shetar article.pdf

7/27/2019 Shetar Article.pdf

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The r at i onal st udy of l aw i s s t i l l t o a l a r g e ext ent t he st udy of h i s t o r y .ol mes, The Pal h of t he Law'L INTRODUCTION

mEngl i sh l aw l i k e t he Engl i sh l anguage, i s an amal gamof di ver se cul t ur ali nf l uenc es , The l e ga l systemmay f a i r l y be seen as a composi t e of d i s c r e t e el e-

r ents f r om di spar at e sources . After t he conquest of 1066, t he Normans i mposed on t he Engl i sh an- e f f i c i e n t l y or gani zed s o ci a l system that c r owded outmany Angl o- Saxon t r a d i t i o n s . 2 The J ews, whorn t he Normns br ought t oEngl and) i n t h e i r turn cont r i but ed t o t he changi ng Engl i s h soc i et y . The J ewsbr ought a r ef i ned system of commer c i al l aw t h e i r own formof commerce anda syst em of r u l e s t o f a c i l i t a t e and gover n i t Those r ul es made t h e i r way i n t ot he devel opi ng structure of Engl i sh l awSever al el ement s of h i s t o r i c a l J ew sh l e ga l pr act i ce have been i nt egr at ed i n t ot he Engl i sh l e ga l S y S t e r n . 4 Not abl e among these i s t he wr i t t en c r e di t agr ee-raent--shetar, or s t a r t , as i t appear s i n Engl i sh documents . The b a s i s of t hes h e t a r , or " J ew sh Gage, " was a l i e n on al l property ( i nc l udi ng r e a l t y ) 5 that haseen traced as a sour ce of t he modemmor t gageA Under J ew sh l aw t he shet ar

1 . 10 HARV L REV 457, 469 (1897) .2 1 GMTREVELYAN, HSTORYOFENGLAND14248 ( 1953) .3 1 F POLLOCK&WMAITLAND THEHSTORYOF ENGLI SHLAWBEFORETHETI . ME OF ED

w~PD 1 468 ( r e i s s u ed 2d e? 368) . There i s some di sput e whet her t he J ews ar r i ved by W l l i a m t heConquer or ' s i n v i t a t i o n or mer el y w t h hi s perm ssi on . 4S BARON, AOCALANDRELIGOUSHSTORYOFTHEJ ews 77 (1957) .4 See gene r a l l b J . RABINOWTZ, J EWSHLAA250-72 ( 1956) (di scussi ng J ew sh Gage, dai t a, St ar tof Acqui t t ance, and Repr esentat i on by attorney) .5 See s i f t s t e x t acc ompanyi ng notes 34-36 (descri bi ng shet ar and accompanyi ng l i e n ) .6 . Rabi now t z, The Common Lawmor t gage and t he Condi t i onal Bond, 92 UPA L REV 179-94( 1943) . The aut hor t r a c e s t he t wo- i nst r ument ( d e b t and r e l e as e ) mor t gage t o i t s o r i g i n as a devi c e t oavo i d a s r n a k h t a , a J ew sh p r i n c i p l e i nval i dat i ng penal t y cl auses . Under that do c t r i ne , J ew s h moneyl enders wer e f orbi dden t o exac t a penal t y condi t i oned on t he future f a i l u r e of t he debt or' s obl i gat i on .I d at 18185 I f a conveyance i nvol ved asmakI t a, i t was voi d . 1d a t 182 . I nval i dat i on a s asmakht acoul d be avoi ded i f

al lobl i gati ons wer e i ncurr ed a t me t i me of t he or i gi nal t r ansact i on . 1d at 184 , 185-86 . Land was s ei z a bl e a s s ec ur i t y onl y i f t he c r edi t o r went i n t o possessi on a t t he t i me of t he l oan :"Meakhshav"-"f romnow . I d a t 185 . For t h i s reason, t he debt i nst r ument i ncl uded an i mmedi at econveyance of t he l and t h a t was t o s e r v e a s s ec ur i t y agai nst defaul t . Asecond i nst r ument , t he a c q u i t t a l ,woul d r e l ea s e t he s ec ur i t y and reconvey t he l and t o i t s o r i g i na l owner i f t he debt wer e pai d on or beforei t s due d a t e . I d at 185 . Thee n t i r e wri t t en obl i gat i on 0hetar) r emai ned i n t he hands of a t h i r d par t y fo rt he dur at i on of t he debt . I d at 192 . Thedocument pr oved t h a t t he debt exi stedandc l a r i f i e d t he r i g h t sand d ut i e s of me p a r t i e s i n c a s e of defaul t . See a l s o 2CHER_zoG THEMANINSTI TUTIONSOF J EWSHLxw7102 ( 2d ed . 1967) (chapter on asmakht a) .Rabi novAt z f i n d s 1 hese and other ear l y J ew sh devi ces f or avoi di ng asmakl aa bot h t he s t r u c t u r a land subst ant i ve r o o t s of t he Engl i sh mor t gage and t he l a t e r devel oped equi t abl e r i g h t of r edempt i on . J .RABINOWTZ, supr a note 4, a t 25?72 See a l s o F LI NCOLN, THESTARRA47-50 ( 1939) ( o u t l i n i n g t hesame deri vat i on) ; see general lyF LI NCOLN, THELEGALBACKGROUNDTOTHESTARRA( 1932) ( Same) .

Compare t he h i s t o r i c a l per i od of equi t abl e r i ght of r edempt i on w t h t he same t e rm of pro tect ed r e-


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11ou UEORGETOWN w [Vol . 71 : 1179

perm t t ed a credi t or t o proceed agai nst a l l t he goods and l and of t he def aul t i ngdebtor . ' Bot h "movabl e and i mmovabl e" property wer e subj ect t o d i s t r a i n t . 8I n c o nt r a s t , t he obl i gat i on of kni ght ser vi ce under Angl o-Norman l awbarrQa l a nd[ t r ans fer that woul d have i mposed a newt enant (and therefore ad i f f e r e n t kni ght ow ng servi ce) upon t he l o r d . 9Thedomnance of personal f eu-dal l o y a l t i e s equal l y forbade t he at t achment of l and i n sat i s fact i on of a debt ;onl y t he debt or' s c ha t t e l s coul d be sei zed . 10 These r u l es kept f eudal obl i gat i ons

i n t a c t , assur i ng t h a t t he l o r d woul d cont i nue t o be served by hi s own kni ght s .When i ncorpor at ed i n t o Engl i sh p r a c t i c e , t he not i on f r om J ew sh l aw thatdebts coul d be recovered agai nst a l oan secured by " a l l property, movabl e andi mmovabl e" was a weapon of soci o - econom c change t h a t tore t he f abr i c off eudal soci ety and est abl i shed t he poster of l i q u i d weal t h i n pl ace of l andhol di ng . I IThe crusades of t he t wel f t h century opened an era of change i n f eudal Eng-l and . Toobt ai n f unds from ews, nobl es offered t h e i r l and as col l ateral . 12 Al -t hough t he J ews, as a l i ens , coul d not hol d l and i n f ee si mpl e, ' 3 they coul d take

securi t y i n t e r e s t s of subst ant i al money val ue . " That J ews wer e permt ted t ohol d securi t y i n t e r e s t s i n l and t hey di d not occupy expanded i n t e r e s t s i n l andbeyond t he t r a d i t i o n a l t enanci es . ' The separat i on of possessory i n t e r e s t fromi n t e r e s t i n f ee cont r i but ed t o t he decl i ne of t he r i g i d f eudal l and tenureStructure . 16At t he same t i me, t he strength of t he f eudal systems i nher ent r esi stance t ot h i s w despread i nnovat i on abat ed . By 1250, scutage 17 had compl et el y r e-pl aced f eudal s er v i c es : t enant obl i gat i ons had been r educed t o money pay-

dempt i on i n Levi l i cus 25 : 29 : "And i f a man s el l adwel l i ng house i n a wal l ed c i t y - then hemay r edeemi t w i t h - i n a whol e year a f t e r i t i s so ld ; f o r a f u l l year s ha l l he have t he r i g h t of r edempt i on . " I d7 J . RABINOWTZ, supra note 4 , at 253 . See i n f r a t e x t acc ompanyi ng notes 33- 47 (descr i bi ng shetar i nJ ewsh l aw) .S . See i n f r a t e x t accompanyi ng note 35 ( e x t e n t of hen i mposed by s h e t a r ) .9 T F . BERGN&G HASKELL, PREFACEToESTATES I N LANDANDFurURE INTERESTS 8 (1966) .Land tenure was c e n t r a l t o s o c i a l organi zat i on w t hi n t he f eudal sys temThe f eudal systemori gi nated i n t he r e l a t i o n s of a m l i t a r y c h i e f t a i n andhi s f ol l owers, or k i ngand nobl es, or l o r d and v a ss a l s , and especi al l y t h e i r r e l a t i o ns as determ ned by t he bondest abl i shed by a grant of l and f r om t he f or mer t o t he l a t t e r . From hi s i t grew i n t o a compl et eand i n t r i c a t e compl ex of r u l es f or t he tenure and t ransmssi on of r ea l es t a t e, and of correl ateddut i e s and s e r v i c es . . . .

BLACK' S LAWDCTIONARY560 ( r e v . 5t h ed . 1979) ( emphasi s i n o r i g i na l ) .10. 2 F POLLOCK&. WMATLAND supra note 3 , a t 59611 . SeeHGRCHARDSON THEENGLBHJ EWRYUNDERANGEV NKINGS 94 (1960) ( J ews' l i qu i da -t i o n of l and obl i gat i ons broke down r i g i d i t y of s t r u c t u r e of f eudal l and tenure and f a c i l i t a t e d t r a n s f e r ofl and t o newc a pi t a l i s t c l a ss ) .11 E JENKS, EDWARDPLANTAGENET, THEENGLI SH JUSTINAN40-41 ( 1923) .13. See F LI NCOLN THE STARRA 114-15 (1939) ( J ews coul d possess l a n ds , but not ho l d by f e e ) ;SELECTPLEAS, STARRS, wooOTHERRECORDSFROMTHEROLLSOF THEEXCHEQUEROF THEJEW i X -x ( J . MRi gg ed . & r a n s . 1902) [ herei naf t er J .MRGG ( J ews r e l i g i o us l y barred f r om swear i ng Chri s -t i a n oat h of f e a l t y , and therefore di sabl ed f r om hol di ng f eudal e s t a t e ) .14 E JENKS, SUpr a note 12 , a t 40- 41 .15 . Cf I F POLLOCK&. WMAI TLAND supra note 3 , a t 469 ( a l i en t o Engl i sh l awf or credi t or noti n possessi on of l and t o have r i g h t s i n i t ) .16 . E JENKS, supra note 12 , a t 41 .17 . Scut age, i n medi eval f eudal l aw was a payment by t he t enant i n l i e u of m l i t ar y servi ce DWLKER THE OXFORDCOMPAN ONTo Law 1 1 2 1 (1980) . See i n f r a note 18 .


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ment s . I S d as t he i denti ty of t he pr i nc i pal s i n t he l andl or d- t enantr el ati onshi p became l e s s c r i t i c a l , a change i n t he f eudal r ul es r e s t r i c t i n g a l i e n a -b i l i t y of i n t e r e s t s i n l and became possi bl e .One c a t a l y s t f o r t h i s change may have been t he l i t i g a t i o n sur r oundi ng debtobl i gati ons t o J ews secur ed by debtor s' property . The J ews i n Norman Eng-l and had a s pe c i f i e d l e ga l s t a t u s . They al one coul d l end money a t mer est . I 9They wer e owned by t he Ki ng, and t h e i r property was h i s property . 2 Thei ng suffered t h e i r pr esence onl y so l ong as they ser ved h i s i n t e r e s t s 2 l - p r i -mar i l y as a sour ce of l i q u i d capi ta1 . 22Because moneyl endi ng by Chr i st i ans was i nf r equent , Engl i sh l awhad notestabl i shed i t s own f orms of secur i ty . 23 The J ews oper at ed w t h i n t he f r ame-work of t h e i r own l e ga l pr a c t i c e , 2 4 whi chwas based on Tal mudi c l aw devel -oped over centur i es of study . Put t he pecul i ar status of t he J ews as t heCr own' s de facto i nvestment banker s encour aged t he Ki ng t o di r ect h i s courts

t o enf or ce t h e credi t agr eements made by J ews under t h e i r al i en pract i ce . Thi snour i shed t he gr owt h of J ew sh l aw i n a way that bl ur r ed t he absol utes off eudal l and tenur e . 25 Pr evi ousl y i nal i enabl e r i ght s i n l and gave way t o eco-nomc n e c e s s i t i e s , and t he Engl i sh ul ti matel y adopt ed t he J ew sh pr acti ces . 2 6Thi s note exam nes amoment of contact bet ween t wo peopl es, whenneces-s i t y , pr oxi mt y, and soci al upheaval prompted a cul tur al exchange bet ween t heJ ew sh mer chant s and moneyl ender s and those they ser ved . The note de-s c r i b e s t he e f f e c t on Engl i sh l aw br ought about by t he Ki ng' s J ews as they

