Menasseh ben Israel's Mission to Oliver Cromwell: Being a reprint of the pamphlets published by Menasseh ben Israel to promote the re-admission of the Jews to England, 1649-1656Manasseh ben Israel
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Menasseh ben Israel's Mission to Oliver Cromwell: Being a reprint of the pamphlets published by Menasseh ben Israel to promote the re-admission of the Jews to England, 1649-1656
Manasseh ben Israel
Jews -- Great Britain
The question was, however, not allowed to rest here. Cromwell wanted an
authoritative decision, which would enable him to do more than merely
protect individual Jews, and it was clear that this could not be
obtained unless a more important person than Dormido were induced to
take the matter in hand. The question had to be raised to a higher
level, and for this purpose it was necessary that it should make some
noise in the country. Only one European Jew had sufficient influence in
England to stimulate the popular imagination, and to justify the
Government in taking serious steps for the solution of the question.
That man was the author of the “Hope of Israel.” In May 1655 it was
decided to send Samuel ben Israel back to Amsterdam to lay the case
before his father, and persuade him to come to London.[60] There is no
mystery as to who suggested this step. Menasseh in his diplomatic way
merely tells us he was informed that his “coming over would not be
altogether unwelcome to His Highness the Lord Protector.”[61] There is,
however, a letter extant from John Sadler to Richard Cromwell, written
shortly after Oliver’s death, in which it is definitely stated that
Menasseh was invited “by some letters of your late royall father.”[62]
Sadler no doubt spoke from personal knowledge, for in 1654 he was acting
as private secretary to the Protector, and the endorsement on Dormido’s
petitions recommending them to the Council bears his signature.[63]
Under these circumstances we can well understand that Menasseh was
induced, as he says, to “conceive great hopes,” and that he resolved to
undertake the journey. In October he arrived in London with the MS. of
his famous “Humble Addresses” in his pocket.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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