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to guard them against the insults of Jerusalem pilgrims. The year following orders were sent to the sheriff of Hereford, not only to protect their property, but likewise themselves from all suits in the spiritual court (ab Episcopo de Hereford, quia nihil ad eum pertinet de Judæis nostris). Similar writs were directed to the sheriffs of Worcester, York, Lincoln, Stamford, Bristol, Northampton, Southampton, and Winchester.

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Although the motives which influenced the English kings in extending their favour towards the Jews were doubtless selfish ones, they being regarded, even in King John's Magna Charta, as the property of the crown, and being, when circumstances required it, called upon to contribute largely to the revenues," yet the protection afforded them from all except regal rapacity, as far as that protection, in an age of violence, could be extended, attracted great numbers into the island, and extended still wider the means of obtaining acquaintance with their ancient language.

It must be borne in mind, too, that at this time Hebrew was far more extensively used among the Jewish inhabitants of England than it now is. Their contracts, sometimes called chartæ, and sometimes starra (from Heb.), are still somewhat common." Some of these are written in Hebrew; others in Latin with Hebrew subscriptions. At first these contracts were by law deposited in six or seven public places, afterwards in almost every considerable town. In records of law, too, the Hebrew was often used, so often indeed as to render chirographers necessary. vicecomes (Essex) mandavit tam litera latina, quam Hebraica.' The returns also of sheriffs were sometimes made in Hebrew and Latin; for,' says Selden, in these times both languages were used, not only in the deeds of the Jews, but also in the records of law.'-vi. 1460. Hence there was a Court of the Justices of the Jews,' with clerks attached. There were also many clerks in the Exchequer of the Jews, and many Jewish lawyers. Nor were the English Jews without men of literary fame among them. Rabbi Abraham Abenezra wrote in London his epistle na лTIN, concerning the Sabbath. Rabbi Solomon Ben Wirga, in speaking of the Jewish inhabitants of London, says that there were about two thousand masters of families of them, all men of note for wisdom and wealth, Sepher, fol. 19, a. They had, furthermore,

k Omitted in the New Magna Charta of Henry III.

m When Henry II. was thinking of going to the Holy Land, his Christian subjects were taxed at 70,000l., the Jewish at 60,000l.

n Cotton. MSS. Aug. II. 107, Nero C. III. 183 b, 184, 196. In the later additions to the Brit. Museum are two starra, endorsed in Hebrew, A.D. 1182.

• See Madox, Hist. of Exchequer, Sect. Exch. of Jews.

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many synagogues and schools. Peck says that in the cities and smaller towns they openly taught the doctrines of their Rabbins with great exactness. In some of these Christian students were instructed in Hebrew. Thus in the Old and New Jewry, Oxford, they had a school where they not only taught their own people, but many students of the University. Nor were there wanting converts to the Christian faith, who gladly imparted their knowledge of Hebrew to others. Anthony a Wood mentions one Nicholas Harpsfield 'qui circa CIOCCCIIX Hebraicam linguam in Oxonia per quendam Judæum ad fidem Christi conversum legi cœpisse.'-Hist. Univ. Oxf., ed. 1674, p. 157.

The prosperity of the Jews did not, however, continue very long. Urged by his people, whose hatred to the Hebrews increased with their success, Edward I. in the third year of his reign prohibited them from the practice of usury; the very severe laws against which had been held in abeyance during the pleasure of preceding monarchs. This prohibition was, in the eighteenth year of his reign, followed by their banishment. The Red Book of the Exchequer settles the date of that act. 'Memorandum quod die Martis in crastino Sancti Dionisii, anno regni Regis Edwardi decimo octavo, et anno Domini milleɛsimo ducentesimo, nonagesimo, recesserunt omnes Judæi de London, versus mare. The hasty departure of the Jews rendered it necessary that they should part with many of their manuscripts. Hebraica deinceps haud pauca,' says Wood, a Judæis ex Anglia turbatis, promercabantur.' Roger Bacon bought some of these, which he afterwards gave to the Franciscan Library at Oxford. On one of these was a note in which he expressed his great indebtedness to them. Gregory of Huntingdon obtained others, which he bequeathed to Ramsey Abbey, A.D. 1250, together with his own writings-choice annotations,' says Leland, which posterity may read with learned joy.' In a Roll in the British Museum, written perhaps as late as the reign of Richard II., is a catalogue of the library of Ramsey Abbey. Among the works are:Secunda pars biblioteca ebraiæ, Glose sup. bibliotecam ebraiæ... Notale sup. bibliotecam hebraicam, . . . . . loquendi intelligendi in

P In the reign of Henry III. the synagogue in London surpassed in magnificence all the Christian churches.

