THE NORWICH DAY-BOOK.

By the Rev. S. LEVY, M.A.

The Norwich Day-Book is the name given by Jacobs and Wolf,
Bibliotheca Anglo-Judaica, xviii., to four rolls preserved in the
Muniment Room at Westminster Abbey, which contain the trans-
actions of the Norwich Jewish Exchequer day by day for the years
9-11 Hen. III. The documents are mentioned in the Historical
MSS. Commission, Fourth Report, Appendix, p. 182, and have hitherto
been officially known as Nos. 140, 145, 147, and 157; these numbers
being written in dorso of each in pencil. But according to Dr. Scott’s
new catalogue now in process of making, they become Nos. 6686,
6687, 6673, and 9013 respectively. Dr. Scott describes No. 140 as
follows: “Register of bonds for loans due from Christians to Jews,
December to April, 10 H. III.”—a description equally adequate for
the remaining rolls, though the points in which No. 157 differs from
the others will be noted later.

ROLL 140.

This roll consists of two or three membranes sewn end to end,
making an entire length of 25 inches, its width being 8 inches.
Unlike the remaining documents it possesses neither heading nor
endorsement. No doubt at the date of its compilation it formed part
of a larger roll, which, including No. 145, gave a complete year’s
enrolment (10 H. III.), just as No. 147 is a full year’s enrolment for
11 H. III. It has no tag or elongated strip for fastening when
rolled. The first dated entry is given as December 23rd, the last as

243

244	the norwich Day-book.

April 26th. The number of entries for each month varies consider-
ably; the lowest number being four for January, and the highest
sixteen for February. The name of the month is given in capitals
and a margin is left for the date—exactly as in the specimen entries
published herewith. The handwriting throughout is apparently the
work of one scribe, and the fact that the document is an enrolment
based upon the original instruments of the loan—tallies, charters,
cyrographs, etc.—explains its contracted nature.

The scribe does not follow in detail the usual methods of con-
traction found in the official documents of the period, for he re-
peatedly gives particles without the slightest contraction mark. The
following may be cited as examples ;—

de stands for the preposition de and also for debit.
da for dabit.

(d)s for scilicet, solvit, and solvendum.

(more rarely) fit for filius or filia.

In point of formation the letters “a” and “o,” “e,” “t,” and “r,”
bear a great resemblance to one another; so that in the case of place
and proper names, it is often a somewhat difficult matter to decide
with accuracy upon the correct letter. A further peculiarity to be
noticed is the sign  which evidently is equivalent to primus. These
peculiarities are common to Nos, 145 and 147; for the same hand is
found, amongst others, in these two rolls.

Nothing in the manner of spelling the names of persons and
places calls for attention. The forms given are almost identical with
those given in the published Close and Patent Rolls for this period of
Henry III.

The entries show but little variation in their character. The
most general form is the notification of a loan, with the name and
place of residence of the borrower together with the name of the
lender, thus: “Walterus, filius Alexandri de Waltham, debit Isaac
filio Jurneti,” etc.

The amount of the loan is then stated, the terms of repayment,
the rate of interest, occasionally the names of the pledges, and the
security given. In addition, notices of fines and repayments are
frequently met with.

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245

ROLL 145.

Size 40” by 8.”

This is a continuation for the same year, and as the first entry
is June 5th, the record for the month of May is missing. On the
whole, it is better written, more carefully copied, and contains more
contraction marks. The entries for August 18th and 20th are by a
new hand, the day of the month being given at the conclusion of the
enrolment and not in the margin. The remaining entries for August
and for September 1st and 2nd indicate a further change—either a
return to the original scribe or to a third hand—but several of the
entries for September show a return to hand No. 2. The names of
the month are written in loose capitals and uncials.

There is no change of matter—the enrolments are of the same
nature as already described, and, with the slight exception as to
method of dating, are entered in a similar manner. The following is
given as an endorsement, which supplies the first indication of the
date of the document: “Ann9 Decimus. R. R. Dñi. H. fit. dñi. J.
Regis.”

There still remains a small portion of the tag at the end of the
roll, which formerly served to fasten it.

ROLL 147.

Size 70” by 8”, six membranes, sewn end to end.

This document records a complete year of enrolments, viz.
11 H. III. The first entry is made on the morrow of SS. Simon
and Jude (Nov). The last entry bears the date of October 21st. It
possesses the following heading in elongated capitals, elaborately
drawn:—

“Annus Undecimus R. R. H. Filii. R. Johis. Incept9 die
Simonis t Jude.”

The handwriting, method of entry, and character of entries are
all similar to the rolls already described; the same scribes evidently
being responsible also for this roll.

246	the norwich day-book.

Under the date of March 26th we find an entry, which discloses
the name of one of the scribes, for it is written in the first person:
“Ego, Andreas Wascelin, cognosco quod,” etc. The last line of the
roll (Respice ī tergo. Hac Nota) refers to three or four entries which
complete the year.

A further endorsement, written in a Chancery-hand and entered
nine years afterwards (20 H. III.), is to be found referring to the
withdrawal of a certain cyrograph per breve regis. Two tags, 10 inches
and 2 inches, at the bottom of the roll, serve as a means of fastening.

ROLL 157.

Size 100” by 8”, six membranes, sewn as before.

This document clearly belongs to a different series from that of
the three preceding ones. It is written in the Chancery-hand of the
period, commences 9 H. III. and runs to the beginning of 11 H. III.,
thus covering the period already described in the other rolls. It is
very clearly and elegantly written, and bears a resemblance to the
fine writing of the Charter enrolments of the period. Though dealing
with matters of the same nature, the form of entry is very much
shortened; the references to interest, pledges, etc., being much briefer
and in many cases not given at all. Nevertheless the scribe gives in
the first entry the full phrase, “debet reddere” and also “primus
terminus,” which are not given in previous rolls.

The heading is as follows:—

“Annus. Reğ. Henř. fit. Reğ. Johis. Non9. Mensis. April.”

This is the document to which Madox refers in his chapter, “The
Exchequer of the Jews” (vol. i. c. vii. p. 139). He there describes it
as an enrolment of loans, etc.; gives in a foot-note the first entry;
cites also an entry to prove the writer to be one Galfridus de
Qwelnetham, and finally quotes two endorsements, the one in toto,
the other in part. All the quotations given by Madox are printed
herewith, together with other specimen entries of this document.
Madox, however, makes no reference whatever to Rolls 140, 145,
and 147.

These documents, on the one hand, furnish material for the

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247

genealogist in exactly the same way as the contemporary Feet of
fines; and, on the other hand, they offer much information concerning
rate of interest and repayment of loans, which may be compared with
other evidence of the same period. Finally, they provide material on
the Jewish side for a comparison with the methods of their great rivals,
the Caursines, who became so active about ten years later (1235).

In writing this Introduction I have received valuable assistance
from Mr. E. F. Churchill, M.A. Mr. Churchill also, at my request,
transcribed the specimen extracts, which were afterwards extended
and translated by Miss E. Salisbury.

248	the norwich day-book.

No. 140.

Transcript.

[No date.]	Walterus filius Alexandri de Waltham solvit Isaac filio Jurneti v solidos et debet x solidos primus terminus Pasca v solidos festo Sancti Johannis v solidos et sinon dabit pro libra duos denarios. Alanus de Seniore debet Isaac filio Jurneti xiiij marcas et dabit inde de lucro quolibet anno xx solidos solvendos per v annos a die Sancti Tome Apostuli anno x° solvendos ad pasca x solidos festum Sancti Michaelis x solidos et sinon dabit pro libra ij denarios lucri super terras et in fine v annorum reddet predicto Isaac predictas xiiij marcas et sinon dabit qua- libet ebdomada qualibet libra duos denarios.
[sic.]	Robertus Hauecrin solvit Isaac filio Jurneti c solidos et debet ad Natalem anno x° et sinon dabit pro libra ij denarios.
xxiij.1	Willelmus filius Roberti de Reidun’ debet Isaac filio Jurneti xxiiij libras primus terminus pasca anno x° triginta solidos ad festum Sancti Michaelis xxx solidos et sic de anno in annum etc. et sinon dabit pro libra duos denarios lucri et sciendum quod si reddere voluerit ad Pascha predictam c solidos et ad festum Sancti Michaelis c solidos et ad Pascha primo postea c solidos, etc., erit quietus ipse et heredes sui de omnibus debitis, etc. Stephanus de Sparrham modo accipit a Diaie Franceis dimidiam marcam reddendam in crastinum Sancti Thome Apostuli anno x et sinon dabit pro libra iij denarios super terras. Philippus filius Johannis de Estun’ solvit Isaac filio Jurneti ij marcas et dimidiam et debet ij marcas et dimidiam ad festum Sancti Johannis anno x et sinon dabit pro libra ij denarios super terras. Gilbertus filius Rogeri de Fransham modo accipit a Mosseo filio Abrahe sex marcas reddendas ad Pasca anno x et sinon dabit pro libra iij denarios super terras.
Januarius xv die.	Eudo de Muleton’ solvit Isaac filio Jurneti triginta solidos et debet x libras et x solidos primus terminus pasca xxx solidos Sancti Johannis Sancti Michaelis [similiter] et sinon dabit pro libra duos denarios etc. ut supra.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1xxxiij in MS.

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249

ROLL 140.

Translation.

Walter son of Alexander de Waltham pays Isaac son of Jurnet 5s. and
owes 10s.; the first term of Easter 5s., at the feast of St. John 5s.; and if
not he will give two pence for the pound.

Alan de Senior owes Isaac son of Jurnet 14 marks, and will give as
interest thereof every year 20s., payable in 5 years from the day of St.
Thomas the Apostle in the 10th year, to be paid at Easter 10s., at the feast
of St. Michael 10s.; and if not he will give two pence of interest for the
pound upon his lands: and at the end of 5 years he will render to the said
Isaac the aforesaid 14 marks; and if not he will give every week two pence
for every pound.

Robert Hauecrin pays Isaac son of Jurnet 100 shillings, and owes–––
at Christmas in the 10th year, and if not he will give two pence for the
pound.

William son of Robert de Reidun owes Isaac son of Jurnet £23:—the
first term Easter in the 10th year thirty shillings, at the feast of St. Michael
thirty shillings, and thus from year to year, etc., and if not he will give two
pence of interest for the pound. And be it known that if he be willing to
pay at the Easter aforesaid 100 shillings, and at the feast of St. Michael 100
shillings, and at the Easter first afterwards 100 shillings, etc., he shall be quit
himself and his heirs of all debts, etc.

Stephen de Sparrham now receives from Diaia Franceis half a mark,
payable on the morrow of St. Thomas the Apostle in the 10th year; and if
not, he will give three pence for the pound on lands.

Philip son of John de Estun pays Isaac son of Jurnet 2 marks and a
half, and owes 2 marks and a half at the feast of St. John in the 10th year;
and if not, he will give 2d. for the pound upon lands.

Gilbert son of Roger de Fransham now receives from Moses son of
Abraham six marks payable at Easter in the 10th year; and if not, he will
give three pence for the pound upon lands.

Eudes de Muleton pays Isaac son of Jurnet thirty shillings, and owes
10 pounds and 10 shillings; the first term of Easter 30 shillings, St. John
[and] St. Michael [likewise]; and if not, he will give two pence for the
pound, etc., as above.

xxiijrd.

January
15th day.

250

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	Johannes films Galfridi de Rising’ debet Simoni filio Sarre xxiij solidos reddendos ad festum Sancte Fidis anno x° et sinon dabit pro libra iij denarios etc.
Februarius j die.	Radulfus filius Godefridi de Irminglonde debet Cipore9 filie Magistri Merini xxj marcas et dimidiam primus terminus ad purificacionem anno x° viginti marcas et ad pasca primo postea xx solidos et sinon dabit pro libra tres denarios ac[crementi], etc.
iiijo die.	Rogerus filius Odonis modo accipit a Simone filio Sarre xiv solidos reddendos ad Natalem Sancti Johannis anno x° et sinon dabit pro libra tres denarios super terras et catalla.
xj die.	Robertus Lenald de Sweinethorp debet Simoni filio Sarre novem solidos ad mediam quadragesimam anno x et sinon dabit . . . in ebdomada super terras et catalla et pro hoc debito est ipse quietus de cirographo xxxiij solidorum et de omnibus aliis versus eum usque hane diem dictum, etc.
xiiij.	Gile de Wechesham solvit Isaac filio Jurneti centum et decem libras et debet c et x libras primus terminus ad festum Sancte Fidis anno x centum solidos Sancti Michaelis similiter Sancti Hillarii similiter et Pasca similiter et sic de anno in annum etc. et sinon dabit pro libra duos denarios lucri super terras et redditus et catalla ac[crementi], etc.
xx die.	Henricus Talhmongrir Kipe debet Abrahe filio Mossei xiij solidos ad quindenam trinitatis anno x et sinon dabit pro libra tres denarios super terras et catalla.
xxiij.	Ricardus filius Eustacii de Saxlingham debet Isaac filio Jurneti duodecim solidos ad pasca anno x° duos solidos et ad quindenam Sancte Fidis decem solidos et sinon dabit pro libra duos denarios super terras et catalla.
Marcius.	Henricus Kipe Talhmongrir debet Abrahe filio Mossei xvj solidos ad festum Sancti Martini anno xj° et sinon dabit pro libra tres denarios super terras et catalla. Idem a die quo permisit ultra predictum terminum nullum in lucro exiget.
xviij die.	Willelmus filius Ranulfi de Swerdestun’ fecit finem cum Diaie filio Samsonis per tres libras et cum Merino filio Joscei per alias tres libras et per duo tallias reddendam ad festum Sancte Fidis anno x medietatem et ad Natalem aliam lucrum libre tres denarios super terras et catalla.

