The Life and Passion of William of Norwich (Penguin Classics)

by Thomas of Monmouth

  And truly, as I think, with their animal instinct they believed the body lay there by chance and that they were allowed to tear it to pieces with their beaks as they usually did. Yet divine providence indeed saw to it that he was unharmed and uncorrupted,54 and kept him intact from birds and wild beasts. And then, when the woman saw the wondrous and truly astonishing things that were happening miraculously around the body of the boy lying there – both intact from the ravens and manifested by celestial lights to the view of many – she recognized the [body] lying there to be of many merits. Without delay, having summoned up a brave spirit, she approached closer, shooed the ravens away, said a prayer and commended him to her saviour, and returned home with her associates full of thanks.

  [XI] ITEM, THE SECOND FINDING

  On that very Saturday after sunrise the aforementioned Henry of Sprowston entered the wood on horseback in order to examine it – since he was a forester – to see if perchance he could find anyone who had taken anything away without licence to the detriment of the forest.55 And it so happened that either luck or – as I believe – divine will drew his spirit to the place where he had observed the rays of light the previous day. As he was walking here and there in that part of the wood, suddenly he came upon a man sitting there, who said he had found nearby a dead boy. And so, going there, led by that peasant, Henry came upon a boy, but he did not know who he was or where from. While he examined him with care to see if he might recognize him, Henry noticed that the boy was wounded and saw in his mouth a wooden instrument of torture. Seeing also that the boy had been handled with unusual kinds of torment, he began already to suspect from the nature of the wounds that no Christian but only a Jew would have taken it upon himself to kill the innocent in this way with such rash daring. Having carefully fixed the place in his memory, and taking note of the region of the sky, he knew for sure that this was the place where the rays of light shone the day before and where he had seen them stretch up on high.

  What then? Having without doubt contemplated these things with great wonder, Henry returned and told his wife and family all he had discovered. And after calling the priest, he informed him of the body of some innocent handled in the cruellest way, exposed in the wood, and that he [Henry] very much wished to carry it away from there and bury it in the cemetery of the church of Sprowston, if he – the priest – advised him to do so.56 And after anxiously discussing such action they reached the conclusion that because the feast of Easter was about to take place on the next day, they should delay the execution of their plan to the third day, on which the act of their devotion would be more fittingly accomplished.

  [XII] HOW HE WAS BURIED IN THE WOOD

  So the business of burial was delayed, but meanwhile by these telling others of the affair, in this way the rumour resounded all around and entered the city, striking the hearts of hearers with a great deal of astonishment.57 The city was shaken with a new disturbance and the streets were filled with restless crowds; and it was already claimed by many that only the Jews could do such things, especially at that time.58 And so many stood still, as if shocked by so novel and unusual a matter; many ran hither and thither, above all boys and youths, and, guided by divine will, they rushed to the wood in large groups in order to get a good view. Indeed, they sought and found and identified the marks of punishments on him and, having then considered the matter with care, certain of them believed that the Jews were not guiltless of the crime. Some even claimed to have been inspired by a certain presentiment. When they returned, those who had stayed at home came together in groups, and when they heard how things were, they rushed to see, and when they, too, returned they testified about it to others. And so the whole of Saturday and the whole of Easter Day were occupied with people going and returning in successive throngs, and the whole city was engaged and amazed. Hence zeal of pious fervour incited everyone towards the destruction of the Jews; they would have already laid hands on them, but were held back by fear of Sheriff John, and remained calm for a while.

  While things unfolded in the city in this way over two days, the aforesaid Henry of Sprowston, with his wife and family, were about to execute his plan on Easter Monday, and he set out around the time of prime to that illustrious corpse of the renowned martyr where it still lay under the sky. Reaching the spot with his companions – forewarned, I believe, by divine inspiration – he decided to act differently from the plan, because he feared to execute it without the bishop’s permission. And so, using a prudent plan, with as much reverence as possible, he buried the body where it had been found. But I think it should not remain unsaid that while he [William] was carried in the hands of those burying him, immediately such a sweet fragrance infused the noses of those present, as if an abundance of herbs and fragrant flowers grew there. Nor do I think that this came to pass without divine will, so that it might happen that he be buried there, and then be transferred later from there for the sake of greater veneration; and though he was translated, divine grace wished to distinguish him there, too, by many signs of his virtues.

  [XIII] HOW THE PRIEST GODWIN STROVE TO FIND OUT WHETHER IT WAS WILLIAM

  Once the body of the renowned martyr was buried, it became known through some of his companions that the boy William was in the habit of visiting the Jews in days past. Finally, news of this matter reached the ears of Godwin the priest, whose surname was Sturt, and who was the husband of the boy’s aunt. When he learned it for certain from William’s friends, he set out to visit the place on the morrow, with his son Alexander, then a deacon, and Robert, the martyr’s brother, in the first instance to find out more clearly whether it was him, and if so, to perform immediately the service of burial. And since he could not recognize him unless the soil placed over him was removed, they decided to dig. And so, while they were digging and casting out the earth, as they came closer to the body, suddenly in front of his face the earth seemed clearly to be lifted up from below as if by some powerful force, rising as if being pushed out. When they saw this, suddenly great fear and shock pervaded the hearts of the diggers; they drew back from there and ceased the toil they had begun. But when the priest called them back, they resumed their purpose with vigour and attacked the task they had stopped. When the same happened for the second time, it seemed to them that he was certainly not dead but alive. Then the priest, shouting, instructed them to hurry up, because he believed they might still find him alive. And as they rushed eagerly and already touched the body with the palms of their hands, once the dust was shaken off the face was revealed and it became clear who it was.

