THE JEWS OF YORK. 
487 
executioners ; and that we voluntarily surrender our lives to our Cre- 
ator, We trace the invisible Jehovah in his acts ; God seems to call 
for us, but let us not be unworthy of that call. Suicide, on occasions 
like the present, is both rational and lawful : many examples are not 
wanting among our forefathers ; as I advise, men of Israel, they 
have acted on similar occasions.^ Having said this, the old man sat 
down and wept. 
The assembly were divided in their opinions. Men of fortitude 
applauded its wisdom, but the pusillanimous murmured that it was 
a dreadful counsel. 
Again the rabbin rose, and spoke these few words in a firm and de- 
cisive tone : ‘ My children ! since we are not unanimous in our opinions, 
let those who do not approve of my advice depart from this assem- 
bly ! — Some departed, but the greater number attached themselves to 
their venerable priest. They now employed themselves in consuming 
their valuables by fire ; and every man, fearful of trusting to the 
timid and irresolute hand of , the women, first destroyed his vvife and 
children, and then himself. Jocenus and the rabbin alone remained. 
Their life was protracted to the last, that they might see every thing 
performed according to their orders. Jocenus being the chief Jew, 
was distinguished by the last mark of human respect, in receiving 
his death from the consecrated hand of the aged rabbin, who imme- 
diately after performed the melancholy duty on himself. 
All this was transacted in the dead ^f the night. In the morning, 
the walls of the castle were seen wrapt in flames, and only a few 
miserable and pusillanimous beings, unworthy of the sword, were 
viewed on the battlements, pointing to their extinct brethren, When 
they opened the gates of the castle, these men verified the prediction 
of their late rabbin ; for the multitude, bursting through the solitary 
courts, found themselves defrauded of their hopes, and in a moment 
avenged themselves on the feeble wretches who knew' not to die with 
honour. 
Such is the narrative of the Jews of York, of whom the historian 
can only cursorily observe, — that five hundred destroyed themselves. 
Gordian Knot. 
This was a knot made by K. Gordian, in one of the cords of his yoke, 
or, as some have it, in the leathers of his chariot-harness ; which was 
so very intricately twisted, that it was impossible to discover where it 
began or ended. The oracle of Apollo having declared, that whoever 
should untie this knot should be master of all Asia, many attempted 
it, but without success ; till at last Alexander the Great, after likewise 
attempting in vain to untie it, cut it asunder wdth his sword, and thus 
either eluded or fulfilled the prediction. 
Confusion of Tongues. 
In the history of mankind, this is a memorable event, which hap- 
pened in the year 101 according to the Hebrew chronology, and 401 
by the Samaritan, after the flood, at the overthrow of Babel, and 
