Rabbi Simeon was a famous doctor of the Mishna and disciple of
Akiba. He laid the foundation of the Sifre, the Halachic, or legal
exposition of Numbers and Deuteronomy. He figures in Jewish legend
as the greatest master of the Cabbala. He was not the author of the
Zohar. Internal evidence stamps that work as a product of the
thirteenth century, and its authorship is now ascribed to Moses ben
Shemtob de Leon (Hamburger, “Real-Encyclopädie,” arts. Simon b.
Jochai, Sifre, and Sohar).
P. 45, l. 22. “_Rabbi Seadiah_” = Saadja ben Joseph or Saadja Gaon
(892–942). The most celebrated of the Geonim, who were the chiefs of
the schools of Sura and Pumbaditha, and the ecclesiastical
counterparts of the Exilarchs. Saadja was one of the most prolific
and versatile writers Judaism has produced (Graetz, “Geschichte,”
vol. v. pp. 302 _et seq._).
P. 45, l. 23. “_Moses Egyptius_” = Moses Maimonides.
P. 45, l. 24. “_Abraham bar Ribi Hijah_” = Abraham ben Chijah ha-Nasi
of Barcelona (1065–1136), Jewish astronomical and geometrical
writer; was Minister of Police during the Moorish domination in
Spain (Graetz, “History,” vol. iii. p. 320).
P. 45, l. 24. “_Abraham Zacculo_”: misprint for Zaccuto (d. _c._
1515). He was a Jewish astronomer employed at the Court of Manuel of
Portugal. His works influenced Columbus (Kayserling, “Christopher
Columbus,” pp. 9, 13, 14, 46–51, 112, 113).
P. 45, l. 30. “_The letter (m) in Isa._ ix. 7.” The reference is to
the sixth verse of Isaiah ix., in the first word of which, לםרבה,
the second letter, which should be מ, is written in its final form
ם.
P. 47, l. 13. “_Diogo d’Assumean_”: misprint for Diogo da Asunçao
(Graetz, “History,” vol. iv. p. 711; Kayserling, “Juden in
Portugal,” pp. 282, 292).
P. 47, l. 20. “_The Lord Lope de Veray Alacron_” = Don Lope de Vera y
Alarcon. His martyrdom is the subject of a poem by Antonio Enriquez
Gomez, “Romance al diuin Martir Juda Creyente” (Kayserling,
“Biblioteca Española,” p. 50; Graetz, “Geschichte,” vol. x. pp. 101,
197).
P. 47, l. 38. “_Isaac Castrensis Tartas_” = Isaac de Castro Tartas
(Graetz, “History,” vol. v. p. 33).
P. 48, l. 9. “_Eli Nazarenus._” His real name was Francisco Meldonado
de Silva (“Publications of the American Jew. Hist. Soc.,” vol. iv.
p. 113).
P. 48, l. 13. “_Thomas Terbinon._” Doctor Thomas (Isaac) Trebiño de
Sobremente (“Pub. Amer. Jew. Hist. Soc.,” vol. iv. pp. 124–161).
P. 48, l. 25. “_My booke, De Termino Vitæ_” (English edition by P. T.
[Thomas Pocock]. Lond., 1700).
P. 49, l. 8. “_His wife Benuenida_” = Bienvenida Abravanela
(Kayserling, “Die Jüdischen Frauen,” pp. 77 _et seq._, 111).
P. 49, l. 16. “_Don Selomo Rophe._” Rabbi Solomon ben Nathan
Aschkenazi, surnamed Rophe, or the Physician, was a diplomatist in
the Turkish service who secured the election of Henry of Anjou to
the throne of Poland. (Graetz, “Geschichte,” vol. ix. pp. 396, 399,
438, 580; Levy, “Don Joseph Nasi,” pp. 8 _et seq._).
P. 49, l. 18. “_D. Ben Jaese, Anancus, and Sonsinos, are of great
authority with the Turk._” These are the names of Jewish families
who played an important part in Turkey in the sixteenth century.
This is a chapter of Jewish history on which the historians have as
yet shed little light. The materials are chiefly in manuscript, and
the present author proposes dealing with them in a communication to
the Jewish Historical Society. On the Ben Jaese (Ibn Jachya) family,
the reader may provisionally consult Carmoly, “Chronica Familiæ
Jachya,” and on the Soncinos, Mortara, “Indice Alfabetico.”
P. 49, l. 20. “_Abraham Alholn_”: misprint for Alhulu, treasurer to
the Pasha of Egypt. (See _infra_, p. 86.)