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251

John son of Geoffrey de Rising owes Simon son of Sarah 23 shillings, payable at the feast of St. Faith in the 10th year; and if not, he will give 3 pence for the pound, etc.
Ralph son of Godfrey de Irminglonde owes Cipora daughter of Master Merinus1 21 marks and a half; the first term at the Purification in the 10th. year twenty marks, and at the Easter first afterwards 20 shillings; and if not, he will give three pence of [increment] for the pound, etc.	February 1st day.
Roger son of Otho now receives from Simon son of Sarah 14 shillings, payable at the Nativity of St. John in the 10th year; and if not, he will give three pence for the pound upon lands and chattels.	4th day.
Robert Lenald of Sweinethorp owes Simon son of Sarah nine shillings at Mid-Lent in the 10th year; and if not, he will give . . . a week upon lands and chattels: and for this debt he is quit of the chirograph of 33 shillings, and of all other [things] against him until this said day, etc.	11th day.
Giles de Wechesham pays Isaac son of Jurnet one hundred and ten pounds, and owes 100 and 10 pounds; the first term at the feast of St. Faith in the 10th year one hundred shillings, at Michaelmas the like, at St. Hilary the like and at Easter the like, and thus from year to year, etc.; and if not, he will give two pence of interest for the pound upon lands and rents and chattels of [increment], etc.	14th.
Henry [the tallowmonger of Kipe?] owes Abraham son of Moses2 13 shillings at the quindene of Trinity in the 10th year; and if not, he will give three pence for the pound upon lands and chattels.	20th day.
Richard son of Eustace de Saxlingham owes Isaac son of Jurnet twelve shillings; at Easter in the 10th year two shillings, and at the quindene of St. Faith ten shillings; and if not, he will give two pence for the pound upon lands and chattels.	23rd.
Henry of Kipe, tallowmonger, owes Abraham son of Moses 16 shillings at the feast of St. Martin in the 11th year; and if not, he will give three pence for the pound upon lands and chattels. The same from the day which he allowed beyond the aforesaid term will exact nothing in interest.	March.
William son of Ranulf de Swerdestun made a fine with Diaia son of Samson for three pounds, and with Merinus son of Josce for another three pounds and by two tallies, one moiety payable at the feast of St. Faith in the 10th year and the other at Christmas; interest of the pound three pence upon lands and chattels.	18th day.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

1	[Meyr? and so throughout.]
2	[Spelt “Mosse” throughout in original.]

252	the norwich day-book.

Ranulfus Champanie finem fecit cum Merino filio Benedicti de Oxonia
per xv solidos et sex denarios primus terminus ad xv pasce anno x tres
solidos ix denarios et obolum et ad pentecostem totidem et ad festum Sancti
Johannis totidem et ad festum Sancti Michaelis totidem et sinon dabit pro
libra tres denarios super terras et catalla.

xxix die.	Alanus de Seniore debet Merino filio Joscei de Oxonia tres marcas ad festum Sancte Fidis anno x° et sinon dabit pro libra duos denarios.
Aprilis.	Johannes filius Roberti de Depham modo accipit a Isaac filio Mossei iiijor marcas reddendas ad festum Omnium Sanctorum anno xj et sinon dabit pro libra duos denarios super terras.
ix die.	Petrus filius Willelmi del Frith debet Josceo de Eia xv solidos et dimi- diam summam frumenti ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno decimo lucrum libre tres denarios super terras et catalla.
Eodem die [xiij].	Petrus filius Petri Constabularii de Cacalton’ finem fecit cum Benedicto Crispin de Londinio per xx libras et habet unam inde talliam xvj librarum et aliam quatuor primus terminus Natalis anno xj lucrum libre duo denarii super terras et catalla.
xiij die.	Ricardus de Daggeworthe filius Osberti filii Henrici finem fecit cum Isaac filio Jurneti per 1 marcas reddendas primus terminus festo Sancti Johannis anno x quinque marcas et purificationis primo postea v marcas et sic de anno in annum etc. et sinon dabit pro libra duos denarios et per hune debitum est1 ipse et pater et avus et heredes quieti,1 etc.
[xxiiij.]	Rogerus et Radulfus fraters de Bernham filio Alani solvunt Isaac filio Jurneti xxv solidos et debent quilibet eorum septem libras duodecim solidos et sex denarios primus terminus Sancti Johannis quilibet eorum xij s. vj d., etc., ut supra ad pasca.
xxvj die [sic].	Johannis filius Johannis de Reinestorp solvit Isaac filio duas marcas et dimidiam et debet xij marcas et dimidiam primus terminus Sancti Michaelis anno x° duas marcas secundus pasca lucrum libre duo denarii.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

1 [Sic.]

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253

Ranulf Champain made a fine with Merinus son of Benedict de Oxford
for 15 shillings and six pence; the first term at the quindene of Easter in
the 10th year three shillings and ninepence halfpenny; and at Whitsun the
same, and at the feast of St. John the same, and at the feast of St. Michael
the same; and if not, he will give three pence for the pound upon lands and
chattels.

Alan de Senior owes Merinus son of Josce de Oxford three marks at the feast of St. Faith in the 10th year; and if not, he will give two pence for the pound.	29th day,
John son of Robert de Depham now receives from Isaac son of Moses 4 marks, payable at the feast of All Saints in the llth year; and if not, he will give two pence for the pound upon lands.	April,
Peter son of William del Frith owes Josce de Eye 15 shillings and half a load of wheat at the feast of St. Michael in the tenth year; interest of the pound three pence, upon lands and chattels.	9th day,
Peter son of Peter the constable of Cacalton made a fine with Benedict Crispin of London for 20 pounds, and has one tally thereof of 16 pounds, and another of four; the first term Christmas in the 11th year; interest of the pound two pence upon lands and chattels.	The same day [13th]
[Here follows erased entry.] Richard de Daggeworthe son of Osbert son of Henry made a fine with Isaac son of Jurnet for 50 marks; payable the first term at the feast of St. John in the 10th year five marks, and of the Purification first afterwards 5 marks, and thus from year to year, etc. And if not, he will give two pence for the pound; and by this debt he and his father and grandfather and heirs are quit, etc.	13th day.
Roger and Ralph, brothers of Bernham son of Alan, pay Isaac son of Jurnet 25 shillings, and owe each of them seven pounds twelve shilllings and six pence; the first term of St. John each of them 12s. 6d., etc., as above at Easter.	[24th.]
John son of John de Reinestorp pays Isaac son [of Jurnet?] two marks and a half, and owes 12 marks and a half; the first term of St. Michael in the 10th year two marks, the second Easter; interest of the pound two pence.	26th day,

254	the norwich day-book.

[No date.].		ROLL 145.
		Transcript.
Junius vij.	Andreas filius Willelmi Wascelin debet Mosseo filio Abrahe sex marcas tres solidos primus terminus pasca anno xjo duas marcas et xij denarios similiter ad festum Sancti Michaelis et ad Pascam sequentem et sinon dabit pro libra tres denarios lucri super terras et catalla.
xxiij	Hubertus de Vallibus finem fecit de debito Aaronis filii Joscei de Eboraco per cctas marcas reddendas ad Natalem Sancti Johannis anno x. Et pro illis marcis dabit illi quolibet anno duodecim libras lucri primus terminus ad festum Sancti Martini anno xj° sex libras et ad quindenam Pentecoste primo postea sex libras et secundum quod pacabit de catallo cadet de lucro et si quis terminus inde postea dabit pro libra duos denarios lucri super terras et catalla.
[xxx	Gilbertus filius Gilberti de Fransham debet Mossco filio Salmonis xv solidos ad festum Omnium Sanctorum anno xj super terras de Worthested’ et catalla.
Julius j°.	Johannes del Wra debet Isaac filio Jurneti tres solidos ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno x° et sinon dabit prout alibi duo.
xiij.	Radulfus de Dallinger solvit Isaac filio Jurneti xxv solidos et debet xxvij libras et quinque solidos primus terminus ad quindenam Sancti Johannis anno decimo secundus ad festum Sancti Michaelis et Natale et pasca, etc. Vitalis Braitun Capstanus [sic] debet Regine filie Flurie unam marcam debitam post festum Sancte Fidis anno x°. In lucro duos denarios. Adam de Bedingfeld’ solvit Aaroni filio Abrahe decem libras et debet xl libras et xvij denarios primus terminus festum Sancti Nicolai anno xj° decem libras et xvij denarios. Secundus terminus Sancti Johannis, etc., ut supra.
Augustus vij die.	Ricardus filius Philippi Sauringes modo accipit a Isaac filio Jurneti iiij°r [marcas], primus terminus die veneris post festum Sancti Laurentii anno x° dimidiam marcam et ad festum Sancte Fidis tres marcas et dimidiam.
x die.	Robertas filius Simonis de Soham debet Jacobo filio Vives de Colecestria xxiiij solidos ad festum Sancti Martini anno xjo et si non lucrum libre duo denarii super terras et catalla.

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255

ROLL 145.

Translation.

Andrew son of William Wascelin owes Moses son of Abraham six marks three shillings; the first term at Easter in the 11th year two marks and twelve pence, the like at the feast of St. Michael and at the Easter follow- ing; and if not, he will give three pence for the pound of interest upon lands and chattels.	June 7th.
Hubert de Vaux made a fine of the debt of Aaron son of Josce de York for 200 marks, payable at the Nativity of St. John in the 10th year. And for those marks he will give him every year twelve pounds of interest; the first term at the feast of St. Martin in the 11th year six pounds, and at the quindene of Whitsun first afterwards six pounds; and that which he shall pay in chattels will reduce the interest; and if any term thereof pass by he shall give two pence of interest for the pound upon lands and, chattels.	23rd.
Gilbert son of Gilbert de Fransham owes Moses son of Solomon 15 shillings at the feast of All Saints in the 11th year, upon the lands of Worthested and chattels.	[30th.]
John del Wra owes Isaac son of Jurnet three shillings at the feast of St. Michael in the 10th year; and if not, he will give as elsewhere two [etc.].	July 1st.
Ralph de Dallinger pays Isaac son of Jurnet 25 shillings and owes 27 pounds and five shillings; the first term at the quindene of St. John in the 10th year, the second at the feast of St. Michael, and Christmas and Easter, etc.	13th.
Hagin Braitun [chaplain?] owes Regina daughter of Flury one mark due after the feast of St. Faith in the 10th year. In interest two pence. Adam de Bedingfeld pays Aaron son of Abraham ten pounds and owes 40 pounds and 17 pence; the first term the feast of St. Nicholas in the 11th year ten pounds and 17 pence; the second term, of St. John, etc, as above.
Richard son of Philip Sauringes now receives from Isaac son of Jurnet 4 [marks]; the first term on the Friday after the feast of St. Laurence in the 10th year half a mark; and at the feast of St. Faith three marks and a half.	August 7th day.
Robert son of Simon de Soham owes Jacob son of Vives de Colchester 24 shillings at the feast of St. Martin in the 11th year; and if not, the interest of the pound two pence upon lands and chattels.	l0th day.

