Rebecca the Jewess (1913)

In Rotherwood Hall, the home of Cedric, the Saxon, preparations are being made for the evening meal. Rowena, who does not reciprocate Athelstane's affection, recalls her parting from Ivanhoe, the disinherited son of Cedric, on his departure for the Holy Wars in Palestine. Out of doors a poor Palmer makes his way to the Hall to escape the impending storm. Gurth, the swineherd, and Wamba, the jester, also hurry forward with the herd to gain shelter in time. Taking advantage of King Richard's absence, Prince John is plotting to seize the throne, aided by some of the nobles and by the Knights Templar. Sir Brian de Bois Guilbert and Sir Reginald Front de Boeuf, Knights Templar, are traveling to Ashby-de-la-Zouche to be present, with Prince, at the tournament. They also seek shelter at Rotherwood. The banquet prepared in their honor is marred by Cedric's refusal to bow the knee to any man. The boastful Normans claim all the honors for the Crusades. The Palmer upholds the bravery of the Saxons and challenges Sir Brian to meet Ivanhoe in combat when the latter shall return to England. The challenge is accepted. Isaac of York and his daughter, Rebecca, now claim shelter from the storm. None will make room for the despised Jew but the poor Palmer, who willingly gives up his seat. Sir Brian and Sir Reginald take great interest in the beautiful Rebecca and the former instructs the Saracen servants to abduct her and seize the father. The plot is discovered and they are assisted to escape by the Palmer, but before Gurth will open the gates for them the Palmer has to reveal his identity. He is Wilfred of Ivanhoe himself. The Jew and his daughter, freed from their persecutors, at their home at Ashby, Ivanhoe borrows from Isaac the horse and armor necessary for the forthcoming combat. Rebecca is greatly struck with Ivanhoe's manly bearing. At the tournament Ivanhoe is declared victor and is handed the chaplet, but is badly wounded. With the money won in the fighting he sends Gurth to repay Isaac. King Richard, returned from captivity and wishing to learn the true state of the country under his brother's rule, wanders about the country as a lonely knight. Happening on the cell of a hermit, he craves rest and refreshment. On close acquaintance, the friar becomes most un-hermit-like and boisterous, and at this point the outlaw Locksley enters. A spy informs Brian at Richard's return, and the news is conveyed to Prince John. Sir Brian and Sir Reginald capture the Saxon household, it being part of their plan to abduct Rowena as well as Rebecca, the Jewess, and to hold the Jew until ransomed. Gurth and Wamba escape and carry the news to Richard Coeur-de-Lion and the outlaws. At Torquilstone, the Castle of Front de Boeuf, the Jew is threatened with torture unless he gives the necessary order for his ransom. He bravely makes the condition that his daughter shall be given to him unharmed. Even as he is threatened with torture of a most revolting description, the outlaw band commences the attempt at rescue. Within the castle, Ulrica, aged and degraded daughter of the former Saxon lord Torquil, distresses Rebecca by foretelling her fate at the hands of Sir Brian. He enters the room where Rebecca is confined, but she threatens to throw herself from the embrasure. The outlaw band and the King, with the help of villagers, successfully attack the castle, which is fired at last by Ulrica; she taunts the dying master, Reginald Front de Boeuf, while the flames creep around his death-bed. Sir Brian, however, fights his way through the attacking party, bearing with him the unhappy Rebecca. Sir Brian hides his prisoner, in defiance of the rules of the order of Templars, in the preceptory. The Grand Master discovers the fact and puts down the knight's infatuation to witchcraft. For this serious crime she is tried, and condemned to death at the stake, but by the rules of the order, if she can find a champion to fight for her, and he overcomes the champion of the Knights Templar, she may go free. When informed of this, Ivanhoe, though not perfectly recovered from his wounds, sets off and arrives just as the herald makes his appeal for a champion for the last time. By vanquishing Sir Brian de Bois Guilbert he frees the Jewish maiden, who leaves England with her father, after bidding Ivanhoe a sad farewell, knowing that his love for Rowena is deep and lasting, and his brave fight to save her from the flames was only dictated by his noble sense of duty as a chivalrous knight.