oon after the same thing took place at
Freiburg.

A regular diet was held at Bennefeld, in Alsace, where the bishops,
lords, and barons, as also deputies of the counties and towns, consulted
how they should proceed with regard to the Jews; and when the deputies
of Strasburg--not, indeed, the bishop of this town, who proved himself a
violent fanatic--spoke in favor of the persecuted, as nothing criminal
was substantiated against them, a great outcry was raised, and it was
vehemently asked why, if so, they had covered their wells and removed
their buckets? A sanguinary decree was resolved upon, of which the
populace, who obeyed the call of the nobles and superior clergy, became
but the too willing executioners. Wherever the Jews were not burned they
were at least banished; and so being compelled to wander about, they
fell into the hands of the country people, who, without humanity and
regardless of all laws, persecuted them with fire and sword.

At Eslingen, the whole Jewish community burned themselves in their
synagogue; and mothers were often seen throwing their children on the
pile, to prevent their being baptized, and then precipitating themselves
into the flames. In short, whatever deeds fanaticism, revenge, avarice,
and desperation, in fearful combination, could instigate mankind to
perform, were executed in 1349, throughout Germany, Italy, and France,
with impunity and in the eyes of all the world. It seemed as if the
plague gave rise to scandalous acts and frantic tumults, not to mourning
and grief; and the greater part of those who, by their education and
rank, were called upon to raise the voice of reason, themselves led on
the savage mob to murder and to plunder.

The humanity and prudence of Clement VI must on this occasion also be
mentioned to his honor. He not only protected the Jews at Avignon, as
far as lay in his power, but also issued two bulls in which he declared
them innocent, and he admonished all Christians, though without success,
to cease from such groundless persecutions. The emperor Charles IV was
also favorable to them, and sought to avert their destruction wherever
he could; but he dared not draw the sword of justice, and even found
himself obliged to yield to the selfishness of the Bohemian nobles, who
were unwilling to forego so favorable an opportunity of releasing
themselves from their Jewish creditors, under favor of an imperial
mandate. Duke Albert of Austria burned and pillaged those