4 Peck's Antiq. Annals of Stamford, lib. 4, p. 2.

These have all perished. Leland, when visiting the Library, with difficulty gained access. 'Summe Jupiter!' he exclaims, 'quid ego illic inveni! Pulverem autem inveni, telas aranearum, tineas, blattas, situm denique et squalorem. Sic mihi quærenti Thesauros, carbones se obtulerunt.'

This valuable manuscript is perhaps the largest roll-catalogue of books in Eng. land. It is somewhat defaced. Its mark is Cotton, ii. 16.

lingua Hebraica, Prima pars biblioteca hebraicæ cum aliis septem libris, secunda pars biblioteca ebraica, Liber expos. distinctionum hebraicarum, Ps... hebræi.., besides others whose titles are nearly effaced.

The possession of these manuscripts enabled the monks to extend their knowledge of Hebrew, and excited among others, ignorant of the language, a desire to make its acquaintance. Still, however, the Hebrew learning of the times was very superficial. I am certain,' exclaims Bacon with much confidence, that in less than three days I could teach any person of a diligent habit and retentive memory, who would be conformable to certain rules, to read Hebrew, and understand whatever wise and holy men have formerly said in explanation of the sacred text; or whatever relates to its correction and explanation.' Yet Roger Bacon deserves great praise for his zealous advocacy of the study of the original Scriptures. In a treatise addressed to Pope Clement, he shows the importance of an acquaintance with the oriental tongues; and in another work, directed to the same dignitary, he requests the papal sanction to his attempts for promoting a general study of the Hebrew and Greek. Nor does it detract from the merit of this celebrated man that he was called to meet with much opposition in his pursuit and advocacy of Hebrew learning. The knowledge he possessed of this tongue was regarded as the medium of his intercourse with satanic agents.

Before long the sanction of the Church, desired by Roger Bacon, was granted. Clement V. published, a.d. 1311, with the approbation of the Council of Vienne, a constitution ordering that professors of Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, and Chaldee should be established in the Universities of Paris, Oxford, Bologna, and Salamanca. This decree was repeated and confirmed by the Council of Basle and by John XXII., who sent a letter to the University of Oxford," ordering that these professorships should be maintained (ut Lectiones illæ stabiles et perpetuæ fierent, et prælegentium mercede prospiceretur'). Although these ordinances were not immediately carried out, the sanction of Popes and Councils to such studies, must, it is reasonable to suppose, in an age of implicit obedience to ecclesiastical authority, have tended, at least in some degree, to remove objections to their acquisition.

Not long after the publication of Clement's constitution, we

In the statutes of the Cistercians, A.D. 1095, mention is made of a certain monk directed to be examined and punished by the abbot of Clairvaux for having learned Hebrew of a Jew.

"Cotton MSS., Brit. Mus., Faust. a. 5.

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find John de Bristol, a converted Jew, teaching Hebrew in Oxford, who magno scholarium plausu plures annos eam obibat.'Wood's Annals, p. 159. In 1345 Richard Aungerville, Bishop of Durham, wrote his Philobiblion, having just previously founded a library at Oxford. In this work he expresses his regret at the general ignorance of Hebrew and Greek which prevailed, and adds that he had provided for the use of students both Greek and Hebrew grammars - 'quorum adminiculo studiosi lectores in dictarum linguarum scriptura, lectura, necnon intellectu poterant informari.'-Hody De Text. orig. p. 433. Nine years later William Breton, of St. Edmundsbury, wrote a treatise on the Hebrew names of the Old Testament, &c. In his Introduction he says, ' recurri ad Hebraicam veritatem.'-Ib. 433. At the same time Richard, Archbishop of Armagh, urged the importance of consulting the Hebrew original in doubtful passages. Ib. 437. At the commencement of the fifteenth century Adam Eston translated the Old Testament from Hebrew into Latin, except the Psalter, and wrote several works on Hebrew literature (İb. 440); Holbeck completed a Hebrew Lexicon, which Gregory of Huntingdon had begun ; and William Grey, afterwards Bishop of Ely, eagerly sought for manuscripts, and delighted in Hebrew learning. Still later we find traces of this study at Oxford.*

