Page 296 - Russian History Viewed through Distorted Mirrors, Vol. 1

Nicolai Levashov. Russian History Viewed through Distorted Mirrors. Vol. 1

against infidels being communicated to his subjects, broke out in London on the day
of his coronation, and made them find a crusade less dangerous, and attended with
more immediate profit. The prejudices of the age had made the lending of money on
interest pass by the invidious name of usury: yet the necessity of the practice had still
continued it, and the greater part of that kind of dealing fell every where into the
hands of the Jews; who, being already infamous on account of their religion, had no
honour to lose, and were apt to exercise a profession, odious in itself, by every kind
of rigor, and even sometimes by rapine and extortion. The industry of and frugality of
this people had put them in possession of all the ready money which idleness and pro-
fusion, common to the English with other European nations, enabled them to lend at
exorbitant and unequal interest. If the government of Henry had carefully protected
this infidel race from all injuries and insults, the zeal of Richard afforded the popu-
lace pretence for venting their animosity against the Jews. The King had issued an

edict, prohibiting their appearance at his coronation; but some of them bringing him
large presents from their nation, presumed, in confidence of that merit, to approach
the hall in which he dined: being discovered, they were exposed to the insults of the
bystanders; they took flight; the people pursued them; the rumour was spread, that
the king had issued orders to massacre all the Jews; a command so agreeable was
executed in an instant on such as fell into the hands of the populace; the people,
moved by rapacity and zeal, broke into their houses, after they murdered their own-
ers.
The usual licentiousness of London broke out with furry. The inhabitants of oth-
er cities of England, hearing of this slaughter of the Jews, imitated an example. In
York, five hundred of that nation (Jews) murdered their own wives and children
threw the dead bodies over the walls upon the populace; and then set a fire into their
own houses. The gentry of the neighborhood, who were all indebted to the Jews, ran
to the cathedral, where their bonds were kept, and made a solemn bonfire of the pa-
pers before the altar. The compiler of the Annals of Waverley, in relating these
events, blessed the Almighty for thus delivering over this impious race to destruction
169
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There were very few countries which, on giving land for the Israelites to live in,
sooner or later would not demand that they leave. Sometimes it was accompanied by
pogroms, sometimes not. A question arises: why is one and the same pattern observed
in different countries and in different times — wherever people received the Israel-
ites, sooner or later the situation occurred when they were either expelled or asked to
abandon the country? It is of interest that all people among which the Israelites lived
had a negative attitude toward them. It is highly unlikely that all people, without ex-
ception, which have different cultures, beliefs and concepts, can be mistaken in one
and the same question — their attitude toward the Israelites.

The reason for such hostility which the people and tribes of different races felt
toward the Israelites is very simple — the parasitic way of life, at least, of their ruling

169 The History of England, from the invasion of Julius Cesar to the revolution in 1688, In eight volumes. By
David Hume, Esq. Published: Edinburgh, 1805. Volume II, pages: 3, 4.

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