Jul. 25, 1271

Ordinances of 1271, decreed by King Henry III of England [England]: “The King to his beloved and trusty men, his Mayor and Sheriffs of London, and to ‘all his bailiffs and trusty men to whom [these present letters shall come], greeting….We have provided by the counsel of the prelates, magnates and chiefs who are of our council, and also have ordained and decreed for us and our heirs that no Jew have a freehold in manors, lands, tenements, fees, rents and holdings whatsoever by charter, gift, feoffment, confirmation or any other obligation, or in any other wise; so however that they may dwell hereafter in their houses in which they themselves dwell in cities, boroughs or other towns, and may have them as they have been wont to have them in times past; and also that they may lawfully let to Jews only and not to Christians other their houses, which they have to let; so, however, that it be not lawful for our Jews of London to buy or in any otherwise purchase more houses than they now have in our city of London, whereby the parish churches of the same city or the rectors of the same may incur loss….Moreover touching nurses of young children, bakers, brewers, and cooks employed by Jews, because Jews and Christians are diverse in faith, we have provided and decreed that no Christian man or woman presume to minister to them in the aforesaid services….Witness the King at Westminster, July 26. In the same manner order is made to the several sheriffs throughout England.”