Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/172

148 148 EXPULSION OF THE JEWS. PART I. Wliole num- ber of exiles. The whole number of Jews expelled from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella, is variously computed from one hundred and sixty thousand to eight hundred thousand souls ; a discrepancy sufficiently indicating the paucity of authentic data. Most modern writers, with the usual predilection for startling results, have assumed the latter estimate ; and Llorente has made it the basis of some impor- tant calculations, in his History of the Inquisition. A view of all the circumstances will lead us with- out much hesitation to adopt the more moderate computation. ^^ This, moreover, is placed beyond reasonable doubt by the direct testimony of the Curate of Los Palacios. He reports, that a Jewish Rabbin, one of the exiles, subsequently returned to Spain, where he was baptized by him. This person, whom Bernaldez commends for his intelli- gence, estimated the whole number of his unbap- tized countrymen in the dominions of Ferdinand 14 From a curious document in the Archives of Simancas, consist- ing of a report made to the Span- ish sovereigns by their accountant general, Quintanilla, in 1492, it would appear, that the population of the kingdom of Castile, exclu- sive of Granada, was then estimat- ed at 1,500,000 vccinos, or house- holders. (See Mem. de la Acad, de Hist., Apend. no. 12.) This, allowing four and a half to a family, would make the whole population 6,750,000. It appears from the statement of Bernaldez, that the kingdom of Castile con- tained five sixths of the whole amount of Jews in the Spanish monarchy. This proportion, if 800,000 he received as the total, would amount in round numbers to 670,000 or ten per cent, of the whole population of the kingdom. Now it is manifestly improbable, that so large a portion of the whole nation, conspicuous moreover for wealth and intelligence, could have been held so light in a politi- cal aspect, as the Jews certainly were, or have tamely submitted for so many years to the most wanton indignities without resist- ance ; or finally, that the Spanish government would have ventured on so bold a measure as the banishment of so numerous and powerful a class, and that too with as few precautions apparently, as would be required for driving out of the country a roving gang of gipsies.