded in the
possession of English Jews in the .iddle Ages see Sto<es
in Jrs JHSE 6iii /$ s==? so!e f'rther titles in Adler)
J.E) pp +++*E
#8ESee Note 0 ">&) p +/$
#83The phrase is a biblical one "Isaiah 1i ##) Hc&
Occasionally the ter! 'sed was Ge(eh haAre( "for which
see :e'terono!y 116iii ,3&9a literal translation of what
was s'pposed to be the !eaning of Angle*Terre ";The
Corner of the Earth;&
#88See abo6e) p 3# n
#8,Bibl A3 E/? -oth) Anglo*Jewish Aetters) pp #,*#$
#8/Trs JHSE iii E$? see) howe6er) -EJ 16ii #8,
#8$Bibl A## 3#*+) 3, . : :a6is) in JC +/ 6iii #$%3)
atte!pts to identify Joseph de .oreil "for whose
association with England see a passage ='oted in
Ne'ba'er;s Catalog'e of Hebrew .SS in the Bodleian
Aibrary) i 3$,& with ;-'bi 7otsce;
#8%The na!e gi6en to the school of Jewish scholars which
had its seat in northern 5rance and wrote additions
";tosaphoth;& to -ashi;s Tal!'dic co!!entaries
#,2See Note 0 "<&) p +/$
#,#So!ething of the bac<gro'nd of the literary acti6ity of
this generation is re6ealed by the title Nadib) or ;The
7enero's;) appended in the Hebrew records to the na!es
of so!e of the wealthy financiers of the thirteenth cent'ry
9eg Isaac of Norwich and his son Sa!'el) Aaron of Jor<)
and Jacob of Aondon "fro! who! @alter de .erton
p'rchased the property which constit'ted the n'cle's of
his college at O1ford& D the ter! i!plies ;patron; or
;!aecenas;
#,+See the wor<s and articles listed in Bibl A##) especially
XX #$) E$) ,E s==) $#*8) with B #8 i D also -enan) Aes
rabbins fran]ais a' co!!ence!ent d' ='ator(iT!e siTcle
"Paris) #$//&) pp 3$3*/? @ Bacher in -EJ 1ii /E*%? and
. @a1!an) History of Jewish Aiterat're) ii "New Jor<)
#%EE&) pp /*$ .oses ben Isaac) who !'st ha6e been one
of the !ost learned !en in England in his day) had so!e
ac='aintance with Arabic) and e6en cites a -'ssian root
co!!'nicated to hi! by Isaac of Chernigo6 "abo6e) p %E
n& .eir of Norwich signs hi!self ran and was pres'!ably
the reader in the local synagog'eD for another 'se of this
ter! in England see :a6is) Shetaroth) p E8,
"!is'nderstood by the editor&
#,E7ross) 7allia J'daica "Paris) #$%/&) pp #E,*/) identifies
this place) howe6er) with 7o'rnay in Nor!andyD see also
Bibl A## #22
#,3According to . : :a6is "JC ++ ii #$$%& of the >'dicial
process of #+/$*%
#,8See Note 0 "#&) p +/$
#,,S'pra) pp E, n) #+8 n ? .SS Codices :e*-ossi) ii###
#,/Cal Papal -egisters) i 3%#) Hc "abo6e) p //&
#,$Ne'ba'er and Stern) HebrWische Berichte fiber der
Gre'((Vge) p ,$
#,%Trs JHSE i $*#3? S Salfeld) :as .artyrologi'! des
NVrnberger .e!orb'ches "Berlin) #$%$&) pp #8E) +E8)
+/$ ;The !artyrs of Inghilterra; are still co!!e!orated
in the !artyrologies of so!e north Italian synagog'es
#/2S Hirsch) A Boo< of Essays "Aondon) #%28&? Bibl A##
#%? Singer in The Aegacy of Israel "O1ford) #%+/&) pp +%%*
32, Contrary to what was once belie6ed) the 0enerable
Bede had no direct <nowledge of Hebrew "Bibl A## #2$
a&) tho'gh Alc'in apparently ca!e into contact with Jews
in Italy and was perhaps better off in this respect
#/#Beryl S!alley) Hebrew Scholarship a!ong Christians in
4IIIth Cent'ry England ";Aectio; 6iD Aondon) #%E%&
@illia! de .ara and John of Salisb'ry also had so!e
Hebrew <nowledge) and .atthew Paris "Chron .a> i6
88E& !entions an e1pert Hebraist) .aster -obert of
Ar'ndel) who translated se6eral wor<s fro! Hebrew into
Aatin On the other hand it is i!probable that 7rosseteste
had any first*hand Hebrew <nowledge) as is so often
assertedD see S H Tho!son) The @ritings of -obert
7rosseteste "Ca!bridge) #%32&) pp E/ s==
#/+S'pra) p 8? Bibl A## E8
#/E.a1i!a Bibliotheca Patr'!) 6ol 11 Cf A A'<yn
@illia!s) Ad6ers's >'daeos "Ca!bridge) #%E8&) pp E$#*E
#/3Ibid) pp 322*/ .igne) Patrologia Aatina) cci6 ,E,*32
#/8Ibid cc6ii $+8*/o The ;John) Bishop of @orcester; to
who! the treatise is addressed is pres'!ably John of
Co'tances "## %,*$& rather than John of Pagha! "##8#*$&
The a'thor i!plies that the Jews) owing to their greater
fa!iliarity with the Bible) en>oyed a distinct ad6antage in
their disc'ssions with the Bishop It is not perhaps
witho't its significance that the Jews had fa6o'red
Archbishop Baldwin;s opponents in Canterb'ry) and that
Peter of Blois was hea6ily in their debt "Adler) J.E) pp
8#) ,o&
#/,Bibl A3 E+) %#? B, +o) +% The printed 6ersion of the
:e cessatione legali'! "p'blished by Sir .atthew Hale in
#,8$ d'ring the disc'ssions regarding the resettle!ent of
the Jews in England& is i!perfect) co!prising only one*
third of the !an'script te1t
#//In order that the old prophecies sho'ld not be falsified he
s'ggested that a handf'l of Jews sho'ld be dispatched to a
distant island and !aintained there 'ntil the second
co!ing of Christ
#/$@y<es) Chronicon) p ++# -alph de :iceto "J!agines
Historiar'!) ii /,& conde!ned the !assacre at B'ry St
Ed!'nds in so!ewhat si!ilar ter!s) and .atthew Paris;s
references are so!eti!es not 'n<indly
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter ,
*he -iddle Period
1597-1<79
THE e1cl'sion of the Jews fro! any land) howe6er rigidly it !ay
be prescribed by law) is 'nli<ely to be absol'te England) in the
period following the fatal year #+%2) pro6ides the classic
e1e!plification of this general r'le 1 Across the Channel and the
North Sea the 6icti!s of persec'tion so!eti!es cast longing eyes
at this potential ha6en of ref'ge) forgetting all they had s'ffered
there before At the close of #E2% .agister Elias9fro! his title a
physician or -abbi9was gi6en a safe*cond'ct by Edward II to
co!e to England to treat ;on certain !atters relating to Bs; He
was pres'!ably that !edical practitioner who arri6ed with fi6e
co!panions in the co'rse of the following s'!!er Tho'gh he
!ay ha6e co!e in a professional capacity) it was tho'ght that his
ob>ect was to obtain per!ission for his co*religionists to re*
establish the!sel6es in England 5 He does not appear to ha6e
!et with any s'ccess There is) howe6er) a persistent report in
both Jewish and non*Jewish so'rces of a second e1p'lsion 'nder
Edward III "the year is gi6en in a Hebrew chronicle)
circ'!stantially) as #E8$&? : and it is not altogether i!possible
that a few s'rreptitio's settlers !ay ha6e been e>ected abo't that
ti!e
Thro'gho't this period) notwithstanding the edict of e1p'lsion)
Jews tric<led into the co'ntry In #E#$ a <night hospitaller
capt'red by the infidel bro'ght bac< with hi! fro! the Holy
Aand a Jew na!ed Isaac to who! he had been !ade o6er) who
re!ained 'ntil ranso! had been paid 4 In #E/, the Co!!ons
co!plained that the Ao!bard "ie Italian& 's'rers harbo'red
Jews and Saracens in their !idst? and) tho'gh religio's
toleration was not conspic'o's in the Italian !ercantile centres
at this period) there !ay ha6e been so!e >'stification for the
state!ent ; Solo!on Ae6i "later !ore fa!o's as Pablo de Santa
.aria) bishop of B'rgos and !e!ber of the Co'ncil of -egency
of Castile& was in Aondon towards the close of the cent'ry)
tho'gh it is not ='ite certain whether before or after his
con6ersion < In #3#2 the ailing Henry I0 s'!!oned fro! Italy
Elias Sabot "Eli>ah Be;er ben Sabbetai) of Bologna) s'bse='ently
physician to Popes .artin 0 and E'geni's I0&) who was
e!powered to practise !edicine in any part of the real!? and he
bro'ght with hi! ten followers) s'fficient to for! the ='or'!
re='isite for Jewish p'blic worship In the pre6io's year) -ichard
@hittington) !ayor of Aondon) had obtained per!ission to in6ite
to Aondon to attend 'pon his wife another Jewish physician)
.aster Sa!son de .irabea' In #3+# an Italian Jewish
apothecary na!ed Job was fo'nd in the co'ntry with his son)
and both were co!pelled to accept baptis! =
.eanwhile) the in :o!'s Con6ersor'! fo'nded by Henry III
had ne6er been ='ite e!pty At the ti!e of the E1p'lsion it
contained nearly one h'ndred persons) !en and wo!en > After
these original collegiates died o't the 'tility of the instit'tion did
not end) as !ight ha6e been i!agined :own to its decline at the
beginning of the se6enteenth cent'ry) there were always a few
in!ates to >'stify its e1istence9poor Jews who had drifted to
England fro! o6erseas and e!braced Christianity? foreign
con6erts attracted by the endow!ents? rascals who i!!igrated
e1pressly to en>oy these ad6antages The persons in ='estion
"who) in certain instances) had been li6ing in the co'ntry for
so!e while before their con6ersion& 9 ca!e fro! !any parts of
the Jewish worldD 5rance) 5landers) Italy) Sicily) 7er!any) Spain)
Port'gal) .arocco Besides) there were a few apostates who did
not a6ail the!sel6es of the benefits of the7om"s9as for e1a!ple
the enterprising charlatan who professed to be able to detect
thie6es by !agic) and was cons'lted professionally in #E%2 by the
Co'ncil of the :'<e of Jor< 17
One or two of the sordid parade s'bse='ently attained a certain
distinction Th's9'nder Edward II) Ale1ander le Con6ers parson
of Aetherhead "probably a s'r6i6or of the e1p'lsion of #+%2&)
beca!e s'ccessi6ely agent for sec'ring !oney and ships for the
royal ser6ice) collector of Peter;s Pence in Ireland) and En6oy to
5landers 11 Still greater was the pro!inence achie6ed a cent'ry
and a half later by a certain Port'g'ese Jewish soldier) na!ed
Edward Brandao "he s'bse='ently anglici(ed his na!e Brandon
or Bra!pton entered the7om"s .onversor"min #3,$ The fact
that on his baptis! Edward I0 had acted as his godfather
pro6ided hi! with an introd'ction to Co'rt) and in the stor!y
days of the @ars of the -oses he had a!ple opport'nity of
ad6ance!ent 5ro! #3/+ onwards he recei6ed a s'ccession of
na6al and !ilitary co!!ands After ten years he was appointed
go6ernor of the island of 7'ernsey) and in #3$E was raised to the
<nighthood His de6otion to the Jor<ist ca'se pro6ed disastro's
to hi! when Henry 0II tri'!phed at Bosworth 5ield) and he
ret'rned to his nati6e Port'gal @ith hi! he too< to wait 'pon
his wife an a!bitio's 5le!ish yo'th na!ed Per<in @arbec<)
who recei6ed fro! hi! a great deal of cas'al infor!ation
regarding life at the Co'rt of Edward I0) which pro6ed in6al'able
when he !ade his prepostero's bid for the English throne a little
later on 15
A new and pec'liarly tragic chapter in Jewish history began in
the year of the disco6ery of A!erica In #3%% 5erdinand and
Isabel e1pelled the Jews fro! Spain9a !eas're which was
speedily i!itated in Port'gal and Na6arre This drastic step
ended the i!!e!orial conne1ion of the Jews with so'th*western
E'rope The whole distrib'tion of the Hebrew people was
changed) the centre of gra6ity !o6ing fro! @est to East9 fro!
the Iberian Penins'la to the T'r<ish E!pire
There was now left in Spain and Port'gal only the .arranos9
those crypto*Jews who) 'nder an o'tward g'ise of Catholicis!)
re!ained faithf'l at heart to the religion of their 5athers It was
in order to cope with these that the In='isition had been
established) and their resistance to its persec'tions constit'tes
one of the !ost re!ar<able pages of history They were to be
fo'nd in all wal<s of life9fro! playwrights to pastry*coo<s) fro!
pedlars to physicians) fro! soldiers to !on<s So!e of the !ost
e!inent persons in the Penins'la) who occ'pied positions of
dignity and tr'st in the ar!y) the ad!inistration) e6en the
Ch'rch) were of Jewish descent? and the co'ntry was periodically
thrown into a t'r!oil by the news that one of the! had been
ha'led off to the In='isitional d'ngeons) fro! which he !ight
e!erge only to be b'rned at the sta<e 1:
5or a long period) these New Christians "as they were ter!ed&
were forbidden to lea6e their nati6e land) lest they sho'ld sha<e
off the shac<les of the religion so recently i!posed 'pon the! by
force S'ch a prohibition co'ld not be !aintained in perpet'ity)
and before long .arrano f'giti6es were to be fo'nd in all parts of
E'rope) >oining or establishing open Jewish co!!'nities in
T'r<ey) Italy and 'lti!ately Holland) 7er!any ) and 5rance as
well 5or stragglers to reach England was ine6itable The res'lt
was that the orientation of this co'ntry in Jewish life 'nderwent
a radical change @hereas in the .iddle Ages it had loo<ed
toward the 5ranco*7er!an or Ash<ena(i 1:B gro'p) the Spanish
tragedy and its after!ath bro'ght it for a period of so!e two
cent'ries into the sphere of the Spanish and Port'g'ese)
orSephardi) n'cle's
There is e6idence that in #3%+ so!e of the e1iles ca!e to Aondon
with bills of e1change on local Spanish !erchants Apparently a
few of the .arranos si!ilarly so'ght ref'ge here !'ch to the
indignation of the Spanish r'lers This ;infesting sco'rge; "as it
was pedantically described) tho'gh the n'!bers in ='estion
!'st ha6e been 6ery s!all& contin'ed till #3%$) when) at the ti!e
of the negotiations for a !arriage between the Prince of @ales
and Catharine of Aragon the Catholic so6ereigns for!ally
protested against it Aaying his hand on his breast Ging Henry
sole!nly ass'red the Spanish en6oys that he wo'ld prosec'te
witho't !ercy any Jewish renegade or f'giti6e fro! the
In='isition who co'ld be disco6ered in his do!inions 14 There
is no indication that anything drastic was done? b't in s'ch
circ'!stances there was plainly little chance of per!anent
establish!ent
B't) to an e1tent far greater than the Spaniards) it was the
Port'g'ese New Christians "6icti!s or descendants of 6icti! of
the co!prehensi6e 5orced Con6ersion of #32/) which p't an end
to the Jewish co!!'nity in that co'ntry& who fig'red in Iberian
!ercantile colonies abroadD for they played a role of
disproportionate i!portance in Port'g'ese co!!erce In #8#+
the great .arrano !ercantile and financial ho'se of .endes)
which controlled the co6eted pepper !onopoly and at one ti!e
all b't ri6alled the 5'ggers in the e1tent and i!portance of their
transactions) established its Antwerp branch Its operations)
carried on largely thro'gh New Christian agents) speedily spread
across the North Sea Blti!ately it beca!e entr'sted with the
loan transactions of the English treas'ry? and when in #8E+
proceedings were ta<en on a charge of J'dai(ing against :iogo
.endes) the head of the Antwerp establish!ent) Henry 0III
personally inter6ened on his behalf In #8E8) on the death of
:iogo;s elder brother 5rancisco) his widow Beatrice "later) when
she had openly re6erted to the faith of her fathers) <nown as
7racia .endes) the !ost adored Jewish wo!an of the age& went
to >oin her brother*in*law at Antwerp) and on her way paid a
short 6isit to England @ith her ca!e her whole fa!ily) incl'ding
her nephew and f't're son*in*law the yo'ng Joao .ig'e() who
was to bring his <aleidoscopic career to its cli!a1 as the Jew
Joseph Nasi) d'<e of Na1os and the Cyclades all*powerf'l
ad6isor at the S'bli!e Porte
The .arrono co!!'nity which they fo'nd in England
co!prised at least thirty*se6en ho'seholders 1; Organi(ed
religio's life was not absent Ser6ices were reg'larly held at the
ho'se of one Al6es Aopes) to who! newly arri6ed f'giti6es wo'ld
co!e for assistance and ad6ice Christopher 5ernandes) one of
:iogo .endes; local agents) wo'ld send to intercept the
Port'g'ese spice*ships to'ching at So'tha!pton and Ply!o'th)
and warn .arranos on board if danger awaited the! in 5landers
Antonio de la -ona) a <ins!an of the .endes fa!ily) who was
described as ;!aster of Jewish theology;) was probably) the
spirit'al leader of the gro'pD it was his practice to help ref'gees
to reali(e their property) pro6iding the! with bills of e1change on
Antwerp The settle!ent was rich in !edical practitioners The
!ost e!inent was :ionysi's -odrig'e() for!erly physician to
the Co'rt of Port'gal and a !edical a'thor of so!e rep'tation)
who had fled to Aondon for safety and was later on to be b'rned
in effigy by the Aisbon In='isition @ith hi! had co!e his three
sons) of who! one) .an'el Br'do) was li<ewise an accepted
!edical a'thority and had a disting'ished clientele in Co'rt
circles 1< Better <nown than either "tho'gh as writer) not as
physician& was that 6ersatile personality 6ario'sly called Isaiah
Cohen) :iego Pires) and Pyrrho A'sitano) later of -ag'sa) who
beca!e fa!o's as one of the fore!ost Aatin poets of the
si1teenth cent'ry 1=
In #832 news arri6ed in Aondon that proceedings had been
opened at .ilan against the .arrano ref'gees Antonio de la
-ona was s'!!oned to Antwerp to attend the !eeting which
disc'ssed relief !eas'res? and he s'bscribed one h'ndred d'cats
9partly in English crown pieces9to the e!ergency f'nd B't the
crisis had !ore serio's reperc'ssions than co'ld be reali(ed at
the !o!ent One 7aspar Aopes) a co'sin of :iogo .endes and
for!erly his Aondon agent) who was a!ong those arrested by the
.ilan co!!issioners) t'rned infor!er In conse='ence of his
depositions) a!plified by the details elicited in the co'rse of the
s'bse='ent proceedings in 5landers) the secret of the little
Aondon co!!'nity was laid bare The Spanish a'thorities
co!!'nicated what they disco6ered to the English go6ern!ent
On 5ebr'ary 3th) #83+) the Pri6y Co'ncil ordered the arrest of
certain .erchant Strangers s'spected to be Jews and the
se='estration of their property A few of the! were restored to
liberty at the re='est of the ='een regent of the Netherlands) who
ga6e her personal ass'rance that they were good Christians Her
infor!ation t'rned o't to be based on pio's hope rather than
established fact) and pres'!ably proceedings were reopened
against the! The little co!!'nity was th's bro<en 'p A
!a>ority of its !e!bers were able to !a<e their way to the Aow
Co'ntries) one or two e6ent'ally str'ggling as far as Italy or e6en
T'r<ey Ne6ertheless a few persons "incl'ding so!e who had
been settled in Aondon for abo't thirty years) and were no longer
to be incl'ded in the category of .erchant Strangers& !anaged
to s'r6i6e the catastrophe and re!ained in England 1>
It was not long before the infiltration was res'!ed) for the total
e1cl'sion of s'ch f'rti6e ref'gees was i!possible By the close of
the rein of Edward 0I we find a di!in'ti6e .arrano co!!'nity
not only in Aondon b't also in BristolD for this cityat !aintained
a considerable trade with the Penins'la) in which Spanish Jews
had been interested or cent'ries for past 19 A!ong the residents
here was Antonio Brandao) a yo'ng s'rgeon fro! Santare!
"nephew of A!at's A'sitan's the !ost ill'strio's !edical
annalist of his age) who !entions hi! !ore than once in his
writings&) 57 an a physician na!ed Henri='e N'nes The latter
and his wife were the leaders of the gro'p Ser6ices were held
reg'larly at their ho'seD they periodically recei6ed the dates of
the festi6als fro! AondonD they were in to'ch with the latest
Jewish literat're) reading a6idly Bs='e;s fa!o's !artyrology)
Consola]a! as Trib'la]oens de Israel) recently p'blished at
5errara Of the co!!'nity of Aondon at this stage we ha6e less
detailed infor!ation? b't the na!es of eight ho'seholders
belonging to it are recorded
The .orranos of this period were pres'!ably regarded as
Protestant ref'gees9the ob6io's g'ise to ass'!e if they wished
to escape interference and e6en sec're sy!pathy Hence) with
the reaction against the -efor!ation 'nder .ary) when nati6e
Protestants were b'rned and the Spanish alliance threw the
shadow of the In='isition o6er England) no safe co'rse re!ained
for the! b't to lea6e the co'ntry Henri='e N'^es retired with
his fa!ily to 5rance) and probably other !e!bers of the two
co!!'nities followed his e1a!ple Tho'gh e6en now a slender
resid''! re!ained) the colony was once !ore scattered to the
fo'r winds
In that re!ar<able period of e1pansion which opened with the
accession of I'een Eli(abeth) the foreign !ercantile settle!ent
in Aondon ";the dinning*roo! of Christendo!; as .iddleton
called it& increased prodigio'sly At the beginning of the reign
there were less than E)222 aliens in the city? at its close there
were so!e #2)222 A!ong the! was ine6itably) as before) a
considerable sprin<ling of Spanish and Port'g'ese New
Christians) again enco'raged by the possibilities of tolerance
heralded by the o6erthrow of -o!an Catholicis! The
intensification of co!!ercial interco'rse with so'thern E'rope
ga6e these ref'gees fresh opport'nities) and d'ring the war with
Spain they were 'sed by Aondon !erchants as a cloa< for trade
with the Penins'la Th's the .arrano co!!'nity again
e1panded) its h'ndred or !ore !e!bers incl'ding a few persons
of o'tstanding ability and so!e pro!inence in p'blic life At
their head was He1tor N'ne( "generally <nown as L:r Hecto'r;&)
one of the handf'l of persons who had re!ained Thro'gh a
='alified and practising physician) he also engaged in foreign
trade on a large scale His widespread b'siness and personal
conne1ions abroad were fo'nd e1tre!ely 'sef'l by the
go6ern!ent He en>oyed the confidence both of B'rleigh and of
@alsingha!) and on one occasion left his dinner*table to bring
the latter the first news of the arri6al of the 7reat Ar!ada at
Aisbon 51
The !ost pro!inent of the .arrano !erchants after hi! was
7eorge Anes "anglicised as A!es&) whose fa!ily had been settled
in Aondon at least since #%8+ One of his sons 5rancis) beca!e a
soldier of fort'ne) and was e!ployed by 5rancis :ra<e for
intelligence wor< in the A(ores S'bse='ently he held a co!!and
in the English garrison at Jo'ghal) in Ireland of which he was
once the .ayor) and earned the co!!endation of the Earl of
Or!onde for his gallant defence of the town against the
rebels) 55 :'nstan A!es) his brother was p'r6eyor to the I'een
and traded e1tensi6ely with Spain Their sister) Sarah) bro'ght
the! into to'ch with Co'rt circles) for she was the wife of the
well*<nown :r -oderigo Aope( This was another Port'g'ese
New Christian who) after ='alifying in !edicine in his nati6e
co'ntry) settled in Aondon Here he was a !e!ber of the college
of physicians "before which he deli6ered the ann'al Anato!ical
Aect're in #8,%&) and was the first ho'se*physician appointed at
St Bartholo!ew;s hospital Aater he beca!e !edical attendant
to the all powerf'l Earl of Aeicester) and then in #8$, to the
='een herself) who reco!!ended hi! war!ly in
correspondence He was connected by !arriage) as it happened)
with Al6aro .ende( "alias Abenaish&) the e1*.arrano :'<e of
.itylene) who had s'cceeded to !'ch of Joseph NasiQs infl'ence
at the S'bli!e Porte and) as one of the architects of the Anglo*
T'r<ish entente against Spain) was in contin'o's
correspondence the English !inisters and had his ser6ices
rewarded by the hono'r of <nighthood Aope( threw hi!self into
the political ga!e with 'nnecessary (est Ta<ing ad6antage of his
close relations after Aeicester;s death with his stepson) the Earl of
Esse1) he began to intrig'e ind'strio'sly to sec're English
inter6ention on behalf of :o! Antonio) prior of Crato) the
pretender to the Port'g'ese throne The latter "whose financial
agent in Aondon was :'nstan A!es& was hi!self) as it happened
of Jewish blood being the son of a !e!ber of the old royal ho'se
thro'gh an irreg'lar 'nion with the bea'tif'l New Christian)
0iolante 7o!e(D and the .arranos had high hopes that this
tri'!ph wo'ld sec're the! so!e !eas're of relief In #8%+ he
was bro'ght o6er to England by Esse1 and the war party) and
Aope( was constantly with hi! in the capacity of secretary and
interpreter
The degree of religio's obser6ance in the f'rti6e Aondon
co!!'nity is obsc're) b't its !e!bers were Jewish in !ore
respects than by !ere descent It is on record that they collected
f'nds for the !aintenance of the secret synagog'e at Antwerp)
forwarding the! thro'gh the !edi'! of :r Aope( In #8%+)
when an en6oy of Al6aro .ende( na!ed Solo!on Cor!ano was
in Aondon on diplo!atic b'siness) religio's ser6ices were held at
his ho'se in f'll traditional style? and the crypto*Jews of the
capital gratef'lly too< the opport'nity to attend Tho'gh their
!arriages an f'nerals were perfor!ed of necessity in accordance
with Protestant rites) there is e6idence that baptis! was
neglected So far as possible) too) they were laid to their last rest
side by side in Stepney Ch'rchyard) so!e way fro! their act'al
area of residence :'ring a laws'it bro'ght in #8%, against one of
the .arrano !erchants who had been trading with the Penins'la
in partnership with an English!an) the Jewish cere!onies
obser6ed at his ho!e in :'<e;s Place) Aondon) were all'ded to in
Co'rt witho't any sense of incongr'ity) and "what was !ore
re!ar<able& witho't any 'ntoward res'lts 5:
In the year #8%E "according to an ancient legend) which need not
be discredited in all its details& the co!!'nity was reinforced for
a short space of ti!e by a party of 6isitors of partic'lar religio's
(eal A brother and sister) .an'el Aope() Pereira and .aria
N'ne( "whose parents had s'ffered fro! the persec'tions of the
In='isition& set sail fro! Port'gal with a s!all body of .arranos)
in the hope of finding a place of ref'ge in the freer lands to the
north The 6essel was capt'red on >o'rney by an English ship)
and bro'ght to port The ='een herself e1pressed a desire to see
the fair prisoner) was capti6ated by her char!) too< her in the
royal coach when she dro6e abo't Aondon) and ga6e orders for
the 6essel and all its passengers to be set at liberty In spite of this
to<en of royal fa6o'r) the 6isitors) ;lea6ing all the po!p of
England for the sa<e of J'dais!; "as the old chronicle p'ts it&)
p'rs'ed their way to A!sterda! Here) after other 6icissit'des)
they !anaged to establish an open Jewish co!!'nity) which)
constantly recr'ited by fresh In='isitional f'giti6es) beca!e
<nown before long as one of the !ost i!portant in @estern
E'rope) and was s'bse='ently to play an i!portant part in the
for!al read!ission of the Jews to England 54
Occasionally professing Jews also fo'nd their way into the
co'ntry The !ost re!ar<able instance was that of a certain
!ining*engineer na!ed Joachi! 7an() or 7a'nse ) !e!ber of a
disting'ished Bohe!ian fa!ily In #8$# he was wor<ing in
England) where he introd'ced i!pro6ed !ethods into the
copper*!ines at Geswic< in C'!berland and at Neath in @ales
He re!ained 'ndist'rbed for a n'!ber of years Howe6er) in
Septe!ber #8%$ he was arrested at Bristol for certain inca'tio's
words let fall d'ring a disc'ssion with a local clergy!an On
being bro'ght before the .ayor and Alder!en he openly
declared hi!self a Jew) born at Prag'e in Bohe!ia adding that
he had ne6er been bapti(ed and'did not believe any -rticle of o"r
.hristian faithe for that he was not bro"ghte to "ppe therein;
The local a'thorities) scandali(ed) sent hi! 'p to Aondon for trial
before the Pri6y Co'ncil Tho'gh f'rther infor!ation is lac<ing)
it is to be pres'!ed that he was e1pelled fro! the co'nty 5;
Towards the close of the cent'ry) the .arrano co!!'nity in
England began to decline The reason was in part political After
the fail're of :ra<e;s e1pedition against Port'gal in #8$%) Aope(
and his associates had ='arrelled with the prior of Crato) an
inco!petent fig'rehead at the best) and began to fa6o'r an
agree!ent with Spain Nat'rally) this e!broiled hi! with Esse1
and the war party) who resented the fact that his position ga6e
hi! easier access to the ='een than they the!sel6es had The
Spanish co'rt sei(ed the opport'nity to enter into secret
negotiations with hi!) offering a hea6y bribe if he wo'ld !a<e
away with the Pretender @hether he act'ally intended to do this
cannot be ascertained) b't "whate6er the reason9he hi!self
e1plained it on perfectly pla'sible gro'nds& he did not re>ect the
o6ert'res o'tright The relations which he th's began with the
national ene!y pro6ided his opponents with a weapon In
October #8%E he was arrested and acc'sed of plotting to poison
Eli(abeth herself) at the instigation of the <ing of Spain Sir
-obert Cecil cha!pioned hi!D the ='een was plainly
'ncon6incedD b't to no effect His trial) hopelessly partisan)
dragged on for !onths before a special co!!ission) which
incl'ded so!e of the highest officers of the state In the end he
was fo'nd g'ilty) and e1ec'ted at Tyb'rn on J'ne /th)
#8%3 5< There can be little do'bt that) tho'gh his ai!s and
!ethods were not abo6e s'spicion) he was innocent of this
partic'lar charge A !iniat're anti*Se!itic stor! was
ne6ertheless aro'sed in England :'ring the period between the
sentence and its e1ec'tion the !ost pop'lar play on the Aondon
stage was .arlowe;s Jew of .alta) the e1tra6agances of which
see!ed to anticipate the character as well as the fate of :r
Aope( .eanwhile Sha<espeare was at wor< on his .erchant of
0enice) in which the character of Shyloc< clearly reflected in its
cr'der facets the pop'lar abhorrence of the new J'das and his
!achinations
The at!osphere which th's de6eloped can ha6e been by no
!eans enco'raging for the dead !an;s associates and <ins!en
The heyday of the .arrano co!!'nity in England was now
ended The decline of trade relations with Spain disco'raged the
settle!ent of f'rther New Christians) who now fo'nd a powerf'l
co'nter*attraction in the newly established co!!'nity at
A!sterda! 5= The two !ost pro!inent of the Aondon gro'p
were by now dead9Hector N'ne( in #8%# "his profession of faith
in his will had been noteworthy for the absence of any Christian
colo'ring) notwithstanding strong !onotheistic all'sions& and
:'nstan A!es in#8%3 Of the latter;s fa!ily so!e re!ained in
the co'ntry) where they beca!e 'tterly assi!ilated with the
general pop'lation Others !ade their way to the Ae6ant) where
in after*years English tra6ellers were s'rprised to enco'nter)
openly professing J'dais!) persons born in Cr'tched 5riars in
Aondon 5>
5inally) in #,2%) si1 years after Ja!es I;s accession to the throne)
an 'nfort'nate ='arrel too< place a!ongst the !e!bers of the
little colony One party a6enged itself by deno'ncing its
opponents as J'dai(ers) and the a'thorities were co!pelled to
instr'ct the Earl of S'ffol<) as Aord Cha!berlain) to ta<e the
necessary steps As the res'lt of his in='iries all Port'g'ese
!erchants li6ing in Aondon who were s'spected of J'dai(ing
were e1pelled fro! the co'ntry 59 It was necessary to wait half a
cent'ry before the .arrano settle!ent again beca!e n'!ero's
and was officially a'thori(ed
.eanwhile) 'nder the sti!'l's of the -efor!ation) England had
witnessed a re6i6al9or rather a birth9of Hebrew st'dies These
were represented after the thirteenth cent'ry only by no!inal
lect'reships at the 'ni6ersities) established in obedience to the
B'll of Pope Cle!ent 0 of #E to) which insisted on the necessity of
incl'ding Hebrew in the c'rric'l'! One reason for the fresh
orientation is to be fo'nd in Henry 0III;s !atri!onial
diffic'lties) which had a theological as well as a political aspect
5or his desire to ann'l his long*standing !arriage there was
biblical a'thority in Ae6itic's 16iii #,) in which an alliance
between a !an and his brother;s wife is categorically forbidden
On the other hand) in :e'terono!y 116 8) s'ch a 'nion is
e1pressly prescribed if the brother had died childless) in order
that his na!e sho'ld be perpet'ated The proble! of
interpretation was highly perple1ing In conse='ence the
i!portance of Hebrew tradition for the correct co!prehension of
Holy @rit was s'ddenly reali(ed Since Jews were now e1cl'ded
fro! both England and Spain) it was to the Jewish ='arters of
Italy) and especially to that of 0enice) that both sides t'rned for
g'idance -ichard Cro<e) who had been sent to collect opinions
on behalf of Henry fro! e!inent canon lawyers) applied for
assistance to the fa!o's 0enetian h'!anist) 5ra 5rancesco
7iorgi The latter had no diffic'lty in finding Hebrew scholars
who were willing to s'pport the English thesis9notably one
.arco -aphael) a recent apostate fro! J'dais!) and in6entor of
a new in6isible in< for 'se in the secret diplo!acy of the
Serenissi!a) who showed hi!self !ore than eager to oblige
Hardly a day passed) reported Cro<e fro! 0enice at the
beginning of #8E2) when he did not confer 'pon the !atter with
so!e !on< or so!e Jew) and the na!es of si1 of the latter)
confor!ing or con6erted) are !entioned in his dispatches
Henry insisted on ha6ing the rabbinical opinions s'b!itted to
hi! for personal consideration :espite an atte!pt of the
Spanish a!bassador to waylay the!) -aphael and 7iorgi reached
Aondon safely at the beginning of #8E#D and there the for!er
drew 'p a report to the co!plete satisfaction of his patron He
was) howe6er) borne down by weight of learning and of n'!bers
Al!ost all of the Italian rabbis were ranged against hi! @orst of
all) at this 6ery period a le6irate !arriage too< place in Bologna
between a Jew and his brother;s widow This co!pletely
discredited all arg'!ents on the other side) and the breach
between England and -o!e was bro'ght nearer Ne6ertheless
the episode had a real i!portance in Jewish history? for it was
this which) co!bined with the conte!porary -e'chlin*
Pfeffer<orn contro6ersy in 7er!any) began to rehabilitate
Hebrew literat're fro! the discredit which it had s'ffered in
E'rope since the rise of Christianity :7
So 6i6id did interest in Hebrew beco!e in England with the
stirring of the -efor!ation that the Act of Bnifor!ity "#83%&
a'thori(ed its 'se in pri6ate de6otions) while the !edals str'c< in
#838 to co!!e!orate Henry 0III;s recognition as head of the
Ch'rch) and two years later on the occasion of his son;s accession
to the throne) both bore lengthy inscriptions in what was
opti!istically considered to be the lang'age of the Old
Testa!ent :1 Hebrew printing in England goes bac< a co'ple of
decades earlier still) the first e1a!ples being incl'ded in
@a<efield;s:ratio de "tilitate tri"m ling"ar"m) p'blished by
@yn<yn de @orde in #8+3 A few prod'ctions of the Hebrew
presses recently established in 0enice and elsewhere were to be
fo'nd in so!e of the greater religio's ho'ses before their
dissol'tion. :5 In #83%) >'st before his death) Pa'l 5ag's) the
fa!o's 7er!an Protestant di6ine and h'!anist) was appointed
to the chair of Hebrew at Ca!bridge9the first !ore or less
co!petent scholar to occ'py s'ch a position in England ::
Ob6io'sly) for the serio's in6estigation of so re!ote a tong'e the
assistance of so!e person with first*hand ac='aintance was
indispensable Accordingly) fro! this period a few Jews by birth
"generally con6erted& began to ha'nt the p'rlie's of the
'ni6ersities The earliest was John I!!an'el Tre!elli's) a
nati6e of 5errara who had been con6erted to the -o!an Catholic
faith by Cardinal Pole b't afterwards went o6er to Protestantis!
Owing to the wars of religion in 7er!any he so'ght ref'ge in
#83/ in England) where he en>oyed the hospitality of Archbishop
Cran!er at Aa!beth After 5agi's;s death) he s'cceeded to his
position at Ca!bridge) and was appointed si!'ltaneo'sly to a
non*residential canonry at Carlisle On .ary;s accession and the
beginning of the Catholic reaction) he fled to the Continent)
where he 'lti!ately beca!e professor of Hebrew at Heidelberg)
and p'blished a n'!ber of wor<s? b't he paid another 6isit to
England in #8,8 :4
Aess disting'ished was Philip 5erdinand s'bse='ently professor
of Hebrew at Aeyden Born in Poland in #888) he e!braced
Christianity) !ade his way to England) and st'died at O1ford
Here he pro6ed his capacity by gi6ing t'ition in Hebrew in
se6eral colleges) after which he transferred hi!self to the sister
'ni6ersity A little boo< of his on the precepts of the .osaic law)
p'blished here in #8%/) was the first serio's contrib'tion to
Jewish scholarship to see the light in this co'ntry :; At the
beginning of the se6enteenth cent'ry professing Jews began to
!a<e their appearance) beginning with a ;-abbi JacobQ who was
teaching abo't this period at Ca!bridge He is perhaps identical
with the O1ford scholar Jacob Barnett) whose Hebrew learning
attracted !'ch attention) and who in #,2% beca!e secretary to
the disting'ished Protestant h'!anist) Isaac Casa'bon After
long disc'ssions he was pers'aded to s'b!it to baptis!) b't)
when the day for the cere!ony arri6ed) was nowhere to be fo'nd
It is not re!ar<able that not long after there is a record of the
banish!ent of ;Jacob's Bernat's; fro! England :<
The record of these scattered Hebraists is not pec'liarly
disting'ished or inspiring Ne6ertheless) the role they played was
not witho't i!portance In the first place) they fa!iliari(ed the
English!an) for the first ti!e for three cent'ries) with the
e1istence and the appearance of the a'thentic Jew "albeit in !ost
cases con6erted& .oreo6er) li!ited tho'gh their <nowledge
so!eti!es was) they did a great deal to pro!ote and diff'se
Hebrew st'dies in England Their disciples o'tdid the! in
earnestness and in i!portance By the reign of Ja!es I there was
in the English Ch'rch a s!all b't co!petent n'cle's of nati6e*
born Hebrew scholars of real ability The res'lt was seen in that
great achie6e!ent) the ;A'thori(ed; 6ersion of the Bible)
p'blished in #,## E1ec'ted direct fro! the original
tong'es := by aco!petent band of scholars) it was as faithf'l as
the age and the circ'!stances wo'ld per!it Tho'gh no Jews
participated) the spirit of the ancient Hebrew co!!entators was
i!!anent) and their wor<s were always at hand for cons'ltation
The res'lt was a !agnificent rendering) which al!ost ri6als the
grande'r of the original and has been he !ost potent infl'ence in
!o'lding the English lang'age fro! that day onwards Tho'gh
the Jews were still >ealo'sly e1cl'ded fro! England) there was no
co'ntry in which the Hebraic spirit was so deeply rooted or so
'ni6ersally spread :>
%ootnotes
Chapter ,
# 5or a co!plete bibliography ill'strating this chapter see
Bibl A8 #*+% The only i!portant contrib'tion to be
added is that !entioned below) p #3+) note I
+ See Note 0I "a&) pp +/$*%
E Joseph haCohen) E!e< haBa<ha) p 83 5or all'sions
which wo'ld corroborate this cf Thorold -ogers ap'd
Ne'ba'er) 'bi s'pra) p E#3 "Jews in O1ford thro'gho't
.iddle Ages&D Collectanea 5ranciscans) ii #82 "Jews
e1pelled 'nder Edward III&
3 P- 8E#$) p +83 The safe*cond'ct was prolonged for one
year on Jan'ary ##th) #E#%
8 -ot'li Parlia!entar'!) ii EE+a It has fre='ently been
s'ggested that the Spanish and Italian !erchants who
traded in England at this ti!e co!prised !any JewsD b't)
notwithstanding a caref'l inspection of the a6ailable
!aterial) I ha6e been 'nable to trace a single na!e in
corroboration of this hypothesis Th's in A Beardwood;s
Alien .erchants in England) #E82*#E//) the only possible
na!es which occ'r are those of Benedict Oacharie "a
Ao!bard&) :a6id Jacobi of A'cca) and Solo!on de Al!an)
golds!ith of Norwich None of these is s'fficiently
distincti6e to >'stify any f'rther ded'ction
, A letter fro! hi!) be!oaning the cheerless state of
Aondon d'ring the P'ri! festi6al) is e1tant "Bibl A8 3D
cf also A Aanda') :as apologetische Schreiben des Jos'a
Aor<i) Antwerp) #%2,& B't it is not o't of the ='estion
that the doc'!ent is a satire 'pon the e1*-abbi) written
by one of his for!er co*religionists
/ Cf Bibl A8 +8) +, There is no e6idence) other than the
biblical first na!e) for belie6ing that :a6id Nigarellis of
A'cca) who attended on Henry I0 in #3#+) was li<ewise a
Jew The ;Jewels; of Abingdon) who ga6e a perfor!ance
before the eight*year*old Henry 0I in 83+/ "-y!er)
5oedera) 1 E$/&) were clearly not Jews b't >o'e'rs) or
players
$ A co!prehensi6e acco'nt of the :o!'s Con6ersor'! in
the .iddle Period is gi6en by . Adler in J.E) pp E2,*
/%) s'perseding that in TrsJHSE 6ol i6
% In thefo'rteenth cent'ry the in!ates incl'ded persons
fro! Eton) @oodstoc<) Stratford) Aeicester and
:art!o'th "Adler) J.E) pp E+E*,&
#2 HT -iley) .e!orials of Aondon "Aondon) #$,$&) pp 8#$*
#% He was s'bse='ently pilloried and banishedD - -
Sharpe) Aetter Boo<s of Aondon) H) p E8#
## . Adler) ;Edward II and his con6erted Jews;) in Ec 8 6iii
#$%$ B't is the na!e ;Conyers; decisi6eM
#+ Bibl A8 +3D so!e corroborati6e details in C A Scofield)
Aife and -eign of Edward I0 "Aondon) #%+E&) ii $/*$) +32*
# Bra!pton s'bse='ently ret'rned to England) and a son
of his was <nighted at @inchester in #822
#E See !y History of the .arranos "Philadelphia) #%E+&) fro!
which I ha6e copied so!e phrases
"#EB& The biblical Sepharad "for which see Obadiah) 6erse
+2& was consistently applied by the Jews of the .iddle
Ages to Spain Si!ilarly) 7er!any was called Ash<ena(e
"7enesis? 1*E& The ter!s Sephardi! and Ash<ena(i! are
today applied a little loosely to the two !ain historic
categories of the Jewish people) according as they are
descended fro! the Spanish9.editerranean9Ae6antine
or the 5ranco97er!an9Polish) gro'p They are
disting'ished fro! one another by certain differences of
bac<gro'nd of lit'rgy and of Hebrew pron'nciation
#3 Te1t) in @olf) :iplo!atic History of The Jewish I'estion
"Aondon) #%#%& p#+,) where) howe6er) the inferences
drawn are !ore than the doc'!ent >'stifies
#8 The history of the .arrano co!!'nity in T'dor England
was 'n<nown 'ntil #%+$*%) when A'cien @olf began to
p'blish the res'lts of his re!ar<able researches into the
records of the Port'g'ese In='isition "Bibl A8 +3a) +/)
+$& Pre6io'sly the only infor!ation a6ailable was that in
Sidney Aee;s ;Eli(abethan England and the Jews; "Bibl
A8#%& which !ay still be cons'lted with profitD see also
Bibl A8 ++ and @olf;s earlier paper on the .iddle Period
of Anglo*Jewish History) Bibl A8 +%
#, See Note 0I "b&) p +/%
#/ Possibly to be identified with the ;.aster :iego; on whose
behalf the Netherlands go6ern!ent inter6ened in #83+
"@olf) Essays) p //&? b't the poet was then 6ery yo'ng
The .arrano colony in Aondon at this ti!e incl'ded also
two of .ichel de .ontaigne;s 'ncles) .artin and
5rancesco Aopes "T .al6e(in) .ichel de .ontaigne)
Bordea'1) #$/8) pp#2$*%&D the for!er s fa!ily
s'bse='ently played an i!portant role in the Cal6inist
Consistory at Antwerp
#$ It is to be noted that the e1p'lsion of #83+ was not so
co!plete as @olf i!aginedD see !y editorial note to his
Essays) p $E
#% The Pa!plona archi6es show that the Jews of Na6arre
were trading in green cloth ;fro! 0ristol; in considerable
='antities) between #322 and #3EE "Jacobs) So'rces of
Spanish Jewish History) Aondon) #$%3) pp ##$*#%&
+2Cent'ria 0) i6) 6i) 16i Cf . Ae!os) A!ato A'sitano)
Oporto) #%2/) pp %) #2) 32) /3) #+3
+# See Note 0I "c&) p +/%
++ N'fie(;s brother*in*law) Bernaldo A'is) also did e1tensi6e
espionage wor< for B'rleigh in Spain) where he was
arrested in #8$$ "Trs JHSE) 1i 8*,) E,? A de Alberti
and A B @ Chap!an) English .erchants and the
Spanish In='isition in the Canaries) Aondon) #%#+) pp //*
$&
+E C J Sisson) ;A Colony of Jews in Sha<espeare;s Aondon; in
Essays by .e!bers of the English Association) 11ii E##**
8#
+3 See Note 0I "d&) p +/%
+8 Bibl A8 E Another indication of Jewish life in England at
this ti!e is pro6ided by the fact that Nathaniel "J'dah&
bapti(ed with great po!p in #8// "on which occasion the
ser!on was preached by John 5o1eD Bibl B, i& had been
resident in Aondon as a Jew for si1 years "John 5lorioQs
father .ichelangelo 5lorio preacher to the Italian Ch'rch
in Aondon and biographer of Aady Jane 7rey) was also of
Jewish birth) b't con6erted before he ca!e to England&
The Ipswich records for #8/+ incl'de a !e!orand'! of
the pay!ent of si1pence ;for whipping of a Jewish !anQ Z
three ti!es the rate for whipping a @elsh!an "H.C i1
app +3%b&
+, Bibl A8 %) #8) #$? A#2) E+? H'!e in Trs JHSE 6 E+
s==? Bird;s .e!oirs) i #3%*8$? H.C Hatfield) i6 8#+*
#E? SP:) #8%E*3) passi! The ='een;s incred'lity is
reflected in her genero's treat!ent of Aope(;s widow
+/ H'gh Bro'ghton was infor!ed by an A!sterda! Jew in
#,2$ that !any of his co*religionists in that place had
been in England "O'r Aordes 5a!ile) Aondon) #,2$&
+$Cf Coryat;s acco'nt in P'rchas his Pilgri!es) ## 1 #$+3*8
+% See Note 0I "e&) p +$2
E25or the -oyal ;:i6orce; in its Jewish associations) see :
Ga'f!ann) ;Bne Cons'ltation de Jacob -afael Peglione de
.odene s'r le di6orce de Henri 0III; in -e6'e des Et'des
J'ices) 111 E2% s==? and ;Jacob .antino;) ibid) 116ii E2
s== "especially 3/ s==& -aphael re!ained attached to the
English Co'rt) acco!panying Henry to 5rance in #8E+ He
was not "as often stated& a nephew of 7iorgi) whose fa!ily
had no Jewish associations
E# Trs JHSE 6 ##E*#3
E+ So!e speci!ens are preser6ed in the libraries of O1ford
and Ca!bridge colleges
EE Sto<es) St'dies) pp +2/ s==
E3 Bibl A to +/#*+D for Hebrew st'dies in England generally)
cf the !aterial listed ibid A##) and !ost recently E J
-osenthal) ;-ashi and the English Bible;) in B'lletin of the
John -ylands Aibrary) 6ol 11i6 "#%32&) and S Ae6y)
;English St'dents of .ai!onides; in The Jewish Ann'al)
#%32*#) pp /+*$/
E8 Bibl B ## +
E, Ne'ba'er) Notes on the Jews of O1ford) 'bi s'pra In the
s'bse='ent period we find a few additional na!es to add
to the foregoing list Early in #,+, I'een Henrietta .aria
as<ed the Bni6ersity of O1ford to fa6o'r her ser6ant)
Antonio .aria de 0erona A little later Alessandro A!idei)
a 5lorentine con6ert) ta'ght Hebrew at O1ford) and
contrib'ted to a !iscellany p'blished there in #,8$D
s'bse='ently he beca!e professor of Hebrew in
Edinb'rgh .ention is deser6ed also by Pa'l Jacob) a
con6erted Jew) who petitioned Ging Ja!es for an
allowance in #,+E) on the Ingenio's plea that) since the
sceptre had departed fro! J'dah) the petitioner was the
English !onarch;s child and s'b>ect
E/ In this respect the A'thori(ed 0ersion was a great ad6ance
on that of Co6erdale) who <new no Hebrew His prec'rsor)
@illia! Tyndale) was) on the other hand) a fair scholar
@hittingha!) who too< a leading part in prod'cing the
7ene6a or ;Breeches; Bible "#8,2&) was si!ilarly fa!iliar
with Hebrew) as also were a few of the translators who
participated in the ;Bishops; Bible "#8,$& The earliest
English Hebraist of any e!inence was H'gh Bro'ghton
"#83%*#,#+& so!e of whose wor<s are listed in Bibl B#33*
#2D while the first Hebrew gra!!ar for English 'se was
John Bdall;s Gey to the Hebrew Tong'e "Btrecht) #8%E&)
co!posed while he was in prison for his share in the
.arprelate Tracts
E$ See Note 0I "f&) pp +$2*# On Hebrew st'dies in the #,th
cent'ry) the !ost recent wor< is : :aiches) The Ging
Ja!es 0ersion "Chicago) #%3#&
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter /
Read4ission
1<79-<4
The religio's de6elop!ents of the se6enteenth cent'ry bro'ght
to their cli!a1 an 'n!ista<able philo*se!etic tendency in
certain English circles P'ritanis! represented abo6e all a ret'rn
to the Bible) and this a'to!atically fostered a !ore fa6o'rable
fra!e of !ind towards the people of the Old Testa!ent with this
was inter!ingled the hope that the Jews) so long deaf to popish
or Episcopal blandish!ents) wo'ld be 'nable to withstand a p're
for! of Christianity) once they had the opport'nity of beco!ing
ac='ainted with it at close ='arters
There were not lac<ing those who carried their new*fo'nd
biblical enth'sias! to) or beyond) its logical concl'sion Certain
e1tre!ists regarded the ;old; dispensation as binding) and e6en
re6erted to its practices of circ'!cision and the obser6ance of the
se6enth*day Sabbath In #,22 the Bishop of E1eter co!plained of
the pre6alence of LJewis!Q in his diocese) 1 and s'ch 6iews were
co!parati6ely co!!on in Aondon and the Eastern co'nties
N'!ero's persons were prosec'ted here for holding what were
ter!ed J'daistic; opinions) based on the literal interpretations
the Old Testa!ent 5 As late as #,#+) two so*called Arians at the
sta<e "the last persons to s'ffer capital p'nish!ent in England
p'rely for their religion& for teaching 6iews regarding the nat're
of 7od which appro1i!ated to those of J'dais! The followers of
P'ritan e1tre!ist) John Tras<e) went so far on the path of
literalis! that they were i!prisoned in #,#$*+2 on a charge of
J'dai(ing In th's case) the acc'sation was so far fro! being
e1aggerated that a n'!ber of the! settled in A!sterda! and
for!ally the Synagog'e :
In certain cases the tendency too< a bi(arre for! So!e of the so*
called Saints and others "s'ch as E6erard the Ae6eller) or -obert
-ich the I'a<er philanthropist& styled the!sel6es Jews while a
few LrantersQ act'ally clai!ed that they were designated to lead
the Jewish people) pro6identially con6erted and renewed) bac< to
the Pro!ised Aand 4 A disting'ished lawyer) Sir Henry 5inch
s'ffered i!prison!ent for his re!ar<able treatise) The
World*s great +estauration, or alling of the Je#s
"Aondon) #,+#&) in which he in6ited the ancient people of 7od to
reassert their clai! on the Pro!ised Aand and Christian
!onarchs to pay ho!age to the!
