of the murdered, which lay about the streets, were
put into empty wine-casks and rolled into the Rhine, lest they should
infect the air. The mob was forbidden to enter the ruins of the
habitations that were burnt in the Jewish quarter; for the senate itself
caused search to be made for the treasure, which is said to have been
very considerable. At Strasburg two thousand Jews were burnt alive in
their own burial-ground, where a large scaffold had been erected: a few
who promised to embrace Christianity were spared, and their children
taken from the pile. The youth and beauty of several females also
excited some commiseration, and they were snatched from death against
their will; many, however, who forcibly made their escape from the flames
were murdered in the streets.

The senate ordered all pledges and bonds to be returned to the debtors,
and divided the money among the work-people. Many, however, refused to
accept the base price of blood, and, indignant at the scenes of
bloodthirsty avarice, which made the infuriated multitude forget that the
plague was raging around them, presented it to monasteries, in conformity
with the advice of their confessors. In all the countries on the Rhine,
these cruelties continued to be perpetrated during the succeeding months;
and after quiet was in some degree restored, the people thought to render
an acceptable service to God, by taking the bricks of the destroyed
dwellings, and the tombstones of the Jews, to repair churches and to
erect belfries.

In Mayence alone, 12,000 Jews are said to have been put to a cruel death.
The Flagellants entered that place in August; the Jews, on this occasion,
fell out with the Christians and killed several; but when they saw their
inability to withstand the increasing superiority of their enemies, and
that nothing could save them from destruction, they consumed themselves
and their families by setting fire to their dwellings. Thus also, in
other places, the entry of the Flagellants gave rise to scenes of
slaughter; and as thirst for blood was everywhere combined with an
unbridled spirit of proselytism, a fanatic zeal arose among the Jews to
perish as martyrs to their ancient religion. And how was it possible
that they could from the heart embrace Christianity, when its precepts
were never more outrageously violated? At Eslingen the whole Jewish
community burned themselves in their synagogue, and mothers were often
seen throwing their childre