Demurrer to the Jews 2, Title page – To the reader
A Short DEMURRER To the JEWES Long diſcontinued REMITTER into ENGLAND.
Compriſing, An exact Chronological Relation of their firſt Admiſſion into, their ill Deportment, Miſdemeanors, Condition, Sufferings, Oppreſſions, Slaughters, Plunders, by popular Inſurrections, and regal Exactions in; and their total, final Baniſhment by Iudgment and Edict of Parliament, out of England, never to return again: collected out of the beſt Hiſtorians.
With a Brief Collection of ſuch Engliſh Laws, Scriptures, as ſeem ſtrongly to plead, and conclude againſt their Readmiſſion into England, eſpecially at this ſeaſon, and againſt the General calling of the Jewiſh Nation. With an Anſwer to the chief Allegations for their Introduction.
By William Prynne Eſq; a Bencher of Lincolnes-Inne.
2 Chron. 19. 2. Shouldſt thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.
Prov. 6. 27. Can a man take coals in his boſome, and his cloaths not be burnt?
Concil. Toleta. 4. cap. 57. Surius Concil. Tom. 2. p. 734. Tanta est quandam cupiditas ut quidam eam appetenles etiam a fide erraverint: multi quippe hucuſque ex Sacerdotibus atque Laicis accipi…ntes a Judaeis munera, perfidiam corum ſuo patrocinio ſovent, qui non immerito ex corpore Antichriſti eſſe noſcuntur, quia contra Chriſtum faciunt. Quicunque ergo deinceps Epiſcopus, ſive Clericus, ſive Secularis, illis contra fidem Chriſtianam ſuffragium vel munere, vel ſavore praeſ…iterit, vere (ut prophanus & Sacrilegus) anathema effectus, ab Eccleſia Catholica, & Regno Dei habeatur extraneus: quia dignus eſt ut a corpore Chriſti ſeparetur, qui inimicis Chriſti PATRONUS efficitur.
Printed at London, for EDWARD THOMAS dwelling in Green-Arbor, 165….
To the Chriſtian Reader.
THat I may not juſtly a1 Pet. 4.ſuffer (ſo much as in thy Thought) as a buſie-body in other men's matters, for publiſhing my Opinion in a publick Caſe; wherein I conceive my ſelf ſome wayes intereſſed, both as a Chriſtian and Engliſh Free-man: I ſhall inform thee of the true original cauſe of this my ſodain unpremeditated undertaking.
Being much affected with God's late admirable Providence, in cauſing the bSee the Declaration of 21 Nov. 1655.ſixth day of this inſtant December to be ſet a part for a Day of Solemn Faſting and Humiliation, for the late Rebukes we have received, the Tares of Diviſion that have been ſown by the envious one, and the growth they have had through his ſubtilty; the abominable Blaſphemies, Apoſtacies, and abuſe of Liberty by many profeſſing Religion, and the continual Series of Difficulties we have been exerciſed under: and, inviting all the People of God in theſe three Nations on that day, to joyn in ſolemn and earneſt Supplications to the Throne of Grace, That the Lord will be pleaſed truely to humble our preſent Governours, and the Nation, under his Righteous Hand, that we may be every one ſearching out the Plague of his own Heart, and turn unfeignedly from the evil of our wayes. This being the very day of the Month, whereon this time ſeven yeers, (December 6. 1648.) Colonel Pride with other Officers of the ARMY, beſetting the Parliament-Houſe with their armed Forces cA Collection of Ordinances, p. 599, 623.raiſed to Defend its PRIVILEDGES and MEMBERS) againſt their Trusts, Duties, forcibly ſeiſed, ſecured my ſelf, with above forty Parliament-Members more, as we were going into the Commons-Houſe to diſcharge our duties; tranſlating us that day from the Queens Court (where they firſt impriſoned us) to Hell in Weſtminſter, and there lodging us upon the bare boards without Beds, all that miſerable Cold Night, like ſo many Turkiſh Gally-ſlaves, rather than Parliament - Members: ſeconded with other ſucceeding Reſtraints, and high unparalel'd Violations both of our Parliamentary Priviledges, and Hereditary Laws and Liberties. Which tranſcendent Exorbitancies, as we may juſtly fear, are the Plague of the