P. 49, l. 21. “_Don Josephus Nassi._” A wealthy Jew, nephew and
son-in-law of Donna Gracia Nasi (see note, _infra_, p. 163). He was
in the service of the Sultan, and conquered Cyprus for the Turks. In
addition to the sources indicated by Menasseh, see Levy, “Don Joseph
Nasi, Herzog Von Naxos” (Breslau, 1859), and Graetz, “Geschichte,”
vol. ix. _passim_.
P. 49, l. 25. “_Jacob Aben Jaes._” He is sometimes referred to as Don
Solomon. He was of the Ibn Jachya family, and was uncle to Joseph
Nasi. For a time he was in the service of Queen Elizabeth, and
corresponded with her physician Rodrigo Lopez, to whom he was
related. The Sultan created him Duke of Mytilene. (MS. materials.)
P. 49, l. 29. “_D. Samuel Palaxe._” (See Henriques de Castro, “Keur
Van Grafsteenen,” pp. 91, 94.)
P. 50, l. 6. “_D. Benjamin Mussaphia._” Dionysius Mussaphia
(1605–1674), physician and philologist, court physician to Christian
IV. of Denmark, afterwards Rabbi in Amsterdam (Graetz, “Geschichte,”
vol. x. pp. 24, 26, 202, 227, 243, 244; Kayserling, “Juden in
Portugal,” p. 298.)
P. 50, l. 9. “_King Cochini._” A mistranslation; should be “King of
Cochin.” The Jews of the Malabar coast settled there in the fifth
century. Local tradition gives the colony a much greater antiquity.
Menasseh gives further particulars of them in his “Humbler
Addresses,” _infra_, p. 85 (Graetz, “Geschichte,” vol. iv. pp.
470–472; Satthianadhan in the _Church Missionary Intelligencer_,
1871, pp. 365 _et seq._)
P. 50, l. 12. “_Mardocheas Maisel._” Mordecai Meisel (1528–1601). The
first Hebrew capitalist in Germany. Created an Imperial Councillor
by the Emperor Rudolph. His charities were on a princely scale. He
built two synagogues at Prague (Graetz, “Geschichte,” vol. ix. pp.
477, 478.)
P. 50, l. 14. “_Jacob Bathsebah._” Jacob Basevi Schmieles (1580–1634),
an influential Bohemian Jew, ennobled by the Emperor Ferdinand,
receiving the title of Von Treuenburg and a grant of arms. (Graetz,
“Geschichte,” vol. x. pp. 41–47; Wolf, “Jewish Coats of Arms.”)
P. 50, l. 22. “_Moses Amon_” (1490–1565). Physician to Solymon II.
Translated the Bible and Hebrew Prayer-Book into Arabic, and was
employed by the Sultan on diplomatic missions (Levy, “Don Joseph
Nasi,” pp. 6–8).
P. 50, l. 23. “_Elias Montalto._” Felipe Montalto, or Eliahu de Luna
Montalto, brother of Amato Lusitano. Portuguese physician. Practised
in Italy, and afterwards was appointed physician-in-ordinary to
Maria de Medicis; died at Tours 1616, and buried in the Jewish
Cemetery at Amsterdam (Kayserling, “Biblioteca Española,” pp. 72,
73). Montalto was also known as Don Philipe Rodrigues. Among his
descendants is Prof. Raphael Meldola (MS. materials).
P. 50, l. 25. “_Elias Cretensis._” Better known as Elia del Medigo
(1463–1498). Lectured publicly on philosophy in Padua, and
arbitrated in a dispute between the professors and students of the
university at the request of the Venetian Senate. Pico di Mirandola
was one of his pupils. He was a prolific writer (Graetz,
“Geschichte,” vol. viii. pp. 240–247).
P. 50, l. 26. “_R. Abraham de Balmas_” (d. 1521). Physician,
philosopher, and grammarian. Like Del Medigo, he lectured in Padua,
and was one of the Hebraists whose teaching influenced the
Reformation. Daniel Bomberg, the famous Venetian printer, was one of
his pupils, and translated his poems into Latin (Graetz,
“Geschichte,” vol. ix. p. 215).
P. 50, l. 27. “_Elias Grammaticus._” Better known as Elia Levita
(1498–1549). A German Rabbi who taught in Padua, Venice, and Rome,
and who exercised a strong influence on the Hebrew studies which
produced the Reformation. Scaliger describes him as “the greatest
Hebrew scholar of his age.” Among his pupils were the Cardinal
Egidio de Viterbe, the French bishop and ambassador George de Selve,
and the theologians Münster and Fagius (Günsburg, “Masoreth
Hamasoreth”; Karpeles, “Geschichte d. Jüd. Lit.,” pp. 855 _et
seq._).