18 . I n f eudal l and hol di ng, the t e n a n t ' s possessory r i g h t i n l and was l i m ted t o usufruct, as gr ant edby t he Ki ng, who r et ai ned absol ut e domni on over t he l and . Thedenot at i on of t he tenant ' s i n t e r e s t a sf ee (orfaef f eud, or f eodum r e f l e c t e d t he t e n a n t ' s obl i gati on t o r ender ser vi ce t o t he sover ei gn i n returnf or t he p r i v i l e g e of usi ng t he l and . 2wBLACKSTONE, COMMENTAR ES *104-05.Dur i ng t he f i r s t cent ury of t he Norman Conquest l and was hel d by ml i t a r y tenure, i n whi ch t hetenants owed a s p e c i f i e d number of days per year i n kni ght ser vi ce . 1 F POLLOCK&.WMA TLANDsupra note 3 , at 252 . Ei ther t he tenants or t h e i r ser vants owed personal ser vi ce i n t he Ki ng' s ar myL a t e r , t he Ki ngcame t o r equi re a standi ng ar my t o pur sue extended campai gns on t he Cont i nent . I dI n pl ace of short-termcombat s e r v i c e , t he Ki ng accepted "scutage" ( l i t e r a l der i vati on : "shi el dage") ,wher eby h i s tenants- i n- chi ef sent money i n l i e u of t hemsel ves or t h e i r kni ghts . I d at 266 . Thescutagef e e s enabl ed t h e Ki ng t o empl oy prof essi onal troops and permtted t h e gent l emen t o r emai n a t homeId See gener al l y i d a t 252- 82 ( s e c t i o n on kni ght' s s e r v i c e ) . By t he r ei gn of Edward I i n 1 2 7 ? , bothpersonal s e r v i c e and scutage f a i l e d t o provi de adequate ml i t a r y r esour ces ; addi ti onal taxes wer e i n s t i -t u t e d i n t h e i r s t e a d . E J ENKS, supra note 12 , a t 102 .19 . 1 F POLLOCK&.WMATLAND supr a note 3 , a t 468 .20 . I d a t 468 , 471 .21 . SeeMandatumRegi s J u s t i c i a r i i s AdCust odi amJ udeorumAssi gnati s de Qui busdamS t a t u t i s perJ udeos i n Angl i a F i rmter Observandi s . AnnoRegni Regi s f l e n r i c i Tri cesi mo Sept i mo ( Mandat e of t heKi ng t o t h e J u s t i c e s Assi gned t o t he Cust ody of t he J ews Touchi ng Cer ta i n Statutes Rel ati ng t o t h eJ ews i n Engl and whi ch ar e t o Be Ri gor ousl y Obser ved. The Thi r t y- Sevent h Year of Ki ng Henr y)[ A . D 1253] ( Mandat e of Henry I I I or dai ni ng " [ t ] h a t no J ewr emai n i n Engl and unl ess he do t h e Ki ngs e r v i c e , and t h a t f r omt he hour of b i r t h every J ew whet her mal e or f emal e, ser veUs i n some way" ) ,pr i nted i n J .MRIGG supra note 13 , a t x l v i i i - x l i x .22 . 1 GMTREVELYAN, supr a not e 2 , a t 250- 51 .23 . J . RABNOWTZ, supr a not e 4, a t 262 .24 . See J . MRIGG supra not e 13 , a t x i x ( J ewsmade l oan ar r angement s accor di ng t o t r a di t i on al l awof t he s h e t a r ) .25 . See 2 F POLLOCK&.WMAI TLAND supra not e 3 , a t 123- 24 ( J ewsh c r e d i t o r s ' r i ght s i n l andenf orc ed by Ki ng ; same r i g h t s not avai l abl e o r i g i n a l l y t o Chr i st i an c r e d i t o r s ) .26 . See 1 F POLLOCK&.WMAI TLAND supr a note 3 , a t 475 ( Second Statutes of Westmnster of1285 gave Chr i st i an cr edi tor t he remedy of e l e g i t , si m l ar t o the choi ce of r emedi es afforded J ew shc r e d i t o r s ) . See al so i nf r a t e x t ac companyi ng notes 168- 78 ( S t a t u t e of Mer chant s adopted enr ol l mentpr ocedur es and eventual award of l and t o unpai d c r e d i t o r ) .


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execut ed and r egi ster ed debt i nst r ument s, as si gned and enf or ced t he under l y-i ng obl i ga t i o ns , and gener al l y sur vi ved by moneyl endi ng, t he onl y pr of i t abl eoccupat i on open t o them27 I t f i r s t r evi ews t he J ew sh cr edi t agr eement and i t sf uncti on i n Angl o-Norman f eudal soci et y . I t then suggests a r at i onal expl ana-t i on f o r a devel opment i n medi eval Engl i sh l aw heretofore per cei ved onl y asan anomal y : t hat t he ear l y w r i t s of debt , whi ch wer e f or r ecover y of money,used t er m nol ogy more appr opr i at e t o an acti on f o r r ecover y of l and . Thi sconf usi on nowappear s t o be mer el y t he l i n g u i s t i c expr ess i on of an i nnovat i oni n t he l aw due t o t he devel opment of an acti on t o r ecover al t er nat i ve rel i efr epayment of money l e nt or award of col l at er al i zed l and .F i n a l l y , t he note f ocuses on t he i ncor por at i on of J ew sh l aw i nto Engl i shpr acti ce t hr ough a s er i e s of t hi r t eent h cent ur y cases i nvol vi ng t he same J ewi shl i t i g a n t . J ew sh debt pr ocedur e had by then become par t of ever yday busi nessi n Engl and . Even as t he J ews began t o be excl uded frommoneyl endi ng, t h e i rpr ocedur es wer e adopt ed i nto t he gener al Engl i sh l aw gover ni ng debt r e g i s t r a -t i on and c o l l e c t i o n . I n 1275, t he s t a t u t e "De JudeiSn0"28 f or bade t he J ews 'usur i ous pr a c t i c es . 29 I n 1 2 8 5 , the Statute of Mer chant s 3 f or mal i zed cr edi t orr emedi es t h a t paral l el ed the pr ovi s i ons of t he J ew sh shetar. I n 1290, t heJ ews wer e expe ed , 32 but t h e i r c r e d i t pr acti ces r emai ned .

11 . J EWSHCREDTAGREEMENTSINFEUDALENGLANDA THESHETARIN J EWSHLAW

The l aw of t he s h e t a r , devel oped and el abor at ed by 500AD i n t he Babyl o-ni an Tal mud, ant edat es t he Norman Conquest by s i x cent ur l es . 33 Hi stor i cal l y,t he "shetar hov" ( or gener al l y j u s t "shetar") was an i ns t r ument that est abl i shedf or mal obl i gat i on, e i t h e r i n cont r act or i n debt . 34 At t he moment that a debt oracknowl edged hi s i ndebt edness through a s h e t a r , a gener al l i e n was est ab-l i s h e d , encumber i ng al l the debtor ' s property as secur i t y f o r ul t i mat e r epay-ment . 35 I n case of d e f a u l t , the cr edi tor coul d pr oceed not onl y agai nst movable27 . 1 F POLLOCK&.WMAI TLAND supra note 3, at 471 ( Engl i sh J ews coul d pr of i tabl y engageonl y i n moneyl endi ng) . Al t hough t he Tal mud pr ohi bi ted char gi ng i nt e r e s t on l o an s , even t o Gent i l es,a ut h or i t i e s i ncl udi ng RabbenuTama 12th-century Tal mudschol ar whose opi ni ons are s t i l l c i t e d w t hr e s p e c t ) permtted J ews t o l end Gent i l es money at i n t e r e s t " because no other avenues of t r ade or com

mer ce [ w e r e ] open t o J ews, and t he l endi ng of money [was ] t he onl y means of l i vel i hood l e f t t o them"DMSHOHET, THEJEWSHCOURTI N THEMDDLEAGES89-90 (1931)28 . 1 STATUTES OF THEREALM221 (London 1810 &hoto . r epr i nt 1963) . Thi s s t a t u t e , whi ch i sundated, i s gener al l y t hought t o dat e f r om 1275 See 10 S BARON, supra note 3, at 1 I 1 (att r i but i ngs t a t u t e t o 1275) ; J . MRIGG supra note 13, at xxxvi i i ( a t t r i b u t i n g s t a t u t e t o 1274-75) . STATUTESOFTHEREALMt t r i b u t e s t he s t at ut e t o e i t h e r 4 Edw (1275-76) or 18 Edw (1289-90) . 1 STATUTES OF THEREALM221 n [ 1] .29 . See Les E s t a t u t z de l a J euer i e ( The Statutes of J ewr y) $ 1 STATUTESOF THEREALM221, 221( pr ovi di ng t h a t hencefor t h no Jewl end at usury upon l and, r e n t , or ot her t hi ng ; t h a t i n t e r e s t accr ui nga f t e r pr evi ous Feast of S t . Edward not be c o l l e c t i b l e ; t h a t debts t o J ews secured by c h a t t e l s be pai d byEast er or be f o r f e i t e d ; and t h a t t he Ki ng wi l l no l onger enf or ce t he J ews' usuri ous c o n t r a c t s , but wi l lpuni sh t h e l e nd e r ) .30 . Statute of Mer chant s , 1285, 13 Edw, S t a t . 3 .31 See i n f r a t e x t accompanyi ng notes 1687832 10 S . BARON, supra note 3, at 113 .33 . GHOROWTz THESPI RI T OF JEWSHLAW6 (1953) .34 . Fuss, Shetar , i n PRINCPLESOF JEWSHLAW186 (MEl on ed . 1975) .a r . a r i - A : . . a . . . . . a I : - - . . r v . - - - .


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and i mmovabl e proper t y hel d by t he debtor, but al so agai nst encumbered l andthat t he debt or had transferred t o a t hi r d party . 36 The debt attached t o t hel and, and t he c r ed i t o r ' s l i en had p r i o r i t y over subsequent ahenat i ons? 7ecause of t he severe obl i gat i ons i mposed by t he s h e t a r , t he contents of t hei nst r ument f ol l owed a standard formdesi gned t o ensure aut hent i ci t y and pre-c i s i o n . Each shetar r e c i t e d standard cl auses of obl i gat i on, t he c r e d i t o r ' s r i ghtt o cus t omar y modes of execut i on, and a f i n a l phrase s t a t i n g that t he documentwas not mer el y a formbut a st at ement of an express contraCt . 38 I nser t ed i nt ot he f orml anguage wer e t he names of t he p a r t i e s , t he sumand t he currency oft he d e b t , and t he date of t he obl i gat i on, t hereby i ndi cat i ng t he creat i on of t hel i e n . 39 To pr event f r aud, t he document was si gned by t wo w t nesses who knew40t he par t i es .Anat i on of f wander er s, i n adapt i ng t o a vari et y of c ul t ur e s , determned thatt he l anguage i n whi ch the shetar was wr i t t en shoul d be i rr el evant t o i t s l e ga lv a l i d i t y . 41 Thus, i n deal i ngs w t h a sur r oundi ng Gent i l e popul ace, J ews wer econt ent that l oan agr eement s be f ormal i zed i n Lat i n or i n t he Norman Frenchof ear l y Engl and . 4 2 General l y, t he J ew sh p a r t i e s andw t nesses woul d at t es t i ni nstr ument ' s f ormt i on, r e g ar d l e s s of whet her me hen was expr essl y wri tt en i n t o the shetar . J ew sh l awo r i g i n a l l y di d not attach debt obl i gat i on t o c hat t e l s . Dur i ng t he amor ai c peri od, J ew sh l aw ext endedt he l i e n t o t he movabl e property of t he debt or i f s p e c i f i c a l l y noted i n t he shetar . But t he rabbi ni c courtswoul dnot enf or ce ahenagai nst movabl e property t h a t had been s o l d by t he debt or t o a t h i r d party . I d36 . I d at 186 . Dur i ng the post- "t al mudi c peri od, i t became cus t omar y t o i ns er t i n t he shetar a provi -s i on i mposi ng a hen on t he d ebt o r ' s af ter- acqui red property . J . RABINOWTZ, supra not e 4 . at 254 .37 . pl op, Li en, i n PRNCIPLESOF J EWSHLAW88 (MEl on ed 1975) .38 . Fuss, supra note 34 , s a 184- 85 ;GHOROWTZ, supra note 33 , at 509- 11 .39GHOROWTZ, supra note 33 , at 511 .4 - 0 . I d at 511 . I n c o n t r a s t t o t he document ar y procedure of me wri t t en shca, c r e di t agr eement s a l s ocoul d be made o r a l l y under J ew sh l aw M l veh b e - a l peh- l i t er al l y " l oan by mouth" was d i s t i n -gui shed f r omml veh bi shc tar - " l oan by wr i t i ng . " Shi l oh, Loans, i n PRNCIPLESOF J EWSi i LAW62(MEl on ed . 1975) . The o r a l c r e d i t o r , however , had no t i ght t o l evy on t he d e b t o r s al i enat ed andencumber ed property t o obt ai n s a t i s f a c t i o n of t he debt . I d41 . 1 CHERzoG THEMANINSTITUTIONS OF J EWSHLAW152 ( 2d ed . 1965) .Fromt he t i me of t he J ew sh e x i l e i n Babyl oni a, 586B. C, t he J ews had l i v e d as out si ders i n f orei gnl ands . I n order t o l i v e w t hi n t h e i r own l aw t h e y devel oped a doctr i ne t o mni mze c o n f l i c t s bet weenJ ew sh l aw and t he l aw of t he surr oundi ng communi tyGHOROWTZ, supra n o t e 33 , at 79 . I n deal -i n gs w t h t he Chr i s t i an popul ace, t he J ew sh communi ty f ol l owed t he p r i n c i p l e t h a t "the l aw of t heKi ngdom s t he Law" (di ng dumal k h u t a di na) . They accepted and obeyed any l aw t h a t di d not con-f l i c t w t h J ew sh l aws governi ng s p e c i f i c r e l i g i o u s obl i gat i ons . DnaDe-mal khul a D na, i n 6 ENCYCLOPEDIA J UDACA 51, 54 (1972) . Respect f or t he r u l e of t he Gent i l e sovere i gn r ai s ed t he pr obl emofdet ermni ng t he appl i cabl e l aw

