Page:Meir Ezofovitch a novel, from the Polish of Eliza Orzeszko.djvu/15

Rh would live side by side with the heretic Karaites. The little community disaolved itaelf gradually, and finally disappeared under the last blow given by Michael Ezofovitch, Senior, a man well known in the annals of the Polish Ieraelites.

This was the first Ezofovitch whose name sppears be- fore the public, m the beginning of the aixteenth century. Under the influence of a high civilization, wise and just laws, he bad become a ataunch partisan of the nation who had given shelter and protection to his race.

Consequently King Sigismund I. gave him the title of Senior and authority over all the Jewish population in Lithuania and the adjacent provinces by royal decree.

"We, Bigismund, by the Grace of God, etc. give hereby to know that considering the feithful services of the Jew, Michael Ezofovitch, we nominate him Senior over all the Jows in our dominions; to attend to their affairs, so that there should be no delay or hindrance to rule them according to their laws, and punish offenders with our consent and according to justice."

Judging from history, the Senior must have been a man of strong character and mental capacities far beyond his time. He ruled with a strong hand, and those that would not submit he expelled, as for instanos the Karaites, whom he deprived of all rights of fellowship. Under this blow, the existence of the Karaites, precarious and lingering already, was doomed to s speedy end.

Poor, persecuted, yet tenaciously holding to their faith, the descendants of the Kharson rulers left the town, all but a few families who clung to the spot where their fathers