Heart, and Evil of their Wayes, who were the chief Contrivers or Actors of them; if not the greateſt Rebukes the Engliſh Parliament or Nation ever received; the moſt dangerous Tares of Diviſion that have ever been ſowen by the envious one in our Realm, which have ſince extraordinarily grown and ſpread amongst us through his ſubtilty; the ſaddeſt Apoſtacy, and abuſe of Liberty by men proſeſſing Religion ever heard of amongſt Chriſtians, and the very Fountain of all that continued ſeries of difficulties we have ſince been exerciſed under. For which the principal Architects, Executioners, and whole Engliſh Nation had never publickly been humbled, nor ſeriouſly lamented, repented them in ſeven whole yeers ſpace; It pleaſed God by his over-ruling Providence, beyond the Intentions or Thoughts of Men, ſo at laſt to bring it about, that this very forgotten ſad day, whereon this was publickly acted, ſhould be now by a printed Declaration, ſpecially devoted for A Day of ſolemn Faſting & Humiliation, throughout this Commonwealth, to lament and bewail theſe former enormious Actions on it as well as other Crimes. Having informed divers thereof, both before and on this Faſt-day, who were much taken with it: On the ſeventh of December, (the day after the Faſt on wch the ſecured Members that time ſeven yeers were carried from Hell to White-Hall, and there kept faſting till paſt ſeven a clock at night to attend the Army-Officers, who pretended a deſired conference with them, and at laſt, without vouchſafing to ſee them, ſent them PRISONERS through the dirt with Muſqueteers at each of their backs, & other Guards of Horſe by their ſides to the King's Head and Swan, where they long remained:) I walked down to Weſtminſter, to viſit ſome of my then Fellow-Priſoners and Members, to acquaint them with this memorable Providence; in my paſſage thither in Martin's-Lane, I unexpectedly met with Sir John Clotworthy (who was one of them) leading his Lady on foot towards Wallingford-houſe, the place whether the Officers promiſed to carry, and there to confer with us, when they thruſt us into Hell; who taking notice of, and ſaluting me, I informed him of the foreſaid adorable Providence, in appointing the former dayes Faſt on that day ſeven yeers whereon we were ſeiſed: who proſeſſing he had forgotten it, and that it came not within his thoughts; but in truth it was very miraculous, and worthy ſpecial obſervation. We thereupon walked on, diſcourſing of it till we came to Wallingford-houſe-gate, where Colonel Pride, who then ſeiſed, met us full but; and I not perfectly knowing him, Sir John told me, here is Colonel Pride, and then gave him this ſeaſonable Memento; Fellow Pride, Remember this time ſeven yeers. So we parting company, I went & viſited ſome others of my then Fellow Priſoners in Weſtminſter; diſcourſing with them of theſe Providences, (wherewith they were much affected, as having not obſerved them before) and of our Faſt at White-Hall this day ſeven yeers. In my return homewards that day by the Garden-wall at White-Hall, Mr. Nye the Miniſter, going very faſt, there overtook, and ſaluting me by name, preſently demanded this unexpected Queſtion of me; Whether there were any Law of England againſt bringing in the Jews amongst us? for the Lawyers had newly delivered their Opinions, there was no Law againſt it. To which I anſwered, That the Jews were in the yeer 1290. all baniſhed out of England, by Judgement and Edict of the King and Parliament, as a great Grievance, never to return again: for wch the Commons gave the King the fifteenth part of their Moveables: and therefore being thus baniſhed by Parliament▪ they could not by the Laws of England, be brought in again, without a ſpecial Act of Parliament, which I would make good for Law. He replied, I wiſh it might not be done otherwiſe; &, that this buſineſs had been formerly moved in the Biſhops time, rather than now. To which