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tomas

o{ Monmouth, Life and Passiolx

of

St. William of Norwich

5a9

l,':t;*tas of Monmouth,Ltfeand Passion of St. William of

Norwich

{'

!i

(1.) Concerning the forewarning in his mother's dream. The rnercy of divine goodness, wishing to display itself to the see of Norwich, or rather to the whole of England, and to give it in these new times a new patron, granted that a boy should be conceived in his mother's womb without her knorn ing that he was to be numbered among the illustrious maltyrs and worthy to be honored among ali the army of the saints. Moreover divine mercy brought it about that he should grow up little by little as a fragrant rose from the thorns. His father was a certain Wenstan by name. His morher was called Elviva, and they passed their lives as honest people in the country, being very rveli supplied with the necessities of life. It should not seem absurd to anyone that a boy of such sanctity and destined for such honor should by God's will be born from iowly parents, when it is certain that He Himself rn'as pleased to be born from among the poor. Accordingly his mother, althor"rgh ignorant of the fact, had by divine goodness conceived, and, whiie still unaware, was with child. But it happened that she rvas chosen to receive a marveious forewarning by a vision worthy of our honor, which revealed to her how great should be rhe sanctity and dignity of the chiid whom she bore in her ,,vomb. As she slept it seemed to her that she was standing in a r:oad with her father Wuiward, a priest, avety famous man in his time.1 Arrd there as she looked down, at her feet, she saw a fish known as a luce. The fish had twelve fins on each side, and the1,' were red as if they were dabbled with biood. And she said to her father, "Father, I see a fish, but I wonder very much how it should have come here or how it can live in so dry a spot." Her {ather answered, "Pick it Llp' my daughrer. Pick it up and put it in your bosom." Xfhen she did so, the fish seemed to move in her bosom and by degrees to grow so large that she could no ionger hold it. So it glided out, and escaping by her sleeve and suddenly acquiring rvings, it flew away, and passing through the clouds, it entered into heal'en, ivhich opened to receive it. The woman awoke after her vision, and in the morning she told her father in ',r,hat she had seen in her dream. Her father having much experience :xplaining visions, wondering what rvas presaged and what it portended, first

jr+

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!-t:ll

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]ti

Li::ii

r:ii:il

a.l

li

over privately and, considering all the facts, after a while he responded to his daughter. "Know for certain, my dearest daughter, that you are with child, and rejoice with joy because you shall surely bring forth a son l ho shail attain to highest honor on earth, and after being raised above the iiouds shall be exalted exceedingly in heaven. Knorv, too, that when your son shall have reached the age of twelve, then he shall be raised to this pinnacle of Elory." Now we can hardly believe that the father would have spoken these il'ords to his daughter with so much certainty on the basis of his own knowl*dge, but rather on behalf of the Holy Spirit, to whom alone all things are preient) even fhose things which are to come. ihought

it

rirlr

5za

MEDIEVAL HAGIOGRAPHY

In accordance with her father's words, the daughter did bring forth a son, who also at twelve years of age arrived at the height of honor that had been foretold. (2.) Concerning his birth and infancy. After some time had passed and the day had arrived for his deliverg a son r|Tilliam. But he was born on the was born to the woman) and he was called Perday ofthe Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that is on Candlemas'2 haps this also indicated how gfeat the purity and sanctity of the child would be, and that he would gfeatly love candles and their brightness. But I have judged that I should not ornit one event, which I later learned of from his him, so I have -oth", and his brothers and the priest who had baptized wenstan was father his inserted it here. on rhe day of his weaning, when entertaining his relatives who had been invited to the feast, a man who was the undergoing penance, with iron bands upon his arms' presented himself to child the up held guestJas iibegging for alms. After dinner the man cheerfully lh. b"b5 wondering at the iron fetters in the innocence of In his handr, "na childhood, touched them with his little hands. Suddenly the boncis broke and fell to pieces. The guests, amazed at the sight, were greatly astonished, and free attribuled what had occurred to rhe merits of the child. The penitent, set the among was who priest, The by divine favor, went his way giving thanks' in place gu.rrr, collected the broken rings and placed them in a conspicuous of those who his church at Haveringland, not only for keeping up the memory and he careafter; come should were living but also as a record for those who
preserved them for a long time. fully 'The mother, loving her child exceedingly, reared him with very great care' to the age and by carefully rdo."ling him she brought him up from his infancy 'when he was only s.rren years old, as I learned from the mother's of reason. elder brothnarrative, he became so devoted to abstinence that, aithough his Moners did not fast, he himself fasted on three days of the week-namely fasting the days, \wednesdays, and Fridays. He aiso celebrated with devout the people'3 vigils of the apostles and of oth., ,"irrt, that were announced to with content ena nis zeal graduaLly increasing, he used to pass many days pietg rvhatever norhing but bread uni *"r.r. \(lith his heart overflowing with mother by his his from h. .orrld save from his own portion of food or extort pieas, he used to distribute to the poor' sometimes openly and sometimes ,..r"ily, But while doing these things he conducted himself so dutifuliy, kindly, and prudentlS thar as far as possible he at the same time benefited di.l ,ro, .u,rr. his parents any annoyance' FIe atrended church the poor "rrd and prayers' and treated all the loyfnlty, learned his letters arrd th" Psalms ,irlrrgr'of God with the grearest reverence. With divine grace anticipating to be loved him in all things, he srroye wirh earnest ef{ort by kindness to all, in the child by all and to be burdensome ro none. Divine providence worked works of mighty the (who was knowingly ignorant and wisely untaught)
grace and pointed to be later on.

o",

nV sure signs even then how great his merits were going

Thomas of Monmouth,Life and Passion of St. William of Norwich

5zr

(3.) How he was accustomed ro associate with the Jews and, rebuked by his own people for doing so, how he withdrew himself from them. \(hen there{ore he was flourishing in this blessed boyhood of his and had attained his eighth year, he was entrusted to the skinners to be taught their craft. Gifred with a teachable nature and eagerly applying hard work, in a short time he far surpassed lads of his own age in the craft, and he equaled sorne who had been his teachers. So attracted by a divine command, he left the country and moved to the city and lived for some time with a very famous mastef of that crafr. He was seldom in the country, but was occupied in the city and diligently gave himself to the practice of his craft, and thus he reached
his twelfth year.

Now, while he was staying in Norwich, the Jews who were settled thele and needed to have their cloaks or their robes or other garments {whether held as security for loans or their own property) repaired, preferred him over all other skinners. For they thought him to be especially suited for their work, either because they had learned that he was honest and skiliful' of because attracted to him by their avarice, they thought they could bargain with him for a lower price, or as I believe instead, because by the ordering of divine providence he had been predestined to martyrdom from the beginning of gradually step by step was drawn on toward that fate. And the ii*e, "rrd more suited to their purJews, thinking him to be somewhat naive and thus pose, had chosen him to be mocked and sacrificed in scorn of the Lord's passion. For we have learned from certain Jews, who were afterward converted to the Christian faith, that at that time they had planned to do this very thing with some Christian. And in order to carfy out their evil purpose) at the beginning of Lent they had chosen the boy William, who was twelve years old urrd ,rnuioully innocent. When therefore the holy boy, ignorant of their treacherous plan, had frequent dealings with the Jews, he was taken to task by Godwin the priest, whose wife was the boy's aunt, and by a certain'Wulward with whom he was staying, and he was prohibited from associating with them any more. But the Jews, annoyed that their plans were thwarted, tried with all their might to salvage their wicked scheme. They were especialiy eager because the day for carrying out the crime they had decided upon was approaching, and the victim whom they had thought they had aheady secured had slipped out of their wicked hands. AccordinglS collecting all the cunning o{ theii ir^fty plots, they found a man-I am not sure whether he was a Christian or a Jew-who was a most treacherous fellow and just the fitting person for carrying out their detestabie crime. With great haste-for their Passover was only three days off-they sent him to find and bring back with him the victim who, as I said before, had slipped out of their hands. (4.) How he was deceived by the Jews' messenger. At the dawn of day, on the Monday afrer Palm Sundag that detestable messenger of the Jews set out to execute the business that was committed to him, and after searching with very Sreat care, he at last found the boy \(illiam. '$(hen the child was found, the man deluded him with cunning

