The Jews and Moors, who had taken refuge from the Spaniards at Ferrara,
were now again compelled to wear the yellow O upon the breast.
Contraveners were threatened, not only with the punishments already
provided by law, but also 'with such severer penalties as the Duke
might think good to inflict.' After this, the Duke and the court went
several days in succession to hear sermons in church, and on the 10th
of April all the Jews in Ferrara were compelled to do the same. On the
3rd of May, the director of police, Zampante, sent the crier to
announce that whoever had given money to the police-officers in order
not to be denounced as a blasphemer, might, if he came forward, have it
back with a further indemnification. These wicked officers, he said,
had extorted as much as two or three ducats from innocent persons by
threatening to lodge an information against them. They had then
mutually informed against one another, and so had all found their way
into prison. But as the money had been paid precisely in order not to
have to do with Zampante, it is probable that his proclamation induced
few people to come forward. In the year 1500, after the fall of
Lodovico il Moro, when a similar outbreak of popular feeling took
place, Ercole ordered a series of nine processions, in which there were
4,000 children dressed in white, bearing the standard of Jesus.
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