Thedecrees of t he ki ng ar e l aw t o us ; but t he nat i onal l aw i s not our l aw Among al l nat i onst h e r e ar e c e r t a i n f undament al r i g h t s and pr i v i l e ge s whi ch bel ong t o t he sover ei gn . W t h i n t h i ss cope, t he commands of t he ki ng ar e l aw But t h i s does not hol d t rue of t he j udgment s r e n -dered i n t h e i r courts . For me l aws whi ch t he courts appl y ar e not t he essence of royal ty . Theyar e based on t he precedents t o be f ound i n t h e i r wri ti ngs . You cannot di sput e t h i s d i s t i n c t i o n ,f or otherw se youmoul d annul , God f o r b i d , t he l aws of t he J ews .( A . HOROWTZ, supra, at 79- 80 ( quot i ng Rashba, Rabbi Sol omon i bn Adr et of Barcel ona ( 1235- 1310) ) .J ew s h courts woul d enf orce external c i v i l l aws and f o r mal i t i e s, i d at 8 0, but di d not permt such c i v i ll aw t o sanct i on behavi or otherw se f orbi dden t o J ews . I d Thus, a tr ansact i on enf orceabl e i n Gent i l ec o u r t s mght s t i l l be val i dat ed ( as appl i ed t o J ews) by a J ew sh t r i bunal . I d at 80- 81 .42 J .MRGG supra note 13, at x i x . SeeHEBREWDEEDSOF ENGLISHJEW (MDDavi s ed .t r a n s . 1 88 8 ) [ her e i naf t e rMD DAVIS] ( r eproduc i ng t he Hebrew port i on of s h e t a r s i n HebrewandLati n) ; STARRS ANDJ EWSHCHARTERS PRESERVED I N THEBRTISHMUSEUM I . Abraham, HP .Stokes &H Loewe eds . 41 t r a n s . 193032) [ herei naft er STARRSANDCHARTERS] ( r epr oduci ngHebrewand Lat i n port i ons of s h e t a r s ) .


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ebrew and t he Chri st i ans i n French or Lat i n . 43 Al t hough nei t her part y mayhave understood t he ot her' s l anguage, t he document had t he f u l l force of l awi n bot h communi t i es' 44Thec r u c i a l Vi dtati onondebt c ol l ec t i on under J ewsh l awwas t hat a c r e di -t or had a l i e n agai nst t he debt or ' s l a nd, but not a ga i n s t t he debt or ' s personasPersonal f reedoms was not t o be di m ni shed by a debt obl i gat i on , anda credi t orcoul d not ensl ave one whowas unabl e t o r epay him' 16 The o r i g i n of t h i s prac-t i c e was t he Bi b l i c al prot ect i on of t he di gni t y of d e b t o r s , as embodied i n t hei nj unct i on not t o ent er t he debt or' s homet o recei ve a p l e dg e, but rat her t o wai tout si de f or t he debt or t o br i ng i t oUt . 47 Thi s was t he s t r u c t u r e of t he l aw ofobl i gat i on t h a t t he J ews brought w t h themt o Engl and .

B NORMANSI NENGLANDACENTRALIZINGMONARCHYUni que among i t s f eudal nei ghbors, t he NormanDuchy was governed as acent ral i zed u n i t , w t h no baron st rong enough, t o chal l enge t he Duke' s aut hor -

i ty! 8 Al t hough t he NormanDukeowed f e a l t y t o t he Ki ng of France, t h a ti ng l acked e f f e c t i v e power over hi s v as s al s , who i ndependent l y , gover nedt h ei r own t o r r i t o r i e S .49 I n Normandy, however , f eudal i smwas s t r i c t l y t er r i t o -r i a l : a pyram d of l and t enure embodi ed a syst emof m l i t a r y obl i gat i ons as -cendi ng f r om Mf i ght di rough baron t o Duke, f r om whomAand andaut hori t y der i ved 10 On t he cont i nent , and l at e r i n Engl and, W l l i am t he Con-quer or s et out t o mai nt ai n and st rengt hen t h i s Normansyst emof cent ral i zedgovernance . 51 Wth t he Conquest , t heNormans i nt roduced t o Engl anda wel l -organi zed c e n t r a l aut hori t y . 52The ear l y governance of conquer ed Engl and concent rat ed power i n t heKi ng As W l l i am t he Conquer or i mposed t he ri gorous order of t he f eudal43 . See , e g , J .MRGG supra not e 13 , at Ax (Hebrewcredi t or si gned i n Hebr ew) ; hi at 46 ( recordof Eachequcr document i ng shct ar wri t t en i n Hebrew w t h Lat i n du pl i c at e ) . I n Engl and t he t erms of t heacqui t t ance took t he J ewsh f o rmof t he r e l eas e: " f r omt he begi nni ng of t he worl d- t o t he present . J .RABINOWTZ . 3 - u p r a note 4 , at 265- 69 .41 Bot h J ew sh and Engl i sh court s recogni zed t he f o r c e of a s h e t a r of f er ed as evi dence of a debt .J .MRGG supra note 13 , at xi x -xx . Ri gg d es c r i b es t he el aborate r e c or d i n g and w t nessi ng procedures,i ncl udi ng bot h J ewsh and Gent i l e pa r t i c i pa nt s , desi gned t o avoi d f r a u du l e nt document s . I d Thedi ng' s c o u r t s enf orced a dul y enrol l ed shet ar . See i nfra t e x t accompanyi ng not es 13248 ( d i s cu ss i n gmechani smby whi ch Exchequer enf orced debt ob l i ga t i on s ) . The c ou r t s wi t h i n t he J ew s h communi tyr o ut i n el y enf orced s h e t a r s .45 . Eion-Impri sonmentforDeft, i n PRN&PLESOF J EWSHLAW34 (M El on ed 1975) .46 . I d at 634 . See a l s oMELON RESTINTSOFTHEPERSONASAMEANS I N THECOLLECTIONOFDEBTS I N JEMSHLAW1961} ( p r ec i s of doctoral di s s er t at i o n) ( J ew s h t r a d i t i o n hadno personal i mpr i s -onment f or d eb t , reasoni ng t h a t i f a d ebt o r ' s homecoul d not be e n t e r e d , even l es s coul d t he debtor bet aken i n t he 13 t h c en t u r y , J ewsh schol ars began t o debat e and approve i mpr i sonment f or evasi vede b t o r s , but onl y i n c a r e f u l l y prescri bed condi t i ons) .Unl i ke J ew sh l a w, Engl i sh l aw s p e c i f i c a l l y envi si oned such i mpri sonment . See , Statute ofMerchants, 1285 , 13 Edw, Sm. 3 ( e s t a bl i s hi n g i mpri sonment of t he body of a def aul t i ng debt or ) ; S t a t -u t e of AvonBu r nel l , 1 28 3 , 11 Edw ( i f d eb t or ' s goods i n s u f f i c i e n t t o s at i s f y de b t , debtor i mpri sonedpendi ng repayment , but credi t or responsi bl e f or assuri ng bread andwat er s u f f i c i e n t t o sust ai n l i f e ofi mpri soned d e b t o r , whomus t f urt her rei mburse c r e di t o r upon r e l e as e ) .47 . Deut er onomy 24 : 1 0 - I 1 ( t o preserve debt ors di gni t y i n hi s ownhome) .48 1 GMTREVELYAN supra not e 2, at 149 . I d at 1444550 . . 1d at 143 .51 .WSTUBBS, THECONSTITUTI ONAL HSTORYOFENGLAND74-75 ( abr . ed 1979) .52 GMTREVELYAN supra not e 2, at 142,


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systent he avoi ded t he systems t endency t oward decent ral i zat i on and di s i nt e -grat i on t hat had sapped t he power of t he French ki ngs . 5 3 He l i m t e d t he powerof hi s t enant s- i n- chi ef by grant ' ng each of theml andhol di ngs scattered overt he r eal m i nst ead of l arge, cont i guous t r a c t s . 5 4 He governed t he count i est hrough s h e r i f f s who depended on himf or t h e i r power . " He mai nt ai ned anat i onal mi l i t i a , t hereby shunni ng t o t a l rel i ance on t he l o y a l t y of hi s tenants-i n- chi ef . 16 And he had a l l s i g n i f i c a n t l andhol ders swear an oat h of pr i maryal l egi ance t o him1 7 Thi s concent rat i on of power i n t he monarch grewdur i ngt he successi ve r e i gns of a s e r i e s of strong ki ngs who i ncreasi ngl y assumed morepower - m l i t ary , l e g i s l a t i v e , and j udi ci al - - - over the nat i on . "

C THE JEWUNDE THENORMANKINGSuts i ders i n f eudal s oc i e t y , bot h Angl o-Norman and cont i nent al , t he J ewswer e not part of t he net work of l and- based obl i gat i ons . They coul d not ownl and . On t he Cont i nent , t hey wer e owned as chat t el s by t he l o c a l l o r d s , whoprotected t he J ews' possessi ons on t he unders t andi ng t h a t what a J ewowned,he hel d f o r t he ul t i mat e use of hi s l ord . 59 The J ews i n Norman Engl and, how-eve, wer e w thi n t he excl usi ve domai nof t he Ki ng' s personal c ont r o l , l i v i ng a ts suf f erance and accordi ng t o ' s w shes . 'The f i r s t set t l ement of J ews i n Engl and came i n t he wake of W l l i a m t heConqueror . ' Wl hamdeter -mned t hat he shoul d be t he s o l e owner of J ews i nEngl and. Ot hers coul d own J ews onl y w t h t he Ki ng' s perm ssi on as expressedby royal grant . 6 2 The LegesEdwardi Conf essori s, a t wel f t h- cent ury compi l a-t i o n and t r a n s l a t i o n i n to Lat i n of l aws at t ri but ed t o Edward t he Conf essor, 6 3

53WSTUBBS, supra not e 51 , at 55- 91 .54 . I d at 90- 91.51 I d at 88 .51 I d at 86 .51 I d at 8458 . I d at 117- 18 . The d a t e s of t heNorman and Angevi n Ki ngs f romt he Conquest t o t he expul si onof t he J ews i n 1290 ar e :

WALKER, supra n o t e 17 , a t 1317 .51 F . IANCOLN MqMa not e 13, a t 8- 9 . As "Adm ni st rator of t he Real m " t he cont i nent al Ki ng hadi n t e r s t i t i a l power i n t he a r e as where no vassal coul d subst ant i at e a r i v a l cl ai m upon t h i s t heory, t heK nghad a s s e r t e d s p ec i a l aut hori t y over wdows and orphans, a l i ens , J ews, l u na t i c s , et c . E J ENKS,supra note 1 2 , a t 9 0 - 9 1 .60 F LINCOLN supra note 13, at 10 .61 . HG RCHARDSON nyoAa not e 1 1 , a t 1 .62 F LI NCOLN supra note 13, at 10 .63. 1 F POLLOCK&F.WMAITLAND, supra not e 3, a t 103 . Pol l ock and Mai t l and bel i eve t h a t t hel aws of Edward t he Conf essor are of dubi ous aut hori t y as descri pt i ons of h i s t o r i c a l f a c t , perhaps r e f l e c t -i ng some unknown 12t h- cent ury aut hor' s hopef ul i magi nat i on .