256	the norwich day-book,

xiij.	Ricardus de Elington’ aurifaber eidem Jacobo xxxij solidos ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno x. et sinon solvet dabit pro libra duos denarios super terras et redditus et catalla. Actum, etc.
xviij die	Rogerus filius Philippi de Ho debet Mosseo filio Abrahe et Isaac filio Salomonis octo marcas, scilicet medietatem uni et aliam alteri, primus terminus festum Sancti Michaelis anno regni Regis Henrici, etc.,decimo duas marcas et unam summam avene et ad pasca primo postea duas marcas et ad festum Sancti Michaelis proximo postea duas marcas et ad festum Sancti Michaelis proximo postea duas marcas lucrum libre ij d. et pro hoc debito est quietus et pater ejus, etc. Johannes filius Henrici de Ulvestun’ finem fecit cum Isaac filio Jurneti per debita Mossei filii Abrahe Isaac filii Salomonis et Diaie le Scalarius per quinque marcas reddendas ad festum Sancti Martini anno x. Actum eadem die [xxviij].
September.	Wolmenus Pigge de Rudenhal’ debet Josceo filio Magistri Merini unam marcam primus terminus Sanctus Andreas anno x dimidiam marcam, [festo] Sancti Andre anno sequenti dimidiam marcam. Warinus Edward’ plegius de sex solidis et Alanus Franceis de aliis sex et predictus Wolmenus quietus est versus predictum Josceum et Merinum heredes, etc. Actum j die Septembris.
viij.	Galfridus filius Ricardi Ruffi de Berchstrete debet Jurnino filio Jacobi de Oxonia xxxj s. ij d. ad festum Sancti Martini anno xj super terras et catalla. Robertus Hakun finem fecit cum Semuret per triginta marcas primus terminus festum Sancti Michaelis anno decimo j marcam, pasca j marcam, et sic de anno in annum, etc., et per hoc debitum est quietus, etc. Idem Robertus post obitum matris pacabit per annum duas marcas et dimidiam et dictus Judæus acquietabit vas ad scaccarium domini Regis de quinquaginta solidis qui sunt in demanda.
xxix die.	Bartholomeus de Crek’ debet Isaac filio Jurneti quatuor viginti et septem decem libras et decem solidos, primus terminus festum Sancti Michaelis anno Regis x° septem libras et decem solidos et ad natalem similiter, etc., pasca et Sanctum Johannem, lucrum libre ij d. super terras. Pater ejus plegiavit super terras et catalla et dictus Isaac acquietabit eum de xx solidis cirographi cc marcarum, Idem debet dicto Isaac quolibet anno duas summas frumenti ad festum Sancti Michaelis et per hoc debitum est quietus, etc.

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Richard de Elington, goldsmith, to the same Jacob 32 shillings at the feast of St. Michael in the 10th year; and if he does not pay he will give for the pound two pence upon lands and rents and chattels. Done, etc.	13th.
Roger son of Philip de Ho owes Moses son of Abraham and Isaac son of Solomon eight marks, to wit, a moiety to the one and another to the other; the first term the feast of St. Michael in the tenth year of the reign of King Henry, etc., two marks and one load of oats; and at the Easter first after- wards two marks; and at the feast of St. Michael next afterwards two marks; interest of the pound 2d: and for this debt he is quit and his father, etc. John son of Henry de Ulvestun made a fine with Isaac son of Jurnet for the debts of Moses son of Abraham, Isaac son of Solomon and Diaia le Scalarius for five marks, payable at the feast of St. Martin in the 10th year. Done the same day [28th].	18th day.
Woolmene Pigge of Rudenhal owes Josce son of Master Merinus one mark; the first term St. Andrew in the 10th year half a mark, [at the feast] of St. Andrew in the following year half a mark. Warin Edward’ surety for six shillings, and Alan Franceis for the other six; and the aforesaid Woolmene is quit towards the aforesaid Josce and Merinus, [their] heirs, etc. Done on the 1st day of September.	Septem- ber.
Geoffrey son of Richard [the Redl] of Berchstrete owes Jurninus son of Jacob de Oxford 31s. 2d. at the feast of St. Martin in the 11th year, upon lands and chattels. Robert Hakun made a fine with Semuret for thirty marks; the first term at the feast of St. Michael in the tenth year one mark, at Easter one mark, and thus from year to year, etc.: and by this debt he is quit, etc. The same Robert after the death of his mother will pay by the year two marks and a half, and the said Jew will acquit the chest at the Exchequer of the Lord King of fifty shillings which are in demand.	8th.
Bartholomew de Crek owes Isaac son of Jurnet four score and seventeen pounds and ten shillings; the first term at the feast of Saint Michael in the 10th year of the King seven pounds and ten shillings, and at Christmas the like, etc., at Easter and St. John; interest of the pound 2d., upon lands. His father gave surety upon lands and chattels, and the said Isaac will acquit him of 20 shillings of a chirograph of 200 marks. The same owes the said Isaac every year two loads of wheat at the feast of St. Michael, and by this debt he is quit, etc.	29th day.

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1 [Rous?]

vol. v.

258	the norwich day-book.

October.	Johannes filius Roberti de Upham debet [Mosseo] filio Abrahe sexagintæ solidos primus terminus quindena Pasca anno xj quindecim solidos, et ad quindenam Sancti Martini proximo postea xv solidos et dimidiam summam frumenti et anno secundo similiter, super terras et catalla. Lucrum ut supra.
xiiij die.	Willelmus filius Mathei de Gurnai solvit. Isaac filio Jurneti lx solidos et debet lxx libras primus terminus Sancti Andree anno Regis, etc., xj° tres libras et ad Caput Jejunii tres libras et ad festum omnium sanctorum duas summas frumenti. Idem debet eidem c. solidos primus terminus Sancti Andree anno Regis xj quinquaginta solidos, ad Caput Jejunii quinquaginta solidos super terras et catalla.
	Henricus filius Roberti de . . , debet . . . filio Jacobi ......

ROLL 147.

Transcript. 11 Hen. III.

	Annus Undecimus Regni Regis Henrici Filii Regis Johannis Inceptus. die Simonis et Jude.
	Rogerus filius Philippi de Ho debet Mosseo filio Abrahe et Isaac filio Salomonis sex marcas scilicet medietatem uni et aliam alteri primus terminus pasca anno Regni Regis predicti xj duas marcas, et ad festum Sancti Michaelis proximo postea duas marcas et ad pasca proximo postea duas marcas. Actum in crastinum Simonis et Jude per manum Willelmi Speciarii.
November xij.	Henricus de Histeldene miles debet Isaac filio Jurneti sexdecim libras. ad festum Sancti Nicholai anno Regni Regis predicti xj°. Et pro illis dabit illi predictus Henricus quolibet de lucro quatuor libras scilicet ad pasca tres marcas et ad festum Sancti Michaelis tres marcas et unam summam frumenti super terras et catalla. Et per hoc debitum est ipse et pater ejus et heredes quieti versus dictum Isaac de omnibus debitis plegiis et demandis ab initio seculi usque ad hunc diem.
xvij.	Robertus filius Simonis de Soham debet Jacobo filio Vives de Colecestria viginti quatuor solidos ad pasca anno Regni xj, etc., super terras et catalla.
xxix.	Johannes de Corn[herde] et Ricardus filius et omnes heredes eorum ex- ceptu [sic] Johanne filio predicti Johannis sunt quieti versus Isaac filium Jurneti et heredes ejus de omnibus debitis plegiis et demandis ab initio seculi usque ad diem Sancti Andree anno Regni Regis Henrici filii Johannis Regis undecimo.

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John son of Robert de Upham owes [Mosse] son of Abraham sixty shil- lings; the first term in the quindene of Easter in the 11th year fifteen shillings, and at the quindene of St. Martin next afterwards 15 shillings and half a load of wheat, and in the second year the like, upon lands and chattels. Interest as above.	October,
William son of Matthew de Gurnai pays Isaac son of Jurnet 60 shillings and owes 70 pounds; the first term of St. Andrew in the 11th year of the King three pounds, and on Ash Wednesday three pounds, and at the feast of All Saints two loads of wheat. The same owes to the same 100 shillings; the first term of St. Andrew in the 11th year of the King fifty shillings, on Ash Wednesday fifty shillings, upon lands and chattels.	14th day.
Henry son of Robert de . . . owes . . . son of Jacob. . . . . . .

ROLL 147.

Translation. 11 Hen. III.

The eleventh year of the reign of King Henry son of King John, begun on the day of Simon and Jude.
Roger son of Philip de Ho owes Moses son of Abraham and Isaac son of Solomon six marks, to wit, a moiety to one and another to the other; the first term at Easter in the 11th year of the reign of the aforesaid King two marks, and at the feast of St. Michael next afterwards two marks, and at Easter next afterwards two marks. Done on the morrow of Simon and Jude by the hand of William Spicer.
Henry de Histeldene, knight, owes Isaac son of Jurnet sixteen pounds at the feast of St. Nicholas in the 11th year of the reign of the aforesaid King. And for those the aforesaid Henry will give to him every [year] of interest four pounds, to wit, at Easter three marks, and at the feast of St. Michael three marks and one load of wheat, upon lands and chattels. And by this debt he is, and his father and heirs [are] quit towards the said Isaac of all debts, sureties and demands from the beginning of the century until this day.	November. 12th.
Robert son of Simon de Soham owes Jacob son of Vives de Colchester twenty-four shillings at Easter in the 11th year of the reign, etc., upon lands and chattels.	17th.
John de Corn[herde] and Richard his son and all their heirs except John son of the aforesaid John are quit against Isaac son of Jurnet and his heirs of all debts, sureties and demands from the beginning of the century until St. Andrew’s day in the eleventh year of the reign of King Henry son of King John.	29th.

260	the norwich day book

December j die.	Willelmus filius Willelmi le Dene debet Merino filio Benedicti et Elie filio Vives duodecim solidos scilicet medietatem uni et aliam alteri primus terminus Pentecostes anno xj° quinque solidos, Sancti Michaelis septem solidos. Actum, etc., prima die Decembris.
xxiiij,	Johannes filius Roberti de Depham debet Samueli filio Isaac septem marcas ad purificationem anno Regni Regis, etc., xj et pro illo debito dabit illi quolibet anno de lucro duas marcas usque in finem xv annorum his terminis ad assumptionem Sancte Marie octo solidos et xj d. et ad festum Omnium Sanctorum similiter, et ad purificationem primo postea octo solidos et decem denarios et ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno xj duas summas frumenti, Et per hunc finem est quietus versus Isaac filiuin Abrahe de omnibus debitis plegiis demandis usque hunc diem.
Januarius Vj.	Ricardus filius Willelmi de Reunham debet Mosseo filio Abrahe per talliam decem marcas ad festum Sancte Margarete anno Regni, etc., xj super terras et catalla. Actum vj die Januarii.
x.	Philippus filius Milonis de Hasting’ debet Isaac filio Jurneti duodecim libras primus terminus pasca anno Regni, etc., xj sex libras et ad festum Sancti Michaelis primo postea sex libras et unam summam frumenti quolibet anno dum est in hoc debito. Actum anno predicto die x Januarii.
	Idem Philippus est quietus per hunc finem de tallia octo librarum et de omnibus aliis debitis plegiis et demandis et heredes ejussimiliter, etc. Actum die x Januarii.
Februarius vij.	Walterus filius Ricardi de Bradenham debet Merino filio Joscei de Oxonia sexaginta solidos et Jurnino filio Diaie Ix solidos ad festum omnium Sanctorum anno Regni, etc., duedecimo et cuilibet eorum viij cumbas fru- menti. Actum vij die.
ix.	Godefridus filius Roberti de Salle debet Josceo de Eia triginti solidos et unam summam frumenti ad Nativitatem Sancte Marie anno xj°. Actum ix die.
	Idem [Rogerus de Verli] debet eidem [Isaac filio Salomonis] tres marcas et dimidiam et Mosseo filio Abrahe sex marcas et dimidiam dominica medie, xl me. Eodem die.
xvj.	Martinus Skerret debet Samueli filio Isaac xx solidos ad festum Trinitalis anno xj. Actum xvj die.
Marcius j die.	Willelmus de Gurnai fecit finem cum Isaac filio Salomonis per tres marcas, primus terminus Natalis xx solidos anno duodecimo Regni Regis Henrici, etc., et ad festum Sancti Johannis xx s. et debet modo habere starrum.

