Chronicling England's Jews : from Parker to Prynne, 1559-1656

Trevelyan-Clark, Georgina Helen (2025) Chronicling England's Jews : from Parker to Prynne, 1559-1656. PhD thesis, Birkbeck, University of London.

Abstract

This thesis examines the transmission of the cultural memory of the medieval English Jews, sourced from English chronicles, and how such myths and memory were repurposed during the period 1559-1655. Central to this discussion is the Whitehall Conference, 1655, convened to discuss Jewish readmission into England. A pivotal text written in response to the Conference was William Prynne's A Short Demurrer, which chronicled the history of Jews in England from 1070 to 1290, emphasising accusations against them for alleged crimes and heresies. Written in seven days, it extended to 105 pages and accurately cited 121 unique sources. Prynne's remarkable feat of compiling and distributing A Short Demurrer within seven days prompts an investigation into the mechanisms through which the memory of the medieval English Jews persisted in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century England. This study explores the role of English chronicles as repositories of collective memory, albeit often mythological and erroneous, especially in the post-Elizabethan versions of the chronicles and popular printed pamphlets from the period surrounding the Whitehall Conference. Using the insights of book history, this thesis uncovers the role of Archbishop Matthew Parker, in the preservation and dissemination of English history, including the continuing circulation of myths concerning medieval Jews. It elucidates that amidst periods of catastrophic iconoclasm and cultural upheaval, Parker, and others selectively curated, edited, and printed sixteenth-century versions of the medieval chronicles. Through their work, they perpetuated myths, facilitating their manipulation for ideological purposes as evidenced by Prynne’s strategic use of such material. By interrogating the textual transmission of Jewish history in England, this thesis draws attention to the complex interplay between memory, myth, and power, shedding light on how historical narratives are constructed, circulated, and exploited for various agendas across different periods.

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