Caryl Phillips - The Nature of Blood

In the meantime, the Jews arranged that the word should be secretly passed among them that they would soon have to present themselves at the house of Servadio. On the night in question, Donato, the servant, was sent to guard the entrance to the house, and when all the Jews had arrived, the young boy — now plumper after a generous diet — was brought from the room where he had been held captive and was stripped down in the kitchen. He was frightened, for the Jews had about them an evil quality which, in their excitement, they found difficult to disguise. Then, without warning, Giocobbe of Colonia fixed a handkerchief to the boy's face so that he could not see, and then he clapped his hand over the child's mouth. Mercifully he was not quick enough, for two or three screams were heard on the outside, although none of the Christians, at this time, knew the true nature of their origins. The new basin was produced by Moses and he placed it under the boy. Thereafter, Giacobbe of Colonia quickly struck the little mammal a blow near his heart and watched as the fresh blood collected in the basin. As the sacrifice bled, the onlookers hissed blasphemies aimed at the Saviour and his mother, calling her a whore and the Saviour 'the dead one born out of wedlock'. Some went further and stuck out their tongues and exposed their private parts in an attempt to scorn and further disrespect the innocent young Christian victim.

Once the basin was full, and Sebastian New's veins drained of blood, its contents were evenly distributed among the many jugs proffered and then greedily drunk. Some was saved, for it would be dried into powder and sprinkled on Seder wine and matzah. There followed some consultation as to how best to dispose of the useless body. One among the Jews suggested the river, but another Jew argued that, should the body float to the surface and be discovered, the nature of the wound would give them away. It was Moses who produced a sack and suggested that the body and clothes be bundled inside, and he could be trusted to burn the contents in his huge oven. And so it came to pass. But the Jews were not careful, and the evidence against them was overwhelming. There were witnesses who saw the two Giocobbes on the road from Trevisio in company with the boy. There were the women in Portobuffole who also saw the boy, and, of course, there was the blacksmith who spoke to him. There were others who clearly heard the screams of the innocent at the moment of death, and an inspection of the contents of Moses' oven produced evidence that something organic had recently been burnt. However, having been subjected to torment, the most compelling evidence of all fell from the lips of the three principals in the form of their confessions. Although fantastic and monstrous in detail, they were consistent. All of this Andrea Dolfin duly reported in the hope that his words might stir the Council of Ten into action.

On receiving the magistrate's report, the Council of Ten found themselves in an impossible position. The severity and unusual nature of the punishment would not enhance the judicial reputation of the Most Serene Republic, and might well destroy her carefully cultivated relations with the Jews. But what could they do? Deny the work of the local judges and repeal the sentences? To do so would be to imply that half the population of Portobuffole had given false testimony. On 19 April, the Council of Ten placed the problem before a particularly animated meeting of the Grand Council. After much debate, it was finally decided that the executions should be suspended, and an emissary dispatched to Portobuffole to unearth further evidence.

The Venetian emissary gathered his new evidence in the company of Andrea Dolfin, and he discovered that some of it proved contradictory. However, a great deal of it confirmed the original allegations and the emissary felt compelled to rearrest Servadio's servant boy, Donato. Shortly after this heinous crime, the boy had forsaken Judaism and become a Christian, assuming the name of the murdered child, Sebastian. Under new examination by the Venetian emissary, this new Sebastian spontaneously confessed, without recourse to torture, and accused his master Servadio of the alleged crimes. He claimed that, before conversion, he had been privy to all the secrets of the enemy Jew, and he confirmed that it was written in the ancient writings that, without the shedding of human blood, Jews could neither obtain their freedom nor ever return to the promised land. Therefore, it was laid down that every year they must sacrifice a Christian to the Most High God in contempt of Christ, for it was owing to Christ's death that they had been shut out from their own country and were in exile in a foreign place.

Sara, the wife of Servadio, and Rebecca, the wife of Moses, were also rearrested, and because they refused to confess they were submitted to torture, but they denied every allegation. They further claimed that because Jews regarded women as weak, they did not allow them to assist in certain rituals, therefore the emissary showed mercy and decided not to continue proceedings against the two women. During the course of their investigations it became clear to both Andrea Dolfin and the Venetian emissary that the people of Portobuffole were not only continuing to abuse and insult the Jews, but there was a danger that they might begin to attack Jewish houses in order to repossess their securities and recover the files that recorded where the remainder of their belongings were hidden. Time was doing little to soothe the inflamed passions of the populace, and the emissary hurried back to Venice in order that he might report his discoveries.

On the night of Saturday 6 May, a messenger from the Council of Ten delivered the following brief to Andrea Dolfin, and to others in similar positions of authority in neighbouring territories.

Because of the recent case in Portobuffole regarding the Jews who are said to have killed a Christian child, it is hurtful to them and their relatives if people continue to create rumours about them. We have decided to write this to you because we know you will read it and can obey secretly, and with discretion, and without public demonstration, but yet with diligence, as we order it. You shall live and respect their goods. They shall not be treated poorly, not in this world, or in any other place, and everything, namely their securities and goods, shall remain where they are without the slightest alteration or addition. We advise caution. Violence, theft or transportation of underwritten goods for any reason is not permissible. We give you this order in great confidence and great trust.

That same night, while everyone was asleep, an armed body of men arrived in Portobuffole and took into custody the three condemned prisoners and three other Jews who had been arrested in the course of the supplementary investigations by the emissary and Andrea Dolfin: Fays, tutor of Servadio's sons; Solomon, the domestic servant of Moses; and Donato, the new Christian who now wished to be addressed as Sebastian. During the night, the six Jews were transported to Venice, and, on the morning of Sunday 7 May, they were all locked up in the Doge's Palace in rooms situated under the Rooms of Torment. It was here that they languished while the Council of Ten decided their fate.

Some six weeks later, on 22 June, the members of the Grand Council received the following order from the Council of Ten.

Considering that this case with the Jews is full of evil and goes against the honour of Jesus Christ, it is necessary to draw some conclusions with the maximum amount of application. It has therefore been decided that anyone who sits on this Council has to come tomorrow at the sound of the ninth chord. At that time, the doors will be closed and he who has not arrived will have to pay a fine of ten ducati that will be inflicted immediately. He who does not pay will be sent to sign the Book of Debtors. This goes for all who have a seat in the Grand Council.