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William son of William le Dene owes Merinus son of Benedict and Elias son of Vives twelve shillings, to wit, a moiety to one and another to the other; the first term at Whitsun in the 11th year five shillings, Michaelmas seven shillings. Done, etc., the first day of December.	December 1st day.
John son of Robert de Depham owes Samuel son of Isaac seven marks, at the Purification in the 11th year of the reign of the King, etc.: and for that debt he will give him every year of interest two marks, until the end of fifteen years, at these terms; at the Assumption of St. Mary eight shillings and 11d., and at the feast of All Saints the like, and at the Purification first afterwards eight shillings and ten pence, and at the feast of St. Michael in the 11th year two loads of wheat. And by this fine he is quit against Isaac son of Abraham of all debts, sureties, demands, until this day.	24th. [sic]
Richard son of William de Reunham owes Moses son of Abraham by tally ten marks at the feast of St. Margaret in the 11th year of the reign, etc., upon lands and chattels. Done the 6th day of January.	January 6th.
Philip son of Miles de Hasting’ owes Isaac son of Jurnet twelve pounds; the first term at Easter in the 11th year of the reign, etc., six pounds, and at the feast of St. Michael first afterwards six pounds and one load of wheat every year while he is in this debt. Done in the year aforesaid on the 10th day of January.	10th.
The same Philip is quit by this fine of a tally of eight pounds, and of all other debts, sureties and demands, and his heirs likewise, etc. Done the 10th day of January.
Walter son of Richard de Bradenham owes Merinus son of Josce de Oxford sixty shillings, and to Jurninus son of Diaia 60 shillings, at the feast of All Saints in the twelfth year of the reign, etc., and to each of them 8 combs of wheat. Done the 7th day.	February-7th.
Godfrey son of Robert de Salle owes Josce de Eye thirty shillings and one load of wheat at the Nativity of St. Mary in the 11th year. Done the 9th day.	9th.
The same [Roger de Verli] owes to the same [Isaac son of Solomon] three marks and a half, and, to Moses son of Abraham six marks and a half on the Sunday in Mid-Lent. The same day.
Martin Skerret owes Samuel son of Isaac 20 shillings at the feast of Trinity in the 11th year. Done the 16th day.	16th.
William de Gurnai. made a fine with Isaac son of Solomon for three marks; the first term of Christmas 20 shillings in the twelfth year of the reign of King Henry, etc.; and at the feast of St. John 20s.; and ought to have a starr1 thereof.	March lst day. .

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1 [A Jew’s bond.]

262	the norwich day book

xv.	Robertus Curestun’ de Keteringham debet Slemmote filio Vives de Oxonia xv s. et viij d. ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno xj et robam viridem ad Pentecostes.
xxii.	Robertus filius Galfridi pincerne de Hemington’ debet Diaie le Franceis lx solidos primus terminus Sancti Michaelis xxx s. Sancti Andree xxx s. super terras et redditus quas habet vel habebit.
xxvj	Ego Andreas Wascelin cognosco quod debeo Aaroni filio Jacobi tres marcas per cirographum scriptum per manum Willelmi Curreie qui obiit primus terminus ad annuntiationem Sancte Marie anno xj viginti solidos Sancti Johannis xx solidos et pes illius cirographi remansit cum predicto Willelmo ad ponendam in area et ad extrahendum predictum cirographum sexaginta solidos.
April viij.	Agnes uxor Roberti de Briggeham debet Simoni filio Sarre viginti duos solidos ad Pentecostes anno Regni, etc., xj° Philippo filio ejus plegio.
xv.	Willelmus le Clauer de Stirstun’ finem fecit cum Isaac filio Jurneti per xviij libras primus terminus ad xvam clausi pasce anno xj novem libras et ad pasca anno xij novem libras et pro hoc debito est quietus et heredes versus omnes judeos et judeas in Norwica de omnibus debitis, etc.
	Magister Willelmus de Kentewelle debet Isaac filio Jurneti triginta duas libras et x solidos primus terminus xva Sancte [sic] Johannis anno xj 1. solidos, Sancti Michaelis, Hillarii, et Pasca similiter ad quindenam.
	Idem debet dicto Isaac decern marcas ad xv pasce anno xj. et pro illis dabit quolibet anno quatuor marcas de lucro scilicet ad festum Sancti Johannis anno [xj] duas marcas et ad purificationem duas marcas et secundum quod pacabit de catallo relaxabitur de lucro.
Mains j die.	Willelmus filius Ernaldi de Finingham debet Diaie Franceis xx solidos ad festum Saneti Martini anno xij.
vij die.	Egidus [sic] de Wechesbam debet Isaac filio Jurneti quatuor viginti et decem libras primus terminus anno xj. c. solidos.
xvij. [sic.]	Robertus le Gris debet Mosseo filio Abrahe ad octavas Sancte Fidis anno xj. Super terras et catalla.
xxvj.	Vitalis filius Alani de Sancto Edmundi [sic] debet Regine filie Flurie de Bungay xx solidos dominica proxima post festum Sanct. . . . . . anno xj. Super terras et redditus que fuerunt vadia eidem anno x,

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263

Robert Curestun of Keteringham owes Slemmote son of Vives de Oxford 15s. 8d. at the feast of St. Michael in the 11th year, and a green robe at Whitsun.	15th.
Robert son of Geoffrey the butler of Hemington owes Diaia le Franceis 60 shillings; the first term of St. Michael 30s., of St. Andrew 30s.; upon lands and rents which he has or will have.	23rd.
I Andrew Wascelin acknowledge that I owe to Aaron son of Jacob three marks by a chirograph written by the hand of William Curreie who died: the first term at the Annunciation of St. Mary in the 11th year twenty shil- lings, St. John 20 shillings; and the foot of that chirograph remained with the aforesaid William to be put in the chest; and to withdraw the aforesaid chirograph, sixty shillings.	26th.
Agnes wife of Robert de Briggeham owes Simon son of Sarah twenty two shillings at Whitsun in the 11th year of the reign, etc. Philip her son being surety.	April 8th.
William le Claver of Stirstun made a fine with Isaac son. of Jurnet for 18 pounds; the first term at the quindene of the close of Easter in the 11th year nine pounds, and at Easter in the 12th year nine pounds; and for this debt he is quit and his heirs against all Jews and Jewesses in Norwich of all debts, etc.	15th.
Master William de Kentewelle owes Isaac son of Jurnet thirty two pounds and 10 shillings; the first term the quindene of St. John in the 11th year 50 shillings, St. Michael, Hilary and Easter the like at the quindene.
The same owes the said Isaac ten marks at the quindene of Easter in the 11th year, and for them he will give every year four marks of interest, to wit, at the feast of St. John in the [11th] year two marks, and at the Purification two marks; and according to what he shall pay in kind will be released from the interest.
William son of Arnold de Finingham owes Diaia Franceis 20 shillings at the feast of St. Martin in the 12th year.	May 1st day.
Giles de Wechesham owes Isaac son of Jurnet four score and ten pounds; the first term in the 11th year 100 shillings.	7th day.
Robert le Gris owes Moses son of Abraham at the octave of St. Faith in the 11th year ––––––––––. Upon lands and chattels.	17th.
Vitalis son of Alan de St. Edmund’s owes Regina daughter of Flurey de Bungay 20 shillings on the Sunday next after the feast of St. . . . . . in the 11th year. Upon lands and rents which were wages to him in the 10th year.	26th.

264	the norwich day-book

Junius viij.	Godefridus filius Roberti de Salle debet . . . . . . de . . . . . . Josceo de Eia . . . . . . ad festum Omnium Sanctorum anno xij. et unam summam avene.
ix.	Frankus de Cheuerenil debet Isaac filio Jurneti sexaginta sex marcas, primus terminus Sancti Michaelis xj marcas, et ad pasca xj marcas, et sic de anno in annum, etc.
x.	Ricardus Mercator de Saxlingham debet Simoni filio Sarre sex solidos ad festum Sancte Fides [sic] anno . . . Ranulfo Gigante plegio.
xj.	Robertus Floteman de Saxlingham debet Damete filie Morel octo solidos ad Nativitatem Sancte Marie anno xj. super terras et catalla.
Julii ij.	Adam filius Willelmi de Bosco de Thornham debet Diaie filie Leon is quatuor libras et octodecim solidos, primus terminus purificationis Sancte Marie xxx s., pasca xxx s., et per hoc debitum pater et ipse et heredes sunt quieti, etc.
	Robertus filius Rogeri de Nortun’ in libertate Sancti Edmundi debet Jurnino filio Jacobi septem solidos ad festum Omnium Sanctorum anno xij.
xxij.	Johannes filius Roberti de Lund’ debet Gente filie Isaac de Oxonia octo solidos ad festum Sancte Fidis anno xj.
xxv.	Willelmus de Mortemer debet Isaac filio Jurneti decem marcas ad pasca anno Regni etc. xij: Affidavit tantum et habet cirographum.
Augustus die j°.	Henricus de Bedford’ debet Jacobo filio Semuret quinque marcas et dimidiam scilicet ad festum Sancte Fidis medietatem et aliam medietatem ad festum Sancti Edmundi.
ix.	Johannes de Theestun’ Capellanus debet Simoni filio Sarre triginta tres solidos ad festum Sancti Laurentii anno Regni xj. Super terras et catalla.
September xxij	Radulfus de Bruning’ debet Jurnino filio Jacobi xv solidos ad pasca anno xij. Super terras et catalla.
Sancto Michaele.	Radulfus de Hirminglond, miles, solvit magistro Merino Chalbard xxv s. per manum Godefridi filii sui.
October vj.	Galfridus de Maltebi et Johannes de Stokesbi debent Merino filio Joscie, et Mosseo filio Abrahe octo marcas ad 1 [sic] die pasce in unum mensem anno xij. super terras et catalla. Plegium eorum Johannes de Maltebi super terras et catalla.

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265

Godfrey son of Robert de Salle owes . . . . . . of . . . . . . to Josce de Eye . . . . . . at the feast of All Saints in the 12th year, and one load of oats.	June 8th.
Frank do Cheverenil owes Isaac son. of Jurnet sixty six marks; the first term of St. Michael 11 marks, and at Easter 11 marks, and thus from year to year, etc.	9th.
Richard the merchant of Saxlingham owes Simon son of Sarah six shillings at the feast of St. Faith in the . . . year; Ralph the Giant being surety.	10th.
Robert Floteman of Saxlinghani owes Dameta daughter of Morel eight shillings at the Nativity of St. Mary in the 11th year; upon lands and chattels.	11th.
Adam son of William Wood of Thornham owes Diaia daughter of Leo four pounds and eighteen shillings; the first term of the Purification of St. Mary 30s., at Easter 30s.; and by this debt his father and himself and his heirs are quit, etc.	July 2nd.
Robert son of Roger de Nortun in the liberty of St. Edmund owes Jurninus son of Jacob seven shillings at the feast of All Saints in the 12th. year.
John son of Robert de London owes Genta daughter of Isaac de Oxford eight shillings at the feast of St. Faith in the 11th year.	22nd.
William de Mortemer owes Isaac son of Jurnet ten marks at Easter in the 12th year of the reign, etc. He made oath only and has the chirograph.	25th.
Henry de Bedford owes Jacob son of Semuret five marks and a half, to wit, at the feast of St. Faith one moiety, and the other moiety at the feast of St. Edmund.	August lst day
John de Theestun, chaplain, owes Simon son of Sarah thirty three shillings at the feast of St. Laurence in the 11th year of the reign. Upon lands and chattels.	9th.
Ralph de Bruning owes Jurninus son of Jacob 15 shillings at Easter in the 12th year. Upon lands and chattels.	September 22nd.
Ralph de Hirminglond, knight, pays to Master Merinus Chalbard 25s., by the hand of Godfrey his son.	St. Michael
Geoffrey de Malteby and John de Stokesby owe Merinus son of Josce and Moses son of Abraham eight marks at one month from Easter day in the 12th year, upon lands and chattels. Their surety John de Malteby, upon lands and chattels.	October 6th.

266	the norwich day-book

xij.	Radulfus Dalling’ wiles mutuo acquisivit a Isaaco filio Diaie decern libras primus terminus quindenam [sic] purificationis c. solidos et ad quindenam pasce c. solidos super . . . . . . .
xxj.	Egidius de Wechesliam debet Isaac filio Jurneti quater viginti libras primus terminus Natalis c. solidos, pasca, Sancti Johannis, Sancti Michaelis similiter.
	FINAL LINE OF ROLL.
	Respice in tergo. Hac Nota.
	I. The following is one of three or four entries found in tergo:—
xxiiij.	“Robertus filius Simonis debet Jacobo filio Vives de Colecestria xiiij solidos v d. ad purificationem anno xij.”
	II. The following, written in a Chancery hand, nine years after, is to be found above entries just mentioned :—
	“Die Veneris proxima clauso Pasche venit quoddam breve cyrographi Cristianis et Judeis ut mitteremus quoddam cyrographum sub nominibus Leonis Episcopi de Eboraco et Roberti filii, Roberti de Hulme, de Ix libris . . . . . videre. Anno Regis Henrici filii Regis Johannis vicesimo venit breve.”
	III. A further brief endorsement is as follows:— “Annus Undecimus Henrici III.”
	ROLL 157. Transcript 9 Hen. III.
Heading.	Annus Regni Regis Henrici filii Regis Johannis Nonus Mensis Aprilis
iiijo die.	Galfridus Capellanus de Abbeton’ debet reddere filio Abrahe xvj solidos argenti ad festum Omnium Sanctorum anno Regni Regis Henrici filii Regis Johannis x°.
xx.	Thomas de Edithfeld, Aaroni filio Jacobi et Rose sorori sue, vij s. ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno ix°.
Maius xxvj.	Sarra que fuit uxor de Alex[andro] Qwelnetham Isaac filio Jurneti xvj I ad festum Sancti Johannis Baptiste anno ix° primus terminus.
xxviij.	Andreas Wascelin, Aaroni filio Jacobi v m. iiij d. ad festum Sancti Johannis Baptiste anno nono.
Junius, secundo die.	Willelmus de Reydon’, Isaac filio Salomon’s viij 1 ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno ix.