I ſubjoyned; That it was now a very ill time to bring in the Jews, when the people were ſo dangerouſly and generally bent to Apoſtacy, and all ſorts of Novelties and Errors in Religion; and would ſooner turn Jews, than the Jews Chriſtians. He anſwered, He thought it was true, and was ſorry he could not diſcourſe longer with me, the Committee about the Jews being ſate, and ſtaying for him as he feared. Whereupon, as he was turning in towards White-Hall-Gate, I told him, The Jews had been formerly great Clippers and Forgers of Mony, and had crucified three or four Children in England at leaſt, which were principal cauſes of their baniſhment. To which he replied, That the crucifying of Children was not fully charged on them by our Hiſtorians, and would eaſily be wiped off. Whereto I anſwered, He was much miſtaken: and ſo we parted. As I kept on my way, in Lincolnes-Inne. Fields, paſſing by ſeven or eight maimed Soldiers on Stilts, who begged of me; I heard them ſay aloud one to another▪ We muſt now all turn Jews, and there will be nothing left for the poor. And not far from them another company of poor people, juſt at Lincolnes-Inne back Gate, cried aloud to each other: They are all turned Devils already, and now we muſt all turn Jews. Which unexpected concurrent Providences and Speeches, made ſuch an impreſſion on my Spirit, that before I could take my reſt that night, I peruſed moſt of the paſſages in our Engliſh Hiſtories concerning the Jews carriage in England, with ſome of their miſdemeanors in other parts, to refreſh my memory, and ſatisfie my judgement; making ſome Collections out of them, which after I enlarged and digeſted into this enſuing Demurrer, with as much ſpeed as the ſharpneſs of the ſeaſon would permit; and was induced to publiſh it (knowing no particular diſcourſe of this Subject extant) for the general information, ſatisfaction of others, and honour of my bleſſed Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, whom the Jews with malicious hearts, and wicked hands dAct 2. 23. 36. c. 3. 14. 15. 1 ſhell. 2. 14, 15, 16. Mat. 26. & 27.crucified in perſon heretofore, and their poſterity by their blaſphemies, deſpiteful actions againſt Chriſt, his Kingdom, Offices, Goſpel eH…b. 6. 6 1 John 4. 3.crucifie afreſh, every day trampling under foot the Son of God, putting him to open ſhame, offering deſpite to the Spirit of Grace, & counting the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing. And in all their publick and private Devotions, praying conſtantly for the ſodain, univerſal, total, final ſubverſion, extirpation, periſhing of Chriſts Kingdom, Goſpel, and all his Chriſtian Members, which they plot, and continually expect, ſuch is their implacable tranſcendent malice. I have deduced their introduction into England, only from William ſurnamed the Conqueror, becauſe I finde not the leaſt mention of them in any of our Britiſh, or Saxon Hiſtories, Councils, Synods, Canons, which doubtleſſe would have mentioned them, and made ſome ſtrict Laws or Canons, againſt their Iewiſh as well as againſt Pagan Superſtitions, had they exerciſed them here, as they would have done as well as in Spain, & other places, had they reſided here. That any of them were here in the time of our famous Emperor Conſtantine, is but a dream of ſuch, who becauſe they finde an Epiſtle of Conſtantines in the Council of Nice, to all the Churches of Chriſt in fSpelmanni Concil. p. 43▪ 44▪ See here p. 51▪Sir Hen. Spelmans Collections of the Decrees, Canons, and Conſtitutions of the Britiſh World, wherein is mention made of the Churches of Britain, in that age, as well as in Rome, France and other parts, keeping the Paſſeover in a different manner from the wicked blinded Iews, would thence infer, there were then Jews reſident in Britain; of which there is not one ſyllable in that Epiſtle, nor in any Claſſick Author Forrain or Domeſtick, I yet ever ſaw or heard of.
