CHAP. xiv. CRUELTY TO JEWS. 377 



sequence of a complaint of the lords of par- 

 liament to the king, of the malice and perfidy of 

 that people, of their usury, their forgeries, and 

 their debasement of the coin. Whatever proofs 

 may have been given of these charges, the king 

 and council resolved that on a fixed day and 

 hour the whole should be apprehended in every 

 city of the kingdom and be immediately ba- 

 nished. A part of their property was confiscated, 

 and a part was allowed to be carried with them. 

 Some of the wealthiest of the race loaded a 

 ship with vast treasures. When they had nearly 

 reached the mouth of the Thames, the master 

 of the ship cast anchor, and at low water the 

 vessel was dry on the sand. He then per- 

 suaded the Jews to walk with him on the sand, 

 telling them that the tide would not flow for a 

 long time. Having led them as far as he could 

 from the ship, and finding the tide was coming 

 in, he stole away from them and ascended the 

 ship's side by a rope. 



The wretched Jews, when they discovered 

 their situation, called to him for help ; but he 

 mocking them, bade them call on Moses who 

 had conducted their fathers through the Red 

 Sea, and thus left them to perish. He then re- 

 turned to the king, to whom he related what had 

 happened, and obtained from him both favour 

 and reward 1 . 



1 Hemingford, sub anno 1290. 



VOL. I. C C 



