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sword, throngli the blind rage of an infuriate mob, led on by
a fanatical hermit, who called upon his listeners to exterminate
the enemies of Christ. The Jews mostly lived in
Jubbergate and Jewbury ; were large traders, and possessed of
great wealth. One of the wealthiest and most influential members
of this persecuted race, named Benet, had been recently
killed in London. A body of armed men made an assault
upon his house in York, which they plundered, murdering
his wife and children. On the following day most of the
Jewish inhabitants, with their families, their gold, precious
stones, costly garments, and all their moveable valuables,
refuge in the Castle, which was, by order of the
warden and sheriffs, besieged by the excited populace. The
siege was continued for several days ;
but, on the day fixed
for the final assault, the Jews, rather than be taken, and
fearing a worse death, set fire to the Castle, first destroying
all the wealth they could, then, with the exception of a few,
killing each other. Those remaining offered to surrender
and become Christians ; but were barbarously murdered by
the victorious citizens on entering the Castle the following
morning, who then went to the Minster, obtained the registers
of money lent by the Jews to the leading men of the city and
neighbourhood, and having made a bonfire in the nave,
burnt the whole of the documents.
King John, and also Henry III., frequently visited York
;
during their reigns, several parliaments assembled here.
The latter-named monarch celebrated Christmas here with
great splendour in 1251, when Margaret, his daughter, was
married in the Cathedral to Alexander III., King of Scotland,
neither bride nor bridegroom being quite eleven years old.
Under Edward I. parliament was held twice in York ; and
the courts of justice, Doomsday Book, and other valuable
documents were removed to this city from London. In 1311,
Edward II. kept Christmas here, and caused the city walls to
be fortified. Edward III. often visited this ancient city. -In
1327, he spent Christmas here ; and in the following January
was married in the Cathedral to Philippa, aged fourteen,
daughter of William of Hainault, Edward having attained the
more mature age of sixteen years. The ceremony was celebrated
with much pomp and splendour. The bride was
accompanied by a large body of armed retainers from Hainault,
and the King by his Council and the flower of the English