That they were ſetled in our Iſland in the Saxons time, is collected, onelyonly from that Law▪ inferted by gAnnal. pars poſterior, p. 604.Hoveden, and hSpelmanni Cancil, p. 623.Spelman amongſt Edward the Confeſſors, here cited, p. …. But there being no mention of the Jews in any of our Saxon Kings Raigns, Councils, Decrees, Laws, before the Confeſſor, out of which all his Laws were iMalmesbury de geſt is Regum Angl. l. 2. c. 1. p. 75. Chronicon Johannis Bromcol. 956. 957. Spelmanni concil. p. 625.wholly extracted, and this Law of the Jews being not to be found in the true Original Copy of the Confeſſors and Conquerors Laws of Abbot kIngulphi Hiſt. p. 914.Ingulphus, who flouriſhed in that age, was preſent at their confirmation, and then brought them to Croyland Abby, publiſhed by Mr. lAd Eadmerum Not…, p. 172, to 195.Iohn Selden, nor yet in Bromton, I cannot but reject it as counterfeit, and eſteem it rather, a Declaration of the Jews Condition in England in Hovedens time (inſerted by him, as well as ſome other things of pu…ier date, amongſt theſe Laws) rather than any Law of, or in the Confeſſors days, wherein I can finde no evidence of any Jews reſidence here, but only this interpolation and forged Law, which Mr. Selden wholly omittes in his Collection of his Laws. The Hiſtory of King William Rufus, his compelling the Iews of Rhoan that were turned Chriſtians, to renounce their Chriſtianity and turn Iews again, ACCEPTO PRETIO APOSTASIAE, upon the complaint and mony given him by the Infidel Jews there, with the Dialogue between Him and Stephen the Jew, cited out of Holinſhed, here p. 5, 6. I finde originally recorded of him by mHiſtoriae noverum, l. 2. p. 46, 47.Eadmerus, living in his raign: who though very bitter and injurious to him, by reaſon of the great Conteſts between him & Anſelme (whoſe Favourite, Follower and Companion in adverſity Eadmerus was) yet he relates it not as a certain Truth, but as a Report of others of that Country, who had another Opinion of Rufus, Quam de Chriſtianis Chriſtianos Lex Chriſtiana docet habere: quae tamen ſicut illa accepimus ſimpliciter ponam, non aſtruens vera an ſecus extiterint, an non. OnelyOnly he addes this paſſage to the ſtory of Stephen, which Holinſhed omits: That St. Stephen appearing to him as he was travelling on the way, he demanding of him who he was? Anſwered, That he was long ſince of a Jew made a Chriſtian, and was Stephen the firſt Martyr; but for this cauſe, I have now come down from Heaven to Earth, that thou caſting away thy Iewiſh Superſtition, mighteſt be made a Chriſtian; and being baptized in Chriſt, mighteſt be called by my name. Whereupon he became a Chriſtian, and was baptized. That immediately after the conference between the King and Stephen, (which agrees with that in Holinſhed) he being thruſt out, and meeting his Father ſtanding before the door, expecting the event, being animated againſt him, ſaid; O Son of death, and …ewel of eternal perdition, is not thine own damnation ſufficient for thee, unleſs thou alſo caſt me head long into it together with thee? But God forbid, that I to whom Chriſt is now revealed ſhould ever acknowledge thee henceforth for a Father, becauſe the devil is thy father.
I have omitted in this Demurrer, no paſſage to my knowledge, in any of our Hiſtorians, relating to our former Engliſh Iews, reciting them all in a Chronological Order in the Hiſtorians own words, quoted in the Margin: only I finde theſe 2 Records concerning them, which I ſhall here ſupply.