W l l i a m 1 1066- 1087W l l i a m 1 1 1087- 1100Henry 1 11011135St ephen 1135- 1154Hem 11 1154- 1189Ri chard 1 1189- 1199J ohn 1199- 1216Henry 1 1 1 1216- 1272Edward 1 12701307


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cont ai ns a s t a t u t e t h a t , i f not t h a t anci ent adequat el y descr i bes t h e Normanper i od :Be i t known t h a t a l l J ews wher esoever t heymay be i n t h i s r eal mar eof r i g h t under t h e t ut e l a ge and pr ot ect i on of t he Ki ng, nor i s i t l awf ulf o r any of them o s u bj e c t hi msel f t o any per son of weal t h w t hout t heKi ng' s l i c enc e . J ews and al l t h e i r c h a t t e l s are the Ki ng' s property andi f anyone w t hhol d t h e i r money f r omthem et t he Ki ng r ecover i t ash i s own64

As c h a t t e l s of f t h e Ki ng, t h e J ews r et ai ned t h e i r own property at h i s pl easur e .I n t h e t hi r t eent h c e n t u r y , Henry de Bracton wr ot e :[ a] J ew cannot have anyt hi ng of h i s own, because what ever he ac-qui r e s , he acqui r es not f or hi msel f but f or t h e ki ng, because t hey donot l i v e f o r t hemsel ves but f o r o t h e r s , and so t hey acqui r e f or othersand not f o r t hemsel ves . 6 5

They l i v e d wher e t h eKi ng

permtted, and when t hey di e d, t h e i r propertyvest ed i n t he Ki ng . 66 Because t he ec cl es i as t i c al courts coul d pr oceed onl ya ga i n s t Chr i st i anS, 67 t h e J ews oper at ed bee of t he ( Chur ch' s usury pr ohi bi t i ons .The c i v i l aut hor i t i es openl y permtted t he J ews t o l endmoney at i nt er es t andenf or ced t h e i r c r edi t c o n t r a c t s , both f ar pr i nci pal and i nt e r eS t . 68 As t he J ewsprosper ed t he Ki ng di d t o o , extr act i ng f r omthemt he f r u i t s of t h ei r monopol yon usuryABecause i t was wor t hwhi l e t o p r o t e c t J ew s h subj ect s f o r t h ei r pot ent i almoney val ue, successi ve sover ei gns c l a r i f i e d t he status of J ews . Charters ofenry I andHenry 1 1 ' 1 0 granted i ndi vi dual J ews r i ght s t o r esi de i n Engl and, t obuy and s e l l goods, and t o possess al l l a nds , f i e f s , pur chases, and pl edges tom64 F . LI NCOLN supra not e 13, at 10, 4 S BARON s upr a not e 3 , at 79 ; 1 F POLLOCK&F. W

MA TLAND supra not e 3 , at 468; J .M RGG supra not e 13 , at x Hovedon, t he medi eval l e ga l hi stori an,associ ated t he s t atute w t h t he J u s t i c i a r Ranul f de Gl anvi l l . Id at x .65.6HDEBPLACTON DELEGBUSATCONSUETUD N Bus ANGLI AE 51 ( T . Tw s s ed &t rans . 1883) .66 F LI NCOLN supra not e 13, at 10- 11 . Al though i n t heor y al l proper t y of t he deceased Jew r e-verted t o t he Ki ng, i n pract i ce t he Cr o- wn t ook onl y a one- t hi rd t o one- hal f share i n e s t a t e taxes . FromAaron of York, t he r i c he st J ewof t he t i me, Henry I I I exact ed ant i c i pato ry estate taxes f or 19 year sbef or e t he pr i nc i p al ' s deat h By t hen, t he estate was bankr upt and t he hei rs dest i tute . 10 S BARONsupr a not e 3, at 100- 01 .67 HGRCHARDSON - - u p r a not e 11, at 142 .68 1 F POLLOCK&. WMA TLAND supr a note 3, at 469 n 1 . Only J ews were permtted t o " takeusur y" from a Chr i s t i an . See i d at 473 ( J ews had money-l endi ng monopol y) . Two contemorarysour ces, GLANV LL' s TREATISEand t he D ALOGUS DE SCACCAR o, descr i be t he penal t y exact ed f romChr i s t i ans who engaged i n "open usur y . . . l i k e t he J ews" : t he usur er ' s chatt el s were f o r f e i t .TRACTATABUSDELEGBUSETCONSUETUD N BUSREGN ANGLI EQui GLANVI LLA VOCATUR(The trea-t i s e on t he l aws and cust oms of t he Realmof Engl andcommonl y cal l ed Gl anvi l l ) Book VI I , ch 1 6 , at89 (G.D. G . Hal l ed & rans . 1965) [her ei naf t er GLANV LL] ; D ALOGUS DESCACCAR O( The Course oft he Exchequer ) 100 (C. J ohnson t rans . 1950) . Mor eover , i f t he credi t or had execut ed amor t gage, ani nst r ument t hat secur ed t he debt by possessi on of t he debtor ' s l and, and l a t e r f a i l e d t o credi t t he p r inc i -pal of t he debt w t h t he i ncome fromt he l and, he vi ol ated t he condemnationof t he Counci l of Tours .D ALOGUE DE SCACCAR O supr a, at 100 n. l . After t he credi tor ' s deat h t he debt or m ght get hi s l andback fromt he Ki ng, but he woul d t hen owe t he Crown t he amount of t he pr i nc i pal . I n pr act i ce, t heKi ng f or gave part of t h i s amount , presumabl y r educi ng i t by t he sumof t he debtor' s usuri ous over pay-mnts.d at 100 .69 GM TREVELYAN supra not e 2, at 250- 251.70 . These charters ar e known onl y by r ef er ence i n ot her sour ces . J . JACOBS, JEWSOF ANGEVI NENGLAND137-38 (1893) .


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i ng i nt o t he i r hands . ' SU ec t t o e s t a t e t a x e s , 72 J ews were permtted t o i n h e r i tproperty and l oans . Ri char d I ' s c h a r t e r , 73 grant ed i n 1190, conf i r med t heser i g h t s . J ohn af f i rmed t he earl y charters i n 1201, ext endi ng t h e i r cover age t o al lJ ews and addi ng t he r i ght t o hol d "mor t gages . " 74Under J ohn' s c h a r t e r , a J ew was f r e e "qui et l y t o s e l l hi s gage wher e i t becert ai n t h a t he has hel d i t f or a f uU year and a day . " 1 5 The char t er furtherc l a r i f i e d t h a t i n s u i t s bet ween J ews and Chr i sti ans, l i t i g a t i o n r i g h t s wer e ex-p l i c i t and, i n some cas e s , advant ageous t o t he J ews . The "bare oat h" on t heTorahof a J ew sh def endant sauced t o r ebut a char ge a ga i n s t hi mby a Chr i s-t i an p l a i n t i f f unaccompani ed by w t nesses ; 76 a Chri st i an def endant si m l ar l ysi t uat ed m ght be requi red t o "wage hi s l aw" w t h compurgat or s . 77 y k s u i tagai nst a J ew sh def endant was t r i e d by aj ur y of hi s "peers . 1 1 7 8 And al t houghJ ew sh p l a i n t i f f coul d use a wri t to subst i tute f or a r equi r ed wi t n es s , a Chr i st i anp l a i n t i f f coul d not . 79 T r i a l s i nvol vi ng J ews and Chr i st i ans coul d be hel d onl yi n t he Ki ng' s c o u r i s , 80 whi l e j ur i sdi ct i on of di sputes bet ween J ews r emai nedw t h t he J ew sh courts . 8 1at t he J ews had f ewer r i g h t s i n t hemsel ves and i n t h e i r possessi ons t han di d

A, III- I.PLIL- . S Y\ III "Ix"L3r L_tX ' V

71 4 S BARON . s t e p s note 3, atAhe ri ght t o possess l and was not equal t o t he r i ght t o hol d af reehol d e s t a t e , whi chwouldhave evoked t he f u l l r ange of f eudal obl i gat i ons bet ween l ord and t enant .SeeDWALKER, supra not e 17 , at 497 (def i ni ng f r eehol d) . J ews wer e t r adi t i onal l y excl uded fromf reehol d tenure . C ROTH HISTORYOFTHEJEW i N ENGLAND107 ( 1941) ; cf H.G RICHARDSONsupra note 11, at 84 ( J ews hel d i n be so rarel y t hat no r ul e agai nst t he practi ce was needed or estab-l i shed} . The r equest by several J ews t o hol d l and i n f ee and t he actual at t empt by one t o do so l et i n1x71, t o a roya? mandate denyi ng themt he pr i vi l ege . ( I ROTH supra, at 65- 66 . See i n f r a note 161( di scussi ng mandate of 1271) .72 . See supra note 66 (descr i bi ng taxes l evi ed on J ew sh e s t a t e s ) .73 . For a t ransl at i on of t he char t er , see J . J ACOBS, supra note 70, at 134- 37.74WPARKES, THE JEWNTHEMEDEVALCOMMUNITY 168- 70 (1930 The author suggests t hatt he J ews succeeded t he monast i c houses as moneyl enders when t he Church decl ar ed such a c t i v i t y byChri st i ans t o be usuri ous . I d75 . Carte Li bert at um Concessarumet Conf i rmaturumJ edei s Angl i e Anno Regni Regi s J ohanni sSecundo (Charters of Li bert i es Ganted andConfi rmed t o t he J ews of Engl and i n t he Second Year oft he Rei gn of Ki ng J ohn) [ A. D 1201] [ herei naf t er Chart er of K ng J ohn] pare . 7pri nf edi n J .M Rl ( ; ( ; ,supra not e 13 , at 1- 1 The Chart er of Ri char d I had s i m l a r l y provi ded : - [T]he af oresai d J ews may s el lt hei r pl edges w t hout t r oubl e a f t e r i t i s c e r t i f i e d t hat t hey have hel d thema year and a day . . . . - J .J ACOBS, supra not e 70, at 136 . Compare t he t i me peri od provi ded f or i n Levi f i cus2519 (one year mustpass bef ore house t aken as debt securi t y may be sol d)The r i g h t s avai l abl e t o J ews 0Engl and contrasted shar pl y w t h medi eval French t r adi t i on . A capi t -ul ary of Charl emagne f orbade J ews t o take the proper t y of t heChurch or any Chri sti an i n pl edge f o r adebt . The penal t y was conf i scat i on of t he J e w s property and l oss of hi s r i g h t hand Loui s t he pi ousl a t e r grant ed charters t o cert ai n J ews perm t t i ng free contract r i ght s f or s al e and exchange of proper t y .S KAT, THEJEW I NTHEVISIGOTHCANDFRANKOHKINGDOMSOFSPAINANDGAUL 92-93 (1937&photo repri nt 1970) .%har t er of KngJ ohn, supra note 75, pare . 5 . See al so J .M Ri co, supra note 13 , at x i i (constru-i ng charter) .77 . J .M RGG supra note 13 . at xi i . Under t he most common 12th- centur y procedure, t he court di dnot deci de f a c t s but al l ocat ed t he "proof" t o one of t he part i es . 2 F . POLLOCK&.WMAITLANDsupra note 3, at 602- 03 . The sel ect ed party coul d prove has case by bate, ordeal , or compurgati on I da t 602 . I n compur gal i on, t he party swor e an oat h t hat hewas i nnocent and pr oduced a f i xed number ofCompurgat or s, or "Oat h- hel per s, " who swor e t hat hi s oat h wasmT. F . T . PLUCKNETT, AONCSEITORYOF THECOMMONLAW109 ( 2d ed 1936) .Ahar t er of OngJ ohn, supra note 75 , pare . 2 But see I FPOLLOCK&F.WMAITLANDsupranote I at 473 ( J ew ni ght have cue heard by j ury , hadf whomwer e J ews) .74 Chart er of OngJ ohn, supra note 75, pare . 2 ; J .MRIGG supra note 13 , at xi i .80 . Chart er of Ki ng J ohn, supra note 75, pare 8 ; 1WHOLDSWORTH HISTORYOFENGLISHLAW46(5th ed 1931) .8L Chart er of 15mg J ohn, supra not e 75, pare . 12 . I n has famous di spute w t h henry 11, Thomas A


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t he l eas t vassal t o t he Ki ng The under l yi ng r e a l i t y was t h a t t he J ews wer e nomore than t he embodi ment of t he Ki ng' s account s recei vabl e . J ews were sub-j ect t o per i odi c t a l l a g e and t i t h i n g when t he Ki ng r equi r ed them t o turn overmoney t h a t was he l d , u l t i ma t e l y , on hi s beha l f . 82 The Ki ng preserved t he J ewsand t h e i r i nvest ment s as represent i ng hi s own f i n a n c i a l f ut ure .The royal c h a r t e r s , i n e f f e c t , permtted t he J ews usuf ruct of money"muchas t h e i r Chr i s t i an nei ghbor s wer e pe rmt ted use of t he l and . At t he Ki ng' spl easur e, they goul d deri ve i t l i v e l i h o o d by l endi ngmoney at i n t e r e s t . BecauseJ ews coul d l end money at i n t e r e s t , they wer e avai l abl e t o f i n anc e excur si ons t ocont i nent al Europe and on Crusade . 84 I n addi t i on t o t he ext r aor di nary f i s c a ldemands of t he Crusades, t he nobl es s t i l l owed kni ght s er v i c e . Taxpayi ng be-gan t o r e pl ac e personal s er vi c e i n t he pract i ce of "s cut age"- money assessedfroml andowner s i n l i e u of kni ght f e e s . 115 For t hi s t o o , t he J ews' a s s e t s wer el i q u i d , and ava i l a b l e f o r a f ee .

I t was conveni ent t o t he r eal m t o have a source of c r e di t . I t was f u r t h e rconveni ent t h a t t he p r o f i t s f r om t he l oan arr angement s, f or bi dden t o Chri s-t i a n s , be ava i l a b l e t o t he Ki ng v i a hi s J ews . Amd i t was t o t he Ki ng' s advan-tage t o enf or ce t he c o n t r a c t s of c r e d i t made by t he J ews .

