Matthew Paris affirms, of more than one hundred and fixty thoufand perfons. Since

that

"had in that age (the 13th century) amounted to an enor "mous height; as might be expected from the barbarism of "the times, and men's ignorance of commerce. Inftances oc"cur of fifty per cent. paid for money. There is an edict of "Philip Auguftus near this period, limiting the Jews in "France to 48 per cent. Such profits tempted the Jews to "remain in the kingdom, notwithstanding the grievous oppref "fions to which, from the prevalent bigotry and rapine of the "age, they were continually expofed. It is eafy to imagine how precarious their state must have been under an indigent prince, fomewhat reftrained in his tyranny over his native sub"jects, but who poffeffed an unlimited authority over the "Jews, the fole proprietors of money in the kingdom, and "hated on account of their riches, their religion, and their "ufury. Yet will our ideas fcarcely come up to the extortions “which, in fact, we find to have been practifed upon them. "In the year 1241, 20,000 marks were exacted from them. "Two years after, money was again extorted; and one Jew "alone, Aaron of York, was obliged to pay above 4000 "marks. In 1250, Henry renewed his oppreffions, and the "fame Aaron was condemned to pay him 30,000 marks upon

an accufation of forgery. The high penalty impofed upon "him, and which, it feems, he was thought able to pay, is "rather a prefumption of his innocence than of his guilt. In "1255, the king demanded Soco marks from the Jews, and "threatened to hang them if they refufed compliance. They "now loft all patience, and defired leave to retire with their "effects out of the kingdom. But the king replied, "How "can I remedy the oppreffions you complain of? I am myfelf a beggar. I am spoiled, I am ftripped of all my revenues: "I owe above 200,000 marks; and if I had faid 300,000 I "should not exceed the truth: I am obliged to pay my fon "prince Edward 15,000 marks a year: I have not a farthing;

་་

"and

that period their numbers in this kingdom have been inconfiderable. Scarcely ever has there been in the whole courfe of Jewish fufferings a period exhibiting a more general completion of the prophetic denunciations of Mofes. "The Lord fhall fcatter thee among "all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other-and among thefe "nations fhalt thou find no eafe, neither "fhall the fole of thy foot have reft. But "the Lord fhall give thee a trembling heart, "and failing of eyes, and forrow of mind. "And thy life fhall hang in doubt before

" and I must have money, from any hand, from any quarter, or "by any means.' He then delivered over the Jews to the earl "of Cornwall, that thofe whom the one brother had flayed, "the other might embowel, to make ufe of the words of (Matthew Paris) the hiftorian. King John, his father, "once demanded 10,000 marks from a Jew of Bristol; and on his refufal, ordered one of his teeth to be drawn every "till he should comply. The Jew loft feven teeth; and then "paid the fum required of him. One talliage laid upon the "Jews in 1243 amounted to 60,000 marks; a fum equal to "the whole yearly revenue of the crown."

"Though thefe acts of violence againft the Jews pro"ceeded much from bigotry, they were ftill more derived from "avidity and rapine. So far from defiring in that age to con"vert them, it was enacted by law in France, that, if any Jew "embraced Christianity, he forfeited all his "exception, to the king or his fuperior lord.

goods, without

These plunder

"ers were careful left the profits accruing from their dominion over that unhappy race fhould be diminished by their con“ verfion."

day

thee;

"thee; and thou fhalt fear day and night, "and fhalt have none affurance of thy life. "In the morning thou fhalt fay, Would God "it were even: and at even thou shalt say, "Would God it were morning; for the fear "of thine heart wherewith thou fhalt fear, "and for the fight of thine eyes which thou "fhalt fee (c)." Italy, where the Jews during these two centuries were usually protected by the Popes, was almost the only fpot in the Western world where they enjoyed a moderate portion of tranquillity.

Under the aufpices of Pope Benedict XIII. a conference between fome Chriftian priests and learned Rabbis was held in Spain, A. D. 1413, for the purpose of religious difcuffion. According to the ufual refults of fuch experiments, both parties claimed the victory. Soon afterwards, great numbers of avowed Jews and relapfing converts crowded the dungeons of the inquifition; and ftill greater numbers were maffacred by the peasants. The year 1445 was marked by a bloody infurrection againft the Jews at Toledo. By Ferdinand and Ifabella, A. D. 1492, all the Jews in Spain were reduced afresh to the alternative of converfion or exile. Accord

(c) Deut. xxviii. 64-67.

:

ing to the Spanish accounts, more than feventy thousand families, and by Jewith computation above twice that number, left the kingdom and after experiencing various miferies by sea and land, found shelter in other regions, particularly in Italy and in Portugal. Into the former country they were received kindly by the Pontiff Alexander VI. Into the latter they were admitted on hard terms by John II. and were banished from it with fignal marks of cruelty and perfidy by his fon and fucceffor Emanuel. On the acceffion of Charles V. the fugitives from Spain applied for liberty to return. Charles was at firft difpofed to liften to the application; but by the influence of Cardinal Ximenes was induced peremptorily to reject it: and he afterwards banished all Jews from the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily. We are not however to conclude that few of that nation remained in the dominions of Spain and Portugal. The fact is, that multitudes have availed themfelves even to the prefent hour of the liberty of diffimulation wickedly accorded by the Talmud. Outwardly good Catholics, but inwardly Jews, they have fwarmed in various ranks and profeffions: and have not hesitated to fill the most

I

facred

facred departments of the Romish priesthood (d).

During

(d) Thefe facts reft on the unquestionable evidence of Jews who themselves have practifed diffimulation, and are particularly recorded on the teftimony of Orobio. He was a Spanish Jew; and was brought up a diffembler by his parents who were diffemblers, conforming in every point to the Catholic worship, and fecretly obferving according to Jewish rites the annual faft of expiation. Distinguished by his talents, he became professor of metaphyfics in the Univerfity of Salamanca: and afterwards practifed phyfic with high reputation at Seville. In procefs of time, being fufpected of Judaism, he was fuddenly seized by the Inquifition, imprisoned during three years, and horribly tortured. His perfeverance in denying the charge wearicd the fury of his tormentors; and he was releafed. He speedily embraced an opportunity of quitting Spain, and withdrew to Toulouse: where, ftill being to all appearance a true Catholic, he was appointed profeffor of phyfic. Averfe at length to farther diffimulation, he retired to Amfterdam, and avowed his religion. In Holland, where he refided until his death, A. D. 1687, he held his famous conference concerning the truth of the Chriftian religion with the eminent Proteftant divine Limborch; who has published a very interefting account of it under the title of Amica Collatio cum erudito Judæo. The great number of the diffemblers, and their existence even among the grandees and the clergy of Spain, Orobio attests in the ftrongest terms; and relates that many diffemblers, even Franciscan Monks, Dominicans, and Jefuit, came annually to the fynagogue at Amfterdam to confefs and to expiate their diffimulation.

It feems right to add, that a Catholic clergyman, who has recently quitted Spain after a refidence there of twelve years, fpontaneously affured me of the following circumstances: that the Spaniards univerfally believe that there are among them

very