A HISTORY OF NORFOLK bought his peace for 1,000 marks, yielded his castles (Bungay was at once demolished), and went to the Holy Land, where he died. The king showed his appreciation of the loyalty of the citizens — unsuccess- ful though it was — by allowing them a considerable amount off the profits of the city to recoup them for the loss they had suffered during the recent siege. Richard I, coming to the throne in 11 89, almost immediately confirmed the office of steward of his household to Roger Bigod (the son of Hugh), who is said to have used his influence to persuade the king to give to the citizens of Norwich a new charter in 1 194.' There is in the Pipe Rolls of Henry II and Richard I abundant evidence to show that there was during their reigns a very rich community of Jews inhabiting Norwich. The entries refer principally of course to payments due or made, and from the sums of money mentioned it is obvious that some of the Jews were very wealthy. During the reign of Henry II we do not find any mention of the Jews of Norwich being molested to any great extent, but under his two successors the Jews here, as elsewhere, appear to have been very badly treated. The first year of the reign of Richard I was marked by a remarkable attack upon them all over England. Beginning in London it soon spread to the eastern shires. At Lynn the excuse for the outbreak was that the Jews, enraged at one of their body having been converted to Christianity, set upon him to kill him. He, it is said, took sanctuary in a church ; the Jews, therefore, broke into the church, and the townspeople, fearing the king, refused to interfere. Some foreign traders, however, who were staying in the place fell upon the Jews, killed and plundered them, and sailed away with their plunder." One curious incident deserves special mention. The day after the Jews had been murdered and their houses burned, a celebrated Jewish physician, who on account of his skill and orderly behaviour was held in honour at Lynn, arrived there, unluckily for him. Seeing the dead bodies of his friends and their houses still smouldering, he spoke out with just indig- nation, denounced the murderers, and threatened vengeance. Neither his skill nor the remembrance of his past cares could save him, for he too was murdered.' The agitation spread to the east and south-east, and the Jews were robbed and murdered by the crowds flocking to the coasts to join the crusade both at Norwich and at Bury St. Edmunds — places ripe for the reception of any lie through the inculcation of the myths of the alleged crucifixions of St. William at the one place and St. Robert at the other. Details of what took place at Norwich and Bury are wanting. The Jews escaped better in the former place on account of the existence of a royal castle where they were able to take refuge,* and of which the castellan, as we know, helped them in time of need on another occasion. John in the first year of his reign renewed the privileges of Norwich. In 1205 was the great interdict and excommunication all over England. This has some local interests, as it was brought about by the king endeavour- ing to insist on John de Gray, then bishop of Norwich, being elected arch- bishop of Canterbury. When in 12 14 matters were coming to a crisis between the king and the barons, Roger Bigod sided with the latter ; Norwich Castle was, therefore, taken from him, and, together with Orford Castle, ' Blomefield, op. cit. iii, 36, 37, ' Will, de Newburgh, Hist. (Rolls Ser.), i, 310. 'Ibid. 311. ♦ Matt. Paris, Chron. Maj. (Rolls Ser.), ii, 358. 472