A I N THEKINGSCOURT111 . THEJ EWSHPRESENCE I NTHEDEVELOPINGLAWOF COMMERCE

The mos t s t r i k i n g devel opment i n Engl i sh l aw dur i ng t he t we l f t h cent ur ywas t he expansi on of t he r o y a l cour t s . Under Henry 1 1 , t he Ki ng' s court as -sumed an i ncreasi ng share of l i t i g a t i o n that previ ous l y had been heard onl y byl ocal CoUnSY6 Thi s was done t hr ough t he i ss uance of royal w r i t s , o r i g i n a l l yexecut or y commands t o t he s h e r i f f , but , w t h t i me, i ncreasi ngl y r epresent i ng af ormal summons i n i t i a t i n g a c t i o n i n t he royal cour t s . ' G I a n v i l l ' s t r e a t i s e , w r i t -t en at t he c l o s e of t he r e i g n of HenryQi s i n par t a f o rmbook of wr i t si nst ruct i ng t he proper met hod of l i t i g a t i o n and procedure . The c at e go r i e s ofBecket poi nt ed t o t he J ews' i n t e r n al j u r i d i c a l i ndependence as an ar gument f o r a separate aut onomouscl ergy . 4 S BARON supra n o t e 3 , at 277 .81 10 S BARON supra not e 3 , at 96- 99 . The Sa l adi n Ti t he of 1188 , t o f i na nc e t he Thi rd Crusade,demanded t ha t t he J ews t u r n over 60, 000 pounds, one- f our t h of t he val ue of t he i r ent i r e property i n t he

count r y . 4 S . BARON supra note 3 , at 81 .83 . The Ki ng f o r b o r e f romhi s abs ol ut e r i g h t s i n t he J ews' po s ses s i o ns , per m t t i n g cont i nued i n ve st -ment t o accrue p r o f i t s f o r hi s l a t e r use . GM TREVELYAN supra note 2 , at 251.84 E J ENKS, supra not e 12 , at 40.85 1 F . POLLOCK&.WMATLAND supra not e I at 271- 74 .86 RC VANCAENEGEmROYALWRTS INENGLANDFROMTHECONQUESTToGLANVILL 349- 51

(1959) .87 . I d at 1 95 - 9 7 .88 . G l a n v i l l ' s t r e a t i s e i s bel i eved t o have been wri t t en bet ween November 29 , 1187 and J u l y 6 , 1189 .GWONVILL, supra r i s e 68, at xwoxxuxi . Themanwhosename t he t r e a t i s e b e a r s , Ranul . f ( Ma nv i l l , wasappoi nt ed Henr y 1 1 ' s c hi e f j u s t i c i a r i n 1180 . 1 F POLLOCK&F.WMATLAND supra not e 3 , at 163.Af t er henr y' s deat h i n 1189 , Gl a nv i l l accompani ed t he newKi ng, Ri chard 1 , on Crusade anddi ed i nacre i n 1190 . I d The aut horshi p of t he t r e a t i s e i s unknown but has been at t r i but ed t o a t l e as t t h r e emen Gl a nv i l l ; Huber t wai t er, whobecame c hi e f j us6ci ar i n 1193 and, Geof f rey f i t z P e t e r , t he s h e r i f fof Nor t hampt on . GLANVI LL, supra now6 8 , at ) ood- xxxhi . I t i s equal l y l i k e l y t ha t t he book i s t he wor kof an unknown c l e r k of t he Ki ng' s c o u r t . I d at x x x i i i .


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-- - I - t, - - _ -wr i t s r e f l e c t t he p r e c i s e boundar i es of t he t hen r ecogni zed f orms of act i oQ19mong t he wr i t s devel oped dur i ng t h i s f ormat i ve peri od was t he wr i t ofdebt . 5" I n i t i a l l y , l i t i g a n t s most commonl y used t he wr i t t o c o l l e c t l oans ofmoney. ' Because t he J ews wer e t he predom nant moneyl enderS, 92 t hey woul dhave been t he predom nant users of t he e a r l y wr i t . But t he J ews wer e notmerel y t he uni nt ended b e n e f i c i a r i e s of a f o r t u i t o u s royal i nnovat i on . Takent o g e t h e r , t he coi nci dent ci r cumst ances of t he J ews' rel at i on t o t he Ki ng, t het hen uni que f o rmof r e l i e f adbr ded themby t h e i r s h e t a r s , and c e r t a i n pecul i ar -i t i e s i n t he wordi ng of t he ear l y wr i t s al l suggest t hat t he J ews cont r i but ed i nheretofore unexpl ai ned ways t o t he devel opment of t he ear l y wr i t of debt .I n accord w t h t h e i r t r a d i t i o n a l p r a c t i c e , when t he J ews l e n t money, t hey di dso under wr i t t en c r e d i t agr eement s document ed i n t he t r a d i t i o n a l f o rmof t heshet ar si l Because of hi s rel at i on t o t he J ews, t he Ki ng hadmani f ol d i n t e r e s t si n enf or ci ng t hese s h e t a r s . And, because "what t he J ews he l d, t hey hel d f o r t he

i n g , 9994 what t he J ews l o s t t hrough l i t i g a t i o n or t o an evasi ve debtor was l o s tt o t he Ki ng Nor wer e t h e s e l osses smal l : t he J ews accumul at ed i mmenseweal t h t hrough t h e i r moneyl endi ng and t he Ki ng' s Exchequer r e l i e d heavi l yon t he J ews a s an i mpor t ant sour ce of t a x r evenues . 91 And t he Ki ng had aneven more i mmedi at e s t a k e i n t he r evenues f r omcourt c o s t s . When t he debt orr ef used t o pay, t he Ki ng enf orced t he J ewsh contracts t hrough hi s royal c o u r t ,a t a cost of one- t ent h t o one- si xt h of t he sum t i s s ue . 96 Yet, de s pi t e t he royali n t e r e s t , t he quest i ons posed by l i t i g a t i o n of t he shear wer e not quest i ons t h a tEngl i sh practi ce was desi gned t o sol ve .hen a J ewsought t o enf or ce a shear, he asked a l t e r n a t i v e f orms of r e l i e f .payment of t he money owed or award of t he l and and c h a t t e l s secur i ng t hedebt . 9 7 But t h i s request appar ent l y was an aber rat i on fromEngl i sh practi ce oft he e a r l y t wel f t h cent ury . 91AJ e w s r equest t r acked t he t erms of hi s uni quecont ract : onl y a J ew sh c r e di t o r of a def aul t i ng debtor woul d be forced t o seeke i t h e r money or s e c u r i t y , because onl y hi s a l i e n procedure l e f t t he debt or i npossessi on of t he l and pl edged t o secure t he debt . 99

89 . SeeGLANVLL, supra note 68, Book X, ch 7 , a t 122 ( wri t of gage) . i d Book X11 . c l i s . 3- 5 . at 150-51 (wr i t s of mort d' ancest or) .90 RC . VANCAENEGEM supra not e 86, a t 254- 56 .91 .2 F POLLOCK&F.WMAITLAND supra not e 3 . a t 207 .92 . See I F POLLOCK&F.WMAITLANL), supra not e 3, a t 473 ( J ews had n i t ) n o f x ) l y i n l endi ngmoney a t i n t e r e s t ) .93 . See gener al l y MD DAvi s, supra note 42 ( r epr oduci ng por t i ons of credi t agr eement s bet ween

Engl i sh debt ors and J ew s h credi t ors) ; STARRS&CHARTERS, syAwnot e 42 ( r epr oduci ng Hebrew andLat i n port i ons of credi t agr eement s between Engl i sh debtors and J ew sh credi t ors) .94 See supra t e x t accompanyi ng note 65 ( quot i ng Bracton) .95 . SeeHG . RCHARDSON supra note 11 . at 161- 75 ( di scussi ng heavy t axat i on of J ews under Ki ngsHenry 11 , Ri char d 1 , and J ohn) .Ahe 10S BARON supra note 3, at 94 ( cour t f ee dur i ng d ng J ohn' s rei gn one tenth of debt ) ; RC .VANCAENEGAM SUPra not e 86, a t 258 ( cour t f ees a t end of Henry I f ' s reign aver age one- si xth of debt ,dur i ng 10th year of J ohn' s r e i g n , one- seventh) .97 . See supra t e x t accomanyi ngnoes 3&37 ( descri bi ng credi tor ' s r emedi es under shet ar ) .98 The e x p l i c i t cate or i zat i on of act i ons as real or personal di d not ari se i n Engl i sh l aw u n t i lBr act on' s t i me . See WZam The Term Real andPersonal i n Engl i sh Law 4 L. Q . R 394, 398- 4000( 1888) (Bracton c l a s s i f i e s act i ons ; G anvi l l does not ) . See al so 2HDE BRACTON DE LEGBL, S ETCONSUETUDNIBUSANGLLkE 290- 91 (G. E Woodbi ne ed &S. E Thorne trans . 1968) ( f i r s t di vi s i on ofact i ons) .99 . See 2 F POLLOCK&.WMArrLAND supra note 3, at 123 ( J ew sh credi t or f requent l y not i n


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I t appear s l i k e l y t h a t , a t t h a t t i me, a Chr i s t i an l i t i g a n t asked f o r onl y a s i n g l er emedy, e i t h e r a t hi ng or money Chr i st i an c redi tor t ook and kept posses-si on of t h e l and u n t i l t he debt was s a t i s f i e d . 100 I n case of d e f a ul t , t h e r e f o r e, h i ss u i t woul d be f o r money onl y . 1 I f t he debt or wr ongf ul l y put hurt out of pos-sessi on of t h e l and secur i ng t he debt , Engl i sh pract i ce barred t he Chr i s t i ancredi t or f rom br i ngi ng an a ss i z e of novel d i s s e i s i n t o recover t he l and : t he Eng-l i s h syst em r e l e ga t e d hi mt o a s u i t onl y f o r t h e under l yi ng debt . ' 2 Conver sel y,t he debt or r egai ned t he possessory r i g h t s t o h i s pr oper t y once t h e under l yi ngdebt was s a t i s f i e d . I f t he c r ed i t o r r efused t o return t he s ec ur i t y , t h e debt or ' ss u i t woul d be l i m t e d t o return of t h e pl edged pr oper t y . ' o3A ew sh credi t orwas appar ent l y t he onl y person i n t he r eal mwho woul d seek execut i on on as i g n i f i c a n t personal obl i gat i on by e i t h e r t r a n s f e r of a t hi ng or payment of asumA ew sh c r e d i t o r ' s a b i l i t y t o ask t wo f orms of r e l i e f gave h i r e more than t heobvi ous advant age over a Chr i s t i an c r ed i t o r . I mpor t ant procedural p r i v i l e g e si nher ed i n t h e opt i on of g e t t i n g r e a l r e l i e f f or a personal obl i gat i on . The con-vent i onal l i t i g a n t , sui ng on a personal obl i gat i on and seeki ng onl y money,coul d not ge t j udgment i f t h e def endant di d not appear i n court . ' 04 I n c o n t r a s t ,any l i t i g a n t seeki ng an awar d of l and woul d be awar ded j udgement i f t h e de-f endant had been absent , w t hout excuse, a f t e r three successi ve summonses . 105After t he def endant ' s t h i r d unexcused absence, t he l and was " s e i z ed i n t o t hei n g ' s hand" f o r f i f t e e n days and then adj udged t o t h e p l a i n t i f ' , 6 Conse-quent l y, onl y a l i t i g a n t demandi ng l and was assured compl et e r e l i e f r egardl essof a def endant ' s at t empt s t o evade t he c o u r t ' s power . Ot her l i t i g a n t s coul dgai n access t o def endant s' propert y onl y t hrough successf ul at t empt s t o securedef endant s' pr esence t hr ough d i s t r a i n t of c h a t t e l s and l ands . 107 Thi s di sparat ej u s t i c e d i s s a t i s f i e d racton, who proposed t h a t t he cour t s grant r e l i e f t o c l a imants of per sonal obl i gat i ons whower e faced w t h a def aul t i ng def endant by t hed i s t r a i n t and awar d of t h e def endant ' s pr oper t y . ' $ But because t h i s sol ut i onpossessi on of l and secur i ng debt ) ; 1 F . POLLOCK&. WMAITLAND supra not e 3 , a t 469 ( J ewsh credi tar r angement novel and al i en i n s t i t u t i o n t o Engl i sh because J e w s h credi t or di d not t ake possessi on ofl and secur i ng debt ) .100 . GLANVI LL, supra not e 68, Book X, ch 8, at 122- 24 ; 2 F . POLLOCK&F.WMATLAND supranote 3 . a t 120 .101 . See GLANVI LL, supra note 68, Book X, ch . 7, a t 122 ( w i t f or summoni ng debt or t o redeemgage) .

102 Id Book X, ch 11, a t 126 ; see 2 F POLLOCK&F.WMATLAND supra not e 3 , a t 121 ( " thecredi t or i s r e a l l y e n t i t l e d t o . . . t he debt , not t he l and . I f he c oni es i n t o court hemust come t o askj udgment f or t hat t o whi ch he i s ent i t l ed") .The a s s i z e of novel d i s s e i s i n was a possessory act i on f or l and . Through summary process i n t heKi ng' s c o u r t , a f r eehol der r ecent 1v oust ed f rom and coul d recover possessi on by show ng pri or occupa-t i o n w t hout t he f ormal i ty of t e s t i n g l e ga l t i t l e . See 2 F . POLLOCK Rc F. WMATLAND supra note 3, at47-52 (descr i bi ng a s si z e ) .103 GLANVI LL, supra not e 68 , Book X, ch 9, 10 , a t 125 ( w r i t f or summoni ng c r e di t o r t o restore gage,and di f ferent r e p l i e s of credi t or i n court) .104 . 2 F . POLLOCK&F.WMATLAND supra note 3, a t 594, Wl l i ams , supra not e 98 , a t 401 .105 . GLANVI LL,supra note 68, Book 1 , ch 7, a t 5- 6 ; 2 F POLLOCK&.WMATLANDsupra not e 3,at 592- 93 ; Whi am, supra note 98, at - 01 .106 . GLANVLL, supra note 68, Book 1, ch 7 , a t 5- 6 . Thi s was t he pr ocedur e under a w i t of r i ght f orl and . See i d Book 1 , ch . 6, a t 5 ( exempl ar of w i t i n i t i a t i n g act i on) . The procedur e f or novel d i s s e i s i nwas s i m l a r . Wl l i ams, supra not e 98, a t 401 .107 . Wl l i ams , supra not e 98, a t 401 .108 . 2 F . POLLOCK&F.WMATLAND supra note 3 , a t 594- 95 .


