Abstract
Acknowledgements of debt have long been used in the study of medieval Anglo-Jewish moneylending activities. Such studies have been primarily based upon a socio-economic approach. In contrast, this paper is based upon an analysis of the material, palaeographic, and linguistic features. It commences by charting the legislation which governed the production of acknowledgements, and the extent to which this was adhered to, before highlighting the aspects of the text which have previously been neglected but provide an important, additional, dimensions to the historiography.
Highlights
Peer Review: This article has been peer reviewed through the journal’s standard double blind peer-review, where both the reviewers and authors are anonymised during review
By drawing on the tallage rolls and the scrutiny lists, Mell outlines that moneylending was the preserve of only a few Jews. It is her expressed aim to “scrutinize the facts that ‘we think we know best’”, but this is done only in so far as to challenge conventional interpretations of medieval AngloJewish moneylending as the dominant occupation of the community.[3]
The two most significant collections are contained in the Westminster Abbey Muniments (WAM) numerical series, 131 documents, and the National Archives (NA) “Ancient Deeds: Series D” ( E 210), 173 documents.[6]
Summary
56 Jewish Historical Studies, volume 49, 2017 been reached within the historiography that apply to AngloJewish moneylending activities. In contrast to previous explorations, this article is informed by the surviving acknowledgments of debt It begins by using the legislation as a framework within which to begin analysing the documents, before moving on to discuss the significant material elements of the records. This essay is intended to open up new avenues of discussing old, and in some instances, well used historical sources in new ways by using the documents themselves, as opposed to modern transcriptions of text, in order to consider the manner in which debt to Jews was recorded in thirteenth-century England
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