MEDIEVAL HAGIOGRAPHY

5zz

For he pretended that he lying-promises' with him deceived wordy tricks and he wished to have tf archdeacon william, of cook with was the *t'"'" if he should continue steadilv

Nt#il;l"J'ft"'

him as a helper i"

he

'h;;i';;"' in his situat"i'oilff,. ,i*pltwould set many ;;;;r"*; io hau" his rnother's i Ht*t;;;';ishing to hi*"lf and trusted with the fellow to 'ht-*""' aita by this t*"__ftt 't"'ttd n"l futt']' t'i' i approval-fo' *ut' the boy told her the reason to where. ;;; th"y his ': of Vhen net her. 'h" find 'o-" d;;;t;;t'tnt*: :flthe and upon for his visit, perdition easily prevailed 'r'"""ii'1"'"ft"t-g promises that son of the treachery. So with many he could not at allgain offers' vt' ii"'J*p'itg *itn mind "t'ntt' the boy's i the ssuL'rs!"';;;t;*, when rnc mother's consent' But and in her motherly affec-

bov was

deceived i

him

scoundr;li:::*::iffi'ff

i:Jfffi'1

away with f.Tr1flH"*';.*l"Tf ;Itl':fJ"*:**"''th"traitor'o"'h'oihe'th' bt't o"ly that he may make begs' He he is the mother' He begs; 'ht;;;;'' 1o" hi*' He asserts that tr'"ir'9"ra ;;il;;; the boy. She refuses, between her and not believ" fti* -i all' So #;;;"s cook, archdeacon,s a sheep an{ a wolf (who ;;;" n""t lamb was him you might ";;'"-.'""ttr" "'i'tati*t" of u thitd' The persists #;ttt so first at seemed "'oii""l tht" tht wolf' The wolf 'igLr Here ;J;;th;lp rescue
between them' that he mav rend

and save.

at last was incessantlv begging the man's rosy promises' by her son's prayers J^;"'*';;duced io*tver' for delay till
after Easter; bot the
release him befcre

"'i"o ;other' partlv overcome J;;;i;" "i;: will to give *"'' ;;;;gg"d' compelled against her days' not for thirty il;;'#'
Liro, ,*ol.
rfr, ir.

^"!holds her ground that she mav fiuo*d the one and kept on ""d;;;;;;r'" 'i"tp ia bv eot u""t'l;';;;v;;*?

*o.rii'i*-ri""i intt" not r"t;i*-go' and vgwed she would purse pieces of silver.-Th";;;;r"lo*d." ihree shillings from his

E;;

with intent,.
bornness crf

iJ" of the innocent's " *'l']"*"' ;4i;4 gain. Thus "* 'i'-f even yet was the mother's Bt" bl:"-d' 't't of price "o' easily removed' The wran.nt' rather in truth as the intuition of u .r*G evil ,rr. n* pieces shaken, devotion on'the other with the p'"it';';"0 *l't' on'-o*ont'idt his continual gling still *tnt ao** i"' stubbornness by her avartce' of silver, so that, o i" *"rJ ".,'*t"' arouse ;i;h; coins that '*it"a at her might though her mothoffers, tht b'igl't"t" di""#;;ili

*""f.ii ntU" *"*^t'-"attta fylt't

btttd the capricious stub-a*orio"riuJio of -otir.f, gf;"tr-of money to the lust

So the

,r"lror-root

service' or

cruellv persuaded at so the mothet's the temptation and' way.under gave slowly and once erly af{ection only ;;;; oitti- ?l l* greed' of piec"' opposed' shining the still last by 1lver, 1le that which she t'*t not'.she or the '" "tt"n' overcome' willingly was handed over to ;;ili; won being Brieflv told, the *oth*' betrayer' was given up to the wolf, and the Uoy Witliam taken' mocked andli|T'"""r'n'"* ht
(5.) How

;;;;;

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in,t,. -o'niiJ' "Lordingtv

"t,;;;;';ir"

t""*' th"'

;l'h: t::::

j;*'

ffi:J1il: ilT;;:

*" Tj?i,,1i;5:;5: ;;^;; *", passing mo'rher

;;';;

''*

"na'uiJ'r'^'l'che

Passion Thomas of Monmou th' Life and

of

St' \Yilliam of Norwich

523

hadentrustedtheboytohim,andthen_hewentoutagainhastily'Butthe them at once' and take care

daughter' "Follow boy's aunt said quickiy to her girl ran out to i;ad"ing the boy off fo." Thus the you find our where ,# ;;; as they going' and-she foliowed them at a distance explore the way tf'"y -t" caualleys' At last she saw them entering turned about through somt"p'li"t'

tiouslyintothehouseofacerrainJew,andsheobservedthatthedoorclosed rightafterthem'\ilrenshesawthis,shewentbacktohermotherandtoldher

-t1*i11Tl],

was treated ,,0. an innocent ramb led to the sraughter, he was kept being prepared for. him' kindly by the Jews' t;;;;;;; ;; *h*' *"u untilthe{ollcwingmorning.Butonthenextd""n*h.hinthatyearwastheir jay it the synagogue, the leadpassover, after the singing of the hymns for the ers of the 1.*u they seized hold of

suddenly .rr" house of the Jew mentioned earlier. no fear in and "rr.*f;iJ ;;l;t william "' h" *"' hnving his dinner For while ill treated him in ""'iot" horrible ways' of any treachery, gagged him "";;t; others opened his mouth and some of them held rrm rro* behind, back of his the through both iaws to with a wooden ,"a, ?"*g i' Uy 'tto"g' could' After that' taking a neck, they fastened i' *it[ a knot "' "ghtly "*hty o{ orr"'. iittle 6nger and tying three short piece of rope about the thickne$ out' they bound it around that innoknots in it at c.,tain ai"unt" marked into his foreback, forcing the middle knot cent head from the i"..rr.ra to the rope were the of into his temples' The rwo ends head and the two knot' "tht;; hisiead and fastened in a very tight srretched mort tlghi;'", tfr. 1".f. of Theendsoftheropewerethenpassedaroundhisneckandcarriedaroundhis off this dreadful engine of torthroat under his chin, and there they finished ture in a fifth knot.

Butnotevenyetcouldthecrueltyofthetofturersbesadsfiedwithout
addingstillmoreSeverepains.Havingshavedhishead,theystabbeditwith countlessthorn-points,andmadethebloodcomehorriblyfromthewounds

theymade.e"atn"y*t'"tot"'"landsoeagertornflictp-ain-thatitwasdifficulttosaywhethertheyweremofecruelormoreeagerintheirtortures. Indeed,theirskillintorturinggavestrengthtotheircrueltyandprovidedit of the Christian name were revelwith implem"rrr,. Tht", *hile the*" t""*il

that boy, some of those present decided ing in the spirit or *"ri.. around the it of $. Lord's passion. And they did he should be fixed ro a cross in mockery

asiftosay,"Just"r*"to"dtmnedtheChristtoashamefuldeath'soletus
alsocondemntheChristian,sothat,unitingtheLordandhisservantinalike that they U-tft upon them"the pain of His reproach punishment, *" *1,
attribute to us"' Conspiring,therefore,toaccomplishthecrimeofthisgreatanddetestable h""d' upon the innocent victim' and malice, they next laid their bloodstaineJ iti* upon the cross' they vied having lifted him f'""t iftt ground ""d-f"'t"""a an end of him. And we, after inquirwith one anorher;;;i; "#orr. to make it found the house and discovered in ing into rft. *"rr"""'v diligently-' both people of what had been done there' For
some

"'"

most..rt"i" ""ittt"'"*"ik'