Apart fro! this philo*se!itic tendency) there was an incipient
!o6e!ent in fa6o'r of religio's toleration as s'ch As separatist
sects !'ltiplied) the adherents of those which co'ld ne6er hope
for a !a>ority began to cla!o'r that the principle of rigid
'nifor!ity sho'ld be !odified 7enerally spea<ing) it was not
disp'ted that allegiance to the 'ni6ersally accepted principles of
Christianity was a necessary prere='isite A!ong the Baptists)
howe6er) !ore genero's 6iews pre6ailed) and it was 'rged that
religio's tolerance sho'ld be e1tended to all) witho't any
restriction whatsoe6er A n'!ber of writers belonging to this sect
th's fo'nd the!sel6es logically co!pelled to plea for a toleration
that sho'ld e1tend e6en to Jews) and inferentially for the
read!ission of the Jews to the co'ntry ; As early as #,#3 a
!e!ber of the body) Aeonard B'sher) p'blished for presentation
to Ja!es I a !e!orable tract entitled +eligions -eace, or, a
-lea for Libert" of onscience "reprinted in #,3,& In this)
the earliest English p'blication in which religio's liberty in its
f'llest sense was ad6ocated) the point was !ade for the first ti!e
that) by the e1cl'sion of the Jews) their con6ersion was i!peded?
and the a'thor went so far as to s'ggest not only that they sho'ld
be read!itted) b't that they sho'ld be allowed to engage in
religio's disp'tations "which co'ld only end in their defeat&
witho't hindrance The lead was followed in the ne1t year by
another Baptist) John .'rton) in an anony!o'sly prod'ced
wor<) .bjections ans#ered b" #a" of dialogue, #herein
is /ro$ed 0 0 0 that no %an ought to be /ersecuted for his
religion "#,#8& This tract) the pop'larity of which is shown by
its fre='ent rep'blication "#,+2) #,E2) #,,+&) insisted on the
6alidity of pri6ate >'dge!ent in !atters of religion) with the
corollary that Jews sho'ld be con6erted by arg'!ent only) and
no longer s'b!itted to persec'tion John @e!yss) writing in
#,E, "A Treatise of the 1oure 2egenerate !onnes&) arg'ed
that the Jews sho'ld be per!itted to li6e and !aintain their
synagog'es in a Christian co!!onwealth) so long as they
beha6ed !odestly and refrained fro! disse!inating their
religion In his stri<ing !onograph) The Bloud" Tenent of
-ersecution for cause of conscience discussed in a
conference bet#een Truth and -eace "#,33&) -oger
@illia!s si!ilarly 6oiced the plea that the Jews co'ld be good
citi(ens e6en tho'gh they were 'nbelie6ers) and !'st be gi6en
the opport'nity to de!onstrate it The tract was p'blicly b'rned
by the Co!!on Hang!an in A'g'st9>'st after its a'thor had
sailed for A!erica with his charter for -hode Island) concei6ed
on the sa!e tolerant principles Ne6ertheless) the tide of
sy!pathy contin'ed to rise < The Ci6il @ar was gi6ing it a
strong i!pet's) so!e persons being con6inced that the co'ntry;s
trib'lations were in p'nish!ent for its !altreat!ent of the Jews
in the past = The Baptists fo'nd the!sel6es reinforced by
persons s'ch as H'gh Peters) one of the !ost infl'ential of the
P'ritan !inisters) in his pa!phlet) A @ord for the Ar!y) and
Two @ords to the Gingdo! "#,3/&) in which he set down as one
of the re!edies for the e6ils which were afflicting the co'ntry
that ;strangers) e6en Jews) be ad!itted to trade and li6e with 's;
This de6elop!ent was not d'e only to the fact that
sy!pathetically inclined sectaries were now in the ascendant) b't
also to its corollary9the collapse of the national ch'rch) the only
body which hitherto had s'fficient strength to persec'te those
who held !inority 6iews in the !atter of religion Henceforth) no
single ele!ent was physically capable of carrying on the
tradition) tho'gh the Presbyterians displayed a strong inclination
to do so An ordinance passed in #,3$) d'ring the period of their
greatest political infl'ence) declared the denial of the Trinity) of
the di6inity of Jes's) or of the inspiration of Script're)
p'nishable by death? b't it was ne6er acted 'pon) perhaps
beca'se the abolition of the Co'rt of High Co!!ission se6en
years before had left no trib'nal co!petent to deal with s'ch
cases > .oreo6er) attention was now di6erted fro! the Jews not
only by n'!ero's bi(arre Independent bodies) b't also by s'ch
!inorities as the -o!an Catholics) who) besides being 'npop'lar
were) at this stage) politically dangero's It was hence not so
!'ch that the Jews beca!e !ore acceptable) as that the
'nacceptability which was once theirs alone was now shared with
!any others Th's) after the parlia!entary tri'!ph) the
sy!pathy which had pre6io'sly been acade!ic beca!e acti6e?
and) in the e1peri!ents for a constit'tional settle!ent9which at
the sa!e ti!e had to be a religio's settle!ent9the position of
the Jews ass'!ed a sy!bolic pro!inence
It was in the winter of #,3$*% that the ='estion first ca!e 'p in a
practical for! 9 I!!ediately after ;Pride;s P'rge; had swept
away the Presbyterian do!inance in Parlia!ent) the Co'ncil of
Officers began to disc'ss a new constit'tion based 'pon what
was <nown as the Agree!ent of the People This had been drawn
'p by a co!!ittee representing the ar!y and different sects
incl'ded in the -ep'blican party) 'nder the inspiration of s'ch
ad6anced theorists as John Ailb'rne) and stip'lated that there
sho'ld be a wide !eas're of liberty for all !en to preach and
ad6ance their opinions in a peaceable !anner Clearly)
considerable latit'de was possible in the practical application of
this The Co'ncil of .echanics) !eeting at @hitehall) boldly
passed a resol'tion in fa6o'r of 'ni6ersal tolerance for all
religions ;not e1cepting T'r<es) nor Papists) nor Jewes; 17 This
policy was endorsed by the Co'ncil of @ar when it !et on
Christ!as :ay 11 and it was apparently s'ggested that a cla'se to
this effect sho'ld be e!bodied in the new constit'tion B't
opposition de6eloped) and the 't!ost that the cha!pions of the
proposals in the Co'ncil of Officers co'ld obtain was a petition
as<ing Parlia!ent to consider the repeal of the banish!ent of the
Jews) ;in regard it was not held fit for !ention in the Agree!ent;
Ne6ertheless the agitation contin'ed At the beginning of the
New Jear the Co'ncil of Officers recei6ed thro'gh Aord 5airfa1 a
petition fro! two Baptists fro! A!sterda!) Joanna Cartwright
and her son Ebene(er) re='esting the read!ission of the Jews ;to
trade and dwell in this land) as they now do in the
Netherlands; 15 It was agreed that this sho'ld be ta<en into
consideration i!!ediately the present 'rgent p'blic affairs were
dispatched9not a 6ery i!!inent contingency in the !onth of
the <ing;s e1ec'tion .eanwhile there was in the press a !ore
elaborate plea An apology for the hono'rable nation of the Jews)
and all the sons of Israel) by Edward Nicholas) who spo<e of the
trib'lations that the co'ntry had s'ffered in p'nish!ent for her
past !altreat!ent of the people of 7od) and a6erred that it was
only by !a<ing a!ends that she co'ld hope to en>oy the :i6ine
blessing again as she had done in for!er ti!es
The body of opinion in the Co'ncil of Officers re!ained
l'<ewar!) its !e!bers being 'nable to en6isage the possibility
of toleration o'tside the bo'nds of Christianity It was in 6ain
that @illia! Erb'ry) the chaplain of S<ippon;s -egi!ent)
de!onstrated that this attit'de !ade a fa6o'rable reply to the
Cartwright petition i!possible ";To what p'rpose;) he as<ed) ;will
yo' gi6e that liberty to the Jews and others to co!e in) 'nless yo'
grant the! the e1ercise of their religionM;&) and that Captain
B'tler in6eighed against the principle of atte!pting to define
tr'th and error On Jan'ary +2th) the !odified Agree!ent of the
People was laid before Parlia!ent) reser6ing religio's freedo!
for s'ch only as sho'ld ;profess faith in 7od by Jes's Christ; The
ideal of 'ni6ersal toleration th's recei6ed what was to pro6e a
final setbac<) and with it the 7entile !o6e!ent for the recall of
the Jews to England on finely concei6ed idealistic gro'nds 1:
The ='estion now entered a new phase Tho'gh the disinterested
cha!pions of religio's liberty did not gi6e 'p hope) the
!o6e!ent was o6ershadowed henceforth by another) narrower
in scope) in which !ysticis! and !aterial considerations were
oddly interwo6en) and Jews and Christians were e='ally
in6ol6ed The P'ritan theologians fo'nd a <indred spirit alias
.an'el :ias Soerio He had been born in .adeiria in #,23 of
crypto*Jewish parentage) b't had been bro'ght early in life to
A!sterda! Here he !ade a na!e while still a 6ery yo'ng !an
as one of the !ost prod'cti6e) if by no !eans !ost profo'nd)
theological writers of his age 7entiles as well as Jews thronged
to hear hi! preach) and when Henrietta .aria? ='een of England
6isited the A!sterda! synagog'e in #,3E) it was he who ga6e the
address Sa6ants and states!en) both at ho!e and abroad
"incl'ding !any in England& were in the habit of cons'lting hi!
on !atters of Jewish scholarship He th's beca!e a
representati6e fig're in 7entile eyes) and considered hi!self
='alified to spea< to those in a'thority on behalf of his people as
a whole In co!!on with the other !e!bers of the gro'p to
which he belonged) he considered the salient fact in
conte!porary Jewish life to be the tragedy of the .arranos of
Spain and Port'gal) persec'ted with 'nrelenting se6erity by the
In='isition To this was added in #,3$ the trail of !assacre
which followed the Cossac< rising against the Poles The whole of
central E'rope was filled with penniless f'giti6es) fleeing fro!
the scene of sla'ghter 14 It was the c'l!inating disaster in
conte!porary Jewish history) and the opening of a land of ref'ge
beca!e desperately i!portant
A c'rio's episode set .enasseh ben Israel;s !ind at this >'nct're
on England A .arrano tra6eler na!ed Antonio de; .onte(inos
recently ret'rned fro! A!erica) clai!ed that a abo't #,3# he
had disco6ered near I'ito) in Ec'ador) certain nati6es belonging
to the lost Hebrew tribes of -e'ben and of Ae6i) who practised
6ario's Jewish cere!onies On his ret'rn to Holland he
e!bodied his acco'nt in an affida6it e1ec'ted 'nder oath before
the a'thorities of the A!sterda! co!!'nity9incl'ding
.enasseh hi!self) who was i!!ediately bo!barded with
in='iries on the s'b>ect by his English correspondents These
co!!'nications forced on hi! the !ore re!ote i!plications of
the report The prophet :aniel had inti!ated "1ii /& that the
final -ede!ption wo'ld begin only when the scattering of the
Jewish people was co!plete On the other hand the boo< of
:e'terono!y plainly stated "116iii ,3& that the dispersion was to
be 'ni6ersal ;fro! one end of the earth e6en 'nto the other
Hebrews had now been fo'nd in A!ericaD they were !issing only
in 7reat Britain .oreo6er) the classical na!e for English
.edie6al Jewish literat're) was the end of the earth;9an o6er*
literal translation of the 5rench-ngleterre.It followed that if they
were introd'ced into the British Isles) the prophesied :ispersion
wo'ld be co!pleted) and the !essianic :eli6erance wo'ld begin
Bnder the i!pet's of this idea) .enasseh prod'ced in #,82 a
treatise in Aatin) in which he dealt with the recent disco6eries
and their i!plications This he entitled The Hope of Israel ";Spes
Israelis;& 1;
The boo< pro6ed an instantaneo's s'ccess Before the year was
o't) it had been p'blished in English) dedicated to Parlia!ent)
whose fa6o'r and good*will were respectf'lly solicited for the
scattered*Jewish nationD the translation r'nning thro'gh three
editions in as !any years It occasioned a spate of p'blications
John Sadler) town cler< of Aondon? Sir Ha!on l;Estrange) the
father of English >o'rnalis!? and the Sabbatarian pastor Henry
Jessey) an acco!plished Hebrew and rabbinic scholar and
for!er correspondent of .enasseh;s) were a!ong the !any who
r'shed into print B't the !ost !e!orable contrib'tion to the
disc'ssion was written by Sir Edward Spenser) <night of the shire
for .iddlese1) who) as a !e!ber of tie body to which the wor<
had been directed in the first instance) too< it 'pon hi!self to
co!pose a for!al answer It was entitledD An Epistle to the
learned .enasseh ben Israel) in answer to his) dedicated to the
Parlia!ent Aondon) #,82? and following the c'e gi6en by
.enasseh hi!self in his :edication) it disc'ssed serio'sly the
conditions) of so!ewhat l'dicro's se6erity) 'pon which the
settle!ent of the Jews in England !ight be allowed The
='estion th's entered into the sphere of !ore or less practical
politics
Early in #,8# an English !ission headed by Chief J'stice Oli6er
St John) one of the o'tstanding -ep'blican stalwarts) arri6ed at
the Hag'e to negotiate an alliance between England and the
Bnited Pro6inces :'ring a trip to A!sterda! its secretary) John
Th'rloe) sei(ed the opport'nity to beco!e ac='ainted with the
fa!o's -abbi) who! he apparently ad6ised to !a<e for!al
application to the English go6ern!ent for the ob>ect he had at
heart It was on October #2th9the !orrow of the passage of the
Na6igation Act9that the Co'ncil of State too< into consideration
the co!!'nication which res'lted) appointing an infl'ential
co!!ittee "of which the Aord 7eneral) Oli6er Cro!well) was a
!e!ber& to answer it It pres'!ably reported that direct
con6ersations sho'ld be opened 'p in order to disc'ss ter!s
Before .enasseh co'ld set o't for Aondon) war bro<e o't
between England and Holland? b't tho'gh he allowed hi!self to
be pers'aded by his friends to t'rn bac< "Lfor certain political
reasons;) as he afterwards recorded& he did not gi6e 'p hope
I!!ediately the news of the asse!bly of Barebone;s Parlia!ent
reached the Aow Co'ntries he addressed this new body in the
sa!e sense as he had its predecessor A petition to a si!ilar
effect was si!'ltaneo'sly s'b!itted at @est!inster by one
Sa!'el Herring? and a for!al !otion ;that the Jews !ight be
ad!itted to trade as well as in Holland; was disc'ssed by the
Ho'se Nothing practical) indeed) was doneD tho'gh the three
;7enerals of the 5leet; beca!e interested in the pro>ect) and were
reported to ha6e presented to the go6ern!ent a petition
endorsing it
As) owing to the war and s'bse='ent sic<ness) .enasseh was still
'nable to follow 'p his ad6antage in person) his place was now
ta<en by a .arrano !erchant na!ed .an'el .artine(
:or!ido) 1< r'ined by the recent Port'g'ese re*con='est of
Bra(il) who was acco!panied by the other;s son) Sa!'el Soeiro
I!!ediately he arri6ed in Aondon) he s'b!itted two petitions to
Oli6er Cro!well) who) since the last days of #,8E) had been
r'ling England as Aord Protector) with !ore absol'te power than
any recent !onarch had possessed One reco'nted his personal
history) and re='ested that diplo!atic representations sho'ld be
!ade to assist hi! in reco6ering his fort'ne The other) after a
6i6id description of the tyrannies of the In='isition calc'lated to
!a<e Protestant blood r'n cold) went on to reco'nt the
s'fferings of the .arranos) their constant flight to northern
E'rope) and their potential 6al'e to national finance and
co!!erce On the strength of this :or!ido pleaded that the
go6ern!ent sho'ld read!it the Jews to England) ;gra"nting
them libertie to come with their families and estates, to bee
dwellers here with the same ea;"alinese and conveniences
which yo"r inland s"b3ects doe en3oy'.
Cro!well was a realist Tho'gh his P'ritan bac<gro'nd nat'rally
sti!'lated his interest in the people of the Old Testa!ent) he had
little sy!pathy for the !ystical tendencies that had hitherto
colo'red the !o6e!ent for their read!ission to England) and
consistently opposed both the !illenarians and the literalists
who based religio's obser6ance on the .osaic code Tho'gh in
ad6ance of his age in his spirit of tolerance he confined it
theoretically to Christians and in practice only to Protestants
"tho'gh for political reasons not Episcopalians& It was
prepostero's) he !aintained) that toleration sho'ld be ;stretched
so far as to co"ntenance those who denie the divinity of o"r
Savio"r, or to bolster "p any blasphemo"s opinions contrary to
the f"ndamental verities of religion; -eligion did not) howe6er)
weigh with hi! in this !atter so !'ch as practical
considerations A pri!ary factor in the foreign policy of the
Co!!onwealth was the protection and enco'rage!ent of
English co!!erce This was the ca'se of the war with Holland)
and it played its part in that with Spain B't negati6e steps to
protect trade were not s'fficient It was patent that Jewish
!erchants had been 6ery largely responsible for the recent
growth and prosperity of Aeghorn) of Ha!b'rg) and especially
A!sterda! @ere they pers'aded to settle in Aondon) they !ight
do as !'ch there as well 5'giti6es fro! Spain and Port'gal
wo'ld transfer their capital thither) instead of to the Aow
Co'ntries) and perhaps so!e of the A!sterda! colony !ight be
pers'aded to follow the! @ith the! they wo'ld bring) not only
their wealth and their ability) b't also their world*wide
co!!ercial conne1ions) which !'st ine6itably enrich their
co'ntry of residence In the @est Indian trade also Jewish
infl'ence was strong) and their introd'ction !ight pro6e no less
'sef'l than na6al and !ilitary action in !a<ing English
co!!erce s'pre!e in the Spanish .ain The whole ='estion of
the read!ission of the Jews was) fro! one point of 6iew) si!ply
an episode in the Anglo*:'tch and Anglo*Spanish ri6alry It is
i!possible to fatho! the entire co!ple1 of reasons that dro6e
Cro!well hi!self in this direction) b't the intensity of his
personal interest in the ='estion of the read!ission of the Jews is
certain 1=
The ordinary English!an reali(ed only i!perfectly what the
Protector <new 6ery well) that infiltration had already beg'n on a
s!all scale The reco6ery in English co!!erce 'nder the
Co!!onwealth had res'lted in the for!ation in Aondon once
!ore of a settle!ent of Spanish and Port'g'ese !erchants)
!any of who! were New Christians9especially so after #,E2)
when the recr'descence of persec'tion in Port'gal dro6e
h'ndreds of that category into e1ile .oreo6er) the for!ation of
open co!!'nities in the other great co!!ercial centres of
northern E'rope !ade it nat'ral for agents) correspondents) or
ri6als to settle beyond the North Sea An i!pet's was gi6en to the
process in #,E+) when) in conse='ence of internal dissensions)
the crypto*Jewish congregation which had spr'ng 'p at -o'en
was deno'nced to the a'thorities and te!porarily bro<en
'p 1> One of its principal !e!bers had been Antonio
5erdinando Car6a>al a nati6e of 5'nd_o in Port'gal) b't long
resident in the Canary Islands He) with perhaps one or two
others) had settled in Aondon Notwithstanding at least one
prosec'tion for rec'sancy owing to his fail're to attend
ch'rch) 19 it did not ta<e hi! long to establish his position in his
new ho!e Before !any years had passed) he was a!ong the
!ost pro!inent !erchants in the City He possessed his own
ships) trading with the East and @est Indies) as well as the
Ae6ant) in a large 6ariety of co!!odities He i!ported
g'npowder and !'nitions on an e1tensi6e scale) bro'ght large
='antities of b'llion fro! abroad) and d'ring the Ci6il @ar was
grain contractor for Parlia!ent @hen in #,82 infor!al
hostilities began with Spain his goods were e1pressly e1e!pted
fro! sei('re by the Co'ncil of State) and he was gi6en facilities
for contin'ing his co!!ercial operations 57
After Car6a>al the !ost interesting character in the .arrano
colony was Si!_o de Caceres) a fiery !erchant for!erly settled
in Ha!b'rg) who s'pplied Cro!well with 6al'able infor!ation
and was an1io's to be a6enged on the Spaniards for their cr'elty
towards his co*religionistsD a little later he laid before the
go6ern!ent a plan for an e1pedition against Chile) in which a
Jewish contingent was to ta<e part) and another for the
fortification of Ja!aica Other !e!bers of the gro'p ca!e fro!
A!sterda!) whence) according to the 0enetian en6oy) a n'!ber
of Jews had been bro'ght o6er in #,3E) at the o'tset of the Ci6il
@ar) when there was diffic'lty in e1porting goods fro! England)
to s!ooth the process of trade Thereafter !ore than one :'tch
Jewish ho'se !aintained its representati6e in Aondon 51 The
.arrano gro'p li6ed for the !ost part as tit'lar Catholics)
attending .ass in the chapel of the 5rench or Spanish
a!bassador It was pretty notorio's) howe6er) that their
sy!pathies with any for! of Christianity were l'<ewar!) and in
6iew of recent de6elop!ents it was less necessary for the! to
conceal the fact than had for!erly been the case ;To'ching
J'dais!;) Ja!es Howell wrote in #,8E to a friend in A!sterda!)
;so!e corners of o'r city s!ell as ran< of it as doth yo'rs
there; 55
@ith all this Cro!well was ='ite fa!iliar He <new that a large
proportion9perhaps a !a>ority9of the Spanish and Port'g'ese
!erchants in the City were in sy!pathy with J'dais! Jet
J'dais! was no !ore obno1io's to hi! than Papistry Besides)
he was finding the reports fro! abroad pro6ided by so!e of the
gro'p9than<s to their widespread conne1ions9in6al'able in
certain of his political pro>ects 5: He was accordingly
predisposed to gi6e a bene6olent hearing to :or!ido;s petitions
They were i!!ediately referred to the Co'ncil) which appointed
a s!all co!!ittee to consider the !atter A !onth later it
reported) b't 'nfa6o'rably? and in the Protector;s absence the
Co'ncil decided that ;there was no ca'se to !a<e any order;
Cro!well;s attit'de towards this decision !ay be ded'ced fro!
the fact that) early in the ne1t year) he went o't of his way to
write to the <ing of Port'gal) re='esting co!pensation for the
losses which :or!ido had s'ffered in Bra(il Seeing that the
latter was a foreigner and a Jew "he was e6en referred to as s'ch
in the letter&) and had been resident in the co'ntry for no !ore
than a few !onths) it was an e1traordinary proceeding) and
showed plainly in which direction the Protector;s personal
sy!pathies lay It wo'ld appear that at the sa!e ti!e he
inti!ated to :or!ido that he was co!pletely in fa6o'r of his
pro>ect) b't considered it desirable for .enasseh to co!e o6er
and treat of the !atter in person
Sa!'el Soeiro ret'rned to A!sterda! to lay the !atter before
his father The latter) tho'gh not yet f'lly reco6ered fro! his
illness) was now no longer to be <ept bac< In the !iddle of
Septe!ber ">'st before the Jewish New Jear festi6al) which was
celebrated in Aondon in d'e for! on this occasion) for the first
ti!e probably for E,8 years&) .enasseh arri6ed @ith hi! he
bro'ght) ready for distrib'tion) a little English pa!phlet which
he had prepared so!e ti!e before) To His Highnesse the Aord
Protector of the Co!!onwealth of England) Scotland) and
Ireland +he H"mble -ddresses of )enasseh ben Israel, a
7ivine, and 7octor of *hysic#, in behalfe of the 1ewish <ation,
in which he elo='ently pleaded that the newly constit'ted
English go6ern!ent wo'ld 'with a gracio"s eye have regard
"nto "s, and o"r *etition, and grant "nto "s free e,ercise of o"r
%eligion, that we may have o"r Synagog"es, and #eep o"r own
p"blic# worship, as o"r brethren doe in Italy, Germany, *oland,
and many other places ; This was presented at @hitehall
together with a personal petition re='esting that all laws against
the Jews sho'ld be repealed? that the principal p'blic officers
sho'ld ta<e an oath to defend the!? that synagog'es and
ce!eteries sho'ld be per!itted in all parts of the English
do!inions? that they sho'ld ha6e 'nrestricted rights of trade?
and that they sho'ld be allowed internal >'risdiction) s'b>ect to
appeal to the ci6il >'dges On the other hand) a special official
was to be appointed to !aintain control o6er i!!igration) and
those who were ad!itted were to swear allegiance to the
go6ern!ent and to be <ept 'nder strict s'r6eillance
On No6e!ber #+th) #,88) Cro!well bro'ght this petition with
hi! to a !eeting of the Co'ncil of State) resol6ed to sec're its
acceptance with the !ini!'! of delay) and a !otion was tabled
to the effect that 'the 1ewes deservinge it may be admitted into
this nation to trade and traffic#e and dwel amongst "s as
providence shall give occasion' To the !a>ority the ='estion
appeared too co!plicated to be decided there and then
Accordingly a s'b*co!!ittee was appointed to ta<e the !atter
into consideration This body) not o6er*enth'siastic)
reco!!ended that o'tside opinion sho'ld be cons'lted
The co'rse of the negotiations was watched with the 't!ost
interest both at ho!e and abroad) and the printing*presses were
<ept b'sy po'ring o't a flood of literat're on the s'b>ect The
balance of opinion was hardly cordial It was alleged that the
Jews had !ade an offer of half a !illion po'nds for St Pa'l;s
Cathedral in Aondon) which they proposed to con6ert into a
synagog'e) and that the bargain wo'ld ha6e been carried thro'gh
had not Parlia!ent insisted on the increase of the p'rchase price
to K$22)222 A !essenger) ostensibly sent to p'rchase the
Ca!bridge Bni6ersity library) was r'!o'red to ha6e stopped on
the way at H'ntingdon) Cro!well;s birthplace) to in='ire into his
genealogy) so as to confir! the report that he was the pro!ised
.essiah A -'ssian Jewish apostate na!ed Elie(er bar Jesse or
Pa'l Isaiah) who had ser6ed in -'pert;s ho'se and who
e1peri!ented in all gradations of Christianity fro! Catholic to
Anabaptist) was enco'raged to write a s'ccession of pa!phlets
"#,8+*8& indicating the incorrigible hatred of the Jews for Jes's)
and the e1tre!e 'nli<elihood of their con6ersion
Abo6e all) @illia! Prynne) who had lost his ears for his 6ir'lence
against the ='een twenty years before) was pro!pted by what he
saw and heard in the streets of Aondon to co!pose what was to
be one of the !ost effecti6e pa!phlets of the period) a
!on'!ent of learning as well as of acerbityD A Short :e!'rrer to
the Jewes Aong discontin'ed -e!itter into England 54
It was in this at!osphere that a representati6e conference)
co!prising so!e of the finest brains in the political) legal)
theological) and b'siness life of the co'ntry) !et in the Co'ncil
Cha!ber in @hitehall on T'esday) :ece!ber 3 th ) #,88 The
opening !eeting was presided o6er by the Aord Protector
hi!self) who) with characteristic clarity and co!!on sense)
narrowed down the ='estions before the Conference to twoD first)
whether it was lawf'l to ad!it the Jews) and secondly) if it were
lawf'l) on what ter!s it was ;!eet; to recei6e the! The first
point was p'rely technical The two >'ristic e1perts in
attendance) Sir John 7lynne) Chief J'stice of the Bpper Bench)
and @illia! Steele) Chief Baron of the E1che='er) prono'nced
that) contrary to the general i!pression) there was no law which
forbade the ret'rn of the Jews to England "for the E1p'lsion of
#+%2 had been an act of royal prerogati6e) and applied only to the
persons i!!ediately concerned& The iss'e before the
Conference th's resol6ed itself into a disc'ssion of the second
point) to which the re!aining sessions ":ece!ber / th ) #+ th ) #3
th ) #$ th )& were de6oted As the debates contin'ed) a st'bborn
body of reactionary opinion !anifested itself The theologians
professed to regard the p'blic e1ercise of the Jewish religion in a
Christian co'ntry as nothing less than blasphe!o's) and to
dread the possibilities of proselyti(ation) while seeing little
prospect of co!pensatory 6ictories for the 7ospel @ith
'nbelie6able cred'lity) so!e went so far as to en6isage a re6i6al
of .oloch*worship in England Only a s!all !inority s'pported
the political representati6es in their plea for 'nconditional
read!ission
On the occasion of the fifth !eeting "5riday) :ece!ber #$th& the
doors of the Co'ncil Cha!ber were thrown open) and the debates
were listened to by a none*too*orderly !ob) <eyed 'p to a
considerable pitch of e1cite!ent by Prynne;s recently p'blished
:e!'rrer) which was now in e6ery hand The arg'!ent centred
aro'nd the co!!ercial and econo!ic aspects of the proble! In
this the narrow o'tloo< of indi6id'als carried !ore weight than
the larger interests of the co'ntry .erchant after !erchant
added his 6oice to the tide of protest) hinting dar<ly that the
ad!ission of the Jews wo'ld enrich foreigners at the e1pense of
the nati6es) and ca'se the decline of English trade Sir
Christopher Pac<) a for!er lord !ayor) elo='ently 6oiced the
apprehensions of the City of Aondon) his speech being one of the
!ost effecti6e deli6ered d'ring the whole co'rse of the
disc'ssions E6en those who fa6o'red read!ission agreed that it
co'ld be per!itted only 'nder stringent conditions) inspired by a
hasty re*reading of the !edie6al codes D Jews were not to be
ad!itted to any >'dicial f'nction) to be allowed to spea< or act to
the dishono'r of Christianity) to profane the Christian Sabbath)
to e!ploy Christian ser6ants) to hold p'blic office) to print anti*
Christian literat're) to con6ert Christians to J'dais!) or finally)
to disco'rage persons who atte!pted to propagate the 7ospel
a!ongst the!
The night was far ad6anced when) rising fro! his chair of state)
Cro!well inter6ened in the disc'ssion ";I ne6er heard a !an
spea< so well;) one who was present s'bse='ently recorded& It
was clear) he said) that no help was to be e1pected fro! the
Conference) and that he and the Co'ncil wo'ld ha6e to ta<e their
own co'rse He hoped that he wo'ld do nothing foolishly or
rashly) and now as<ed only that those present wo'ld gi6e hi! the
benefit of their prayers) that he !ight be directed to act for the
glory of 7od and the good of the nation @ith these words he
stepped down abr'ptly fro! the dais) and the Conference was
bro'ght to an end
The anticipated se='el failed to !ateriali(e Christ!as passed
The days lengthened into wee<s and the wee<s into !onths? b't
still the Aord Protector did not anno'nce his decision P'blic
opinion was too strongD the Co'ncil) if cons'lted) was 'nhelpf'l
Accordingly he deter!ined si!ply to !aintain the state of affairs
that he had fo'nd) per!itting s'ch Jews as were established in
Aondon to obser6e their ancestral rites 'ndist'rbed as they had
hitherto done 5;
.atters were at this stage when the little gro'p of Aondon
.arranos was alar!ed by a new de6elop!ent in foreign affairs
In the a't'!n of #,88) war had bro<en o't between England and
Spain Early in the following .arch) the Co'ncil of State iss'ed a
procla!ation declaring all Spanish !oneys) !erchandise) and
shipping to be lawf'l pri(e The possible reperc'ssions on the
nascent co!!'nity were ob6io's Its !e!bers had been born)
al!ost witho't e1ception) in Spain) or else in Port'gal when that
co'ntry had been 'nder the Spanish yo<e They had indeed fled)
for the !ost part) fro! the rigo'rs of the In='isition) and had no
tho'ght of ret'rning Ne6ertheless) they were Spanish s'b>ects in
the eyes of the law One of the !ost affl'ent a!ong the! after
Car6a>al "recently endeni(ened and therefore safe fro!
!olestation& was Antonio -odrig'es -obles) a wealthy !erchant
of :'<e;s Place A >ealo's co!patriot) incited by a scri6ener
na!ed 5rancis Gne6ett) deno'nced hi! to the a'thorities? and
orders were i!!ediately iss'ed for the sei('re and se='estration
of all his property) incl'ding two ships lying in the Tha!es
The entire gro'p was thrown into consternation If -obles;s
property was confiscated) few co'ld consider the!sel6es safe It
was agreed e6en by those who had pre6io'sly been satisfied with
their ano!alo's stat's that the best co'rse was to throw
the!sel6es 'pon Cro!well;s !ercy) declaring the!sel6es openly
as Jews) and re='esting his protection On .arch +3th9only ten
days after the first steps had been ta<en against -obles9a
petition was presented to hi!) re='esting written per!ission to
!eet for pri6ate de6otion according to Jewish rites in their
ho'ses witho't fear of !olestation) as they had hitherto done)
and to ha6e a b'rial*place for their dead Cro!well i!!ediately
referred the re='est to the Co'ncil for decision E6en at this) his
third atte!pt) he co'ld not ha6e his way9it is an interesting
sidelight on his i!agined o!nipotence Only on J'ne +3th did
the Co'ncil consider the ='estion on which the Aord Protector
had set his heart) and e6en then it ref'sed to ta<e action
Ne6ertheless the lead gi6en by his associates indicated to -obles
what was the wisest co'rse to follow On the sa!e day that they
presented their petition he s'b!itted a re='est for the restit'tion
of his property on the gro'nds that he was not a Spaniard) b't a
Port'g'ese ;of the Hebrew nation; On April #8th he followed this
'p by a fresh !e!orand'! in which he reco'nted his life*story9
how he was a Jew) born in Port'gal? how his fa!ily had been
dri6en fro! place to place by reason of the In='isition? how his
father had lost his life) his !other been !ai!ed) and !any of his
<indred b'rned ali6e) in conse='ence of its persec'tions? how he
hi!self had co!e after !any 6icissit'des to England) hoping to
find peace and sec'rity at last The whole doc'!ent was
ad!irably calc'lated to aro'se the sy!pathy of the pope*hating)
In='isition*fearing English!an of the period In the following
wee< affida6its confir!ing his state!ent that he was ;of the
Hebrew nation and religion; were sent in by a n'!ber of his
.arrano associates) who th's ranged the!sel6es at his side In
the s'bse='ent in6estigations it transpired that there were in
Aondon o6er twenty s'ch fa!ilies) so!e of who! had resided
there for a considerable ti!e
Consideration of the case did not ta<e long The Co'ncil of State
sent the papers to the Ad!iralty Co!!issioners) re='esting a
pro!pt decision The latter) after s'!!oning the witnesses)
reported that they were 'nable to gi6e any definite opinion on the
='estion of nationality The affair th's had to be decided fro!
the other angle9that of religion On .ay #,th the Co'ncil of
State ordered all the warrants to be discharged) and reinstated
-obles in the possession of his property As a Spanish Catholic
his position had been open to ='estion As a ref'gee Jew he was
safe
Th's) by a typical test*case) the legality of the residence of Jews
in England was recogni(ed The forecast which foreign obser6ers
had !ade after the @hitehall Conference t'rned o't to be
correct Bnwilling on the one hand to p't hi!self in opposition
to the ob6io's desire of his co'ntry) or on the other to depri6e it
of the ad6antages for which he hoped) Cro!well had deter!ined
to follow an obli='e policyD to ;conni6e; at the settle!ent of the
Jews witho't for!ally a'thori(ing it It appears) howe6er) that he
!'st ha6e inti!ated infor!ally to the leading !e!bers of the
Aondon co!!'nity that there was no ob>ection to their acting as
tho'gh their petition of .arch +3th had been granted In any
case) in :ece!ber #,8, a ho'se in Cree Ch'rch Aane was rented
for 'se as a synagog'e 5< A co'ple of !onths later a piece of
gro'nd at .ile End was leased by Car6a>al and Caceres as a
ce!etery Not 6ery long after) a son of .an'el .artine( :or!ido
was ad!itted to the E1change as a licensed bro<er witho't
ha6ing to ta<e the prescribed Christological oath? and a
Jer'sale! -abbi) Nathan Spira ca!e to England by in6itation to
collect f'nds a!ong 7entile sy!pathi(ers for the distressed Jews
of the Holy Aand 5= The settle!ent of the Jews in the co'ntry
!ay not ha6e been a'thori(ed? 5> b't it was a fact) and not e6en
one which had to be <ept secret
The debate on the Jewish ='estion had spl'ttered on !eanwhile
in a r'nning fire of pa!phlets) for and against) c'l!inating in
#,8, in Ja!es Harrington;s plea in his Oceana for settling
distressed Jews in Ireland) and in .enasseh ben Israel;s noble
0indiciae J'daeor'! ref'ting the s'perstitio's allegations which
had been bro'ght 'p in the co'rse of the pole!ic This was the
latter;s last prod'ction before he ret'rned to Holland to die)
bro<en*hearted at the apparent r'in of his hopes 5or s'ch
e1ig'o's toleration as had been won) wholly dependent 'pon the
bene6olence of one !an) was 6ery far fro! that a!ple) for!al
recall for which the A!sterda! drea!er had wor<ed) and Jews
thro'gho't E'rope hoped
By reason of this infor!ality) the Aord Protector;s death in
Septe!ber #,8$ was a serio's !enace to the position of the little
co!!'nity Hardly was the breath o't of his body when Aondon
!erchants reco!!enced their intrig'es) and a certain -ichard
Ba<er presented to -ichard Cro!well in their na!e The
.erchants; H'!ble Petition and -e!onstrance) in which he
solicited the e1p'lsion of the Jews and the confiscation of their
property .eanwhile) Tho!as 0iolet) ;the great Trappaner of
England;) who e<ed o't his li6ing alternately as an infor!er and
an e1porter of contraband b'llion) was ferreting aro'nd the City)
and disco6ering all that he co'ld abo't the !ysterio's foreign
colony which centred in Cree Ch'rch Aane In :ece!ber #,8%
"si1 !onths after -ichard Cro!well;s withdrawal into pri6ate
life& he !ade an application before the co'rts for the law to be set
in !otion against the intr'ders) only to be told that) in the
present delicate state of political affairs) consideration had better
be postponed 59
Not long afterwards) the e1iled Charles St'art heard the ch'rch
bells fren(iedly pealing as he landed at :o6er Soon the reaction
was co!plete It was only to be e1pected) in s'ch circ'!stances)
that the read!ission of the Jews by ;the late e1ecrable Bs'rper;
wo'ld ha6e been re6ersed) with so !'ch of his other wor< His
conni6ance at the -esettle!ent had been a characteristic and
'npop'lar ite! in his policy .oreo6er) !any of the persons who
had ta<en a pro!inent share in the !o6e!ent and in the
@hitehall Conference9Peters) -owe) Aisle) and others9were
a!ong the -egicides) a fact which cannot ha6e escaped notice In
the reaction against P'ritanis! as a religio's syste! the
sy!pathy for the Jews which it engendered not only lost its
appeal) b't !ight well ha6e been changed to a deeper hatred It
wo'ld therefore ha6e been nat'ral had the precario's
ad6antages) won so painf'lly d'ring the co'rse of the past three
or fo'r years) shared the fate of the re!aining policy of the
Co!!onwealth
Pop'lar opinion certainly e1pected this The Aord .ayor and the
Corporation of the City of Aondon lost no ti!e in presenting a
petition co!plaining in e1aggerated ter!s of the great increase
of Jews in England) their interference with the trade of the
citi(ens) and their treasonable correspondence with their co*
religionists in other states) and beseeching the <ing ;to ca'se the
for!er laws !ade against the Jews to be p't into e1ec'tion) and
to reco!!end to yo'r two Ho'ses of Parlia!ent to enact s'ch
new ones for the e1p'lsion of all professed Jews o't of yo'r
.a>esty;s do!inions) and to bar the door after the! with s'ch
pro6isions and penalties) as in yo'r .a>esty;s wisdo! shall be
fo'nd !ost agreeable to the safety of religion) the hono'r of yo'r
.a>esty) and the good and welfare of yo'r s'b>ects; Tho!as
0iolet "who had !eanwhile atte!pted witho't s'ccess to
discredit the co!!'nity by passing a pac<et of co'nterfeit
foreign coins 'pon its newly appointed !inister& co'ld not
re!ain inacti6e in s'ch circ'!stances) and renewed his
application in the co'rts) by which he was ad6ised to lay the
!atter before the Pri6y Co'ncil He did so) in a petition of
e1tre!e 6ir'lence) in which he asserted that it was felony for any
Jew to be fo'nd in England) and s'ggested that those who had
bro<en the law sho'ld be arrested at prayer on Sat'rday
!orning) ha6e their property confiscated) and be <ept in prison
'ntil they were ranso!ed by their wealthy brethren abroad
Petitions to a si!ilar effect were presented at the sa!e ti!e by
so!e other (ealots) s'ch as Sir @illia! Co'rtney :7
The little Aondon co!!'nity) which had already beg'n to ta<e
preca'tions ";since the Ging;s co!ing in;) wrote an interested
conte!porary) ;they are 6ery close) nor do ad!it any to see the!
b't 6ery pri6ately;&) was thrown into panic and hastily prepared a
co'nter*petition B't !eanwhile other infl'ences had been at
wor< Charles II was essentially tolerant in a !anner in which
Cro!well was not) si!ply beca'se religion was to hi! a !atter of
!inor conse='ence On conscientio's gro'nds) he had no
ob>ection whatsoe6er to the presence of Jews in his do!inions
He reali(ed) too) that he !ight find the! 'sef'l in the f't're) as
he had in the past) when he had recei6ed ad6ances fro! the Ging
of Port'gal thro'gh the !edi'! of Jeroni!o N'nes da Costa& his
agent in the Aow Co'ntries The read!ission of the Jews to
England had been present in his !ind e6en at that period
:'ring the co'rse of the disc'ssions in England) he had
atte!pted to raise a loan fro! the Jews of A!sterda!) ass'ring
the! that if they were a!enable 'they shall find that when God
shall restore "s to the possession of o"r rights and to that power
which of right doth belonge to "s we shall e,tend that protection
to them which they can reasonably e,pecte and abate that
rigo"r of the /awes which is against them in o"r several
dominions' The res'lts were not as satisfactory as he had hoped
Jet the prono'nce!ent indicated the direction of his personal
sy!pathies) and ga6e the Jews a prospect of s'ccess whate6er
party was 6ictorio's :1
Nothing b't a strong e1pression of opinion on the part of the
so6ereign can e1plain the action of the Pri6y Co'ncil when the
petitions of the City and !erchants and co'nter*petition of the
Jews were read before it on :ece!ber /th No order was !ade)
b't instead the ri6al doc'!ents were referred to Parlia!ent9not
for ad>'dication) b't so that !eas'res !ight be ta<en into
consideration for safeg'arding those concerned) the desirability
of whose presence in the co'ntry was ass'!ed to be beyond
disc'ssion On :ece!ber #/th) :en(il Holles) the spo<es!an of
the Co'ncil) presented the doc'!ents before the Co!!ons) ;as
specially reco!!ended to the! for their ad6ice therein) to'ching
protection for the Jews; The Ho'se deter!ined to consider the
!atter at an early opport'nity A wee< later) before anything was
done) the Con6ention Parlia!ent was dissol6ed) and it does not
appear that the City of Aondon e6en recei6ed a reply to its
address B't the Crown;s attit'de was clearly defined? on the
='estion of tolerating the Jews Charles II had ta<en 'p !'ch the
sa!e position as Oli6er Cro!well :5
Other alar!s were in store On 5ebr'ary +,th) #,,E) the Ho'se
of Co!!ons 6oted ;that a Co!!ittee be appointed to prepare
and bring in laws to pre6ent encroach!ents in trade by the Jews
or 5rench or any other foreigners; Than<s again perhaps to the
royal protection) nothing res'lted In the following year "J'ly #st)
#,,3& the Con6enticle Act ca!e into force) prohibiting asse!blies
for prayer e1cept in accordance with the lit'rgy of the Ch'rch of
England Tho'gh this was ai!ed only against Christian
nonconfor!ists) it p't an ob6io's weapon into the hands of
!ischief*!a<ers) of which they were not slow to ta<e ad6antage
I!!ediately afterwards a certain .r -yca't inter6iewed the
heads of the congregation and infor!ed the! that by contin'ing
to hold ser6ices in their synagog'e they had !ade the!sel6es
liable to all !anner of penalties and forfeit'res Al!ost
si!'ltaneo'sly "in all probability by coll'si6e arrange!ent& the
Earl of Ber<shire inter6ened) saying that he had been 6erbally
instr'cted by the <ing to protect the!? he wo'ld not do so)
howe6er) 'nless they ca!e to an arrange!ent with hi!) in
defa'lt of which he wo'ld hi!self co!!ence proceedings and
confiscate their property :: The Jews) instead of falling into the
trap) addressed the <ing hi!self) as<ing to be allowed to re!ain
in the real! 'nder the sa!e protection as the rest of his s'b>ects
The petition was referred to the Pri6y Co'ncil and elicited a
written ass'rance that no instr'ctions had been gi6en for
dist'rbing the! and that they !ight ;pro!ise the!sel6es the
effects of the sa!e fa6o'r as for!erly they ha6e had) so long as
they de!eane the!sel6es peaceably H ='ietly with d'e obedience
to his .aties Aawes H witho't scandall to his 7o6erne!ent;
"A'g'st ++nd #,,3& :4 Th's the residence in England was
a'thorised) for the first ti!e) in writing
In this !anner there was obtained easily9al!ost cas'ally9fro!
