Historic%20Yorkshire

JEWISH MASSACRE AT YORK. 33
to batter down the walls, a dislodged stone fell upon his
head and killed him." The besieged probablynumbered
about a thousand,of which five hundredis computed as
the number of women and children.
We canform but aninadequate idea ofthe sufferings of
the unfortunate Jews as the maddened mob gradually
forced an entrance into their stronghold. Loud were
their cries for mercy, and enormous were the sums of
money offered as its price,but both cries and bribes were
equally inefficacious, for the crowd became more and
more infuriated and violent, until it was evident, from
their uncontrollable excitement, that the doom of the
besieged was sealed. The Jews themselves recognised
the hopelessness of any escape, but resolved, with a
courage lent by despair, never to fall alive into the hands
of the ruffian mob. One of the Rabbis, recollecting the
sacrifice of Abraham, urged upon the Jews, in response
to their lamentable cries, that they should console themselves
as much as possible, as for the cause of their
religion did they suffer this oppression which had been
brought upon them; and as they refused to be comforted,
conclude, in these terribleterms: — " Men of Israel, listen
to my advice! It is better that we should kill each other
than fall into the hands of the enemies of our Lord."
The Jews consented to conform to this advice,deeming
self-murder the only alternative left for their choice.
Some few only,who hoped to make conditions for their
lives, dissented from the proposal. They then commenced
proceedingsby piling togetherin a vast heap all
their combustible property, which was then fired, thus
depriving their enemies of much valuable plunder. In
addition to this they battered and defaced their plate.
Next came the awful sacrifice. Each father of a family,
acting with a stern abnegationof everytender feeling of
humanity,being actuated by higher feeling of consideration
for his loved ones, acted the part of executioner
towards them, first cutting the throats of his children,
then that ofhis wife! Then the heads of the families did
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