MEDIEVAL HAGIOGRAPHY 5L4

lp benveen fiilo other instead of a cross a post set say that there was there to the others the middle post and attached posts, and a beam *""fttJ"tross the wounds of *t "ft"'*ard disto'"erta' fto* th1 larks on either side. And "' right hand and roo, rr"a-u..n tightly bound and fastened the tronds, the of and two nails' Thus' the

and foot *"" pi"""d 1:l with cords, but the left hand be found and the fasin case at any timi h* should deed was planned so that' at*tted that he had been killed it might ai'*ut"d' nails the of tenings thev were while in doing these things iut "o'U" by Jews rather to sadsfy abie 'h"";;";;;;;' to wound' still they we-re noj adding pain to p"i" u"d wound Indeed, after all inborn rr"tr"J.r christians. ,rr.i, .rortri'"lri senseler. their frightful wound in his left side' .;; rhese many " th:i?l^'" make an end ",ro *'r'o?" Lf rtit rtt"n the all "t "Ja reaching "t""' ofthemattertheyextinguishedhismortalli{esofarasitwasintheirpower. all parts of his of blood *t" """ti"g down- {rom And since *""y ""u--' hi*;;;;t; the blood and to wash and

,r."lrliffiilffi

body, they poured

r"i't* *"'er over

.t'lh"rT;J;ff,.*

william, d.ving the death of boy and marryr of christ, blood of a glorious death' but crowned with the *tio'a's of mockery in the time on high'-11*,t forever' in kingdom martyrdom, .nr.r.ii",t;;. March'a ";;l;tv o{ $;;;;"y' 'ht 72nd day year ofour Lord's rnt"'1"'ion 'fi44'()" hosts of the saints, Heaven among the shining His soui rejoices blissfully in of divine mercy' upon earth by ihe omnipotence and his body *ork' *J'Jf"t him' (6.)How they conferred about hidine utto*plished' the Jews consulted U!* Thus, their wicked purpose having dorn'n the lifeless was ,J. aon". ih"y took with one anorher "booi*hur else with it ' ' ' lThev to plot *tti"r'"v shouid do body from,t" po'ii"l ;tg'" Meeting agreement' *i'hot"'reaching well discussed,t.i, p'otl- ot'ktd"t'd"y body the should disposeof again on fit""a^yltn"y"'o"tluded 'f'^''ftty from themselves' in ordet'o aiut" suspicion away from ,r',"i' niignit'L:c,d Ab'oltttion Day' when Thursday U"fo" E""t' *"t Nevertheles,, ftt"i'it tfte to receive the diocese-g"tttt'"a at the-cathedral penitents f'o* tn'lt'ghout it would be sa{er to wait until decideffi;; the siis, Jews their of absolution FridaY to disPose of the corPse'l hidde' in the wood' (7.) How ht *;';;t;ita o"t and
celebrates

Thenextdaydawned'whent"try*h"'"theChrisdanreitgionspecially day it is the custom th* n"""'nble Cross's On that ,r'" "a"i';'""?o"ty to fast but also to abstain from all amusements Christiai'-"o' all among of the saints to be diliand pleasur.*,

;; th""ht' on this "'oond; ""i'*n'i" 'olt' nt-tttt' ,At.darlisht, therefore' and gently engaged it' dtuo"t ltt""d""tt Eleazar' "' chosen itlt'a"y before namely' day the J.*' who had been in a sack and carried of the utt""i^*"'tvr $flilliam another, tied up ;;;;;' city with the. trody and were iust it out. And when they had got out "i;; ti'u'-u'certain citizen of Norwichrilia' i"not"ta' i' Tho'pt entering of the citizens-met them' His th;';;; of one indeed,, "-nt"t ""d 'itttt" was Ded' After visiting all the was Elward and his J;;;;.
christian name

I^A?HY

of Nornich Thomas of Monmou th, Life and Passion of St''William

525

other others
,ounds
.stened

us, the
.he fas-

churches in the city during the previous night' -returning at the hospital near the church of Saint tut"ry tutrgi"i"rr,-*hich is the church the edge of the wood, and was making hf, *^y with a single servant -along. for this to happen so wood to Saint Leonardls church. Divine grace affanged was afterward disthat there might be a lawful witness,T "nd when the body the Christians' So Elward, covered, the matter *ign, not be concealed from

he was

from the

r killed
)y were

comingupontheJews"astheyweregoingalong'recognizedthem'buthe of him on his not tell what it was that one of them was carrying in front
could

satisfY

rfter all
side' r an end
:

what sort of business horse,s neck' However, being suspicious and considering they were were .ondorti,,g and *hat it could possibiy be that
the passers-by

;ft

.nriing with

.s

powel of his

ash and

death of giorious :r, in the March.a

re saints,

le mercy. :onsulted
he lifeless

. . [TheY . Meeting body well

remselves.

on a them, and why they shoutd have gone so far from home moment for a he halted day wh"en Jews did not normally leave their houses,s and reaching out nearer going and asked them where they were going' Then, hand, and he right his hands, he touched whar they were caffying with his having been discovered founcl it was a human body. But they, frightened at horses free rein and their g*u. and in their terror having nothing to ,ug of some mischief rushed into the thick of tlie wood. Whereupon a suspicion his thoughts once again suggested itself to the mind of Elward; yet he turned ,oif," road he had been traveling with the pious enthusiasm of.devofion' the thickets of Meanwhile the Jews, pickin! tireir way through the tangled left it there, and then wood, hung the body by a thin flu*.,, cord to a tfee and terrified returned home by *orh", path' And because they were extremely I that they saw, coniecand conceived new fears at every meeting with anyone occurs to very timid ture that the same thing happened to them that usually with suspicion at people who are feelingluilty. Eot in such a case they look they see pitialls everywhere' and they suppose .u.ryorr" they encouniet, "ttd any rate when they that tree trunks and stones seen at a distance afe men. At

gotback,theJewstoldtheothersthemishapthathadoccurr.edtothemOn
the road.
fear.

)an when

rid of their (8.) How by giving a hundred marks to the sheriff they were

to

receive

wait until

n speciallY
:he custom

nusements ; to be dilifre, on this

eazar6 and and carried d were just

Norwich-_

t them. His
iting all the

were quite at a The enemies of the Christians, being very much alarmed' was suggesting this and loss to know what to do. And in despair, while one at last to hasten another that measure for their common safety, they decided their one and and refuge to John the sheriff, who in the past had been their of them certain that orrl'y pror..tor.e So by common .o"*."' it was arranged go ro him and deal who were their chief men in influence and power should have nothing more should with him so rhat, supported by his alrthority, they admitted to the to fear. so they *..rt ,nd passing within the castle walls, were to divuige and presence of the sheriff. tir"y rria that they had a great secret when all who delay, wished to communicate secretly with him alone.'Without declare what wefe present had withdfawn, John bade them immediately to in a position of great they wanted, and they replied, "Listen, we are placed marks' " urr"i"ry, and' ifyo., ."n hetp ot out of it, we promise you a hundred their keep He, delighted at the ,r.r-b., of marks, promised that he would

MEDIEVAL HAGIOGRAPHY
5?-6

give them his suphis power' he would not fail to secret and that, according to

o"T::3,1J,'i'lT;" the great secret had been revealed, Elward was hastilv rather com'When i" he was immediately ordered' or summoned. that he oath ""i"'ta' *ot"d to or not' to take an pelled, by the sheriffl ;;;h;; it what he had seen

the Jews nor divulge would reveal .ro irrto"rn"rion ug"irr*, death' rite until hJ himself was at the point of during his lifetime, ;;-;;;;, that event to be goodness by no means wished But the ordering .f ;;;i"i"e the be revealed in many ways to hidden forever' *nitit Ht attt'Lintd 'f'ot'ta own His of to keeping alive the memory praise of His iff",t'ioo' L*'ty' "nd bv infirby, this Etw_ard, overtaken

r*Til:J*'#ffi"

five years hadgone near' t"i of his life' But as his last hour was drawing mity, was brought was (who ';;h; by the holy boy' Willia.m himself * admonished was he "-"i'it" th'oogho"'tht *holt.province by his fre' abeadynow becomi"g "t'y famous tle things he had seen to whomever quent miract..), ,to"? ""gfttt to "utul he thought bedside t"'tuiti persons whom he pleased' So, he i;;;d"" his

worthytoreceiveti"'"ttf"'ionofsuchagreatsecret'namely'Wicheman'a receiving the commitr.a itr" responsibility.for monk to whom the bishop had on his priest of Saint Nicholas'10 At last confessions of ptnite"t' ""d ' ' ' ' comt'i' l"'tio'd" in obedience'to the martyr's deathbed, arrd al*o'-t *iitt had come to
mand, he set forth in

o'it'

what he had first seen and afterward

know was certainlY true'

