Graduallythegalleriesbecamefilledwithknightsandnobles，intheirrobesofpeace，whoselongandrich-tintedmantleswerecontrastedwiththegayerandmoresplendidhabitsoftheladies，who，inagreaterproportionthaneventhementhemselves，throngedtowitnessasport，whichonewouldhavethoughttoobloodyanddangeroustoaffordtheirsexmuchpleasure。Thelowerandinteriorspacewassoonfilledbysubstantialyeomenandburghers，andsuchofthelessergentry，as，frommodesty，poverty，ordubioustitle，durstnotassumeanyhigherplace。Itwasofcourseamongstthesethatthemostfrequentdisputesforprecedenceoccurred。
``Dogofanunbeliever，’’saidanoldman，whosethreadbaretunicborewitnesstohispoverty，ashissword，anddagger，andgoldenchainintimatedhispretensionstorank，——``whelpofashe-wolf！
darestthoupressuponaChristian，andaNormangentlemanofthebloodofMontdidier?’’
ThisroughexpostulationwasaddressedtonootherthanouracquaintanceIsaac，who，richlyandevenmagnificentlydressedinagaberdineornamentedwithlaceandlinedwithfur，wasendeavouringtomakeplaceintheforemostrowbeneaththegalleryforhisdaughter，thebeautifulRebecca，whohadjoinedhimatAshby，andwhowasnowhangingonherfather’sarm，notalittleterrifiedbythepopulardispleasurewhichseemedgenerallyexcitedbyherparent’spresumption。ButIsaac，thoughwehaveseenhimsufficientlytimidonotheroccasions，knewwellthatatpresenthehadnothingtofear。Itwasnotinplacesofgeneralresort，orwheretheirequalswereassembled，thatanyavariciousormalevolentnobledurstofferhiminjury。
AtsuchmeetingstheJewswereundertheprotectionofthegenerallaw；andifthatprovedaweakassurance，itusuallyhappenedthattherewereamongthepersonsassembledsomebarons，who，fortheirowninterestedmotives，werereadytoactastheirprotectors。Onthepresentoccasion，Isaacfeltmorethanusuallyconfident，beingawarethatPrinceJohnwaseventhenintheveryactofnegotiatingalargeloanfromtheJewsofYork，tobesecureduponcertainjewelsandlands。Isaac’sownshareinthistransactionwasconsiderable，andhewellknewthatthePrince’seagerdesiretobringittoaconclusionwouldensurehimhisprotectioninthedilemmainwhichhestood。