The Buccaneer - A Tale

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.