A. D. 1278. 



43 



Beckfburn, - i fliip. 



Grange and Gillingham, two 

 armed men. 



Sandwich, withStonor, Ford- 

 wich, Dale, &c. - 5 



The fhips to be ready upon forty 

 days notice every year, properly 

 srmed and arrayed, to carry 20 

 men each, befides the mafter of the 

 mariners, and to ferve five days at 

 the expenfe of the ports, and after- 

 wards at the king's expenfe. 



Pevenfey, Hodney, Win- 

 chelfea, Rye, Ihame, 

 Beckfburn, Grange, Nor- 

 thie, Bulverhithe. 

 Romenal, or Rumney 5 fhips. 



Its members, Promhill, 

 Lydde, Eaflwefton, Den- 

 geymarfli, Old Rumney, 

 Hethe, or Hythe, - 5 



Its member. Weft Hythe. 

 Dover, - - 21 



Its members, Folkfi:on,Fe- 

 verfham,andSMVIargarets. 

 Sandwich, - 5 



Its members, Fordwich, 

 Reculver, Serre, and Dele, 

 or Deal. 



Each fhip to carry 2 1 men and 

 I garcion or boy, the whole com- 

 plement being 1,197 ^^^^ ^^'^ 57 

 boys for the 57 fhips, which were to 

 ferve 15 days, countingfrom the firfl 

 fpread of the fails, at the expenfe of 

 the ports, and afterwards, as long as 

 the kingfhould defire, at his expenfe. 

 [Haklujt^s Voiages, V. i. p. 17.] 



King Edward treated the Jews with great rigour. He prohibited 

 them fi'om felling or afligning their debts without his licence. He or- 

 dered their repofitories throughout the whole kingdom to be fearched. 

 He iffued various orders againfh their extortions by ufury. He fet on 

 foot an inquifition to take cognifance of thofe who negleded to wear 

 their diflinguifhing badges. The oppreflion and ignominy, which that 

 unfortunate race of people continually groaned under, feem to have 

 rendered them regardlefs of charader ; and the frequent extortions of 

 vafl fums from them made them think themfelves juftifiable in taking 

 every method whatever to indemnify themfelves. They were faid to 

 make a common pradice of diminifhing the currerit coin, circulating 

 counterfeit money, and making fraudulent exchanges, and to carry 

 thofe frauds to fuch an extent, that the nominal prices of all things 

 were raifed, and foreign merchants declined trading in England, where 

 the money was fo very much funk below its nominal value. In confe- 

 quence of their guilt, and the outcry raifed againfl them, all the Jews 

 throughout England were imprifoned in one day, and no fewer than 

 two hundred and eighty of both fexes were hanged in London only, be- 



