the following words:-"What shall be the issue of all this, the Most High God knoweth. Rabbi Menasseh Ben Israel still remains in London, desiring a favourable answer to his proposals; and not receiving it, he hath desired, that, if they may not be granted, that he may have a favourable dismission, and return home. But other great affairs being now in hand; and this being a business of very great concernment, no absolute answer is yet returned him under the present day of the conclusion hereof, being vulgarly stil'd April the, 1656; but, according to holy Scripture, the 14th or 15th of Abib, the first month, call'd also Nisan." The same year the Jews chronicle the erection of the first Portuguese synagogue in King-street, Duke's-place,-"The burial-ground at Mile-end, where the Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Hospital now stands, taken on a lease for nine hundred and ninety-nine years. The same chronicler records that in the year 1657, occurs the first Jewish interment of a member of the synagogue, Isaac Britto by name. CHAPTER II. Charles II. begins to reign-Thomas Violet's Petition against the Jews-Charles trained to sympathize with ExilesThe Jewish Synagogue became an object of attractionCharles' Marriage with the Infanta Catherine of Braganza -Her Physician-Her Chamberlain-The Family of Da Costa-Jewish Persons and Property threatened-The King's Interposition-The Impostor, "The Wandering Jew" -The Duchess of Mazarine's Letter-Jews indicted for meeting for public Worship-The King's orders to the Attorney-General-Conversions to Christianity - Rabbi Moses Scialitti-Dupas. No sooner did Charles II. resume his legitimate position on the throne of Great Britain, than the feeling of animosity against the Jews began to display itself. A goldsmith, Thomas Violet by name, proved himself a most violent enemy to the Hebrew congregation. He had the audacity to petition the king and parliament to banish all the Jews once more from this realm, and to confiscate their property; and in order to secure the king's prejudice in favour of the cruel petition, Violet gave a succinct and comprehensive account of their readmission into this kingdom; dwelling, in emphatic terms, on Cromwell's manœuvres to influence his parliament to acquiesce in the act; how the usurper instructed Secretary Thurloe to invite Rabbi Menasseh Ben Israel into London; and how that, contrary to the expressed opinion of the majority of his own council, the soi-disant protector granted the Jews toleration to reside in this country. These and many other incentives did Violet urge upon Charles II. and the parliament, in order to bring about the desired persecution. This petition was presented January, 1661. But Charles was an exile himself, and therefore learned to bear compassion towards strangers in a strange land, the petition failed therefore in producing the desired effect. Moreover, Charles II. whilst abroad, had many opportunities of coming in contact with many Hebrews, who were justly entitled to his royal confidence and regard. Those settled in England, therefore, were permitted by his majesty to live unmolested, because they lived peaceably and loyally. Their synagogue became an object of attraction to some; and we read of a gentleman, Thomas Greenhalagh by name, visiting that house of prayer in 1662, and stating that he found in it upwards of one hundred men, of apparent affluence and wealth, and their ladies in very rich attire. The same year died the first leader of the newly-formed Anglo-Jewish congregation, which appears from a Hebrew epitaph, of which the following is a translation, in the old Jewish cemetery. HERE LIETH CONCEALED ONE PERFECT TOWARDS HEAVEN, HE EXECUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS AT ALL TIMES, NEEDY; THE GENTLE AND MILD WARDEN AND LEADER OF THE CONGREGATION, THE NOBLE, THE EXALTED, THE WORTHY, RABBI NAPHTALI HIRSH, THE SON OF RABBI ABRAHAM. MAY THE MEMORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS BE BLESSED. THE SECOND DAY OF THE MONTH, TAMUZ, ACCORDING TO THE SHORTER DATE, HERE AT * The long date is that which has the thousands prefixed to the hundreds. The above corresponds to the month of August, 1669. When that monarch discovered the secret that "it is not good that the man should be alone," and set his heart on the virtuous Infanta, Catherine of Braganza; General Monk, the faithful and confidential friend of the king, was instructed to make the overtures for that purpose, which he accomplished by a Portuguese Jew. And when the Infanta was on her way to England, and taken ill at Castile with an erysipelas, Antonio Mendes-a Jew, and physician to John IV. of Portugal, the Infanta's father, as also professor of medicine at Coimbra was dispatched to attend the Princess. Antonio's brother, Andrea Mendes, was appointed to the honourable post of Queen Catherine's Chamberlain. Her Majesty was very solicitous that the talented brothers should accompany her to England and settle there. They had no objection to comply with the wishes of their royal mistress, but they communicated their intentions to their third brother, who was anxious to bear them company; and thus all the three Mendes settled in London, and openly threw off their hypocritical garb, and became strenuous and undisguised Jews, and assumed the name of Da Costa-by which name their descendants are known to this very day. The congregation became augmented; fresh |