  Brother recognized brother and friends recognized friend. Brother wept for dead brother; friends bewailed the dead. The more deeply they had loved him, the more greatly they mourned him in death. And when they approached closer, they were exceedingly surprised that despite the fact that so many days had already passed since the day they suspected of his death, they smelt no foul smell from him at all. And what was found to be more worthy of wonder is that although there was no sweet-smelling flower growing there, nor any herbs, the fragrance of spring flowers and of sweet-smelling herbs reached the noses of those who were present. What next? After the funeral was celebrated and the earth that had been dug up and uncovered was put back in its place, they commended body and soul to God and returned [to the city].

  [XIV] ON THE PROPHETIC VISION OF HIS MATERNAL AUNT

  As Godwin the priest returned home he recounted what had happened to his wife Leviva, who was the boy’s maternal aunt.59 At once she squeezed the palms of her hands together and broke out in a mighty wailing: ‘It is true,’ she said, ‘and the dream that came to me on the Saturday before Palm Sunday60 [18 March 1144] is certainly true, in which the Lord deigned to show me in advance and let me know the most certain truth of that event. For in a night vision I saw myself, perchance in the middle of the marketplace, when suddenly the Jews charged at me from everywhere; running they surrounded me as I escaped and caught me as I was encircled. And as they seized me, they broke my righ
t leg with a club and tore it off the rest of my body and without delay escaped, and they seemed to be taking it away with them. Oh, what a true foretelling in a true vision! Oh, how truly happy I would be had the dream I dreamt not been true! When I told you, my Lord, of that dream, I remember you saying that it would come to pass that soon one of my friends would be lost through the Jews, one I definitely loved above all others! Behold, I hear what you have already said to me and I am distressed that what you had foretold of the future has not happened differently.’

  Barely had she completed these words when a chill penetrated her marrow, her face became pale, she lost consciousness and, as if lifeless, she slipped to the ground into the hands of those present. After a while the woman rose up, having regained her strength as the blood flowed again, and at once she lamented with tears her nephew whom she loved best. Truly, from that day on, and for a long time, she could hardly contain her mourning, because she lamented him whom she loved most tenderly and with all her heart.

  [XV] ON THE MOTHER’S LAMENT

  In those very days, as the news was spreading, the rumour of her son’s death reached the mother’s ears; without doubt she was shattered by such lamentable news and at once collapsed, as if dead.61 But after a while, having regained her strength, she got up without delay and hurried to Norwich to seek out the truth of the matter. There, indeed, on learning from the accounts of many people that her son was dead and buried in the wood, she at once tore at her hair, her hands repeatedly clasped, and she ran like a lunatic, crying and wailing through the streets.62 Finally, arriving at the house of her sister, whom we have just mentioned, she enquired both of Godwin the priest and of her sister about the truth and manner of the affair, but she could learn nothing more for certain, only that he had been killed in an unusual manner. Nevertheless, out of many and credible conjectural arguments she was able to conclude that it was not Christians, but in truth Jews, who had dared to commit the crime in that way. She accepted these speculations with a woman’s credulity; and she at once broke out in public with abuse of the Jews in word, noisy clamour and formal accusation. In this way, no doubt, the mother was influenced by the effect of a maternal instinct; here was a woman carried away by feminine and reckless daring. Again, whatever she suspected in her heart she took to be certain, and whatever she imagined she asserted, as if she had seen it with her own eyes; she conducted her roaming through small streets and large, and, compelled by maternal suffering, she accosted everyone with horrible cries and asserted that her son had been seduced by fraud, kidnapped from her by cunning, and killed by the Jews. She turned the minds of all in this matter towards the suspicion of the truth; hence it was cried out also by the voices of all that all the Jews should be destroyed, root and branch, as the constant enemies of the Christian name and cult.

