Yet they were now and then subject to some accusations: for instance, we learn from a writ of release, and which has been alluded to already, that several Jews in that city were imprisoned on a charge brought against them of taking away a boy belonging to a Jewish convert, and concealing him. However, it proved a false alarm, the child was soon found; the prisoners were therefore forthwith released.¹ ¹ See Appendix Q. Prynne briefly notices an investigation respecting the murder of a certain Jew there, Jacob by name.¹ ¹ See Appendix R. The university, however, was at that time very badly off for a nice elegant cross; they had no means of erecting it. The authorities therefore ingeniously contrived to make the Jews erect one for them. One of them was, therefore accused of having, on Ascension Day――whilst the chancellor, masters, and scholars of the university were walking in solemn procession to visit the sainted reliques of Frideswide, bearing the cross before them――snatched the cross――a _wooden_ one――from its bearer, and trodden it under his feet in contempt of Christ. A very likely story!¹ ¹ Judging from the Popish customs still existing in the countries where that religion is national, I should say that certainly no Jew was permitted to appear in the street during that or any similar procession-day, as is the case to this day in Poland, and other Roman Catholic countries. A Jew, in all probability, ventured out at that time, and thus gave his enemies an opportunity to fabricate the above adventure, which ended in the erection of a splendid cross by its enemies. Strict search was made after the culprit, but in vain. Of course, there was evidently no culprit to find; if there were, he could not possibly have escaped, as no Jew was allowed to travel from place to place without especial license. All those, therefore, who could be found within the city, were seized, and imprisoned until they had provided sufficient funds for the erection of a cross of white marble, with golden figures of the Virgin and Jesus Christ, and also a rich silver cross, to be carried before the masters and scholars of the university, in their processions. The marble cross was placed in Merton College, and the silver one entrusted to the Fellows of that society. The large marble cross appears to have existed till Henry the Sixth, according to John Ross, a contemporary antiquary, who copied from it, just before it was destroyed, the following inscription:―― “Quis meus author erat? Judæi. Quomodo? Sumptu. Quis jussit? Regnans. Quo procurante? Magistris. Cur? Cruce pro fractu LIGNI. Quo tempore? Festo Ascensus Domini. Quis erat locus? Hic ubi sisto.”