Rot. Clauſ. 1. E. 1. R….] The King conſtituted by his Charter, Hamon, Hattain, and Robert de Luvenham his Iustices for the cuſtody of the Jews; and thereupon iſſued a Mandate to the Treaſurer and Barons of the Eſchequer, to deliver unto them the Keys of the Cheſt of the Iews, together with the Rolls, Writs, & all other things belonging to that Office of the Iews, as had formerly been accuſtomed to be done to other Iuſtices. And Rot. Clauſ. 3. Ed. 1. Mem. 17. The King ſent a Mandate to the Iuſtices of the Iews, to do juſtice, and proceed in a cauſe, according to the cuſtome of Iudaiſm.
I have mP. 64. 65. 89, 90.herein only briefly touched, not handled, the great Queſtion, of the general calling & converſion of the Iewiſh Nation to the Faith of Chriſt, towards the end of the world; for which I cannot finde any ſatisfactory grounds in Scripture. That Text of Levit. 26. 41, to 46. on which ſome build their general call, having theſe two clauſes in it, that ſeem ſtrongly to oppoſe, or make it very dubious, v. 41. IF THEN their uncirciſed heart be humbled, and that they accept of the puniſhment of their iniquity, &c. & v. 46. I will not caſt them away, neither will I abhor them to DESTROY THEM UTTERLY. And that other Text of Rom. 11. whereon others moſt rely, having this conditional paſſage & expreſs clauſes againſt it, v. 23. And they alſo, IF they abide not ſtill in unbelief, ſhall be grafted in, for God is able (he ſaith not reſolved) to graffe them in again. And v. 3, to 8. I have reſerved to my ſelf 7000 men, &c. Even ſo then at this preſent time there is a Remnant according to the election of grace, &c. But the Election hath obtained it, and the reſt were hardned, or blinded. Which compared with Rom. 9. 27, 29. (Iſaiah alſo ſaith concerning Iſrael, Though the number of the children of Iſrael be as the ſand of the Sea, yet a remnant of them (only) ſhall be ſaved, Iſa. 10. 22, 23, &c.) will neceſſarily evince, that Rom. 11. 26. And ſo all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved, &c. (on which they ground this general call) muſt be intended onelyonly; of all this ſmall elect remnant of the Iſrael of God, and ſeed of Abraham according to the faith, not fleſh, Rom. 4 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Gal. 3. 7, 8, 9, 14, 16. Ga. 6. 16. of all ſuch who are Jews inwardly, and have the Circumciſion of the heart, Rom. 2. 28, 19. not of the whole Jewiſh Nation. And thoſe who will ſtrain that Text further, muſt neceſſarily aver, not only an univerſal calling, but likewiſe ſalvation and taking away the ungodlineſs and ſins of that whole Nation then by Chriſt, (of which that Text only ſpeaks) not only conttary to theſe forecited Scriptures, and Gods dealing with all other nRev. 3. 4.Churches, Nations; but to Jer. 3. 14. I will take you, one of a City, and two of a Tribe, and I will bring you to Sion. Mat. 21. 16. Many are called, but few choſen: & few ſaved, Mat. 7. 14. Luke 13. 23. Therefore for any to call in the Jews among us upon this ſurmiſe of their general approaching Converſion, is a ſtrange Soleciſm, both in State Policy and Chriſtianity, eſpecially in this age, wherein that Speech of oDe uni…ate Eccleſiae Francofurti. 