[Historian and physician. He was born at Avignon in 1496, and died at Genoa in 1575. His best known works are Dibre ha-Yamin le-Malke Zarefat we-‘Utman, which is a sort of history of the world, and ‘Emek ha-Baka, which deals with the Jewish persecutions in various countries and centuries. The latter book was begun in 1558, and concluded in 1563. He subsequently brought it up to 1575.]

The Crusaders Massacre the Jews at Meurs^[256]

And it came to pass in the fourth month on the seventh day, that the enemies, the men of the army, arose against the poor and humble population of Meurs, and besieged the city round about. When the inhabitants of that town lifted up their eyes, they saw a people as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. These people asked that the Jews should be handed over to them to do unto them according to their desire, as they had done in all the towns through which they had passed up till that day. The governor of the town went out to them, and said to the captains of the army: ‘What profit is it if we slay our brethren, these Jews, who dwell in our midst in security, and conceal their blood? Therefore remain ye outside, and I shall speak in their ears, and whatever answer they will give me, I shall tell you. These men will perhaps consent to change their religion and to be like us. We shall then be innocent of bloodshed.’

As these words found favor in the eyes of the besiegers, the governor returned to the town, and called the Jews together, and proclaimed these words in the ears of the people, saying: ‘Ye know what I have done unto you from my youth up till this day, how I have saved you from the hand of the oppressor and tyrant, as I vowed to you, so that no dog moved his tongue against any one of you, and not even a shoelace was taken from you. Ye are my witnesses, up till this day. But now your eyes see that the children are come to the birth, and there is no strength to bring forth. A day of trouble and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of wrath and punishment is this day, and I am not able to withstand the tyranny of these firebrands that smoke with kindled anger, lest they should come and smite me, the mother with the children. Now choose ye for yourselves: either ye consent to be like us, or ye will be handed over to them, and they will do unto you as they did in all the countries through which they passed. Choose ye for yourselves, that I may be free from sin.’ And all like one man answered, saying: ‘It is better that we should die in the fear of the Lord than that we should do this thing, and sin against God. Now, our lord, we are in thy hand, do with us as it seems good in thine eyes; for evil is determined against us: on account of us is this great tempest upon you.’

When the governor perceived that he could not prevail upon them, he acted cunningly, and sent several of the Jews out of the town accompanied by his servants. Then he commanded that the latter should return to the town, with their swords stained with the blood of the beasts of field. And they showed their swords to the Jews saying: ‘See ye what has been done unto your brethren; in this manner will it be done unto you, if ye do not consent to-day to be like us.’ But the Jews all answered like one man, and said: ‘We have no portion in your religion, and no inheritance in your god; do unto us as it seems good in your eyes. For the Lord our God is one God; unto Him shall we cleave, Him shall we serve, and by His name shall we swear all the days. We shall not turn aside to the right or to the left from the commandments which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded us.’

Then the governor commanded, and they brought back the Jews whom he had sent outside, and they put them in prison, separately, so that they should not lay hands on one another, as some Jews did in other towns.

There were two women in that town, the name of the one was Gentila, and the name of the other Rebecca. And one of them who was with child bowed herself and brought forth a son, for her pains came upon her. There was nobody with them but a young girl of very beautiful appearance. When she saw that the enemies rose up against them, they took the child, and wrapped him up in clothes, for their mercies grew warm for him, and they threw him down to the ground from the tower in which they were imprisoned. When the enemies saw what they had done, they arose on the following morning, and seized hold upon them, and led them against their will to the high place, and did unto them according to their desire, and there was none to say: ‘Halt!’ Some were slain with the edge of the sword, others bowed to the idol, after being tortured, on that terrible day, and they turned away from the Lord.

There was a Jew among them, whose name was Shemariah; and the bishop’s treasurer said to him: ‘Shemariah, Shemariah, fear not; abide with me, and I shall save thee from their hand.’ So the man was content to dwell with him, and gave him the money that was found with him. The bishop’s treasurer then led away him, his wife, and his three sons, and made them dwell in the forest until the ninth day of Ab, which is the fifth month. Then this base fellow forced him to send to his sons in Spires that they should give him silver pieces or gold pieces. When they sent him some of the money that was found with them, this base fellow took it away, and immediately delivered Shemariah and his family to the hand of the enemy. The inhabitants of the village rejoiced to see him, for they had known him, and consented that he should not change his religion until the following day. So on that day they ate no unclean thing, for they said craftily: ‘Let us do to-day according to our custom, but to-morrow about this time we shall become one people.’ Whereupon they retired to their room, for they were dejected and fatigued. They closed the door, and spent that night there. And it came to pass in the morning watch that his sleep fled from his eyes, and the man arose before a man could recognize his fellow, and took the knife and slew his children and his wife. He also attempted to cut his throat, but did not succeed, for giddiness took hold of him; he swooned, but did not die.

As soon as the morning was light, the enemies arose against him, and when they saw what he had done, they were exceedingly astounded at him, and said unto him: ‘Why hast thou committed such a wicked thing? Thy blood is upon thine own head, and we are free; evil is determined upon thee. Now thy sin will thereby be atoned for, by thy becoming like us; by thy being turned into another man, thy life may be saved. Otherwise we shall deal worse with thee than with them, and thou shalt be buried alive with them.’ But he said unto them: ‘Far be it from me to do such a thing. Do with me as it seems good in your eyes; but I shall not rebel against the Lord.’ Then they made a grave, whither he walked by himself, and wherein he was buried. His wife was placed at his right, and his children at his left. They threw earth over them, and said unto him every time: ‘Turn to our religion, that thou mayest live and not die.’ But he did not hearken unto their voice, and they removed the earth from him three times to see whether he would not be persuaded; but he would not listen to them. So they covered him with earth. His voice was heard all day; but they mocked him.

Wilt Thou refrain Thyself for these things, O Lord?