#  Jews on the Early English Stage 

 



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*Ad Faciendam Similitudinem Dominici Sepulcri \[The Service for Representing the Scene at the Lord’s Sepulchre\]*, in *Medieval Drama*, ed. David Bevington (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1975):

*Heu! Nequam gens Judaica,*  
*quam dira frendet vesania.*  
*Plebs execranda!*  
\[Alas! Wretched Jewish people,  
Whom an abominable insanity makes frenzied.  
Despicable nation!\] (7-9)

*Ludus de Nativitate \[The Christmas Play\]*, in *Medieval Drama* (12th-early 13th c.), ed. David Bevington (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1975):

*Archisynagogus cum suis Judaeis valde obstrepet auditis prophetiis, et dicat trudendo socium suum, movendo caput suum et totum corpus et percutiendo terram pede, baculo etiam imitando gestus Judaei in omnibus*. \[Let Archisynagogus with his Jews, having heard the prophecies, make an excessive clamor; and, shoving forward his comrade, agitating his head and his entire body and striking the ground with his foot, and imitating with his scepter the mannerisms of a Jew in all ways.\] (78sd)

*The Croxton Play of the Sacrament* (ca. 1461), in *Medieval Drama*, ed. David Bevinton (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1975):

 *Primus*. Anon to hym ther cam a Jewe,  
With grete rychesse for the nonys, (17-18)

*Here shall þe iiij Jewys pryk þer daggerys in iiij quarters*. (468sd)

*The Conversion of St. Paul*, in *Medieval Drama*, ed. David Bevinton (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1975):

*Here entrith Saul, goodly besene in the best wise like an aunterous knyth, thus saying:*  
 *Saulus*. Most dowtyd man I am living upon the ground,  
Goodly besene with many a riche garnement! (14sd-16)

*The Historie of Iacob and Esau* (London: Henrie Bynneman, 1568):

*The partes and names of the Players who are to be consydered to be Hebrews and so should be apparailed with attire*. (title page)

Christopher Marlowe, *The Rich Iew of Malta* (1590), ed. Thomas Heywood (London: John Beale for Nicholas Vavasour, 1633):

 \[*Machevil*\] I come not, I,  
To reade a lecture here in Britaine,  
But to present the Tragedy of a Iew,  
Who smiles to see how full his bags are cramb'd  
Which mony was not got without my meanes. (Pr.28-32)

*Enter Barabas in his Counting-house, with heapes of gold before him*. (1.1.1sd)

*Hugs his bags*. (2.1.53sd)

William Shakespeare, *The Merchant of Venice* (1596-97), in *The Riverside Shakespeare*, 2nd ed., ed. G. Blakemore Evans (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997):

 *Shy*. \[Aside.\] How like a fawning publican he looks!  
I hate him for he is a Christian,  
But more for that in low simplicity  
He lends out money gratis and brings down  
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.  
If I can catch him once upon the hip,  
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.  
He hates our sacred nation, and he rails  
Even there where merchants most do congregate  
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,  
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe,  
If I forgive him! (1.3.41-52)

George Chapman, *The Blinde Begger of Alexandria* (London: J. Roberts for William Iones, 1598):

*Leon \[i.e. Irus\]*. Now am I Leon The rich vsurer..  
*Sa*. Oh but he hath a great nose.  
*Ia*. Tis no matter for his nose, for he is rich.

John Webster, *The Deuils Law-Case* (London: Augustine Mathewes for Iohn Grismand, 1623):

*Enter Romelio in the habit of a Iew.*  
 *Rom*. Excellently well habited, why me thinks,  
That I could play with mine owne shaddow now,  
And be a rare Italienated Iew.