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I d Thi s t ransl at ed i n Engl i sh :

was not gener al l y adopt ed u n t i l 1832, 109 a Wsh c r e d i t o r ' s avenues of en -f or cement r emai ned uni que i n medi eval Engl and, enabl i ng himt o pur sue h i scl ai m t o j udgment even t hought t he def endant di d not appear t o answer t h ewr i t .The J ews asked f o r a r emedy t h a t t he Engl i sh systemwas unaccust omed t oo2i r i ng . Thi s chal l enge was met by t he Ki ng, who hi msel f commanded en -f or cement of t h e t er ms of t he shet ar . The Ki ng f i r s t mani f est ed hi s i n t er e s t i n acommand t o pay i n t h e f o rmof a wr i t praec6oe, 110 whi ch i f di sr egarded, con-ferred j u r i s d i c t i o n on t h e Ki ng' s court . " ' 11) , t he s h e t a r ' s t erms, t he debt or hadt he choi ce of payi ng t h e debt or r el i nqui shi ng t he property whi ch secured t h eobl i gat i on . To enf or ce t h i s choke, t h e Kmg' s commandwoul d have had t or e f l e c t t he di vergent r emedi es : money or property . " 2 Event ual l y, t h i s f o rmofwr i t p, r aec6oe evol ved i n t o t he wr i t of debt . ' 13The Ki ng' s i nt er vent i on on behal f of hi s J ew sh moneyl ender s may expl ai nand i n turn have pr oduced some anomal ous t er m nol ogy i n t he ear l y devel op-ment of t h e wr i t of debt . The wor di ng of t he wr i t evi dences t he i nt rusi on ofl and i n t e r e s t s i n t o per sonal l i t i g a t i o n . I n t he wr i t , as exempl i f i ed i n G l a n v i l l ,t he Ki ng ordered t h e S h e r i f f t o "[o]rder I t t o gi ve back j ustl y and w t houtdel ay t o R a hundr ed mar ks whi ch he owes . . . and of whi ch . . . he def or ceshi mUnj UStl y. "114 Prof essor van Caenegemobser ves t hat t hi s wor di ng c l o s e l y

109 . Id at 595 .110 . See RC . VANCAENEGEMsupra not e 86, at 254 ( w i t pr aeci pe f or money or i gi nat ed i n Fl enr~ I ' sw t h commands t o J ews' debtors t o pay) . The w i t pr aeci pe was asummary order f romt he Ki ng t o h i ssheri f f t o commandsomeone t o do somet hi ng ( her e, t o paymoney owed) pr i or t o j udi ci al determna-t i o n of t he r i g h t s of t he part i es . Id a t 234-31Froma pur el y execut i ve order, the wr i t devel oped i n t o aformwhi ch i n i t i a t e d j udi cial pr ocess i n t he Ki ng' s cour t . I d See general l ; , i d a t 234- 35 ( di scussi ngdevel opment of w i t s pr aeci pe) .Evi dence of t he i ssuance of t hese w i e r i s i n t he Pi pe Rol l f or t he 31st year of t he re i gn of Henn 1( 1130- 31) . The Pi pe Rol l s were t he annual bal ance sheet s of t he Exchequer , r ecor di ng t he account srendered by t hose r esponsi bl e f or roya l revenues, pr i nci pal l y the s h e r i f f s J . JAcoBs, supra note 70 . at303- 04 . Because a J ewhad t o pay t he Ki ng f or t he pr i vi l ege of a wr i t pr aeci pe, a record of t he t r a n b a c -t i on was entered on t he Pi pe Rol l s . Among t he entr i es i nvol vi ng J ews f or 1130- 31 ar e t he f o l l o %h i n g_

Rubi Gotsce and ot her J ews t owhomar l Ranuf f was i ndebt ed, owe 10Marks of gol d f or t h a tt he ki ng m ght hel p themt o r ecover t h e i r debt s against t he earl .Abrahamand Deusl esal t , J ews, render account of one mark of gol d t hat t hey mght r ecovert h e i r debt s agai nst Osber t de Lei cester .Id at 1115 ( t r ansl ated fromt he abbr evi at ed L a t i n i n whi ch t he Pi pe Rol l s were wr i t t en) . T' Ael nh-centur y Pi pe Rol l s al so sur vi ve f or t he years 1155 t o 1200 I d at 305 . J oseph J acobs has col l ected andt r ansl at ed many of t he ent r i es i nvol vi ng J ews i n t hese Pi pe Rol l s . See general l v i d a t 44- 221 ( i n t e r -spersi ng s e l e c t e n t r i e s f r om Pi pe Rol l s from1155 t o 1206) .111 . I d at 234 .112 . Cf . H G RCHARDSON supr a note 11, at 112- 13 ( Pi pe Rol l s i ndi cat e most act i ons i n whi ch J ewswere p l a i n t i f f s wer e f or recovery of money l ent or mortgaged l and) .

113 RC VANCAENEGEM supra not e 86 , at 254 .114 GLANV LL, supra note 68 , hook X, ch 2, at 116- 17 ( emphasi s added) . The wr i t of deb i nGa n v i l l ' s ori gi nal La t i n read :Rex ui cecom t i sal ut em Preci pe Ngood f o r t e et si ne di l at i one reddat R centummarcas guarei debet ut d i c i t , et unde queri t ur good i pse et i ni uste defo rc ia t . Et n i s i f e c e r i t , sumone eumper bonus sumoni t or es good s i t coramme uel i u s t i c i i s mci s spudWestmonasteri uma cl ausoPascha i n qui ndeci m d i e s , ost ensur us quar t non Acer i t . Et habeas i bi summoni tores et hocbr eue . Tcst e et c .The ki ng t o t he s h e r i f f , gr eet i ng. Order N t o gi ve back j ust l y and w t hout del ay t o R ahundredmarks whi ch he owes hi m so he says, andof whi ch he compl ai ns t hat he def orces


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1192 THEGEORGETOWNLAWOURNAL [Vol . 71 :1179

r esembl es that of t he c l a s s i cpraec6pe f o r l and . I I I S p e c i f i c a l l y , t he wri t of debtadopt ed t he wor ds "unj ust l y def orces" ( ands . . . ei i n i u s t e def or dat ) 1 16 f r omt hepr aeci pe . I 1 7 To " def or ce" i s t o wr ongf ul l y wi t hhol d possessi on of l and f r omone who i s l awf ul l y e n t i t l e d t o i t . " s The i mpr opr i et y of t he t r anspl ant ed te rm-nol ogy, t h e r e f o r e , l i e s i n t he sense of t he wrong conveyed by t he words, "un-j u s t l y def or ces, " whi ch c a l l s f o r an i mmedi at e remedy f or an egr egi ousi nt er f erence wi t h l and t enure . But t he under l yi ng compl ai nt was def aul t on adebt . Thus t he t erms of t he wri t appear t o ask f or i nappr opr i at e r e l i e f . Not i ngt he appar ent conf usi on, ' 1 9 van Caenegem nd i c a t e s that J ews were t he p r i n c i -pal b e n e f i c i a r i e s of t he e a r l y WQ320The "msuse" of t he wor ds "unj ust l y d e f o r c e s ! ' i n t he ear l y wr i t s conveysmore than j u s t t he verbal conser vat i smof t he ear l y common l aw. Use of t het e rm i mpl i es an under l yi ng l and obl i gat i on secur i ng a cer t ai n sum whi chst rongl y suggest s t he exi st ence of an ar r angement l i k e t he J ewi sh shet ar . Here,however , t he Ki ng hi msel f compel l ed payment i nmoney or i n l and t o bemadeby t he debt or f ound i n breach of a pri vat e agr eement . The t e rm "def or ce, "t h e n , communi ca t es t he J ew' s a b i l i t y t o ci r cumvent t he procedural l im t a t i o n sof Dersonal a c t i on s .. L . Henry has suggest ed, a l t e r na t i v e l y , t h a t t he wri t used " def or ce" t o con-not e a breach of t he Ki ng' s peace : as an empt y i ncant at i on wi t h t he s i n g l epurpose of l endi ng subst ance t o a ( Hahn of t he Ki ng' s j ur i sdi ct i on . ' ' The Ki ngdi d not cust omari l y i nt er vene i n pri vat e di sput es . 122 Thepurport ed f i c t i o n was

himunj us t l y . And i f he dot s not do i t , summon himby good summoners that he be bef ore meor myj ust i ces at West m nst er a f or t ni ght after t he oct ave of East er t o showwhy he ha s notdone i t - And have there wi t h you t he summoners and t h i s wr i t . Wt ness : NAtMRC VANCAENEGEM s upr a not e 86 , at 437 .1 I S RC VANCAENEGEM supra not e 86, at 250 see al so : 2 F POLLOCK&FWMATLAND supranot e 3, a t 173 (wr i t of debt as gi ven by Gl anvi l l cl osel y s i m l a r t o wr i t of r i ght f or l and known as t hePr aeci pe i n capers ) .116 . Appr oxi mat el y : " of which [ h e ] unj us t l y def orces him" See supra not e 114 f or compl et e t e x t ofwri t .117 RC VANCAENEGEM supra not e 86 , at 254 ; 2 F . POLLOCK20-4 .118 . See DWALKER supra not e 1 7 , a t 347 (def i ni ng def or ccment ) .119 . See R C . VANCAENEGEM s upr a not e 86, at 254 ( " unj us t l y def orces" was " i nappropr i a te i n apersonal act i on f o r debt , al t hough appr opr i at e enough i n a r e a l act i on f or tenure") . Ot her s have a lsonot ed t he pmuhar wordingof t he wri t . SeeRL . HENRY CONTRACTSI NTHELOCALCOURTSofMED-EVAL ENGLAND 1 5 ( 1926) ( " [ a ] person who does not pay hi s debt may be s ai d t o det a i n somet hi ngwhi ch does not bel ong t o hi m but he can hard l y be sai d t o ' def orce . . . ) . 2 F POLLOCK&F.WMATLAND supra not e 3, at 204- 05 ( not i ng pecul i ar i t y and expl a i ni ng i t : "Thebo l d c rudi t y of archa i ct hough t equat es t he repayment of an equi val ent sumof money t o t he r est i t ut i on of spec i f i c l and orgoods") ;AWB SIMPSON,AHSTORYOFTHECOMMONLawOFCONTRACT THER SEOFTHEACTIONOF AssuMPSI T 55- 56 ( 1975) ( not i ng pecul i ar i t y and concl udi ng : "The use of t he word def orci a l mayl ook s l i g h t l y cur i ous i n a debt wr i t , but aga i n i t s use i n al l probabi l i t y i s not s i gni f i c ant " ) .120 RC VANCAENEGEM supra not e 86, at 437121 . RL . HENRY supra not e 1 1 9 , at 16 . Henry f i r s t not es t he anoma y posed by t he f ormal decl ara-t i o n i n debt l i t i g a t i o n i n t he sei gnor i al cour t s . Ther e, t he p l a i n t i f f ' s c l a i m that she def endant "det a i nsand def orces" t he amount of t he debt someti mes was suppl ement ed by "agai nst t he peace of t he l or d . "I d a t 15. Henry t heori zes t hat t he l ocal f ormul a mmcked those used i n t he Ki ng' s court, because t hel ocal l o r d s , l i k e t he Ki ng, wanted t o usurp t he t r adi t i ona l j ur i s di ct i on of t he hundred and count y courts .IN I Kat .122. See GLANVI LL, supra not e 68, hook X, ch 8, a t 124 ( - [ i ] t i s not t he customf or t he court of t hel o r d k i ng t o pr ot ect or warrant pri vate agr eement s of t h i s k i nd concerni ng t he gi vi ng or recei vi ng oft h i ngs as a gag, or ot her such agr eement s, whether madeout of court or i n courts ot her than that of t hel o r d k i ng i t f ol l ows t h a t , i f such agr eement s a r e not kept , t he court of t he l or d k i ng wi l l not concern