Charles St'art that for!al instr'!ent which .enasseh ben Israel
had despairingly endea6o'red to proc're fro! the all*powerf'l
Aord Protector :; It was parado1ical? b't it is not) after all)
s'rprising The only legislation of the Co!!onwealth which was
!aintained after the -estoration was the Na6igation Act)
intended to foster English trade Cro!well;s Jewish policy was
act'ated in part by the sa!e !oti6es? and if only for this reason)
it wo'ld not ha6e been wise or states!anli<e to re6erse it This
indeed was not decisi6e St'art pro!ises were short*li6ed) and) at
a period of general reaction s'ch as b'rst 'pon England in #,,2)
it was not nor!ally to be e1pected that considerations of e='ity)
gratit'de) or ad6antage wo'ld be preponderant That the
resettle!ent of the Jews escaped the sa!e fate as the
Co!!onwealth and e6erything associated with it was) in fact)
beca'se of what .enasseh ben Israel had considered his fail're
Nothing had been for!ally affected There was nothing)
therefore) to re6erse? and the Cro!wellian settle!ent was
allowed to re!ain si!ply beca'se it was so cas'al) and so el'si6e)
as to defy attac<
E6en had this not been the case) the s'ccess of the negotiations of
#,88 wo'ld ha6e left the Jews in England) a few years later) in a
!'ch worse position than that which they act'ally achie6ed
.enasseh;s proposals had been considered e1tra6agant by
conte!porary opinion Ne6ertheless they were based 'pon the
principle of differentiation) and were re!o6ed only in degree
fro! the repressi6e syste! that obtained in the less enlightened
parts of the Continent @ith the slightest !odification in p'blic
senti!ent) the 7hetto !ight ha6e been introd'ced in all its
7er!an or Italian se6erity B't the characteristic feat're of the
s'bse='ent period of Anglo*Jewish history was the 'tter absence
of this spirit "@hat disabilities there were9and these were
relati6ely tri6ial at their worst9were shared with a large body of
nonconfor!ists) Protestant as well as Catholic) a!ong the
general pop'lation& That this was so was d'e entirely to the
'nobtr'si6e and infor!al !anner in which the -esettle!ent was
effected The fr'its of fail're pro6ed !ore genero's in the end
than those of s'ccess co'ld possibly ha6e been
%ootnotes
Chapter /
# H.C) Hatfield) 1 382
+ See Note 0II "a&) p +$#
E See Note 0II "b&) p +$#
3 Th's in #,8o Josh'a 7ar!ent proclai!ed a half*
de!ented far!er na!ed John -obins as Ging of Israel)
declaring that before the co!ing .ichael!as he wo'ld
di6ide the sea li<e .oses and bring the Jews of the world
bac< to Palestine At !'ch the sa!e ti!e Tho!as Tany a
Aondon sil6ers!ith) disco6ered that he was a Jew of the
tribe of -e'ben) an anno'nced the i!!inent reb'ilding of
thee Te!ple at Jer'sale!) with hi!self "!ost
'northodo1ly& as high priest "- .atthews) English
.essiahs) Aondon) #%E,? Bibl B,to) BI, 3) B#/ +&
8 5or a detailed analysis of these p'blications and of the
grad'al change in English senti!ent see @ G Jordan)
:e6elop!ent of -eligio's Toleration in England "3 6ols)
Aondon) #%E+*#%32& The a'thorities for the history of the
resettle!ent of the Jews in England are listed in Bibt A,
#*E/) and the conte!porary p'blications relating to it in
Bi 8*+%
, Another cha!pion of religio's toleration) on different
gro'nds) was Sir Tho!as Browne) who in his -eligio
.edici "p'blished only in #,3+) b't circ'lated in
!an'script so!e years earlier& stalwartly !aintained that
persec'tion ser6ed to confir! the T'r<s and Jews in their
erroneo's opinions The infl'ence of scholarly interco'rse
at this period sho'ld not be 'nderesti!ated It was not
easy) for e1a!ple) for Ja!es Pri!rose) the e!inent
physician) to !aintain an anti*Jewish attit'de after he had
p'blished a co!!endatory letter fro! Oac'to A'sitano of
A!sterda! by way of preface to the English edition of his
Pop'lar Errors
/ This point of 6iew was e1po'nded !ost elaborately by
Edward Nicholas) for who! see below p #8E B't it was
widely held D cf -oger @illia!s) Hireling .inistry none of
Christ;s) #,8+D ;for whose hard !eas're the nations and
England hath yet a score to pay;
8. There was a significant episode in #,3% when)
notwithstanding the re!onstrations of the Asse!bly of
:i6ines) the sec'lar co'rts ordered the discharge of a
certain Anne Cyrtyn) acc'sed of beingD ;a professed Jew
and ca'sing three children to be circ'!cised) on the
gro'nds that the offence was !erely ecclesiastical; "J C
Jeaffreson))iddlese, Sessions %olls) iii #$,*/&
% The following acco'nt of the pre!at're atte!pt to sec're
the recall of the Jews to England in #,3$ is co!pletely
newD it is based on a collation of the data asse!bled in !y
Aife of .enasseh ben Israel "Philadelphia) #%E3&) pp #%/*
+22? Jordan) op cit) ii ##%*E#? and A S P @oodho'se
"ed&) P'ritanis! and Aiberty "Ar!y :ebates fro! the
Clar<e .SS) #,3/*%&) Aondon) #%E$ It is co!ical to note
how) in the co'rse of the debates which failed to e1tend
toleration to the Jews of the se6enteenth cent'ry) the
precedent of those of biblical ti!es is constantly and
re6erently cited
#2 .erc'ri's Prag!atic's) :ece!ber #%*+,)#,3$ #2
## History of the Independency) ii 82
#+ Bibl Bi,
#E See Note 0II "c&) pp +$#*+
#3 The late A'cien @olf stated in con6ersation that a boat*
load arri6ed in England? b't it has been i!possible to find
confir!ation of this
#8 See Note 0II "d&) p +$+
#, Not .enasseh;s brother*in*law) as generally stated
17. -ecent writers "eg . P Ashley) The o%%ercial and
1inancial -olic" of the ro%#ellian
-rotectorate, .3ford, #%E3&) tend to !ini!i(e
Cro!well;s econo!ic) and especially his co!!ercial
interests His friendly attit'de towards the Jews has to be
reinterpreted in 6iew of this? b't the i!portance of the
econo!ic factor is shown by the interest ta<en in the
='estion by the :'tch go6ern!entD -oth) .enasseh ben
Israel) p +E/
#$ See !y article) ;Aes .arranes a -o'en;) in -EJ l1116iii
#EE*88
#% J C Jeaffreson) .iddlese1 Co'nty -ecords) ii #3/ "#,32&
+2Bibl A,E8 See High Co'rt of Ad!iralty E1a!inations)
ed :O Shelton and - Holworthy) #%E+) X3E8) and E
Sainsb'ry) Co'rt .in'tes of East India Co!pany) .arch
#2th) #,32) for f'rther ill'strations of his co!!ercial
acti6ities "shipping goods to .adeira and i!porting !'s<
into England&
+# SP0 #,3+*E) p +8+ 5or the trade of the :'tch Jews with
England) see too H I Bloo!) The Econo!ic Acti6ities of
the Jews of A!sterda! in the #/th and #$th Cent'ries
"@illia!sport) #EE/&) pp #2,*/ 5ro! A . 0a( :ias)
Spino(a .ercator "The Hag'e) #%E+&) P 83) it appears that
Spino(a;s fa!ily had as their Aondon agent at this ti!e
5rancisco Aopes d;A(e6edo) alias Abraha! 5arrar
++ That Jews were not 'n<nown o'tside Aondon too) appears
fro! an entry of #,E3*8 in the Boro'gh Act Boo< of
Ply!o'th) indicating that a LHebrew High 7er!anQ had
been ;!aintained at the charity of the town; at a cost of K+
#$s "I'arterly -e6iew #%E3 p +,%& So!e interest is
attached too to the i!postor who appeared at He1ha! in
#,8E) clai!ing to be a con6erted Italian Jew9an episode
which occasioned the p'blication of se6eral pa!phlets
"Bibl Bi #E*#8&
+E @olf) Cro!well;s Jewish Intelligencers "reprinted) with
e!endations) in his posth'!o's Essays in Jewish
History&
+3 The second part of this wor<) p'blished a little later) is still
f'nda!ental for the st'dy of Anglo*Jewish history) and
ser6ed as the basis for To6ey;s !ore syste!atic) and !ore
accessible) Anglia J'daica
+8 Owing to a slight !isinterpretation of the report of the
T'scan en6oy) co'pled with a conf'sion between the ;Old;
and ;New; styles of rec<oning) it was !aintained by A'cien
@olf that Cro!well pri6ately ga6e a fa6o'rable reply to
the petition of the Jews between Jan'ary #3th and +$th)
#,88*,? and in conse='ence an ann'al celebration of
;-esettle!ent :ay; too< place in the early years of the
present cent'ry on 5ebr'ary 3th As I showed in !y
paper) ;New Aight on the -esettle!ent;) in Trs JHSE)
6ol 1i) this hypothesis is co!pletely 'ntenable
+, According to the parish acco'nts) the wor<!en engaged in
adapting the ho'se or its new 'se were ;warned; before the
Co'rt of Alder!en) b't nothing ca!e of it
+/ Aife and :eath of .r Henry Jessey "Aondon) #,/#&) pp ,/
s==? .isc JHSE ii %%*#23 The collection "for which
Jessey and John :'ry were responsible& reali(ed so!e
KE22 "The -abbi ca!e to England fro! Holland&
+$This !ay be stated 'ne='i6ocally Notwithstanding the
accepted 6iew) Cro!well did not a'thori(e the
resettle!ent of the Jews in England) howe6er !'ch he
desired to do so The general i!pression that he did is d'e
to the c'!'lati6e effect of eighteenth*cent'ry 6it'peration
and nineteenth*cent'ry ='asi*beatification) both of which
laid especial stress) in accordance with the fashion of the
day) on his treat!ent of the Jews
29. The best acco'nt of what follows !ay be fo'nd in H S I
Henri='es) The Jews and English Aaw "Aondon) #%2,&) or
in the chapters fro! this wor< pre6io'sly p'blished 'nder
the title) The +eturn of the Je#s to 4ngland
"Aondon) #%2E& Henri='es) howe6er) with his rigid legal
!ind) was 'nable to appreciate the fact that the presence
of Jews in England was recogni(ed so!e years before it
was legally a'thori(ed
E2See also @olf in JC ++ 1i #$$% and Essays) pp ##% s==
E# The strength of the royalist ele!ent a!ong the Jews) and
the e1tent of their 'nderstanding with Charles) pre6io'sly
o6erstated) are correctly assessed in Trs JHSE 1i6 E%*
/%
E+ These e6ents are referred to in the synagog'e acco'nts for
#,,#D ;The congregational f'nds owe !e K$2) which I paid
in ad6ance for the action which the traders bro'ght
against 's in order to dri6e 's fro! the real!; "A :
Barnett) El Aibra de los Ac'erdos) O1ford) #%E#) p 8$&
EE The -yca't in6ol6ed in this atte!pt is probably Pa'l
-yca't) who was later to be secretary to the English
E!bassy in Constantinople and to write a classical
acco'nt of the T'r<ish E!pire and its Jews "he had been
present at the last session of the @hitehall Conference&
The Earl of Ber<shire was a son of that Earl of S'ffol< who
had been responsible for the e1p'lsion of the .arranos
fro! England in #,2%
34. 5acsi!ile in Be6is .ar<s -ecords) ed A : Barnett
"O1ford) #%32&) 6ol i) plate iii It is significant that neither
in the petition nor the reply is there any !ention of a
Jewish co!!'nity) a synagog'e) or religio's obser6ances)
reference being !ade only to *Je#es tradeing in 5
about "or Maties it" of London* It was only in #,/E
that the religio's stat's of the Jews in England was legally
sec'red "infra) p #$#&
E8 According to the reg'lations "Asca!ot& of the Spanish and
Port'g'ese synagog'e in Aondon "Aondon) #/$3&) X 11i1) a
reco!!endation against inter!arriage "to which tradition
adds proselyti(ation& was !ade by Charles II as a
condition of his toleration It is possible that this
state!ent is well fo'nded
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter $
*he Jewry o! the Restoration
1<<4-1=75
NOT@ITHSTAN:IN7 the absence of a for!al legislati6e
instr'!ent in6iting the Jews bac< to England) as 6isionaries on
both sides had anticipated d'ring the long negotiations) the
newest congregation of the .arrano diaspora slowly e1panded
5resh i!!igrants periodically arri6ed fro! abroad9f'giti6e
.arranos fro! the Penins'la and the Canary Islands) or
enterprising !erchants fro! A!sterda!) Ha!b'rg) Aeghorn)
and the so'th of 5rance In #,,2 so!e thirty*fi6e heads of
fa!ilies belonging to the co!!'nity !ay be en'!erated @ithin
three years fifty*se6en fresh na!es are added to the roll 1 By
#,,E the co!!'nity felt itself s'fficiently sec're to draw 'p its
first body of-scamotor reg'lations 5 9!odelled on those of the
Congregation of A!sterda!) as the latter in t'rn had been on
those of the Ponentine synagog'e of 0enice9and to bring o6er
fro! A!sterda! as its first -abbi the learned Jacob Sasportas at
one ti!e .oroccan a!bassador in Spain : Its distincti6e na!e
the new co!!'nity adopted the title ;The 7ates of Hea6en;)
reflecting faithf'lly the f'nction which it perfor!ed for !ore
than one generation of f'giti6e .arranos) who obtained here
their first e1perience of the religion of their sires O'tside
Aondon there was as yet barely any trace of Jewish settle!ent in
England) b't as early as #,,2 there was a di!in'ti6e colony in
:'blin Its principal !e!ber was .an'el Aopes Pereir) alias
Ja='es 0anderpeere whose fa!ily had played an i!portant part
in crypto*Jewish life in -o'en) Aondon) and elsewhere 4 The
:'blin co!!'nity was not) howe6er) to attain any i!portance
for another generation
By now the synagog'e in Cree Ch'rch Aane was one of the sights
of Aondon A certain John 7reenhalgh was ta<en there one
Sat'rday !orning in the spring of #,,+ by ;a learned Jew with a
!ighty b'sh beard; and ga6e a !in'te description of all he saw in
a letter to a friend ; There were in the synagog'e on this
occasion) he said) abo't one h'ndred ;right; Jews and one
proselyteD all gentle!en) and !ost of the! richly clad Sa!'el
Pepys) who had already ind'lged his c'riosity on one occasion
before the -estoration) repeated the e1peri!ent on the afternoon
of October #3th) #,,E It happened to be the feast of the -e>oicing
of the Aaw) when the Jew traditionally allowed hi!self so!e
licence e6en in synagog'e The :iarist) howe6er) was not aware
of this fact and co'ld not repress his disdain when e6ening ca!e
and he set down his i!pressions of the day In the end) this
constant strea! of 7entile 6isitors "especially wo!en& beca!e a
n'isance) and the go6erning body ordered that ;to a6oid the
scandal and hindrance that it ca'ses in this Holy Congregation9
on the occasions when English ladies co!e to see the cere!onies
of o'r religion) it is forbidden and ordained that fro! this day
henceforth no !e!ber of this Holy Congregation !ay bring
the! to it) nor rise nor !o6e fro! his place to recei6e the!; <
In #,,8) when the 7reat Plag'e de6astated Aondon) the Jewish
co!!'nity s'ffered hea6ily) tho'gh not perhaps in the sa!e
proportion as their neighbo'rs Si1 identifiable b'rials too< place
in the newly opened ce!etery in .ile End) and between the! is
space for fifteen other inter!ents of which) in that awf'l ti!e) no
record was !ade Jacob Sasportas) the newly appointed -abbi)
fled o6erseas to a6oid the contagion = In the following year the
7reat 5ire of Aondon spared the synagog'e area) and the Jews
were not !olested when 6iolence was offered to -o!an Catholics
and foreigners in general) who were acc'sed of ha6ing atte!pted
to destroy the city This period of trib'lation called attention to
one i!portant hiat's in the congregational organi(ation) and >'st
after the o'tbrea< of the Plag'e) in the spring of #,,8) there was
fo'nded an Association for 0isiting the Sic<9the earliest of the
networ< of 6ol'ntary organi(ations which were in ti!e to cl'ster
abo't the synagog'e and f'lfil e6ery social re='ire!ent of the
co!!'nity >
These portents prepared the way for a fe6er of a different sort
The .essianic cra(e which swept Jewry in #,,,) when Sabbatai
Oe6i !ade his co!et*li<e appearance in the Ae6ant and sent a
wa6e of hysteria sweeping thro'gho't the world) did not lea6e
England 'nto'ched -eports were c'rrent to the effect that a
bar='e with sil<en sails and cordage) !anned by a crew spea<ing
only Hebrew) had been sighted off Scotland 9 Ben>a!en Ae6y an
e!ployee of the congregation) recei6ed reg'lar reports thro'gh
-aphael S'pino of Aeghorn "an enth'siast who had followed
.enasseh ben Israel to England) b't on the fail're of the
@hitehall Conference had ret'rned to his nati6e place& Spanish
and Port'g'ese !erchants of New Christian e1traction li6ing in
Aondon were waited 'pon by de6o't co!patriots) who begged
the! to declare the!sel6es Jews in order to ha6e the opport'nity
to participate in the >oys of the .essianic era Joao d;Ilhao) of
A!sterda! "who not long before had led a coloni(ing 6ent're in
C'racao&) presented a petition re='esting a pass for a :'tch ship
which was to transfer hi! and so!e fifty Jewish fa!ilies who
desired to go to Palestine 7od) he concl'ded) had at length
beg'n to gather in His scattered people) ha6ing raised 'p a
prophet for the!) and they wo'ld pray for His .a>esty when they
arri6ed in Jer'sale! Henry Oldenb'rg) secretary of the -oyal
Society) was so i!pressed by all he heard that he wrote to
Spino(a as<ing his opinion on the recent e6ents The enth'sias!
penetrated e6en a!ong b'siness !en on the E1change) one of
who! wagered large s'!s) at long odds) that his hero wo'ld be
recogni(ed within two years by all the princes of the East Al!ost
the only pro!inent Jewish leader in the whole of E'rope to
preser6e his sanity was Jacob Sasportas) who) fro! his ref'ge in
Ha!b'rg) po'red scorn on the pretender;s .essianic clai!s) and
in the end s'cceeded in restoring a sense of proportion to the
Jewish world 17
.eanwhile the Jews were beginning to play a part of increasing
significance in England Charles II was liberal in iss'ing patents
of endeni(ation) 11 se6eral score of the! being distrib'ted to
!e!bers of the co!!'nity in the twenty*fi6e years of his reign
He was on affable ter!s with A'g'stin Coronel Chacon)'the little
1"e') who had perhaps been 'sef'l to hi! d'ring his e1ile On the
-estoration the latter beca!e cons'lar and financial agent for
the <ing of Port'gal in Aondon) and it was he who first s'ggested
to .on< the !atch between Charles and Catherine of Bragan(a
In reward for his ser6ices he was raised to the <nighthood)
tho'gh he prepared hi!self for the dignity by seceding fro! the
synagog'e 15
In Catherine;s train) when she arri6ed fro! Port'gal) there was a
disting'ished gro'p of .arranos The !ost i!portant was
:'arte da Sil6a) an op'lent New Christian !erchant of Aisbon)
whose operations e1tended to !any parts of the New @orld and
the Old) and whose arrest by the In='isition in #,3/ had ca'sed a
sl'!p in the Port'g'ese e1change abroad 1: He had 'lti!ately
been released and was now delegated to acco!pany the Infanta
to England to ad!inister her dowry This was to ha6e totalled
+)222)222 Port'g'ese crowns) or abo't KE82)222) one*half to be
paid on the princess;s arri6al and the re!ainder a year later In
fact she bro'ght with her only a derisory a!o'nt) largely in
>ewels and s'gar) the balance being in bills of e1change on :a
Sil6a and Coronel The <ing) who had already raised large s'!s
fro! the Aondon golds!iths on the sec'rity of his e1pectations)
pressed for pay!ent Coronel was able to !eet the de!ands
!ade only by borrowing fro! Alder!an Bac<well) the Aondon
ban<er) th's being dri6en 'lti!ately into ban<r'ptcy :a Sil6a
pro6ed less !alleable) and in October #,,+) to the ='een;s
indignation) was thrown into the Tower for si1 !onths to
heighten his sense of responsibility 14
Tho'gh :a Sil6a did not >oin J'dais! officially on his arri6al in
England) he ca!e into the open as a declared opponent of the
intolerant religio's policy of Port'gal) and fro! this ti!e Aondon
beca!e a principal centre of intrig'e against the In='isition He
professed his readiness to pro6ide his nati6e co'ntry with
enor!o's s'bsidies of !oney and !'nitions) incl'ding ships of
war) in ret'rn for so!e di!in'tion in the power of the Holy
Office It was e6en r'!o'red that he re='ested per!ission to
establish an open synagog'e in Aisbon His atte!pts were
seconded by a !ore de6oted Aondon Jew) 5ernando .endes da
Costa) who set on foot independent negotiations thro'gh the
!edi'! of his brother at -o!e in the hope of c'rbing the worst
e1cesses of the Trib'nal In the res'lt) all this ca!e to nothing)
tho'gh it pa6ed the way for the acti6ities of 5ather Antonio 0ieira
and the s'spension of the Port'g'ese In='isition fro! #,/3 to
#,$# 1;
Another Jew who to'ched the !ain strea! of English history at
this period was an ad6ent'rer na!ed 5rancisco de 5aria) who)
born in A!erica) s'bse='ently li6ed in Antwerp as an artist) in
Holland as an officer in the ar!y) and in England as interpreter
to the Port'g'ese E!bassy In #,$2) at the ti!e of the fren(y
o6er the ;Popish Plot;) he ca!e forward with so!e startling
disclos'res) acc'sing the Port'g'ese A!bassador 9or ha6ing
atte!pted to bribe hi! to !'rder the Earl of Shaftesb'ry an
others In ret'rn for these re6elations) !ade with considerable
`clat before the Pri6y Co'ncil) he recei6ed a go6ern!ent
allowance) b't) when the pop'lar e1cite!ent died down) tactf'lly
disappeared fro! 6iew 1<
The co!!'nity co!prised !any another character who was
e='ally colo'rf'l and !ore creditable Al!ost all its !e!bers
had <nown the 6icissit'des of .arrano e1istence in Spain or
Port'gal? hardly one b't had so!e close relati6e who had been
i!!olated in the fla!es of the ;"emadero? and when the news
of a fresh a"to&da&f= reached Aondon) special ser6ices wo'ld be
held in the synagog'e and special prayers recited in !e!ory of
the 6icti!s 5ro! ti!e to ti!e the In='isition at Aisbon or the
Canary Islands wo'ld recei6e fro! so!e shoc<ed Catholic a
detailed acco'nt of their li6es in their place of ref'ge The
5rancias "according to a deposition !ade by a friar at Aas
Pal!as& ;had left .alaga and co!e to li6e in Aondon for fear of
the Holy Office which intended to p'nish the! beca'se of their
religion) they being Jews professing the creed and following rites
and cere!onies of the Jewish Ch'rch) whereas in Aondon they
can li6e freely in their religion witho't fear of the cens're or
p'nish!ents of the said Trib'nal) and this he fre='ently heard
fro! the English in the Bo'rse; 1= A Aisbon den'nciation of
#,8% introd'ces 's to .an'el da Costa de Brito "perhaps a
relation of Abraha! Israel de Brito one of the signatories to the
petition of .arch #,8,&) who li6ed in Aondon and was intrig'ing
to bring his fa!ily to >oin hi! thereD ;and the wife of the said
.an'el da Costa said that the 7od of Israel wo'ld bring her
children to her) to gi6e the! to J'dais! and the holy co6enant)
and she ga6e than<s to the 7od of Israel to find herself in a land
of liberty) where she !ight in6o<e His holy na!e; Another
person fig'ring in this den'nciation was Abraha! Peregrino)
;said to be 5rench and a Cap'chin friar) who beca!e a
Jew; 1> Not that these for!er New Christians) freshly
introd'ced to J'dais!) were the only proselytes in the
co!!'nity Notwithstanding the ner6o'sness which pre6ailed
on this score and the o'tright prohibition in the co!!'nal by*
laws) it was i!possible to chec< the ardo'r of so!e P'ritan
enth'siasts who followed their de6otion to the Old Testa!ent to
its ine1orable concl'sion A handf'l of English con6erts was
therefore to be n'!bered a!ong the congregation al!ost fro!
its fo'ndation 19 So!e .arranos) on the other hand) fo'nd
diffic'lty in att'ning the!sel6es to the Jewish tradition fro!
which they had been so long di6orced A few re!ained only se!i*
attached for years) ca'sing no slight perple1ity to the official
co!!'nity) who deter!ined that if any person died in s'ch
circ'!stances he sho'ld be denied b'rial in the congregational
ce!etery 57 The Canary In='isition was once infor!ed of a
certain !e!ber of the 5rancia fa!ily in Aondon who ;being in
synagog'e dressed in the 6est!ents of his ch'rch) saidD
P7entle!en) all this is s'ited either to 6ery great fools or 6ery
wise !enP) saying which he too< off his 6est!ent) threw down his
boo< and went o't 51
.eanwhile the legal position of the Jews in England was being
el'cidated in a series of >'dicial decisions In #,,/ the Co'rt of
the Ging;s Bench prono'nced that Jews !ight gi6e e6idence in a
co'rt of law and be sworn on the Old Testa!ent in accordance
with their own practices "the degrading special for!'la) which
had obtained before the E1p'lsion and was still applied in al!ost
e6ery part of E'rope) was o6erloo<ed and henceforth ne6er ca!e
into force& In #,// the 6en'e of a case was altered so as to sa6e a
Jewish witness fro! the necessity of appearing on a Sat'rday In
#,$3 there was a !ore !o!ento's decision) when J'dge Jeffreys
ref'sed to entertain the plea that) as the Jews were ;perpet'al
ene!ies; in law) the religion of a Jewish plaintiff !ade it
i!possible for hi! to bring an action for the reco6ery of a debt
.eanwhile) in #,/+) an endeni(ened Jewish b'rgher of New
Jor<) on appeal to the <ing in Co'ncil) had established his right
to protection notwithstanding his faith and foreign birth 55
Not that the period was witho't its alar!s In 5ebr'ary #,/o)
when the anti*popery cra(e was at its height) a select co!!ittee
of the Ho'se of Co!!ons was appointed to in6estigate the
ca'ses of the growth of Papistry) with instr'ctions also ;to
en='ire to'ching the n'!ber of the Jews and their synagog'es)
and 'pon what ter!s they are per!itted to ha6e their residence
here; The press're of p'blic b'siness was too great to per!it
!'ch ti!e to be spared for this) and the co!!ittee;s report dealt
only with the ='estion of -o!an Catholicis! 5: B't these
co!plications ob6io'sly ca'sed so!e alar! in Jewish circles)
and the acco'nts record ;6ario's e1penses in solicitors and
goings and co!ings to the Parlia!ent and bottles of wine that
were presented and K, /s ,d /s ,d for a paper of the Co'rt of
the Aldre!ans; 54 A little later the second Con6enticle Act was
passed) prohibiting asse!blies for prayer) e1cept in accordance
with the lit'rgy of the Ch'rch of England The !eas're was
directed) howe6er) only against Christian :issenters) and) in the
e6ent) the Jews were 'ndist'rbed
A !ore serio's threat followed In the spring of #,/+ Charles II
iss'ed his :eclaration of Ind'lgence) by which the right of p'blic
worship was conferred on Papists and :issenters The Jews)
whose position had been g'aranteed by the royal pro!ise of nine
years pre6io's) were not directly affected by this Howe6er) the
withdrawal of the !eas're in the following .arch) as the res'lt
of the widespread agitation which it ca'sed) ga6e an opening to
their ene!ies At the I'arter Sessions at the 7'ildhall d'ring the
ne1t winter the leaders of the Jewish co!!'nity were indicted of
a riot) on the gro'nds that they had !et together for the e1ercise
of their religion A tr'e bill was fo'nd against the! by the 7rand
J'ry In consternation they petitioned the <ing) who) on 5ebr'ary
##th) #,/E*3 iss'ed an Order in Co'ncil to the effect that ')r.
-tt"rney Generall doe stop all proceedings at /aw against +he
*etitioners; 5;
A dist'rbance of a different sort followed se6en years later) when)
learning that a yo'ng :'tch Jewess had r'n away to Aondon with
one of her father;s e!ployees and beco!e bapti(ed) so!e friends
of the fa!ily instit'ted legal proceedings with a 6iew to ha6ing
her arrested and ret'rned to her ho!e A great co!!otion was
ca'sed when the news was generally <nown The Bishop of St
Asaph called for steps to 6indicate the hono'r of the Christian
religion and the English nation) and the Aord .ayor) thoro'ghly
aro'sed by this ;affront to the religion and nation of the land;)
ordered an abstract of the laws on the stat'te boo< directed
against the Jews to be prepared. 5< These all pointed in one
directionD the constit'tion of the Jews as a >'ridical entity)
acco!panied by the !edie6al prohibition to be'levant and
co"chant'a!ong the general pop'lation) which had de6eloped in
conte!porary 7er!any) Italy) and so'thern 5rance into the
7hetto syste! It cannot be a coincidence that i!!ediately
afterwards the Bishop of Aondon and Sir Peter Pett) the e!inent
lawyer) drew 'p a !e!orial s'ggesting that the Jews in England
sho'ld be segregated on pre*E1p'lsion lines) 'nder the control of
their own J'sticiar "the first was to be Pett hi!self&) who was to
be responsible for the collection of ta1es and to s'per6ise their
relations with the Crown The Aord Pri6y Seal) Aord Anglesey)
was interested in the pro>ect) and disc'ssed it in a co'ple of
a'diences with the <ing The latter) in t'rn) easy going as e6er)
s'b!itted the proposals to the Pri6y Co'ncil) which "probably
acting 'nder instr'ctions& dropped the! co!pletely No sche!e
of the sort was e6er serio'sly considered in f't're 5=
In 5ebr'ary #,$3*8 Charles II) to whose good*nat'red
indifference the Anglo*Jewish co!!'nity owed so !'ch)
breathed his last) and Ja!es II ascended the throne) deter!ined
to sec're the position of -o!an Catholicis! in England The
!o!ent was considered propitio's to atte!pt f'rther
proceedings against the Jews A p'blicist na!ed Hayne prepared
the gro'nd with a pa!phlet in which he ga6e an abstract of the
6ario's stat'tes concerning aliens in England) with obser6ations
pro6ing that the Jews bro<e the! all 5> It was abo6e all their
e1e!ption fro! alien d'ties "granted in the nor!al co'rse of
e6ents in their patents of endeni(ation& that ca'sed resent!ent)
as it p't the! in a position to co!pete with nati6e*born
!erchants on e='al ter!s The late <ing had been petitioned in
6ain to abolish the obno1io's pri6ilege? b't an ingenio's c'sto!s
officer na!ed Pennington now s'ggested that by his death the
endeni(ations which he had granted beca!e 6oid) and that the
Jewish !erchants "all of who! had been born abroad& were
henceforth liable to pay aliens; c'sto!s The Corporation of
Aondon >oined in the p'rs'it) !aintaining in a petition to the
Crown that in any case the e1e!ptions 6iolated the ancient
pri6ileges of the City 59 Tho'gh the agitation pro6ed
'ns'ccessf'l it enco'raged a f'rther attac< on confessedly
religio's gro'nds One day) in the a't'!n of #,$8) the
co!!'nity was thrown into consternation by the arrest of nearly
half of its !e!bers) thirty*se6en in all) as they were following
their occasions on the -oyal E1change A certain Tho!as
Bea'!ont) in con>'nction with his brother Carleton) an attorney)
had applied for a writ against the! and another ele6en) who
escaped arrest) 'nder an anti='ated stat'te of I'een Eli(abeth)
which inflicted a penalty of K+2 a !onth for non*attendance at
ch'rch Once !ore the @ardens of the congregation threw
the!sel6es on the !ercy of the Crown) petitioning His .a>esty to
per!it the! to ;abide here free in ye E1ercise of their -eligion as
heretofore; A do'ce'r of so!e KE22 sec'red the fa6o'r of the
Earl of Peterboro'gh) who sponsored the application at
co'rt :7 As a res'lt Ja!es followed his brother;s e1a!ple)
iss'ing an Order in Co'ncil by which the Attorney*7eneral was
instr'cted to stop all proceedingsD ;His .a>esty;s Intention being
that they sho'ld not be tro'bled 'pon this acco'nt) b't ='ietly
en>oy the free e1ercise of their -eligion) whilst they beha6e
the!sel6es d'tif'lly and obediently to his 7o6ern!ent;
"No6e!ber #Eth) #Eth) #,$8& :1
In the se='el the Jews were nearly in6ol6ed in the constit'tional
str'ggle between the <ing and his s'b>ects The 6ery ne1t day the
Ho'se of Co!!ons protested against the e1ercise of the royal
prerogati6e to dispense -o!an Catholic officers fro! the
operation of the Test Act9the first episode in the dra!a which
was to end in Ja!es;s loss of his crown The res'lt was the
prorogation of Parlia!ent) on No6e!ber +2th) and it was ne6er
s'!!oned again d'ring the reign In the following spring) when
a coll'si6e action was bro'ght against Sir Edward Hales) a
-o!an Catholic who had recei6ed a !ilitary co!!ission) a
pac<ed bench decided that it was part of the <ing;s prerogati6e to
dispense with the penal laws as he saw fit and necessary
.eanwhile the two Bea'!onts had been e!boldened by the
general feeling in the co'ntry to contin'e their proceedings)
despite the Attorney*7eneral;s inter6ention Once !ore appeal
was !ade to the so6ereign) and on :ece!ber 3th) Sir Edward
Herbert) the Aord Chief J'stice "who was later to gi6e >'dge!ent
in the Hales Case&) was instr'cted to send for Carleton Bea'!ont
and e1a!ine hi! :5 The !atter was far too tri6ial to ser6e to
thresh o't so 6ital an iss'e) for !en were interested in the
-o!an Catholics) and were not partic'larly interested in the
Jews The confir!ation by the co'rts) not long after) of the
legality of the :ispensing Power a'to!atically disposed of the
lesser ='estion? and) tho'gh the proble! of -o!an Catholic
pri6ileges re!ained an iss'e of pri!ary i!portance in the history
of England) the right to practise J'dais! was ne6er again
serio'sly ='estioned
A new chapter in the history of the co!!'nity opened with the
co!ing of @illia! of Orange in #,$$ The e1pedition which led
to the 7lorio's -e6ol'tion) inspired as it was by English!en and
e1ec'ted by :'tch!en) was to a large e1tent financed by Jews
Antonio "Isaac& Aope( S'asso) of The Hag'e) s'bse='ently raised
to the dignity of Baron d;A6ernas le 7ras) ad6anced the prince the
s'! of two !illion crowns) free of interest) for his ad6ent're "It
is said that he ref'sed a receipt) on the plea that if the enterprise
were s'ccessf'l) he wo'ld certainly be repaid) whereas if it were
not) he wo'ld no less certainly lose& The co!!issariat of the
ca!paign was s'per6ised by 5racisco de Cordo6a acting on
behalf of Isaac Pereira) who pro6ided bread and forage for the
troops :: S!all wonder that special prayers for the s'ccess of
the e1pedition were offered 'p in the :'tch synagog'es) and that
the .arrano poets of A!sterda! "who contin'ed the literary
tradition of .adrid and Aisbon on the ban<s of the A!stel&
hy!ned the enterprise in stately Spanish periods :4
5or the ne1t fo'rteen years England and Holland had their
go6ern!ent controlled by the sa!e r'ler and p'rs'ed the sa!e
policy -elations between Aondon and A!sterda! beca!e closer
than e6er before) and the co!!'nity of the for!er city was
swollen by i!!igrants fro! the latter) the !etropolis of the
.arrano diaspora A n'!ber of fa!ilies who were to play an
o'tstanding role in s'bse='ent Anglo*Jewish history trace their
origin to this period The synagog'e established in Cree Ch'rch
Aane in #,8/) which had been drastically re!odelled and
enlarged in #,/3) soon beca!e inade='ate In #,%%) accordingly)
the congregation ac='ired a site in Plo'gh Jard) Be6is .ar<s)
'pon which a new synagog'e9the first specifically constr'cted
for the p'rpose in England since the thirteenth cent'ry9was
dedicated in the a't'!n of #/2# One of the bea!s in the roof)
according to legend) was presented by the so6ereign
hi!self :; .oreo6er) on the day or the opening) the b'ilder9a
I'a<er ret'rned all the profit he had earned fro! the erection of
a fane to the 'ni6ersal 7od :<
:e6elop!ents in Aondon were paralleled on a s!aller scale in
Ireland The :'<e of Scho!berg) := in the ca!paigns before and
after the battle of the Boyne) depended to a large e1tent on the
fir! of .achado and Pereira) who had s'per6ised the
co!!issariat in the 6ario's :'tch ca!paigns since #,/8 :> The
wealthy !e!bers of the Aondon co!!'nity were brow*beaten
by the a'thorities into !a<ing a loan to assist this 6ent're) and a
n'!ber of the! settled in :'blin in conse='ence :9 Th's the
Irish synagog'e) the e1istence of which for the past thirty years
had been shadowy) <new a brief period of florescence Its
principal !e!ber was :a6id .achado "de Se='eira& a writer of
so!e distinction @e catch a gli!pse of hi! in Aondon) in #/2/*
$) engaged in a plan for bringing relief to his persec'ted brethren
in Port'gal by diff'sing there 5ather Antonio 0ieira;s recent
attac<s on the In='isition He e6en prepared a letter to send to
the <ing of Port'gal with the wor<) b't changed his !ind on
reali(ing that it !ight pre>'dice the position of the .arranos
instead of assisting the! 47 Closely connected with the :'blin
co!!'nity was a di!in'ti6e settle!ent at Cor<) which had an
e6anescent e1istence ti!e when peace was restored) the :'blin
co!!'nity lost its i!portance and) tho'gh it contin'ed to
f'nction 'nder the a'spices of the Aondon synagog'e) it ne6er
regained the pro!ise which it had shown at the ti!e of the
Ca!paign of the Boyne
In e1ternal !atters there were occasional dist'rbances 'nder the
new so6ereignD yet now they were dist'rbances which affected
the Jews only incidentally) and not as Jews That which attracted
!ost attention was connected with the perennial proble! of
alien d'ties On @illia!;s accession Pennington had renewed his
contention that the e1e!ptions granted in the patents of
endeni(ation iss'ed 'nder Charles II were now 6oid) and he
entered actions against twenty !erchants) all of who! were
Jews) for arrears a!o'nting to K8$)222 In this he had the
enco'rage!ent of the <ing hi!self) who o6er*hastily declared
that he wo'ld not abate a threepenny*bit of what was legally d'e
to hi! The Pri6y Co'ncil acted with greater deliberation) and on
being petitioned by the other side ordered proceedings to be
stopped The English !erchants s'pporting Pennington ref'sed
to ac='iesce) spreading r'!o'rs that this res'lt had been
obtained by bribery) that the Treas'ry stood to lose K#2)222
yearly besides the arrears) and that English trade and English
traders were serio'sly i!perilled by this decision in fa6o'r of the
interlopersD and they enlisted the s'pport of the Co!!issioners
of C'sto!s) who 6iewed the !atter only fro! the point of 6iew of
re6en'e Blti!ately) on October #3th) #,%2) the Pri6y Co'ncil
iss'ed instr'ctions for the d'ties payable by aliens on e1ported
co!!odities to be le6ied) notwithstanding pre6io's decisions to
the contrary No !ention) howe6er) was !ade of the arrears? and
in the following :ece!ber the increased d'ties were abolished by
Parlia!ent) !a<ing the 6ictory an e!pty one 41
It has already been pointed o't that) tho'gh this atte!pt !ainly
affected the Jews) who were the !ost pro!inent foreign*born
ele!ent a!ong the !ercantile co!!'nity) their association was
in fact only incidental This was not the case in conne1ion with
another episode in the financial history of the reign) the o'tco!e
of which was of decisi6e i!portance in establishing the legal
stat's of the English Jew In past history the Jews thro'gho't
E'rope had always been s'b>ected to special ta1ation) of
disproportionate se6erity) collected by their own a'thorities) who
paid the proceeds o6er to the go6ern!ent This was still the case
in the 7hettos of Italy and the J'dengassen of 7er!any and the
tee!ing Jewries of Poland and e6en the enlightened
co!!'nities of A!sterda!) Ha!b'rg) and Aeghorn 45 The
practice was essentially discri!inati6e and thereby prepared the
gro'nd for the establish!ent of an inferior Jewish stat's in lawD
yet .enasseh ben Israel had ass'!ed it as a !atter of co'rse
when he laid his proposals before Cro!well After the
-estoration a Jew of Prag'e) na!ed Jacob As(i<) had atte!pted
to sec're the concession of far!ing the special ta1es which) he
considered) co'ld profitably be i!posed 'pon his co*religionists
in Aondon? yet) altho'gh he offered KE)222 a year for the
pri6ilege) nothing was done 4:
The financial e1igencies of the co'ntry after the -e6ol'tion) and
the wars which followed in its train) bro'ght the idea forward
once !ore In the a't'!n of #,$%) in accordance with the
reco!!endations of a special co!!ittee which had recently
been set 'p) the Ho'se of Co!!ons passed a resol'tion ordering
a bill to be introd'ced to le6y K#22)222 fro! the Jews) apart
fro! their ordinary contrib'tions to ta1ation and their ='ota of
K#2 each) rich or poor) to the newly*instit'ted poll*ta1) for which
all Jews were assessed as !erchant strangers In consternation
the co!!'nity prepared a petition indicating the !anner in
which English co!!erce benefited fro! their presence and their
inability to s'pport any new b'rden The Co!!ons ref'sed to
entertain any petition against a financial !eas're) and the bill
was introd'ced and read a first ti!e on :ece!ber E2th The
Jews) howe6er) contin'ed to fight stren'o'sly against the
inno6ation) and in the end the 'nfairness or i!practicability of
the proposals was reali(ed) and the !eas're was dropped The
idea of differential treat!ent in the !atter of ta1ation lingered
on a little longer) for in the Act of the sa!e session which fi1ed
the poll*ta1 for the ne1t year) Jewish !erchants were placed in a
separate category and assessed at K+2 each9twice as high as the
rate payable by other !erchant strangers This discri!ination
disappeared in #,%#) when the new Poll Ta1 Act failed to !a<e
any special pro6ision for the Jews9a precedent which was
thereafter faithf'lly obser6ed 44
5inally) when in #,%$ a Bill was introd'ced into Parlia!ent ;for
the !ore effecti6e s'ppressing of Blasphe!y and Prophaneness;)
a cla'se was incl'ded e1e!pting the Jews fro! its pro6isions
So!e ob>ection was raised to this) and in the Ho'se of Aords the
!eas're was a!ended in s'ch a way as to !a<e persons
professing J'dais! liable to the e1tre!ely se6ere penalties it
i!posed By #32 6otes to /$) the Co!!ons ref'sed to accept the
a!end!ent) and the Bill passed in its original for! Th's the
practice of J'dais! at last recei6ed parlia!entary sanction in
addition to royal protection 4;
The co!!'nity set 'p in #,8/ was now in its heyday) its
s'pre!acy 'ndisp'ted as yet by any ri6al body Its
ad!inistration lay in accordance with the Asca!ot of #,,E*3 in
the hands of an e1ec'ti6e body called the .aha!ad) consisting of
the two Parnassi! or wardens together with the 7abbay or
treas'rer There was little li!it to the range of their acti6ities
They appointed officials) iss'ed ordinances) interfered with
totalitarian absol'tis! in the pri6ate li6es and e1tra*synagogal
acti6ities of !e!bers) acted as a co'rt of arbitration to pre6ent
='arrels between Jews fro! being aired p'blicly) s'ppressed
co!!ercial practices and spec'lations which created p'blic
pre>'dice) 4< i!posed stringent !onetary and social penalties
on the recalcitrant) and at ti!es went so far as to appoint their
own s'ccessors Their power was in fact all b't absol'te) and it
was so!eti!es e1ercised with !ore 6igo'r than tact
The congregational organi(ation was !'ch li<e that of any other
thro'gho't the Jewish world It was go6erned by its own
constit'tion as laid down in the Asca!ot) periodically enlarged
or renewed 5ro! the 6ery beginning "as seen in the code of
#,,E& !etic'lo's pro6isions were enacted to go6ern co!!'nal
life It was prohibited 'nder hea6y penalties to establish any ri6al
congregation The order of :i6ine ser6ice was !in'tely
prescribed in all its details It was forbidden to !a<e any
dist'rbance in the synagog'e) whether by o6er*6ocal piety or by
offering physical 6iolence in the sacred precincts The goodwill of
the o'tside world was co'rted by prohibiting proselyti(ation or
religio's disp'tations A rigid censorship was established on
literat're p'blished by !e!bers of the co!!'nity) in order to
preser6e its faith 'ns'llied "ob6io'sly the 6icti!s of the
In='isition had learned so!ething fro! its !ethods& No
!e!ber !ight print any la!poon or defa!atory libel against any
co*religionist) nor prosec'te hi! in the co'rts of law for
bro<erage or si!ilar d'es) nor s'born his landlord or his
!aidser6ant -o!ance was thwarted by a prohibition against
participation in a secret !arriage cere!ony) while intrig'ers
were warned against interfering with political affairs 'nder the
prete1t of being spo<es!an of ;the Nation; All this code was
enforced by !eans of the la6ish e!ploy!ent of
e1co!!'nication9an effecti6e re!edy when social life was so
painf'lly restrictedD no rit'ally <illed !eat was s'pplied to the
recalcitrant) nor wo'ld his sons be circ'!cised) nor if he died
wo'ld he be b'ried in consecrated gro'nd 4=
Special attention was) of co'rse) paid to ed'cation It was the
d'ty of the -abbi or Haha! "literally ;sage;&) besides acting as
-eader when re='ired) ;to declare the :ini! "Jewish laws& on all
days contin'o'sly and to preach on all Sabbaths and Holydays)
and to gi6e lessons to the st'dents of the Tal!'d; He was
assisted in his labo'rs by at least one assistant teacher) or -'by
In addition the congregation had its own physician) and it was
considered a desirable ='alification for the Beadle to be at the
sa!e ti!e a C'pper The co!!'nal b'dget was deri6ed in the
!ain fro! a ta1 'pon bro<erage and co!!ercial operations)
'lti!ately consolidated as the 5inta) or inco!e*ta1
This was of co'rse s'pple!ented by 6ol'ntary offerings E6ery
Th'rsday the Beadle went ro'nd the congregation) fro! ho'se to
ho'se) to collect their oblations) which were distrib'ted to the
needy on the 5riday
The !e!bers pio'sly preser6ed the c'lt're of the co'ntries in
which they or their fathers had been born Th's the synagog'e of
Aondon) li<e those of A!sterda!) Ha!b'rg) or Aeghorn) beca!e
a little oasis of Iberian tradition i!planted in a foreign soil
Spanish and Port'g'ese were the official lang'ages In those
tong'es ser!ons were preached) laws were drawn 'p) literat're
was co!posed) and correspondence cond'cted o6er half the
ci6ili(ed world .ost of the i!portant fa!ilies were
international) !e!bers being settled in each of the greatest
!ercantile centres of E'rope9no s!all ad6antage in trade
Tho'gh the co!!'nity was co!posed in the !ain of solid
!erchants and bro<ers it had to s'pport a large n'!ber of
indigent poor One*='arter of the total n'!ber were on the
borderline of po6erty) and a 6ery large proportion of the ann'al
inco!e was 'tili(ed in charitable wor< So great did the b'rden
beco!e that in .ay #,,% the congregation lodged a co!plaint at
the .ansion Ho'se against the swar! of !endicants by which it
was beset and) on recei6ing a sy!pathetic hearing) !ade an
order for all indigent strangers to ='it the co'ntry within fi6e
days) in defa'lt of which they wo'ld be e1cl'ded fro! the
Synagog'e and its benefitsD this was followed a wee< later by a
fresh reg'lation ref'sing ad!ission to the congregation
henceforth to 'any person, of whatever ;"ality, "nless he sho"ld
bring an order, arrangement or b"siness for a lawf"l
livelihood' This was only !o!entarily effecti6e) for within a few
years) after a !o!entary decrease) as !'ch as one*third of the
total co!!'nal inco!e had to be de6oted to charitable p'rposes
In #,// the attention of the City a'thorities was again called to
the presence in Aondon of a large n'!ber of destit'te aliens who
pretended to be Jews) and it was enacted by the Co'rt of
Alder!en that ;no Jews witho't good estate be ad!itted to reside
or lodge in Aondon or the liberties thereof; 4>
In contrast to conditions in !ost other parts of the world) the
Jews of England <new only !inor annoyances Anti*se!itic
senti!ent was not indeed dead Sir Josiah Child) the despotic
chair!an of the East India Co!pany) !ight indeed cha!pion the
ca'se of the Jews in his econo!ic pa!phlets) and e6en plead for
their nat'rali(ation with a 6iew to i!pro6ing the co'ntry;s
co!!erce John Aoc<e co'ld e6en arg'e in fa6o'r of the re!o6al
of all religio's disabilities in his Aetter Concerning Toleration of
#,$% .en !ight la'gh when the 7er!an e1alte) Holger Pa'lli)
called 'pon Ging @illia! to bapti(e all Jews in his do!inions in
preparation for the co!ing rede!ption 'nder his personal
aegis 49 B't the !ass of the people) tho'gh not 6iolently
antagonistic) was by no !eans bene6olently disposed) and
acc'sations of 6arying credibility were bro'ght 'p fro! ti!e to
ti!e9occasionally with 'npleasant res'lts It was periodically
alleged for instance that the Jews) wor<ing in con>'nction with
their co*religionists in North Africa) were responsible for the
deplorable condition of the English!en ensla6ed in Algiers) and
for the diffic'lties in arranging for their ranso! on reasonable
ter!s? and wild threats were !ade that they wo'ld be e1pelled
'nless conditions i!pro6ed ;7 Another rec'rrent co!plaint)
6oiced in #,%2 by a co!!ittee of the Ho'se of Co!!ons) was in
conne1ion with the 'nlicensed e1port of b'llion9a s'spicion
which the Synagog'e tried to s'ppress by confir!ing the
prohibition 'nder religio's sanction ;1 The City of Aondon)
hardly reconciled to their presence) was always on the loo<*o't
for breaches of pri6ilege) petty illegalities) and 'ndesirable
i!!igration) and fro! ti!e to ti!e atte!pted drastic
steps ;5 It was fo'nd necessary to !ollify the a'thorities by
occasional donations) and the co!!'nal acco'nts contain
entries relati6e to pipes of wine presented on occasion to the
Aord .ayor) with s'pple!entary gifts for his son and e6en his
sword*bearer ;: Before long it beca!e c'sto!ary for the
congregation to present each s'ccessi6e Chief .agistrate year by
year with a sil6er sal6er e!bossed with the congregational ar!s)
in anticipatory gratit'de for his fa6o'r and protection ;4 Parish
f'nds were fre='ently s'pple!ented by the process of electing
Jews to the office of Ch'rchwardenD 'nwilling to ser6e in this
capacity) they had to pay hea6y fines in order to escape the
'nwelco!e hono'r ;; Occasionally the Jews were co!pelled to
s'pport apostates fro! their faith? for proselyti(ation was carried
on by enth'siastic ch'rch!en with opti!istic (eal In #/2+) in
conse='ence of a ca'se cTlTbre) an act was passed co!pelling
Jewish parents to !a<e ade='ate pro6ision for any of their
children who sho'ld e!brace the Protestant religion ;<
.eanwhile the Jews were consolidating their econo!ic position
By the close of the se6enteenth cent'ry they had established
the!sel6es sec'rely in English co!!ercial life Jealo'sly
pre6ented fro! opening retail shops in the City9a pri6ilege
confined to free!en) which they were not allowed to
beco!e ;= 9they were dri6en into wholesale co!!erce They
carried on a considerable trade with foreign parts) partic'larly
with the other great centres of the .arrano diaspora) in the New
@orld and the Old9e6en with Spain and Port'gal) tho'gh) for
ob6io's reasons) ass'!ed na!es were adopted for this
p'rpose ;> They e1ported considerable ='antities of English
woollens) i!porting in ret'rn b'llion and staple foreign
co!!odities Others) newly arri6ed fro! Italy) i!ported T'r<ish
goods 6ia Aeghorn) to the resent!ent of the Ae6ant Co!pany)
which clai!ed the !onopoly of the Constantinople
trade ;9 Co!!ercial interco'rse with 0enice) the parent*
congregation of the .arrano diaspora) was on a considerable
scale) the e1port to that city and its dependencies of salt fish fro!
