about the king's affairs, and a great number of soldiers attending him. The governor complained to him of the Jews' treachery. The ringleaders of the disorder joyned with him in the complaint. They said it would highly reflect upon the king's authority, if the Jews were suffered to continue masters of the castle; adding several other matters to enflame him against them. The sheriff therefore gave immediate orders to attack the castle and rescue it. That was what they wanted. Under protection of his command they joyned the soldiers, and began a most furious assault; yet before they had done much mischief, the sheriff perceiving that their intentions were only to get the Jews into their power, repented of his order, and revoked it, in as publick a manner as he had before given it. But, alas! it was now too late. The rabble was too much heated to be restrained by words. All exhortations were fruitless. They continued the attack on every side, and even desired the better sort of citizens to give them their assistance; which they prudently refusing, the mob applied themselves to the city clergy, and found them not so backward to encourage them.

"In particular, a certain Canon Regular, of the Præmonstratensian Order, was so zealous in the cause, that he would often stand by them in his surplice, and proclaim with a loud voice, Destroy the enemies of Christ destroy the enemies of Christ: which did not a little increase their fury. And as the siege continued several days (believing, good man, that he was engaged in the cause of God and religion,) 'tis reported of him, that before he went out in the morning, to assist in battering the walls, he would eat a consecrated host.

"But as he was one day very eager at his work, and approached too near to some parts that were well defended, he had the misfortune to be crushed to death, by a large stone that was tumbled down from the battlements.

"Yet the people, nothing dismayed even with the loss of so considerable a leader, continued their attack so successfully, that the Jews, believing they should not be able to hold out much longer, called a council among themselves, to consider what was best to be done, in case they were driven to extremities.

"When they were assembled, their senior rabbi, who was a foreigner, (and had been sent for over to instruct them in the law, on account of his great learning and experience,) rose up and said, Men of Israel! the God of our fathers, to whom none can say, what doest thou? commands us, at this time, to dye for his law; and, behold! death is even before our eyes, and there is nothing left us to consider, but how to undergo it in the most reputable and easy manner. If we fall into the hands of our enemies, (which I think there is no possibility of escaping,) our deaths will not only be cruel, but ignominious. They will not only torment us, but despitefully use us. My advice therefore is, that we voluntarily surrender those lives to our Creator, which he seems to call for, and not wait for any other executioners than our selves. The fact is both rational and lawfull; nor do we want examples, from amongst our illustrious ancestors, to prove it so: they have frequently proceeded in the like manner, upon the same occasions. "Having thus spoken, the old man sat down, and wept.

"The assembly was divided: some affirming that he had spoken wisely, others that it was a hard saying.

"To which the rabbi, standing up a second time, replied: Seeing, brethren, that we are not all of one mind, let those who don't approve of this advice, depart from this assembly. They departed. But the greater number continued stedfastly with him. And as soon as they perceived themselves alone, (their despair encreasing) they first burnt every thing belonging to them, that was consumable by fire, and buried the remainder in the earth, (to prevent its falling into the possession of their enemies,) then setting fire to several places of the castle, at once, they took each man a sharp knife, and first cut the throats of their wives and children; then their own. The persons who remained last alive were this rash counsellor, and the aforementioned Jocenus, occasioned by nothing but a strong desire of seeing every thing performed according to their directions; for as soon as that was over, the rabbi, out of respect to Jocenus, (who was a person of distinction,) first slew him, and then himself.

"To encrease the horror of the fact, this dismal tragedy was acted in the night-time; so that when the assailants returned, next morning, they found the castle all in flames, and only a few miserable wretches, upon the battlements, who pretended to no resistance; for, acquainting them, (as well as sighs and tears would permit,) with the lamentable fate of their brethren, they offered to surrender themselves, with their remaining treasure, and also become Christians, provided they might have assurance of life.