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267

Ralph Dallinger, knight, acquired by loan from Isaac son of Diaia ten pounds; the first term at the quindene of the Purification 100 shillings, and at the quindene of Easter 100 shillings; upon . . . . . .	12th.
Giles de Wechesham owes Isaac son of Jurnet four score pounds; the first term of Christmas 100 shillings, Easter, St. John, Michaelmas, the like.	21st.
FINAL LINE OF ROLL. See the Back. Note This.
I. The following is one of three or four entries found:—
“Robert son of Simon owes Jacob son of Vives de Colchester 14s. 5d. at the Purification in the 12th year.”	24.th.
II. The following, written in a Chancery hand—nine years after—is to be found above entries just mentioned:—
“On the Friday next after the close of Easter a certain writ of chirograph came to Christians and Jews, that we might send a certain chirograph under the names of Leo Episcopus of York and Robert son of Robert de Hulme, of 60 pounds. . . . . . to see. The writ came in the twentieth year of King Henry son of King John.”
III. A further brief endorsement as follows:— “The eleventh year of Henry III.”
ROLL 157.
Translation. 9 Hen. III.
The month of April, the ninth year of the reign of King Henry son of King John.	Heading.
Geoffrey the chaplain of Abbeton ought to return to the son of Abraham 16 shillings of silver at the feast of All Saints in the 10th year of the reign of King Henry son of King John.	4th day.
Thomas de Edithfeld, to Aaron son of Jacob and Rose his sister, 7s., at the feast of St. Michael in the 9th year.	20th.
Sarah who was wife of Alexander Qwelnetham to Isaac son of Jurnet £16; at the feast of St. John the Baptist in the 9th year the first term.	May 26th.
Andrew Wascelin, to Aaron son of Jacob 5 marks 4d., at the feast of St. John the Baptist in the ninth year.	28th.
William de Reydon, to Isaac son of Solomon, £8 at the feast of St. Michael in the 9th year.	June, the second da. day.

268	the norwich day-book.

	Willelmus de Kolevill, Isaac de Norwico v m. ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno x°.
	Willelmus de Cyreti, Isaac filio Jurneti liiij 1 ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno ix°,etc. Sic de anno in annum quousque persolverit.
Julius xxviij.	Galfridus de Qwelnetham, Isaac filio Jurneti xxxviij 1 ad festum Sancti Johannis Baptiste anno ix° primus terminus, etc., c s. ad festum Sancti Petri advuncula primo postea 1 x s. ad festum Sancti Michaelis primo postea x 1 ad Pascha primo postea x 1 et ad festum Sancti Michaelis primo postea x 1, lucrum ij d. Et conventum est quod predictus Isaac nee heredes sui poterunt me distringere nec heredes meos de xl 1 nec de lucro quod inde emerget de v primis annis in quibus ego sum1 principalis debitor in carta iiijor c 1 et iiijxx et xvj 1 quas Walterus de Qwelnetham debet ei unde primus ter- minus est ad festum Sancti Michaelis, secundus post consecrationem Radulfi de Warham Episcopi Cicestrie infra vitam predicti Walteri sed crastino decessus prdicti Walteri bene liceat prdictis Isaac distringere me per terras means et catalla mea de predictis xl I et de lucro ut principalem debitorem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Augustus x die.	Matildis de Tivill’ quietum clamavit Isaac de Norwico se ipsam nihil posse exigere de aliqua receptione de se vel de hominibus suis ab initio seculi usque ad festum Sancti Bartholomei anno x°, et dictus Isaac dedit eidem respectum quod nihil ei possit exigere de aliquo debito usque ad purifica- tionem Sancte Marie primo sequentem et si ita contigerit quod homines de Matilde ab eodem Isaac aliquod velint exigere dicta mulier pro eodem Isaac satisfaciet. Testibus Priore de Penton’, G. filio Edwardi, W. Arundel, Sam- sone, Waltero de Carleton’
Septem- ber.	Radulfus filius Godefridi de Irmingland, Cypore filie Magistri Meyr xxiiij m. et dabit pro illis quamdiu illas tenebit e solidos de lucro.
	Hugo de Lindeseye Abbas de Leyeston’ ejusdem loci conventus Isaac filio Jurneti xxv in. in crastino octave Sancte Crucis anno x°.
October.	Alauns de Mundham, Diaie filie Samsonis x 1 vj m. infra viij annos ad festum Sancti Andree anno xj j. m. primo postea.
	Thomas filius Rudolfi de Hedhill’ Meyr filio Benedicti de Oxonia v m. ad festum Sancti Michaelis primus terminus xvij s. et vij d.

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269

William de Kolevill, to Isaac de Norwich 5 marks at the feast of St. Michael in the 10th year.
William de Cyreti, to Isaac son of Jurnet £54, at the feast of St. Michael in the 9th year, etc. Thus from year to year until lie shall have fully paid.
Geoffrey de Qwelnetham to Isaac son of Jurnet £28; at the feast of St. John the Baptist in the 9th year the first term, etc., 100s.; at the feast of St. Peter in chains first afterwards 60s.; at the feast of St. Michael first afterwards £10; at Easter first afterwards £10; and at the feast of St. Michael first afterwards £10; interest 2d. And it is agreed that neither the aforesaid Isaac nor his heirs shall be able to distrain me or my heirs of £40, nor of the interest which shall issue therefrom for the first 5 years, in which I am the chief debtor in a charter of £496 which Walter de Qwelnetham owes to him. Whereof the first term is at the feast of St. Michael, the second after the consecration of Radulf de Warhatn bishop of Chichester, within the lifetime of the aforesaid Walter; but on the morrow after the decease of the aforesaid Walter it shall be lawful to the aforesaid Isaac to distrain me by my lands and chattels of the aforesaid £40 and of the interest, as chief debtor. . . . . . . . . . . .	July 28th.
Maude de Tivill quit-claimed herself to Isaac de Norwich to be able to exact nothing out of any receipt of her or of her men, from the beginning of the century until the feast of St. Bartholomew in the 10th year; and the said Isaac gave respite to her, that he could exact nothing from her of any debt until the Purification of St. Mary first following; and if it shall so happen that the men of Maude should wish to exact anything from the said Isaac, the said [woman] will make satisfaction for the same [to] Isaac. Witnesses, the Prior of Penton, G. son of Edward, W. Arundel, Sampson, Walter de Carleton.	August 10th day.
Ralph son Godfrey de Irmingland, to Cypora daughter of Master Meyer 24 marks, and he will give for them as long as he shall hold them 100 shillings of interest.	Septem- ber,
Hugh de Lindeseye, abbot of Leyeston [and] the convent of the same place, to Isaac son of Jurnet 25 marks, on the morrow of the octave of Holy Cross in the 10th year.
Alan de Mundham, to Diaia daughter of Samson £10, 6 marks, within 8 years; at the feast of St. Andrew first afterwards in the 11th year 1 mark.	October
Thomas son of Rudolf de Hedhill, to Meyer son of Benedict tie Oxford 5marks; at the feast of St. Michael the first term 17s. 7d.

270	the norwich day book.

November.	Willelmus Junerel de Lond’ Isaac filio Jurnoti xxx 1 habet illud cyro- graphum et remanet unum de xx 1. Willelmus filius Arnaldi Diaie filie Leonis xiiij s. ad Natalem xo.
	Willelmus de Bosco Isaac filio Jurneti xvj 1. dimidiam marcam xij d. ad pasclia anno x° primus terminus ij m. et dimidiam et xij d.
December. Annus xus.	Robertas filius Petri de Sweinstorp Aaroni filio Jacobi xx s. ad Purifica- tionem anno x°.
	Johannes filius Herberti Ursello filio Samsonis vij . . . ad festum Sancti Johannis Baptiste anno x primus terminus xx s.
Januarius.	Robertas filius Symonis de Saham Jacobo filio Vivonis de Colecestria iij m. et dimidiam ad illud [sic] Pentecostes.
	Willelmus de Morleya Mosseo filio Abrahe c s. ad Pascha anno xj° 1 s. primo termino
	Idem Willelmus, Belasez sorori dicti Mossei xxx s. ad festum Sancti Martini.
Febru- arius.	Magister Radulfus de Thurton’ Aaroni filio Jacobi et Merino filio Cuntess’1 v m.
Marcius.	Johannes de Ulveston’ Damete filie Morel’ ij m. ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno x primus terminus j m. Petrus de Keteringham Diaie filie Samsonis xj s. Martino anno x°.
A prilis	Willelmus Coleman Slemote filio Vivonis de Oxonia v m. ad festum Sancte Fidis anno x° primo termino ij m. et dimidiam.
	Walterus filius Hugonis filii Radulfi de Reydon’ Isaac filio Salomonis xl 1 ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno x et dabit illi quolibet anno quamdiu illas tenuerit per conventum suum xl s. ad festum Omnium Sanctorum anno xj primo termino x s.
Maius.	Eudo de Heckham Jacobo filio Vivonis de Colecestria iiij 1 x s. ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno xj.
Junius.	Willelnms de Elmham parmentarius Mosseo filio Abrahe xxix s. ad Natalem xj.
	Radulfus filius Godefredi de Irmingloud’ Cypore filie Magistri Meyr xxiiij m. et dabit pro illis quolibet anno quamdiu illas debuerit c solidos de lucro scilicet ad Pentecostes anno x° xxv s. primo termino.

1	[Comitisse.j

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271

William Junerel of London, to Isaac son of Jurnet £30; lie has that chirograph, and one remains of £20.	November.
William son of Arnold, to Diaia daughter of Leo 14s. at Christinas in the 10th [year].
William de Bosco, to Isaac son of Jurnet £16, half a mark, 12d.; at Easter in the 10th year, the first term, 2 marks and a half and 12d.
Robert son of Peter de Sweinatorp, to Aaron son of Jacob 20s. at the Purification in the 10th year.	December. The 10th year.
John son of Herbert to Ursell son of Samson 7 . . .; at the feast of St. John the Baptist in the 10th year, the first term, 20s.
Robert son of Simon de Saham, to Jacob son of Vivo de Colchester, 3 marks and a half at that Whitsuntide.	January.
William de Morley to Moses son of Abraham 100s.; at Easter in the 11th year 50s.; the first term.
The same William, to Belasez sister of the said Moses, 30s. at the feast of St. Martin.
Master Ralph de Thurton, to Aaron son of Jacob and Merinus son of Ha-Nasaiah 5 marks.	February.
John de Ulveston, to Dameta daughter of Morel 2 marks at the feast of St. Michael in the 10th year, the first term 1 mark.	March.
Peter de Keteringham, to Diaia daughter of Samson lis. at Martinmas in the 10th year.
William Coleman, to Slemote son of Vivo de Oxford 5 marks; at the feast of St. Faith in the 10th year, the first term, 2 marks and a half.	April.
Walter son of Hugh son of Ralph de Reydon, to Isaac son of Solomon £40, at the feast of St. Michael in the 10th year; and he will give him every year as long as he shall hold them, by his agreement; 40s.; at the feast of All Saints in the 11th year, the first term, 10s.
Eudes de Heckham to Jacob son of Vivo de Colchester £4, 10s. at the feast of St. Michael in the 11th year.	May.
William de Elmham, tailor, to Moses son of Abraham, 29s. at Christmas the 11th [year].	June.
Ralph son of Godfrey de Irminglond’ to Cypora daughter of Master Meyer 24 marks; and he will give for them every year as long as he shall owe them 100s. of interest, to wit, at Whitsun in the tenth year, the first term, 25s.