F.WMATLAND s upr a not e 3, at


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that wi t hhol di ng payment on a debt breached t he Ki ng' s peace . Henry ar guesthat t he f ormal i smwas dropped once t he act i on was Wel l - est abl i shed and t hef i c t i o n no l onger necessary . 123ut t he i nvocat i on of t he Ki ng' s peace has anot her expl anat i on, der i vedf r om t he uni que rel at i onshi p bet ween t he Ki ng and hi s J ews . Because t heear l y ac t i o ns at debt wer e pr i nci pal l y on behal f of J ews, and because J ewscl ai med t hei r r i ght s i n t he Ki ng' s name, al l obl i g a t i o ns owed t o themwer e

ul t i matel y owed t o hi m124 W t hhol di ng a debt owed, even i nd i r e c t l y , t o t hei ng i s a breach of t he Ki ng' s peace t h a t r equ i r es no l eg al f i c t i o n . I f t he pr i ceof t he wr i t was pa i d, t he Ki ng' s courts wer e ready t o stand behi nd a J ewi shc r e d i t o r ' s compl ai nt i n debt . To enf or ce t he debt was t o r e s t o r e peace t o asmal l part of t he real mUse of t he te rm "def orce" symbol i zes t he c o u r t s ' i nt er f er ence wi t h r i ght s i nl and . Used t o i mpl y "breach of t he peace, " i t i nvokes t he i mage of t he Vg' sWr at h . The ot herw se puzzl i ng f ormal i smsi gnal ed an i n s t i t u t i o na l c on f l i c t : i nt he courts of f eudal Engl and, l and t enure had been d i s t i n c t frompersonalr i g h t s i n l aw . J ews wer e aski ng t he c o u r t s t o awar d l and- to compel transferof pr oper t y t o s a t i s f y a personal obl i gat i on- - be f o r e f i nal j udgment . 121 Becauset he Ki ng was, i n e f f e c t , t he real party i n i nt e r e st , t he i nt er f er ence wi t h l andt enur e was done wi t h hi s consent and suppor t . Lacki ng t he Ki ng' s hand, t heact i on woul d have been i mpossi bl e . Onl y t he Ki ng' s i n t e r e s t i n enf or ci ng J ew-i s h c r edi t o r s ' r emedi es coul d make po ss i bl e t h i s i nvasi on of l and beyond t hel i m t s of r e l i e f i n personal act i ons .The t r a d i t i o n a l J ewi sh procedure gover ni ng hen- accompani ed debt was ani nnovat i on i n f eudal soci et y . The embryoni c l eg al system l acked t he t erm nol -ogy t o descr i be a pri vat e j udi ci al pr oceedi ng f o r money that j eopar di zed pos-sessi on of l and . From t h i s came t he hybr i d use of t he t e rm "def or ce. "

ef orce" di sappear ed from t he Ki ngs court shor t l y a f t e r t he t i me ofGl anvi l . 1 , 126 appr oxi mat el y t he t i me when J ewi sh l i t i g a t i o n had been removedt o t he newl y est abl i shed Exchequer of t he J ewn 1 2 7 I n t he sei gnor i al c o u r t s , t het e rm f e l l i n t o di suse by 1291) 28 one year a f t e r t he expul si on of t he J ews fromEngl and . Though t h i s may be advent i t i o us , t h e decl i ne of t he phrase and i t sunder l yi ng Royal obl i gat i on coi nci des w t h t he decl i ne of t he J ews i n Engl and .Wen t he Ki ng' s J ewwas no l onger t he c r e d i t o r , def aul t on a debt no l ongeri mpl i cat ed t he i nt e r e st of t he Royal t r e a s u r y .

6

I ENULISHLAW

B THEEXCHEQUEROF THEJEWSAt no t i me dur i ng t h ei r t wo- cent ur y presence i n Engl and wer e t he J ews per-cei ved as mor e than a necessary ev i l : a source of c api t a l . The J ews, wel comed

i t s e l f w t h t hem and i s therefore not bound t o pronounce upon t he r ip r i o r or subsequent c r e di t o r s " ) .123 RL . HENRY, SUpra not e 1 1 9, at 16.124. See supra t e x t acc ompanyi ng not es 64- 65 ( J ews hel d proper t y ul t i matel y f o r Ki ng) .125 . See H. G R cHARDSON, my%na not e 11 , at 8 4 - 9 8 ( e x pl a i n i ng method by whi ch J ewsbeen awar ded l and l i qui dated t h e i r i n t er es t i n i t ) .12&2 F . POLLOCK&.WMAITLAND supra n o t e 3 , at 173 .127 . See i n f r a n o t e s 12948 and acc ompanyi ng t e x t ( d i s c u ss i ng Exchequer of t he J ews) .128 RL . HENRY, supra not e 1 19, at I S .

i s

1193

o r pr i v i l eges of t he several

who had


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119 1 THEGEORGETOwNLAwJOURNAL [Vol . 71: 1179a s moneyl ender s, wer e despi sed a s credi t ors . So l ong as t he Ki ng enf or ced t heJ ews' debt i nst r ument s, t he b e s t way t o avoi d obl i gat i on was t o at t ack t he J ew-i s h communi t y, dest r oyi ng peopl e and records . Spor adi c i nc i de nt s cul m nat edi n r i o t s a ga i ns t t he J ews duri ng t he Cor onat i on of Ri chard I i n 1189 and i n t heMassac r e a t York i n 1190 . 129 Besei ged by t hemob, hundr eds of t he York J ewschose deat h over bapt i sm The warr i or s, j oi ni ng r e l i g i o u s hatred t o t he i r eco-nomc mot i vat i on, wer e qui ck t o dest r oy t he deposi t s of s h e t a r s hel d w t h i n t heJ ew sh communi ty At York, t he r i o t was i nst i gat ed by Ri char d Mal ebysse, anobl eman deepl y i ndebt ed t o t he J ews . After 500 J ews di ed i n t he Ci t a de l ,h4al ebysse l e d t he mob t o t he Cat hedr al , wher e t hey dest r oyed t he debtrecords, whi ch had been hel d f o r safety i n t he Chapt er House . When t hesmoke c l e ar e d, bot h credi t or and debt had been er adi cat ed . 130Fol l ow ng hi s return f r om t he Crusades and r e l e a s e f r om c a p t i v i t y , 13 1 Ri ch-ar d I was di spl eased by t he attacks on hi s J ew sh moneyl ender s . Becausedupl i cat es di d not e x i s t f o r many of t he document s dest r oyed, t he Ki ng wasunabl e t o c o l l ec t debt s that woul d ot herw se have escheat ed t o him Hewasconcerned w t h pr eser vi ng a record of debt s owed t o ensure t h e i r payment . By1200, t h i s concern pr ompt ed t he est abl i shment of Archae ( R e g i s t r y of Bonds)and of t he Exchequer of t he J ews . 132Archae wer e est abl i shed i n al l t owns w t h si zeabl e J ew sh popul at i ons . Ther e g i s t r i e s consi st ed of Chdrogr ap1h Chest s and f our Chi r ogr apher s- - t wo Chri s-t i a n s and t wo J ews-and t h e i r c l e r i c s . 133 The Chi r ogr aph procedures wer est r ongl y r emni scent of t r a d i t i o n a l J ew sh pr eenc ; e . 134 AUbonds wer e t o bef ormal i zed i n t he presence o f t he of Eci al w t nesses, and i mmedi at el y dupl i -cated . 135 The ori gi nal and dupl i cat e wer e usual l y wri t t en on t he same ski n andwer e di vi ded by an i XT egu l a r c u t , produci ng corr .espondi ng t a l l i e s . 136 TheArcha ret ai ned t he du p l i c a t e , whi ch was cal l ed t hepas or "foot" of t he bond,whi l e t he c r e d i t o r r et ai ned t he o r i g i n a l , w t h t he debt or ' s s e a l a f f i x e d . 13 7 Wie rnt he debt or s a t i s f i e d t he d e b t , t he credi t or gave t he debt or a deed of acqui t -tance . 1 3 1 1 The debt or coul d t hen prove s a t i s f a c t i o n of t he debt onl y by del i ver

129 . J AM Ri cG, supra note 13 , a t x v i i - x v i i i .130 1d ;HMARGOLIS&GMAR AHISTORYOFTHEJ EWSHPEOPLE 384-88(1965 r e p r i n t ) .MDDavi s' c o l l e ct i o n o f s h e t a r s i ncl udes one r ecordi ng subst ant i al debt s owed by Ri char d Mal ebyssc . ("outof t he gr e a t de bt whi ch he ownt o my mast er Aar on, and f o r whi ch I gave hi m t h i s wri t i ng . " ) I n t heHebrewv er s i o ns of t he document s, hi s name i s t ransl ated i n t o t he Hebr ew f o r " e v i l beast " (khayah r a -s h ) , t he l i t e r a l t r a n s l a t i o n of t heNorman sur name . MD DAvi s, supra not e 42 , at 288 . Thi s t r a n s l a t i o n

was a p l a y f u l , t hough prophet i c, pun by t he c r e d i t o r . TheHebrewphrase i s used i n t he Book of Gene-s i s by J acob' s sons t o descri be t he ani mal t hey f a l s e l y c l a i mhas devoured t h e i r brot her J oseph . Genesi s37 : 33 . Thi s b i b l i c a l passage woul d have been read i n synagogues t he same week t h i s s h e t a r was wri t t en .MD DAvi s, supra not e 42 , at 288 .13 1 . The gover nment assessed t he J ews 5, 000 mar ks of t he 100, 000 mark ransom f o r t he r e l e a s e ofRi char d 1 . 4S BARON SYMZnow3, at 8482132 . J .MRi ce, sppro not e 13 , at x v i i i - x i x ; IWHOLDSWORTH . s up r a n o t e 80 , at 45-46133 . J .MRGG supra not e 13 , at x v i i i - x i x . Chi r ograph, l i t e r a l l y " handwri t i ng, " was t he te rmusedf o r t he wri t t en document s .134 . Seesupra n o t e s 34- 40 and ac companyi ng t e x t ( descri bi ng document ar y procedure of s h e t a r ) .135 . J .MRi oG, supra not e 13 , At x i x .1%l e g vn ev r a l Q STARRSAN6CHARTERS, . s up r a not e 42 ( phot ogr aphi c p l a t e s of bonds, show ngi i - regul ar c u t ) .137 . J . M Ri Go, . saga not e 13 , at x i x .1AAY Theacqui t t ance f requent l y was wri t t en on t he bac k of t he o r i g i n a l bond of debt . I STARRSANDCHARTERS, supra not e 42 , a t xi v- xv.


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1901 THESHETAR I N ENGLISHLAW 1195

i ng t he acqui uance t o t he Ar cha" f o r whi ch he obt ai ned t he 17es, whi chcancel l ed t he debt A 19 No debt , acqui t t ance, or a s s i gnment of debt was v a l i dunl ess f i l e d i n t he Chdr ograpt h Chest , whi ch coul d be opened onl y by order oft he Exchequer or i n t he presence of a maj or i t y of t he Chi r ogr apher s . 140The Ki ng' s Exchequer over saw t he Ki ng' s accounn Acont empor ar y t r e a -t i s e descri bed i s cagani za6on and dut i es : t he "Di al ogue of t he Exchequer . " 141L i t i g a t i o n of J ews h debt i nst r ument s compr i sed a s ubs t a nt i a l por t i on of t hef Achequees bus i n es s , so much so t hat a separat e branch was creat ed t o t r yJ e w s h causes . 142 Begi nni ng i n 1198, "Cashdes J udaeorum " or "Wardens oft he J ews : ' wer e appoi nt ed, 143 subordi nat e t o t he Exchequer . ' 4 4 The Cust odesJ udaeorumwer e t he f i r s t J ust i ces of t he J ews . They exerci sed excl usi ve j u r i s -d i c t i o n over al l mat t ers i nvol vi ng J ews and Chr i s t i a ns , except those i n whi cht he J ewwas cr i mnal l y aCCuSed . 1 4 5 Dur i ng t he t h i r t e e n t h cent ur y they wer echarged w t h en0r ci ng t he shet ar s of t he J eWS . 1 4 6 Thi s s p ec i a l branch of t heExchequer coul d e f f e c t i v e l y ascer t ai n t he amount s due t he Ki ng' s treasury v i at he Ki ng' s J ews . 14'The Chi r ograph Chest s preserved t he bonds of debt and t he deeds of a cqui t -t a n c e , and t he Ar chae preserved t he Chi r ograph Chest s . 148 Many of t he pl easought beRve t he Exchequer of t he J ews s t i l l s ur v i v e, and a subst ant i al bodyof l e ga l paper memori al i zes t he i nt eract i on of t he t hi rt eent h- cent ury B r i t i s hl ega l syst emw t h t he J ews h l aw of t he shet ar . Sur vi vi ng records i ndi cat e t h a tt he Exchequer of t he J ews pr esi ded over mat t ers a r i s i n g f r omt he f u l l range ofi n t e r a c t i o n s bet ween Chri st i ans and J ews . The pri mar y document o f f e r e d t oe est abl i shment , t r a n s f e r , or s a t i s -rove t he t r a n s f e r of i n t e r es t i n l and andf a c t i o n of a debt was t he shet ar .( n I N THEE MATTERSOFCOKHAG NN

The records of t he Exchequer reveal t he t ensi ons bet ween several el ement s :t he Ki ng' s t h i n l y di sgui sed econom c i n t e r e s t , t he c our t ' s st ruggl e bet ween f o r -mal i sm and a l i e n l aw i n t e r - r e l i g i o u s s us pi c i on s , and everyday vena l i t y .i t h i n t he pl e as of t he Exchequer of t he J ews, t he appear ances of one r e c u r -139 J .MROG supra note 1 3 , at xi x .140 1WHOLDSWORTH supra no te 80, at 45 . By 1240, the syst em had changed : t h e seal ed bondwas kept i n t he Archa, and copi es were g i ven t o both t he credi t or and t he debt or . I STARRSANDCHARTERS, supra note 42, at xv .141 . DALOGUSDESCACCARO SUPra note 68 The unknown aut hor of t he 12t h century ( ca . 1176)

"d i al ogue" descri bes t he exchequer board, a tabl e covered w t h a checkered c l o t h, f romwhi ch t he courtderi ved i t s name The members of t he court s a t around an obl ong t a b l e , rul ed of f i n t o squares t of a c i l i t a t e a syst em of account i ng ( descr i bed i n detai l i n t he "Di al o gus") used t o de t e rm ne debt s owed t ot he Ki n~ I d at xxxv- xxxi x, 6- 7 ; see al so I F POLLOCK&F.W?VIATLAND supra note 3 , a t 191- 92{descri bi ng Exchequer as compound i nst i tut i on : j udi c i al t ri bunal and f i nanci al bureau) .142 J .MRGG supra note 1 3 , at xx .143 . I d O t he or i gi nal f our "wardens, " Smon de Pat eshuH, Henry de Wchenton, Benedi ct deTal emunt , and J oseph baron, t he l a t t e r twowere dews . I d1 4 4 4 . 1WHOLDSWORTH supra note 8Qat 454&The Barons of t he Exchequer coul d annul t hej udgments of t he Cust odes J udaeorum I d145 . See i d at 46 ( cases i n whi ch J ews accused of cr i mes f ound amonggownMans) .146 Seegeneral l y I .MRGG supra no te 13 , at 3- 134 ( a col l ect i on of pl eas before t he exchequer oft he J ews from1220 t o 1285) . -147. See i d at xx ( Ki ng coul d order scrut i ny of Archae t o determne f i nanci al posi t i on of J ews ; whendone, Archae cl osed under t r i p l e l o ck and seal and al l busi ness suspended) .148 . I d at xi x .