P. 50, l. 33. “_David de Pomis._” Physician, lexicographer, and
theologian (1525–1588), translated Koheleth into Italian. Author of
“De Medico Hebræo” (Graetz, “Geschichte,” vol. ix. p. 483; Karpeles,
“Gesch. Jüd. Lit.,” pp. 880–881). There is a curious tradition that
De Pomis was residing in Hull in 1599 (Symons, “Hull in ye Olden
Times,” Hull, 1886, pp. 82, 83).
CONSIDERATIONS UPON THE POINT OF THE CONVERSION OF THE JEWES
Pp. 57–72. This Appendix is, as will be seen, by the English
translator, Moses Wall. It does not appear in the first edition, and
it is printed here as throwing light on the motives of the English
supporters of Menasseh ben Israel.
P. 67, l. 21. “_E. S._” Sir Edward Spenser, M.P. for Middlesex. See
Introduction, p. xxvii.
P. 68, l. 36. “_Did Mr. Broughton gaine upon a learned Rabbi._” See
Broughton, “Ovr Lordes Famile” (Amst., 1608), and “A Reqvire of
Agreement” (1611).
THE HUMBLE ADDRESSES
(pp. 73–103)
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
For the origin of this tract, and the probable date and circumstances of
its preparation, see Introduction, pp. xxxviii-xxxix.
There are two editions, neither of which bears any imprint or date. Both
are 4to, but one has 26 pp. and the other 23 pp. It is difficult to say
whether, and which, one of these two versions is a revision of the
other, as the only difference between them is that the following
sentence is added at the end of the 23 pp. text: “Which is the close of
Rabbi Menesse Ben-Israel, a Divine, and Doctor in Physick in the Strand
over against the New-Exchange in London.” The British Museum copy of
this edition is dated in MS. “Novemb. 5th (London), 1655.” This edition
must have been printed after Menasseh’s arrival in London, and it is
probable that the other is the _Libellus Anglicus_ of which he speaks in
his letter to Felgenhauer in February 1655, and which, consequently, we
may assume was printed in Amsterdam.
The latter was reprinted in Melbourne in 1868, with an introduction by
the late Rev. A. F. Ornstien:—
“To / His Highnesse / the / Lord Protector / of the / Commonwealth of /
England, Scotland and Ireland / the Humble Addresses / of / Menasseh Ben
Israel, a Divine, and / Doctor of Physic, in behalfe / of the Jewish
Nation / 1655. / Reprinted by H. T. Dwight, / Bookseller and Publisher,
Bourke Street East, Melbourne, / 1868.”
English reprints of the 23 pp. text have been published in the _Jewish
Chronicle_, Nov.-Dec. 1859, and in Kayserling’s “Life of Menasseh ben
Israel,” with annotations in 1877 (_Miscellany of Hebrew Literature_,
Second Series, pp. 35–63). According to Barbosa Machado (“Biblioteca
Lusitana,” vol. iii. p. 457) a Spanish translation was published in
London simultaneously with the first English edition. Its title is given
as follows:—
“Las Humildes suplicaciones En nombre de la Nacion de los Judios a su
Alteza el Señor Protector Oliver Cromwell de la Republica de Inglaterra,
Scocia, y Yrlandia. Traduzido del Original Ingles. En Londres, 1655.”
A copy of this translation in MS. existed in the library of Isaac da
Costa of Amsterdam (_Misc. Heb. Lit._, ii. p. 84). Kayserling first
translated the tract into German, and published it in his “Menasse ben
Israel, sein Leben und Wirken” (Berlin, 1861).
A very large number of the historical references in this tract are taken
without acknowledgment from Imanuel Aboab’s “Nomologia” (Amst., 1629)
and Daniel Levy de Barrios’s “Historia Universal Judayca.” Kayserling
has given many of the original passages in his notes to his “Life of
Menasseh ben Israel” (_Misc. Heb. Lit._, Series II.).
TO HIS HIGHNESSE, &c.
P. 77, l. 9. “_The Ambassadors of England._” The St. John Mission (see
Introduction, pp. xxx-xxxi, and _Vindiciæ_, p. 111).