  [XVI] HOW THE PRIEST GODWIN ACCUSED THE JEWS AT THE SYNOD, AND HOW HE OFFERED HIMSELF TO PROVE BY ORDEAL THAT THEY WERE GUILTY OF THE DEATH OF THE BOY WILLIAM

  A few days having passed, the day of the synod arrived and, as was the custom, Bishop Everard presided over it.63 After the sermon was delivered, the aforementioned priest Godwin got up in the middle to present to the ears of the bishop and his fellow priests a mournful complaint the like of which was unheard of in present times. And so, silence having been ordered, he began in this manner: ‘Lord, father and venerable bishop, whose past fatherly care is well known – and may it be so for ever – incline the ears of your kindness to our words of complaint. Let the holy gathering of fellow brothers and priests, which I observe attending the synod, deign to receive with a patient ear the sounds of my complaint on a matter neither small nor ephemeral. Certainly, I have come not so much to pursue a case for myself or my family, but rather I come forth to announce an affront recently committed against all Christians. And so I think that it is not unknown to your fatherhood, reverend bishop, nor do I take it to be hidden from many of you, dearest brethren, that a certain very little boy, altogether innocent, has been found in the wood, handled in pitiable ways during the week of the Lord’s Passion, and that he is still buried there without Christian interment. He was, in fact, the cousin of my own sons, and because of the kinship that linked us he was very dear to me. Hence, as I complain about his death to the kindness of your pity in these words, I can hardly stop my eyes from crying. But I exculpate, first and foremost, all Christians as innocent of the guilt in so execrable a killing; second, I accuse the Jews, enemies of the Christian name, as guilty in this matter, spillers of innocent blood; third, I shall come forward to prove my assertion in these matters at any time and place in any seat of judgement of Christian law. Let no one reckon me precipitate or unprepared in this matter, for if I were not utterly sure of the truth of it I would never have come forward thus far to offer the proof I have promised.

  ‘And you yourselves can conclude that it is so, firstly from what by custom the Jews have been obliged to do on these days, and then from the manner of the pains inflicted and the type of wounds, as well as from the manifold agreements of many circumstances. To these and many other highly convincing proofs of arguments, Leviva, the maternal aunt of the boy in question, is added with her most valid forewarning, as is his lamentable mother, in tears, who complained of the crafty frauds of the cunning messenger of the Jews, who cheated her and led her astray and abducted her son. In this manner, since it is so certain: “my property is in danger when the neighbouring wall [house] is on fire”,64 I turn to you as my sole and unique defender, and put before you this complaint the more confidently in that I reckon you will not depart in any way from what is true by law or equity.’

  With these words the priest brought his speech to an end65 and awaited the bishop’s response in the matter with ears pricked, his eyes fixed to the ground and his mind on tenterhooks. And so everyone was shaken and astonished by the matter, and the bishop was so agitated by the atrocity of the deed that he was ablaze with a fervour for justice, and they say he answered the priest in this way: ‘Because what you assert as certain truth has not been so far proven to us, we shall take immediate steps to find out the reliable truth of the matter. And if it is established as you claim it to be, you can have it for sure that the rigour of our justice will not be deflected. Nevertheless, since it is not right for a just judge to pass judgement on those who have not been seen or heard, the Jews will be summoned tomorrow, will be tried and, if found guilty by the merits [of the case], the appropriate punishment will ensue.’ And so, discussion of this affair thus being delayed to the morrow and the business of the synod having been transacted only in part, everyone left with the intention of returning once more in the morning.

  On that day, at the order of the bishop, the dean of Norwich66 assembled the Jews and proclaimed that they should appear on the morrow in front of the bishop and synod in this weighty matter. What then? The Jews became agitated and they returned – all together – to the sheriff John as to their only haven, seeking help and advice in so difficult a case, relying on his protection, by which they had evaded many dangers on many occasions. Having thus entered into consultation, John, acting as if he were aware of the truth of the matter, did not allow the Jews to appear at the synod on the next day, but rather sent his own men to the bishop to say that the Jews belonged to him and that they would not answer such trifling charges by Christians in the king’s absence. After the message had been received, and with the priest wanting to repeat the complaint of the day before in full synod, the bishop asked Aimar,67 Lord Prior of St Pancras [of Lewes], and other highly learned and most wise men, who happened to be attending the synod, what they thought should be the answer in such a case. They said unanimously that violence had been publicly perpetrated against God and Christian law and advised that it be speedily punished by the rigour of canon law.

  Amidst all this, the bishop, not wanting to seem hasty, nor detracting from the spirit of justice, judged that the aforementioned enemies of Christ should be summoned a second and even a third time, lest too great hastening
of the sentence exceed either moderation or the boundary of custom. And as the bishop ordered, the dean did not delay to execute. But when the Jews refused to come, the bishop consulted the wise men after the conclusion of the synod as to what was to be done in such a case. And a common opinion was reached to suggest to John that he should not support the Jews against God and that a peremptory sentence be communicated to them, that if they did not come to purge themselves68 very soon, they should know that they would without doubt be destroyed. Urged on by these words, John came without delay with the Jews to hear what was said against them and appeared in fury in front of the bishop. Without delay, the oft-mentioned priest [Sturt] arose and repeated the charge he had already made, and promised that what he had testified in word he would prove without delay by ordeal.69 On the sheriff’s advice the Jews denied the crime imputed to them, but asked that over the issue of proof by ordeal they be granted some short respite to deliberate. While the priest firmly resisted every pretext for delay, yet with the bishop’s assent [the Jews] went ahead to discuss the case in private consultation. The sheriff advised them what remained for them to do in such a crisis, since, on the one hand, they judged that the granting of a postponement was unlikely, and on the other, they feared greatly the proof by ordeal.