The generous Jews of England 300 years go, plus an antisemitic poem from 250 years ago

The Ipswich Journal, June 26, 1725, mentions that Jews were quick to help out people in trouble:

Yesterday being Rainy and Cloudy, the Hay-Makers resorted again to the Royal Exchange to the Number of about 1700, Who were again relieved by a Collection which the Jews contributed liberally.

1,700 people who harvest hay were forced to take shelter indoors on a rainy day. They were forced to ask for help because of their loss of income, and local Jews contributed a large amount, indicating their charitable involvement in aiding those in need.

From this positive depiction of Jews we go forward 50 years and across the ocean.

This antisemitic (and anti-Christian) poem was published in the "Poet's Corner" of the Virginia Gazette, June 3, 1775:

The Monk and Jew.

An unbelieving Jew one day  

Was feasting o’er the icy way,  

Which being brittle let him in,  

Just deep enough to catch his chin;  

And in that woeful plight he hung,  

With only power to move his tongue.

    A brother feaster near at hand,  

    A Papist born in foreign land,  

    With halfy strokes directly flew  

    To save poor Mordecai the Jew:  

    But first, quoth he, I must enjoin  

    That you renounce your faith for mine;  

    There’s no entreaties else will do,  

    Hereafter to help a Jew.

“Forswear mine faith! No! Cot forbid!  

Dat would be ferry base indeed.  

Coms, never mind such tings as deeze,  

Tink, tink how fary hard it freeze.  

More coot you do, more coot you be;  

Vat signifies your fait to me?  

Come tink agen, how cold and vet,  

And help me out van lettle bit.”

    By holy maifs, ’tis hard, I own,  

    To see a mag both hang and drown,  

    And can’t relieve him from his plight,  

    Because he is an Israelite.  

    The church refuses all assistance,  

    Beyond a certain pale and distance;  

    And all the service I can lend  

    Is praying for your soul, my friend.

“Pray for mine soul! ha! ha! you make me laugh;  

You petter help me out py half!  

My soul I farant will take care  

To pray for her nown self my tear.  

So tink a little now for me;  

’Tis I am in de hole, not thee.”

    The church forbids it, friend, and faith,  

    That all shall die who has no faith.

“Vell! if I must pelieve, I must;  

But help me out van little first.”

    No, not an inch without Amen,  

    That feels the whole——

“Vell hear me den!  

 I here renounce, for coot and all,  

 De race of Jews, both great and small;  

’Tis de with trade beneath de sun,  

 Or varst religion, dat’s all van:  

 Dey cheat, and get deir living pite,  

 And lie, and swear de lie is right.  

 I’ll co to mass as soon as ever  

 I get to toder side de river.  

 So help me out, dow Christian friend,  

Dat I may do as I INTEND.”

    Perhaps you do intend to cheat,  

    If once you get upon your feet?

“No, no, I do intend to be  

A Christian, such a one as dee.”  

For thought the Jew, he is as much  

A Christian man as I am such.  

The bigot Papist joyful hearted,  

To hear the heretic converted,  

Rejoiced to the designing Jew,  

’Tis was a happy fall for you;  

You’d better die a Christian now,  

For if you live you’ll break your vow.  

Then said no more, but in a trice  

Popp’d Mordecai beneath the ice.

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