The historie of the holy vvarre by Thomas Fuller ...

Chap. 3.

Of the present wofull condition of the Iews; and of the small hope, and great hinderances of their conversion.

THus the main body of the Jews was brought into Spain, and yet they stretched their out-limbs into every countrey: so that it was as hard to find a populous city without a common sink, as without a company of Jews. They grew fat on the barest pasture, by usury and brokage; though often squeezed by those Christians amongst whom they lived, counting them dogs, and therefore easily finding a stick to beat them. And al∣wayes

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in any tumult, when the fence of order was broken, the Jews lay next harms: as at the coronation of Richard the first, when the English made great feasts, but the pillaged Jews paid the shot.* 1.1 At last, for their many villanies (as falsifying of coin, poysoning of springs, crucifying of Christian children) they were slain in some places,* 1.2 and finally banished out of others: Out of England anno 1291, by Edward the first; France 1307, by Philip the fair; Spain 1492, by Ferdinand; Portugall 1497, by Emmanuel. But had these two latter Kings banished all Jewish bloud out of their countreys, they must have emptied the veins of their best subjects, as descended from them. Still they are found in great numbers in Turkie;* 1.3 chiefly in Salonichi, where they enjoy the freest slavery: and they who in our Saviours time so scorned Publicanes, are now most employed in that office, to be the Turks toll-gatherers: Likewise in the Popish parts of Germany; in Poland; the Pantheon of all religions: and Amster∣dam may be forfeited to the King of Spain, when she cannot shew a pattern of this as of all other sects. Lastly, they are thick in the Popes▪ dominions, where they are kept as a testimo∣ny of the truth of the Scriptures, and foyl to Christianity, but chiefly in pretence to convert them. But his Holinesse his con∣verting faculty worketh the strongest at the greatest distance: for the Indians he turneth to his religion, and these Jews he converteth to his profit. Some are of opinion of the generall calling of the Jews: and no doubt those who dissent from them in their judgements, concur in their wishes and desires. Yet are there three grand hinderances of their conversion: First, the offence taken and given by the Papists among whom they live, by their worshipping of images, the Jews being zelots in the se∣cond commandment: Secondly, because on their conversion they must* 1.4 renounce all their goods as ill gotten; and they will scarce enter in at the door of our Church, when first they must climbe over so high a threshold: Lastly, they are debarred from the use of the new Testament,* 1.5 the means of their salvation. And thus we leave them in a state most pitifull, and little pitied.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Munster Cos∣mogr. p. 457.
• * 1.2

  Polyd. Virg. p. 327.
• * 1.3

  Sandys Trav. pag. 146.
• * 1.4

  P. Heylin, Microcos. in Palestine, pag. 570.
• * 1.5

  Sir E. Sandys Survey of the West.