England) and the i!port of Oante c'rrants) being to a large e1tent
in Jewish hands <7 The first few Jewish settlers bro'ght to
England so!e K#)822)222 in specie) and their ass'red t'rno6er
was esti!ated at one*twelfth of the total co!!erce of the Bnited
Gingdo! @ithin thirty years of the -estoration they clai!ed
that they had paid abo't K+22)222 in c'sto!s d'es alone <1 In
#,// twenty !e!bers of the co!!'nity were assessed at K+2
each as their share in the co!!'nal i!posts for the half year)
representing transactions to the e1tent of so!e KE+)222 per
ann'! in each case <5 In the spring of #,%2 thirty Jewish
!erchants contrib'ted "not ='ite spontaneo'sly& a total of
K38)222 to the loan ad6anced on the sec'rity of the twel6e*penny
aid) Isaac Pereira) the contractor) pro6iding no less than KE,)222
of this <: :iego -odrig'es .ar='es started on his career in
England @ith K#8)22 capital) and at the ti!e of his death had
gold and sil6er to the 6al'e of !ore than #)222)222 !ilreis on
the way fro! Port'gal <4 @hen in #,/+ a ship called the 5alcon
was capt'red by the :'tch) it was esti!ated that K,2)222 of the
cargo belonged to Aondon Jews <; The ac='isition of Bo!bay in
#,,# as part of Catherine of Bragan(a;s dowry had bro'ght with it
a n'cle's of Port'g'ese .arranos) who were reinforced fro!
Aondon before long? and there was a s!all co!!'nity) with its
own -abbi) established also at 5ort St 7eorge ".adras& before
#,$$ It was largely d'e to the acti6ities of this gro'p that the
!ar<et for dia!onds) which had for!erly been sit'ated at 7oa)
was re!o6ed to the English factories << Joseph Cohen
d;A(e6edo was a!ong the directors of the interloping Scottish
East India Co!pany which was set 'p and s'ppressed in the
reign of @illia! III <= Trade with the @est Indies) where Jews
had been established in the 6ario's English possessions since the
Protectorate) was also a 6ital Jewish interest <> The 7lorio's
-e6ol'tion had "as we ha6e seen& sent to England a handf'l of
Jewish ar!y contractors9a characteristic occ'pation of the
higher econo!ic strata of continental Jewry) de!anding as it did
not only capital b't also tr'stworthy agencies and powers of
organi(ation9and this) too) beca!e for a ti!e an i!portant
calling a!ong English Jews <9 Two !e!bers of the 5rancia
fa!ily were a!ong the earliest contractors for the lighting of the
Aondon streets =7
Se6eral pillars of the co!!'nity were sworn bro<ers on the
-oyal E1change) to which one of the pioneers had been ad!itted
as far bac< as #,8/? indeed) a not inconsiderable proportion of
the congregational inco!e was deri6ed fro! a ta1 'pon their
operations Towards the close of the cent'ry) howe6er) their
position was gra6ely threatened 5ro! ti!e to ti!e attention had
been called to the 'na'thori(ed operators who c't bro<erage
rates and tended to be less p'nct'al in !eeting their obligations?
in #,$2) for e1a!ple) the Co'rt of Alder!en re='ested the Aord
.ayor Elect 'to consider and direct the prosec"tion of some
speedy and effect"al co"rse for the s"ppressing of all bro#ers
acting on the %oyall !,change witho"t -dmission, and
!specially 1ewes' =1 At length) in #,%/) parlia!entary a'thority
was obtained for carrying o't a thoro'ghgoing refor! According
to the arrange!ent first en6isaged Jews wo'ld ha6e been
co!pletely e1cl'ded They were not disposed to accept this fate
='ietly) and fo'ght hard to regain their footing In the end the
Corporation agreed to ad!it twel6e of the! a!ong a total of #+3
to the pri6ilege of the E1change This fig're) tho'gh it !ar<ed a
n'!erical red'ction) was proportionately far higher than the
act'al n'!bers of the Jewish pop'lation warranted It e='alled
the strength of all other alien bro<ers together? and) while the
n'!ber of the Christian bro<ers was red'ced by one*half) the
Jews s'ffered a decline to the e1tent of only one*third) being
!oreo6er the only category who co'ld be ad!itted witho't being
5ree!en of the City It is not witho't reason that this
arrange!ent has been ter!ed the first step in Anglo*Jewish
e!ancipation =5
The position of the Jew in the co!!ercial life of the City and of
the co'ntry was th's officially recogni(ed The ne1t cent'ry and a
half were to show the position th's painf'lly
ac='iredconsolidatedD the e1tension of this toleration fro!
co!!ercial to social life and finally to political rights) and the
e6ol'tion of the Anglo*Jewish co!!'nity as a free and
'ndifferentiated body
%ootnotes
Chapter $
# @olf in Trs JHSE 6 #%? b't the rate of increase see!s
e1traordinarily rapid The original synagog'e
acco!!odated abo't $8 !en and +8 wo!enD it was
enlarged in #,/3*8 to pro6ide roo! for #/+ !en and $3
wo!en A no!inal roll of the co!!'nity !ade by a
6isitor in #,$2**3 "B. -ecords) i #,*+2& en'!erates 3#3
so'ls In C :odsworth;s ;Proceedings against the
E1portation of Sil6er; "Bibl B I E8& the n'!ber of Jewish
fa!ilies in #,%2 is gi6en as /2 to $2
2. P'blished ine,tensoin English translation in!l /ibro de
los -c"erdos"ed A : Barnett) O1ford) #%E#& ? see infra)
pp #$$*%2
E The tradition that Sasportas had acco!panied .enasseh
ben Israel to Aondon is incorrect? see Trs JHSE 1i ##%
3 @olf) Jews in the Canary Islands "Aondon) #%+,&) pp
111iii96ii) #$3) #%3) #%/? Trs JHSE 1i #3E s==) #,+ s=
8 Ellis;s Original Aetters ill'strati6e of English History)
second series) i6 cci1 "annotated reprint in Trs JHSE 1
3% s==&
, Aibro) p #8 "S'!!er) #,,3&
/ .isc JHSE iii /*#3
$ Ibid) pp #2*##
% Bibl B#$ #+ Se6eral other conte!porary tracts "ibid
B#$ #E*#% and Addenda) B#$ Ha& ill'strate the intensity
of interest in the episode The English conne1ion with the
Sabbataean !o6e!ent is not only s'perficial) as the
pse'do*.essiah;s father had been drago!an to English
!erchants at S!yrna) and it is con>ect'red that thro'gh
their !eans the yo'ng !an heard and was infl'enced by
the !illenarian ideas of the 5ifth .onarchy .en
#2 See Note 0III "a&) p +$+
## ie nat'rali(ation) in a slightly !odified for!D see below)
pp +##*#+
#+ B'rnet) History of !y own Ti!es) ed Airey) i +%2 5or
Coronel;s career) see Trs JHSE 6 #/*#$? SP: #,,8*,)
p ##$? and H.C) Heathcote) pp E3) 3,*/
#E A BaiWo) Episodios dra!aticos da Port'g'esa) ii "-io de
Janeiro) nd&) pp +,, s== "The acco'nt in Trs JHSE 6
#$*#% is !ainly inacc'rate& Cf also Pepys; :iary) J'ne
#%th) #,,/ "the na!e is gi6en incorrectly as Silon&) and
Clarendon;s Aife "O1ford) #$+/&) ii) #,3) #%+ Another
i!portant New Christian !e!ber of the ento'rage of
Catherine of Bragan(a was her body*physician) 5ernando
.endes? the state!ent that he was acco!panied by a
brother na!ed Andrea) the ='een;s cha!berlain) is based
on a !is'nderstandingD cf @olf in Trs JHSE 0 +2*+
#3 : G Clar<) ;Edward Bac<well as royal agent; in Econo!ic
History -e6iew) 1i "#%E$&) pp 8#*+ :a Sil6a had been
as<ed to assist in handling the :'n<ir< p'rchase !oney
also? @ : .acray) Pri6y Co'ncil Notes "Aondon) #$%,&) X
/3
#8 J A :;A(e6edo) Historia dos Christ_os No6os Port'g'eses
"Aisbon) #%+#&) p +$+? -oth) History of the .arranos) pp
E32*#? Trs JHSE 6 E#*+ :a Sil6a s'bse='ently
re!o6ed to Antwerp where he died9still no!inally a
Catholic His son 5rancis) who had been associated with
hi! in Aondon) did disting'ished !ilitary ser6ice in the
Aow Co'ntries) and was raised to the dignity of .ar='is of
.ontfort The second !ar='is ret'rned p'blicly to
J'dais!) and the fa!ily retained its English conne1ions
'ntil late in the eighteenth cent'ry
16. Bibl A#2 /,) BE 8*, .ilitary interests were e1e!plified
also in the con6ert Pa'l 7o!es) who after ser6ing in
Tangiers for two years petitioned for appoint!ent as
lie'tenant in one of the royal ships "SP: #,,8*/) p #3$&
5aria "with the apostate Hebraist) Aewis Co!peigne de
0eil& was e!ployed by the secret ser6iceD J J Aker%an,
!ecret !er$ices of harles II and Ja%es II "CS
#$8#&
17. @olf) Je#s in the anar" Islands) p +#+ *#/2+
#$ Bibl A/ 8 This Abraha! Peregrino "FProselyte& is
probably not identical with the conte!porary
contro6ersialist and firebrand) Abraha! 7'er
"FProselyte& of Cordo6a) alias Aoren(o Esc'dero "-oth)
.arranos p E+%& Another at Catholic priest who li6ed in
Aondon as a Jew was :on Joseph Carreras) who was at
one period in the ser6ice of the Spanish A!bassador
"@olf) opcit) pp#/$) +28*/&)
19. eg the proselyte who! Tho!as 7reenhalgh saw at prayer
in the synagog'e in #,,+D the pio's :eborah Israel) who
left all her property to the congregation on her death in
#,,% "Aibro) pp+$*%&D or .oses of Israel) who is recorded
with his brood of se6en children in the no!inal roll of
#,$2*3 Tho'gh capital p'nish!ent for heresy
disappeared only with the abolition of the writ 7e
Heretico cpmb"rendo in #,/%) it had already fallen into
des'et'de Aegally on the other hand) apostasy fro!
Christianity is still a penal offence in England
+2Aibro p +E? Trs JHSE 6 ++ In the roll or #,$2*3
specific !ention is !ade of se6eral persons who had not
yet for!ally e!braced J'dais!
+# @olf) op cit) p +28
++ Henri='es) The Jews and English Aaw) pp #$E*%2? P'b
A! JHS 6 8+*8 The Jewish Oath obtained howe6er in
the @est Indies
+E Henri='es) op cit) pp #3$*%
+3 Aibro) pp 8E*8
+8 Henri='es) op cit) p #3% In the following year) the
congregational acco'nts !ention the o'tlay for the
:'chess of B'c<ingha! in the ho'se of Isaac Al6are(
N'ne() the fashionable >eweller and a pillar of the
co!!'nity "Aibro) p go& The ob>ect of these negotiations
was possibly to ha6e the Jews incl'ded in the ter!s of the
:'<e;s Bill of Ind'lgence for Protestant :issenters) which
he introd'ced not long after? b't nothing res'lted
+, Bibl B, E%? SP: #,$2) p #+2
+/ Trs JHSE i6 #$3 s==) #%+*E .enasseh ben Israel had
of co'rse en6isaged so!ething in the nat're of a 7hetto
syste! when he laid his proposals before Cro!well) and
:or!ido) in anticipation of it) had offered hi!self as
cons'l for his co*religionists "ibid iii go& On one occasion
d'ring the restoration period a s'ggestion was !ade
"probably not serio'sly& that the Jews sho'ld be
segregated in the Scilly Isles There is an i!probable story)
too) in Spence;s Anecdotes that 'nder I'een Anne the
Jews offered 7odolphin K822)222 for the town of
Brentford) where they wished to set 'p a s'per*7hetto
+$Bibl B) E#
+% @olf) Essays) p #+8
E2-ecords of Spanish and Port'g'ese Synagog'e) Aondon
E# Henri='es) op cit) pp +*E 3%*8#) #8E*3
E+ Order of Co'ncil of :ece!ber 3th) #,$3) in !'ni!ents of
the Spanish and Port'g'ese Synagog'e) Aondon "facsi!ile
in B. -ecords) i) plate 6i&9a re!ar<able doc'!ent
ne6er ta<en into acco'nt hitherto) altho'gh its
i!plications are so i!portant
EE Bibl A/ $$ 5or Pereira) see also SP: #/2E) p ,$,) Cal
Treas'ry Papers #,%,) p E#$) Hc It is stated that @illia!
conceded the territory of Aabrador to Joseph de la Penha
of -otterda!) who sa6ed hi! fro! drowning abo't this
ti!eD A . 5ried!an) Early A!erican Jews) pp #3,*8#?
Hebraische Bibliographie) os)iii##/
E3 Cf . Gayserling) Biblioteca espanola*port'g'e(a*>'daica
"Strassb'rg) #$%2&) pp 8/) $/) %8
E8 According to tradition) by I'een Anne "tho'gh she had
not yet co!e to the throne& who had 6isited the synagog'e
in #,$#) and whose h'sband) later Aord High Ad!iral)
co'ld ha6e pro6ided the !ast fro! a !an*of*war which is
reported to ha6e been 'sed
E, Bibl A$ 8$*/+
E/ The head of the fir! was .oses Al6are( .achado) whose
assistance in the ca!paigns in the Netherlands was so
i!portant that @illia! wrote to hi!D ;0o's a6e( sa'6e
lQetat;
E$ S5:#,$%*%2) P 38E? Trs JHSE 1i #,8*, See also
below) p #%E
E% Ibid) pp #,,*/? -oth) History of the .arranos) pp E%/*$
32Trs JHSE 6 +E8? J Picciotto) S<etches of Anglo*Jewish
History "Aondon) #$/8&) p#,%
3# Trs JHSE i1 8$*,,? To6ey) Anglia J'daica) pp +$/*%8
3+ It applied) too) in the English possessions in the @est
Indies
3E @olf) .enasseh ben Israel;s .ission) p l111iii "special
financial treat!ent wo'ld follow >'dicial a'tono!y&? Trs
JHSE i6 #$3? H.C 1i) App 6ii E$ "c #,/EM&
33 Ibid) i1 E$*,, It is possible that the abolition of the
special ta1 was a partial co!pensation for the 'nofficial
forced loan raised fro! the Jews at this ti!eD see below)
pp #%E) +$E
45. Henri='es) op cit) p #,/? A'ttrell) Brief -elation of State
Affairs) .arch ++nd) #,%/*$ The opposition was
enco'raged by the sa!e Sa!'el Hayne who had led the
agitation of #,$8 and now p'blished a ;!anifesto of near
one h'ndred and fifty <nights !erchants and citi(ens
of Aondon) against the Jews now in England; "Bib; B#
E%&) in the hope of infl'encing opinion The practice of
J'dais! had already recei6ed incidental recognition in an
act of #,%8 'for granting to His )a3esty certaine rates
and d"ties "pon )arriages'.
3, eg spec'lating on the price of c'rrency "#,%8&) e1porting
b'llion) e1cept for the Penins'la and @est India trade
"#,$%) #,%,& or raising ins'rance policies on political
contingencies "#,%)&D cf B. -ecords) i +#*E
3/ Aibro) pp #*+%) and B. -ecords) 6ol i) passi!D so also
for the details gi6en below
3$Aibro) pp 11) +$) ##,? B. -ecords) i +%? @olf) Essays) p
#+E
3% Bibl B# E2) E3) E/? Jewish Encyclopaedia) i1 8,E
82 Bibl B# EE "#,$/&? SP: #,$%) P 38$? The Case of the
Jews Stated "#,$%D cf Trs JHSE i1 3,&
8# Ibid9a pri6ate atte!pt to begin proceedings against
6ario's Jews on a charge of e1porting sil6erD .aca'lay)
History of England) ed 5irth) 6 +/82? B. -ecords) i ++
5or later instances of the charge) see H.C Portland) i6
,%E "i /##& ? H.C 1) App i6 E3 "#/E2&
8+ 5or instances see abo6e) pp #$#) #%2
8E Aibro) p %+
83 Bibl A$ /o? B. -ecords) i ##*#+? .isc JHSE iii #2o
The practice contin'ed for abo't one h'ndred years) fro!
#,// to #/$o) tho'gh after #/E# a p'rse of g'ineas
fre='ently too< the place of the dish Si!ilar presentations
were !ade by the elders of the 5rench and :'tch
ch'rches They had a co'nterpart in Barbados in what was
ter!ed a ;Jew Pie; presented to each inco!ing go6ernor)
the cr'st co6ering a pile of gold coins
88 Trs 1 3$)$3*8 The records of the City parishes are replete
with instances? b't fro! the !iddle of the eighteenth
cent'ry Jews not infre='ently elected to ser6e "5ro! The
Case of the Jews Stated) it appears that this was
so!eti!es the case e6en in the se6enteenth cent'ry) b't
as late as #/$% Aord Stowell considered it i!proper&
8, Bibl BEE? Henri='es) Jews and the English Aaw) pp #,/*
%
8/ There were occasional e1ceptions to thisD -owland
7ideon) the father of Sa!son 7ideon "infra) pp +28*,&)
was ad!itted a free!an) as well as a li6ery!an) in #,%/
8$ 5or speci!ens) cf .isc JHSE # 11i6 and Trs JHSE
1i #,/
8% Jo'rnal of Co!!issioners for Trade and Plantations)
#/23*%) passi!? infra) p +28 In #,%8 a serio's diplo!atic
incident was ca'sed at S!yrna o6er a Jewish !erchant
fro! Aeghorn who had been ta<en by the Ae6ant Co!pany
into English protection "Aetter of @ Pagett of .ay E#st)
#,%8D .ocatta Aibrary&
,2SP0 #,/+) p ##) Hc Cf letter fro! 0enice of C
Bro'ghton to Sir J Astley) .P for 7reat Jar!o'th) in
Bodleian AibraryD ;I h'!bly concei6e that if a Aaw was
!ade that no Jewes sho'ld e1port 5ish or i!port C'rrants
directly or indirectly 'nder a se6eer penalty to be Inflicted
'pon the! H those who Co'ller this trade for the!) it
!'st do 6ery well At least) the Italians) :'tch) and
7er!ans) nor Jews will not eat the bread o't of His
.a>esties s'b>ects; !o'ths who li6e here and at Oantie a;
,# See Note 0III "b&) pp +$+*E
,+ Picciotto) S<etches) p 8o Solo!on de .edina "infra) pp
+$E*32& paid in #,/$ an i!post on a t'rno6er of K$2)222
"incl'ding bro<erages& An interesting disc'ssion of the
position of the Jews in English econo!ic life at this ti!e is
to be fo'nd in the Athenian 7a(ette) 6ol 6i "#,%3&) no +3D
@hether it be for the ad6antage of England that the Jews
be per!itted to li6e and trade here
,E See Note 0III "c&) p +$E
,3 @olf) 'bi s'pra Cf for f'rther ill'strations of affl'ence
the letter of his associate) Pai6a) in -oth) Anglo*Jewish
Aetters) pp /$*$#
,8 SP0 #,/+) pp ,$)+/#
,, The Case of the Jews Stated "#,$%&? .ig'el de Barrios)
Historia -eal de la 7ran Breta^a "A!sterda!) #,$$&) p
8, Ja!es de Pai6a) fo'nder of the .adras co!!'nity)
first s'ggested the establish!ent of the E'ropean !ilitia
in India) which co!prised fro! the o'tset a n'!ber of
Jews
,/ A'ttrell) Brief -elation of State Affairs) i6 $
,$See Note 0III "d&) p +$E
,% See Note 0III "e&) pp +$E*3
/2 Notes and I'eries) cl111i "#%3#&) /
/# 7'ildhall -epertories) ho!y) fol +38
/+ Bibl A/ $+) AB# The Jews on the E1change
congregated in the so'theast corner) 'nder the colonnade)
between the Port'g'ese !erchants and the Spanish and
>'st behind the 5rench This corner was long <nown as
;Jews; @al<; and fig'res 'nder that na!e in the old !aps
"eg in the Aondon 7'ide of #/88& The bro<ers "agents for
the sale and p'rchase of co!!odities& who practised on
the -oyal E1change are conf'sed by E Hal`6y "History of
the English People in the Nineteenth Cent'ry) i E#8& with
stoc<bro<ers) the n'!ber of Jews a!ong who! he
wrongly asserts to ha6e been li!ited in #//3 "M& to twel6e
Tho'gh there was no for!al li!itation on the n'!ber of
Jewish stoc<*>obbers) they had li<e others to recei6e a
licence fro! the Co'rt of Alder!en) which was e1tre!ely
e1pensi6e There was a test*case in #/,3) when
5erdinando Sil6a 5erdinando Sil6a was fined K382) after a
laws'it in the Ging;s Bench) for practising witho't a
licence "@ .aitland) Aondon) ed Entic< #//8) additions
p 8,&
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter %
*he Jews under ,nne and the %irst
.anoerians
1=75-<7
By this ti!e the co!position of the Aondon co!!'nity had
beg'n to change By the side of the original Spanish and
Port'g'ese colony there had grown 'p a settle!ent of Jews of
less co!pro!ising if less pict'res='e antecedents9the so*called
Ash<ena(i! 1 of the 7er!an*Polish gro'p The persec'tions of
the .iddle Ages) in which that co'ntry had e1celled) had
ne6ertheless not entirely effaced the Jewish co!!'nities of
7er!any) which co'ld trace their origin bac< to the days of the
-o!an occ'pation of the -hineland After the Cossac< -ebellion
of #,3$*%) their n'!bers were recr'ited by ref'gees fro! the
terrible !assacres in Poland) where d'ring the past co'ple of
cent'ries the world;s largest Jewish n'cle's had co!e into being
Those of this gro'p were clearly disting'ishable fro! their
.arrano antecedents Thier pron'nciation of Hebrew was
different) as well as their synagogal 'sages) their !elodies) their
cantillation) and details of their rite of prayer They were hyper*
orthodo1 in point of practice) c'lti6ated -abbinic scolarship with
a passionate intensity) <new little of sec'lar lore) and spo<e
a!ong the!sel6es the J'daeo*7er!an dialect Tho'gh one in
essentials) to the s'perficial obser6er the two ele!ents were
ob6io'sly distinct
Ne6ertheless Ash<ena(i Jews) forced by necessity) had been ='ic<
to ta<e ad6antage of the opport'nities sec'red by their co*
religionists fro! Spain and Port'gal in the 6ario's centres of
.arrano i!!igration of northern E'rope? and it was a logical
i!possibility to contin'e to e1cl'de the! once the others were
ad!itted) whate6er intolerance they !ay ha6e enco'ntered
before In the second half of the se6enteenth cent'ry)
accordingly) there was a considerable and increasing Ash<ena(i
settle!ent in Ha!b'rg and in A!sterda! Hence it e1tended) on
the heels of the original i!!igrants) to Aondon Of the persons
who beca!e con6erted to Christianity in this co'ntry) fro! the
Co!!onwealth period onwards) a good proportion were of
7er!an and Polish origin? 5 and in the records of the official
co!!'nity 'nder the last St'arts increasing n'!bers of
distincti6e na!es begin to appear) whether as recipients of relief)
crafts!en) !enials) or contrib'tors Of those in the last category)
the !a>ority belonged to affl'ent fa!ilies of Ha!b'rg or
A!sterda!9abo6e all) dealers in precio's stones9a!bitio's
!e!bers of which were nat'rally attracted to a new field of
enterprise : The !ost noteworthy was a certain Ben>a!in Ae6y)
who arri6ed in Aondon fro! Ha!b'rg abo't #,/2) and soon
!ade a position for hi!self in al!ost e6ery branch of o6erseas
co!!ercial enterprise He was one of the twel6e original ;Jew
Bro<ers; and a Proprietor of the @estern :i6ision of the Pro6ince
of New Jersey? and he was said to ha6e been responsible for
proc'ring the renewal of the Charter of the East India Co!pany
in #,%$) with the res'lt that his na!e was the second on its
lists 4
As a !atter of co'rse he and his associates worshipped at the
e1isting synagog'e) notwithstanding the fact that the rit'al was a
little strange to the! B't the official co!!'nity was so!ewhat
aloof in its attit'de toward thet"descos"as it ter!ed the!&)
especially after the infl'1 that !ay be pres'!ed to ha6e ta<en
place fro! A!sterda! after the 7lorio's -e6ol'tion In the
following year the new arri6als banded the!sel6es together to
cond'ct di6ine worship in accordance with their own 'sages) and
se6en years later) thro'gh Ben>a!in Ae6y;s generosity) they
ac='ired their own ce!etery The co!!'nity was henceforth
self*contained and independent ; The traditions followed in the
new synagog'e "sit'ated in :'<e;s Place) long the heart of
Aondon;s Jewish ='arter) in the i!!ediate neighbo'rhood of the
older place of worship& were those of the 7er!anZPolish gro'p
of Ha!b'rg) fro! which city a !a>ority of the original !e!bers
hailed <
The new co!!'nity was recr'ited fro! abroad with great
rapidity) the infl'1 being yet f'rther sti!'lated when the
accession of 7eorge I bro'ght England and 7er!any into a closer
relationship Co!posed as it was of persons of widely different
stat's) occ'pations) and antecedents) it lac<ed the ho!ogeneity
and har!onio's spirit of the older body Its growth accordingly
was e1pressed in a series of secessions) each of which res'lted in
the for!ation of a fresh congregation = .'tatis !'tandis) the
new co!!'nity was organi(ed in !'ch the sa!e fashion as the
old) tho'gh lac<ing a good deal of its e1ternal polish and its close
discipline There was the sa!e co!!'nal hierarchy) tho'gh the
power of the go6erning body was less absol'te) the sa!e syste!
of raising re6en'e) tho'gh to a greater e1tent on a 6ol'ntary
basis) the sa!e networ< of congregational charities and
instit'tions By the side of the synagog'e n'!ero's 6ol'ntary
associations ca!e into being9!'t'al help societies) b'rial
societies) societies for 6isiting the sic<) for ed'cating the yo'ng)
for the relief of i!prisoned debtors The !ost characteristic were
those for st'dy) whose !e!bers wo'ld asse!ble after their day;s
wor< was done to pore o6er the Tal!'d or to hear ethical
disco'rses They wo'ld fre='ently re!ain behind to recite the
e6ening ser6ice togetherD with the res'lt that so!e of these
bodies de6eloped into s'bordinate Bethels) one or two of which
still e1ist > J'st as the Spanish and Port'g'ese co!!'nity
endea6o'red to perpet'ate the at!osphere of .adrid or Aisbon
a!id the Aondon fogs) so their Ash<ena(i co*religionists
transplanted with the! fro! o6erseas so!ething of the spirit of a
central E'ropean ghetto The lang'age which they 'sed for the
co!!'nal b'siness) for their st'dies) for their ser!ons) for
do!estic interco'rse) was Jiddish) or J'daeo7er!an) written in
Hebrew characters) and with a 6ery strong ad!i1t're of the
sacred tong'e in its 6ocab'lary .edie6al s'perstitions were rife
@eddings and betrothals were cond'cted in f'll continental
style) with feasting and !'sic and dancing spread o6er se6eral
days "There was a notorio's instance in #/+2 when one of the
City Halls was ta<en for the occasion? a g'ard of 7renadiers
acco!panied the bridal procession) and the Prince of @ales ca!e
to gratify his c'riosity& 9 All necessary procla!ations were !ade
in synagog'e by the Beadle) who also a'ctioned "for p'rposes of
re6en'e& the 6ario's synagogal hono'rs As was the case with the
older body) each congregation had its physician) who too< his
seat a!ong the @ardens and assisted in their deliberations when
the occasion de!anded
Socially and econo!ically the new settlers generally belonged to
a distinctly lower strat'! than their prec'rsors) who indeed
ref'sed to inter!arry with the!) to the a!'se!ent of the o'tside
world 17 At the head of the co!!'nity there were indeed a few
bro<ers) >ewellers) and wholesale !erchants of !'ch the sa!e
type They constit'ted) in this case) howe6er) only a s!all
proportion of the whole Below the! was an entire proletariat)
co!posed to a large e1tent of the !ost recent arri6als) whose
occ'pations e1tended fro! acting as ser6itors and foot!en to
their wealthy co*religionists to petty handicraft and retail trade
The pro6enance of the i!!igrants was 6aried The !a>ority were
fro! the old*established Jewish co!!'nities of 7er!any9not
only great centres s'ch as 5ran<fort and Ha!b'rg) b't also the
s!aller in the central and so'thern parts of the co'ntry) in
Ba6aria or 5ranconia) with a handf'l) i!perfectly 7allici(ed)
fro! Alsace A!sterda! and the other :'tch cities contin'ed to
pro6ide their ='ota A certain proportion were fro! farther east
9Silesia) .ora6ia) Bohe!ia) and Poland? tho'gh as yet this great
reser6oir of Jewish life contrib'ted in only a co!parati6ely s!all
degree to direct i!!igration 11
The no!enclat're of the newco!ers was as characteristic as
their appearance @hereas the Sephardi Jews had established
s'rna!es pre6io's to their arri6al in England generally the
7othic patrony!ics ass'!ed by their bapti(ed ancestors&) this
was the case with their Ash<ena(i co*religionists in only a
!inority of cases In the synagog'e a !an wo'ld be called 1) son
of y This generally for!ed the basis of the na!e by which he was
<nown in the o'tside worldD hence the appellations Abraha!s)
Isaacs and Jacobs) which) with their biblical co'nterparts) now
beca!e the r'le in the Aondon 7hetto) fortified by a few places of
origin and trades 15
The infl'1 fro! central and eastern E'rope was paralleled on a
!'ch s!aller scale by i!!igration fro! the .editerranean
world) by which the Sephardi co!!'nity was reinforced
Thro'gho't the first half of the eighteenth cent'ry it contin'ed to
be recr'ited by .arranos) fleeing fro! the rigo'rs of the
In='isitions of Spain and Port'gal? and !ore than one i!portant
Anglo*Jewish fa!ily owes its origin to this period 1: In s'ch
circ'!stances it was ine6itable that the Holy Office and its
acti6ities sho'ld re!ain a constant preocc'pation of the older*
established section of English Jewry On the e6e of the :ay of
Atone!ent prayers were offered in the synagog'e on behalf of
;o"r brethren, who are imprisoned in the d"ngeons of the In&
;"isition; Anglo*Jewish litterate'rs introd'ced references to its
acti6ities in their writings) 14 and the bitter feelings which it
engendered had local reperc'ssions 1; 5or !any years Aondon
contin'ed to be the head='arters of the ca!paign against it
:a6id Nieto) for!erly of 0enice) Haha! or -abbi of the Spanish
and Port'g'ese co!!'nity fro! #/2# to #/+$) and the !ost
disting'ished scholar to occ'py that office) p'blished in #/2% a
telling ref'tation of the ser!on deli6ered by the Archbishop of
Crangranor at an a'to*da*fT in Aisbon in #/28 This he followed
'p by -econdite Notices of the In='isitions of Spain and
Port'gal) in Spanish and Port'g'ese) which he edited in
#/++ 1< All this contrib'ted towards the discrediting of the Holy
Office As the !iddle of the cent'ry approached its acti6ity
grad'ally di!inished) and the tide of e!igration that it forced
a'to!atically dwindled
Tho'gh se6eral !e!bers of the Spanish and Port'g'ese
co!!'nity en>oyed fro! the beginning a high degree of
econo!ic well*being) the proble! of the poor was ac'te) e6en in
this relati6ely wealthy section Bnder 7eorge II an atte!pt was
!ade to cope with it in accordance with the ideas of the day) by
the syste!atic "tho'gh) as it finally t'rned o't) fr'itless&
enco'rage!ent of e!igration @hen in #/E+ Colonel Oglethorpe
obtained his charter for establishing a settle!ent in 7eorgia) as a
ref'ge for pa'pers and persec'ted dissenters and a barrier for
the British colonies against Spanish aggression) a few pillars of
the Synagog'e were a!ong the agents appointed to solicit p'blic
s'bscriptions in aid of the sche!e Instead of handing o6er to the
Co!!ission the s'! they collected fro! their co*religionists)
they atte!pted to 'tili(e it for financing the e!igration of
destit'te Jews This) howe6er logical) was in e1cess of their
powers) and they were co!pelled to s'rrender their
co!!issions Ne6ertheless their acti6ity res'lted in the despatch
to the new colony in #/EE of two s!all batches of Jewish
e!igrants) belonging to both sections of the Aondon co!!'nity
Collaboration with the general sche!e ha6ing pro6ed i!possible)
in #/E3 the Synagog'e set 'p a special co!!ittee to apply for
lands for an e1cl'si6ely Jewish settle!ent in the new colony The
application was not granted) b't three years later a tract was
offered for the p'rpose in Carolina) tho'gh 'nder conditions
which pro6ed 'nacceptable 1=
In spite of this initial lac< of s'ccess the co!!ittee contin'ed in
e1istence and in #/38 recei6ed an e1tension of powers and of
inco!e Three years later negotiations were opened to establish a
settle!ent in So'th Carolina) for which p'rpose the
philanthropic b't 6olatile John Ha!ilton) a Aondon financier)
petitioned the Co'ncil for Plantation Affairs for a grant of
+22)222 acres This sche!e) too) fell thro'gh) tho'gh so!e
indi6id'al fa!ilies were s'fficiently interested to e!igrate to that
colony not long after 1> .eanwhile) in #/3%) after the Peace of
Ai1*la*Chapelle) when the coloni(ation of No6a Scotia was ta<en
serio'sly in hand) an atte!pt was !ade to pers'ade poor Jews to
settle there by the pro!ise of a charitable allowance for three
years fro! the congregation In con>'nction with the plan a
Charitable Society was for!ed in the sa!e year to apprentice
boys to 'sef'l handicrafts) and to assist the! in lea6ing the
co'ntry The prospect was in e6ery sense a cold one) and there
was no positi6e res'lt 19 There was ne6ertheless a steady tric<le
of e!igration fro! both England and the Continent to the
A!erican colonies) and by the close of the reign of 7eorge II
there were) besides the older settle!ents in the @est Indies) half
a do(en Jewish co!!'nities) largely of Spanish and Port'g'ese
origin tho'gh no longer e1cl'si6ely so in co!position) reaching
fro! 7eorgia to -hode Island) and en>oying) in the
'ntra!!elled at!osphere of a new co'ntry) a rather a!pler
!eas're of tolerance than was the case nearer ho!e
Jet fro! the !o!ent of the -esettle!ent there was probably no
co'ntry in E'rope in which the Jews recei6ed better treat!ent
than England E6en in Holland they were e1cl'ded fro! certain
towns and pro6inces) and in T'r<ey they recei6ed only the
restricted rights of 'nbelie6ers In 7er!any and Italy the 7hetto
syste! still pre6ailed? fro! Spain) Port'gal) and !'ch of 5rance)
there was co!plete and e6en barbaro's e1cl'sion? Polish Jewry
was terrori(ed and al!ost rightless? :anish Jewry was
insignificant In England) on the other hand) the Jews were
'nder the protection of the law) co'ld settle anywhere they
pleased) and en>oyed 6irt'al social e='ality Not infre='ently)
indeed) so!e (ealot p'blished a con6ersionist pa!phlet in which
their beliefs were re6iled) or a fanatical anti='arian ad6ocated the
enforce!ent of the restricti6e legislation which e1isted on the
stat'te*boo< B't that was all Only on one or two isolated
occasions was there any !ob 6iolence9ne6er) howe6er) recei6ing
go6ern!ental sanction or conni6ance) or res'lting in loss of life
In #/E+) indeed) a certain Osborne p'blished a paper reco'nting
in l'rid detail how the Port'g'ese Jews in Aondon had !'rdered
a wo!an lately arri6ed fro! abroad and her newborn child) on
the gro'nd that the father had been a Christian Si!ilar cond'ct)
according to the a'thor) was fre='ent on the part of the c'lprits
"it was indeed a sort of rit'al !'rder acc'sation in a new
setting& In conse='ence of these allegations so!e sections of the
Aondon pop'lace were thoro'ghly aro'sed) and se6eral Jews
li6ing near Broad Street) recently arri6ed fro! Port'gal) were
attac<ed by the !ob A case was bro'ght with typical English
coolness before the Co'rt of the Ging;s Bench) which fo'nd that
the p'blication was an infla!!atory libel 'pon the Jewish
co!!'nity as s'ch) and ordered it to be withdrawn fro!