Allofthisl,Thomas'amonkofNorwich,afterhearingitfromtheirlips andknowingittol""""intytrue'havebeencarefultohanddowninwritought to be the story of so irnportant a truth ing, because I did not think that
lost ot concealed bY silence'
(9.) How a

Vhile

in the these things were going on

Ug*

like a ladder of fire' f'o- ht'v"" gleamed over his bodyvery same day' that is

the Friday before

,#-ru.r.if""Jt

cit5 on the the divine of th" ,.sorre.tion of the Lord'

grace'which,,"t"t'"nsentfromHi'-"'u""ts'condescendedtoexhibit was lying in the wood' around about the body of the glorious ^^rto"whichevening of that same day of his piety' Fo' to*"'d glorious
as

certain degrees ""i*t"i"' heaven' which' extending by a frerylight suddeniy nu'f"a dow" f'om who people bl^rl,"dinthe eyes of manv

far as the the Henry de Sprowston' formerly were in different ofu"t'' Particuiarly ,r* i, as he was standing at the door keeper of rhe stableffi#;;;4t, of william of TF,. r"ay i*g"tda, formerlywife of his house *irr, "rirri, r"-ity. 'srr","t", th. lorr. of God, lives near the *". Apulia, with her attendants saw it

ptace;ffiilt.d;;;,

hospitalofSaint'r",,04"*a"1"',looki'gafterthesick,andengagedinsuch in the same '^ for the sal-u"tior, o{ her soul. But services, ,h. liu., as i"{gn, up for the midnight

of- the.hosfital were getting ;*;; night, when the same light 'i; th"y l"* the brlghmess of that office in the silence of the night, thar even on the Indeed some of iht* "y when Legara" ,fto*ta it to tt"*' apparent to them as they gazed morning of Holy S"*au, the brightne"'*"'

Thomas of Monmou th, Life and' Passion

of

St' Witliarn of Norwich

5L7

untilsunrise.Moreover,thatlightdividedintorworaysandseemedtotake the east-

from below into the sky to the shape of a very torrg't"dd"r,""*t"rrding in the open air in the wood ward. And, as they whl first found the body iying head and the other to his feet' testified, one of these rays stretched as f", ". his wish to signify to His faithful ones with this

sfhat

did the divine grace by a clear indication to all, sign except that ir ** rfi, pleasure ro declare, glorifying by signs from how great was the merit of him whom He was so his ascent to glory, and the brightheaven? For the form of the ladder typifies the martyr's crown' ness of the light declares his deserving of by whom' {10.) How he was discovered and some of the residents of the Legardaand nun [On Saturday morning, the where-the light had appeared' hospital wenr out before ,irrri*" to find the spot '$0hen they got there' they found the boy's body at the base- of an oak tree' . Nevertheless, their efforts where fwo crows *.r" iryrng to feed or, ,ir. corpse *divinJ providence, having foreseen to preserve him ' ' ' were in vain because by birds and wild beasts'"1 , wished him to remain undefiled (11.)How he was found a second time' the forester On that same Saturd ay, aftet sunrise, Henry de Sprowston' into the wood to see if he whom I mentioned urr.*,'*""nting his horse, went by cutting down anything in could find anyone who might be doing mischief along' either chance or' as I the wood without permisslon' As he was going to*"td the place where he had ratherbelieve, the divine will inclined his mind on the day before. \fhile he was seen the beams of the bright light gleaming a man p"rri"* u*k and forth in"that iart*of the wood, suddenly he observed close by a boy who had cufting wood who said that he had discovered there found the boy' but who he was or been slain. Then, ied by the peasant, Henry when he had looked at how he had got there he .o.,ld 'ot unde,stand. But himverycarefullytofindoutifbyanychanceheknewhim,heperceivedthat torture in his mouth' he had been wouna*J, *a he noticed the wooden with unusual cruelty, he now Becoming aware that the boy had been treated that it was no christian began to"suspect, from the manner of his treatment' innocent child of this kind but in fact a Jew *no rrra presumed to slaughter an carefully and taking with such horrible barbarity. so, observing th. pl".e very this was the Same that note of the quarter of the h."u..,,, he became certain of light gleaming and flashplace where on the day before he had seen the rays things with much ing upward. e..orlig1y, when he had considered these household all he his and all asronishmenr, Henrf J*rrt Uu.t and told his wife to him that the body of a had seen. Then summoning a priest he announced manner had been dislittle innocent who had been tieated in the most cruel coveredexposedinthewood,andthatheverymuchwishedtotakeitaway churchyard of Sprowfrom there and, if J. pri"rt approved, to bury it in the
else

ston.Afteru*ry."rn.rtlyd"libe'atingaboutcarryingoutthisintention'they of Easter was coming the came to the conclusion ih"t, b..",rr. the festival day12 and so neft day, they should defer their arrangement until the third
carry out their devout intention more fittingly'

MEDIEVAL HAGIOGRAPHY
528

telling others :n"tt man after another

in the wood by one (12') How he was buried rt off. But in the meantime him.was ffJ'',]"-., F;: so the business of;'rvins

til'*j;-J';:'}il
"rt,i"J

'

;'irred wilh a ;;;;; p"oplt' T;*H#,, *;:rHfJJ:i:::ff:

excitemenr, rt.,.

]'-t;;i;a"rr,'ir1r,"tk

the hearts

ofall

s'|ranse

Jrr,r.,. r Ti ;i:,'..i,' |Ii1 i tr or them asserre d,i, ^,''. were the boys that time' And so.some "*d1i?-: here and there, especially runnrnt;";;;.y-ru,i"ain were Manv crowds to the ;;;;;'"" rv aftair'
marks of the

*r".ii'i"r"'.rr*J.a

*nrr

and already many

"* yl'

ji1;T

*|;f

de'cec'cing'lhe ffi;; ""d,:r method ffiiJ:i$::ililH; of the #.f**:ruul; iooking'into'the t"'"i"tr' #'il;;"a to"t"t"'l'

that the Jews acr, some suspected

*"r..ir?Jil;':;?il *:];:$4f:+:1
;;;*h""h"v

when ro'"'tt"*telves' and :lJ,l*:,'nnu*u;;il1":*=;::T3Jy.!-ffi rt";atii-t"t *o And thus all the t-'J;;;'G heard how

;t others' was i-t"'iuti '"'ni"]ui;; thev returnta, 'tttv 'r" ttt*';" "ll the city everwvhere ffi"t'rt was excited lnd through tht S"tu'dY";"d ti';' 'u"vuodv ;i#;;;;g "ili"*"' in going
occupied

;; il""rh ""*n:l::1':iitT"'Jiur

alr or them to rervor was urging them nt"e laiJhands upon ffi;;;;o",d.th"'"""0''nt" awhile' quiet for destroy the Jews' tr sheriff f-t* tt'"v kept i"" u' except'hut

""'"'lii wr,'.,hings#;;;:lin:hi.*l:nkri:is1'J!,:i:;'3:1: dav, he hasro,#,*l;'t.i'-nl',r;,:l:j::J,h;;; ,r,. n,,i hou,.or ih. in the open ou
readY to carry tened to where 'nt'ul""a the place wi'nol:'i";; air. But when he his plans that tre must chanse

impurse, rr" d..ii.i

*"':
-

-"'iv"''gtJ';tl;;

*" still'lving 1"1'1"'1i1lHt":t"1'il'll o*tltt

:;d.*i}, *t,i, ,il

nm*:[:n:*ll*ll:::]"#'$T:';'$;ffil";i;?*h"'"i'r the body was being found'

;J;;t"
r'

'r' ^"-r't rn he mectioned' that while

l,"l**:;:6l:tF:i{,T{:ff :H,"J3,:",lff i*:';::;,';;?t1f i'l was divinerv

*;***ru::llii::"':[T*;'o;;';: *'lilt
determined many mirucles'

