THE JEWS IN EUROPE. 21 



5 



of plotting to burn the great city with Greek fire. The great plague, 

 which in 1348 swept over and depopulated all Europe, could only, it 

 was easily known, proceed from the Jews. The fact that the sober 

 and temperately living people were much less affected by the plague 

 than the Christians, converted the bare suspicion into a certainty. 

 They had everywhere, in consequence of a great conspiracy, in which 

 the houses of lepers had also taken part, poisoned the springs and 

 wells, and even the rivers. In Zofingen it was pretended that actual 

 poison was found in one of the wells. On the rack some Jews and 

 lepers confessed to the deed. There hence burst forth a storm of 

 fanaticism, of bestial revenge and vulgar avarice, such as has never 

 before nor since been seen in Europe. The victims were counted in 

 single towns by thousands. Many anticipated the rage of the mob by 

 taking their own lives. To no purpose did Pope Clement VI declare 

 in two bulls that the Jews were innocent. Those who saved them- 

 selves by a swift flight found an asylum only in distant Lithuania. 



Still, not merely on account of religion and the fictitious crime did 

 the popular hatred direct itself against the Jews ; there was in addi- 

 tion a third motive, acting just as, if not more strongly. The Jews 

 loaned money on interest, they were usurers ; they carried on an in- 

 deed indispensable but none the less sinful business, and fleeced, so 

 the saying was, the Christians. The accusation was not untrue, and 

 yet unjust. 



Popes and councils, supporting themselves upon an incorrect inter- 

 pretation of Luke vi, 35,* have since the end of the eighth century 

 with one voice and with a continually increasing rigor, condemned 

 and visited with ecclesiastical penalties all taking of interest, in what- 

 ever form, on loaned capital. In the early Church, only the clergy 

 were forbidden to take interest ; but, as the influence of the Papal 

 chair increased, the prohibition was extended to the laity also. 



No distinction was made between interest and usury, but every 

 stipulation for or taking of the slightest amount over and above the 

 capital that had been loaned was forbidden by the Popes and councils, 

 a prohibition from which there could be (as Alexis III, in 1179, de- 

 clared) in no case a dispensation. To this Clement V at the Council 

 of Vienna added the decision that it is heresy to assert that the taking 

 of interest is not a sin. 



Unendurable fetters were thereby placed upon all commerce and 

 business ; and Pope Gregory IX declared even the money advances, 

 with interest stipulated, which maritime traffic requires, to be dam- 

 nable usury. The Church had thereby placed itself in contradiction 

 with the nature of things, with the indispensable requirements of 

 civil life and of general trade ; she might, indeed, prevent her own 

 members from taking interest, but she could not command or compel 



* The revised translation reads, "and lend, never despairing," in place of the old 

 translation, il and lend* hoping for nothing again." (Translator.) 



