It is unnecessary, and would be impossible, to specify the various times and places at which the Wandering Jew has successively reappeared. The legend being firmly believed by the vulgar throughout Christendom, an opportunity for imposture was afforded which could not fail to be improved. The last recorded apparition was at Brussels, in April, 1774, and on this occasion the wanderer had again changed his name to Isaac Laquedem. Of the origin of the tradition we know nothing. M. Lacroix has suggested that it took its rise in a grand and beautiful allegory in which the Hebrew race were personified under the figure of the Everlasting Wanderer. See Calmet's _Bible Dictionary_, Grässe, _Die Sage vom Ewigen Juden_, Dresden and Leipsic, 1844, Paul Lacroix's Bibliographical Preface to Doré's Designs, _La Légende du Juif Errant, etc._ Paris, 1856. This ballad is taken from Percy's _Reliques_, ii. 317, and was from a black-letter copy in the Pepys collection. When as in faire Jerusalem Our Saviour Christ did live, And for the sins of all the worlde His own deare life did give, The wicked Jewes with scoffes and scornes 5 Did dailye him molest, That never till he left his life, Our Saviour could not rest. When they had crown'd his head with thornes, And scourg'd him to disgrace, 10 In scornfull sort they led him forthe Unto his dying place, Where thousand thousands in the streete Beheld him passe along, Yet not one gentle heart was there, 15 That pityed this his wrong. Both old and young reviled him, As in the streete he wente, And nought he found but churlish tauntes, By every ones consente: 20 His owne deare cross he bore himselfe, A burthen far too great, Which made him in the streete to fainte, With blood and water sweat. Being weary thus, he sought for rest, 25 To ease his burthened soule, Upon a stone; the which a wretch Did churlishly controule; And sayd, "Awaye, thou King of Jewes, Thou shalt not rest thee here; 30 Pass on; thy execution place Thou seest nowe draweth neare." And thereupon he thrust him thence; At which our Saviour sayd, "I sure will rest, but thou shalt walke, 35 And have no journey stayed." With that this cursed shoemaker, For offering Christ this wrong, Left wife and children, house and all, And went from thence along. 40