'n^"'l"i*;;i;;;ot""a foi *"""'"""l"ijlio"' body might bt ""i'f""ed

ir3')How.the foflnerl,

afterward the place there"so that was transand although he

And Lhink

lated,yetinthisplace'too'divineJ";;t;ilto*ukthimillustriouswlth

: ^* /r^r*'rin took pains to learn Godwti':;;J;;;U"r*a, priest

,.,"y*1,:n;l'f.T::il#':[ ;J;' aeal'tgs with'nt;;:'

had

:#it';

il;

whether it was he' through the word spread *ho i wil ;"''lhe bodv oi "m

r'"i

i;tt the news came to the

ears

Thomas of Monmou th, Life and Passion o{ St' William of Norwich

529

married to the of Godwin the priest' whose surname was Sturt, and who was martyr's aunt. was so, he And when he learned from the boy's companions that it really then a deacon, took care the next day to visit the place with his son Alexander, order to make sure and with Robert, the martyrt brother. He did so first in were recognized, wherher ir r,vas lfilliam himself, and also so that' i{ the boy he could not Godwin might perform the burial service right away. Butbecause been removed, they be recognizld until the earth that was laid upon him had and throwing digging determired to dig him up. However, while they were their out the earth, *h.r, tit.y got near the body, suddenly the ea-rth before and thrown very eyes seemed by some irrong force to be lifted up from below

amazement orri. *h"n the diggers saw this, immediately a gre^t' horrorand started' had penetrated their hearts, and falling back they left off what they resumed their But when the priest ."il.d them back, they took courage and same way as the interrupted ,*rk. B,t, when the same thing happened again not yet dead but before, it seemed to them certain that here was one who was believed that alive. At that the priest crying out ordered them to hurry, for he they actuwhen they would find him still alive. They were hastening eagerly, the face ally rouched the body with their hands. vhen the soil was femoved, recognized Brother was' it *", .*por.d, and they plainly distinguished whose and friends brother and friends their friend. Brother wept for his dead brother living, the more bewailed their murdered friend. The more they had loved him were gready they they grieved for him slain. And when they came closer the time when asronished because, although so many days had passed since smell was perthey suspected he had been put to death, yet absolutely no bad though was-that But what seemed riror" d"r"ruing of their wonder

..pritrt..

:l
c

I
it
6

rt
te

v
re
S-

:h

growing therethere was never a flower there nor any sweet-smelling herb was wafted herbs kagtant about-yet there the perfume of spring flowers and to the nostrils of all present. At last having celebrated the burial rites they the replaced the earth thut h"d been dug up and disturbed, and commending soul and body to God they went their way' (14.) Concerning the warning to his aunt in a vision' 'when was the priest-Godwin got home he related to his wife Liviva, who hands her the boy's aunt' exactly what lad happened' Immediately clapping dream was only and breaking out intoloud cries' she said, 'olt is true, and my when the Lord sunday, Palm roo rrue. It came to me on rhe saturday before cerwas pleased to reveal to me plainly-in spite of my ignoranc-e-the most tain truth of this business. I saw in a vision of the night, in which I was standing in the middle of the streer of the marketplace when suddenly the Jews and upon rne running up from all sides, and they surrounded me as I fled
came

;h
IO rS

and they seized me. And ut ,ft.y held me they broke my right leg with a club they rapidly' off running they tore it away from the rest of my body, and of my seemed to carry it away with them. O, how tfue was the forewarning vision! o, how happy I would be if I had not dreamed a true dream! I remem-

MEDIDVAL HAGIOGRAPI{Y 530

dream to.you: that soon me when I related this to said lord, my you' ber what and one whom I certainly ones I would lose one of *y dear :l':"*h'ntlt*tt ,ro* ,ufiering what- you predicted' Behold, r *hrrr. arl than more loved "rr, She had scarcely tt"' happened i"" "' voo predicied'" See, I'm sad to ,ny i' face grew Yefy her .rriripi.t".a her to the marrow, finished speaking J; from the hands of ;s though it"J trt" slipped she lort.o'r.io,];;il oale.

il' t;.T:13,t-':*l".tiT,*f;;;} a wh'e, rhe woman rose, and immediatelv

tr" n"pl'-"* *tto* she had so bursdng into tears, ;;;;;[J from her lamentacould scarcely be restrained For a long while afterw"'a 'f'" i'"a so dearly and tenderly him J; i"*""tt"g t" kept she and 't" tions,
Ioved.

greatly loved'

came to the ears of

"'lo'v "1 l* ff :: :;;Til:? :T#;T:'"1iffi'#H,'lh by the sad news' who'

;

son's murder

immediately f"i"ttJ "*uy io ering herself, ,h. t "ri"rr"i g"'*;J" of the matte,. 'r"
as

hi' -oth"r

if

i**ta

into Xor*i.f, *iit""taelay to inquire

"uto'"lly"ouerwhelmed a while' however' recovshe were dead' After

was dead ura

*ur'flril;;

tn. *ooa]irimediately

the truth that her son by th" report of many people hair and her itutittg

clappingherhands,sheranweeping""a-"itiogthro"ghthestreetslikea I mentioned to tnt r'oo'l oir"'"'i*"" *ho* cculd learn mad woman. At last going sister, she inquirifi;i;ffi the priest cod*in and her
before and nothing abour rn.

an exrraordinary way. Neverthelesr,.fr;;";;ny'probable but Jews who tt tn"l-*"r. ".icnlistians conclusions ,h" *;, ;;;uin."d ", of belief she easu *o*un', readiness \fith .* ,irl, ao had dared to "ia*a. at once burst forth into coniectures' Whereupon she ily gave credence ';;;;" p"bliclv.with f"1"ii i"a ttdtfli,':t:" denouncing'ft" ;:T:'Jff:r::; by a morher's love; sometlmes behaved like a moth"i*ou*d likeawomanlvithawoman'spassionaterashness'Andso'assumingascer;ht imagined' as though it had suspected' only she tain what ""t"ing';"'h;; of,"" places' And carried il;;;""d actually u..r,...n|'il*t"i'i"tt'h with dreadful

:rr;;;;;,

il rh";th

slain in except that he had been indications and

l"*'

along by h.' -ott'"'iy the screams' protesting ti'"t

ii"""'

i' to"aott "ery her and killed himl began to cry out with one and so populace ,o u.t"i' "ut'yuoJy a"t"oy"a as eternal enemies ol 'ttt-"u't" u""'ty Ut ought the all Jews voice that 'o and the Chrisdan religion' .^^r +r^^ ra*rc ar syn Christians a svnod and offered rc -^'^iii Godwin.accused the Jews at priest the How f the boy \filliam' were guilty of the death of prove by ordeal ;;;t
and accordi",

if

Jt*'

'rttr'^a,"Jt"ti

ltp''t"rr';;";""

*o'fttJ

"o"'vlodv stolen her son away fron th* ""a greatly upon the minds of

pt*tt' arose' saying preached, tttt ufo"*id Godwiq 'nt complaint ."a ftir tt"it., pri.tit a distr"ssing bring to ,t .u* oi?" Ui.t op "

\ilhensomedayshadpassed'thtd"yforholdingthesynoddrewnear s.rmon having been ni.hop EborJi pr"sided. Th.