P. 81, l. 19. “_Merchandizing is ... the proper profession of the
Nation of the Jews._” In so far as this implies that the Jews have
an inborn genius for commerce this is a vulgar error (see Loeb, “Le
Juif de l’Histoire et le Juif de la Legende,” pp. 7–14).
P. 85, l. 7. “_These in India in Cochin._” See note, _supra_, pp.
159–160.
P. 85, l. 21. “_In the Turkish Empire._” See Nicolas de Nicolay,
“Navigations, Peregrinations et Voyages faicts en la Turquie,”
Anvers, 1576, pp. 243 _et seq._
P. 86, l. 20. “_In this estate some of the Jews have grown to great
fortunes._” The Jewish notabilities referred to in this paragraph
are also mentioned in the “Hope of Israel.” See note, _supra_, p.
159.
P. 87, l. 6. “_Isaac Iecells._” Jessel or Joesel is a diminutive of
Joseph. The person referred to is probably Asher ben Joseph of
Cracow (see Steinschneider, “Bibl. Bodl.,” p. 751).
P. 87, l. 9. “_The Cosaques in the late warres._” The rising of
Chmielnicki, 1648–1649. (Graetz, “Geschichte,” vol. x. pp. 52–82.)
P. 87, ll. 22 et seq. The references to Jewish families in this
paragraph are taken from Aboab and De Barrios. See notes 201–204 to
Kayserling’s “Menasseh ben Israel” (_Misc. Heb. Lit._, ii. p. 88).
P. 88, l. 17. “_Seignor Moseh Palache._” See De Castro, “Keur Van
Graafsteenen,” p. 93; “Cal. State Papers, Dom.,” 1654, p. 91. On the
Jews of Morocco, see _Jew. Quart. Rev._, vol. iv. pp. 369 _et seq._
P. 89, l. 5. “_Sir Duarte Nunes a’ Acosta._” See Da Costa, “Adellijke
Geslachten onder de Israelieten.”
P. 89, l. 8. “_Emanuel Boccaro Rosales._” See p. lxxx (Menasseh’s
letter to Felgenhauer); Kayserling, “Sephardim,” p. 209; “Biblioteca
Española-Portugueza-Judaica,” pp. 95–96.
P. 90, l. 16. “_As the Chronicles do declare._” This paragraph is
almost literally translated from Aboab’s “Nomologia,” p. 290. The
story does not appear in the earlier Jewish chronicles, such as
_Schevet Jehuda_, _Emek Habacha_, and _Zemach David_, although the
events of the reign of Pedro the Cruel and Don Enrique so far as
they affect the Jew are fully dealt with in them. The “Chronicle”
referred to by Menasseh is probably that of Pedro Lopez d’Ayala,
which is the original authority for the story.
P. 91, l. 27. “_Don Isaac Abarbanel._” See note, _supra_, p. 154.
P. 92, l. 1. “_They everywhere are used to pray._” See Singer, “The
Earliest Jewish Prayers for the Sovereign” (_Jewish Chronicle_, Feb.
22, 1901).
P. 92, l. 18. “_He that giveth salvation unto Kings._” This is the
first English translation of the Prayer for the Sovereign. See
Singer, preceding note.
P. 93, l. 3. “_R. Simon Ben-Iochai in his excellent book called
Zoar._” See note, _supra_, p. 158.
P. 93, l. 26. “_One famous lawyer in Rome, and Osorius._” The whole of
this, and the following paragraphs relating to the expulsion from
Spain, is taken from Aboab’s “Nomologia.” Osorius (Hieronymo Osorio,
1506–1580) was author of a history of the reign of King Emanuel,
which was translated into English by Gibbs (Lond., 1752). See notes
to Kayserling’s “Menasseh” for parallel passages from Aboab.
P. 99, l. 22. “_As Vasquo saith._” For Vasquo read Usque. Menasseh is
quoting from the “Consolacam as Tribvlacoens de Ysrael,” by Samuel
Usque (Ferrara, 1552), see pp. 198–200. Samuel Usque was one of
three brothers, all distinguished Marranos. He fled from the
Portuguese Inquisition and settled at Ferrara, whence he emigrated
to the Holy Land. He was a protégé of Donna Gracia Nasi (see Note on
“Don Josephus Nassi,” _supra_, p. 159; also Kayserling, “Jüdischen
Frauen,” pp. 80–86).
P. 100, l. 5. The narrative as pirated from Aboab’s “Nomologia” ends
here. For fuller details of the Portuguese persecutions, see
Kayserling, “Juden in Portugal,” pp. 120 _et seq._
P. 101, l. 17. “_As for killing of the young children of Christians._”
See _infra_, notes on “Vindiciæ Judæorum,” pp. 165–167.