circ'lation 57 This was the s'! total of the !ore 6iolent
!anifestations of anti*Se!itis! in England in the cent'ry after
the -esettle!ent 51
Ad!inistrati6e and e6en >'dicial annoyance) on the other hand)
was by no !eans infre='ent Th's) for e1a!ple) when a Aondon
Jew left a s'! for the p'rpose of !aintaining an instit'tion for
Tal!'dical st'dy) the co'rt declared his legacy in6alid as being
de6oted to a ;s'perstitio's; p'rpose) and ordered that the a!o'nt
sho'ld be di6erted to what it considered the nearest legal ob>ect9
6i() the instr'ction of the children at the 5o'ndling Hospital in
the r'di!ents of Christianity Aater) a legacy e6en for the s'pport
of a synagog'e was declared in6alid 55 In #/+2 an atte!pt was
!ade "tho'gh ineffect'ally& to dri6e the Jew Bro<ers o't of
b'siness) a petition being presented to the Aord .ayor and
Alder!en in which it was atte!pted to show that their
ad!ission) not being a'thori(ed by the Act of #,%/) was
illegal 5: Tho'gh this atte!pt was witho't res'lt the fee payable
for the transference of a bro<er;s !edal) originally ='ite
!oderate) was forced to a ridic'lo'sly high le6el? 'lti!ately it
rose to as !'ch as K#)822) this constit'ting one of the !ost
l'crati6e per='isites of the Aord .ayor;s office 54
The !ost b'rdenso!e disability of all was the prohibition to
ac='ire the 5reedo! of the City of Aondon) where al!ost the
totality of the Anglo*Jewish co!!'nity resided) with the
conse='ent i!pedi!ents in all branches of econo!ic life One or
two indi6id'als !anaged to a6oid the restrictions B't in #/E/ the
Corporation had an in='iry !ade into the ;scandal; ca'sed by the
granting of the 5reedo! to Jews) and ordered legislati6e action to
be ta<en to pre6ent rec'rrence Two years after) the religio's test
was 'pheld in the co'rts of law) and towards the close of the
cent'ry "#/$8&) with a cynical recognition of the ='estionable
sincerity of con6ersions) the sa!e bar was e1tended to bapti(ed
Jews 5;
This disability was s'pple!ented by e1cl'sion fro! 6ario's
!ercantile organi(ations @hen in #/+/ Anthony da Costa was
s'ccessf'l in an action against the -'ssia Co!pany) which had
barred hi! fro! !e!bership on the score of his religion) the
:irectors obtained fro! Parlia!ent a !odification of their
charter which sec'red the right of ref'sal 5< In the -'ssia trade)
indeed) Jewish interest was inconsiderable B't the sa!e
restriction applied to other branches in which the re6erse was the
case) s'ch as the trade with the Otto!an E!pire @hen in #/33 a
sche!e was proposed in Parlia!ent for the reorgani(ation of the
Ae6ant Co!pany) which wo'ld ha6e !ade the ad!ission of Jews
possible) so great an o'tcry was raised that the Bill was re>ectedD
for critics professed to belie6e that if English Jews were
per!itted to co!e into direct contact with their co*religionists in
T'r<ey) who were 'ni6ersally 'sed as bro<ers and factors) they
wo'ld between the! organi(e a !onopoly of the trade and
s='ee(e o't the Christian !erchants The reorgani(ation sche!e
was 'lti!ately carried thro'gh in #/8E) b't a cla'se was inserted
forbidding Jewish !e!bers of the co!pany to e!ploy Jews as
factors in the Ae6ant 5=
Jet these disabilities were relati6ely inconsiderable) and on the
whole English Jewry) s're of their position 'nder the Ho'se of
Hano6er) and a little 'ncertain as to what continental
conceptions the St'arts !ight ha6e i!bibed) had e6ery reason to
s'pport the e1isting order "It was tr'e that a Aondon Jew of
Bordea'1 origin na!ed 5rancis 5rancia had been tried at the Old
Bailey in #/#,*#/ as an adherent of the Old Pretender) b't he was
ac='itted) and it is probable that this ;Jewish Jacobite; was a
go6ern!ent agent& 5> Hence) at the ti!e of the Jo'ng
Pretender;s bid for Aondon in #/38) the Jewish !erchants and
bro<ers rallied wholeheartedly to the side of the go6ern!ent
Sa!son 7ideon the oracle of ;Change Alley) was one of the few
!en in the city who <ept his headD helping the go6ern!ent both
with his shrewd ad6ice and his 6ast credit) and ta<ing a
pro!inent share in raising the loan of K#/22)222 for the
pressing needs of the !o!ent He and another Jew were a!ong
the do(en !erchants who) when p'blic confidence was at its
lowest ebb) pro!oted the association to p'rchase Ban< of
England notes at par) if they were offered for sale? and the rest of
the Jewish !erchants) enco'raged by the Synagog'e) s'bscribed
to a !an to the Association Oath -olls which thereafter were
opened at the 7'ildhall and elsewhere Others ostentatio'sly
i!ported b'llion fro! abroad and too< it to the Ban< A ='arter
of the !oney raised on the sec'rity of the land*ta1 ca!e fro!
the!) and two a!ong their n'!ber placed at the disposal of the
go6ern!ent se6eral f'lly e='ipped 6essels which were lying in
the Tha!es The lower classes enlisted in the ci6ic !ilitia? a
ser6ice of intercession was held in the synagog'es? and) when the
e!ergency was o6er) a Jew was chosen9rare pri6ilege9as a
!e!ber of the delegation which went to present the City;s
h'!ble congrat'lations to His .a>esty 59
By now there was to be fo'nd in England the n'cle's of an
accli!ati(ed) English*spea<ing co!!'nity The !ost pro!inent
a!ong the! were still of co'rse the financiers and !erchants)
so!e of who! had beg'n to inter!ingle on friendly ter!s with
English society? !en li<e the charitable Joseph Sal6ador or
Bena!in .endes da Costa both as well <nown for their liberality
o'tside as inside the Jewish co!!'nity? Solo!on da Costa
Athias) who presented to the British .'se'! in /8% a collection
of Hebrew boo<s originally bro'ght together for Charles II? or) in
the sister*co!!'nity) .oses Hart) for !any years its lay*leader)
and his <ins!en of The 5ran<s fa!ily :7 The !ost pro!inent of
all was Sa!son 7ideon [Ab'diente\) !entioned >'st abo6e) who
was cons'lted by s'ccessi6e pri!e .inisters and Chancellors of
the E1che='er) ad6ised on the consolidation of the National :ebt
in #/3%) raised se6eral go6ern!ent loans d'ring the @ar of the
A'strian S'ccession and the Se6en Jears; @ar) and set the
e1a!ple of offering bo'nties to recr'its in the critical year
#/8/ :1
These b'siness !agnates were said to be worth between the!
so!e K8)222)222 sterling) of which K+)222)222 were in6ested in
go6ern!ent stoc< "one*tenth of it in the na!e of a single
indi6id'al& Howe6er) only twenty fa!ilies a!ong the!) it was
stated) co'ld be rec<oned really op'lent Then followed so!e
forty well*to*do bro<ers and stoc<*>obbers "incl'ding the twel6e
a'thori(ed Jew Bro<ers&) and a n'!ber of e1port !erchantsD the
de6elop!ent of the new te1tile ind'stries in sil< and cotton) and
of trade to the @est Indies) owed a good deal to their enterprise
and their widespread o6erseas conne1ions :5 In the p'rlie' of
the circle of the bro<ers and stoc<*>obbers ho6ered financial
dabblers s'ch as Jacob Henri='es) the dealer in lottery*tic<ets
who clai!ed that his father had pro>ected the Ban< of England)
whose fantastic s'ggestions for restoring the national finances by
!eans of a g'inea lottery were act'ally adopted in the B'dget of
#/8/? :: or Philip Heilb'th) who in #/+2 originated the idea of a
!ariti!e ins'rance corporation) which 'lti!ately led to the
establish!ent of what was afterwards Aloyd;s :4 A respected
fig're in go6ern!ent circles) tho'gh only an occasional 6isitor to
England) was the e!inent econo!ist Isaac de Pinto of
A!sterda!i "a'thor of the Trait6 de la irculation et du
redit) one of the great doc'!ents in the history of political
econo!y& D his ser6ices in effecting a fa6o'rable arrange!ent
regarding India after the Treaty of Paris were so considerable
that he was rewarded by the East India Co!pany with an
ann'ity :;
Apart fro! the !en of affairs there was a sprin<ling of writers
and scholars) especially physiciansD !en li<e the for!er .arrano
Jacob de Castro Sar!ento) a prolific !edical writer) or his
na!esa<e de Jacob de Castro one of the earliest English
ad6ocates of 6accination The wayward E!!an'el .endes da
Costa at one ti!e cler< and librarian to the -oyal Society) was
perhaps the !ost e!inent English nat'ral historian of his day)
!e!ber of !any learned societies) and in correspondence with
sa6ants all the world o6er His yo'nger conte!porary) Israel
Ayons of Ca!bridge) !athe!atician and botanist) acco!panied
Aord .'lgra6e;s arctic e1pedition of #//E as principal
astrono!er) and !ade his na!e <nown to the learned world in
!ore than one boo< In the sphere of belles*lettres) the lead was
set by .oses .endes "a grandson of that :r 5ernando .endes
who had co!e to England in the train of Catherine of Borgan(a&
who) sec're in the fort'ne a!assed as stoc<*>obber) and
reinforced by baptis! and !arriage o't of the Jewish faith)
t'rned to literat're and wrote se6eral dra!atic pieces) which
were set to !'sic by Boyce and B'rney) and in so!e cases
en>oyed long r'ns on the stage Conte!poraneo'sly) his
<ins!an) Solo!on .endes) was a pop'lar fig're in the coterie of
-ichard Sa6age and Ja!es Tho!son) while Prado of
Twic<enha! the co!!issariat contractor) who was inti!ate with
Horace @alpole and his circle :< .oses .endes collaborated on
occasion with a bad b't prolific poet -alph Scho!berg "a
bapti(ed son of the physician to the 7reat Synagog'e& one of
whose brothers entered the -oyal Na6y) s'per6ised the landing
of the troops at the capt're of I'ebec in #/8%) was <nighted and
was father of Ad!iral Sir Ale1ander Scho!berg) the e!inent
na6al writer :=
In other aspects of c'lt'ral life) too) English Jews were beginning
to play so!e part 5ro! the beginning of the eighteenth cent'ry
their na!es fig're in the lists of s'bscribers to new
wor<s :> :'ring .o(art;s first 6isit to England as an infant
prodigy se6eral Jews showed their appreciation of hi! @ith the
co'rt they patroni(ed Handel al!ost as sed'lo'sly as the nobility
boycotted hi!) and their s'pport assisted in t'rning his Judas
Maccabaeus fro! a fail're to a s'ccess :9 On the stage and
the concert platfor! they were represented fro! the day of
Hannah Norsa) who in #/E+ !ade the fort'nes of the newly
opened Theatre -oyal in Co6ent 7arden by her astonishing
perfor!ance as Polly Peach'! in the $eggar's :pera) and of
7iaco!o Base6i Cer6etto who first accli!ati(ed the 6ioloncello in
England) were he arri6ed fro! 0erona in #/E% Another Italian
Jew) Solo!on -ieti) enli6ened Aondon life by laying o't in #/3+
the fa!o's pleas're*gardens at -anelagh 47
Persons of this type ac='ired easily and rapidly at least the
appearance of Anglicisation I'ite soon after the accession of the
Hano6erian dynasty it was re!ar<ed that beards were worn only
by the -abbis and persons newly arri6ed fro! abroad The
portraits which ha6e s'r6i6ed fro! the beginning of the
eighteenth cent'ry show little to differentiate the Jew fro! his
neighbo'r So long as it was in fashion he affected the ir<so!e
dignity of a periwig) which -abbinical reg'lations e1pressly
per!itted hi! to co!b o't on the Sabbath The yo'nger
generation habit'ally went abo't with swords? b't on the day of
rest) when they were en>oined to attach a wooden blade to the
hilt) the !a>ority preferred to do witho't They were fa!iliar
fig'res) too) at the theatre) e6o<ing th's the cens're of so!e
o6er*scr'p'lo's !oralists @agers "for instance) on the day of
the arri6al of the :'tch !ail& were s'fficiently co!!on to
re='ire stringent s'per6ision) and clandestine !arriages
reflected the at!osphere of the English playwrights rather than
that of the Tal!'d A breach of pro!ise case which attracted
!'ch attention in #/E3 disclosed an en6iron!ent al!ost
indisting'ishable fro! that of a fa!ily in the sa!e position in
non*Jewish life 41
The English Jew soon yielded to the char!s of the English
co'ntryside 0ery soon after the -esettle!ent it beca!e the
practice of the wealthier to ac='ire residences in se!i*r'ral
retire!ent in the i!!ediate neighbo'rhood of Aondon :efoe) in
his To'r of the @hole Island of 7reat Britain "#/+/&) was
i!pressed by the fact that'1ews have partic"lary fi,t "pon
Highgate and Hampstead for their co"ntry ho"ses; Others
spread westward along the Tha!es 6alley) abo't Isleworth and
-ich!ond So friendly were their relations with their neighbo'rs
that they attended the !eetings of the 0estry) and e6en the local
clergy!an had no ob>ection to entertaining a coach*load of Jews
for a ga!e of cards 45 Jewish 6isitors to England? fro! the
beginning of the eighteenth cent'ry) noted to their a!a(e!ent
how) already in the early spring) !any of the co!!'nal
!agnates betoo< the!sel6es to their r'ral residences and were
th's 'napproachable That they were not witho't political
interests) in a tentati6e fashion) is de!onstrated by a resol'tion
of the go6erning body of the senior co!!'nity conde!ning
interference in Parlia!entary or local elections 4:
It was not long before the rep'tation of English Jewry and the
report of the fa6o'rable position which it en>oyed beca!e <nown
o6erseas) in an e1aggerated for!? and appeals for assistance)
pec'niary and political) were constant fro! as far afield as Persia
in the one direction or -hode Island in the other Jews
established 'nder British r'le at .inorca or Ja!aica re='ested
intercession on their behalf with the go6ern!ental a'thorities
when they were !altreated The scholars of the Holy Aand
applied for s'pport as a !atter of co'rse) sending special
e!issaries to Aondon for the p'rpose .editerranean Jewry
sec'red co*operation in the pio's d'ty of redee!ing the capti6es
sold into sla6ery by the Barbary corsairs or <nights of .alta
"Indeed) for these charitable ob>ects special f'nctionaries were
appointed each year by the Aondon synagog'e& @hen) for
econo!ic reasons) the Swedish go6ern!ent !ade an atte!pt to
enco'rage the settle!ent of wealthy Jews) the in6itation was
co!!'nicated officially to the Spanish and Port'g'ese
co!!'nity in Aondon) which tactf'lly indicated that the
contin'ed <indness of the British <ing and Parlia!ent did not
per!it the! to lea6e the co'ntry The Jews of 0enice) now in
sore straits) sent a delegation to raise a loan) for the repay!ent of
which "ne6er in fact co!pleted& the Serenissi!a afterwards !ade
special pro6ision 44
B't the !ost stri<ing instance of all was in #/33*8) when the
E!press .aria Theresa banished the Jews fro! Bohe!ia in
re6enge for offences said to ha6e been co!!itted by their co*
religionists in Alsace The co!!'nity of Prag'e was one of the
Oldest and !ost n'!ero's in E'rope) and appealed to fellow
Jews thro'gho't the world) as<ing the! to 'se what infl'ence
they co'ld to obtain a reprie6e The leading !e!bers of the 7reat
Synagog'e in Aondoner .oses Hart and Aaron 5ran<s)
i!!ediately petitioned the Ging) who recei6ed the! in a'dience?
and showed e6ery sy!pathy sha<ing his head and repeating) with
tears in his eyes 'It is not right that the innocent sho"ld s"ffer
with the g"ilty' .oses Hart) ad6anced in years tho'gh he was)
went abroad to see what he co'ld do) in co!pany with three
!e!bers of Parlia!ent? and Sir Tho!as -obinson) the British
A!bassador in 0ienna) was instr'cted to associate hi!self with
the :'tch en6oy in !a<ing representations to the A'strian
go6ern!ent He was war!ly sy!pathetic) and shoc<ed by the
e!press;s display of bigotry and pre>'dice Than<s in part to his
efforts? the ref'gees were allowed in the end to ret'rn to their
ho!es This was probably the first instance in !odern History of
diplo!atic inter6ention by a E'ropean Power on behalf of an
alien !inority on p'rely h'!anitarian gro'nds 4;
@e ha6e seen that) notwithstanding their generally fa6o'rable
condition) there were 6ario's disabilities which weighed hea6ily
'pon the Jews J'st after the !iddle of the cent'ry an atte!pt
was !ade to re!o6e one which was fo'nd ir<so!e by the 'pper
classes It res'lted in co!plete fail're) b't attracted ne6ertheless
a degree of attention o't of all proportion to the real i!portance
of the ='estion at iss'e) with res'lts which narrowly escaped
being disastro's
In the !atter of nat'rali(ation) which sec'red to aliens the
pri6ileges of nat'ral*born English!en "eg owning land and
ships) and trading with the plantations&) Jews were at a
considerable disad6antage It co'ld indeed be proc'red in a
='alified sense ";endeni(ation;& by letters patent) which) howe6er)
had no retrospecti6e action) and did not per!it the inheritance of
land This was legali(ed only when the process was effected in f'll
for! by Act of Parlia!ent? b't this !ethod was not open to Jews
since) long before the -ead!ission) at the height of the anti*
Catholic agitation) it had been !ade obligatory for those who
beca!e British s'b>ects by this !eans to ha6e recei6ed the
Sacra!ent within the past !onth according to the rites of the
Ch'rch of England) as well as to ta<e the Protestant oaths of
S'pre!acy and Allegiance Accordingly) Jews born abroad co'ld
a6ail the!sel6es only of the costly !ethod and !ore li!ited
pri6ileges of endeni(ation) which fro! the ti!e of Charles II they
had done in large n'!bers9generally) owing to the great
e1pense in6ol6ed) in gro'ps A !ore liberal attit'de had been
ad6ocated fro! ti!e to ti!e by so!e tolerant p'blicists s'ch as
Sir Josiah Child in his New :isco'rse of Trade "#,%E& and John
Toland) who) when the ='estion of the nat'rali(ation of foreign
Protestants began to engage the p'blic attention) iss'ed
anony!o'sly his far*reaching -easons for nat'rali(ing the Jews
in 7reat Britain and Ireland) on the sa!e footing with all other
nations "#/#3&9one of the earliest pleas for co!prehensi6e
toleration for the Jews B't the 6oice of a :eist agitator was not
li<ely to carry !'ch weight at that period) and the wor< achie6ed
nothing e1cept to elicit a pec'liarly sc'rrilo's retort 4<
5or so!e ti!e past it had been 's'al for the diffic'lties in the
way of nat'rali(ation to be !odified in fa6o'r of categories of
persons who !ight pro6e of partic'lar benefit to the state Th's a
stat'te of Charles II entitled aliens who had been engaged for
three years in dressing he!p or fla1) !a<ing tapestries) Hc) to be
nat'rali(ed after three years) and a stat'te of 7eorge II of #/32
conferred si!ilar ad6antages on persons who had ser6ed for two
years in the -oyal Na6y or on a !erchant ship in ti!e of war In
the sa!e year) in an Act for nat'rali(ing foreign Protestants and
others settled in the A!erican colonies "#E 7eorge II) cap /&) the
Sacra!ental test was dispensed with in the case of Jews who had
li6ed there for se6en years) who were) !oreo6er) relie6ed of the
obligation to repeat the words 'Upon the tr"e faith of a .hristian;
in the Oath of Ab>'ration. 4= @ithin the ne1t fo'rteen years
nearly two h'ndred @est Indian Jews "the !a>ority of who!
li6ed in Ja!aica& a6ailed the!sel6es of the opport'nity offered
by this !eas're @hen in #/38 a si!ilar Bill for nat'rali(ing
foreign Protestants in England was 'nder consideration by
Parlia!ent) the Jews !ade representations to the go6ern!ent in
the hopes of being incl'ded? b't the ti!e was inopport'ne) and
in fact before long the !eas're was itself dropped 4> This see!s
to ha6e con6inced the! that it was better to !a<e a preli!inary
e1peri!ent on a s!aller scale In #/3,) accordingly) a Bill 'for
nat"rali6ing persons professing the 1ewish religion in Ireland'
"where the di!in'ti6e settle!ent had beco!e yet s!aller in
recent years& was introd'ced to the Ho'se of Co!!ons in
:'blin) b't was thrown o't by the Bpper Ho'se by a single 6ote
In the following year it passed the Co!!ons 'nani!o'sly) and
was presented to the Aord Aie'tenant for trans!ission to
England Howe6er) thro'gh the infl'ence of the Pri!ate of
Ireland) it was dropped ='ietly in Co'ncil and ne6er recei6ed
royal assent 49
The !agnates of the Spanish and Port'g'ese co!!'nity in
Aondon an1io'sly watched these atte!pts) and after the second
fail're a'.ommittee of 7iligence'was appointed to see if anything
co'ld be done to forward the !atter There see!s to ha6e been
an 'lterior !oti6e for this eagerness In spite of a fa6o'rable
opinion e1pressed by the Attorney*7eneral in #/#$) a certain
ele!ent of do'bt pre6ailed as to whether the ac='isition by Jews
of co'ntry residences and estates) and e6en city freeholds) was
legally 6alid An Act of #/++) which added to -o!an Catholic
disabilities by enforcing the Oath of Ab>'ration on all
landowners) was followed the ne1t year by a f'rther !eas're "to
7eorge I) cap 3& e1e!pting Jews fro! the necessity of incl'ding
in it the words ;on the tr'e faith of a Christian;? and at the sa!e
period se6eral e!inent a'thorities e1pressed their opinion that
there was nothing in English law to pre6ent a nat'ral*born Jew
fro! owning real estate ;7 B't the ob6io's self*conscio'sness
on this point of the leaders of the Jewish co!!'nity and their
cha!pions reflects the 'ncertainty that still pre6ailed @hen
Sa!son 7ideon wished to ac='ire his co'ntry estate he
considered it safest to 6alidate his position by a special Act of
Parlia!ent) and there see!s to ha6e been a widespread desire
that the proble! sho'ld be finally cleared 'p) enabling English
Jews) both nati6e*born and otherwise) to ac='ire as well as to
inherit estates and freeholds on the sa!e ter!s as other
English!en ;1
This point was not stressed? tit'larly the intention was only to
facilitate nat'rali(ation The wealthy and pop'lar Joseph
Sal6ador "alias Joseph Jess'r'n -odrig'es& entered into to'ch
with the go6ern!ent on behalf of his co*religionists of the
Spanish and Port'g'ese co!!'nity ;5 "the Ash<ena(i!) poorer
for the !ost part) were not 6itally interested& Philip Carteret
@ebb) secretary of ban<r'pts in the Co'rt of Chancery) was
engaged to ad6ise and s'per6ise The Newcastle go6ern!ent on
its side showed itself war!ly sy!pathetic It was tr'e) of co'rse)
that to English 1enophobia the idea of nat'rali(ation on a large
scale was <nown to be distastef'l) e6en where ele!ents less
'npop'lar than the Jews were concerned Three ti!es since the
beginning of the cent'ry !eas'res had been bro'ght forward for
the nat'rali(ation of foreign Protestants? b't the >ealo'sy of the
Ch'rch and the City had been aro'sed) and they had been
dropped or repealed9in one instance after three years of legal
6alidity B't notwithstanding these precedents the proposals
were p'shed on
The Bill drawn 'p pro6ided si!ply that Jews who had been
resident in 7reat Britain or Ireland for three years !ight be
nat'rali(ed on application to Parlia!ent witho't ta<ing the
Sacra!ent The proposals were !ild and 'npro6ocati6e in the
e1tre!e9as Joseph Sal6ador had pointed o't fro! the
beginning) the e1pense of an Act of Parlia!ent wo'ld pre6ent the
poorer classes fro! being to'ched by the! one way or the other
Only the rich were affected) being p't on a position of e='ality
with the dependents who! they had sent o't to the @est Indies?
and) li<e all nat'rali(ed persons) they wo'ld still be 'nable to
beco!e !e!bers of the Pri6y Co'ncil or either Ho'se of
Parlia!ent) to obtain grants of crown lands) or to hold any office
of profit 'nder the Crown B't there was an incidental cla'se)
ostensibly discri!inatory) which prohibited Jews "whether
nati6e*born or foreign& fro! p'rchasing or inheriting ad6owsons
or presenting to any ecclesiastical benefice The right of
presentation went) of co'rse) with estatesD and this reser6ation
i!plicitly confir!ed the right of the Jews to hold land ;:
The Bill was introd'ced into the Ho'se of Aords on April Erd)
#/8E by Aord Halifa1) the'Father of the .olonies') then President
of the Board of Trade It was read three ti!es in rapid s'ccession)
and passed witho't a di6ision On April #/th it was read for the
first ti!e in the Ho'se of Co!!ons) where at the beginning it
appeared to ha6e the prospect of a si!ilar easy passage At the
second reading howe6er) on .ay /th) opposition began to
de6elop) led by a for!er Aord .ayor) Sir John Barnard) one of
the !e!bers for the City of Aondon and a personal ri6al of
Sa!son 7ideon The Ho'se was as<ed what cri!e the people of
the <ingdo! had co!!itted) that they sho'ld be depri6ed of
their birthright not only as English!en b't also as Christians It
was asserted that the Bill ga6e the lie to all the prophecies of the
New Testa!ent One !e!ber e6en s'ggested that) instead of
proceeding with the Bill) the Ho'se sho'ld appoint a secret
co!!ittee to in='ire by what right the Jews were tolerated in the
co'ntry at all Ne6ertheless the second reading passed by %8
6otes to #,
:'ring the following fortnight the f'rore increased) both in the
Ho'se and o'tside it The Tory and @hig oppositions >oined
hands) attac<ing the !eas're with co!petiti6e 6ir'lence
Petitions against the Bill po'red in) fro! conscience*stric<en
stoc<*>obbers and patriotic !erchants who had to !eet Jewish
co!petition The Aord .ayor of Aondon) Sir Crisp 7ascoigne)
presided o6er protest !eetings of Alder!en and Ai6ery!en) and
e1horted the citi(ens to resist this dangero's concession? while
the Co!!on Co'ncil deno'nced the !eas're as'tending greatly
to the dishono"r of the .hristian religion' @hen the Bill was
bro'ght 'p for its third reading on .ay ++nd) Aord Eg!ont
!o6ed the ad>o'rn!ent Had the Opposition e1erted all their
strength it is probable that they wo'ld ha6e carried the di6ision?
b't their political strategists rightly i!agined that the ='estion
wo'ld pro6e a !ore effecti6e weapon in the co'ntry if the Bill
were allowed to pass The !inority increased in n'!bers) in a
sparse Ho'se) fro! #, to 88) while the go6ern!ent s'pporters
re!ained 6irt'ally stationary at %, The Bill accordingly recei6ed
the royal assent and passed into law
Thereafter the str'ggle was transferred) o6er a period of nearly
si1 !onths) fro! @est!inster to the streets An agitation against
the ;Jew Bill; sprang 'p thro'gho't the co'ntry9in part
artificially sponsored by the opposition) in part a spontaneo's
e1pression of 1enophobia9which has few parallels in English
history The walls were plastered with the slogan) incongr'o'sly
co!bining two different antipathiesD'<o 1ews, no (ooden
Shoes'"the last being considered the characteristic footwear of
religio's ref'gees fro! 5rance& It was freely alleged that Jewish
gold and !inisterial treachery "the possibility of altr'istic action
was derided& had co!bined to corr'pt Parlia!ent The !e!ber
for E1eter was constrained to distrib'te papers to pro6e that he
obser6ed his Sabbath with other English!en) and therefore co'ld
not be serio'sly s'spected of clandestine adherence to J'dais!
The spirit'al peers who had s'pported the Bill were ro'ndly
acc'sed of deli6ering the Geys of the Ch'rch to those who had
!'rdered their Sa6io'r) and were hooted when they appeared in
p'blicD while the Bishop of Norwich was act'ally attac<ed by the
rabble in !ore than one part of his diocese when he went to
confir! 7rand >'ries) poc<et boro'ghs) and city !erchants
co!peted with one another in the e1tra6agance of the petitions
which they presented i!ploring that the !eas're sho'ld be
re6ersed? and the Corporation of -eading pathetically en>oined
its !e!bers to protect the British Constit'tion and the
protestant faith fro! Jewish !achinations E6ery constit'ency
reso'nded with anti*Jewish and anti*go6ern!ent slogans)
ranging fro! '.hristianity and :ld !ngland for !ver' in the
capital to '<o 1ews: .hristianity and the .onstit"tion; at Newton
in Aancashire Aspirant candidates for the forthco!ing general
election were considered only in relation to their cond'ct when
the Bill had been before Parlia!ent) a dar< co!ple1ion beco!ing
an ins'perable ob>ection Aadies; trin<ets were !ade in the shape
of crosses? hogs; p'ddings and por<*ban='ets 'ne1pectedly
beca!e patriotic fare? and 'no mass&ho"se, no conventicle, no
synagog"e: High .h"rch for ever' was the toast with which the
con6i6ialities closed Pro!inent Jews) s'ch as Sal6ador) were
booed when they were seen in the theatre) and forced to
withdraw The Archbishop of Canterb'ry) <indly disposed
towards the! as he was) feared a general !assacre ;4 Abo6e all)
the printing*presses were <ept b'sy t'rning o't pa!phlets)
s='ibs) ballads) and caricat'res? and !en li<e Jonas Hanway) the
tra6eller and philanthropist) and @illia! -o!aine) the
fashionable Aondon preacher) reinforced the ine6itable
;.hristian;)'$ritannia;) and ;Ti!othy Tell*Tr'th; in deno'ncing
the ad6ance on the path of toleration
The opposition ind'lged in l'dicro's e1aggeration All the old
anti*Jewish libels were re6i6ed) incl'ding the hac<neyed fable of
-it'al .'rder The Spanish laws against heretics were cited with
appro6al) and it was s'ggested that the inhabitants of those
co'ntries where the In='isition yet flo'rished wo'ld resent any
a!elioration in the treat!ent of those who! they b'rned so
conscientio'sly at ho!e) with disastro's res'lts to the English
e1port trade It was alleged that the ad!inistration had recei6ed
a bribe of half a !illion po'nds sterling as art ind'ce!ent to
bring in the ini='ito's !eas're One pa!phleteer) anticipating a
!ania of two cent'ries later) 'rged that passages glorifying the
Hebrews "s'ch as ': pray for the peace of 1er"salem'& sho'ld be
o!itted fro! the Psal!s Another paladin of orthodo1y
s'ggested that the Bill !ight be allowed to stand) with a si!ple
a!end!ent to the effect that baptis! sho'ld be a prere='isite of
nat'rali(ation Other opponents professed to belie6e that there
wo'ld be an enor!o's infl'1 of foreign Jews) who before long
wo'ld di6ide England a!ong their tribes as their ancestors had
the land of Canaan) p'rchase all the estates) infl'ence elections)
enter Parlia!ent) and aspire to e6en the highest offices The
constit'tion of Ch'rch and State wo'ld be endangered) they said?
J'dais! wo'ld spread? and the co'ntry at large wo'ld in6ite the
di6ine retrib'tion which is the penalty of national apostasy A
satirist pict'red9not witho't h'!o'r9the probable condition of
England a h'ndred years later) when St Pa'l;s wo'ld be a
synagog'e) persons with grotes='ely biblical na!es "s'ch as Sir
Nadab Issachar and the -ight Hono'rable the Earl of Balaa!& fill
the highest offices of state) trade be r'ined by the introd'ction of
a second Sabbath*day in e6ery wee<) the i!portation of por<
beco!e a penal offence) and a Bill for nat'rali(ing Christians be
re>ected with cont'!ely by the Sanhedrin Sc'rrilo's caricat'res
were sold in the streets) elaborating s'ch titles as '+he
.irc"mcised Gentiles, or a 1o"rney to 1er"salem; D ;The Jews;
Tri'!ph) and England;s fears set forth;) '+he 1ews shaving
*arliament, or the >nowing :nes ta#en in' And the ballad
writers fo'nd a s'perb opport'nityD
But, /ord, how sur3risAd when they heard o! the 'ews
*hat we were to be Serants to Circu4cisAd Jews,
*o be 'e0roes and Slaes instead o! *rue Blues,
?hich nobody can deny.
The opposition was not) of co'rse) allowed to ha6e the wordy
battle all its own way Se6eral pa!phleteers entered the lists on
behalf of the Jews9abo6e all Josiah T'c<er) later dean of
7lo'cester) the e!inent econo!ist and di6ine) whose wor< to
so!e e1tent anticipated Ada! S!ith;s So!e at least of the
clergy showed the!sel6es tolerant) and !o'nted the p'lpit in
defence of the 'npop'lar !eas're Of the newspapers) the
7eneral E6ening Post and the P'blic Ad6ertiser opened their
col'!ns to the 6oice of reason) in contrast to the sc'rrilities with
which the Gentle%an*s Maga7ine) the West%inster
Journal) and the London 4$ening -ost partic'larly
disting'ished the!sel6es The cha!pions of the Bill accent'ated
the econo!ic i!portance of the Jews and the benefits which they
wo'ld necessarily bring to any co'ntry in which they co'ld be
ind'ced to settle They referred to their patriotic action at the
ti!e of general panic when the Jo'ng Pretender was !arching
on Aondon eight years before) and their whole*hearted s'pport of
the Hano6erian dynasty both then and at other ti!es They
='oted fig'res indicating the !agnit'de of their fort'nes) the
scale of their charities) the !anner in which they had pro!oted
English e1ports and the benefits which they had bro'ght to the
A!erican plantations They insisted on their in6ariable practice
of s'pporting their own poor) who e6en in the e6ent of an
increase in n'!ber wo'ld be no b'rden 'pon the co'ntry They
inferred) not entirely witho't reason) that the opposition to so
sal'tary a refor! was d'e to the en6y of a coterie of Aondon
!erchants) who wished to !onopoli(e foreign trade) to the
!anifest disad6antage of the co'ntry at large One or two) who
approached the ='estion fro! an entirely different angle) went
on to s'ggest that the nat'rali(ation was a necessary prel'de to
the general con6ersion of the Jews) and e6en 'rged the
go6ern!ent) with arg'!ents c'rio'sly anticipatory of later
Oionis!) to lin< it 'p with their restoration to Palestine And a
co'ntry gentle!an) in his fle,ions "pon <at"rali6ation,
de6eloped Bacon;s arg'!ent) that in order to achie6e greatness
an e!pire !'st show itself willing to absorb other stoc<s B't
these tolerant 6oices were o6erwhel!ed by the n'!ber and
insistency of those which were raised on the other side To
cha!pion the Bill) !oreo6er) was not witho't its dangers) as :r
T'c<er fo'nd when he was attac<ed in the streets of Bristol by an
angry crowd which) disappointed at seeing hi! escape)
co!forted the!sel6es by b'rning hi! in effigy ;;
So 'ni6ersal an agitation) on the e6e of a general election) co'ld
not be o6erloo<ed The :'<e of Newcastle) whose agents <ept
hi! closely infor!ed of the state of p'blic opinion in the
constit'encies) feared that the res'lts !ight be really serio's?
and the go6ern!ent deter!ined 6ery rel'ctantly to bow to the
stor! which it had aro'sed On the opening day of the new
session "No6e!ber 8th&) the d'<e bro'ght forward a fresh Bill in
the Ho'se of Aords to repeal the 'npop'lar !eas're) in a speech
described by a conte!porary as being 'rather worse than "s"al'
He !aintained that the original proposals were wise and
beneficial) b't that the go6ern!ent had no choice b't to yield to
the cla!o'r raised by secret ene!ies of the dynasty and of the
Protestant Establish!ent The Bishops of O1ford and St Asaph
s'pported hi!) ad!itting sha!efacedly the necessity to bow to
'wea# and misg"ided consciences' Only Aord Te!ple raised his
6oice in 6iolent protest against this s'rrender) 'nder the
infl'ence of the p'blic news*sheets) to 'an "nchristian high
ch"rch spirit; Originally it was intended that the repealing
!eas're sho'ld co6er only that part of the original which
facilitated nat'rali(ation) lea6ing 'naffected the new stat'tory
prohibition of presenting to ad6owsons B't this wo'ld ha6e
i!plied that this right was possessed 'nder co!!on law) and in
conse='ence the repealing Bill was re6ised in Co!!ittee so as to
!a<e this pro6ision share the fate of the other cla'ses It was
read in the Aords for the third ti!e on No6e!ber ++nd) Te!ple
alone e1ercising his peer;s right of recording his dissent
In the Co!!ons) the ='estion had been bro'ght 'p by the
opposition witho't waiting for go6ern!ent action) Sir Ja!es
:ashwood !o6ing the consideration of repeal i!!ediately the
-eply to the -oyal Address had been appro6ed His !otion was
seconded fro! the go6ern!ent benches by Aord Par<er? b't by
this ti!e the new Bill had reached the Aower Ho'se A fierce
debate followed) the disc'ssion centring abo't the prea!ble)
which s'ggested that the repeal was d'e to factio's endea6o'rs
to aro'se discontent in the co'ntry Sir -oger Newdigate
proposed a less ob>ectionable alternati6e? b't after a debate in
which @illia! Pitt conde!ned the persec'ting spirit) and
Ad!iral 0ernon praised the (eal of the co'ntry c'rates who had
sa6ed the co'ntry fro! being betrayed by the bishops) the
a!end!ent was defeated by ##E 6otes to #E The repealing Bill
was then passed 'nani!o'sly thro'gh the Ho'se) recei6ing the
royal assent on :ece!ber #2th) #/8E
5l'shed by this s'ccess the opposition deter!ined to carry its
ad6antage f'rther) in a fran<ly anti*Se!itic spirit I!!ediately
the Bill had passed thro'gh the Co!!ons) an atte!pt was !ade
to effect also the repeal of the Act of #/32) which facilitated the
nat'rali(ation of Jews in the plantations B't by this ti!e
pop'lar interest had waned) and Parlia!ent showed its
deter!ination not to e!bar< on a progra!!e of persec'tion by
re>ecting the proposals) in a Ho'se nearly twice as n'!ero's as
had di6ided on any pre6io's occasion d'ring the contro6ersy) by
+2$ 6otes to $$ ;<
The altercation was o6er) and with it one of the strangest
episodes of English history of the eighteenth cent'ry) which) li<e
the Sache6erell Case or the 7ordon -iots) showed how near the
s'rface the old religio's e1cite!ents still s'rged 5or nearly
three*='arters of a cent'ry the diffic'lties in the way of
nat'rali(ation of foreign*born Jews re!ained) and those who
wished to beco!e British s'b>ects had to choose the cl'!sy
!ethod of endeni(ation B't sa6e for this it is c'rio's how little
end'ring was the o'tco!e One of the !ost re!ar<able) !ost
'ni6ersal) and !ost fa!o's of all pop'lar agitations of the day
died down as s'ddenly and as co!pletely as it had beg'n It had
left behind it no ranco'r? indeed) one of the strangest feat'res
abo't the entire episode is that) notwithstanding the !anner in
which feeling was e1cited) there was hardly any physical 6iolence
9a fact which de!onstrates its artificial nat're And) tho'gh the
res'lts !ay ha6e dashed the hopes of so!e of the 'pper class for
any s'bstantial relief fro! the disabilities fro! which they
s'ffered "it was se6enty years before the Jews again recei6ed
specific !ention in any Act of Parlia!ent&) the lasting effects
were insignificant ;=
%ootnotes
Chapter %
# 5or an e1planation of this ter!) see abo6e) p #E,) note #
+ Cf the con6ersionist acco'nts "largely a'tobiographical&
in Bibl B, E$* 3$) Hc
E The continental bac<gro'nd of the new settle!ent in
England is 6i6idly ill'strated in the .e!oirs of 7l'c<el
6on Ha!eln and of Jacob E!den) both of who! gi6e
inti!ate details of Ha!b'rg fa!ilies !e!bers of which *
!ainly ge! dealers * settled in Aondon) and in so!e
instances an acco'nt of their b'siness transactions Th's
the Norden fa!ily !ade its fort'ne by sec'ring the agency
for the sale of the newly disco6ered Bra(ilian dia!onds)
not yet placed openly 'pon the !ar<et
4. Bibl A to #E# and scattered !aterials penes me
5. A 6isitor to Aondon in Jan'ary) #,%2) !entions that the
Aondon Jews had three synagog'es ;b't cannot contain
the! all; "Nor!an C Brett*Ja!es) The Gro#th of
!tuart London) Aondon) #%E8) p 8#2&
, 5or the history of the earliest Ash<ena(i synagog'e in
Aondon see Bibl AB 3$*82) /3) and a forthco!ing wor<
by the present writer
/ The first too< place as early as #/2,) when in conse='ence
of an internal disp'te there was established the ;Ha!bro;
Synagog'e) so called beca'se of the place of origin of its
original !e!bers "A pre6io's atte!pt at secession) two
years earlier) had been s'ppressed by the City a'thorities
on the petition of the two e1isting congregations& After
the for!ation of the new co!!'nity the original body)
which was to play a partic'larly i!portant part in Anglo*
Jewish life) beca!e <nown as the ;7reat Synagog'e;
$ .isc JHSE iii # s== 5ro! the !iddle of the cent'ry
5riendly Societies on the English !odel began to !a<e
their appearanceD ibid ii %2*$
% H.C) Portland) 6 ,2+? J P .alcol!) .anners and
C'sto!s of Aondon d'ring the Eighteenth Cent'ry
"Aondon) #$#2&) pp #82*E) reprod'cing a conte!porary
newspaper acco'nt
#2 .onthly -e6iew) #/,E) p 8/2
## The records of the Aondon and pro6incial synagog'es
fre='ently indicate the place of origin of the !e!bers) and
!a<e this generali(ation possibleD see below) p ++%) and
Trs JHS E 1iii) #,,*/) #$+*E
#+ See Note I4 "a&) p +$3
#E See Note I4 "b&) pp +$3*8
#3 Cf abo6e all the 6erse translation of the Psal!s) Espe>o
5iel de 0idas) by :aniel Israel Aope( Aag'na) p'blished in
Aondon in #/+2 with co!!endatory poe!s by local
litterate'rs9so!e in English
#8 Th's when the disting'ished e1*.arrano physician "not
-abbi) as in the :ictionary of National Biography& Jacob
de Castro Sar!ento was proposed as a 5ellow of the -oyal
Society) it was tho'ght necessary to circ'late a broadside
e1onerating hi! fro! the charge of ha6ing betrayed
certain persons in Port'gal to the Holy Office "Bib; B8
$&
#, -oth) History of the .arranos) pp E3/*$? Bibl B3 /*%
Aea) In='isition in Spain) iii +$8) associates the Noticias
only with Antonio 0ieira) the fa!o's Port'g'ese Jes'it
B't that Nieto had a hand at least in the p'blication is
pro6ed by the fact that this title fig'res) with those of the
6ario's wor<s fro! his pen) in the bac<gro'nd of a
conte!porary portrait painted by the Jewish artist :
Este6ens) engra6ed by .cArdell "see also abo6e) p #$8&
#/ P'b A! JHS i 8 s==) 1 ,8 s==
#$ IbidD B El(as) Jews of So'th Carolina "Philadelphia)
#%28&
#% Picciotto) S<etches) p #8E /,2
+2Henri='es) op cit) pp %*#2 Bad feeling contin'ed
ne6ertheless for so!e ti!eD B. -ecords) i E8
+# The alleged atte!pt against so!e !e!bers of the
co!!'nity in #/3/*$ "-'bens) Anglo*Jewish Portraits)
pp i #%*+o& was hardly serio's On J'ne 3th) #/,E)
howe6er) the disco6ery of a Jew pic<ing poc<ets on Tower
Hill led to an attac< by a !ob of half dr'n<en sailors on
:'<e;s Place) where ho'se after ho'se was sac<ed In #//#
the Chelsea .'rders "infra) p +EE& ca'sed another 'gly
o'tb'rst of feeling
++ Henri='es) op cit) pp #%*+3 "Cases of :a Costa 6 :e
Pa() #/33) and Isaac 6 7o!pert() #/$E*, B't the latter
see!s to ha6e been an isolated case) as the Aondon
synagog'es were in fact beneficiaries 'nder !any
eighteenth*cent'ry wills&
+E - Sey!o'r) S'r6ey of Aondon) iii 32$ On the other hand
an 'ns'ccessf'l atte!pt was !ade in #/E2 to ha6e the
n'!ber of Jew Bro<ers increased "B. -ecords) i E8&
+3 Apsley Pellatt) Brief .e!oir of the Jews "Aondon) #$+%&)
p +2#
+8 B. -ecords) i E,*/? Co'rt of Alder!en -epertories)
5ebr'ary #/E/) .arch +nd) #/E/? Henri='es) op cit) p
#%%? @olf) Essays) p #+$? Picciotto) S<etches) p EE,
+, Bibl BE % The state!ent often !ade that Anthony da
Costa "and Sa!son 7ideon after hi!& was a :irector of
the Ban< of England is incorrect) as his na!e does not
fig're in the official records B't the report goes bac< to
the beginning of the nineteenth cent'ry) and he !ay ha6e
been an 'nofficial ad6iser The first "and 'p to the present
the only& Jewish :irector of the Ban< was Alfred de
-othschild) #$,$*$%
+/ A C @ood) History of the Ae6ant Co!pany "O1ford)
8%E8&) pp #88*,) +#8? Aondon .aga(ine) #/38) pp 8+#*E2
+$Bibl BE 8*,? Trs JHSE 1i #%2*+28 A few years later a
wo'ld*be Jacobite agent entered into negotiations with
so!e wealthy Jews in Aondon and the Hag'e with the
ob>ect of bringing abo't a fall in English stoc<s and
incidentally !a<ing a profit for the shadow co'rt of St
7er!aine "A and H Taylor) St'art Papers) Aondon) #%E%)
pp /,*/&) and @alpole is said to ha6e threatened condign
p'nish!ent "H.C Portland) 6ii 3#,*#$&
+% Considerations on the Bill to per!it persons professing
the Jewish religion to be nat'rali(ed "Aondon) #/8E&) pp
3#*+ ? J 5rancis) Chronicles and Characters of the Stoc<
E1change) pp $$ s==? B. -ecords) i E$*%) 3E In the
following year Jews fig'red a!ong the body of !erchants
who ad6anced the go6ern!ent K+)222)222 at a day;s
notice to !eet the e1igencies of the war
E2Picciotto) S<etches) pp %E*,) #88*,)#,+*E) Hc? Bibl A#2
82a "Addenda&
E# Bibl $3*8? P'b A! JHS 1116 +/*E/? Ann'al -egister)
#/8$? a'to biographical s<etch in B. -ecords) i 3+*3
That 7ideon ad6ised @alpole in the financial !eas'res to
be ta<en at the ti!e of the b'rsting of the So'th Sea
B'bble in #/+o) tho'gh stated on al!ost conte!porary
a'thority) is i!probable) as he was not born 'ntil #,%%)
and does not !ention it hi!self
E+ J T'c<er) Second Aetter concerning Nat'rali(ations
"#/8E&) p +#? 7 B Hert() British I!perialis! in the #$th
Cent'ry "Aondon) #%2$&) p $g? Picciotto) S<etches) p %E
Of /, ins'rance*bro<ers for who! @illia! Bra'nd
'nderwrote at this period twel6e were Jews "all
Sephardi!&D see the list in A S S'therland) A Aondon
.erchant) #,%8*#//3 "O1ford) #%EE&) pp #3#*$
EE British .aga(ine) .arch #/,#? Bibl B+2 #8? H @alpole)
-eign of 7eorge II) ii E2#*+
E3 - Stra'ss) Aloyd;s "Aondon) #%E/&) pp 8/*$
E8 Bibl A#2 +E#
E, Bibl A o) passi!) and :ictionary of National Biography)
s'b 6otes? Anglo*Jewish Aetters) pp #28*83) #++*E) #E+*E)
Hc? @alpole) Aetters) ed Toynbee) i1 33*8) 1ii E2,) 1iii
E8E? Cobbett) .e!orials of Twic<enha!) pp #$3) EE$*%
One of .oses .endes;s sons "who adopted their !other;s
na!e& was father of Sir 5rancis Bond Head) who as
lie'tenant*go6ernor s'ppressed the rising of #$E/*$ in
Bpper Canada
E/ :ictionary of National Biography) s6 Scho!berg
E$ eg Aife and Acts of Ed!'nd 7rindal "#/+2&? Anson;s
0oyage ro'nd the @orld "#/3$&
E% Aec<y) History of England) ii #/,
32A :obson) Eighteenth*Cent'ry 0ignettes) ii +/2
3# ;7a!aliel ben Pedah('r; "FAbraha! .ears&) -eligion)
Cere!onies and Prayers of the Jews "Aondon) #/E$& pp
,#*+? Trs JHSE 1iii E+%? .isc JHSE ii /? Picciotto)
S<etches) pp //*$? Bibl BE ##) A#2 +/3 Cf also the
r'naway !atch ill'strated in Anglo*Jewish Aetters) pp
#/o*,) and Bibl B8##
3+ Picciotto) S<etches) pp %8*,
3E Ibid) p //
33 Ibid) pp #,3*$? Blbl Ag #E3) #E8) B t #+%
38 Bibl A/ 33? S H Aieben in Jahrb'ch der 7esellschaft f'r
7eschichte der J'den in der tschechoslo6a<ischen
-ep'bli<) i6 "#%E+&) pp E8E*3/%
3, Bibl B# 33*, In fact) Toland;s plea applied only by
i!plication to the re!o6al of Jewish disabilities
3/ P'b A! JHS i %E*$
3$Considerations on the Bill "#/8E&) p +E The general
attit'de at the ti!e is ill'strated by a satirical s'ggestion
of #/3$ that the scope of the nat'rali(ation sho'ld be
e1tended to ;all wandering 7ypsies) Tartars) Persians)
Chinese) Indians [and\ partic'larly the Jews; "Bibl B# 8/&
3% A letter of the Pri!ate to Aord 7eorge Sac<6ille of Jan'ary
#$rh) #/3/*$) in H.C) i6) App i +%% ".SS of Earl de la
@arr&) e1plains this c'rio's "and hitherto 'ne1plained&
tergi6ersation 5or the Irish Nat'rali(ation Bill) see
Picciotto) S<etches) pp ##3*#8) B . -ecords i E%? and
Trs JHSE 6 +E,*$ Another Jewish Nat'rali(ation Bill
was 'nder disc'ssion in Ireland in #/$o "5ree!an;s
Jo'rnal) .arch +Erd) #/$2&) b't it ca!e to nothing The
fact that the Jews were e1pressly e1cepted fro! the
pro6isions of the Irish Nat'rali(ation Act of #/$E shows to
what an e1tent pre>'dice contin'ed
82 The I'estion whether a Jew) Hc "Aondon #/8E? Bibl BA
##3&) pp 3E*,? Henri='es) op cit) pp #/#)+3# The
!eas're of #/+E is the first in which Jews are referred to
as English s'b>ects The pop'lar feeling at the ti!e see!s
to be reflected in a letter of @illia! Stratford) canon of
Christch'rch) to Edward Harley ".arch #gth) #/+E*3&D ;@e
hear that by the help of A'nn) the Jews ha6e carried it
against Jes's Christ; "H.C) Portland .SS) 6ii E//&
8# An ele!ent of do'bt had apparently been added by the
p'blication of To6ey in #/E$ in his Anglia J'daica of
Henry III;s pre6io'sly 'n<nown stat'te of #+/# prohibiting
Jews fro! holding freeholdsD s'pra) p ,,
8+ Cf his !e!orand'! of Jan'ary #3th) #/8E) fro! the
Newcastle Papers) in Anglo*Jewish Aetters) pp #+$*E2
8E The significance of the Nat'rali(ation Bill is generally
!is'nderstood) !any writers i!agining that it conferred
the rights of British s'b>ects on the Jews of the co'ntry as
a whole) and relie6ed the! of religio's disabilities In fact)
in its !ain cla'ses it only affected foreign Jews) whose
nat'rali(ation it facilitated) to'ching the nati6e*born
"already British s'b>ects& only incidentally and in a !inor
degree
83 H .aty;s New -e6iew) i "#/$+&) p +3# ;The world will not
hear it [tr'th\) and the proof is 6ery e6ident fro! this
abo!inable spirit that rages against the Jews I e1pect in a
little ti!e they will be !assacred @e are now treating
the Jews >'st as the .oha!!edans treat the Christians;
88 Bpwards of si1ty pa!phlets on the Jew Bill are listed in
Bibl B# ,2*#+3) and thirty satirical prints in Trs JHSE
6i + # ,*E E The !ass of propaganda was swollen by a
spate of p'blications regarding two recent ca'ses celebres*
one "Bibl BE #8*+#& occasioned by the ad6ent'res in
Paris of a nephew of Sa!son 7ideon with Edward @ortley
.ontag') the other "Bibl BE ++*,& by the diffic'lties of a
foreign Jewish pedlar
8, See Note I4 "c&) p +$8
8/ See Note I4 "d&) p +$8
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter #2
*he Rei0n o! 1eor0e III
1=<7-1>1;
The beginning of the long reign of 7eorge III) in which Anglo*
Jewry was to witness the dawn tho'gh not the f'lfil!ent of a new
era) was !ar<ed by an inno6ation which 'lti!ately was to pro6e
e1ceptionally i!portant The recent political pre*occ'pations had
not fo'nd the co!!'nity entirely 'nprepared 5or so!e while
past "perhaps in i!itation of the :ep'ties appointed to protect
the ci6il rights of the Protestant :issenters) who first !et in #/E/&
the Spanish and Port'g'ese co!!'nity had no!inated fro!