272	the norwich day book

Julius.	Petrus filius Syrik de Len fecit finem cum Isaac de Norwico per c s, eidem solvendos ad festum Sancte Margarete anno x pro quieta clamatione de terra Reg[inaldi] de Clenche Waretun’.
Septem- ber.	Henricus de Stowa et Juliana uxor ejus diviseront Lee et Bone sororibus Magistri Elye et cui assignaverint quamdam terram cum edificio in vico qui dicitur Bertstrete qui jacet inter terram que fuit Rogeri fabri fratris Thoke fabri et terram quam Meyr filius Mossei tenet de Emma Flurie et Thoma filio ejus hereditorie habendam reddendo inde annuatim tres solidos ad festum Sancti Michaelis medietateni et ad Pascha aliam.
October.	Petrus Tregoz Isaac filio Jurneti xij 1 infra x annos.
November,	Rogerus filius Ricardi de Cringesford’ Flurie filie Diaie filie Samsonis xxv m. ad Pentecostes anno xj et dabit pro illis infra hos quatuor annos quolibet anno iij m. de lucro scilicet ad festum Omnium Sanctorum anno xij0 xx s. primo termino.
December.	Ada de Bedingfeld’, Aaroui filio Abrahe xxx s.
Januarius Annus xj.	Die Animarum anno xj extrahimus quoddam cyrographum x 1 sub nomine domini [Willemi]1 filii Roberti de Reydon’ et repostiimus aliud v 1 die scilicet quo obiit Simon Mercerus,
	Last membrane—the only one ruled (lead point)—has the following heading:—
	Annus Regni Regis Henrici filii Regis Johannis Undecimus.
xxiij die Februarii.	Willelinus filius Willelmi filius Gileberti de Colevill’ Isaac de Norwico vij m. ad medium quadragesime anno xj° lucrum ij d.
xxvj.	Magister Willelmus de Kentewell’ Isaac filio Jurneti xxxv. 1, ad quin- denam Pasche anno xj. 1. s. ad quindenam Pentecostes 1. s, ad quindenam Sancte Fidis 1. et ad quindenam Sancti Illarii 1, s. et sic etc. quousque per- solverit libra ij. d.
Martins eodem die [j die].	Willelmus filius Roberti de Bukeham Mosseo filio Isaac sexaginta x solidos scilicet ad festum Sancti Michaelis anno xj xxx solidos et ad festum Sancti Michaelis primo postea xl solidos libra ij d. ad ultimum terminum j quarterium frumenti.

1	Vide Madox,

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273

Peter son of Syrik de Len made a fine with Isaac de Norwich for 100s. to be paid to him at the feast of St. Margaret in the 10th year, for quit clain of the land of Reg[inald] de Clenche-Waretun.	July.
Henry de Stow and Julia his wife divided to Leah and Bona sisters of Master Elias, and to whom they might assign, certain land with a building in the way which is called Bertstrete, which lies between the land which belonged to Roger the smith brother of Thoke the smith, and the land which Meyer son of Moses holds of Emma Flury and Thomas her son, to have it in heritage, rendering yearly for the same three shillings, at the feast of St. Michael one moiety, and at Easter the other.	Septem- ber.
Peter Tregoz to Isaac son of Jurnet £12 within 10 years.	October.
Roger son of Richard de Cringesford to Flury daughter of Diaia daughter of Samson 25 marks at Whitsun in the 11th year; and he will give for them within these four years every year 3 marks of interest, to wit, at the feast of All Saints in the 12th year, 20s., the first term.	November.
Adam de Bedingfeld, to Aaron son of Abraham 30s.	December.
On the day of All Souls in the 11th year we withdraw a certain chiro- graph of £10, under the name of the Lord [William] son of Robert de Reydon, and have replaced another of £5; to wit, on the day when Simon the mercer died.	January. The 11th year.
Last membrane—the only one ruled (lead point)—has the following heading:—
The Eleventh year of the reign of King Henry son of King John.
William son of William son of Gilbert de Colevill to Isaac de Norwich 7 marks at Mid Lent in the 11th year; interest 2d.	23rd day of Feb- ruary.
Master William de Kentewell to Isaac son of Jurnet £35; at the quindene of Easter in the 11th year 50s.; at the quindene of Whitsun 50s.; at the quindene of St. Faith 50s.; and at the quindene of St. Hilary 50s.; and thus, etc., until he have fully paid. The pound, 2d.	26th.
William son of Robert de Bukeham to Moses son of Isaac 70 shillings, to wit, at the feast of St. Michael in the 11th year 30s., and at the feast of St. Michael first afterwards 40s. The pound, 2d. At the last term 1 quarter of wheat.	March. The same day [1st day].

VOL. V.

274	the norwich day book

ix die.

Nicholaus filius Johannis de Mundham Jurnino filio Jacobi de Oxonia
quatuor libras his terminis ad Pascha anno xj j m. in autumno primo
postea j summam frumenti ad festum Sanoti Andree primo postea duas
marcas et dimidiam et ad Purificacionem primo postea duas marcas e.t
dimidiam.

In Dorso.

Extrahendum est cyrographum xxx s. sub nomine Rogeri filii Johannis
de Swerdeston’ sed nihil ad hue pacavit pro illo.

Magister Willelmus de Kentewell’ cepit unum cyrographum de viginti
quinque libris de area Domini Regis et posuit unum cyrographum infra
aream domini [Regis] de viginti duabus libris et decern solidis vij die Aprilis
[anno]1 Regni Regis Henrici filii Regis Johannis duodecimo et per hoc
dictus Magister Willelmus quietus et heredes sui et fratres ejus et heredes
eorum versus dictum Isaac de Norwico et heredes sui exceptis Istun et
Bungingtun’ ab initio seculi usque ad hunc diem dictum.

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1	Vide Madox.

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275

Nicholas son of John
de Mundham to Jurninus son of Jacob de Oxford
four pounds at these terms; at Easter in the 11th year 1 mark; in the
autumn first afterwards 1 load of wheat; at the feast of St. Andrew first
afterwards two marks and a half; and at the Purification first afterwards
two marks and a half.

9th day.

On the Dorse.

A chirograph of 30s. is to be withdrawn, under the name of Roger son of
John de Swerdeston. But he has hitherto paid nothing for it.

Master William de Kentewell took a chirograph of twenty five pounds
from the chest of the Lord King, and put a chirograph within the chest of
the Lord [King] of twenty two pounds and ten shillings, the 7th day of April
in the twelfth [year] of the reign of King Henry son of King John; and by
this the said Master William is quit and his heirs, and his brothers and their
heirs, towards the said Isaac de Norwich and his heirs, except Istun and
Bumgingtun, from the beginning of the century until this said day.

THE WHITEHALL CONFERENCE

CELEBRATION OF THE 250th ANNIVERSARY

Under the auspices of the Jewish Historical Society a banquet was given
on February 5, 1906, at the Hotel Great Central to celebrate the 250th
anniversary of the Whitehall Conference, which fell on December 4,1905.
Mr. Lucien Wolf was in the Chair, and there were also present :—

The Chief Rabbi and Mrs. Adler, the Rev. M. and Mrs. Adler, the
Rev. L. and Mrs. Geffen, the Rev. Prof. Dr. H. and Mrs. Gollancz, the
Rev. S. Levy (Hon. Secretary) and Miss Levy, the Rev. I. and Mrs.
Samuel, the Rev. S. and Mrs. Singer, the Rev. D. and Mrs. Wasserzug, the
Revs. S. A. Adler, W. Levin, and M. Rosenbaum, the Earl of Crewe (then
Lord President of the Council, now Secretary of State for the Colonies),
Lord Rothschild, Sir Israel and Lady Hart, Sir Henry and Lady Prim-
rose, Sir Isidore and Lady Spielmann, Sir Edward Sassoon, the Hon.
Sir Eric Barrington, K.C.B., the Right Hon. J. Bryce, M.P. (then
Chief Secretary for Ireland, now Ambassador to the U.S.A.), Prof.
I. Gollancz, Prof. J. K. Laughton, Dr. H. and Mrs. Dutch, Dr. M. and
Mrs. Friedeberger, Dr. S. A. and Mrs. Hirsch, Dr. G. W. and Mrs.
Prothero, Dr. J. and Mrs. Snowman, Dr. A., Mrs., and Miss Wolff,
Drs. G. Schorstein, B. Morris, and C. Singer, Mesdames A. Davis,
J. Dreyfus, Edelmann, M. Friedländer, A. Gabriel, Goodman, H. Hart,
Haysack, Jacobs, Otterbourg, M. Salaman, Schubach, Sebag-Montefiore,
L. Wolf, R. Zellner, the Misses Abady, Abrahams, D. Abrahams,
N. Adler, M. Benjamin, Benzian, Laura Davis, Franklin, Carmel Gold-
smid, Gollancz, Goodman, Cécile Hartog, Haysack, M. Haysack,
Hyamson, Jacobs, Klingenstein, Dorothea Landau, I. Levy, L. Levy,
Lorensa Levy, N. Lloyd, Mendes da Costa, Myers, Phillips, D. S. Phillips,
G. I. Phillips, R. Phillips, Rothbarth, R. Tuck, Z. Tuck, Violet, Wein-
berg, Wolf, Mr. and Mrs. I. Abrahams, Mr. and Mrs. L. Abrahams,
Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Birnstingl, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Cohen, Mr. and

276

the whitehall conference.

277

Mrs. N. L. Cohen, Mr. Harold Cox, M.P., and Mrs. Cox. Mr. and Mrs.
Israel Davis, Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Franklin, Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Franklin,
Mr. and Mrs. F. S. Franklin, Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Green, Mrs. H. M.
Hyams, Mr. and Mrs. S. Japhet, Mr. and Mrs. Moritz Joseph, Mr. and
Mrs. A. Levine, Mr. and Mrs. G. Levy, Mr. and Mrs. Harry R. Lewis,
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Maizels, Mr. and Mrs. Mendes da Costa, Mr. and
Mrs. J. M. Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. L. S. Montagu, Mr. and Mrs. S.
Moses, Mr. and Mrs. P. G. Phillips, Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Phillips, Mr.
and Mrs. S. Rosenbaum, Mr. and Mrs. D. Singer, Mr. S. J. Solomon,
R.A., and Mrs. Solomon, Mr. and Mrs. M. A. Spielmann, Mr. and Mrs.
C. Stettauer, Mr. and Mrs. Hermann Strauss, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
Trenner, Mr. and Mrs. A. Tuck, Mr. and Mrs. Gustave Tuck, Mr. and
Mrs. H. Tuck, Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Wartski, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Wartski,
Mr. and Mrs. B. B. Weil, Mr. and Mrs. E. Wilner, Mr. and Mrs.
Mortimer Woolf, and Mr. and Mrs. I. Zangwill; Mons. Armand Garreau,
Mons. Adrien Garreau, Messrs. D. H. Aaron, N. H. Aaron, E. N. Adler,
M. Bender, A. A. Cahen, B. Chissick, C. Waley Cohen, L. L. Cohen,
S. H. Davids, 0. E. D’Avigdor-Goldsmid, D. Davis, W. Dreyfus,
L. A. Fouques, S. Gabriel, E. M. Gollancz, M. Gollancz, J. Hart,
P. J. Hartog, A. M. Hyamson (Hon. Secretary), L. Jacob, A. Josaphat,
N. S. Joseph, A. Joseph, A. Kaufmann, B. Kisch, A. Klingenstein,
G. Klingenstein, W. Klingenstein, H. Landau, S. Lehmann, H. Levy,
J. H. Levy, G. C. Lewis, J. Livingstone, M. Maizels, B. Metz, I. Morris,
S. Morris, Horatio Myer, M.P., A. Myers, M. Myers, J. Neuhöfer,
A. Newman, E. A. Phillips, Clement I. Salaman, J. E. Salmon, Stuart
M. Samuel, M.P., H. Sandheim, C. Sebag-Montefiore, R. M. Sebag-
Montefiore, L. Simons, I. Solomons, M. Spielmann, E. Sternheim,
M. Strauss, H. R. Tedder, L. Tuck, R. Tuck, C. Van Biema, E. Vre-
denburg, I. Weinberg, H. Wilenski, L. Wohlgemuth, E. Wolf, C. Wolf,
G. Wolf, and M. Wolfish.

The Chairman, in proposing the toast of “The King,” said: My
first privilege is to call upon you to drink to the health of His Most
Gracious Majesty the King. At no time is this toast a mere formality
in the Anglo-Jewish community, but to-night this great festival of
Religious Liberty invests it with special significance. To all English-
men, the King is the gracious embodiment of free institutions which are
the pride of the nation and the envy of the world : but to us Jews, His

278	the whitehall conference.

Majesty is more especially the sympathetic personification of the liberty-
loving instincts of the British people to which we owe, more than to the
letter of any statute, the fair play we have enjoyed in this happy land.
I give you the health of His Most Gracious Majesty the King..

The Chairman, in giving the second royal toast, said: Our next
toast is that of “Her Majesty the Queen, the Prince and Princess of
Wales, and other members of the Royal Family.” For me to dwell on
the virtues of Her Majesty and on the exemplary lives and public spirit
of the Princes and Princesses of her kindred would be to translate into
very inadequate prose an eloquence which fills all your hearts. This
eloquence is touched to-night by a sad emotion—a feeling of profound
sympathy with Her Majesty in the severe bereavement she has recently
sustained. The full measure of this bereavement she alone can know;
but we trust she will find comfort in the abiding and quickened love of
the nation of which Her Majesty is the brightest ornament. I give
you the health and happiness of Her Majesty Queen Alexandra, the
Prince and Princess of Wales, and the other members of their illustrious
House.