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1196 THEGEORGETOWNLamJOURNAL [Vol . 711179rent l i t i g a n t , Cok Hagi n, 149 somet i me Chi ef Rabbi , 150 serve a s an exempl ar oft he cul t ur al cont act bet ween J ewand Chr i st i an . Co ' s changi ng fortunes i l l u s -t r a t e not onl y t he l i m t s of t he J ews' per sonal f r eedom i n Engl i sh s oc i e t y , butal so t he ext ensi ve r e l i a n c e on J e w s h l e ga l pr act i ce i n t he Ki ng' s cour t .Cok' s f i r s t appear ance was i n 1272, when t he Queen, t hr ough her c l e r k ,cl ai med f r omhi m 100 pounds " i n r eady mney. " I nstead of payi ng i mmedi -a t e l y , Cok acknow edged debt s t o t he Crown amount i ng t o 100 pounds, butnot i n r eady money, and asked t h a t t he Ki ng' s Counci l r ender j udgment . Tosuppor t t he Queen' s Cl am t he Queen' s agent appeal ed t o t he Ki ng' s Counc i l ,t he Queen' s Counci l , and t he eyew t nesses t o t he maki ng of t he agr eement .Cok agr eed t o pay t he debt i n t wo i nst al l ment s andnamd f our J ews as s u r e -t i e s . I f he de f a u l t e d, t h e y , equal l y w t h hi m woul d be s u bj e c t t o d i s t r a i n t oft h e i r l ands, debt s ow ng, c h a t t e l s , and t h e i r bodi es . ' -51I n 1273, Cok appear ed w t h s e v e r a l o t h e r s t o pay a p a r t i a l sumo del ay t het i l l a g e assessed i n t he East er Termof t he f i r s t year of Edward I ' s r ei gn . Theyasked r e s p i t e f or t he greater pan owed, and agr eed on a penal t y t h a t eachwoul d owe i n de f a u l t . 152 Later t hat y e a r , t he cour t not ed t h a t t he appoi nt ed( l a t e had passed w t hout payment of t i l l a g e or penal t y . The penal t y was a s -sessed and pai d . 153ne year l a t e r , Cot : Hagi a appear ed a s co-surety t o r e c e i v e cust ody of J oceundy, a J ewwho was char ged w t h l endi ng "mney t o Chr i st i ans by bl ankt a l l i e s , " 104- l eavi ng bl ank t he amount due u n t i l a f t e r t he debt or had si gned . 155Addi t i onal l y, Bundy was char ged w t h havi ng l i v ed, f or some t i me , i n Ray-Lei gh w t hout t he Ki ng' s l i c e n s e . For t h i s offense a l l Bundy' s goods and chat -t e l s wer e f o r f e i t t o t he Crown WhenBundy f a i l ed t o appear f o r hi s appoi nt edcour t da t e , t he court f ound Cok Hagi n and hi s co-surety " i n mer cy . " 1561275 , t he Ki ng n o t i f i e d hi s J u s t i c e s t h a t he had, granted al l of Cok Hagi n' spossessi ons as g i f t s t o hi s "dear est Consor t , El eanor , Queen of Engl and . " Shewas t o r ecei ve a l l of t he J ew s debt s ow ng and al l hi s goods and c ha t t e l s .These wer e f o r f e i t because Cok Hagi n was excommuni cat e f o r r e fusi ng t o sub-m t t o t r i a l " accor di ng t o t he Lawand Customof t he J ewr y . " 157 Edward con-

149 "Cod Hagi n- i s an Engl i sh cor r upt i on of t he Hebrewnam Yi t zhak HayimC ROTH ESSAYSANDPORTRATS I NANGLOJEWSHHSTORY 24 ( 1962), CROTH HSTORYOFTHEJEW I NENGLAND93-94 (1941) .150 . J .M Ri co, supr a not e 13 , at 119 n . l .15 1 . I d a t 67- 68 . Her e, not on l y t he pri nc i pal , but al so hi s sure t i es ar c subj ect t o r e a l act i ons ar i si ngout of a per sonal obl i gat i on .152 . . 1d a t 77 .153 . I d at 77154 . I d a t 82 .155 . . 1d at 82 n l .151 AY a t 8243 " I n mercy" mans subj ect t o f i n e or puni shmnt at t he di scret i on of t he court .BLACK'S LAWDCTONARY 708 ( rev . 5t h ed . 1979) .151At 8708 The o f f e n s e , apparent l y, i s one "agai nst hi s Law " i ndi cat i ng t hat t he J ewhadtrans6resscd agai nst J ew sh doc t r i ne rather t han agai nst a secul ar command. I d ot her sour ces reportt hatMagi n was, a t t he t i me, on t he l os ing s i de of a power str uggl e w t h i n t he J e w s h Commni tyC ROTH ESSAYS ANDPORTRATS I NANGLOJEWSHHISTORY, supr a not e 149, at 25 .I n t h ei r own r e l i g i o u s c o u r t s , J ews were subj ect t o penalt i es of excommuni cat i on f o r v iol at i on ofJ ew sh l aw Rel i gi ous courts oper at ed i ndependent l y of t he Crown, whose contr ol began on l y when t hedef endant wasOccad fromt he pr ot ec t i on of hi s commni tyand f or mal soci al posi t i on . Theexcomm-ni cat e J ewor t he J ewwho convert ed fo r f e i t ed hi s goods t o t he Kng See J .M RGG, supr a not e 13 , at87-88, 96 ( excommuni cat ed J ew) ; i d at 99- 100 (convert ed J ew) . On l eav i ng hi s communi ty, a J ew


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19831 THESHETARI N ENGLISHLaw 1197

di t i oned t h i s g i f t t o El eanor upon her maki ng good t o t he Ki ng, bef oreChr i st mas, "the a r r e a r s of t he l a s t t aUage assessed upon hi m t he J ew 11158y 1282, i n t he t e n t h year of Edwar d' s r e i g n, Cok was agai n doi ng busi -ne s s - 159 I n t h a t term Coksummoned Roger de Li ng t o answer f o r t he pr i nc i -pal and i n t er e s t owed on a debt represented by one Chi r ogr aph, swor n t o bedupl i cat ed i n t h e London Chi r ogr aph Chest . 160 I n t he same y ea r , Co ' s reale s t a t e deal s apparent l y prol i f erat ed . I n return f o r a f ee i n t er es t i n a pl ot ofl and and a house i n London, he exchanged a ni ne- year t e rm on a farmi nEssex i n whi ch he had a l i v e r i e d i n t e r es t . ' ' The f a rmhad been obt ai ned "onaccount of di v er s debt s" of t he f or mer owner , a kni ght . 162 The p r i o r agree-ment , t ransferri ng t he farm was dul y enro l l ed at t he Exchequer . For h i s newproperty, Cok Hagi n agreed t o pay y ea r l y , at E a s t e r , "one g i l l y f l o wer " t o t heOrmaer t enant and a l s o t o render ' t o t he c api t a l l ords of t he f ee t he s er v i c es dueand wonted t h e r e f o r , i n di schar ge of al l s e c ul a r s er v i c es , cust oms, and al lt hi ngs exact ed and demanded. " 163 The t wo c h a r t e r s , gr ant i ng respect i vel y t hepr opert i es t o t h e i r newowners , cont ai n t he warr ant i es, w t ness at t es t a t i o ns ,s eal s , and si gnat ures r equi r ed by t he l aw of t he shet ar . The court r ecei vedt h e s e el ement s as proof of t he agr eement ' s v a l i d i t y . The court a l s o recordedat t he Qassn' s attorney was present t o gi ve her consent and acknow edge-ment t o Cok Hagi n' s document . 'Cok Hagi n' s l a s t appearance i s as one of a group of t he descendant s ofa s t e r E l i e s j oi ni ng t ogether t o acknow edge, by t h e i r s h e t a r , t he acqui t t anceof an anci ent debt t o t hei r father . I t s h i s he i r t hey r el eased t he debt or "frome creat i on t o t he end of t he wor l d . " "By spont aneous and unani mous con-s e n t , " t hey di schar ged t he debt as f u l l y pai d . 165The surv i vi ng records of t he Exchequer of t he J ews cover a l i m t e d per i od( 1220- 1284) . Cok Hagi n' s exper i ence i s r epr esent at i ve i nsof ar as i t i l l u s t r a t e spersonal and r e l i g i o u s di s p ut e s , shetars of property t r a n s f e r , debt regi s trat i on

t

abandoned t he r o l e of hol di ng goods f o r t he ul t i mat e use of t he Ki ng . See i d at 61 ( goods f o r f e i t e d byJ ewl i v i n g, w t hout Ki ng' s l i c en s e, out si de J ew s h communi t y) . The Ki ng woul d have been eager t oencourage enf or cement of J ew sh l aw at l ea s t t o t he ext ent of sei z i ng t he goods of thoseexcommuni cat ed .158 . J .MRi ce, supra n o t e 13 , at 87 .159 . TheQueen had encouraged t he Ki ng t o conf i rmCok Hagi n' s e l ec t i o n as Chi ef Rabbi i n 128 1 .I d at 119 n l . H s excommuni cat i on appar ent l y had been t empor ary .160 . I d at 117 .161 . I d at 118- 20. By aroyal e di c t of 1271, J ews were f orbi dden t o own l and . See Mandat ur n Regi sSuper T e r r i s et Feodi s J udaeorum i n Angl i a . AnnoRcgni Refs Henr i ci Qui nquagesi mo Qui nto (Man-doeo6l e Ki ng Touchi ng Land and Fees of J ews i n Engl and . The F i f t y - f i f t h Year of t he Rei pi ofKi ng Henry ) [A. D 1271] pri nt ed i r e J .MRIGG supra note 13 , at 1 - I v ( mandat e of Henr y I I I prohi bi t i ngJ ews t o have "f reehol d i n manor s, l a nd s , t enement s, f e e s , r e n t s or tenures of any ki nd what soever byc h a r t e r , g r a n t , f e of f mc nt , c on f i r ma t i o n, or any k i nd of o bl i g at i o n, or i n any ot her manner , " but pe rmt -t i n g J ews t o dwel l i n houses i n t he c i t y ) . Despi t e t h i s pr o hi b i t i o n, t he exchequer record c l e a r l y s t a t e st ha t Cok Begi n had taken t he l and " by l i ver y" - i . e . , by l i v e r y of sei sm a f o rm of l and tenure deni edt he J ews by t he precedi ng e di c t . Perhaps t h i s was pos s i b l e through some di r e c t i n t e r ve nt i o n of t heQueen or because he hel d i n her name onl y .162 . J .MRIGG supra n o t e 1 3 , at 118 .163 . I d at 120 I t i s doubt f ul t h a t Cokhere subm t t ed t o kni ght s e r v i c e , per s e, but he l i k e l y assumedt a x e s ( i nc l udi ng scut age f e e s ) assessed on t he Cf id at x i i i ( J ew coul d not swear homagef r eehol derr f eal t y , whi ch wer e n e c e s s a r y d ut i e s of f reehol der i n f e ud al system .164 J .MRiGG supra n o t e 13 , at 118- 20 . CokHagi nwas appar ent l y t he Queen' s c h a t t e l . She, nott he Ki n , woul d have power t o af f=or deny h i s ac t i o ns .16 5 at 133- 34 .


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1198 THF_ GEORGETOWNLAwJOURNAL [Vol . 71 : 1179and ac qui t t ance, and a r oyal conveyance wher eby hi s goods and, ar guabl y, hehi msel f wer e gr ant ed t o t he Queen The exchequer enf

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