,J.;*o*

that he was about

l*

Thomas of Monmouth, Life and Passion of St. William of Norwich

511

and one which had not been heard of in the present time. \fherefore, after everyone had been ordered to be silent, he began in the following manner: "Very reverend Lord, Father, and Bishop, may your goodness, which has been so well known in the past and will continue to be for all time, deign to incline your ears graciously to the words of our complaint. May also the reverend assembly of my brethren and fellow priests, whom I see attending the present synod, condescend to listen patiently ro my sad complaint and receive it without indifference. Truly I have come forward to plead not so much a private or domestic case as to make known to Fou an outrage that has recently been done to the whole Christian community. Indeed I think it is not unknown to you, Father and very reverend Prelate, nor do I think it is a secref to most of you, my dear brethren, that a certain boy-a very little boy and a harmless innocent, too-was treated in the most horrible manner in Passion Week, was found in a wood, and up to this time has been buried there without a Christian funeral. He was indeed a cousin of my own children, and because of the tie of kinship which united us he was very dear to me. Therefore, when I lay my complaint before you all concerning his death,I can hardly keep the tears from my eyes. To begin with, I excuse all Christians as innocent in this detestable act of murder. But, in the second place, I accuse the Jews, the enemies of the Christian name, as the doers of this deed and as the shedders of innocent blood. Third, I am ready to prove the truth of my statements at such time and place and by such proof as is allowed me by Christian law. You should not consider me hasty or unwise in the present business. If I were not certain of the truth of the charge I have laid before you, I certainly would not have come forward so confidently to establish the proof I have promised. And that the facts are so you can judge for yourselves, not only from the practices that the Jews are bound to carry out on the days specified, but also from the manner of the punishment inflicted and the character of the wounds as well as from the many circumstances that fit together. To these and many other most evident proofs must also be added Leviva, the boy's aunt, with her very remarkable warning vision. There is also the weeping mother who laments that she was circumvented and seduced by the crafty tricks of a verY cunning messenger of the Jews, and so her son was taken away. Thus, since these things are so certain and I too am concerned when my neighbor's house is in flames, therefore I come before you as my one and only protection, and I present my complaint to you with greater confidence because I firmly believe that you will by no means deviate from the laws of right and equity." \7ith this conclusion he brought his speech to an end and was silent. With attentive ears, eyes fixed on the ground, and an anxious heart, he waited for the bishop's answer. AccordinglS while all were disturbed and stunned at what had occurred, they say that the prelate, very much moved by the atrocify of the deed and motivated by his zeal far justice, replied as follows: "What you affirm to be certain is so far clearly uncertain to usl however, we shall take care to arrive at reliable knowledge of this business. And if

MEDIEVAL HAGIOGRAPHY
532

jusbe sure that the rigor of our indeed it turns out ro be as you say, you may (espect. But since it is not pfopef that a dce shall nor be found wanting in any and unheard, let the just judge should pronounce ,ipo' thor. who are absent

JewsbesummonedandhaveahearingtomorrowThen'iftheyareconvicted'
iet

th"*

receive the punishment they deserve'"

business of the sfnod having been deali

Thehandlingofthisbusinessbeingthusputoffuntilthenextday'andthe with in part, all dispersed intending to by order of the bishop, the rerurn the next morning. drr, on rhe same d"n appear and ordered them to predean13 of Norwich summoned the Jews to to answer before the synod sent themselves before the bishop in the mo.nirrg
regarding such an important matter' only disturbed and ran to sheriff John as rheir The Jews *rr. fr."tly "arrd to .orrrrr.l in so difficult a cause because by trusting refuge, seeking help taken escaped many dangers. So_Joh-n, having

frlr-i"ir"*ug.ifr"V had often

of the truth, did not allow the counsel and being one who was not ignorant

Jewstocomet0thesynodonthefollowingday.Indeedhesentwordthrough wlth the Jews, and that in the his servanrs that rhe iirhop had nothing to do ,'o answer to such nonsense on the absence of the r.i,,g th. Jews should *"k" this message (and the part of the Christiarrr. io, the bishop having received p."uiors day in full synod), priest wishing to repeat his complaint of th. and other very learned and inquired of Dom Aimar, prior of iaint Pancras'i prudentmenwhohupp.'edthentobepresentatthesynod,whatanswerthey that a clear outrage it o,rgt, ought to br'gio"rr. They declared unanimously they advised that it should be was being done ro Go"d and christian law, and justice. In the meantime, howquickly restrained with rigorous ecclesiastical and yet not shrinking from ever, the bishop, not wishing to appear hasty' enemies of Christ should be doing what was right, decidJ thatlhe.aforesaid summonedasecondandathirdtime,lesttoomuchhurryingofthesentence

the ordinary limits of custom' should either go beyond moderation or exceed bishop had decreed. But the The dean did not ;;i;; * executing what the again the syriod had come to an end, the bishop Jews refused to "pp""r.'Wt.n was to be done under the circumconsulted with the wisest men as io -h"t consent that notice stances. Accordingly it was determined by common protecr the Jews against God_, and should be given * i"rr" that he should nor passed upon them' and that to the Jews that peremptory sentence -o"id be of ih. charge they must underunless they at orr.. ."J" to clear themselves stand that without doubt they would be exterminated'

ofcourseJohnmovedbythesewordscamewiththeJewswithoutdelay, and presented himself' intending to hear *ttu, *lgi' be said against them'

grumbling,beforethebishop' r , . r,,: priest rose and explained his previous comThere-upon the "fo"'"id plaint'andwhatheassertedin-ordhepromisedthathewouldprovewithout delay bY the iudgment of God' charge brought against The Jews on rh; advice of the sheriff denied the

them,butastothep,opo..dordeal,theyaskedforashortdelaytodeliberate.

Thomas of Monmouth, Life and Passion

of

St' William of

Norwich

533

any kind of delay, with But when the priesr refused this and ptotested against

theassentofthebishoptheyproceedtotakecounselintendingtoconfer Secretlyaboutit.Thesheriffwasconsultedastowhatremainedforthemto hand any

that on the one do in such a critical situation, since they perceived dreadfully afraid of the delay was denied rhem, and on the othei they were

trialbyordeal.Afterseekingsomewayofcompromise,withagreatdealof on its merits, they found no discussion, and after dealing with each alternative by obtaining some tfuce and sa{e escape from such u grl", difficulty excepr co6lu eagrryE?Q.'rf-rrsr'the'delay. If they could obta-in that,-thei nopa;tney the case, and so utterly argue to king with money the favor of getting " .h*,'." p.ri"n end to the rumor of the crime of which they stood accused' .WhenthegreatestpartofthedayhadbeenSpentinthiskindofdiscusbe allowed some sort o{ sion, at l"rt tt Jy sent t; the bishop "rking that rhey with the Jews, without delay. When this was denied them, the sheiiff departed for permission to leave. Bur because it was not -nkirrg the customafy fequest protected them within the defenses safe for them to remain outside, the sheriff by a royal edict, they of the castle until, their security having been guaranteed

mightbesafeforthefutureandoutofh"rmtway.l7henitwastoldtotheat

bishop said nothing bishop and his supporlers that they had gone awaY'the and his officers' Instead the time because he feared openly to oppo*" the king intending to repeat it he reserved the speech which hui b".r, rhus inrerrupted, when a future occasion should arise'

(17.)HowAimar,thepriorofSaintPancras'askedleavetotakeaway
with him the bodY of the holY marryr' ButAimar,thepriorofSaintPancras,havingseenandheardandpondevotion of heart, drew dered all that had taken place and moved by inward inform himself very fully aside a cerrain priest from whom he took pains to But the facts of the case aS far as the priest knew them. and care{ully "bo..,t kind of torture and when he learned the manner of the boy,s death, both the with all of this infer he rhe marks and number of the blows, what else could killed by the Jews as an evidence except that the most holy boy had uuly been
Lrsult-

to Christ? So,movedbyacertaininwardwarmthofdevotion,hewentstraighttothe bishopandearnestlybeggedwithmanyprayersthathemightbeallowedto couid not succeed in take away with him the body of the holy boy. But when he he had been so fortuobtaining his request, it is said that he answered that if gold would have nate as to get him to saint Pancras, no amounf of silver or would have kept he Instead, induced hiir to allow the boy to be taken away. would have been him very diligently like a most precious treasure, and the boy by frequent venproperly glor"ifi"d'u..ording to his merits and become famous mind of Bishop the affected eration aid worship. These words of the prior so to increase served Eborard that they blca*r an incentive to his veneration and by the advice of his devotion toward the holy boy. urged by this and affected should be brought very many, he determined that the body of the blessed boy
into the cathedral church and be buried in the monks, cemetery.