During this period, and indeed subsequently, the utmost prejudice existed against the study of Hebrew-a prejudice, by the way, which proves the existence of Hebrew scholarship. It was commonly believed that the language was of recent origin, and that those who learned it would become Jews. Any fondness for it was regarded as savouring of heresy. Remember ye not,' says Tyndale, addressing Sir Thomas More, how, within this thirty years, and far less, and yet dureth to this day, the old barking curs, Dun's disciples, and the like draff, called Scotists, the children of darkness, raged in every pulpit, against Greek, Latin, and Hebrew?' Cheke, Greek Lecturer at Cambridge, in a letter to the Bishop of Winton, who was at that time Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, plainly declares that the 'many reprove the study of Hebrew,' and that it is as much as one's credit and reputation is worth, to attempt the knowledge of it.'y

At length a more favourable era dawned upon England. The impetus given to the study of the original languages of the Bible

* In 1491, Tonstal, an excellent Hebrew scholar, was student at Oxford. There too, it is probable, R. Sherwode, Professor of Hebrew at Louvain, A.D. 1519, acquired his knowledge of that language. John Helyar certainly did, who was fellow-prob., A.D. 1522.

y Strype's Memorials, i. p. 599.

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by the Reformation was not long in finding its way thither. Soon after Robert Wakefield had left Louvain and Tubingen, at which places he was Professor of Hebrew, he was engaged in giving instruction in the same language to the members of the University of Cambridge. In a letter of Ferdinand to Henry VIII., dated March, 1523, are the following words:-in Cantabrigia sua hebraicas publice profiteretur litteras.' Nor does this early attempt of introducing more correct Hebrew learning seem to have been unattended with success, as appears by a letter to King Henry VIII. from the authorities and students of that University, dated April, 1524. They say :- Erat non parvus in hac tua academia scholasticorum numerus, illustrissime princeps, si non defuissent nummi quibus præceptorem conduceret, qui religiose flagrabat linguam Hebraicam cognoscere, per quam divina nosse mysteria datum est. . . . . cujus linguæ pariter et Chaldaicæ atque Arabicæ præceptorem tua singulari liberalitate cum habeamus eruditissimum simul ac diligentissimum, spes est nos brevi hujus tanti thesauri compotes fore.' There, in the same year, was Wakefield's celebrated oration delivered, which was soon afterwards printed by Wynkyn de Worde under the title of 'Oratio de laudibus, et utilitate trium linguarum Arabicæ, Chaldaicæ, et Hebraica.' In this work, which has now become very scarce, the first Hebrew type used in England was employed. The character is very rude, somewhat like the manuscript Hebrew of Shepreve, but not nearly so good. It is furnished with points. The author complains in his preface that the types, such as they were, were not sufficient to execute all the Hebrew printing he required for his work."

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About this time one of the University preachers at Oxford,' as Erasmus tells us, having expressed himself with great violence against the study of the Scriptures in the original, Henry VIII, who happened to be residing at the time at Woodstock, and had received an account of the affair from his secretary Richard Pace (formerly a pupil of Wakefield's), issued an order commanding that the said study of the Greek and Hebrew Scriptures should not only be permitted, but made an indispensable branch of the course of academical instruction.' This led to the founding of the Hebrew professorship at Oxford. On the entreaty of the University, Robert Wakefield was, in 1530, sent hither from Cambridge to fill the newly formed office.

Numerous manuscript copies of Kimchi's Heb. Gr., &c., exist in the various libraries in England. They were probably written at this time, before the printed grammars of the Continent came extensively into use.

In their request they say of Wakefield-' He gives place to none for his admirable knowledge in the Hebrew, Syriac, and Arabic tongues.'

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