ti!e to ti!e its dep"tados to watch o6er political de6elop!ents
that !ight affect the!) and to approach the go6ern!ent on its
behalf sho'ld it be tho'ght necessary One s'ch election was
!ade) as we ha6e seen) when the Irish Nat'rali(ation Bill was
'nder disc'ssion 1 Si!ilarly) on the accession of 7eorge III) in
#/,2) a standing co!!ittee was appointed to e1press ho!age
and de6otion to the new so6ereign and thereafter to deal with any
'rgent political !atters that !ight arise Its i!!ediate f'nctions
were satisfactorily perfor!ed B't a co'ple of wee<s later) the
sister*co!!'nities following the Ash<ena(i rite presented a
for!al protest against their neglect on so i!portant an occasion
and no!inated their own ;7er!an Secret Co!!ittee for P'blic
Affairs; to act for the! in a si!ilar capacity It was prepostero's
for two s'ch bodies to carry on independent acti6ities? and
towards the end of the year a !otion was passed by the
7ep"tados to the effect that) when any p'blic affair sho'ld offer
that !ight interest the two ;Nations;) they wo'ld ;co!!'nicate to
the Co!!ittee of the :'tch Jews; Synagog'es; what they tho'ght
proper to be done Thereafter >oint !eetings sporadically too<
place This was the beginning of the Aondon Co!!ittee of
:ep'ties of British Jews "!ore co!!only <nown today as the
Board of :ep'ties& whose f'nctions) tho'gh for!al and
inter!ittent 'ntil the end of the reign) were to attain
considerable i!portance) and e6en stat'tory recognition) in the
co'rse of the nineteenth cent'ry 5
@hen the :ep'ties perfor!ed their first f'nction at the close of
#/,2 they acted in the na!e of a co!!'nity esti!ated to
n'!ber between ,)222 and $)222) the o6erwhel!ing !a>ority of
who! li6ed in AondonD their n'!ber ha6ing increased twel6efold
since the 7lorio's -e6ol'tion se6enty years before : A ='arter
perhaps of the total) co!prising) howe6er) a !a>ority of the !ore
anglici(ed as well as of the well*to*do) belonged to the Spanish
and Port'g'ese ele!entD the Ash<ena(i!) tho'gh !ore
n'!ero's) were on the whole less assi!ilated) and "with so!e
brilliant e1ceptions& belonged to a lower social strat'! B't) on
e6ery section) the ale!bic of English tolerance was wor<ing with
re!ar<able speed and with an efficacy which) fro! the sectarian
point of 6iew) was only too co!plete Not only was this the case
with the nati6e*born 'pper class) in who! the process was !ore
notorio's) b't with their !ore !odest associates as well An
i!!igrant fro! Silesia who at the o'tset of his career
corresponded with his parents in J'daeo 7er!an and was
an1io's for the welfare of the religio's instit'tions of his
birthplace) co'ld de6elop within twenty years into a staid British
!erchant) with his sons !arried to English girls9one a sea*
captain and another in the colonial ser6ice) and :estined to be
b'ried in Bath Abbey 4 So) too "as we ha6e seen& the sons of a
Aondon synagog'e f'nctionary) all born in 7er!any) co'ld lose
to'ch with their co*religionists and enter English life as
playwrights) a'thors) physicians) and e6en na6al officers ; This
process was partially co!pensated by a !odest tho'gh
'n!ista<able tric<le of proselyti(ation) stren'o'sly co!bated by
the ner6o's co!!'nal leaders) which was to c'l!inate !ost
e!barrassingly) notwithstanding their opposition) in the
prepostero's episode of the con6ersion to J'dais! of the
erstwhile Protestant cha!pion) Aord 7eorge 7ordon in #/$/ <
The change in senti!ent was assisted by the spread of 5ree*
!asonry "in the English Aodges of which Jews held high office as
early as #/E+& which inc'lcated a genero's degree of
tolerance = The !ystical aberrations of the !o6e!ent were
strongly attracted to Jewish e1ponents of the occ'lt) with res'lts
which were not witho't their i!portance in social history Th's
the notorio's practical cabbalist and 'master of the 7ivine
<ame') :r Sa!'el de 5al< was waited on by English and 5rench
nobles) fro! the :'c d;Orleans downwards) at his ho'se in
@ellclose S='are > 7reater heights still were reached by the
globe*trotting ad6ent'rer) Si!on 6on 7eldern) 7reat 'ncle of
Heinrich Heine) who was one day fo'nd by Prince 7eorge of
:ar!stadt playing pi='et with Their .a>esties in St Ja!es;s
Palace 9
The process of assi!ilation was ill'strated by the growing 'se of
English in the co!!'nal life) for p'rposes for which Spanish or
J'daeo*7er!an had pre6io'sly been considered indispensable
In #/E8 it was at last incl'ded in the c'rric'l'! of the p'blic
school of the Sephardi co!!'nity 5ro! the close of the reign of
7eorge II ser!ons and special orders of ser6ice fre='ently
appeared in English translation) tho'gh the originals were in
Hebrew or one of the other of the se!i*sacred tong'es P'rblind
a'thorities long opposed the p'blication of the prayer*boo< in
English) b't in #//2 this inhibition was raised 17 5ro! the last
decade of the cent'ry the !in'tes or 6ario's co!!'nal
organi(ations also began to be <ept in the 6ernac'lar
Notwithstanding the rapidity of this process of accli!ati(ation)
the foreign character of the co!!'nity was !aintained by the
contin'o's infl'1 fro! abroad A spirit of restlessness was
per6ading the Jewish world :isco!forts in 7er!any) wars in
central E'rope) e1p'lsion in Bohe!ia) !assacres in Poland) petty
persec'tions elsewhere) co!bined with the gla!o'r of a new
field of opport'nity to foster !igration Continental Jewries
heard of the golden opport'nities which England pro6ided) and
their scions went forth in an 'nending strea! to try their fort'ne
on the other side of the North Sea And) once a settler had
established hi!self) his yo'nger brothers or other conne1ions
wo'ld co!e to >oin hi!
Aondon was still the principal !agnet) as the constant increase of
its synagogal acco!!odation d'ring the second half of the
eighteenth cent'ry elo='ently de!onstrated 11 Owing to the
restrictions i!posed here on Jews the newco!ers tended to
establish the!sel6es o'tside the City bo'ndaries9in the East
End near the original settle!ent) and to a s!aller e1tent in the
@est beyond Te!ple Bar The well*to*do engaged li<e their
prec'rsors in wholesale co!!erce) bro<erage) stoc<*>obbing) and
trade in precio's stones 15 Then ca!e a !iddle class of
shop<eepers) sil6ers!iths) and watch!a<ers Aower down in the
social scale were the artisans9pencil*!a<ers) tailors) hatters)
e!broiderers) glass*engra6ers) dia!ond*polishers) nec<lace*
!a<ers) and so on 1: B't abo6e all) the new arri6als t'rned their
attention to two branches of acti6ity which had been forced 'pon
the! by the restrictions against trade and !an'fact're which
pre6ailed e6erywhere on the Continent) and which) !oreo6er)
re='ired neither training nor capital9trading in old clothes) and
peddling
It was an econo!ic f'nction of so!e i!portance that they filled
In the days before cheap tailoring "introd'ced by Jews in the
nineteenth cent'ry& it was o't of the ='estion for the labo'rer to
p'rchase a new s'it of clothes at inter6als? he had to content
hi!self with the cast*off gar!ents of the wealthier classes E6ery
street) lane or alley in or near the .etropolis was patrolled by
so!e itinerant Jewish haw<er) long*bearded and spea<ing a
barbaro'sly !'tilated English) prepared to p'rchase second*
hand wear) battered hats) hare and rabbit s<ins) old glass) bro<en
!etal) and al!ost e6ery other concei6able article of ho'sehold or
personal 'se discarded by tidy ho'sewi6es 14 It was the
!ainstay of a 6ery large proportion of the co!!'nity9according
to one caref'l a'thority) at the end of the cent'ry there were
#)822 Jewish old*clothes !en in Aondon alone -ag 5air) or
-ose!ary Aane) near the Tower of Aondon) beca!e the !ost
pop'lo's) tho'gh far fro! the !ost sal'brio's) part of Aondon;s
7hetto Hither) the cast*off clothing of the 'pper classes)
p'rchased after !'ch haggling in the areas of @est!inster and
St Ja!es;s) was bro'ght to be reconditioned by the dar<*eyed
da'ghters of J'dah) who were fa!o's as needle*wo!en Then it
wo'ld set o't on its tra6els again) to ret'rn at inter6als) 'ntil the
odyssey was ended as dirty rag to be p'lped into paper 1;
Hardly less distincti6e than the old*clothes !en were the pedlars)
who needed no shops and therefore co'ld trade) e6en in Aondon)
witho't interference They were enco'raged !oreo6er by the
synagogal !agnates) who) with practical bene6olence) did
whate6er was possible to place their indigent co*religionists)
newly arri6ed fro! abroad) in a position to s'pport the!sel6es)
and ad6anced the! s'fficient capital to begin their operations
The orange !en who paraded the Aondon streets) the trin<et
sellers who te!pted the ser6ant girls with ho!e*!ade nec<laces
and finery) the haw<ers who in6eigled schoolboys with pencils
and toys) were generally Jews "Aong after) it was fro! a Jewish
lad in the City that Castlereagh bo'ght the <nife with which he
co!!itted s'icide&
Before long the haw<ers fo'nd co!petition in Aondon too great)
and began to p'sh farther afield Already in the first half of the
eighteenth cent'ry the Jew pedlar was a fa!iliar fig're in the
co'ntryside He filled an i!portant gap in the !echanis! of
distrib'tion) bringing the a!enities of life within the reach of the
isolated r'ral pop'lation) to who! they had hitherto been rarely
accessible @e see hi! in inn'!erable s<etches) cera!ics)
caricat'res) engra6ings) and gro'ps He is fore!ost of the !otley
co!pany shown >ostling one another at the door of a wayside inn)
in -owlandson;s e1pressi6e caricat're) Bnloading a wagon
s'spended fro! his bac< is his pac<) ready to be sw'ng ro'nd
sho'ld a potential client appear One can i!agine its contents9
b'c<les) c'tlery) watches) lace) tobacco) sealing*wa1) toys) and
spectacles) with a selection of trin<ets and >ewellery to da((le the
eyes of the r'stic bea'ties @ith the inn as his head='arters he
will co!!ence his circ'!a!b'lation of the co'ntryside)
peddling his wares fro! door to door in the 6illages) p'shing his
way to the re!otest cottage and far!ho'se) and !a<ing hi!self
'nderstood in the 'ni6ersal lang'age of bargaining
notwithstanding his ignorance of all b't the 6ag'est r'di!ents of
the English lang'age The calling was not witho't its dangersD the
lonely Jew) with his b'rden of 6al'ables) partly con6erted into
!oney) was so!eti!es an irresistible te!ptation to foot*pads)
and the baiting of these lonely strangers was a fa6o'rite r'ral
sport B't there were few alternati6e 6ocations) and the n'!ber
of those th's engaged rapidly grew It was th's that r'ral
England beca!e reac='ainted with the Jew 1<
In those days of slow co!!'nication it was necessary for the
pedlars to ha6e so!e centre fro! which they co'ld operate
Hence agglo!erations) which grad'ally de6eloped into
established co!!'nities) grew 'p 1= thro'gho't the co'ntry) at
the !ore i!portant pro6incial centres) !ar<et*towns) and
especially seaports) where the sailors constit'ted a reg'lar and
open*handed clientele The largest and oldest) probably) o'tside
Aondon was that of Ports!o'th) established in #/3/ 'nder the
a'spices of a prospero's seal*c'tter and engra6er In the sa!e
year the co!!'nity at Ging;s Aynn recei6ed a r'di!entary
organi(ation In Bristol a congregation was in e1istence in #/83
The earliest synagog'e at Ply!o'th "where are !entioned as far
bac< as #/32& dates to abo't two years earlier The
congregational b'rial*gro'nd was p'rchased at Canterb'ry in
#/,2) and the synagog'e b'ilt in #/,E By the year of @aterloo
co!!'nities e1isted) not only at the places >'st na!ed) b't also
at Ai6erpool "#/82&) E1eter "#/,E&) 5al!o'th "#/,,&) .anchester
"#//2&) Bir!ingha! "#//2&) Chatha! "#/$2&) Sheffield "#/%2&)
Ipswich "#/%+&) Bedford "#$2E&) as well as Norwich) Sheerness)
Swansea) 7lo'cester) Bath) Co6entry) Brighton) Pen(ance) :o6er)
H'll) Jar!o'th and perhaps so!e other places 1> In addition
indi6id'als or fa!ilies were to be fo'nd in al!ost e6ery town of
any i!portance) at least in the so'th of the co'ntry 19 The !ore
wealthy traders in the seaport towns beca!e ship;s agents? for
the captain of e6ery 6essel in the Ser6ice had to chose so!e
person to act in this capacity for a period of three years) and
so!e twenty*fi6e per cent appointed Jews The official lists of
na6y agents at the ti!e of the Napoleonic wars are th's al!ost a
directory of the Jewish co!!'nities of the period 57 Typical
probably was the str'ct're of the Ply!o'th congregation Here
there had been in #/32 two dealers in na6al stores) two
sil6ers!iths) a grocer) a general !erchant) and a slop*seller 5ifty
years later) when a ret'rn was re='ired at the ti!e of the war
with 5rance) the co!!'nity incl'ded 8/ !ale aliens) !ostly of
7er!an origin "only si1 ha6ing been born in Poland) fi6e in
Bohe!ia) and fo'r in Holland& Their ports of arri6al had been
Harwich) :o6er) 7ra6esend) and Aondon? and !any had li6ed in
Aondon or other places in the so'thern co'nties before settling in
Ply!o'th Twel6e of the! were sil6ers!iths) incl'ding
assistants? nine were chap!en and petty traders? eight old*
clothes !en? the re!ainder were opticians) cap!a<ers)
'!brella!a<ers) pen c'tters) Hc 51 At the close of the
Napoleonic wars) this co!!'nity incl'ded abo't thirty licensed
na6y agents
The Jews of the organi(ed pro6incial centres affiliated the!sel6es
at the o'tset with one of the Aondon con6enticlers9generally the
7reat Synagog'e9where probably they attended ser6ice on the
!ore sole!n occasions of the Jewish year if they were 'nable to
!a<e pro6ision nearer ho!e E6en after the local congregations
had been organi(ed "often on the !odel of the parent*body&) this
senti!ental allegiance contin'ed Abo6e all) the pro6incial
co!!'nities) in which scholarship was at a pre!i'!) loo<ed for
g'idance to the Aondon -abbinate Hence the -abbi of the 7reat
Synagog'e was 6enerated by Jews thro'gho't England as their
spirit'al head) or rather intellect'al g'ide This was the case
already at the close of the long period of office "c #/23*8,& of
-abbi Aaron Hart) brother of .oses Hart) d'ring whose
inc'!bency the congregation had grown fro! an inconsiderable
handf'l to an infl'ential body B't 'nder -abbi :a6id Te6ele
Schiff "#/,8*%+& the hege!ony of the 7reat Synagog'e and its
-abbinate was threatened) a considerable part of the Ports!o'th
co!!'nity desiring to affiliate the!sel6es to the Ha!bro;
Synagog'e in Aondon and its -abbi There was a long and bitter
disp'te) which 'lti!ately res'lted not only in the acceptance of
Schiff;s s'pre!acy b't in its confir!ation on ter!s caref'lly
for!'lated and accepted by both sides 5ro! this ti!e onwards
the spirit'al head of the 7reat Synagog'e was recogni(ed as the
principal) or ;Chief;) -abbi "or) to 'se the eighteenth*cent'ry
ter!) ;High Priest;& of the Jews not only thro'gho't England) b't
'lti!ately thro'gho't the E!pire 55
@hile the ;7er!an; co!!'nity was being recr'ited constantly
fro! abroad) and establishing offshoots thro'gho't the co'ntry)
the older body was in a different position The grad'al rela1ation
of the 6igilance of the In='isition) co'pled with the decreasing
enterprise of its 6icti!s) res'lted in a progressi6e dwindling of
i!!igration A<a the Aisbon Earth='a<e of #/88 there was
indeed a final stirring of conscio'sness on the part of the
Port'g'ese .arranos) !o6ed profo'ndly by that terrible
cataclys!? and a n'!ber fo'nd their way to Aondon Not long
after) with the refor!s of Po!bal) the In='isition of Port'gal lost
its power) while that of Spain beca!e less acti6e for want of
h'!an !aterial Hence the tide of i!!igration grad'ally ceased
Howe6er) as late as #/%8) !any !e!bers of the Spanish and
Port'g'ese congregation) in their Aliens Certificates) ga6e flight
fro! the In='isition as the reason for their co!ing to England?
and one added the tragic detail that his !other had been b'rned
by the Holy Office 5:
The s'spension of .arrano i!!igration was partially
co!pensated fro! other ='arters The synagog'e was constantly
reinforced fro! the !other*co!!'nity of A!sterda!) with
which !ost of its !e!bers had inti!ate fa!ily relations) as well
as by Jewish ;Caribees; of si!ilar origin who had !ade their
fort'ne in the @est Indies B't other ele!ents) too) had by now
co!e into e6idence One of the leading co!!'nities of the
.arrano diaspora was that of Aeghorn) which had been raised
fro! a fishing*6illage to one of the !ost i!portant seaports of
the .editerranean by the acti6ity of the New Christians in6ited
thither by the 7rand :'<e 5erdinando in #8%E This city was the
head='arters of the coral trade) largely in Jewish hands The
principal o'tlet for this co!!odity was India) to which co'ntry it
was e1ported 6ia Aondon and A!sterda! by Jewish ge!*
!erchants) in ret'rn for precio's stones In conne1ion with this
trade the 0enetian trading* and ban<ing*ho'se of Tre6es
established a branch in Aondon at the beginning of the
eighteenth cent'ry) and a strea! of Jewish i!!igrants ca!e at
their heels In #/,%) o't of si1teen Aondon ho'ses engaged in the
coral ind'stry who petitioned the :irectors of the East India
Co!pany) eight were Jewish Pro!inent a!ong the! was the
fir! of 5ranco) ancestors of Aords A'dlow and -oboro'gh) and
Ben>a!in d;Israeli) 7randfather of the prophet of British
conser6atis! 54
Another staple i!port fro! Italy was the straw bonnet)
associated with the na!e of Aeghorn) which beca!e pop'lar in
England owing to the patronage of the bea'tif'l .isses 7'nning
This ind'stry was responsible for another s!all wa6e of
i!!igration) which enriched English life with fa!ilies of the
calibre of the .ontefiores By the !iddle of the eighteenth
cent'ry) hardly a single i!portant Italian Jewish co!!'nity
lac<ed its representati6e in Aondon Here they attached
the!sel6es "no !atter what synagogal rite they had followed at
ho!e& to the once*e1cl'si6e Spanish and Port'g'ese
congregation In #/$/ a fierce o'tbrea< of persec'tion at -o!e
"where a co'ple of children were sei(ed for baptis! witho't the
slightest prete1t& !ade that co!!'nity thin< of e!igration en
!asse to England @ith pathetic opti!is! they wrote to Aondon
as<ing for ad6ice It is hardly s'rprising that the reply was
disco'raging? b't) while s'ch !altreat!ent persisted) e!igration
necessarily contin'ed 5;
At the close of the cent'ry there was an infl'1 of different origin
@hen 7ibraltar was ceded to 7reat Britain by the Treaty of
Btrecht in #/#3) the regard of its for!er owners for the orthodo1y
of their erstwhile s'b>ects was e1pressed in a cla'se by which
Jews and .oors were forbidden to set foot on the -oc<
Ne6ertheless in #/+% a treaty was signed with the E!peror of
.orocco "who was represented on this occasion by a Jew) .oses
ben Attar& e!powering his s'b>ects of whate6er religion to 6isit
the fortress for b'siness p'rposes for a period not e1ceeding
thirty days This li!itation was soon neglected) and by #/3% a
reg'lar co!!'nity was in e1istence 5< By #//, the Jews
constit'ted one*third of 7ibraltar;s ci6il pop'lation of E)222) and
al!ost controlled its trade In the co'rse of the siege of #//%*$E)
when they ser6ed and s'ffered with the other inhabitants) e6ery
atte!pt was !ade to red'ce the n'!ber of 'seless !o'ths In
J'ne #/$# there arri6ed in England a n'!ber of destit'te fa!ilies
fro! 7ibraltar) who bro'ght with the! their Chief -abbi and the
scrolls of the law) resc'ed at great ris< fro! the two synagog'es
of the beleag'ered fortress On the restoration of peace !any of
these i!!igrants preferred to re!ain 5= In s'bse='ent years a
n'!ber of polyglot Jewish en6oys9Jacob Benider "#//+&) Isaac
S'!bal "#/%3&) .asahod .acnin "#$#E&) and .eir Cohen .acnin
"#$+/&9ca!e to the Co'rt of St Ja!es;s on !issions fro! the
S'ltan of .orocco) bringing with the! others of their relati6es or
dependants 5> Th's the co!!'nity was re6itali(ed with fresh
blood9that of berberiscos) who a cent'ry before wo'ld ha6e
been re>ected fro! f'll !e!bership
At the height of the period of e1pansion of which an acco'nt has
been gi6en in preceding pages) and to a certain e1tent beca'se of
it) a serio's !enace to the well*being of the co!!'nity arose
fro! within) in the allied proble!s of e1tre!e po6erty and
delin='ency This did not affect the older Spanish and
Port'g'ese co!!'nity to any considerable degree) by reason of
its better organi(ation) its longer settle!ent in the co'ntry) its
greater wealth) and the s!aller proportion of its indigent A!ong
the Ash<ena(i!) on the other hand) the proble! was e1tre!ely
serio's) owing to the constant infl'1 of poor foreigners who had
great diffic'lty in beco!ing self*dependent owing to the galling
restrictions with which they were ha!pered The principal
reason for the scale of i!!igration fro! the Continent "apart
fro! persec'tion abroad& was that it was so fatally si!ple and
ine1pensi6e There was a reg'lar ser6ice of !ail*pac<ets fro!
Brill and Hel6oetsl'ys in Holland Three classes of passes were
a6ailable to those who wished to cross to England by this !eans
9whole "#Es&) half ",s&) and gratis? and al!ost anyone who
presented hi!self to the agent at the port of e!bar<ation and
pleaded po6erty a'to!atically recei6ed a free pass Arri6ed in
England) the e6er*bo'ntif'l synagog'e co'ld be relied 'pon to
sa6e hi! at least fro! star6ation) a pittance of one shilling
wee<ly being granted in all by the three Aondon Ash<ena(i
congregations Hence there was a constant infl'1 to England of
poor Jews) so!eti!es of low !oral character) who were not only
a serio's b'rden to the co!!'nity) b't whose cond'ct was an
act'al !enace to it 59
In #/,$ a new wa6e of !assacres began in eastern E'rope) when
lawless bands of rebels rose in the B<raine and perpetrated
horrors which had no parallel for generations A fresh wa6e of
penniless f'giti6es was dri6en across the Continent) and
i!!igration into England ass'!ed what was considered to be
dist'rbing proportions @ithin a period of thirty years it was
esti!ated that the Jewish co!!'nity increased threefold in
n'!bers Alar!ed at the infl'1) the a'thorities of the 7reat
Synagog'e in Aondon "which bore half the financial b'rden
in6ol6ed& resol6ed to ref'se relief to foreign Jews who had left
their co'ntry witho't good ca'se :7 This restriction tended to
aggra6ate diffic'lties) adding the !enace of cri!inality to that of
destit'tion P'blic attention was drawn to the proble! by a
series of cri!es) c'l!inating in #//# in a partic'larly br'tal
!'rder perpetrated at Chelsea by a band of Jewish !alefactors
with !ore than one infa!y to their score There was an 'gly
o'tb'rst of pop'lar feeling Jews were sal'ted in the streets with
the cry ;7o to ChelseaQ? and instances of physical 6iolence were so
co!!on that the co!!iseration e6en of persons acc'sto!ed to
continental standards of !altreat!ent was aro'sed :1 The
co!!'nity fo'nd it necessary to dissociate itself fro! the
!alefactors in as p'blic a fashion as possible) e1co!!'nicating
the! in the synagog'e) withholding the last co!forts at Tyb'rn)
and ref'sing the bodies b'rial in consecrated gro'nd
The @ardens of the 7reat Synagog'e "who) fi6e years earlier) had
offered their ser6ices to the a'thorities in the hope of chec<ing
Jewish delin='ency& now too< 6igoro's steps in cons'ltation
with Sir John 5ielding) the blind .etropolitan !agistrate who
had tried the case They insisted that the responsibility for the
e1istence in Aondon of large n'!bers of poor Jews witho't any
!eans of li6elihood did not rest with the!) b't with the
dist'rbed state of Poland) and abo6e all) the facilities afforded by
the go6ern!ent itself for i!!igration fro! the Continent In
conse='ence of their representations the Secretary of State
iss'ed instr'ctions to the Post!aster 7eneral that in f't're no
Jews were to be per!itted to co!e to England on His .a>esty;s
pac<et*boats e1cept s'ch as had paid their passages in f'll) and
were f'rnished with passports fro! one of the a!bassadors or
!inisters abroad At the sa!e ti!e raids were !ade on Jewish
pedlars thro'gho't the co'ntry) and the Aord .ayor p'blicly
offered free passes to any poor Jews who wished to lea6e England
and ret'rn to their nati6e lands :5 By this !eans so!ething was
done to chec< the infl'1 of 'ndesirable ele!ents) and the tide of
cri!inality) if not t'rned bac<) was at least ste!!ed
The proble! of the Jewish poor was bro'ght forward again in
#/%8) when the Aondon !agistrate and sociologist Patric<
Col='ho'n p'blished his fa!o's wor< on the Police of the
.etropolis) which was to be the basis of Sir -obert Peel;s
reorgani(ation of the Police 5orce thirty*fo'r years later The
acco'nt which he presented of the lower classes of the Aondon
Jews and their general tendencies was a depressing one) and he
insisted on the 'rgency for constr'cti6e action to sa6e the! fro!
their degradation and cri!inal propensities His obser6ations
attracted !'ch attention In partic'lar :r Josh'a 6an O6en)
physician to the 7reat Synagog'e) entered into correspondence
with the a'thor and s'ggested a sche!e for the a!elioration of
the condition of the Jewish poor by setting 'p a syste!atic
!ethod of o'tdoor relief) s'pple!ented by a grandiose Ho'se of
Ind'stry The finances to s'pport this "it was in this that the
<ernel of the proposals lay& were to be pro6ided o't of a Jewish
Poor 5'nd) established by Act of Parlia!ent) and with two !ain
so'rces of inco!eD first) a co!p'lsory le6y on the synagog'es
and all Jewish ho'seholders) and secondly) an appropriation of
the poor rate paid by Jewish parishioners b't ne6er 'tili(ed for
the benefit of their co*religionists) who were so sed'lo'sly <ept
fro! being a b'rden on the p'blic p'rse The policy was
appro6ed by Col='ho'n and ta<en 'p by so!e leading
personalities in politics as well as in synagogal affairs Opposition
='ic<ly de6eloped fro! the parishes affected by the sche!e) and
the pro6ision that part of the rates of Jewish districts was to go to
the new Board was accordingly o!itted The re6ised plan was
e!bodied in a Bill a'thori(ing special ta1ation of the Jews for
these p'rposes) which recei6ed the appro6al of the Chancellor of
the E1che='er At this stage ob>ections were raised by the
Spanish and Port'g'ese Synagog'e) which arg'ed that its
!e!bers wo'ld contrib'te a disproportionate a!o'nt of the
!oney b't en>oy only an e1ig'o's share of the benefits) and
deter!ined to petition Parlia!ent against the sche!e An
atten'ated !eas're on the sa!e lines) dealing with the ;7er!an;
Jewish co!!'nities only) was then prepared) and a petition in
s'pport of it was presented by 7eorge Tierney in the Co!!ons
on 5ebr'ary +8th) #$2+ B't !eanwhile the proposals had co!e
'nder fire within the co!!'nity) pa!phleteers pointing o't that
the sche!e wo'ld act as a !agnet to the poor of eastern E'rope)
who wo'ld strea! o6er in s'ch n'!bers as to !a<e it ban<r'pt
fro! the 6ery o'tset) and that it was 'seless to teach the English
Jews handicrafts 'nless they co'ld be ens'red that pre>'dices
and snobbery wo'ld be !odified so as to per!it the! to obtain
e!ploy!ent once they were trained In conse='ence the
grandiose plan was red'ced to the establish!ent in Aondon) with
!oney collected for this ob>ect so!e ti!e pre6io's) fro!
bene6olent Christians as well as Jews) of an Asyl'! and School
for the poor of the Ash<ena(i co!!'nity9clearly a !ild
e1pedient which wo'ld only to'ch the s'rface of the ='estion
That no s'ccess crowned this atte!pt) one h'ndred and fifty
years after the -esettle!ent) to !a<e English Jewry a separate
fiscal entity was not altogether a !isfort'ne? and it was
re!ar<able how) within a generation) with growing liberality on
both sides and the widening of opport'nity) the specific proble!
which had attracted so !'ch attention in the decade before
Trafalgar ='ietly and spontaneo'sly disappeared ::
A decisi6e factor in this change was the practical cessation of
i!!igration fro! the Continent d'ring the @ars of the 5rench
-e6ol'tion 5ro! now on English Jewry was of necessity !ore or
less self*contained) and those of its !e!bers who had s'cceeded
in accli!ati(ing the!sel6es in the co'ntry were no longer
retarded or e!barrassed by the constant infl'1 of penniless co*
religionists fro! abroad The b'rst of 1enophobia at the o'tset of
the str'ggle) indeed) in6ol6ed the Jews also) who were ine6itably
s'spected of Jacobin sy!pathies? and at Ipswich the !agistrates
had to inter6ene to sa6e the! fro! assa'lt :4 The Aliens Act of
#/%E) which placed foreigners settled in England 'nder strict
control) res'lted in sporadic raids on Jewish pedlars and petty
traders thro'gho't the co'ntry) and the deportation of a n'!ber
of the! Thereafter there were rec'rrent alar!s @hen the
5rench occ'pied 0enice it was reported by the British
representati6e there that the Jews of the city were in treasonable
correspondence with their co*religionists in Aondon S'ch
s'ggestions were not ta<en serio'slyD indeed) the Synagog'es
were entr'sted with the registration of Jews born abroad) while
the Seditio's .eetings Bill of #/%8 was !odified so as not to
penali(e the! :;
The reaction of the Jews at the ti!e of crisis was !'ch the sa!e
as that of any other class of English!en) tho'gh they were
debarred fro! holding co!!issions As early as the !iddle of
the eighteenth cent'ry) so!e had ser6ed before the !ast in the
-oyal Na6y In #//$ it was s'ggested that application sho'ld be
!ade for relief fro! the pro6isions of the Act for i!pressing !en
for the <ing;s ser6ice) b't the proposal was considered 'nwise)
and in conse='ence a n'!ber of Jewish sailors fo'ght 'nder
Nelson In the ar!y) too) they were to be fo'nd) tho'gh in
s!aller n'!bers :< On the renewal of the @ar with 5rance)
h'ndreds of Jews enlisted in the 6ol'nteer corps) the Chief -abbi
ha6ing e1pressed his highest conc'rrence to their ta<ing the
oaths of fidelity and allegiance to their <ing and co'ntry? and at
the great re6iew in Hyde Par< on October +,th) #$2E the <ing
was i!pressed at the pre6alence of (oophoric na!es "s'ch as
Hart) Bear and Ayon& in a regi!ent recr'ited in the east of
Aondon) At :o6er) Ply!o'th) Bristol) E1eter) Ai6erpool) and
7osport) Jews were enrolled? tho'gh at Ports!o'th the !ayor at
first ref'sed to accept their ser6ices :=
The e1igencies of war ga6e an opening for o'tstanding ser6ice in
a sphere with which Jewish ability is !ore 's'ally associated9
that of finance This ti!e it was the yo'nger ele!ent in the
co!!'nity which was to the fore The crisis in the affairs of the
:'tch East India Co!pany in the third ='arter of the cent'ry
had pro6ed all b't disastro's to !any !agnates of the Spanish
and Port'g'ese gro'p) whose fa!ilies had long been in the
practice of in6esting their !oney in it) and now fo'nd their
capital red'ced by so!e %2 per cent 5or the first ti!e the
finances of the co!!'nity were in disorder? and at the period of
national crisis the opport'nity was sei(ed by new !en The 6ast
re='ire!ents of the British Treas'ry ga6e opport'nities for the
talents of two brothers) Ben>a!in and Abraha! 7olds!id)
!e!bers of the :'tch*Jewish fa!ily long established in
England :> After ha6ing been in b'siness in Aondon as bro<ers
for so!e years) the brothers began in #/%+ to bid for go6ern!ent
b'siness) i!pinging on what had pre6io'sly been regarded as the
prerogati6e of a gro'p of old*established ban<ing fir!s) who had
for!ed a ring to <eep down prices After one or two s'ccessf'l
iss'es they too< their place a!ong the principal loan contractors
in the City of Aondon) handling a !a>ority of the go6ern!ent
iss'es Their ac'!en) if i!!ensely profitable to the!sel6es) was
greatly to the p'blic ad6antage The placing of loans ceased to be
a so'rce of patronageD the 'nfair !anip'lations at the e1pense of
the ta1payer ceasedD the p'blic henceforth had the best !ar<et*
ter!s for their !oney? and the a6erage rate of iss'e rose by at
least three per cent) the Treas'ry benefiting by the
difference :9 The 7olds!ids were th's the first Jews since the
.iddle Ages whose share in English financial history9at a period
when finance was the life*blood of national e1istence9was of real
significance In the real! of charity they also played a
disting'ished part) both inside and o'tside the Jewish
co!!'nity Ben>a!in co!!itted s'icide d'ring a fit of insanity
in #$2$) and his brother on the fail're of the go6ern!ent loan of
#$#2 By this ti!e) howe6er) Nathan .eyer -othschild had beg'n
his fab'lo's career in England) with foreign conne1ions so
widespread and so faithf'l that he had an ad6antage o6er all his
co!petitors) and so'rces of infor!ation so reliable that news of
first i!portance often reached his ears before it ca!e to the
<nowledge of the go6ern!ent :'ring the closing stages of the
Napoleonic wars he was 'sed for the trans!ission of s'bsidies
abroad) and a !asterpiece of organi(ation !ade it possible for
hi! to forward 6ia Paris the b'llion re='ired for the pay!ent of
@ellington;s forces in the Penins'la Jewish capitalists had
occasionally been 'sef'l to the go6ern!ent? now) for the first and
probably the only ti!e) they pro6ed the!sel6es irreplaceable It
was -othschild "who had been atte!pting to <eep 'p prices on
the E1change by e1tensi6e b'ying) in the face of an incred'lo's
and falling !ar<et& who bro'ght the news of @aterloo to the
an1io's Pri!e .inister @ith the restoration of peace) a new era
began
%ootnotes
Chapter #2
# Abo6e) p +#E? B. -ecords) i E%*32 It appears that
negotiations with the a'thorities had pre6io'sly been
cond'cted by a person of e1perience in p'blic affairs and
with the necessary ling'istic ='alifications) corresponding
to the Shtadlan in eastern E'ropean co!!'nities) who
was <nown as the ;Solicitor; for the JewsD see below) p
+38
+ B. -ecords) i 38*,? C H A E!an'el) A Cent'ry and a
Half of Jewish History "Aondon) #%#2&) pp #*8
E J H"anway&) -e6iew of the Proposed Nat'rali(ation
"#/8E&) p #3+? Considerations on the Bill) p #/ In #/E$)
according to To6ey "Anglia J'daica) p E2+&) AngloJewry
was esti!ated to n'!ber ,)222) while in #,$3 "abo6e) p
#/E n& it had co!prised 3#3 so'ls
3 Anglo*Jewish Aetters) pp #82*8) #$%*%# Probably the
!ost re!ar<able instance of the entrance of Jewish blood
into English aristocracy at this ti!e was tho'gh a rep'ted
da'ghter of Sir Edward @alpole by .aria Norsa) sister of
the actress) who !arried the second Earl @aldegra6e) and
after his death) the :'<e of 7lo'cester) 7eorge III;s
brother) b't the facts are not ratite certain
8 S'pra) p +2$
6. Anglo*Jewish Aetters) pp #+8*$? Bibl A#2 %/*#2+ In a
se6en year period at the close of the reign si1ty proselytes
were con6erted to J'dais! in Aondon 'nder the a'spices
of a single person9!ainly wo!en who !arried Jews
"ibid A$ +& Jews were not directly affected by the
7ordon -iots) tho'gh it was said that for safety !any of
the! inscribed their doors with the prophylactic '+his
ho"se is +r"e *rotestant') and one was e1ec'ted for ta<ing
part in the disorders
/ The coat of ar!s of the English free!asons was said to
ha6e been designed by -abbi J'dah Ae_o "called te!plo&
who e1hibited a !odel of the Te!ple of Solo!on in #,/8
at Co'rt The tolerance of English free!asonry in the
eighteenth cent'ry contrasted with that of) eg) the 7rand
Orient Aodge in Berlin) which e1cl'ded the Jews
$ Bibl A#2 /+*8
% 5 Hey!ann) :er Che6alier 6on 7eldern "A!sterda!)
#%E$&) p E3E
#2 Cf the lists in Bibl B$ Io s==) B% + s==) B o #% s==
The earliest English translation of the Jewish lit'rgy
"e1cl'ding the !ale6olent prod'ction of the apostate
;7a!aliel ben Pedha('r;) in #/E$& was prod'ced in #/,#*,
in New Jor<9according to report) owing to the ob>ections
raised by the a'thorities in England On the other hand) a
Spanish 6ersion appeared in Aondon as late as #//# "Bibl
B$ /a) #3&
## See Note 4 "a&) p +$,
#+ Co!parati6ely few e1ercised in England the !oneylending
to which they had been forced by continental legislation
#E See Note 4 "b&) p +$,
#3 The a'tobiography of one of these Jewish street*traders is
e1tant "Bib; A#2 ++E&
#8 See Note 4 "c&) p +$,
#, There is a re!ar<able acco'nt of the acti6ities of these
Jewish pedlars in Israel Solo!on) ;-ecords of !y 5a!ily;
"Bibl A#2 +,,? cf P'b A! JHS 116 ,+*,/) and @olf)
Essays) pp #E,*/& 5or instances of the !'rder of Jewish
pedlars in the co'ntryside) cf 7entle!an;s .aga(ine)
#/83) P 33) #/,2) P 3ED less 6iolent !altreat!ent is
ill'strated in !any conte!porary engra6ings
#/ The Case of the Jews "#,$%& and To6ey "Anglia J'daica)
#/E$) p E2+& specifically state that there was no Jewish
settle!ent o'tside the capital as yet
#$ See Note 4 "d&) pp +$,*/ S'nderland) c #/,$) !ay be
added to this list
#% eg Epso! "#/#$&) @inchester "#/,E&) O1fordb "#/EE&)
Cowes "#//$&) So'tha!pton "#/$,&) Ar'ndel "#/$,&)
Nottingha!b "#/,E&) Chichester "c #/,E&) Ca!bridgeb
"#/3E&) Edinb'rghb "#,%#&) Bostonb "#/%%&) 5ro!e "#/82&)
Poole "#/,+&) Aincoln "#/,,&) .argateb "#/,,&) -ochford
"#/%#&) Cardiffb "#/%/&) Sandwich "#/%3&) @alton*on*
Tha!es "#/%/&) Aeedsb "#//+&) Jerseyb "#/,8&) "A !a>ority
of these details are fro! 'ne1plored doc'!entary so'rcesD
at those places !ar<ed with an asteris< co!!'nities were
established s'bse='ently& The :'blin co!!'nity was
dissol6ed in #/%# and res'scitated in #$++
+2Cf the e1cerpts in Trs JHSE 1iii #$E*/
+# -'!ney in JC S'pple!ent) Jan'ary #%E,? A Pict're of
Ply!o'th #/32? Ply!o'th !in'te boo<s in the Jewish
.'se'!) Aondon .'ch the sa!e pict're is presented by
the records of the Ports!o'th congregation) all the
!e!bers of which whose place of origin is indicated c
#/,, ca!e fro! 7er!any "Trs JHSE) 'bi s'pra&
++ Trs 1iii #,$*/8
+E @olf) Essays) p E/E
+3 .isc JHSE i 116i91I? @olf) Essays) pp #83 s==
+8 JI-) Ns) 16i) #28*#,
26. Bibl A% #E,D the date of the fo'ndation of the
co!!'nity is fro! !an'script !aterial penes me Jews
had been resident in 7ibraltar e6en before #/+%)
perfor!ing good ser6ice at the ti!e of the siege of #/+/ A
close parallel to the establish!ent of the Jews 'nder
British aegis at 7ibraltar was their settle!ent in .inorca
d'ring the interl'de of British r'le? Bibl A% #E3
+/ Picciotto) S<etches) pp #%2*+
+$Anglo*Jewish Aetters) pp #$3*8? @olf) Essays) pp +3E)
+3,) 3229I ? .isc JHSE ii $3*%2
+% J -'!ney in JC S'pple!ent) :ece!ber #%E8? Trs
JHSE 1iii EE+*E
E2@olf) Essays) pp #%+*E "the resol'tion does not belong to
#/8E) as stated in Booth) Aife and Aabo'r of Aondon
"#%2+&) iii #/3&
E# E N Adler) Aondon) pp #8E*/? C Pelha!) Chronicles of
Cri!e "#$$/&) i ++/*%? Trs JHSE 1iii EE#
E+ Cf the a'thorities cited in the pre6io's three notes? Anglo*
Jewish Aetters) pp #88*/? HO Papers) #//2*+) p E8/? -
Aeslie*.el6ille) Aife of Sir J 5ielding) pp +8% ff In #//3)
the Post!aster 7eneral again ga6e orders that) while ;the
ind'strio's poor of all nations; co'ld be transported to
England gratis) Jews are not to be ad!itted on board the
pac<ets 'nless they paid f'll passage !oney
"Ad6ertise!ent of October #2th) #//3&
EE The conte!porary p'blications regarding this sche!e are
listed in Bibl B# #3#*,) 0an O6en;s letter to Col='ho'n
being reprinted in Anglo*Jewish Aetters) pp +#2*#% See
also @olf) Essays) pp #%8*$) and -'!ney in JC
S'pple!ent) Jan'ary #%E,
E3 Clar<e) History of Ipswich) #$E2) pp E#%*+2 In
Bir!ingha!) d'ring the religio's riots of .arch ++nd)
#$#E) the !ob attac<ed the synagog'e after wrec<ing the
.ethodist chapel
E8 .isc JHSE iii %/*$? Picciotto) S<etches) p +3E?