MEDIEVAL HAGIOGRAPHY

si4
he was found to be uncor(18.) How after being laid out and washed

r"nt;t'

along with some of the clergy the bishop chose certain of the monks April24' " them to carry out his orders on to bring the boy in, ""d he directed

\(hiletheywerecarryingouttheir.instructionsandwere'ustrefurning'so that you would have thought

people me-t them large acrowd of the to*"*o" desirable ffeai., tt .ity. Thus that precious and very few had stayed ill;; by " deligir of clergy and people and brought sure was carried *J-;;;e cathethe in pro."*rlon and carried into the venerable convent of the monks

dralchurch"rrdplac.-d*ithitsbierbeforethealtaroftheHolycross'Morewere placed a festive drapery' and candlesticks over the bier was tout"J-i'h .orrrrrr, and they gleamed with burning upon it on both sides at ail four monks' and the whole

;;;;as.solemnly 'ongo{ citizens' tapers. The mass "f end to end with crowds from filled .frlrt.ft was

by the

the body was laid up between And when ,ft. fuf"* had bee" celebrated' were pressing in lest the crowds of people that choir *o"tt" the and pulpit the fo'*"td to see the bodg should possible to desiring to kiss tft" Uiti u"d if ""h minwho were performing the proper hinder rather ,rt"" i"ipl;;;t'ht"" so great a spectaFor it.was a ioy to be present at istry of washing were 't'"''oip"' nea'by' So some of the brethren cle and good fortune to bt 't""ding in an albls and when it *u' *"ttted' to wrap it chosen to wash the body and' it again upon when ir was wrapped, to place linen that had been Ll"rr"d and, it was took oif th. martyr's coat and the the bier. And they whose tusiness

shoesfromhisfeetandpreparedtowashhimasiSthecustomwiththedead. this more astonishing

behold' this wonder' But while rt.y *.,J*lir'ig rti*' for although thirty-two days had passed since than all wonders, happened' any unch"t'ltd and without corruption in his death, he was f""a to be fingers' his who carried him' while h; ;' in the hands oi tho"
patt.16For,

so pliant that arms, and other limbs seemed while they But what was even more wonderful' be sleeping rather it'"" at"a'

you would have believed him to

werewashinghisface,freshbloodsuddenlyissuedfr:*'hitnostrils'sothat *"'" ^*^'"i' R'' tht blood kept flowing drop the company of those present caught it in linen cloths' and by drop, thor. *t'o *J'" f"tpirlg whenitceasedtheyagainwashedhisface.Buttheywhowerepresentatthe t"'t'ut' both while they were washing him wondrous,ig6, "ft";;'J """"d *u' floJ"g' so strange a,fragrance of exceedand especiaUy *i,if"'f" blood them tn"' if'"t pt'fumt itself made clear to ing sweetner* g,tt'"J'heir nostrils' For truly tJ-"'o honor the holy body' that the giver of "il '*tt'n"'s had signify di.iin.-pr.r.nce have intended to else .o,rta ,rr" ,,"eerness of the
what
tyr,s merits

""f" "t"ite

were the marwas openly ieclaring how great ro us excepr that in rhis way He le"rneJ from the feport of these W.

i" ,fr"'righ, of ft."u"rrl

"ir"

Samementhattheydiscoveredsureandobviousindicationsofmartyrdomin passed over it' nil f""a *u' washed "t'd 'hti' hands cat{1'llr of the actual him. First *t "n of thorns they came upon pieces among the nomer,J", purr.ror.s utmost reYtook care to preserve them with thorns. rn"y .**l*"iit "*" and

Wiltiam of Norwich Thomas of Monmou th, Life and' Passion of St'

535

erence'Next'whiletheyexaminedonebyonealltheportionsofthesacred in h1s hands and feet and side' body, they found evident signs of *u"y'io* boiling plain indications that he had been doused with

Morecver rhere were wrapped him *u*frirrg the body they clothed him in an alb' warer. At lasr "*", in linen, and put him back upon the bier' made through the whole \(lhile th.r" thing, *t" Ltitg done' a search was body might be laid, but city for u ."r.ophug"os in whichlhe martyr's sacred in rhe cemetery at the foot of the none could be found. so a grave *", doi entombed in a wooden wall of the chapter house, where the boJy might be a sa-rcophagus was actually cof6n. But while rhey were digging, strange to;ll' *er. clea' and pure inside because no found there resting,rpon "roli"r."goth this discovery was immediately corpse had ever bl"n pla.ed in them. Indeed first among the great men of the church and its accepted u, u *ir*.i.i had 'i"tt who or sarcophagi, founders not one was found *ho ,.*"mbered these coniecconsequently we brought them, or when they had been hidden there. and unused for such a ture thar divine providencehad preserved these intact
long time for St. William' 1rg.t of his entombment in the monks' cemetery'

with the dead, the glorious mar-had been.o**.rrdJ to God as is customary with the whole convent of ryr was taken inro the inner cemetery to be turied

Iilhenthesethingshadbeenaccomplishedasweha.verelatedandhissoul

thebrethrengoi,'gu.ro,ei*p,ocessionwithPsalmsandpraises.Thecemeother

by the gate on the refy was filled wirl thousands of people who entered kept coming i". oi who. those side, and the area was hardly large enough for were celebrating the funeral the one side were the clergy arrd the *oik, who the laity who were standing by service with songs of prais'e; on the other were present differed in grade with the ,r."r.riof ;oy. r,rt uttlrough they who were to see the sight' At last, after and in sex, they we re'al] of.one mind in wishing sepuichre had been decently service had been properly celebrated and the the "'frap"raa uv:'t^'e'-o-al^iotar thc ulr'Lrlc'c',-at the entlance of the cemetery

bodyofthemostblessedmarryrwastakenfromthebierandlaidwithinit. ro view for a period of several And as it lay in the sepulchr. i, *ui".*for.a hourstothosewhowerepermittedtolook.,po,,it,wrappedinanalb.Butto I was informed afterward by those who h"p;tl ;;' "' I "t"" 't""aing there the sweet-smelling fragrance thal some of them, it was granted ,o ,.rrr. the had, ,t"tr, because no slab was to be mentioned before. Lastly, instead oiu was was placed. ovlr him and stone concave half of the other sarcophagus "When ,li *u, firrlhrd, leaving the Lord to.watch fixed ro stone with cement.
returnedtotheirhomesglorifyingthewonderfulworksoftheLord.
NOfgS
1

to the church chanting' but the rest over him, the convent of monks rerurned

l.Celibacyforpriestshadbeenanidealinthe.!(estern.ChurchsinceAntiquitSbutin centufy' ;;;.*.t. since the mid-eleventh the Early Middle Ages clerical *"rri"gi';;u, common still was it later tlut a century reformer.'frJi.girf"red a^gainst ri" pra.ti.e,
papal in England. The priest Godwin srorr,

-1--

v/^^,^*6 ch,,*h .ince Anticuitv. but in

"r''i#jli;;;

;;;;

in the Lvents following

\fillian's

The Jewish Martyrs of Blois

J,tt'i'tt i

't

''

/1 \V'.tl ,

The lewish Martyrs

of

Blois

i.,"-r-:.,.

