LAMEGO:

By: Richard Gottheil, Meyer Kayserling

City in Portugal. Its Jewry was formerly situated in the Cruz da Pedra street, the present Rua Nova. Lamego was the meeting-place of many rich secret Jews or Neo-Christians, who were bitterly hated by the Christian population of the city. One of the most active representatives of the Portuguese Maranos in the struggle against the introduction of the Inquisition was Jacome da Fonseca of Lamego.

The establishment of a tribunal of the Holy Office in the city (1542) was hailed with rejoicings by the Christian population. In the program of the celebration of the opening of the tribunal, which consisted of doggerel and which was displayed at all the public places in the city, the richest and most distinguished of the Maranos were divided into two groups, musicians and dancers, and caricatured. The panic among these secret Jews was so great that most of them fled to Tras-os-Montes, where many were seized by the bailiffs, and led back to Lamego. The tribunal of Lamego was in existence for about six years.

G. M. K.