A HISTORY OF NORFOLK Jews' houses were twice broken into and burned. The citizens paid lo marks for having an inquisition into this,^ and an inquisition, no doubt the one for which this sum was paid, was found recently in the guildhall of the city of Norwich. The jury found that one Simon Quitloc with one Stephen Chicken placed the fire, and that others broke open a chest and stole goods. Also that one William Hodis and one Ralph Muddon broke into the house of another Jew, where fire had not been placed. The court's finding was in favour of the Jews, for orders were given to arrest the felons. In 1250 I find an entry on the Assize Roll for Norwich of an accusation made by Peter de Marisco, a chaplain of Norwich, against Moss and other Norfolk Jews, of burning his house. When, however, the time for trial came on the prosecutor said he was unwilling to proceed with his case, so he and his pledges were fined. We have here, therefore, another example of the Jews gaining the victory when fairly opposed in a court of law. The reign of Edward I, like that of his predecessor, affords, up to the time of their expulsion, a good many instances of orders made relative to debts owing to Jews at Norwich, as well as one or two others of more interest. In 1275 it appears that Edward, having granted that no Jews should dwell in the town given in dower to the Queen Mother, deported the Jews of Cambridge to Norwich.^ And in the same year we find a com- mission to John de Levetot to inquire concerning the Christians of the county of Norfolk acting like the Jews in lending money to indigent Christians, taking money after the return thereof and detaining pledges.* In 1280 there are two entries in the Patent Rolls which show the kind of offences of which the Jews were most often found guilty. Thomas de Weyland, for instance, obtained a grant of the term of eight years, which Abraham son of Deulacres, Jew of Norwich, drawn and burned for blasphemy, had in Kelling.* Next we learn that one Isaac, a Jew of Norwich, was hanged for trespass against the coinage.^ In 1286 there was a curious charge made against Isaac, chaplain of the Jews of Norwich, and many others, for breaking into the churches of Sweynsthorp and Newton in Norfolk. It was in this year that all the Jews in England are said to have been arrested. The synagogue at Norwich was destroyed, and four years later the Jews were entirely expelled from England. Resuming the general history of the county, we find that in 1292 died Friar Roger Bacon. His discoveries will be referred to in another section, but he was a man of such local importance that his death deserves to be noticed here. In 1293* Roger Bigod was in such favour that he obtained permission to refortify his ' house ' at Bungay ; the castle having been destroyed as mentioned above. He was at this time constable of Norwich Castle, being also earl of Norfolk, but in 1300 he surrendered his earldom, castles, and other possessions to the king with the purpose of preventing his brother John from succeeding him, taking a regrant to himself and his heirs male. As he died without issue all the estates fell into the hands of the crown, and thus came to an end in the county the influence of the house of Bigod.' ' Pipe R. 22 Hen. III. ' Rigg, Select Pleas of Jewish Exch. (Selden Soc), 85.
- Pat. 4 Edw. I, m. 36<j', ' Ibid. 8 Edw. I, m. 14. ' Ibid. m. d.
• Pat. 22 Edw. I, m. 20. ' W. Rishanger, Chron. et Annal. (Rolls Ser.), 215. 478