r.r ,

r. Epnnelu oF BoNN, FRoM THE SEFEn ZaxnrcaurENTRY FoR rrTr 'What shall we say to God, how to speak and justify ourselves' the Lord found ouf ouf sins in 1171., too. For evil looms in France,l and great destruction in
the city of Blois. There were abouf forty Jews who lived in the city, and on that evil Thursday toward evening,2 the calamity occurred: a certain Jew rode to water his horse and beheld a servant there-may his name be blotted out of the Book of Life!-watering his lord's horse. The Jew was carrying some untanned skins in his arms,3 and one of the rolls of leather slipped so that it was visible under his cloak. The servant's horse saw the whiteness of the leather in the darkness and was frightened. He iumped backward, so the servant could not bring him to the water. Then the Christian servant panicked and returned to his lord, saying: "Listen, my lord, to what so-and-so the Jew did. I rode after him to the river to water your horse, and beheld him throwing into the river a Christian boy killed by the Jews. !7hen I saw this, I panicked and hastened to refurn lest he kill me as well. And even the horse underneath me was frightened by the stirring of the watefs when he threw the boy into them, and it did not want to drink." Now he knew of his lord that he would rejoice in disaster,a because he hated a certain haughty Jewish woman in town, and that is why he spoke this way.s Then he [the lord] answered, "Now I shall fake my revenge on Madame so-and-so, Madame Pucellina." The next morning, he rode to the count of the citg that is Thibaut the Evil the son of Thibaut-who is worthy of cursing!- evil curses and bitterness on his head!-the ruler who hearkens to lies!-all of his servants are liars!6'!ilhen fIfli$au4' fteard fnbr's1', ,be grew' a,agfJ' a'rd r.srak aJJ r,hs Jew"s ^tx 3"tojs and put thern in prison. Then Madame Pucellina encouraged them all, for she trusted in the count's love, since he had loved her greatly until now.7 But Jezebel his wife, the enemy, incited him, because she, too, hated Madame Pucellina.s Now all of them were in chains except for her. But the count's servants who were guarding her would not let her speak to the count at all, lest she change his mind. Meanwhile, he, for his own reasons, was considering ruses to enact as a pretext to attack and seize them.e But he didn't know how to do this, for there was no evidence against them. This was until a certain priest camemay his memory be lost and uprooted from the land of the living!-and said to the count; "Come, I will counsel you how to execute judgments against them. Command the servant to be brought who saw the Jew throw the boy into the river, and let him be tried by water ordeal to see if the truth is with him." So he commanded that they bring him and strip off his clothing and put him into the pool full of polluted waters to see: if he floated to the top, his words were true, and if he sank to the bottom, he had not spoken ftu1y.10 For fhese are the judgments of the Christians, how they try matters according to their faith-laws which are no good and judgments it is impossible to live by [compare Ezek 20:25]! So they did as they wished and swam the servant and raised him up: and they acquitted the wicked and condemned the innocent'11

MEDIEVAL HAGIOGRAP}{Y 546

arrivar of the Now, before the

n'l':l;

*l:Ti"":t:.i"il{lTtr##;
]1il::r;:Tlr:3i,;;;L," i i,-"* tn"T at;;;;;"t 1r,. ll',:',H Xili,ll; n11,
rrr.ly,tdll?"

:f#fi :jil lTJ il r,,fi:r.'ff .rr"j nt',,"

,r",.v

*"

ota

;:'i, l::,1:.+: fi +: rneantime'

".it " a' ili'*"

i,i-;;l;.;;.t::h:
wanted to

rr,". .?ylll a ql?, "n :' " :,1. priest the

;tii

i*i; i$3:": r *,,:* nd-

il:.;;;;didn',,"[;:,*;:;'xl:r+"1*"",,;:f
please'nin?r"""r,in. rii,1"trr.""J

qlq*:*t**$;*
said to them: nd o r sh i pr a

of wrath lsee

[?t# ]l,1Ii::[* *]
see

,tXJ';il*'*i HII;*, i"$:'H ;#;';;{ s'i';1#1. :i;ff but.to no ..take J;'.;;; ",': Tn:J"*T;tli:[j#["o bo .ur,ng: tht "t.,n
if
PerhaPsl

*:il;','r,.,,'*,,1=, ll l., w

in., r.,',., - .,i#ffi .l{i:,T ffl {::* ;nruli ifr,;ti strength in rear :t j[,?JTi";"i,;;;;:-': righteousTi;ilG":t.l of oriests *.Ji:::i#'rl,'j", ,if, ror,.n

;;;l

,. take rwo and the the Kohen [Priesti

t;

tttlt::-T'

ll^lnuildins,

because

[1tr1$:**.:;":;*rra'p;i.f,*|i',,''4ilT"l]:',:tg*g; rhev also tied the ;ll.o

#il;
ffi;';h";

Jaco!'r7 ffi';;'";;;tn: said t the foe,s vassats: isnited the kindlins *a c-" they sato three of them The go free?" Then 1,^nir. th.i, ;;;';*. about otr., struggled:":1 ..Behold the fire has no power lltt out of this." But.tney out' ano getting *Nor on your lives wilt Youo"i. keot u* they lr.. ro rhem: ,1.* :::-tlfoor.'.xfftffJ rn"",h"y ,"rurr,.d them """,. ."r*rr, hold of a christian l" q;:r;;inedstrenath into and casr them 'i""'* n."?;ne fire' the uncircumcts::#;:;; *ith

il::;;;u'

ii.t

"e"i",ii,iffi

'*o'd'

tri:1*$;;lT"T:lf{{:;T,iillf,*ll-*:}inu,'i:,''+,* burnt o'*;;;;;;su"lv their souls were

;;;i;;i"-t

;;;:;;
*-,

'n-'-;no saw rhese rhrngs o'h" ln,iJ"i,J n^*"n"i and said to each T ou the counr the rot there, Rabbi Baruch on behau o for he utt" oYt'iia"' "1"* t?,*',r. io with his ss'n evesl " for the sake otth' '""n and had s"t" n: u,uui1,^:,rrsed ii*"r r" irrr", tr, Thibautl,Because of ouruf;:d; counr, he ltn th"- ac in Bl"is' i;;d'rl dt [Jews] who remainder of those

t",i;;;'iltio'"l"j"romise

tii

ilJ'*'

fi L#iT'srff irrru :il:i';T.1f*#"-iil'tr,ill3iii-i"f Stvan' twentieth of o" Gan"'aay the f"#jrt'":'ff*' were wriften about in orleans'jffi:T;:;:L:1; was tntc
rr r"

Sacred

o"t"

lil*

"""'l-""a

Rabbenu Jacob

The Jewish MartYrs of

Blois

547

rose, they lifted up was wfltten that when the flames

,h::."'i::: :'..::::

together.e",g,-,'r'.songwassoft,butattheenditwas[in]agreatvolce. * rr' "what is this song of yours? for we They [the Cfrri.ti""rt ."ri. urrd ."ii it was 'aleinu like thJ'i Th.n we all knew that

have never heard a song fo, the.thirty'two-:o:lt burned in Ieshabeakh.zl O Daughters of 1.r"".1, -..p r""v your brothers, all ,n: sancrification of God,s Name.22 e"a "::lt,:u sins' they were not ptt*:l:-d Israel, weep for the burning! B"t;;;; "i tt"C

burialexceptintheplacewheretheywereburnedbeneaththemountatn. Afterwards,Jewscameandburiedth"i,bo,'.,.Aboutthirry-nvoholysouls sacrificedthemselvesasanofferingtotheir-Creator,andGodsmelledthe will make an offering to Him fsee savory offering-whom He ,h"il "f,oore Gen 8:21; Num 16:51'23 1.177'was adopted by all the W.On",aly, tftt i*tt"'tth [day] of Sivan' th. Rhine as a day of mourning and communities of France and England "nd commandment of the Gaon Rabbenu fasting, of ,i'J o*" f"t will and at the

-i JacobbenharavMeirwho*,o,.'r,,*letterstoinformthemthatitwasfiteven our people, a f*st day that would be as a fasr day for *"rt ting to "lt day of atonement'" J. Fast of Gedaliah len diq;m;"for it isitawas grearer ,t established and "r, atdso That is the language of RabbenJ*riting,2i based "'we hlve sinned, o our Rock" was adopted by the Jews. And th. po"onthis,asthewholeevilincidentwaswritteninit,anditisreferredtointhe appended] above'25 May
have penitential poems for the Blois persecutions [I the themsetv.t foi the unification of tt ,iglrt.o;;ss of all thor" *ho guve " for Israel, Selah'25 ,r"me "nd,,re

The Princes of the

fruits ripen and bloom, im to compel [them]' In 1.\7L,theY were hasded over u, ,"uorY offerings,2e Declaring God's U+i{Y' theY were a xpted [Song 7:14].30 Sweet-smelling as' date clusters grown
He decided.,tb end their lives without '""'o*\ On the adroi.e of the degenerate priest fwho iryp?isonment and burn them,
end their

i'"a ".'iivhtb;;;i';;;;;;;; ;;,:';;;;;;i'-iii

:tu f:"*1:Awesome againstme atttbe dav [Lam 3:3]'31

;;;.;

ro cut rhem

one'

tz