Poor fool! she thought herself in wondrous price
With God, as if in Paradise she were;
But, were she not in a fool's paradise,
She might have seen more reason to despair,
And, therefore, as that wretch hew'd out his cell
Under the bowels, in the heart of hell!
So she, above the moon, amid the stars would dwell.
GILES FLETCHER
We must leave Cecil Place for a while--suffer Manasseh Ben Israel to
pursue his journey to Hampton Court--offer no intrusion upon the
solitude of the preacher Fleetword--take no note of aught concerning
Walter De Guerre or Major Wellmore--nor heed, for a time, whether the
Buccaneer steered his course by land or water: attend to nothing, in
fact, for the present, except the motives and actions of Zillah Ben
Israel.
The Jewish females were brought up, at the period of which we treat,
with the utmost strictness, and kept in great seclusion, scarcely ever
associating but with their own people, and enduring many privations in
consequence of never mixing in general society. It is true they had
companions of their own nation, and amusements befitting (according to
the notions of the Elders) their state and age; but, nevertheless, they
were held under much and injudicious restraint, the result of which was
evil. It is seldom that the young can be held back by a tight and
galling rein, without either biting the bit, or breaking the bridle.
Zillah was the only child of her father, and nothing could exceed the
expense or the care lavished upon her. Had Manasseh himself
superintended her education, it is but fair to infer that his wisdom and
judgment would have curbed the headstrong and stubborn nature of her
mind and temper; but, deprived in her infancy of a mother's
watchfulness, and Ben Israel's duty and business calling him continually
from one country to another, she was necessarily intrusted to the care
of certain relatives of his own, Polish Jews; who, though excellent
friends in their way, and well versed in all the rites and ceremonies of
the Mosaic law, were totally ignorant of the proper course to be pursued
with a wild, high-spirited girl, fully aware of the importance of her
father's wealth and influence, and panting for the time when she should
share in both. The people with whom she resided perceived her
wilfulness; but, instead of combating it with reason, they sought to
overcome it by force--and the best of all force, according to their
ideas, was that which a staid and sober husband might exercise. The
person upon whom they fixed was a Jew diamond-dealer, who had numbered
about as many years as her father, but was greatly his inferior both in
sagacity and power; indeed, there were very few who could compete with
the learned Rabbi, Manasseh Ben Israel, in either of these qualities.
Cromwell thought most highly of his talents, and bestowed upon him a
degree of confidence he reposed in few, treating him with a respect and
attention which all classes of Christians thought he carried much too
far; for, at that time, Toleration was only in its infancy, and true
peace-loving Religion suffered much from the persecutions with which the
successful party never failed to visit those over whom they had
triumphed. Catholic against Protestant--Protestant against
Catholic--Sectarian against both--both against Sectarian--all against
Jew--and the defamed and despised Israelite obliged, in self-defence, to
act by subtlety (for his strength had departed from him) against all!
Cromwell took advantage of this state of things, and with much policy,
but it is to be hoped also with much sincerity, exerted himself
continually to render England a place of security and happiness to the
wandering children of Israel. To quote his own words, his opinion was,
"Since there was a promise that they should be converted, means ought to
be used to that end; and the most likely way was, the preaching of the
Gospel in truth and sincerity, as it was then in Britain--devoid of all
Popish idolatry, which had rendered the Christian religion odious to
them." But the design was so violently and so generally opposed, that it
came to nothing. Many scrupled not to affirm, that the Protector had
secured a conditional bribe, to an enormous amount, in case he procured
for them equal toleration with English subjects; while others, with more
show of truth, declared, that when Cromwell "understood what dealers the
Jews were every where in that trade which depends on news, the advancing
money upon high or low interest, in proportion to the risk they ran, or
the gain to be made as affairs might turn up, and in the buying and
selling of the actions of money so advanced, he, more upon that account,
than with a view to tolerate their principles, brought a company of them
over, and gave them leave to build a synagogue." It is certain that they
were sure and trusty spies for him, especially with relation to Spain
and Portugal, and that they never betrayed his confidence.--Is it not,
however, most extraordinary, in these our own times, when the spirit of
liberty is bestriding the whole earth "like a Colossus," that a people
so faithful, so influential, and so peaceable, should be deprived of so
many privileges?--privileges, which we are labouring with mind, pen, and
purse, to procure for tribes of ignorant and uncivilised savages, who as
yet are utterly unable to comprehend the nature of the freedom we seek
to thrust upon them, but who are too often ready and eager to bite the
hand that would bestow it? God forbid that we should desire it to be
withholden from a single human being, whether black or white, who bears
the impress of his Maker. But reason, policy, and humanity, may alike
teach us that the blessing should first be shared by those who have
done most to deserve it--who know best how it should be used--and who
have the most powerful hereditary claims upon the sympathy and
consideration of Christians. The time is surely at hand, when the badge
of ignominy shall be removed from them--at least in Britain--where, but
for the exception to which we refer, Freedom is the birthright of every
native of the soil. Cromwell knew their value to a state; and had he
lived a few years longer, the Jew would have been at liberty to
cultivate his own lands, and manure them (if it so pleased him) with his
own gold, any where within the sea-girt isle of England.