"But, as nothing can appease a religious fury, while the objects of it are remaining: no sooner had these unhappy wretches delivered up the gates, (upon having their conditions agreed and sworn to,) than the rioters poured in upon them, like a torrent, and destroyed them utterly; which, notwithstanding, did not put an end to the tumult. For, (whatever pretences they made to religion,) as the main cause of their acting, was the sin of coveting their neighbour's goods, they flew streightway to the cathedral church, and would not lay down their arms till the keeper of it, who had likewise the custody of all the bonds and obligations, which had been given by any Christian man to the Jews, had delivered them into their possession; which as soon as they had bundled up, and cast into a fire, made for that purpose, they declared themselves satisfied, and the city was restored to its former tranquillity."

In justice to the king, it should be observed, that when the news of these outrages reached his ears, he directed strong measures to be pursued for bringing the offenders to punishment. They were, however, in a great measure ineffectual, as the chief leaders in the tumult escaped into Scotland, as soon as the king's proclamation was made public. We may gather the great increase in the Jewish population, in this country, up to this time, from the fact, that no less than five hundred Jews, at least, were slain in this massacre; some say, fifteen hundred. On the return of the king, he took the affairs of the Jews into particular

consideration, and established some curious regulations for their protection and his own profit. The revenues arising from the Jews were placed under the care of an office for that purpose, called the Jew's exchequer, in which the Justiciaries of the Jews presided. To these places, Jews and Christians were indifferently appointed. They had not only the Jewish revenues under their care, but were also judges of all civil matters, where a Jew was one of the parties. Lord Coke takes notice of a court, called the "Court of the Justices of the Jews."

"The king likewise (says Dr. Tovey) appointed justices itinerant thro' every county, who, amongst other articles, were to inquire concerning the murtherers of the Jews. Who they were that slew them? What lands and chattels were belonging to them, at the time they were slain? Who took possession of them, and were aiders and abettors of the murther?

"They were likewise to give orders, that all their effects should be applied to the king's use; and that those who were guilty of any of these particulars, and had not made fine to our Lord the King, or his justices, should be apprehended, and not delivered, unless by the said justices, or our Lord the King himself.

"And in order to know what were the particular monies, goods, debts, real and personal estates, belonging to every Jew in the nation, (that he might fleece them at his pleasure,) he commanded, (something after the manner of the Conqueror's Domesday,) that all effects, belonging to Jews, should be registered."

We shall quote the rest of the regulations, as they are very curious, and strikingly illustrate the state of the people at the time.

"That the concealment of any particular should be forfeiture of body and whole estate.

"That six or seven publick places should be appointed, wherein all their contracts were to be made.

"That all such contracts should be made in the presence of two assigned lawyers, who were Jews, two that were Christians, and two publick notaries.

"That the clerks of William de Sancta Maria, and William de Chimelli, should likewise be present at all such contracts.

"That such contracts should likewise be made by indenture: one part of which was to remain with the Jew, sealed with the seal of him to whom the money was lent; and the other in a common chest, to which there was to be three locks, and three keys.

"One key whereof was to be kept by the aforesaid Jewish lawyers, the other by the Christian lawyers, and the third by the aforesaid clerks.

"The chest also was to be sealed with their three seals.

"The aforesaid clerks were also commanded to keep a transcript roll of all such contracts: which roll was to be altered, as often as the original charters of contract were altered.

"And the fee for drawing every such charter was to be three pence: one moiety whereof was to be paid by the Jew, and the other moiety by him to whom the money was lent. Whereof the two writers

were to have two pence, and the keeper of the rolls the third.

"It was ordained, likewise, that as no contracts for money, so no payment of it, or acquittance, or any other alteration in the charters, or transcript rolls were to be made, but in the presence of the aforesaid persons, or the greater part of them.

"The aforesaid two Jews were to have a copy of the said transcript roll, and the two Christians another.

