Statute of the Jewry

In 1275, King Edward I introduced a Statute of the Jewry with further rules and regulations for the Jewish community living in England.

by the usuries (lending money at interest) of Jews made in time past, and that various sins have followed thereafter; [and] although he and his ancestors have received much benefit from the Jewish people in all time past

And that each Jew after he turns seven years old, shall wear a badge on his clothes; that is to say, in the form of two tables joined, of yellow felt

were not allowed to be part of guilds (groups of craftsmen or merchants) or to own farmland.

for that they are taxable to the king and to no other but the king

Whereas the king in his parliament at Westminster at the quinzaine of Michaelmas in the third year of his reign, ordained that no Jew of the realm should thenceforth lend anything in usury to any Christian

With time, however, Jews generally became associated with lending money at interest because the Papacy condemned usury as a sin (Exodus 22:25�27, Leviticus 25:35�37, Deuteronomy 23:19�20, Luke 6:35); Church councils later compared it to homicide, sodomy and incest.

In most places and times, medieval Jews were legally unable to participate in agriculture, the economic activity of the vast majority of both Christian and Muslim populations.