P. 102, l. 9. “_In Araguza_” = Ragusa. For a fuller version of this
story see _infra_, “Vindiciæ Judæorum,” pp. 116–117.
P. 102, l. 20. “_As for the third point._” Menasseh himself was
largely responsible for the charge of proselytising, inasmuch as in
the “Hope of Israel” (_supra_, p. 47) he had boasted of the converts
made by the Jews in Spain. There can be no doubt that these
conversions were very numerous, but they were probably due in a
larger measure to the oppressive policy of the Inquisition than to
any active proselytising on the part of the Jews.
P. 103, l. 33. “_In the Strand._” For a full discussion of the place
of Menasseh’s abode while in London, see _Trans. Jew. Hist. Soc._,
vol. iii. pp. 144 _et seq._
VINDICÆ JUDÆORUM
(pp. 105–147)
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
For the origin of this tract see Introduction, pp. lxii-lxiv.
It has often been reprinted and translated, especially on occasions of
Jewish persecution. In 1708 it reappeared in the second volume of “The
Phœnix; or a Revival of Scarce and Valuable Pieces.” In 1743 it was
reprinted as an independent pamphlet (Lond., 8vo, pp. 67). Ninety-five
years later it was again reprinted by M. Samuels in the prolegomena to
his translation of Moses Mendelssohn’s “Jerusalem” (Lond., 1838, vol. i.
pp. 1–73), together with a translation of Mendelssohn’s introduction to
the German edition (pp. 77–116).
On the Continent it was first published in 1782 in connection with the
Mendelssohnian movement for Jewish emancipation, which was participated
in by Lessing and Dohm. The fact that it should have been considered by
Moses Mendelssohn worthy to stand by the side of Lessing’s _Nathan der
Weise_ is a striking tribute to its merits. The Mendelssohnian issue is
more famous than the original English edition, for in its German form
the work became a classic of national Jewish controversy, whereas in
English it was only associated with the local history of the British
Jews. The following is the full title of the German edition (pp. lii,
64, sm. 8vo):—
Manasseh Ben Israel / Rettung der Juden / Aus dem Englischen übersetzt /
Nebst einer Vorrede / von / Moses Mendelssohn./ Als ein Anhang / zu des
/ Hrn. Kriegsraths Dohm / Abhandlung: / Ueber / die bürgerliche
Verbesserung / der Juden./ Mit Königl. Preussischer allergnädigster
Freyheit./ Berlin und Stettin / bey Friedrich Nicolai / 1782.
This translation is said to have been made by Dr. Herz, the husband of
the famous Henrietta Herz (Kayserling, “Moses Mendelssohn sein Leben und
seine Werke,” p. 354), but it was probably done by his wife, who knew
English so well that during her widowhood she was engaged to teach it to
the daughter of the Duchess of Courland. (See “Life” by Fürst, also
Jennings’s “Rahel,” pp. 19 _et seq._) The introduction supplied by Moses
Mendelssohn fills fifty-two pages, and is as famous as the _Vindiciæ_
itself.
Besides being reprinted in Mendelssohn’s collected works, the German
edition of the _Vindiciæ_ was republished in 1882, in connection with
the Anti-Semitic agitation, under the title “Gegen die Verleumder,” and
again in 1890.
The following editions have also appeared:—
1813. Hebrew by Bloch (Vienna).
1818. Hebrew with a preface by Moses Kunitz (Wilna).
1837. Polish by J. Tugenhold (Warsaw).
1842. French by Carmoly (Brussels, _Revue Orientale_, ii. pp. 491 _et
seq._).
1883. Italian by Nahmias (Florence).
THE FIRST SECTION
P. 108, l. 11. “_The Jews are wont to celebrate the feast of
unleavened bread, fermenting it with the blood of some Christians._”
This accusation, now known as the Blood Accusation, has been for
many centuries the favourite superstition of the Jew-haters. It was
revived by Prynne and Ross during Menasseh’s sojourn in London.
During the residence of the Jews in England previously to 1290, it
played a conspicuous part in their persecution. (See Joseph Jacobs’
“Little St. Hugh of Lincoln,” _Jew. Hist. Soc. Trans._, vol. i.,
especially pp. 92–99. “The Blood Accusation, its origin and
occurrence in the Middle Ages,” reprinted from the _Jewish
Chronicle_, 1883.) There is a very voluminous literature of the
Blood Accusation (see especially Zunz’s “Damaskus, ein Wort zur
Abwehr,” Berlin, 1859), but it has not hitherto been noticed that
during the period the Jews were banished from England (1290–1655)
the superstition continued to haunt the public mind. We have a
curious instance of it in 1577. When John Foxe, the martyrologist,
baptized a Moorish Jew named Nathaniel Menda, on April 1 of that
year, at All Hallows, Lombard Street, he adopted the Blood
Accusation in the address he delivered to celebrate the occasion.