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Every Jew was to take an oath, upon his roll,* that he would truly and faithfully register all his estate, both real and personal, as above directed; and discover every Jew whom he should know guilty of any concealment; as likewise all forgers, or falsifyers of charters, and clippers of money.

Under these regulations they continued to live, without any serious molestation, until the death of Richard, who died in 1199, as he had lived, distinguishing himself by his valour and prowess, before Castle Galliard in Aquitaine. His successor, John, perceiving the rich harvest that might be gathered from the Jews, if they were well cultivated, began his reign with conferring peculiar benefits upon them. Nothing was omitted that seemed likely to induce others of the nation to settle in this country, or which might put those already residing in it in perfect good humour. Among other privileges, he allowed them to choose a high priest;

"And granted him a charter of safe conduct, in such high flown terms of love and respect, that I question whether they were ever equalled by any prince, speaking of his subject. He stiles him not only Dilectus and Familiaris, but commands all persons to be as careful of him as they would of his own person." Anglia Judaica, p. 63.

In the next year, came out the great charter of their privileges-an instrument which, if its conditions had been preserved, would have raised them in freedom and security even above the native subjects of the realm. By this charter, it

"Was granted, not only to the English Jews, but likewise to those of Normandy, that they might reside in the king's dominions, freely and honourably; that they might hold of King John, all things which they held of King Henry I. and which they now rightfully hold in lands, fees, mortgages, and purchases; and that they should have all their liberties and customs, as amply as they had them in the time of the said King Henry.

*Viz. Pentateuch.

"That if a plaint was moved between a Christian and a Jew, he who appealed the other should produce witnesses to deraign his plaint; namely, a lawful Christian and a lawful Jew; that if the Jew had a writ concerning his plaint, such writ should be his witness; that if a Christian had a plaint against a Jew, the plaint should be tried by the Jew's peers; that when a Jew died, his body should not be detained above ground, and his heirs should have his chatels and credits, in case he had an heir that would answer for him, and do right touching his debts and forfeitures; that the Jews might lawfully receive and buy all things which were offered them, except things belonging to the church, and cloth stained with blood.*

"That if a Jew was appealed by another, without a witness, he should be quit of that appeal by his single oath taken upon his book; and if he was appealed for a thing that appertained to the king's crown, he should likewise be quit thereof by his single oath taken upon his roll; that if a difference arose between a Christian and a Jew about lending of money, the Jew should prove the principal money, and the Christian the interest; that a Jew might lawfully and quietly sell a mortgage, made to him, when he was certain he had held it a whole year and a day; that the Jews should not enter into plea except before the king, or before the keepers of the king's castles, in whose bailywicks the Jews lived.

"That the Jews wherever they were, might go whither they pleased, with their chatels, as safely as if they were the king's chatels, nor might any man detain or hinder them: and the king by this charter commanded, that they should be free throughout England and Normandy of all custom, tolls, and modiations of wine, as fully as the king's own chatels were; and that his liege men should keep, defend, and protect them, and no man implead them, touching any of the matters aforesaid, under pain of forfeiture, as the charter of King Henry the Second did import."

By another charter, granted on the same day, it was decreed, that all differences amongst themselves, which did not concern the pleas of the crown, should be determined by themselves, according to their own law.

For these charters the Jews paid four thousand marks. The immediate consequence of these favors was, to excite discontent and envy among the people; who straight began to

-Et

* So Mr. Madox, in his Hist. Excheq. p. 174, translates Pannus Sanguinolentus. But I believe it signifys no more than deep red or crimson cloth, which is sometimes called Pannus Blodeus, or bloody cloth, relating merely to the colour of it. For in the accompts of the Prior of Burcester, who gave his servants red liveries, we readin Blodeo panno empto pro Armigeris & Valectis. Kennet. Paroch. Antiq. p. 576. But why the Jews were not permitted to buy red cloth is to me a secret. Bloody cloth, strictly so called, I think they woudn't buy. Ang. Jud.