The Chairman, in submitting the toast of the evening, “The
Memory of the Whitehall Conference,” said that before he proposed the
toast he wished to read two letters which he selected from a large
number offering congratulations to them on that anniversary, and
apologies for not being able to assist in the festivity. The first was
from the late Prime Minister and was in the following terms:—

4 Carlton Gardens, S.W.

February 5, 1906.

Dear Mr. Wolf,—I am sorry that I am not able to attend your banquet
to-night and to express orally instead of by writing my sentiments on the
interesting occasion which you are engaged in celebrating. Had Continental
Europe followed the example set by this country for the last two hundred
and fifty years its history would not be stained by many crimes and many
injustices which now stand on record as a perpetual reproach to Christian
civilisation. That in this country there is no Jewish question, that race
prejudices and religious prejudices, which elsewhere play so disastrous a part
in the social organisation, are unheard of here, is due in no small measure to
the fact that the Jews have shown themselves entirely worthy of the rights
and privileges which they enjoy as citizens of this country, and that those
rights and privileges have been granted to them in full measure. Long may

the whitehall conference.

279

these conditions prevail. Long may they bear all the good fruit which they
have so abundantly produced in the past.

Yours very truly,

Arthur James Balfour.

They had also received the letter which President Roosevelt had
addressed to the sister Society, the Jewish Historical Society of America,
which celebrated the 250th of the resettlement of the Jews in America
at the proper time, while they had postponed their celebration owing to
the mourning for their brethren in Russia.1 Mr. Wolf continued: In
the order of ideas to which this toast belongs, the letters I have just read
should properly come last, for they bear testimony—a testimony we
could not, with propriety, proffer ourselves—to the happy dénouement of
a story of which the Whitehall Conference was the opening chapter. I
need not repeat to you the familiar details of that striking chapter of
our history. They live, and I hope they will live for ever in the hearts
of the Jewish people. But perhaps you will permit me to dwell for a
few moments upon one or two aspects of the famous Conference, which
have some bearing on the flattering estimates of our career in this
country, which I read to you a moment ago. Historical critics have
differed as to the exact legal value of the work performed by the White-
hall Conference. I have always regarded the controversy which has
raged round this question as meticulous and unessential, for the reason
that in what it admittedly did and what it admittedly left undone, the
Conference not only gave the Jews a foothold in this country, but even
created the favourable conditions in which their subsequent history was
developed. It is true that the one thing it did—the opinion it extracted
from the judges as to the Jewish right of incoming—was not a con-
stitutional act, and that it was even regarded with disappointment by
the Jews themselves, who would have preferred a formal parliamentary
statute. But it is also beyond question that that opinion was regarded
by the Protectorate Government as sufficiently authoritative, and that in
virtue of it our forefathers began to settle in the land. It is also un-
questionable that it remained a permanent charter of residence for the
new community, and the reason of this was precisely because it was not
a formal Act of Parliament. We must remember that an Act would

1See p. 304, below, for President Roosevelt’s letter.

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have become void with the Restoration, while the decision of the Con-
ference, being merely an interpretation of the law as it then stood, was
independent of the political vicissitudes of an exceptionally stormy and
insecure age. This is one of the reasons why we must look back upon
the Whitehall Conference with gratitude. But there is another reason.
The Conference was not only asked to pronounce on the right of in-
coming; it was also invited to suggest terms on which the residence of
the Jews should be permitted. On this latter question it arrived at no
decision, chiefly because it was dissolved by the Protector as soon as it
manifested a disposition to make recommendations of an intolerant and
oppressive character. Here is a second reason for our gratitude, and
one, perhaps, of greater weight than the first. There can be no question
that it saved us from the Ghetto system then in force all over Europe.
We consequently owe to it, in a very large measure, the fact that our
social assimilation with our non-Jewish fellow-citizens is, and has always
been, far more complete in this country than in any other country, and
that, as a result, the baleful wave of anti-Semitism which has swept
across the Continent, has dashed impotently against our shores. We
owe to it, too, the solid foundations on which our rights as British
citizens rest, for those rights were not granted to us by political theorists,
in homage to some abstract doctrine of human equality, but were won
for us by our Christian fellow-countrymen, who, in unimpeded inter-
course with our fathers, had insensibly abjured the prejudices and
superstitions on which Jewish disabilities rested. Thus, the Whitehall
Conference not only opened the way to the resettlement of the Jews in
this country, but gave them—unconsciously, it is true—an opportunity
of vindicating their race such as has not been enjoyed by any other
Jewish communities except, perhaps, those of the South of France and
Amsterdam, and then only in a minor degree. These aspects of the
famous Conference are, of course, of great moment to the Jewish com-
munity and its historians, but, in relation to the present celebration, it
must be confessed that they are somewhat narrow. It is not by such a
chapter of accidents that the imagination is fired, and it is certainly not
on their account alone that we are assembled here to-night. We are
here to celebrate the spirit and not the form. What we hail in the
Whitehall Conference is the great thought to which it owed its existence,
the idea of religious liberty which was then for the first time struggling

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into the domain of practical politics in this country. It was a struggle
full of dramatic and momentous interest. We cannot say that the
England of the Commonwealth was honestly tolerant. There was much
cry of Religious Liberty, but very little real Toleration. “This hath
been one of the vanities of our contest,” said Cromwell once with bitter-
ness. “Every sect saith, ‘Oh, give me liberty,’ but give it to him and
his power, he will not yield it to anybody else.” This was a true picture
of the religious strife of the times. Nevertheless, through it all the
people were groping for the light, and the lesson of Toleration was
gradually forcing itself on the public conscience, if for no other reason
than that in the mêlée of the zealots the persecutors of one day often
became the persecuted of the next. Men were beginning to see that not
only was Toleration necessary within the limits of the “Instrument of
Government,” but that even beyond the Christian pale it could not, in
justice, be refused. Of this great moral awakening the Whitehall Con-
ference was an impressive and memorable manifestation. Forty years
before Locke wrote his famous letters “On Toleration,” it made an effort
to give practical effect, in one direction at least, to Locke’s theory of
unrestricted Liberty of Conscience. Its purpose, as conceived by
Cromwell, was half a century ahead of liberal theory, and anticipated
liberal practice by nearly a century and a half. For this reason the
Conference was epoch-making, not only in Jewish, but also in English,
history. It widened the scope of the struggle for freedom; it postulated
for the first time the true limitations of that struggle, and by the practi-
cal contribution it made towards it, in the shape of the Jewish settle-
ment, it insured its ultimate triumph. As we look back to-night through
the long vista of two and a half centuries which separates us from these
momentous happenings, two figures fill the field of our mental vision—
Cromwell, the great-hearted Protector, and Menasseh ben Israel, the
devoted Jew. They were the authors of the historic Conference whose
memory we are now celebrating. It was their spirit of toleration and
justice which invested it with all it had of dignity and usefulness. We
dwell upon these figures to-night with pride and gratitude. They are
the figures of a Christian and a Jew, standing together in the dawn of
English liberty, twin champions of a wronged people, and heralds of a
free state. It is a picture on which we do well to dwell, for it typifies
our partnership in the noble strivings of a great people—a partnership

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which has happily endured to our own day, and which in its stability
and fruitfulness serves as a beacon of toleration and liberty to the dark
places that still linger on the face of God’s earth. I give you the
memory of the Whitehall Conference.

The Right Hon. James Bryce, M.P., in proposing “Prosperity to
the Anglo-Jewish community,” said: I am honoured by having the duty
thrown upon me of proposing the toast of “Prosperity to the Anglo-
Jewish community,” and I am very sensible of that honour. I am asked
to couple with it three names eminently representative of the community,
and well-qualified to answer for it on an occasion like this. The first is
the name of your ecclesiastical head, the honoured and respected son of
an honoured and venerated father, a man who adds the glory of learning
to the respect and regard which the judicious and kindly discharge of his
duties has won from all of you. He is known and respected by all
Londoners far beyond the limits of his own community. I am also asked
to couple the toast with the name of Lord Rothschild. His father fought
for you, in days long gone by, the battle of civil and religious liberty, and
he himself, by his enlightened philanthropy and energy on behalf of the
cause of his co-religionists everywhere, has laid the whole Jewish com-
munity under a sense of deep gratitude. As he represents the House of
Lords, to which our late Queen called him on the recommendation of
Mr. Gladstone, more than twenty years ago, so the third gentleman with
whose name I couple this toast, Sir Edward Sassoon, is one of those who
represent the Jewish community in the House of Commons, where we have
known and liked him for many years. He is to speak for your ancient
Sephardic Congregation. This occasion is one of very great interest, not
only to yourselves, but to those guests whom you have kindly invited here
from the Christian bodies of England. You have fitly asked us to a dinner
of an Historical Society, and one feels a significant appropriateness in our
coming to an occasion of that kind, because there can be no intelligent
Englishman, no intelligent citizen of the modern world, who does not
feel an interest in your history. It is the longest history recorded.
We peoples of the West are mere mushroom creatures of yesterday
compared with you. Our nations appear quite a modern growth com-
pared to a nation which dates far back beyond the beginnings of any
history in Europe, and the length of its annals is such that we have to
go for. a parallel to countries like China and Japan. And, as your

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history is the longest, so also it is in many ways the history that has
affected the world most. It is not political history that is the true
kernel of history. Politicians come and pass, and only a few of the very
greatest statesmen and conquerors leave permanent marks behind them.
The true history of the world, the history which has governed and ruled
the minds of men most is the history of literature and religion. Your
literature and the religion of which you were the first depositaries have
been the most powerful factors in the life of civilised mankind; they
have exercised a most profound and deep influence, especially through
their poetry. That so large a part of your literature is cast into a
poetical form is one of the factors which make it a world-literature,
which make it at home among all peoples, and in every country. It
has sunk into the thought of the whole of the civilised world. Greek
literature, perhaps, can show a greater range and variety, but it has not
the intensity of the Hebrew literature, and has not affected to anything
like the same extent the whole mass of mankind. For ten centuries—
from the fifth to the fifteenth—the literature written by Jews in the Old
and New Testaments was practically the only formative influence which
played on the mind of Europe. Is there anything more singular and
curious in history than that the ancient war-songs of the Hebrew king, the
68th and the 110th Psalms, written to be sung by martial tribes, who moved
to meet their enemies across the craggy hills of Palestine, should have
become the war-songs of the “Waldenses in Italy and the Covenanters in
Scotland in the seventeenth century, and should to-day be chanted by
white-robed choristers in the cathedrals of England? To a history like
that there is no parallel, and the Englishman would be dull and ignorant
indeed who did not feel the keenest and deepest interest in the preser-
vation and welfare and prosperity of a community like yours here in
England. Your Chairman has, with great learning, in some of his
writings, and more briefly this evening, brought before us two aspects of
that memorable event when the great soul of Oliver Cromwell saw that
it was right to give your ancestors permission to settle here in England,
moved by his love for the literature of the Old Testament, a puritan
feeling which has lived among the Puritans of England ever since.
There was mixed with that love a shrewd practical sense which has
been often found among the Puritans in all countries. And when I
think of all that has passed within these 250 years, and how your

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community has slowly grown in wealth and prosperity, and how more
and more it has won the respect of the great nation in the midst of which
it lives, I think we may say that nowhere in the modern world have the
Jews found so tranquil and peaceful a home as here in this England of
ours. We Englishmen are very proud of that. As it is said that where
two people or two nations fall out there are usually faults on both sides,
so may it be said that where two races agree and live in peace and amity
there are merits on both sides. We English will claim this for our-
selves. Sixty years ago, when Alderman Salomons and Baron Lionel de
Rothschild were fighting for the admission of the Jews to Parliament,
the Liberal Party, led by Lord John Russell, and true to the principles
of religious liberty, fought for your admission, and ever since there has
been a general feeling of satisfaction and pleasure that that liberty was
given to you, and you have been admitted, in all respects, on equal
terms with other Englishmen to every right, privilege, office, and
emolument in this country. And, on the other hand, you have shown
you have appreciated what our people were willing to do. You entered
into public life, into local bodies, and into both Houses of Parliament,
and you have shown yourselves anxious for the welfare and greatness
of England. You have identified yourselves with our national aims,
and shown a liberal philanthropy to our charitable objects, as well as
your own. You have given us many men of great distinction. You
have not, indeed, given us any great philosopher like Spinoza, whom
you gave to Holland, nor a musician like Mendelssohn and Brahms,
whom you gave to Germany, no great classical or historical scholar
like Bernays and Jaffe, whom, again, you gave to Germany. But
you have given us men who have shone and distinguished themselves
in practical life. You gave us a famous statesman about whom there
may remain some differences of opinion, but whose greatness and
brilliance no one denies. You gave us a great mathematician in
Sylvester, a great economist in Ricardo, many famous lawyers, of
whom I remember several, and one of whom in particular deserves to
be ranked among the three or four greatest judges of England in the
nineteenth century, Sir George Jessel. And how many more you have
given us, who did not always remain in your community, but who were
brilliant and striking members of English literary and political life,
time would fail me to say. The late Mr. James Russell Lowell asserted