“Moreover, if he (Abraham) had seene your unappeaceable disorder
without all remorse of mercy in persecuting his (Jesus’s) disciples;
your intolerable scorpionlike savageness, so furiously boyling
against the innocent infants of the Christian Gentiles: ... would he
ever accompted you for his sonnes.” To which the printer’s gloss
runs thus: “Christen men’s children here in Englande crucified by
the Jewes, Anno 1189 and Anno 1141 at Norwiche, &c.” (John Foxe, “A
Sermon at the Christening of a certaine Iew at London,” London,
1578; p. E. iii.) This sermon, originally delivered in Latin, was
translated into English and published _in extenso_, together with
the confession of Nathaniel Menda, in 1578. It was dedicated to Sir
Francis Walsingham, Principal Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth.
Thomas Calvert, “Minister of the Word at York,” was the next to lend
his name to the superstition, and to give vigorous expression to it
in his “Diatraba of the Jews’ Estate.” This was a preface to “The
Blessed Jew of Marocco; or A Blackmoor made White, by Rabbi Samuel,
a Jew turned Christian; written first in the Arabick, after
translated into Latin, and now Englished” (York, 1648. The British
Museum copy is dated in MS. “July 25, 1649.”) His exact words are as
follows:—
“So much are they (the Jews) bent to shed the blood of Christians,
that they say a Jew needs no repentance for murdering a Christian;
and they add to that sinne to make it sweet and delectable that hee
who doth it, it is as if he had offered a _Corban_ to the Lord,
hereby making the abominable sin an acceptable sacrifice. But beyond
all these they have a bloody thirst after the blood of Christians.
In France and many kingdoms they have used yearly to steale a
Christian boy and to crucifie him, fastning him to a crosse, giving
him gall and vinegar, and running him in the end thorow with a
spear, to rub their memories afresh into sweet thoughts of their
crucifying Christ, the more to harden themselves against Christ and
to shew their curst hatred to all Christians” (pp. 18–19).
John Sadler stands out conspicuously for dissociating himself from
this baseless prejudice. When he wrote his “Rights of the Kingdom,”
in 1649, he summed up the matter in a happy and pithy manner: “Wee
say, they (the Jews) crucified a child, or more. They doe deny it:
and we prove it not” (p. 74). Undaunted by Sadler’s championship of
the Jews, James Howell followed Calvert, and in the Epistle
Dedicatory to his pirated edition of Morvyn’s translation of Joseph
ben Gorion, “The wonderful and deplorable history of the latter
times of the Jews” (London [June 2], 1652), he thus insinuated the
truth of the charge:—
“The first Christian Prince that expelled the Jews out of his
territories, was that heroik King, our Edward the First, who was
such a sore scourge also to the Scots; and it is thought divers
families of those banished Jews fled then to Scotland, where they
have propagated since in great numbers, witness the aversion that
nation hath above others to hog’s flesh. Nor was this extermination
for their Religion, but for their notorious crimes, as poysoning of
wells, counterfeiting of coines, falsifying of seales, and
_crucifying of Christian children_, with other villanies.”
Sadler was not the only English contemporary of Menasseh ben Israel
who threw doubt on the Blood Accusation. Prynne himself relates in
the preface to his “Demurrer” that he met Mr. Nye by the garden wall
at Whitehall, when he was on his way to the Conference on the Jewish
Question. “I told him,” writes Prynne, “the Jews had been formerly
clippers and forgers of money, _and had crucified three or four
children in England at least_, which were principal causes of their
banishment, to which he replied, that the crucifying of children was
not fully charged on them by our historians, and would easily be
wiped off.” (Preface, p. 4.)
It is curious that, as Menasseh himself points out, the Jews were not
alone at this period as sufferers from the Blood Accusation.
(“Humble Addresses,” p. 21.) Apart from the instance quoted by
Menasseh, a similar charge was levelled at the Quakers, who were
accused of the ritual murder of women. An illustrated tract on the
subject will be found in _Historia Fanaticorum_. (See “Historia von
den Wider-Tauffern,” Cöthen, 1701.)