The Stirrings of the 1590S and the Return of the Jews to England

The Stirrings of the 1590s and theReturn of the Jews to England* Professor THEODORE K. RABB, M.A.,Ph.D. true Christian to realise how total was the Anyone who stands in this place to talk about Anglo of virtue, 60 actual Jewish history in the years around 1600 cannot help reversal that, just years later, permitted Jews awesome to live amidst of outlook on but be acutely conscious of the tradition into Englishmen. Reorderings come in which he has dared to encroach. Nearly twenty times this scale but rarely history?the Christian a of Turk in the cen? in the past three-quarters of century, the Presidency acceptance the hated nineteenth in our life? of this Society has been occupied not only by masters tury, the Franco-German reconciliation are two one cannot but by the very creators of this metier, in whose time, of but few examples?and shadow a new venture into the field 'can but peep to explain fully how such fundamental reorientations occur. is too too reliant on what itwould'. Shakespeare, of course, had treason in The progression complex, to a neat mind when he wrote of such peeping, but I feel not far the imponderables of human nature, permit as of causes. Some of the basic distant from that accusation I trample the ground and complete listing of our have been that has been made to flower so remarkably by the elements particular story superbly the historians who have before Presidents of whom I just spoke. Those nearly twenty elaborated by spoken this in the of a and offices were held by only two men, Lucien Wolf and Society past three-quarters century, even a I can to add to their discoveries is a Cecil Roth, but quick glance at their writings all hope long But it is a footnote that takes us to the will convince the reader that, as with Shakespeare, it is footnote. very was the first of a crack in the tradi? hard to believe that such learning and insight not beginning, very hint, the work of 20 men. Everyone who follows where tional hatred of Jewry. The crucial in was the 1590s they prepared the way will find himself deep in their decade, my view, very execution Dr. debt at every turn. I thus come to my subject chas? that witnessed the of Lopez, the popu? of The and the of The tened by awareness of the traditions of this forum, the larity Jew ofMalta, composition Merchant Venice?in the most strident extraordinary heritage ofWolf and Roth, and the fact of sum, perhaps antisemitism had seen since the of the that itwas here, eight years ago, that my father gave England days I. his last public talk, just a few months before he died. expulsion under Edward The juxtaposition of the of reconciliation with this of Anglo-Jewish history in this period is naturally dawning nightmare no means uncommon dominated by premonitions of the readmission of hatred may be ironic, but it is by 1656. Most of the studies of the era?whether of Dr. in human affairs; the oft-noticed swing towards Lopez, of marranos and their contacts, of philosemi balanced moderation that follows fits of extremism tism, or of the composition of Cromwell's Council of brings joy to those who uphold pendulum theories of in the 1590s is State?ultimately point towards that decisive event, history. Where England concerned, and in one way or another serve as foretaste or however, it is probably sufficient to recognise that a ironies are explanation of seminal moment in both English and and contradictions part of mankind's on and to reiterate the ancient truism that often at Jewish history. What Iwould like to concentrate is nature, : moment first one essential part of that story the beginnings of the the of deepest despair the signs of hope momentous change in attitude that transformed the appear. as virulence of thosewho applauded The Jew ofMalta Whence did that hope come? In the first instance, and The Merchant ofVenice into the benign openness of has long been established, from the influence of the new interest in Testament England's leaders under Cromwell. Hebrew and the Old that was For we should not mistake the magnitude of that born during the Reformation. Already in the transformation?a shift inwhat the French call menta 1540s there was a competent Hebraist occupying a at lites that was as striking as any to be found in historical Chair Cambridge. By the 1590s?our crucial dec? literature. One has but to recall the bitterness of the ade?the 'first serious contribution to Jewish scholar? to see 1590s, the decade of chief popularity ofMarlowe's and ship the light in this country' could be pub? as cast on Shakespeare's plays, with their portrayal of the Jew lished.1 Yet two reservations doubt the wider was the incarnation of evil, the antithesis in every measure significance of this revival. First, Hebraic learning by no means an indication of amiability towards Jews. * to on 12 1976. Paper delivered the Society May For every Johannes Reuchlin there were dozens of 26 Jewish Historical Society of England is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to Transactions & Miscellanies Jewish Historical Society of England ® www.jstor.org The 1590s and the Return of the Jews to England 27 without is a sufficient education: 'The Sebastian M?nsters and Joseph Scaliger s?great scho? preaching, Jews of the law of lars who used their learning to denounce the children have always had their weekly readings that had in like manner their of Israel. Second, the English Hebraists were hardly Moses; but they always sermons some the law of Moses men of influence. They occupied exotic positions at weekly upon part of we some Oxford and Cambridge, teaching a language that was nowhere find'?a perception that might to considered merely a nice ornament of learning, like wish revive today. Classical Greek should I say 50 years ago. today?or In response to the assertion that worship should be had minor contact with the such as They powerful, spontaneous, rather than written down as 'common' Cranmer, but no central in Archbishop place English prayer, Hooker's argument was more elaborate. If the we society. assertion is true, he wrote, then 'surely cannot That in the 1590s, position changed dramatically excuse Moses, who gave such occasion of scandal to when of, and admiration for, the name knowledge Jews the world, by not being content to praise the of found its it is true, but to way?briefly, inescapably Almighty God according the usual naked simplicity nonetheless?into the magnum opus of the chief theor? of God's spirit for that admirable victory given them ist of Richard Hooker. Hooker is not a were Anglicanism, against Pharaoh, unless so dangerous precedent mentioned in Roth's definitive the in ... History of Jews left for the framing of prayers which might be yet I believe he deserves a of honour? never England, place repeated often, although they had again the not so much for the power of his views, which were same occasions which brought them forth at the first. often and limited, but because he to a ambiguous, certainly For that very hymn ofMoses grew afterwards be Establishment. his represented England's By lending part of the ordinary Jewish liturgy: not only that, but to customs and beliefs, he did more common imprimatur Jewish sundry other since invented. Their books of to alter the consciousness of the who ruled the out people prayer contained partly hymns taken of the holy land than had a dozen Professors of Hebrew or minor scripture, partly benedictions, thanksgivings, suppli? He himself knew Hebrew; he lectured on as to theologians. cations penned by such have been from time time it at Oxford; and there are Hebrew words in the text the governors of that synagogue. These they sorted of his book. But farmore than these accom? some important into their several times and places, to begin the was the attitude that he plishments conveyed. service of God with, and some to end,. and some to We must remember, at the outset, Hooker why be interlaced between the divine readings of the Law the bulk of his great work, The Laws . published of and Prophets [while also] finishing the Passover Ecclesiastical Politie, in the mid-1590s.2 The Anglican with certain Psalms... As the Jews had their songs of Church was under fierce attack from Puritans, who Moses and David and the rest, so [has] the church of accused it of retaining Popish festivals, customs, and Christ.' institutions. The Puritans wanted all such 'supersti? Hooker noted, too, that the custom of confirmation tions' and Catholic remnants swept away, leaving a went back to Jacob blessing Ephraim and Manasseh; Church of pristine simplicity, unencumbered by and, when he was the use of the Roman traditions and ceremonies. Hooker's answer defending wedding customs were ring, he emphasised that analogous was an elaborate justification of all the features of honoured the 'What rite and custom is there as by Jews: Anglicanism to which the Puritans objected, and so harmless wherein the wit of man bending itself to part of the defence he cited supporting evidence from derision not find out somew7hat to scorn because he knew that Puri? may easily Jewish practices precisely and at? He that should have beheld the when tan biblicism on theOld Testament jest Jews put special weight over they stood with a four cornered garment spread and 'the people of the Book'.

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