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285

that nearly all the eminent literary and artistic men of the last two
centuries had been of Jewish stock. He was certain about Rousseau,
very nearly about Voltaire, and he was positive about Goethe. He
adopted a view which has been largely held that two distinguished
English poets also belonged to you—Robert Browning and Matthew
Arnold, and he added incidentally that he was half a Jew himself. He
had several easy means of proving it, first by names, secondly by faces,
and thirdly by intellectual characteristics. The last criterion is obviously
very elastic, and I may say, in passing, that Lowell included among
English statesmen of Jewish descent all the Foxes and all the Russells.
We English ought certainly to be the very last people not to welcome
the coming of other stocks among ourselves. We are a mixed race, and
we have gained by every mixture. We are glad to see you settled
among us, to see you happy, contented, prosperous, mingling with us
socially, while retaining your own internal life and organisation. I
confess I am one of those who cannot avoid the sentimental wish
that somewhere in the world, if not in Palestine, there still should be
a Jewish nation reorganised as such. But, apart from those aspirations,
I hope your community will remain and abide, and flourish among us
in England. I hope your prosperity may increase. I hope you may
still contribute your share of active work in building up the greatness
of our country. I hope also that between you and the great nation
which has been glad to receive you there may always remain that good
feeling and mutual respect which ever since the days of Cromwell have
characterised our relations, and which have been honourable both to the
Jews and to the English. I ask you to drink “Prosperity to the Anglo-
Jewish Community.”

The Chief Rabbi, in reply, said: I am lost in admiration at the
splendid eloquence with which my Right Hon. friend has proposed
the toast which is so dear and precious to us. But whilst I followed
his stately periods with rapt attention I now painfully feel I am unable
to follow him. And yet I dare not hold my peace this evening. I must
do justice to one whose humble successor I am, to that great and good
rabbi, Menasseh ben Israel, that staunch champion of justice and
toleration to whom the readmission of the Jews to these shores is due.
Our predominant sentiment this evening must be that of profound
gratitude that we have been enabled to settle again within these blessed

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shores. Poets and prose-writers of every age have vied With each other
in singing the praises of England. They have extolled England for her
natural beauty, her inexhaustible resources, her brilliant achievements
on land and by sea, her glorious literature. But it is not these that are
the only, not even the primary motives that prompt our love and
admiration. They are not the chief elements of England’s greatness.
The secret of England’s moral greatness is that her rule is based upon
those eternal principles of justice and toleration first enunciated in our
sacred scriptures, that her rule is based on that righteousness which
alone exalteth a nation and, therefore, wherever peoples are gathered
beneath the British flag they thrive and prosper under its ample folds.
Hence justice flourishes, civilisation advances, and humanity is lord of all.
It is the land where, girt by friend or foe—

“A man may speak the thing he will,

A land of settled government,
A land of free and old renown,
Where freedom slowly broadens down

From precedent to precedent.”

The great advantage of celebrations such as this is that they make the
past live again. There was a good old lady who once said that she
could not for the life of her understand why people made such a fuss
of history. “Why not let bygones be bygones?” The Jewish
Historical Society of England and my Right Hon. friend, whom we
still rejoice to call Professor Bryce, do not hold this view. On an
evening like the present there starts before our minds the memory of
that small handful of Marranos who assembled together in mortal dread
of discovery, huddled in a small oratory in a subterranean cellar in
Creechurch Lane in terrible fear of their hostile surroundings, which
the Chairman has described with such mastery of research and such
great vividness. How wonderful are the strides made by our community
since then! The number of synagogues in the British Empire is above
two hundred. I will not speak of those organisations which reflect
so much honour on their founders and their managers. I will not speak
of the devoted men and women who manage our charities and schools.
But we have ever regarded it as our greatest privilege to work with our
fellow-countrymen in trying to mitigate every form of human suffering
and human need. We rejoice that it has been our privilege to serve our

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287

country, whether it be in Parliament, at the University, at the Bar,
in literature, art and science, though we do not claim all the names
which Professor Bryce has brought before us. It is a matter for
rejoicing that one of the youngest members of the community should
now be helping to bear the burden of the Home Office and that another
represents His Majesty in the far-off colony of Hong-kong, and that we
have shed our blood for our Sovereign and our country and thus have
proved ourselves worthy of our citizenship. But it seems to me that
we should be living in a fool’s paradise were we not to perceive certain
perils that confront us. It needs not much keenness of sight to discern
that there are, unhappily, signs of great lack of spirituality and earnest-
ness in some quarters, that there is a regrettable want of true enthusiasm
for the highest English and the highest Jewish ideals. Time was when
we thought that the Karaites formed a great peril to our religion.
At the present time I am rather inclined to think that the greatest
danger comes to us from those people whom we may term the Don’t-
careites, those who are ashamed of their Judaism, whereas in reality
Judaism is ashamed of them. And yet, at no time in our history
was there a greater need for strenuous and whole-hearted activity.
The clouds which darken the lot of our hapless brethren in Russia,
those clouds which prevented the earlier celebration of this anniversary,
have not yet passed away. We must work heart and soul to render the
state of our brethren in hapless Russia at least tolerable. We must
above all seek to find resting-places for the poor, wretched fugitive.
How many are the problems that confront us! We look forward with
considerable misgivings to the inevitable modification of the Education
Act. I do not presume to speak in the name of the community, but
I think I am voicing the opinion of the majority, when I say that the
great bulk of us would regard the compulsory secularisation of the
schools as a great peril threatening our dear land. We ardently hope
our denominational schools will be preserved—those schools which have
been reared, endowed, and maintained for the sake of principles very
sacred and very dear to us. We do hope that in the Council Schools
the same facilities which have hitherto been granted to us, and which we
have surely not abused, may be preserved to us. We shall, of course,
acquiesce in whatever may be the decision of Parliament. We do not
intend becoming passive-resisters. It is not my intention to seek

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temporary hospitality in one of His Majesty’s prisons. I would say
this in conclusion. If we would preserve our religious prosperity and
our spiritual and material well-being, the one thing needful for us is
that we may cherish the high ideals of England—toleration, civil and
religious liberty—we must ever preserve with unalterable fidelity those
high, those inspiring principles laid down by our Judaism. Nought
shall make us rue if England—if Anglo-Jewry—to itself do rest
but true.

Lord Rothschild said: It is always very difficult to address such
a large assemblage as the present one. It is more difficult, on this
occasion, because I have to speak after the delivery of two very eloquent
speeches. I do not intend to take up much of your time, and I hope
Mr. Wolf will not think it ungracious of me if I venture to remark that
I should have preferred that the toast so eloquently given by Mr. Bryce
had not been the prosperity of the Anglo-Jewish community, but that
of civil and religious liberty throughout the world. The readmission
of those of the Jewish faith to England was a very important event for
Jews, but it was only a very small episode in that great struggle for
civil and religious liberty which began with the refusal to pay Ship
Money and ended with the trial of the bishops and the flight of James.
From that time forward the cause of civil and religious liberty was
omnipotent in this country. It may appear strange to many of you
that although Jews were admitted to England 250 years ago, a long
period of history elapsed before any of Jewish name and faith were
associated with English public life. That was not owing to any
hostility, as far as I can make out, to those of the Jewish faith; but
with the expulsion of the Stuart monarchs from these islands, Acts
were passed against civil and religious liberty which were supposed to be
in favour of religious liberty, and tests were imposed on all those who
took part in public life. Many not of the Protestant religion served the
throne, and the Government had to get an annual act of indemnity
passed. It was only in 1826 that that great statesman Lord John
Russell, whose whole life was a fight for religious liberty, got the Test
and Corporation Acts repealed. It is a very curious fact that the repeal
of the Test and Corporation Acts, which allowed all those not of the
Protestant faith to serve the State, imposed a fresh obstacle on those
of the Jewish faith, because it was only in 1826 that the House of

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Lords added the words “On the true faith of a Christian” to the oath
of allegiance, and it was not until forty years after that that Jews were
enabled to take their seats in Parliament. I have gone into the historical
part of this question, not because I thought it would interest you par-
ticularly, but because I acknowledge that the Jews who have lived in
England and become Englishmen have long enjoyed civil and religious
liberty to the full, and having enjoyed that liberty have become good
Englishmen, fond of their adopted country, and anxious to serve the
State, both in a private and public capacity. The reason why I said
I wished this toast had been that of civil and religious liberty all over
the world is because I feel that if those of our faith who live in distant
countries could enjoy the privilege of civil and religious liberty they
would likewise become good citizens of their country, delighted to live
there, and to serve the State as faithfully as we desire to do. If they
enjoyed civil and religious liberty in their lands, we here should be
spared the sorrow and anguish which we experience when we hear of
their sufferings and misfortunes. I thank Mr. Bryce for the kindly way
in which he proposed the toast, and you for so cordially responding to it.

Sir Edward Sassoon, M.P. said: I should like to be allowed to
add my humble meed of gratitude, and to indorse those sentiments of
praise and high and well-deserved admiration bestowed on my Eight
Hon. friend for that splendid, brilliant, and incisive speech with
which he has favoured us this evening. I am all the more grateful
for that utterance, and for the sentiments incorporated in it, because
we know in the House of Commons that Professor Bryce is looked upon
as a shining light, as one deeply versed in constitutional law, and con-
spicuously erudite in political matters. It has been well said that
what Mr. Bryce does not know is not worth knowing. It almost
seems a task of redundancy and supererogation to thank Mr. Bryce
for these excellent sentiments, after the delivery of speeches by the
Chief Rabbi and Lord Rothschild, both of whom have spoken with an
authority which is unchallenged, with an experience both ripe and
vigorous to which I make no pretension to lay any sort of claim. But
it may not altogether be inappropriate that that section of our com-
munity which rejoices in the generic title of Sephardim should have
some vocal and organic representation at this memorable banquet.
For, as you must be very well aware, this is a privilege which I

VOL. V.

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very highly prize—to be enabled to voice the feelings of that time-
honoured, but, I fear, somewhat attenuated, sister congregation, to
speak at this commemoration of the remarkable event which occurred
250 years ago, when, under the leadership of that enterprising and
progressive rabbi, Menasseh ben Israel, we received our first charter
of resettlement and freedom. Menasseh was the right sort of man,
a stout-hearted clergyman, who did not allow himself to be hindered
by disheartening counsels of despair, but plodded along and had the
gratification of receiving, at the hands of that sagacious and far-seeing
statesman, Cromwell, the early and initial stages of that ordered
emancipation of religious tolerance to which reference has been made.
We of the Anglo-Jewish brotherhood have now nothing to envy our
Christian fellow-citizens for, except to hope that we may go one
better than they in furthering the aims of humanity, benevolence, and
civil progress. Surrounded by so many of our Christian fellow-citizens,
who have come to offer evidence of their goodwill, we only ask that
we may be allowed to continue to share in their civic duties, to further
the consolidation of our great Empire, and to participate in our common
privileges. I have alluded to the different sections of our community.
Owing to some disparity of ritual and differences in pronunciation, which
in themselves may be insignificant, but to which I myself attach the
utmost importance, we are technically apart, and we Sephardim have not
yet been submerged by the advancing billows of the German Ocean. But
we stand together as one man in every matter that conduces to the social
and moral welfare of our Jewish race, and in everything that concerns
and practically affects the prestige and fair name of Judaism. We have
several institutions, the aim and object of which is to manumit the
oppression of our brethren abroad, to raise them in the scale of civilisa-
tion, and assist them to a higher level. The Chief Rabbi has referred
to the dark and lowering clouds of confessional bigotry, and to the per-
petually recurring periods of unreasoning fanaticism which unfortunately
are so rife in many portions of Europe, but which leave us unscathed.
We have even remained untouched by the aftermath of persecution,
which, under the cloak and guise of religious fervour, produces effects
utterly repulsive and repellent to the best doctrines, the inspirations,
the precepts of Christianity. Therefore, I think, a community and
religious confraternity which has been able successfully to repel all