E!an'el) A Cent'ry and a Half) p %
E, See Note 4 "e&) p +$/
E/ Picciotto) S<etches) p+/,? HO Papers) 82D 3E) .ay 3th)
#/%$ "P'blic -ecord Office&
E$ The records of the 7reat Synagog'e show the fo'nder of
the fa!ily occ'pying ad!inistrati6e office in #/3+) nearly
a ='arter of a cent'ry before the date generally gi6en for
his arri6al in England It follows that Abraha! and
Ben>a!in 7olds!id were English born
E% 5or f'ller details) see now P H E!den) PThe Brothers
7olds!id and the 5inancing of the Napoleonic @arsP) in
Trs JHSE 1i6 ++8*3,
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
Chapter ##
)4anci3ation
1>1;-;>
THE restoration of peace in E'rope in #$#8 fo'nd in England
Jewish co!!'nity of so!e +2)222 to E2)222 so'ls of @ho! not
less than two*thirds li6ed in Aondon 1 o'tside the Capital there
were co!!'nities9in no case e1ceeding one tho'sand so'ls and
in se6eral not e1ceeding one h'ndred9in abo't twenty*fi6e
pro6incial centres of which Ports!o'th) Ply!o'th) Bir!ingha!
and Ai6erpool were the !ost i!portant The long se='ence of
dist'rbances abroad had thrown the co!!'nity to an increasing
e1tent on its own reso'rces In all sections there was by now a
considerable nati6e*born ele!ent) f'lly anglici(ed? a!ong those
of Spanish and Port'g'ese e1traction) indeed) they were
predo!inant @ith 5rancis Cohen "Palgra6e&) Isaac d;Israeli)
John Adolph's and Aewis 7olds!ith9all !ore considered in
that day than in o'rs they had beg'n to play a respectable part in
English letters) while :a6id -icardo "bapti(ed in early !anhood&
had fo'nded a new school of political econo!y and Ben>a!in
7o!pert( was a!ong the o'tstanding conte!porary
!athe!aticians 5 The re='ire!ents of the co!!'nity were by
now ser6ed by an increasing s'pply of literat're in the
6ernac'lar English ser!ons) tho'gh not yet the r'le) were no
longer 'n<nown to the synagog'e : Tho'gh Hebrew scholarship
was at a low ebb "the only noteworthy fig're of English birth was
Jacob Hart who) 'nder the na!e Elia<i! ben Abraha!)
p'blished a series of scientific broch'res of high interest&) the
co!!'nity had prod'ced at last in !en li<e :a6id Ae6i) the
er'dite hat!a<er of @hitechapel) scholars who were ='alified to
answer Christian pole!ists on their own le6el and in their own
lang'age @hereas a cent'ry before the Jews had been an alien
ele!ent) there was a!ong the! now at least a n'cle's who were
'n!ista<ably English!en) tho'gh of distincti6e origin and
religio's pers'asion
Econo!ically) too) English Jewry had changed d'ring the co'rse
of the ='arter*cent'ry of war The old*clothes !en and pedlars
had in !any cases !anaged to establish the!sel6es in !ore
respectable wal<s of life as e1porters) !an'fact'rers) tailors)
>ewellers) or shop<eepers? and tho'gh the for!er callings were
still largely followed by Jews) the age when the ascriptions were
synony!o's had passed .oreo6er) the long period of intense
acti6ity which res'lted fro! the na6al operations had bro'ght
prosperity to the co!!'nities of the sea*portsD while the
Ind'strial -e6ol'tion and the de6elop!ent of the .idlands and
the north had established flo'rishing settle!ents in s'ch new
seats of acti6ity as Bir!ingha! and .anchester) where
precedent carried less weight than in the ancient centres of
British tradition @hereas at the o'tset of the reign of 7eorge III
the Jewish co!!'nity had been restricted to a 6ery few wealthy
!erchants and bro<ers in Aondon) with dependants in lowly
occ'pations distrib'ted o6er a wider area) after @aterloo a large
proportion were indisting'ishable econo!ically fro! any other
section of the new !iddle class thrown 'p by recent
de6elop!ents 4
At the s'!!it of the social pyra!id was a s!all gro'p who had
entered into English society in a sense in which few City
!agnates were pri6ileged to do Al!ost fro! the !o!ent of the
-esettle!ent there had been wealthy Jews who had !i1ed in
Co'rt and go6ern!ent circles li<e the Hof>'den of conte!porary
7er!any9Sir A'g'stine Coronel) Sir Solo!on de .edina) or
Sa!son 7ideon B't it had been d'ring the Napoleonic wars that
this series reached its c'l!inating point in the brothers
7olds!id) who were on ter!s of so!e inti!acy with the sons of
the reigning !onarch) who! they not only entertained on !any
occasions in their ho'ses) b't e6en too< with the! to synagog'e
one 5riday e6ening in #$2% S'ch interco'rse ine6itably opened
!any doors which wo'ld otherwise ha6e re!ained closed? and
Nelson;s sister was happy that his ho!e passed on his death into
the hands of a 7olds!id rather than those of a stranger .ore
pro!inent still) tho'gh less 'rbane) was Nathan .eyer
-othschild) whose acti6ities d'ring the closing stages of the war
bro'ght hi! into e1tre!ely close relations with the go6ern!ent)
and whose fa!ily;s legendary wealth ca'sed hi! to be co'rted
li<e an independent potentate Apart fro! "tho'gh largely
beca'se of& their inti!acy with the 7olds!id brothers) the royal
d'<es9who) with all their shortco!ings) were) after all) the
leaders of English society9showed the best side of their
characters in the !anner in which they rid the!sel6es of anti*
Jewish pre>'dices There were Jewish !'sicians in their
ho'seholds and Jewish bon*6i6ants in their ento'ragesD they
ga6e their patronage to Jewish charities) and presided at Jewish
p'blic dinners Abo6e all) the :'<e of S'sse1 was not only on
friendly ter!s with !any Jews) b't also st'died the Holy Tong'e
and b'ilt 'p a s'perb Hebrew library Howe6er !'ch the cynics
!ight deride) all this co'ld not fail to ha6e a profo'nd infl'ence
in co!pleting the social e!ancipation which was the necessary
prel'de to the re!o6al of political disabilities
Jews were now increasingly pro!inent in !any callings besides
that of financier which bro'ght the! into the p'blic eye Since
the days of Hannah Norsa and 7iaco!o Base6i Cer6etto) they
had fig'red !ore and !ore fre='ently on the stage The sisters
Abra!s) long the delight of the concert*roo!s? .yer Aeo!)
beca'se of whose religio's scr'ples the perfor!ances of
Sheridan;s7"ennawere s'spended on 5riday e6enings? John
Braha!) his prot`g`) the prodigio's tenor) co!poser of+he
7eath of <elson) and for!erly a choir*boy in the 7reat
Synagog'e? Jacob de Castro) a'thor of one of the earliest
theatrical a'tobiographies and the best <nown of the gro'p of
perfor!ers who went by the na!e of ;Astley;s Jews; ? Philip
Breslaw) theoretician as well as practitioner of legerde!ain? and
6ery !any others entered into English life on the stage and co'ld
hardly be e1cl'ded fro! it as indi6id'als Another profession
with which Jews were by now closely associated was that of
p'gilis! 5ro! the pen'lti!ate decade of the eighteenth cent'ry
:aniel .ando(a) Sa!'el Elias Isaac Bitton) and Abraha!
Belasco fa!iliarised co'ntless persons thro'gho't the co'ntry
with the act'ality of the Jew) and con6inced the! that he co'ld
e1cel in other capacities than as a pedlar and old*clothes !an ;
@ith the close of the eighteenth cent'ry) !oreo6er) a new spirit
with regard to the Jews had co!e to !anifest itself in English
literat're @hereas the stage had pre6io'sly offered its p'blic for
the !ost part res'scitations of Sha<espeare;s Shyloc< or fig'res
of f'n s'ch as ;Bea' .ordecai; in .ac<lin;s /ove a la
)ode"#/8%&) the p'blication of the first translation of Aessing;s
Nathan the @ise in #/$# "followed by a new 6ersion ten years
later) si!ilarly with apologetic intentions& !ar<ed the beginning
of a change in attit'de -ichard C'!berland;s The Jew) first
perfor!ed in #/%3 and repeatedly p'blished) anae!ic prod'ction
tho'gh it was) !ar<ed an epoch in English literat're in ta<ing a
Jew as its hero He was followed by the playwright Tho!as
:ibdin "+he 1ew and the 7octor) #/$%? +he School for *re3"dice,
#$2#& and the no6elists 7eorge @al<er "+heodore .yphon, #/%,)
#$+E& and .aria Edgeworth "Harrington) #$#,9the first wor< to
present the Jew not only in a fa6o'rable light) b't as a
gentle!an& The new tendency was by no !eans 'ni6ersal? b't it
was significant) and not witho't a lasting effect <
Another powerf'l infl'ence was that of the E6angelical
!o6e!ent This had res'lted in the establish!ent in #/%8 of the
Aondon Society for the Pro!otion of Christianity a!ong the
Jews) which at the beginning of the following cent'ry was gi6en
fresh 6itality by the enth'sias! of the philanthropist Aewis @ay
In its i!!ediate ob>ects the society co'ld not boast of !'ch
s'ccess It was esti!ated that e6ery con6ert cost the p'blic
between K822 and K,22? and Jewish writers) no longer
inti!idated) replied to its pole!ics with a 6igo'r which wo'ld
ha6e been i!possible a generation earlier = B't there was now a
new approach to the proble! on the Christian side Scholastic
and bene6olent instit'tions were established) which 'lti!ately
pro6ed an e1a!ple as well as incenti6e to the Jewish co!!'nity
No longer were the 'nbelie6ers considered an ob>ect for ins'lt
and re6iling? they were approached in a spirit not only of
friendship b't al!ost of 6eneration) as the ancient people of 7od
-easonable arg'!ents were p't forward in !oderate lang'age? it
was freely ad!itted that Christendo! owed a profo'nd debt of
sha!e in respect of the past cent'ries of persec'tion and
!altreat!ent? so!e persons e6en !aintained that the 6oice of
reason co'ld not !a<e itself heard 'ntil the last relics of
discri!ination had been re!o6ed Hence in E6angelical circles
the !o6e!ent res'lted in the de6elop!ent of a spirit of
friendliness) which insisted on the recognition of the Jews as
!e!bers of English society
.eanwhile the cataclys! of the 5rench -e6ol'tion had gi6en a
great i!pet's to !illenarian theorists) who belie6ed that the
second co!ing of the Aord) acco!panied by the restoration of the
Jews to their own land) was at hand A n'!ber of writers foretold
the approaching renewal of a Jewish state) and e6en 'rged the
British go6ern!ent to ta<e steps to f'rther it? so!e "inspired by a
na6al pse'do*.essiah -ichard Brothers) who styled hi!self
LNephew of the Al!ightyQ& went so far as to identify the English
with the Aost Ten Tribes) and to associate the! with the
Palestinian re6i6al >
Hence there slowly de6eloped an 'n!ista<able c'rrent of
opinion in fa6o'r of the re!o6al of religio's disabilities In #/%2
a pa!phleteer who signed hi!self ;A Christian Politician;
associated Jews) Catholics) and :issenters together in a
Collection of Testi!onies in 5a6o'r of -eligio's Aiberty The
Abbe 7regoire;s epoch*!a<ing Essay on the Physical) .oral) and
Political -efor!ation of the Jews) which had s'ch infl'ence on
the Continent) was p'blished in an English translation abo't
#/%# In #$#+ there appeared An Appeal to the H'!anity of the
English People on behalf of the Jews By #$+/ a sec'lar pro*
Jewish society) witho't any ostensible con6ersionist ob>ect)
e1isted in Aondon? and in the sa!e year the I'arterly -e6iew
departed fro! its nor!al conser6atis! in an article which
ascribed the degradation of the Jews to their age*long
persec'tion) and appealed for a re!o6al of restrictions so as to
bring the! 'p to the le6el of other h'!an beings 9
By this ti!e the ='estion was no longer on a p'rely theoretical
plane Conte!porary de6elop!ents abroad presented it as a
practical ='estion In the newly created Bnited States of A!erica
"where !any Jews had fo'ght steadfastly on the patriotic side in
the -e6ol'tionary @ar) tho'gh so!e had s'pported the !other
co'ntry with e='al (eal& the constit'tion adopted in #/%2
stip'lated that no religio's test sho'ld be re='ired as
='alification for any p'blic office or post of tr'st In the following
year Aatin logic forced 'pon the National Asse!bly of 5rance)
so!ewhat rel'ctantly) the concl'sion that e6en Jews !'st en>oy
benefit of the -ights of .an? and d'ring the ne1t decade the
ar!ies of the -e6ol'tion carried the sa!e doctrine into
7er!any) Italy) and abo6e all Holland) where Jews had not only
pro6ed 'sef'l citi(ens) b't had disting'ished the!sel6es in
offices of tr'st d'ring these years The grandiose Napoleonic
;Sanhedrin; which !et in Paris in #$2/) while of little practical
i!portance) had been followed with the <eenest interest by
English obser6ers 17 and see!ed to de!onstrate the
rehabilitation of the Jews in the eyes of the world The E'ropean
settle!ent at 0ienna left the Jews in f'll possession of their new*
won rights in the Aow Co'ntries "they were internationally
g'aranteed in Belgi'! after she sec'red her independence in
#$E2& and) with a tri6ial reser6ation) in 5rance In 7er!any and
Italy reaction was tri'!phant for the !o!ent? yet e6en English
diplo!ats e1erted the!sel6es "tho'gh) as e6ents pro6ed) in 6ain&
to perpet'ate in 5ran<fort and the Hanseatic Towns the rights
sec'red d'ring the past few years) and no!inally g'aranteed by
the 0ienna Treaties 11 5ifteen years before it beca!e a ='estion
of practical politics in England) and half a cent'ry before it
reached its c'l!ination) E!ancipation had passed elsewhere
beyond the e1peri!ental stage
The position of the Jews in England had in fact been a!eliorated
insensibly d'ring the pre6io's generation) notwithstanding the
absence of any legislati6e action In #//2) for the first ti!e) one
had been ad!itted as solicitor "there had been Notaries P'blic
e6en before that date& 15 A little while after) in #/$2) the ann'al
gift to the Aord .ayor was s'!!arily discontin'ed) a special
grant being 6oted by the alder!en to co!pensate the Chief
.agistrate for his loss Tho'gh the !a1i!'! recorded price for
the s'ccession to a Jew Bro<er;s !edal was reached in #$+,) two
years later the li!itation on their n'!ber was abandoned In the
sa!e year the Co'rt of Alder!en rel'ctantly ad!itted certain
bapti(ed Jews to the 5reedo! of Aondon) fro! which persons in
this category had been e1cl'ded since #/$8 In #$28 Aaron
Cardo(o "a 7ibraltar Jew whose probity was deeply appreciated
by Nelson& was sent on an official !ission to the Bey of Oran)
with who! he concl'ded a treaty9a nat'ral corollary of the
procession of Jewish en6oys in the re6erse direction :'ring the
recent @est Indian ca!paigns) a certain Josh'a .ontefiore) a
professing Jew) had recei6ed the <ing;s co!!ission? 1: and in
#$+, Parlia!ent passed a stat'te ", 7eorge I0) cap ,/&
abolishing in all cases the necessity for recei6ing the Sacra!ent
according to the rites of the Ch'rch of England before
nat'rali(ation) thereby achie6ing incidentally9witho't so !'ch
as !entioning the Jews) and witho't attracting the slightest
p'blic attention9the ob>ect of the ill*fated ;Jew Bill; of se6enty*
three years before
Apart fro! this grad'al and spontaneo's a!elioration in
practice) English law as interpreted in the co'rts of >'stice had
beg'n to reflect the changed position of the Jew in society In
#//+) when the City a'thorities endea6o'red to co!pel the
Spanish and Port'g'ese synagog'e to s'pport an incorrigible
!e!ber "an annoyance which had not been 'nco!!on a cent'ry
before) e6en when persons who had abandoned J'dais! were
concerned&) forensic opinion decided that no legal obligation
e1isted 5i6e years after) an atte!pt to enforce the pay!ent of
Ch'rch rates by the sa!e place of worship was s'ccessf'lly
resisted In #/$$ the co'rts recogni(ed the co!petence of a
-abbinical trib'nal to reg'late rit'al "<osher& food) and in #/%E
to decide the 6alidity of Jewish !arriages "p't on a legal basis by
Aord Hardwic<e;s .arriage Act of #/8E) which had treated Jews
and I'a<ers !ore genero'sly than other non*Anglicans& In #$#$
a synagog'e was recogni(ed as a legal establish!ent) able to s'e
for withheld d'es Ta<en indi6id'ally these isolated ad6ances did
not !ean !'ch? together they signified a good deal) i!plying
that Jews en>oyed liberty in all things e1cept where the law
e1pressly prescribed the contrary 14
Hence the positi6e disabilities fro! which English Jews s'ffered
were not considerable) as co!pared with those of their co*
religionists in !ost parts of the continent of E'rope They co'ld
settle where they pleased thro'gho't the <ingdo!) and in any
part of the place of their choice There was no legal bar to their
e!ploying non*Jewish labo'r) whether in their ho!es or
b'sinesses) to dealing in any co!!odity) to engaging in any
b'siness occ'pation or in any branch of !an'fact're Tho'gh
there was so!e do'bt as to their legal ability to own freeholds)
there was ad!ittedly no obstacle to their ac='iring land on lease
on peppercorn rent for an indefinitely long period) which
a!o'nted to the sa!e thing In practice they were e6en allowed
to 6ote in parlia!entary elections "tho'gh the ret'rning officer
had the power) seldo! e1ercised) to de!and fro! 6oters the
Oath of Ab>'ration) which was phrased in a for! rep'gnant to
the Jewish conscience& In Aondon) indeed) they still s'ffered
fro! a serio's econo!ic disability owing to their e1cl'sion fro!
the 5reedo!? b't the force of this had been !itigated by the
e1pansion of the .etropolis in e6ery direction) with the res'lt
that the bar was operati6e in only a relati6ely s!all area of the
entirety) where) !oreo6er) the diffic'lty was so!eti!es e6aded
by selling retail fro! wareho'ses ostensibly wholesale 1;
Theoretically) howe6er) the position was 6ery different The
entire body of !edie6al legislation which red'ced the Jew to the
position of a yellow*badged pariah) witho't rights and witho't
sec'rity other than by the goodwill of the so6ereign) re!ained on
the stat'te boo<) tho'gh re!e!bered only by anti='arians As
late as #$#$ it was possible to !aintain in the co'rts Aord Co<eQs
doctrine that the Jews were in law perpet'al ene!ies) ;for
between the!) as with the de6ils) whose s'b>ects they are) and
the Christian there can be no peace;D P'blic life was) in law)
entirely barrel Jews were e1cl'ded fro! any office 'nder the
Crown) any part in ci6ic go6ern!ent) or any e!ploy!ent
howe6er !odest in conne1ion with the ad!inistration of >'stice
or e6en ed'cation) by the Test and Corporation Acts passed at a
period when the participation of Jews in s'ch acti6ities was
inconcei6able These !ade it obligatory on all persons see<ing
s'ch appoint!ent to ta<e the Sacra!ent in accordance with the
rites of the Ch'rch of England) in addition to the stat'tory oaths
of S'pre!acy "of the Crown o6er the Ch'rch of England&) of
Allegiance "to the so6ereign) co'pled with abhorrence of Papal
pretensions&) and of Ab>'ration "of the clai!s of the for!er -oyal
Ho'se of St'art&9the last) ;on the tr'e faith of a Christian;
Nat'rally these dis='alifications incl'ded the right to
!e!bership of Parlia!ent) for which the stat'tory oaths in the
stat'tory for! were a necessary preli!inary 5or the sa!e
reason the 'ni6ersities were closed) and) as a conse='ence of this)
6ario's professions 1< B't these political disabilities were
shared with a large proportion of nati6e*born British s'b>ects of
older lineage9-o!an Catholics and to a considerable e1tent
"no!inally at least& e6en :issenters Till the co!plaints of the
latter had been satisfied it was o't of the ='estion to e1pect any
appreciable alle6iation of those of the Jews Indeed) Jewish
e!ancipation in its f'llest sense had first been 6entilated in
6ario's eighteenth cent'ry pa!phlets) re*adapted in so!e cases
at the beginning of the nineteenth) as ared"ctio ad abs"rd"mof
the idea of e!ancipating Christian Nonconfor!ists 1=
Al!ost as soon as the re!o6al of the disabilities of :issenters
was !ooted in Parlia!ent) representati6e Jews are said to ha6e
offered their ser6ices and s'pport on the 'nderstanding that they
wo'ld be incl'ded in the scope of the proposed !eas're The
offer was ref'sed by the Nonconfor!ist leaders on the gro'nds
that those on whose behalf relief was re='ested were on a 6ery
different footing) not being s'b>ect to 7race A little later on) the
re6i6al of Jew*baiting in 7er!any aro'sed so!e sy!pathy in
England? and on J'ly #3th) #$+2) the yo'ng @hig cha!pion John
Ca! Hobho'se "later Aord Bro'ghton de 7yffard& ga6e notice in
the Ho'se of Co!!ons of his intention to !o6e a resol'tion that
the condition of the Jews and the disabilities 'nder which they
labo'red ";which wo'ld be hardly belie6ed to e1ist in s'ch an age
as this;& sho'ld be ta<en into i!!ediate consideration 1> 5or
the !o!ent this was little !ore than an acade!ic
de!onstration B't) within ten years) intolerance had narrowed
down so far that the refor! ca!e within the sphere of practical
politics The -epeal of the Test and Corporation Acts in #$+$) as
originally conte!plated) wo'ld a'to!atically ha6e re!o6ed the
political disabilities of the Jews? b't) on the !otion of the Bishop
of Alandaff) the Ho'se of Aords insisted 'pon the insertion of the
words ;on the tr'e faith of a Christian; in the :eclaration
henceforth re='ired on ta<ing 'p a p'blic office "An a!end!ent
of Aord Holland;s) that Jews sho'ld be per!itted to o!it the
newly introd'ced phrase) was negati6ed& In the Aower Ho'se)
after the a!ended Bill had been read for the third ti!e)
Bro'gha! !ade a spirited protest against the change) e1plaining
that he had not e1pressed his disapprobation earlier for fear of
endangering the !eas're Th's the incidental dis='alification of
for!er years was replaced by one directed in fact against the
Jews alone 19 5or the !o!ent -o!an Catholics contin'ed to be
discri!inated against) for reasons as !'ch political as religio's
Their e!ancipation in April #$+% left the Jews the only section of
the English pop'lation which was e1cl'ded fro! political rights
ostensibly beca'se of their faith It was no longer a !ere
disabilityD it was felt by so!e of their leaders) confident of their
talents and pro'd of their English birthright) to be a slight 57
Partic'larly was this the case with Isaac Ayon 7olds!id) nephew
of the fa!o's financiers and well <nown in financial and
philanthropic circles In .arch #$+%) while the Catholic
E!ancipation Bill was 'nder disc'ssion) the Board of :ep'ties of
British Jews "by now a force in the co!!'nity& was infor!ed of
the steps he had ta<en in the !atter) and e1pressed itself in
fa6o'r of action to sec're the relief of the Jews fro! their
political disabilities The interest of Nathan .eyer -othschild
was enlisted "tho'gh being foreign*born he preferred to be
represented on for!al occasions by his son Aionel& After
cons'ltation as to proced're with the :'<e of @ellington) then
Pri!e .inister) the first practical steps were ta<en9the
presentation of a Petition to Parlia!ent praying for the re!o6al
of Jewish disabilities) and the preparation of a Bill for achie6ing
that ob>ect The go6ern!ent) tho'gh not 'nfriendly) considered
that the t'r!oil created by the Catholic E!ancipation Bill was so
great that it was 'nwise to introd'ce another of a si!ilar nat're
in the sa!e session) and the for!al opening of the ca!paign was
accordinglydeferred to the following year 51
On April 8th) #$E2) the @hig stalwart) Sir -obert 7rant)
introd'ced into the Co!!ons a $ill 'to repeal the civil
disabilities affecting $ritish&born s"b3ects professing the 1ewish
religion'whereby all'civil rights, franchises and privileges &
offices, places, employments, tr"sts and confidences' that had
been !ade a6ailable to Catholics in the pre6io's year sho'ld now
be thrown open to the! also Aea6e to bring in the Bill was
granted by a !a>ority of #$ The opposition pro6ed stronger than
had been anticipated) and appreciably hardened while the Bill
was before Parlia!ent9according to report) thro'gh the
infl'ence on the <ing of his co'sin) the :'<e of 7lo'cester) and
his sister) the d'chess The second reading was therefore
defeated by ++$ 6otes to #,8 In the sa!e session Aord Be1ley
"who had wor<ed with -othschild when Chancellor of the
E1che='er) as Nicholas 0ansittart) at the ti!e of @aterloo& !ade
a si!ilarly 'ns'ccessf'l atte!pt in the Aords The fall of
@ellington;s ad!inistration shortly after) and the concentration
of the national energies on the -efor! Bill contro6ersy)
pre6ented anything !ore fro! being done at the !o!ent)
tho'gh n'!ero'sly*signed petitions fro! Aondon and the
pro6inces showed that the general p'blic was by no !eans
indifferent
The -efor!ed Parlia!ent !et early in #$EE i!b'ed with a
passionate desire to sweep away old ab'ses On April #/th 7rant
!o6ed that the Ho'se sho'ld resol6e itself into a co!!ittee to
consider the disabilities affecting Jewish s'b>ects :espite a
protest fro! Sir -obert Inglis) the reactionary !e!ber for the
Bni6ersity of O1ford) who was to !aintain his 'nco!pro!ising
opposition for an entire generation) the !otion was adopted
witho't a di6ision In co!!ittee 7rant !o6ed ;that it is
e1pedient to re!o6e all ci6il disabilities at present e1isting
affecting His .a>esty;s s'b>ects of the Jewish religion) with the
li<e e1ceptions as are pro6ided with reference to His .a>esty;s
s'b>ects professing the -o!an Catholic religion; The debate that
followed reached a high le6el) H'!e) O;Connell) and .aca'lay
spea<ing strongly in fa6o'r of the !otion "the speech of the last*
na!ed was to be a classic of English apologetics& 55 The
!inority did not challenge a di6ision) and the resol'tion was
adopted The second and third readings of the Bill were carried
by a!ple !argins against an intractable !inority of 8+ On being
sent to the Aords) howe6er) it was thrown o't on the second
reading by #23 6otes to 83) the Archbishop of Canterb'ry leading
the opposition The :'<e of S'sse1 was characteristically
6ehe!ent in his s'pport) b't his infl'ence was co'nterbalanced
by that of his brother) @illia! I0) who got it into his head that it
was his d'ty to oppose this inno6ation ;.y Aord;) he said
an1io'sly to a newly appointed bishop when he did ho!age) ;I do
not !ean to interfere in any way with yo'r 6ote in Parlia!ent
e1cept on one s'b>ect) The Jews) and I tr'st I !ay depend on
yo'r always 6oting against the!;
In the following year "April +3th) #$E3& 7rant reintrod'ced his
Bill) which was easily carried) b't re>ected by the Aords by an
increased !a>ority After .elbo'rne;s @hig ad!inistration was
reinstated the !eas're was ta<en 'nder go6ern!ent a'spices
B't both s'pport and opposition were by now l'<ewar! The
Co!!ons !'stered only 8, 6otes all told to pass the second
reading "A'g'st Erd) #$E,&? and in the Aords) owing to the
lateness of the session and the general apathy) the second
reading was ne6er !o6ed 5or the ne1t ele6en years) the ='estion
was per!itted to lapse 5:
The parlia!entary debates of #$E2 to #$E, !ade it patent that
the now do!inant !iddle class was antagonistic to the
contin'ance of religio's disabilities9a re!ar<able contrast to
conditions at the ti!e of the ;Jew Bill; of #/8E) when this sa!e
ele!ent had been fore!ost in agitating against the derisory
concessions then conte!plated Hence) d'ring the ens'ing
period of delay) before political e!ancipation was achie6ed) it
was relati6ely easy to sec're the re!o6al) little by little) of !inor
Jewish disabilities affecting ci6ic life The new tactics were in fact
!ore in accordance with the English geni's of b'ilding 'p a
doctrine fro! practical details) as opposed to the continental
fashion of i!posing a general principle witho't wor<ing o't its
i!plications) which the ad6ocates of e!ancipation had at first
fa6o'red .oreo6er the opposition) with its indignant
rep'diation of !edie6al pre>'dice and its concentration on the
doctrine that) in a Christian co'ntry) non*Christians sho'ld ha6e
no share in the go6ern!ent) i!plicitly ad!itted that Jewish
disabilities short of e1cl'sion fro! Parlia!ent were an
anachronis! Th's in these years the 6ario's disabilities were
swept away one by one) 'ntil in the end parlia!entary
e!ancipation only re!ained to be effected 54
The !ain ca!paign too< place in the City of Aondon At the close
of #$E2) in accordance with the reco!!endations of a co!!ittee
set 'p in the pre6io's year) the Co!!on Co'ncil enacted that
henceforth any person who too< 'p the freedo! co'ld !a<e the
necessary Oath in a for! agreeable to his religio's con6ictions
This i!plied not only that Jews co'ld now beco!e free!en) b't
also that they co'ld carry on trade in the City and be !e!bers of
Ai6ery Co!panies :a6id Salo!ons) a well*<nown City fig're and
one of the fo'nders of the @est!inster Ban<) whose fa!ily had
for three generations played their part in the affairs of the Anglo*
Jewish co!!'nity) had a!bitions in p'blic life As soon as it
beca!e possible) he applied for !e!bership of the Coopers;
Co!pany) and proceeded rapidly fro! one ci6ic dignity to
another In #$E8) in the teeth of so!e opposition on religio's
gro'nds) he was elected sheriff The stat'tory declaration 'on the
tr"e faith of a .hristian' "inc'!bent since the repeal of the Test
and Corporation Acts& !ade it i!possible for hi! to enter 'pon
his f'nctions To sol6e the diffic'lty Parlia!ent pro!ptly passed
the Sheriff;s :eclaration Act "8 H , @illia! I0) cap +$& !a<ing
special pro6ision for persons elected to this office The !eas're
applied) howe6er) to no other dignity) and when in the following
:ece!ber Salo!ons was ret'rned as alder!an) he was ref'sed
ad!ission by the Co'rt of Alder!en and a new election was
ordered 5; In #$E/ the .'nicipal Corporations :eclarations Act
ga6e relief to I'a<ers and .ora6ians) b't 7rote;s a!end!ent to
e1tend it to all classes of Her .a>esty;s s'b>ects was negati6ed)
the go6ern!ent feeling that this wo'ld >eopardi(e the !eas're as
a whole B't that sa!e year .oses .ontefiore) who had already
!ade hi!self <nown as a philanthropist) beca!e sheriff of
Aondon) and was <nighted by I'een 0ictoria on the occasion of
her state 6isit to the City after the coronation) being the first Jew
since Sir Solo!on de .edina to recei6e that distinction
5or so!e ti!e to co!e the !o6e!ent for the re!o6al of ci6ic as
of parlia!entary disabilities re!ained in a state of i!perfectly
s'spended ani!ation B't in other spheres there was grad'al
a!elioration In #$EE 5rancis 7olds!id) the son of Isaac Ayon
7olds!id) was called to the Bar) the first Jewish barrister In
#$E8 an Act which incidentally relie6ed 6oters fro! the necessity
of ta<ing any oaths threw the franchise open de 3"re as well as de
facto to professing Jews On No6e!ber #/th of the sa!e year the
earliest recorded Jewish >'ry!an was sworn on the Pentate'ch
as a !e!ber of the 7rand J'ry at the Gir<dale I'arter Sessions
In #$E, the Board of :ep'ties "which had by now beg'n to
e1tend representation to synagog'es o'tside Aondon& recei6ed
stat'tory recognition in the .arriage -egistration Act as a
co!petent a'thority to certify Jewish places of worship In #$E/
the non*sectarian 'ni6ersity of Aondon) in the fo'ndation of
which Isaac Ayon 7olds!id had been one of the !ost acti6e and
!ost genero's wor<ers) was incorporated) enabling Jews to
proceed to the degrees fro! which they were e1cl'ded by the
older 'ni6ersities 5< In #$3# 7olds!id was rewarded for his
o'tstanding philanthropic ser6ices by being created baronet)
being the first Jew to recei6e an hereditary English title
The sa!e year "#$3#&) largely owing to Salo!ons;s 'nflagging
efforts) the go6ern!ent carried thro'gh the Ho'se of Co!!ons a
!eas're 'for the relief of persons of the 1ewish religion elected
to m"nicipal office') b't it was defeated on the second reading in
the Aords The str'ggle was then transferred fro! the Senate to
the City In #$33 Salo!ons was once !ore elected to the Co'rt of
Alder!en) and once !ore ref'sed ad!ission His pertinacity had
bro'ght the proble! to p'blic attention) and it was considered
prepostero's for the wishes of the Ai6ery!en to be persistently
o6erridden in this fashion In #$38 accordingly a Jewish
:isabilities -e!o6al Act) introd'ced by Aord Ayndh'rst) enabled
any !e!ber of the Jewish faith on ad!ission to !'nicipal office
to s'bstit'te for the declaration laid down by law one in a for!
acceptable to his conscience "$ H % 0ictoria) cap 8+& Th's
!'nicipal offices of e6ery description9incl'ding that of
-ecorder) with its >'dicial f'nctions9were thrown open to Jews
Two years after) Salo!ons was at last ad!itted as alder!an) and
no f'rther obstacle was p't in his way when) in the nor!al
co'rse of s'ccession) he was elected Aord .ayor of Aondon in
#$88) thereby setting the seal on the !'nicipal e!ancipation of
English Jews 5=
.eanwhile) in the co'rse of the general refor!ing !o6e!ent
which was sweeping away old ab'ses) an Act of #$3, 'to relieve
Her )a3esty's s"b3ects from certain penalties and disabilities in
regard to religio"s opinions' "% H #2 0ictoria) cap 8%& for!ally
repealed) a!ong other legislation) the intolerantstat"t"m de
3"deismoof #+/# "still on the stat'te boo<& * and the act of #/2+
co!pelling Jews to !aintain their Protestant children) and
placed English Jews in the sa!e position as Protestant dissenters
with respect to their schools) places of worship) and charitable
fo'ndations
One disability only was now left9that they co'ld not ta<e part in
political life A re!ote ideal twenty years before) it beca!e a
co!!onplace in E'rope with the e!ancipation of the Jews in
e6er*widening areas of the Continent in the !iddle decades of
the cent'ry That f'll e!ancipation sho'ld ha6e been so long
delayed in England) where the Jews were so !ildly treated) is
perhaps not so re!ar<able as wo'ld appear In those co'ntries
where i!portant 6estiges of the 7hetto syste! re!ained 'ntil the
nineteenth cent'ry) the granting of f'll legal e='ality to the Jew
had beco!e a cardinal principle of constit'tionalist doctrine In
England) for the 6ery reason that the disabilities fro! which he
s'ffered were co!parati6ely slight) it was possible to withhold
the final step so long
In the inter6al of waiting) before they co'ld achie6e co!plete
integration in the English body politic) the Jews were setting
their own ho'se in order There was a section in the co!!'nity
which i!agined that the withholding of f'll e!ancipation was
d'e to the fact that the traditional for!s of J'dais! were) if not
foreign) at least non*English) and that an appro1i!ation in
e1ternals between the Hebrew and Christian for!s of worship
wo'ld con6ince the o'tside world at last that their Jewish
neighbo'rs were differentiated fro! the! only in adherence to a
creed which was) at root) not so re!ote fro! that which they
the!sel6es professed This reasoning had been the basis of the
-efor! .o6e!ent in 7er!any) which had co!e to a head with
the opening of a refor!ed ;Te!ple; in Ha!b'rg in #$#$ In
England r'!blings of discontent with the established
ecclesiastical order had !ade the!sel6es heard fro! the
beginning of the nineteenth cent'ry The few !inor refor!s
which were introd'ced did little to !eet the criticis!s) which in
Aondon were aggra6ated by the atte!pt of the e1isting
synagog'es to retain their do!inance by allowing no Jewish
place of worship to be opened o'tside the City area The agitation
grew? and in #$E, a n'!ber of !e!bers of the Spanish and
Port'g'ese co!!'nity presented a petition re='esting the
introd'ction into the ser6ice of 's"ch alterations and
modifications as were in the line of the changes introd"ced in
the reform synagog"e of Hamb"rg and other places' Co'nter*
petitions and prolonged debates enco'raged the go6erning body
not to co!pro!ise? and in the spring of #$32 eighteen pro!inent
and wealthy !e!bers of the co!!'nity) in association with si1
!e!bers of other synagog'es) resol6ed to establish a place of
worship in @est Aondon which wo'ld be neither ;Ash<ena(i; nor
;Sephardi;) b't ;British; Th's) notwithstanding stren'o's efforts
on the part of the older bodies) c'l!inating in an ecclesiastical
ban) the first English -efor!ed Synagog'e) the @est Aondon
Synagog'e of British Jews) was opened in #$3+ 5>
To the credit of both factions the dissidents did not beco!e a sect
9not e6en in the following cent'ry) when the !o6e!ent too< a
radical t'rn9the difference being one rather of presentation than
of dog!a Nor) indeed) did the new !o6e!ent) alien to the
for!al conser6atis! of the English!an) achie6e by any !eans so
sweeping a s'ccess) or so far*reaching res'lts) as was anticipated
O'tside Aondon it established a foothold in the co'rse of the ne1t
generation only in .anchester and Bradford B't its infl'ence on
the conser6ati6e !a>ority) tho'gh 'nac<nowledged) was
ne6ertheless considerable Synagog'e decor'! i!pro6ed)
organi(ed choirs were introd'ced) the 6ernac'lar ser!on beca!e
the r'le) ed'cation was reorgani(ed) and !inisters of religion
began to replace the old type of synagogal factot'!D while) in
Aondon) geographical decentrali(ation was no longer
disco'raged In #$38) after an election in which for the first ti!e
so!e twenty co!!'nities thro'gho't the co'ntry participated)
the Chief -abbinate was filled by a pastor) in the person of the
Hano6erian Nathan .arc's Adler) who co!bined with his
Tal!'dical training and orthodo1 principles a so'nd western
ed'cation Bnder his a'spices a Jewish theological se!inary on
!odern lines was established in Aondon "#$88&) and the first
steps were ta<en towards the 'nification of the Aondon
co!!'nity) to c'l!inate in the establish!ent of the Bnited
Synagog'e in #$/2 At the sa!e ti!e the organi(ation of Jewish
Boards of 7'ardians and si!ilar instit'tions helped to cope with
the proble! of the indigent who) at the beginning of the cent'ry)
had presented so serio's a diffic'lty 59
In the historical e6ol'tion of the Anglo*Jewish co!!'nity the
year #$32 was of cr'cial i!portance A charge of rit'al !'rder
which was bro'ght 'p against the Jews of :a!asc's)
acco!panied by a partic'larly br'tal persec'tion) stirred the
English conscience to its depth A protest !eeting was held at the
.ansion Ho'se? and when Sir .oses .ontefiore proceeded to
the East to cha!pion the ca'se on's co*religionists) he en>oyed
not only the sy!pathy of the English people) b't the diplo!atic
s'pport of the English go6ern!ent as well "In this) his position
was 6ery different fro! that of his 5rench colleag'e) Adolphe
Cre!ie'1) who had to contend with the pre>'dices and
opposition of his co!patriots& @hen .ontefiore ca!e bac< in
tri'!ph fro! his !ission) after sec'ring the release and
'nconditional ac='ittal of the prisoners) he was recei6ed in
a'dience by the ='een and accorded s'pporters to his coat of
ar!s9a recognition of the fact that this inter6ention on behalf of
persec'ted Jews was at the sa!e ti!e a ser6ice to the h'!anity
of his fellow co'ntry!en :7
This episode !ar<ed the !eridian of the bene6olent wor< of
.ontefiore) who) al!ost to the end of his long life) was engaged
in >o'rneys of intercession9to -'ssia) to .orocco) to Italy9on
behalf of his persec'ted co*religionists This protracted acti6ity)
on the part of a personality of e1ceptional distinction and !oral
force) ga6e English Jewry a position of pre*e!inence in political
acti6ities on behalf of the co!!'nities of bac<ward states? while
its representati6e instit'tions) hitherto concerned only with
do!estic !atters) had their p'r6iew widened and began to thin<
in international ter!s The British go6ern!ent) too) !aintained
the bene6olent attit'de which it had ta<en 'p at the period of the
:a!asc's Affair 5ro! that ti!e onwards) e1cept when 'rgent
political considerations !ade action inad6isable) it co'ld
generally be relied 'pon for diplo!atic s'pport if conditions for
Jews abroad beca!e intolerable :1 The tendency c'l!inated
shortly after the :a!asc's Affair when Pal!erston "an1io's to
obtain a loc's standi in the Holy Aand) e='i6alent to that en>oyed
by -'ssia on behalf of the Orthodo1 Ch'rch) and by 5rance on
behalf of the -o!an Catholics&) atte!pted to ta<e Palestinian
Jewry in its entirety 'nder British protection in a for!al sense
This did not indeed !ateriali(e) b't for so!e while England
e1ercised the right on behalf of e1patriated -'ssian
Jews :5 S'ch philose!itis! abroad co'ld hardly fail to
infl'ence e6ents at ho!e
@hen at the o'tset of the !o6e!ent for Jewish e!ancipation
Isaac Ayon 7olds!id had been in to'ch with :aniel O;Connell)
the latter war!ly ad6ised hi! to force the clai!s of the Jews on
Parlia!ent) as he hi!self had the clai!s of the Catholics S'ch
!ethods accorded ad!irably with :a6id Salo!ons;s p'gnacio's
te!pera!ent Accordingly in #$E/) #$3#) and again #$3/ he
offered hi!self as a parlia!entary candidate) b't in each case
'ns'ccessf'lly In the last year howe6er) Baron Aionel de
-othschild) head of the fa!o's ban<ing*ho'se) was no!inated
for the City of Aondon) in con>'nction with Aord John -'ssell)
the Pri!e .inister S'ccess for one who fo'ght here in the
Aiberal interest was al!ost a foregone concl'sion) and he was
elected by an ade='ate !a>ority
There was no stat'te that forbade a Jew to sit in Parlia!ent? b't
"as has been indicated abo6e& it was rendered i!possible by
reason of the for! of the stat'tory oaths It was not only that
they were nor!ally ad!inistered on the New Testa!ent9this
was a !atter of 'sage only The real obstacle was that) in addition
to the Oaths of Allegiance and S'pre!acy) the conser6atis! of
English instit'tions preser6ed also a third ab>'ring the right to
the throne of the descendants of the Old Pretender) which
concl'ded with the words ;on the tr'e faith of a Christian; The
oath now had little significance in practice? b't) its for! ha6ing
been laid down by Parlia!ent) another Act of Parlia!ent was
necessary to !odify it :5
@hen Parlia!ent asse!bled in :ece!ber #$3/ -othschild
presented hi!self at the Table of the Ho'se and inti!ated his
inability to ta<e the oaths by reason of his religio's beliefs He
was directed to withdraw) and as soon as possible the Pri!e
.inister !o6ed that the Ho'se sho'ld resol6e itself into a
Co!!ittee on the re!o6al of the ci6il and religio's disabilities
affecting Her .a>esty;s Jewish s'b>ects :: The resol'tion was
agreed to by +8/ 6otes to #$, The conse='ent Jewish :isabilities
Bill) introd'ced early in the following year) which placed the Jews
on the sa!e footing as the -o!an Catholics) was 'nli<e those of
the series introd'ced between #$E2 and #$E, in that it in6ol6ed
in fact little !ore than ad!ission to Parlia!ent 5or this 6ery
reason it pro6o<ed a greater !eas're of opposition The debates
were re!ar<able in the annals of parlia!entary elo='ence
-'ssell based his arg'!ent on the theory that e6ery English!an
is entitled to all the hono'rs and ad6antages of the British
Constit'tion The opposition was led by Sir -obert Inglis) who
insisted on the 6ital necessity of preser6ing the Christian
character of e6ery person holding any share in the go6ern!ent)
and Aord Ashley) the later Aord Shaftesb'ry) who elaborated :r
Arnold;s 6iew "which carried considerable weight in Aiberal
circles& that the Jews were 6ol'ntary strangers who co'ld ha6e
no clai! to citi(enship 'nless they confor!ed to the law of the
7ospel Peel and 7ladstone) for!er opponents of Jewish
e!ancipation) de!onstrated their political progress by spea<ing
and 6oting in fa6o'r of the !eas're9the latter in opposition to
what he <new to be the 6iews of his new constit'ents at the
'ni6ersity of O1ford Ben>a!in :israeli "who) for all his
ostentatio'sly Jewish na!e) appearance) and sy!pathies) had
beco!e a leading fig're in the Ho'se since Jewish e!ancipation
was last debated& showed co'rage as well as elo='ence in his
s'pport of the !eas're) and carried with hi! his associate) Aord
7eorge Bentinc<) the head of the Protectionist fraction Their
followers) howe6er) 6oted against the! to a !anD Bentinc<
withdrew fro! his leadershipD and the episode had the 'lti!ate
res'lt of !a<ing a !an who was a Jew by birth parlia!entary
leader of the party of the landed gentry) witho't ad!itting to his
seat one who was a Jew by faith 5or) tho'gh the Co!!ons
carried the second reading by +// 6otes to +23) the peers were so
aro'sed by the clerical agitation) to the effect that the !eas're
wo'ld dechristiani(e the legislat're and i!peril the co'ntry;s
religion) that they re>ected the Bill in an e1ceptionally f'll Ho'se
by #,E 6otes to #+8 :4
In the following session "#$3%& a !odified !eas're) the
Parlia!entary Oaths Bill) was steered s'ccessf'lly thro'gh the
Co!!ons) b't again re>ected al!ost !echanically tho'gh with a
narrower !argin by the Aords -othschild there'pon applied for
the Chiltern H'ndreds and 6acated his seat) b't offered hi!self
for re*election and was once again ret'rned B't the City electors
were not disposed to s'b!it to 6irt'al disenfranchise!ent
witho't protest) and instr'cted their no!inee to de!and the
rights which the action of the Aords withheld On J'ly +,th) #$8o)
accordingly) he again presented hi!self at @est!inster and
re='ested to be sworn on the Old Testa!ent After an
ad>o'rn!ent and three di6isions the Ho'se decided to allow the
applicant to ta<e the oaths in a for! binding 'pon his
conscience) b't when he ca!e to the Oath of Ab>'ration he
ref'sed to prono'nce the final words ;on the tr'e faith of a
Christian; as stip'lated A !otion that his seat sho'ld be declared
6acant was then proposed and re>ected? others were) howe6er)
carried declaring first that he was not entitled to 6ote or sit in the
Ho'se 'ntil he too< the oath in the for! appointed by law) and
secondly) that the for! of the Oath of Ab>'ration sho'ld be ta<en
into consideration in the ne1t session) with a 6iew to the relief of
persons professing J'dais! In accordance with this) in #$8# the
go6ern!ent introd'ced its Oath of Ab>'ration Bill) which passed
the second reading by +2+ to #//9a !argin narrow eno'gh to
enco'rage the Aords to persist in their 's'al line of cond'ct and
re>ect it "J'ly #/th) #$8#&
@hile the Bill was 'nder consideration) :a6id Salo!ons had
been elected) at his fo'rth atte!pt) at a by*election for
7reenwich The action of the Aords con6inced hi! that the
constit'tional !ethod hitherto followed co'ld lead to no 'sef'l
res'lt) and that a different policy was re='ired to force the
proble! on p'blic attention Accordingly) the day after the
re>ection of the Bill) he attended at the Table of the Ho'se of
Co!!ons and as<ed to be sworn Instead of gi6ing 'p the battle
when he arri6ed at the Oath of Ab>'ration) as -othschild had
done) he recited it witho't the words to which he ob>ected) and
then too< his seat on one of the !inisterial benches) ignoring an
order to withdraw The Spea<er appealed to the Ho'se for
s'pport In the ens'ing proceedings) Salo!ons not only recorded
his 6ote three ti!es) b't e6en too< part in the debate to e1plain
his position
The !otion was) of co'rse) carried) and the trespasser was
re!o6ed fro! his place by the sergeant*at*ar!s By recording his
6ote witho't ta<ing the prescribed oath he had rendered hi!self
liable to a stat'tory fine of K822 for each occasion) besides
6ario's ci6il penalties Since the go6ern!ent had anno'nced that
it wo'ld not initiate proceedings) a co!!on infor!er applied for
a writ The case was tried before the Co'rt of the E1che='er)
where >'dge!ent was gi6en for the plaintiff by three 6oices o't of
fo'r) the chief baron e1pressing his regret that as an e1po'nder
of the law he was forced to co!e to this concl'sion Salo!ons
there'pon appealed to the E1che='er Cha!ber) which
'nani!o'sly confir!ed the decision as well as the senti!ents of
the lower co'rt An appeal to the Ho'se of Aords was in
preparation when a general election too< place) and "tho'gh the
City of Aondon was faithf'l to its pre6io's choice& Salo!ons lost
his seat) !a<ing f'rther legal proceedings pointless :;
After this spirited interl'de there was a ret'rn to the slower) and
now al!ost !echanical) !ethod that had pre6io'sly been
followed In #$8E Aord John -'ssell) now 5oreign Secretary in
Aord Aberdeen;s Coalition go6ern!ent) carried a new Jewish
:isabilities Bill thro'gh the Co!!ons? b't notwithstanding the
fact that in the Aords it was in charge of the Pri!e .inister
hi!self) a for!er opponent) it was a'to!atically re>ected The
following year -'ssell changed his tactics) atte!pting to sec're
his ob>ect in his Parlia!entary Oaths Bill) which s'bstit'ted a
new single oath for the three for!erly re='isite The !eas're did
not !ention the Jews) b't as the words ;on the tr'e faith of a
Christian; did not fig're in the proposed for!'la) the barrier
which <ept the! o't of Parlia!ent wo'ld incidentally ha6e been
re!o6ed B't the Bill also abolished the special -o!an Catholic
oath which had been laid down by the Catholic E!ancipation
Act) and the opposition which this drew fro! the Conser6ati6e
benches res'lted in the re>ection of the Bill in the Co!!ons by a
narrow !argin
The atte!pt) in one for! or the other) was by now all b't ann'al)
the !onotony being relie6ed only by slight 6ariations in the
proced're In #$8, a pri6ate !e!ber) .ilner 7ibson) the free
trade cha!pion) tried to achie6e the ob>ect by a Bill to abolish the
Oath of Ab>'ration itself It recei6ed the s'pport of Pal!erston;s
go6ern!ent and passed the Co!!ons) b't was re>ected as a
!atter of co'rse in the Aords After the general election of the
following year) when Baron de -othschild was ret'rned for the
fo'rth ti!e by the City of Aondon) Pal!erston introd'ced a new
Oaths Bill si!ilar to that of #$88) e1cept that it did not affect the
oath to be ta<en by Catholics In the -eport stage cla'ses were
inserted e1cl'ding Jews fro! those dignities closed to -o!an
Catholics :< and fro! the e1ercise of ecclesiastical patronage
attached to any go6ern!ent offices to which they !ight be
appointed Th's a!ended the Bill passed by a rather !ore a!ple
!a>ority than 's'al In the Aords the second reading was
a'to!atically ref'sed Aord John -'ssell "now o't of office&
i!!ediately introd'ced a fresh Bill e!powering !e!bers of
Parlia!ent to ta<e an oath in the for! binding on their own
conscience? b't the go6ern!ent was 'nable to grant facilities to
forward the !eas're and it was abandoned .eanwhile)
-othschild had once !ore applied for the Chiltern H'ndreds) b't
was re*elected by his Aondon constit'ents) who deliberately
perpet'ated a partial disenfranchise!ent which had lasted for
ten years
Th's enco'raged) -'ssell renewed his efforts) and sec'red the
appoint!ent of a select co!!ittee to consider whether a
stat'tory declaration co'ld legally be s'bstit'ted for the
Parlia!entary oath) 'nder the ter!s of an act of #$E8 which
per!itted it for corporate bodies @hen the ='estion was decided
in the negati6e he bro'ght in a new Oaths Bill which !et so!e of
the ob>ections to pre6io's drafts by adding ;on the tr'e faith of a
Christian; to the stip'lated for! "thereby preser6ing its basic
religio's nat're&) b't pro6iding that a Jew !ight o!it the final
words By the ti!e it reached the Ho'se of Aords Pal!erston;s
go6ern!ent had fallen) and the opposition was led by the new
Conser6ati6e Aord Chancellor) Aord Chel!sford) who as Sir
5rederic Thesiger had for !any years ta<en a pro!inent part in
the debates in the Co!!ons On his !otion the cla'se affecting
the Jews) which was the essence of the Bill) was o!itted In the
Co!!ons -'ssell !o6ed that the Ho'se sho'ld disagree with
the Aords; a!end!ents) and a co!!ittee was appointed to draw
'p the reasons In this) by a s'pre!e stro<e of political strategy)
Baron de -othschild was incl'ded? for no law pre6ented any
person d'ly elected by a constit'ency fro! e1ercising the rights
of a .e!ber of Parlia!ent other than 6oting or sitting in the
Ho'se d'ring a debate A conference of both Ho'ses which
followed was 'nable to co!e to an agree!ent
Both sides were by now weary of the contest E6en the
Conser6ati6e Pri!e .inister) Aord :erby) an old opponent of
Jewish e!ancipation) reali(ed the har! this intransigence was
doing to his party) and was ready to accept any sol'tion which
!ight bring the str'ggle to an end witho't gi6ing the appearance
of co!plete s'rrender @hen therefore the report of the
conference ca!e 'p before the Aords for consideration) Aord
A'can) who had consistently 6oted against the s'ccessi6e
!eas'res) s'ggested as a co!pro!ise that each Ho'se of
Parlia!ent sho'ld be allowed to deter!ine by resol'tion the
for! of oath ad!inistered to a Jew The proposal was recei6ed
with ob6io's relief) and a Bill to gi6e it effect was introd'ced in
the following wee< := :espite the 'nderstanding that had been
reached) it was st'bbornly contested) the second reading being
carried by only #3E 6otes against %/ In the co!!ittee stage two
additional cla'ses debarred Jews fro! holding those high offices
of state fro! which -o!an Catholics had been e1cl'ded by the
Catholic E!ancipation Act) :> and conferred on the Archbishop
of Canterb'ry the right of presentation to ecclesiastical benefices
which nor!ally belonged to any office of state d'ring its
occ'pancy by a Jew
Th's a!ended) the Bill "+# H ++ 0ictoria) cap +%&9the
fo'rteenth of that weariso!e series that had occ'pied the
attention of Parlia!ent for !ore than a ='arter of a cent'ry9
passed thro'gh both Ho'sesD the Aords on the third reading by
EE 6otes to #+ "eight peers) st'bborn to the last) recording their
sole!n protest& and the Co!!ons by #+% 6otes to 88 :9 On
.onday) J'ly +,th) #$8$) Baron de -othschild at last too< his
seat in the Ho'se Two h'ndred years after Cro!well;s death) the
wor< that he had beg'n reached its c'l!ination) and an English
Jew was for the first ti!e recogni(ed as an e='al citi(en of his
nati6e land
%ootnotes
Chapter ##
# Col='ho'n;s esti!ate in #/%8 was #8)222*+2)222 in
Aondon "of who! E)222 belonged To the Spanish and
Port'g'ese ele!ent& and 8)222*,)222 in the seaports
7olds!id in his -e!ar<s on the Ci6il :isabilities of
British Jews) #$E2) pp ,% s== !ade an esti!ate of
#$)222 Jews in Aondon and %)222 in the rest of the
co'ntry) J E Bl'nt "Establish!ent and -esidence of the
Jews in England p/8&) s'bstit'ting +2)222 and #/)222
respecti6ely Apsley Pellatt "Brief .e!oir of the Jews)
#$+%& s'ggests +8)222 all told
+ Jewish contrib'tions to general English literat're before
#$E/ are listed in Bibl B+2 It is to be noted that the !ost
i!portant wor<s of .oses .endelssohn) which prepared
the gro'nd for Jewish E!ancipation on the Continent)
were translated at an early date into English "Bibl B+o
83) Hc&
E See Bibl B #2 EE for what is said to be the first ser!on
preached and p'blished in English "Ai6erpool) #$#%& In
the sa!e year English was first 'sed for the official
records of the Spanish and Port'g'ese Synagog'e
"Picciotto) S<etches) p E+2&D it had already been adopted
by the ;7er!an; congregations
3 E HalT6y "History of the English People in the Nineteenth
Cent'ry) Aondon) #%+3) i 32#& instances the growing
prosperity by the constr'ction) in the early years of the
cent'ry) of new synagog'es which he describes as
;s'!pt'o's;) in Ai6erpool) Bir!ingha!) and .anchester
In fact the b'ildings were !odest to a degree
8 Cf all these na!es and the p'blications by or associated
with the! in inde1) and the biographical acco'nts in the
Jewish Encyclopaedia) the :ictionary of National
Biography) and A -'bens) Anglo*Jewish Portraits
"Aondon) #%E8&
, See Note 4I "a&) p +$/
/ Bibl A/ ,g) /,D cf also the conte!porary p'blications)
B, // s==) BB 3E s==
$ See Note 4I "b&) pp +$/*$
% The s'pport of the Aondon Society for the Pro!otion of
Christianity a!ong the Jews for the ca'se of Jewish
e!ancipation was stren'o'sly ad6ocated by Tho!as
Thr'sh in his Aetters to .r Ae6y "Aondon) #$+$& 5or the
p'blications ad6ocating or opposing Jewish e!ancipation
see Bibl B#) passi!? for -ichard Bothers) the
co!prehensi6e bibliography) ibid BI / #3*/#? and for the
Palestinophile !o6e!ent) ibid B#,
#2 Bibl B8 +3*8) BI$ E$*%
## A @olf) The :iplo!atic History of the Jewish I'estion
"Aondon) #%#%&) pp #+*#,? P'b A! JHS 116i EE*#+8
#+ Henri='es) Jews and English Aaw) pp +28*,? P'b A!