1600. p. 108, 109, 116, See Jacobus uſierius, De E… c…ſiaurm Chriſtian Succeſſione & Statu c. 5. p. 108, 109, 119.Wal…ramus Biſhop of Naumburge, is moſt truely verified, Diabolus videns Idola derelicta, & per nimium credentium populum ſedes ſuas ac templa deſerta, excognitavit novam fraudem, ut ſub ipſo Chriſtiani nominis titulo fallat incantos; haereſeſ que inevnit & ſchiſmata, quibus ſubverteret fidem, corrumperet veritatem. Exinde diviſa eſt Eccleſia, & diviſa ſunt Eccleſiae Sacerdotia, at que omnia ſcandalorum orta ſunt gene…a. Exinde crevit grave & diuturnum bellum, & non ſolum civile bellum, ſed & pluſquam civile bellum, & factae ſunt abſ que divino pariter & humano reſpectu vaſtationes Eccleſiarum, & caedes hominum: Exinde etiam corruptae ſunt divinae pariter & humanae leges, ſine quibus non ſubſiſtit vel Dei Eccleſia, vel Imperii Reſpublica: & ex inde violata eſt fides & publica, & Catholica: exinde etiam illa crevit injuſtitia, ut pro veritate falſa teſtimonia, & pro fide Catholica, abundent perjuria: ut poſt quam Leges bello ſilvere coactae, impleaturiam iſta Domini ſententia per Oſee Prophetam: Non eſt veritas, & non eſt miſericordia, & non ſcientia Dei in terra: maledictum, & mendacium, & homicidium, & furtum, & adulterium inundaverunt, & ſanguis ſanguinem tetigit. Ipſe Diabolus videtur nunc de carcere ſuo ſolutus eſſe. Hinc publicae civium contra Cives congreſſiones, aliis pro paſtoribus legitimis, aliis vero contra paſtores dimicantes: as he and pDe Inveſtigatione Antichristi Syntagma, p. 41.Gerhobus Richerſpergenſis writ of Pope Hildebrands dayes.
If any man chance to cenſure me, as overharſh or earneſt in my expreſſions againſt the Jews; I hope that ſpeech of their royal Prophet, (a man after Gods own heart) Pſ. 139. 20, 21, 22. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am I not grieved with thoſe that riſe up againſt thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred, I count them mine enemies: for they ſpeak againſt thee wickedly; depart from me therefore ye bloody men: will apologize for me; eſpecially ſeeing their Propoſals are, Not only to be admitted and received into our Commonwealth under the protection and ſafeguard of our Governours, AS THE NATIVES THEMSELVES: and that all the Heads and Generals of Arms may take an Oath to defend them upon all occaſions, that they may be permitted to traffick freely in all ſorts of Merchandize as others; but to be judged by their Judges in differences between themſelves, according to the Moſaick Law: And to be allowed PUBLICK SYNAGOGUES, not onelyonly in ENGLAND, but alſo IN ALL OTHER PLACES under our tower; and TO OBSERVE IN ALL THINGS THEIR RELIGION AS THEY OUGHT: That in caſe there have been any Laws againſt their Jewiſh Nation, they may IN THE FIRST PLACE, and BEFORE ALL THINGS BE REVOKED. A clear evidence of an intended deſign in them, only to ſet up their rRev. 2. 9. c. 3. 9.Synagogues of Satan, Judaiſm, & Jewiſh Ceremonies in the higheſt degree, amongst us, as lawful, in direct oppoſition and ſubverſion of our only Lord, Saviour, Redeemer, Mediator, Jeſus Chriſt his Perſon, Offices, Kingdom, Goſpel and Chriſtianity it ſelf, without any thoughts of turning Chriſtians themſelves. In which caſe not to be paſſionately zealous, not to sNum. 25. 15 Gal. 4. 18. Jude 3. 4.contend earneſtly for the Faith againſt theſe ungodly men, turning the Grace of our God into laſciviouſneſs, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; is in a great meaſure to deny and betray him, together with our Church, & Nation at once, unto theſe their inveterate enemies. For whoſe Converſion, (not National, but of the Elect Remnant of them) as I ſhall pray, ſo I cannot but pray and write againſt their Re-admiſſion amongſt us on theſe, or any other terms, for the Reaſons here humbly preſented to thy view, and Chriſtian Conſideration, by
Thy Chriſtian Brother, and Companion in tribulation, and in the Kindom & Patience of Jeſus Chriſt, William Prynne. Lincolnes-Inne, 14 December, 1655.