JHS 1i1 #/ 2 "5ro! this it wo'ld see! that the
candidate too< the oath in the Christological for!? b't in
fact he re!ained a professing Jew&
#E Picciotto) S<etches) pp EE8*,) E$,? A B . Serfaty) The
Jews of 7ibraltar) PP #3*#8? @olf) Essays) p ++# There is
no e6idence to show how Josh'a .ontefibre "who with
.oses [later Sir .a'rice\ 4i!enes had led a band of
ad6ent'rers to establish a colony in @est Africa in #/%#D
Bibl B+2 ,o& e6aded the stat'tory Christological oaths
#3 See Note 4I "c&) p +$$
#8 A Pellatt) Brief .e!oir "#$+%&) p +,
#, The disabilities fro! which the Jews s'ffered are stated in
detail in J E Bl'nt) A History of the Establish!ent and
-esidence of the Jews in England) with an in='iry into
their ci6il disabilities "Aondon) #$E2& pp ##2 s== and
6ario's conte!porary wor<sD see Bibl B#
#/ Cf Bibl B# 82) 83) 888
#$ Parlia!entary :ebates) #$+o) ii 3/8
#% In one respect the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts
!ade the position of the Jews worse than it had been
before) as an ann'al Inde!nity Act had pre6io'sly
!itigated religio's disabilities
+2See Note 4I "d&) p +$$
+# E!an'el) A Cent'ry and a Half) pp #,*#/? Trs JHSE i6
##, s==) 6i +32 s==
++ Cf Bibl A/ 8r Of e6en greater i!portance than his
speech was .aca'lay;s powerf'l Essay on the s'b>ect in
the Edinb'rgh -e6iew for Jan'ary #$E#) which was
fre='ently rep'blished in England and abroad 5or the
debates of #$EE) see Bibl B #$#
+E The !ost caref'l s'!!ary of the progress of Jewish
e!ancipation in England is in Henri='es) The Jews and
English Aaw See also the list of conte!porary
p'blications and pole!ic literat're in Bibl BA
+3 See Note 4I "e&) pp +$$*%
+8 See A . Hya!son) :a6id Salo!ons "Aondon) #%E%& The
Ale1ander -aphael who preceded hi! in the Shrie6alty in
#$E3 was a professing Catholic
+, See Note 4I "f&) p +$%
+/ .eanwhile) in #$3,) "Sir& B S Phillips had been elected to
the Co!!on Co'ncil
+$: Philipson) The -efor! .o6e!ent in J'dais! "New
Jor<) #%E#&) chapter 6) and the contro6ersial p'blications
in Bibl B8 E2*/
+% N . Adler "whose predecessor in office) fro! #$2+ to
#$3+) Solo!on Hirschell) had hardly been able to <eep
pace with the anglici(ation of the co!!'nity d'ring his
pastorate& was s'cceeded by his son) Her!ann Adler
"#$%#*#%##&) and the latter by Joseph Her!ann Hert(
"#%#E9 & 5or the instit'tions !entioned in the te1t see
Bibl A$ ii and iii The Bnited Synagog'e) a 'nion of the
older Aondon Ash<ena(i congregations) was s'pple!ented
in #$$/ by a 5ederation of Synagog'es e!bracing the less
highly organi(ed foreign ele!ent
E2The selection of this slightly bi(arre distinction was
probably d'e to the fact that .ontefiore was already a
<night) and that there was as yet no precedent for a Jew
beco!ing baronet
E# A @olf) The :iplo!atic History of the Jewish I'estion
"Aondon) #%#%& Cf) for a little*<nown instance of
inter6ention in Syria) S @ Baron) ;7reat Britain and
:a!asc's Jewry in #$,2*#; in Jewish Social St'dies) ii
"#%32& #/%*+2$
E+ A . Hya!son) The British Cons'late in Jer'sale!
"Aondon) #%E%) Hc& The establish!ent in #$3# of the
Anglican Bishopric of Jer'sale!) with a con6erted Jew)
.ichael Solo!on Ale1ander as the first inc'!bent) was an
o'tco!e of this policy The tendency was reflected in the
interest shown by the British go6ern!ent in Oionis! fro!
its early days) c'l!inating in the Balfo'r :eclaration of
#%#/
E+B& No pro6ision was !ade to !eet the diffic'lty of the
Oath of Ab>'ration in the s'ccessi6e E!ancipation Bills)
and had any of the! been carried an abbre6iated t'ssle
o6er the Oath wo'ld pres'!ably ha6e ta<en place
Conte!porary critics did not fail to point o't that) tho'gh
the stat'tory obligation e1cl'ded a conscientio's Jew) it
!eant nothing to an insincere Christian
EE The precedent of the I'a<er Joseph Place) who was
allowed to affir!) on being ret'rned for the first -efor!ed
Parlia!ent in #$EE) had no bearing on this case) as an Act
of Parlia!ent specifically allowed I'a<ers to !a<e an
affir!ation in all cases where an Oath was nor!ally
necessary
E3 The Parlia!entary :ebates of #$3/*$ on Jewish
E!ancipation are con6eniently reprinted in .argolio'th)
The Jews in 7reat Britain) ii +8/*%8) iii #*/8) and in C
Egan) Stat's of the Jews in England "Aondon) #$3$&) pp
82*#3% See also @ 5 .onypenny and 7 E B'c<le) Aife
of :israeli "Aondon) #%+%&) i $$+ s==
E8 A . Hya!son) :a6id Sal!ons) pp /3*$3? @olf) Essays)
pp EE#*3? Henri='es) Jews and English Aaw) pp +/2*/
An Act passed by the short*li6ed Conser6ati6e go6ern!ent
relie6ed Salo!ons of the ci6il disabilities to which his
action had e1posed hi!
E, See p +,E) note +
E/ Another Bill on the lines of that of #$8E) s'bstit'ting a
single oath for the three hitherto obligatory and !a<ing
pro6ision for Jewish religio's scr'ples) was
si!'ltaneo'sly introd'ced by Aord Ayndh'rst "an old
cha!pion of Jewish e!ancipation notwithstanding his
stern Tory principles9perhaps beca'se his wife was a
da'ghter of Aewis 7olds!ith&D b't Aord A'can;s was
preferred as being !ore in accordance with parlia!entary
proced're
E$ -egent of the Gingdo!) Aord Chancellor or Aord Geeper)
Aord Aie'tenant of Ireland or his :ep'ty) and High
Co!!issioner to the 7eneral Asse!bly of the Ch'rch of
Scotland) as well as ;the office of 7'ardians and J'stices of
the Bnited Gingdo!;
E% The a!ended Oaths Bill which had occasioned the
altercation between the two Ho'ses) and on which the
Jewish -elief Bill was based) was passed at the sa!e ti!e
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
)3ilo0ue
It is 's'al to regard this scene in the Ho'se of Co!!ons as the
c'l!inating*point in the e!ancipation of English Jewry
In fact) this was not ='ite the case The piece*!eal re!o6al of
their grie6ances) after the fail're of the first e1peri!ents) !ade
sy!!etry i!possible) and so!e disabilities still re!ained which
affected Jews by reason of their faith Indeed) the 6ery nat're of
the co!pro!ise of #$8$ was personal rather than general The
!e!ber for the City of Aondon was ad!itted to ta<e the oath in a
for! acceptable to hi! by a special resol'tion of the Ho'se of
Co!!ons) passed in the teeth of deter!ined opposition on the
part of the die*hard !inority) which pro6ided no precedent for
any f't're occasion @hen) howe6er) in 5ebr'ary #$8% Baron
Aionel;s brother) .ayer de -othschild) was ret'rned for Hythe at
a by*election) not only was he e!powered to ta<e the oath in the
fashion acceptable to hi!) b't in addition it was resol6ed that
henceforth any Jew d'ly elected !ight swear in the for! then
prescribed A -esol'tion of the Ho'se re!ained in force only
'ntil the Prorogation) and wo'ld therefore ha6e to be
reintrod'ced at e6ery s'cceeding session The -esol'tion was)
howe6er) con6erted into a Standing Order by an Act of #$,2 "+E
H +3 0ictoria) cap 3%& It was this which in fact set the seal on
parlia!entary e!ancipation in England) !a<ing the ad!ission
of Jews to the Ho'se of Co!!ons a !atter of right instead of
pri6ilege The !atter was finally consolidated by the
Parlia!entary Oaths Act of #$,, "+% H Eo 0ictoria) cap #%&
which prescribed a new and si!plified oath for both Ho'ses)
o!itting the phrase which had held 'p Jewish e!ancipation for
so !any years
Bp to this ti!e the ad!ission of a Jew to the Ho'se of Aords
wo'ld ha6e been dependent si!ilarly on a special resol'tion)
tho'gh ref'sal wo'ld ha6e been diffic'lt witho't personal affront
to the so6ereign This was now no longer the case In #$$8) on the
reco!!endation of 7ladstone) who si1teen years before had
been 'nable to o6erco!e her ob>ection to conferring the sa!e
hono'r on Baron Aionel de -othschild) I'een 0ictoria raised his
son Nathaniel to the peerage) and he too< his seat in the Bpper
Ho'se in the nor!al fashion witho't diffic'lty 1
.eanwhile the Pro!issory Oaths Act of #$/# "E3 H E8 0ictoria)
cap 3$& repealed the section in the -elief Act of #$8$ which
e1cl'ded Jews fro! 6ario's offices of state) and did away with all
the old for!s of oaths and declarations laid down by for!er
stat'tes @ith the passage of this Bill into law Jews were placed
at last on precisely the sa!e footing as regards political rights as
their Christian fellow s'b>ects with one or two insignificant
='alifications 5 In the sa!e year "#$+#& a Jewish !e!ber of
Parlia!ent) Sir 7eorge Jessel "!ore effecti6e in politics than
Baron Aionel de -othschild) who after all the effort of entering
the Ho'se of Co!!ons is ne6er recorded to ha6e !ade a
speech&) was appointed Solicitor 7eneral) being the first Jew to
beco!e a .inister of the Crown :
By the ti!e Aionel de -othschild too< his seat in Parlia!ent the
+2)222 to E2)222 Jews who had been in England at the
beginning of the nineteenth cent'ry were increased in n'!ber to
so!e 82)222 The econo!ic basis of their e1istence had widened
It was no longer possible to specify any callings which were in the
f'llest sense characteristic of the!) nor was there any basic
econo!ic differentiation between the! and other sections of the
'rban !iddle classes The i!pro6e!ent in co!!'nications and
the change in the balance of pop'lation was indeed hastening the
decline of so!e of the old pro6incial co!!'nities) fo'nded in
!ar<et towns in the reign of 7eorge III Their place was ta<en by
new ones in the growing ind'strial centres) s'ch as Nottingha!
"#$++&) Aeeds "#$+E&) 7lasgow "#$+,&) and so on A !a>ority of
the Anglo*Jewish co!!'nity was by now nati6e born9a fact that
had not been witho't its bearing on the s'ccessf'l iss'e of the
str'ggle for e!ancipation There had of co'rse been so!e
i!!igration d'ring the past generation) b't owing to the
progress of assi!ilation on the Continent it was of a 6ery
different type fro! that of the pre6io's cent'ry) being largely
co!posed of !e!bers of !iddle*class fa!ilies "fre='ently
co!!ercial agents or technical e1perts& who needed only
ling'istic ad>'st!ent in order to accli!ati(e the!sel6es in
England They had settled not only in the capital b't also in the
new !an'fact'ring centres in the pro6inces) to the c'lt'ral as
well as the econo!ic life of which they bro'ght in so!e cases a
new i!pet's? and tho'gh so!e of the! collaborated in the
acti6ities of the synagog'e) a goodly proportion drifted insensibly
in this tolerant cli!ate into the religion or irreligion of the
en6iron!ent
In addition) there were a n'!ber of i!!igrants of h'!bler
social stat's fro! the reser6oir of traditional Jewish life in
eastern E'rope) for who! the process of accli!ati(ation was less
si!ple These re!ained relati6ely few in n'!ber 'ntil the
pen'lti!ate decade of the cent'ry In #$$#) howe6er) there began
in -'ssia "'nder the inspiration of 7er!an anti*Se!itis! of a
!ore acade!ic type& a sa6age o'tbrea< of persec'tion) which
was to re!ain 'nabated so long as the r'le of the C(ars
contin'ed This led to a terror*stric<en wa6e of e!igration) on a
scale "owing to the i!pro6e!ent in co!!'nications& 'n*
e1a!pled hitherto in all Jewish history @ithin a single
generation so!ething li<e +)222)222 eastern E'ropean Jews
so'ght new ho!es o6erseas The o6erwhel!ing proportion
settled in the Bnited States A perceptible eddy) howe6er) reached
7reat Britain) as well as other portions of the E!pire)
s'peri!posing on the nati6e co!!'nities a co!pletely different
ele!ent) in !asses so co!pact that they were able to !aintain
'ni!paired their characteristic way of life) their instit'tions)
e6en their dialect Circ'!stances led the! in the first instance to
a great e1tent into the tailoring and allied ind'stries) which for
so!e ti!e beca!e al!ost as characteristic of the! as peddling
and dealing in old clothes had been of their co*religionists a
cent'ry before The tendency was not witho't its i!portance for
the co'ntry as a wholeD for the de6elop!ent of the ind'stry and
the conse='ent lowering of prices bro'ght facilities within the
reach of the wor<ing*!an which initiated so!ething in the
nat're of a re6ol'tion in social life
A !a>ority of the new arri6als settled in Aondon) whose Jewish
pop'lation increased between #$$E and #%2+ fro! 3/)222 to
#82)222? b't Aeeds) .anchester) and 7lasgow also ac='ired
co!!'nities which e1ceeded in n'!ber the entire Anglo*Jewry
of a cent'ry before Elsewhere in the co'ntry old synagog'es
were re6itali(ed and new ones established) the area of settle!ent
being increased beyond anything <nown in the past The n'!ber
of Jews in England) esti!ated in #$$2 at ,2)222) !ore than
tripled by #%28 The Aliens I!!igration Act of that year9a
prod'ct of the agitation which had co!e to a head at the
beginning of the cent'ry9ste!!ed the infl'1) which thereafter
was on a !'ch s!aller scale B't) d'ring the ='arter*cent'ry
o6er which it had contin'ed) the face of Anglo*Jewry had been
changed. 4
The ale!bic of English tolerance has operated by now on the
newer arri6als as well Their sons ha6e ta<en part in English life)
contrib'ted to English achie6e!ent) stri6en for the EnglandQs
better!ent) shed their blood in EnglandQs wars In this happy
land they ha6e attained a !eas're of freedo! "and thereby
collaboration& which has been the case in scarcely any other That
this has been possible is d'e in no slight !eas're to the process
of Anglo*Jewish history9a grad'al acceptance based on co!!on
sense rather than on doctrine) consolidating itself slowly b't
s'rely) and ne6er o'tstripping p'blic opinion Hence it has been
possible for the English Jews to e1e!plify how !en can enter a
society by !ethods other than by descent) and to absorb
traditions which are not those of their physical ancestors If their
reaction to pri6ilege had been to deser6e it) it is beca'se they
ha6e the good fort'ne to possess as their inheritance two noble
histories
%ootnotes
Epilog'e
# Aord Shaftesb'ry "tho'gh once an opponent of Jewish
e!ancipation& had pre6io'sly 'rged :israeli to
reco!!end the ele6ation of Sir .oses .ontefiore to the
peerage) b't the other) being of Jewish e1traction) had not
been able to co!ply
+ The one stat'tory restriction that still obtains is that) in
6irt'e of the ter!s of the Act of #$8$) Jews cannot e1ercise
ecclesiastical patronage attached to any p'blic office they
!ay happen to hold It is not altogether certain that a Jew
!ay be ;<eeper of the Ging;s conscience;9ie Aord
Chancellor? see Halsb'ry) The Aaws of England) 6ii 8,)
disp'ted) howe6er) by H S I Henri='es) in Trs JHSE
6iii 88*,+
E Since #$/# professing Jews ha6e ser6ed as J'dge "first
appointed #$/E&) Pri6y Co'ncillor "#$/E&) Colonial
7o6ernor "#%22&/ Cabinet .inister "#%2%&) Aord Chief
J'stice "#%#E&) Secretary of State "#%#,&) A!bassador
"#%#$&) and 0iceroy of India "#%+2&
3 The recent history of the Anglo*Jewish co!!'nity is
described) for the close of the reign of I'een 0ictoria) by
@olf) Essays) pp E88*,+? and for the reign of 7eorge 0 by
the present writer in The Jewish Jear Boo< "Aondon)
#%E/&) pp E8,9 /8 Cf also his Short History of the
Jewish People) chapters 11i19111? :'bnow) Ne'este
7eschichte des >Vdischen 0ol<es "Berlin) #%+2&? and for
the Aliens I!!igration Act of #%28) E HalT6y) History of
the English People) Boo< III) chapter ii A . Hya!son;s
History of the Jews in England "+nd ed) Aondon) #%+$&
gi6es a detailed acco'nt of internal de6elop!ents in this
period) and A A Sachar) S'fferance is the Badge "New
Jor<) #%E%&) PP E3,*/$) an o'tline of conte!porary
e6ents
Pre6io's S Inde1 S Ne1t
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!

A History Of The Jews In England)by Cecil Roth, 1941.
,dditional 'otes
8*he !i0ures in 3arenthesis are to the 3a0es o! the te#t9
I II III I( ( (I (II (III I$ $ $I
C.,P*)R I
"a& The passages of the Penitential of Archbishop Theodore of
Canterb'ry "d ,%2& which see! to indicate the e1istence of Jews
in England in the se6enth cent'ry "cf Jacobs) JAE) pp #*+& are
absent fro! the a'thentic te1t of that code as edited by P @
5insterwalder) :ie Canones Theodori Cant'arensis "@ei!ar)
#%+%& The two all'sions in the ;!,cerptiones; ascribed to
Archbishop Egbert of Jor< "d /,,& are co!pletely acade!ic) and
wo'ld signify nothing e6en if "as is i!probable& that co!pilation
were of English origin A sp'rio's charter of @itglaff of .ercia to
the !on<s of Croyland "$EE&) one of the fictitio's ;Aaws of
Edward the Confessor;) probably belonging to the reign of
Stephen) and an 'ns'bstantiated all'sion by a si1teenth*cent'ry
Hebrew chronicler) Joseph haCohen to the i!!igration into
England in $#2 of Jewish ref'gees fro! 7er!any) need not be
gi6en serio's consideration There re!ains only a cla'se in the
Aain*paraphase of a law of Aethelred of c#2#2 which conde!ns
the selling of Christians into sla6ery o'tside England) lest they
fall into pagan or Jewish hands? b't e6en this insignificant
all'sion is absent in the Anglo*Sa1on original "see 5
Aieber!ann) 2ie Geset7e der Angelsachsen) i +8#) ii 8+/*
$& Jacobs "JAE) p 8 Hc& calls attention to 6ario's biblical
na!es in the :o!esday Boo<) b't there is not the slightest
reason to i!agine that those who bore the! were Jews It !ay be
!entioned that St 5lorin's) who wor<ed in Swit(erland and the
Tyrol so!e ti!e between the se6enth and ninth cent'ries) is said
to ha6e been the son of a Jewess !arried to an English!an ";0ita
S 5lorini; in Analecta Bollandiana 16ii #%% ff& "+&
"b& @illia! of .al!esb' 7esta -eg'! Anglor'! i6 E#/) states
incidentally that the Jews of Aondon had been bro'ght thither by
@illia! the Con='eror Since this a'thor died c ##3,) this
represents a 6ery old tradition So) too) in a recently disco6ered
petition of #+/8) the Co!!onalty of the Jews of England spea< of
their establish!ent in England ;p's le con='est de la terre;
"Select Cases in Co'rt of Ging;s Bench) Edward I "Selden Society)
#%E%&) iii c1i6& An often*repeated state!ent of Anthony @ood
"Annals) i #+%& fi1es the settle!ent of the Jews at O1ford abo't
#2/8) b't this is based on nothing !ore solid than a
!isinterpretation of the sp'rio's charter now printed in the
.sene" harters) i6 8 5'ller "Ch'rch History of Brittain
#,88& states that they arri6ed in Ca!bridge two years earlier) b't
this too can hardly be !ore than appro1i!ate) and in his
8istor" of a%bridge 9ni$ersit" he gi6es the date as ##2,
"3&
"c& See H @ C :a6is) ;Aondon Aands of St Pa'l;s) #2,,*##E8; in
4ssa"s -resented to T0 10 Tout The date ###8) to which this
record was pre6io'sly ascribed) is now abandoned) and the
preli!inary reference to the @ard of Haco is recogni(ed to ha6e
nothing to do with the vic"s 3"daeor"m) which was clearly in the
neighbo'rhood of the later ;Old Jewry; It appears that the Jewry
was !ainly) b't not e1cl'si6ely) inhabited by Jew;s at this periodD
the parcel of land described in the Terrier was in Christian hands
5or grants of land in Aondon in ##8+ by the Canons of St Pa'l;s
to Benedict the Jew and Abraha! fil; Si!on see . Adler) Jews of
.edie6al England "J.E&) pp +88 s== "The !edie6al ter! fil;
will be 'sed in these chapters in preference to the longer ;the son
of or the e1otic Hebrew ;ben; Abraha! was probably spo<en of
in his day as ;Abraha! fit( Si!on;& "/&
C.,P*)R II
"a& Ephrai! of Bonn;s Hebrew acco'nt of the Jor< .assacre)
p'blished in Ne'ba'er and Stern;s HebrWische Berichte 'ber die
J'den6erfolg'ngen wWhrend der Gre'((Vge "Berlin) #$%$&) and
incorporated in Joseph haCohen;s si1teenth*cent'ry chronicle
4%ek haBakha :*Valle" of Tears*;, has not yet been
p'blished in an acc'rate translation in English One is therefore
s'b>oinedD
Afterwards) in the year 388# "# 3882 F ##%2& the @anderers
ca!e 'pon the people of the Aord in the city of E6re='es in
England) on the 7reat Sabbath [before Passo6er\D and the season
of the !iracle was changed to disaster and p'nish!ent All fled
to the ho'se of prayer Here -abbi Jo!*Tob stood and
sla'ghtered si1ty so'ls) and others also sla'ghtered So!e there
were who co!!anded that they sho'ld sla'ghter their only sons)
whose foot co'ld not tread 'pon the gro'nd fro! their delicacy
and tender breeding So!e) !oreo6er) were b'rned for the Bnity
of their Creator The n'!ber of those slain and b'rned was one
h'ndred and fifty so'ls) !en and wo!en) all holy bodies Their
ho'ses !oreo6er they destroyed) and they despoiled their gold
and sil6er and the splendid boo<s which they had written in great
n'!ber) precio's as gold and as !'ch fine gold) there being
none li<e the! for their bea'ty and splendo'r These they
bro'ght to Cologne and to other places) where they sold the! to
the Jews
Eli>ah of Jor< is not !entioned in the so'rces as ha6ing been a
6icti! of the !assacre) b't is referred to "+osaphoth: ?oma) +/a&
as Eli>ah the .artyr) of E6r`='es Possibly he is to be identified
with the 5rench religio's pole!ist) ;the !artyred - Eli>ah;
"-EJ i +38*,&) whose 'ncle) - Joseph of Chartres) co!posed
an elegy on the 6icti!s of the English !assacres of ##$%*%2 "A
O'n() Literaturgeschichte der s"nagogalen -oesie, p
3/2& A!ong the !artyrs who! he !entions by na!e are Eli>ah
"of Jor<M&) Jacob "of OrleansM see abo6e) p 8%&) Joseph "of Jor<M
see pp ++*E&) Jo!tob "of JoignyM see p +E& and .oses "of
NorwichM see :a6is) Shetaroth) p 3 Hc& "+3&
C.,P*)R III
"a& The following table "!ainly fro! Patent and Close -olls) with
a!plifications fro! lists p'blished by El!an in Econo!ic
History -e6iew) #%EE) pp #8E*3) and by Jen<inson in Trs
JHSE 6iii E+ s==& s'!!ari(es the e1actions of the reign so far
as they can be ascertained? b't it is not easy to trace in the -olls
so!e of the le6ies !entioned by the chroniclers) or to disting'ish
is so!e cases between arrears and new le6ies The total between
#+E2 and #+88 see!s to be at least one*='arter of the %82)222
!ar<s which the <ing is said to ha6e wasted in this period After
the !iddle of the cent'ry "by which ti!e the worst spoliations
were o6er& an ann'al tallage of 8)222 !ar<s was regarded as
!oderate) that a!o'nt being paid by the Jews of the real! in
#+8E on condition that they sho'ld be e1e!pt fro! any fresh le6y
'ntil the following Easter
'oteB /ist o! indiidual su4s not scanned
"b& Since the case at @inchester in ##%+ there had been
n'!ero's indications that) in this city especially) the at!osphere
was 'nchanged) b't in each case hitherto a >'dicial in='iry
a6erted serio's conse='ences In #++8) for e1a!ple) a child
who! the ;Ging;s Jew;) :e'lesa'lt fil; Sole's) was acc'sed of
!'rdering was disco6ered to be ali6e "C- #++8) p 8Eb That
sa!e year two other @inchester Jews were fo'nd g'ilty of the
!'rder of a boy) b't as three others i!plicated in the charge
were ac='itted) it is probable that no rit'al ob>ect was allegedD
ibid) pp 8o) 8#& Se6en years later another charge ended
si!ilarly) the !other of the alleged 6icti! being i!prisoned in
place of the persons acc'sed "C- #+E+) p $2& In #+E, !any
leading !e!bers of the O1ford co!!'nity) i!prisoned on a
charge of forcibly ;resc'ing; a boy who had been con6erted to
Christianity) were released when the lost infant was traced at
E1eter "C- #+E+) p E$E? Adler) J.E) p +$/& Abo't this ti!e
two persons were sent fro! England to attend the asse!bly of
con6erts con6ened at 5'lda by the E!peror 5rederic< II) which
res'lted in the p'blication of an i!perial rescript e1onerating the
Jews fro! the Blood Acc'sation "7raet() Geschichte der
juden, 6ii 33o&) b't there is no record or echo of this in the
English so'rces "88&
"c& C- #+82) p +,E? P- #+82) p 8% The s'bse='ent career of
Abraha! of Ber<ha!sted "for who! see Caro) Social* and
Wirtschaftsgeschichte der juden) ii #/) +$+? EJ i 8$) ,2)
,#) Hc? C- and P- for these years) passi!& was che='ered
Before !any !onths were o6er he offended the <ing again in
so!e way and was released fro! prison only on condition of
forfeiting his entire property) and <eeping o't of the royal sight
for a twel6e!onth "C- #+82) pp EE%) E/8& In the following year
he got into tro'ble) with 7a!aliel of O1ford) on a charge of
clipping the coinage "C- #+8#) p 3#$& In #+88) howe6er) he was
s'fficiently re*established to be granted to -ichard of Cornwall)
and e!powered to lend !oney 'nder fa6o'rable conditions "P-
#+88) p E%,&) an archa being opened at @allingford to register
his transactions After -ichard;s death the grant was confir!ed
to his son) Ed!'nd of Al!ain) for two and a half years "P-
#+/+) p ,83& "8,&
C.,P*)R I(
"a& Cf the lists of assets of English Jewry printed in Trs JHSE
ii $/*#28 and the doc'!ents in EJ ii +%E) +%%) E2E) Hc
Bona!i fil; Josce of Jor<) who was granted a licence to trade in
#+/$) si!ilarly dealt in wool "Bibl A#2 +$& and Jacob fil; Hagin
of Aondon) in cloth It is) howe6er) possible that at this period
credits in ter!s of co!!odities often conceal clandestine
!oneylending operations) as the prices are so often in ro'nd
fig'res) the ='ality is seldo! specified and there is fre='ently an
option for cash pay!ent "El!an) Hist J'd) #%E%) p %/& No
Jews are in fact incl'ded a!ong those to who! licences for
e1porting wool were granted by Edward I) and the doc'!ents
concerning the E1p'lsion specify as the !ain charge against the
Jews the fact that they lent !oney) notwithstanding the
prohibition) ;'nder colo'r of trading and good contracts and
co6enants; "/E&
"b& It was pres'!ably in response to the Papal appeal that the
clergy of the :iocese of Jor< were instr'cted at this ti!e "April
+#st #+$/& to preach against the Jews) who were henceforth
forbidden to set foot within the walls of certain !onasteries * eg
Bridlington "+egister of John le +o%e"n, S'rtees Society) i
++) +2#& It is possible that the br'tal i!prison!ent and tallaging
of the Jews in .ay #+$/ was a f'rther conse='ence of the Papal
Inter6ention At this period it wo'ld see! that pop'lar feeling
was e1acerbated fro! abo6e The se='ence of e6ents is
so!eti!es highly s'ggesti6e In #+/, the J'stices in Eyre at the
Tower of Aondon were instr'cted to in='ire not only abo't those
who had p'rchased Jewish property and debts in contra6ention
of the recent legislation) b't also regarding the !artyrdo! of
Christian children by the! "they reported that there had been
two notorio's recent casesD for one) see abo6e) p /$& @hen
al!ost i!!ediately afterwards the .ayor proclai!ed peace in
the City) the phrase ;between Jews and Christians; is significantly
cancelled in the original record Not long after) the Aondon
a'thorities) going beyond the recent go6ern!ental reg'lations)
forbade ho'ses to be let to Jews or hired fro! the!) and ordered
that they !ight li6e henceforth only in the Jewry ". @einba'!)
Aondon unter 4duard I and II "St'ttgart) #%EE& ii #E3? - -
Sharpe) Calendar of Aetter* Boo<s of the City of Aondon) A) +#8*
%& "/$&
"c& Cf the @inchester inscription p'blished by Selden) 7e l"re
<at"rali) p+#8) and by !ch#ab, Inscri/tions h<bral=ues
de la 1rance) p #,+ The translation r'nsD ;On 5riday) e6e of
the Sabbath in which the pericope Error [Le$iticus, ca/s> 33i-
33i$\ is read) all the Jews of the Aand of the Isle were
i!prisoned I) Asher) inscribed this; Selden;s reading)
notwithstanding a slight error in spacing) does not re='ire
e!endationD the date corresponds with .ay +nd) #+$/) the day
indicated by the English chroniclers) eg) J de O1enedes) p +,$)
or @y<es in Ann .on i6 E2$*% The writer is pres'!ably
Asher) or Swete!an) of @inchester) son of Aicoricia of O1ford
This was probably the occasion when the Aondon Jews were
i!prisoned at the 7'ildhallD Price) Historical Acco'nt of the
7'ildhall) p +# "/%&
"d& 5or the original Nor!an 5rench te1t) see -igg) PEJ) pp li6
s== Contrary to the general 6iew) it does not see! that this
!eas're was e6er p't into effectD for in his co!!'nication of
No6e!ber 8th) #+%2) to the Barons of the E1che='er "ibid) p 1li&
Edward specifically stated that he had been co!pelled to banish
the Jews fro! England beca'se they persisted in le6ying
clandestine 's'ry) in contra6ention of his !eas're of fifteen
years before .oreo6er) fictitio's loans in ter!s of co!!odities
see! to ha6e been contin'ed 'ntil the E1p'lsion) and this wo'ld
ha6e been 'nnecessary had !oneylending been rea'thori(ed
The doc'!ent represents therefore the draft of a law which was
ne6er enacted Since it refers to the fact that the chirograph
chests ;ha6e long been closed and sealed by co!!and of o'r Aord
the Ging; it is between Jan'ary +$th) #+$3) on which date a royal
!andate for the general closing of the archae was iss'ed) and
5ebr'ary +$th) #+$,) when co!!issioners were appointed to
reopen that of Aondon "ibid) p l1i&*ie at the close of the ten*
year e1peri!ental period en6isaged in the Stat'te of #+/8"$#&
"e& The Jewish so'rces al!ost 'nani!o'sly) place the e1p'lsion
of the Jews fro! England in the year 82+2D so Ibn 0erga) Shebet
Jeh'dah) X 16ii) @ho brings it into relation with the false
acc'sation of clipping the coinageD :on Isaac Abrabanel ='oting
fro! a lost wor< of Profiat :'ran in his Jesh'oth .eshiho "p
3,&? and others who deri6e fro! the! It is to be i!agined that
Sa!'el Bs='e in his onsolaca% as Tribulacoens de
Israel "5errara) #88E& iii) 1ii) conc'rs in this date) tho'gh
thro'gh a !isprint 822+ is gi6en as the year instead of 82+2 The
reason for this e='i6ocation is not easy to 'nderstand) 'nless
e1aggerated r'!o'rs of the persec'tions at the ti!e of the
Barons; @ars reached the ears of the continental co!!'nities It
has been pla'sibly s'ggested) howe6er) that b"F [8o\+o) ie #+,2&
was read for b"F [82\82) ie #+%2& In order to bring this date
into accordance with the <nown historical facts it was necessary
for Bs='e and) following hi!) 0erga) to introd'ce a recall) and a
final e1p'lsion) in the reign of the s'ccessor of the original
!onarch
The ancient Jewish chroniclers associate the E1p'lsion with the
con6ersion to J'dais! of a certain friar It has been tho'ght that
this was d'e to a conf'sion with the fa!o's case of the con6erted
:eacon) who was b'rned at O1ford in #+++ Howe6er) the Jewish
acco'nt is confir!ed by the contin'er of 5lorence of @orcester)
who gi6es a circ'!stantial report of the con6ersion of the
:o!inican) -obert of -eading) in #+/8 It is ob6io'sly to this
episode that the Hebrew chroniclers referD th's Bs='e "loccit&
states specifically that the central fig're in the episode was a
frade pregadorD ie a :o!inican friar This did not i!!ediately
precede the E1p'lsion? b't it !ay well ha6e been responsible in
part for the reaction of #+/8
On the whole) therefore) the acco'nt of the Jewish chroniclers is
not so fantastic as it see!s E6en Bs='e;s tale of the e1istence of
crypto*Jews in England is paralleled by the co!plaints of
conte!poraries regarding the insincerity of the con6erts fro!
J'dais! Certain of the old synagog'es were in fact standing in
his day) as he asserts The story of the pa6ilion o6er the sea) into
which those who adhered to the Aaw of .oses were enticed to be
drowned) !ay be "as s'ggested abo6e& a garbled acco'nt of the
episode of the ship*!aster on the sand*ban< near
I'eenboro'gh "$/&
C.,P*)R (
"a& #8)2,2 "@alter of He!ingb'rgh) ii ++&? #/)8## "J de
O1enedes) p +//& ? #,)8## "1lores 8istoriaru%) iii /2& The
close identity of these figs fig'res is pers'asi6e Ne6ertheless
tho'gh this wo'ld represent only #c 2f the total pop'lation) it
wo'ld be so!ething nearer #2c of the 'rban pop'lation) which
is !anifestly e1cessi6e The ann'al poll*ta1 was paid in #+$2 on
behalf of #)#/% persons abo6e the age of twel6e years) of #)#8E in
#+$#) of #)#EE in #+$+) and of #)#8# in #+$ED it is not certain)
howe6er) whether anything is to be ded'cted for the e1penses of
collection) or whether the pa'per proletariat) now co!parati6ely
n'!ero's) was act'ally incl'ded On the other hand there are
said to ha6e been ,$2 Jewish ho'seholders in England in #+/$
The fig're gi6en by the conte!porary chroniclers !ay ha6e been
based on a ro'gh co!p'tation on the basis of the grant of K+2+
2s 3d to the 7om"s .onversor"m by which the poll*ta1 of
threepence per head was 'lti!ately replaced) witho't ta<ing into
acco'nt the fact that it was not le6ied on children Caro "!o7ial -
und Wirtschaftsgeschichte der Juden ii ,E*3& !aintains
that the total Jewish pop'lation d'ring the last phase "ie after
the wholesale banish!ents) con6ersions and e1ec'tions "o6er
E22 of Edward;s reign& cannot ha6e e1ceeded +)822 or E)222
The following is an appro1i!ately co!plete list of all Anglo*
Jewish settle!ents of the !edie6al period) places where
co!!'nities or archae are <nown to ha6e e1isted being printed
in capitalsD
Abingdon Be6erley B'c<ingha!
Ar'ndel Bosha! B'ngay
Basingsto<e Bottisha!
BB-J ST
E:.BN:S
BE:5O-: Bradesworth Caerleon
Berdefield Brentford Caernar6on
Berha! Bridgnorth CA.B-I:7E
BE-GHA.STE: B-ISTOA Ca!den
CANTE-BB-J Hastings Pin<eneye
Chepstow Hatcha! Pontefract
Chichester Ha6erford -eading
Chippenha! HE-E5O-: -ising
Clare Hertford -ochester
COACHESTE- Hitchin -o!sey
Colton Hol! -oyston
Conisford H'ngerford -ye
Conway HBNTIN7:ON Sandwich
CO0ENT-J Ilchester Seaford
Criccieth IPS@ICH Shoreha!
Cric<lade Gendal Sittingbo'rne
:erby Gingston So'tha!pton
:E0IOES AEICESTE- So'thwar<
:ONCASTE- Aewes STA.5O-:
:orchester AINCOAN SB:BB-J
:or<ing AON:ON Tew<esb'ry
:'nstable A'dlow Thetford
Eden AJNN Thornbridge
E6esha! .alling Tic<hill
E4ETE- .A-ABO-OB7H Tonbridge
Eye .erton @AAAIN75O-:
5a6ersha! Newb'ry @A-@ICG
5inchingfield Newcastle @IATON
5lint Newland @ells
5renningsha! New!ar<et @inchelsea
5ressinton Newport @INCHESTE-
7illingha! NO-THA.PTON @indsor
7AOBCESTE- NO-@ICH @O-CESTE-
httpDCCia!thewitnessco!