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

by Thomas of Monmouth

  When morning came the woman told those who were with her what she had heard and seen. She also took care to tell me about it when I visited her in her sickness. I could never have put faith in these events, had I not seen them at first hand. But when I saw her get better thereafter, and come healthy to the tomb of her son during the said week, bringing the cross as instructed – and the earlier disease recurring and her life coming to an end – after all that, what else should I believe, but that the vision was not false? And as to her, when she ended her life of the flesh, as was foretold, we showed the service of human kindness and, because of the devotion we had for the son, we buried the mother honourably in our cemetery.

  [XXII] OF A WOMAN CURED OF A PAINFUL CONDITION AND OF A GRAVE AND LONG-STANDING SWELLING IN HER KNEES

  After a while Goda, the wife of a certain Copmann of Norwich, who was called ‘Of the Spring’,32 came to the tomb of Saint William to receive a remedy for her illness. She had been suffering for many days from pain in her entrails,33 and then the suffering descended and that intolerable pain entered her knees, and in a short time made them swell very much. When the piercing pains grew so that the knees reached the size of pots, so great had the suffering increased that she totally lost the use of her feet, and restful sleep escaped her eyes. She moaned day and night, cried out, and had such sharp pain that if you had seen her you would have thought her vital spirit would not last long. And the sharpest pain in her left eye was added to her pile of woes, so that in a short while the swelling eye exceeded the size of an egg. She despaired for her health and had herself brought to Saint William, whom she had always loved with a deep devotion. When she was near his tomb she prayed at length, offered a candle and, as best she could, touched the tombstone with bare knees, and with the cloth that covered the tomb carefully wiped the eye that was suffering so badly.

  Wonderful to relate! By the operation of the miraculous power of the martyr, together with the woman’s faith, immediately at the touch of the tombstone all pain and the swelling of the knees vanished, and, thanks to the cloth, divine pity helped the ailing eye. And so she who had arrived sad and suffering from a severe illness returned joyful, cured by celestial medicine.

  [XXIII] OF ANOTHER WOMAN CURED OF A LONG-STANDING DEAFNESS OF THE EARS

  Not much later a certain Aldith Thoche, the widow of a chandler, whose cure of a long-standing illness by the merits of Saint William we have already recounted in the second book,34 led by faith, came to the said holy martyr’s tomb and begged for a remedy for her deafness. For a long time she had been getting increasingly deaf and the condition grew so bad that unless you put your mouth to her ears she could not have heard you at all. In consequence, she was afraid to go out in public and had no conversation but with the members of her household. And she was very much afraid lest, when the extent of her deafness came to the notice of others, it would inspire ridicule. So she ran for succour in this plight to the intercession of Saint William: she offered a candle and, after pouring out a fountain of tears, she prayed there for a while. Finally, bending her knees in prayer and inspired by the fervour of faith, she covered both ears with the cloth that covered the tomb. What need of many words? At that point of time the devoted tears pierced the heavens, the petitioner’s faith extracted the mercy of divine pity and the deaf woman received hearing in her ears.

  Now, as we have gone a long way and let our horse run on a loose rein, tired by the chase we call a halt.35 As we are tired we retire for a modest rest, suspending our labour for a time.

  Here ends the fifth book.

  Book Six

  The chapters of the sixth book begin. [i] Of the fourth translation of the holy martyr from the south side of the high altar to the north side, to an altar which is called ‘of the holy martyrs’. [ii] Of the daughter of Reginald of Warenne who was miraculously cured. [iii] Of a certain man who was cured of an acute pain in his foot. [iv] Of a certain Everard who was insane and then cured. [v] Of another man who was restored to health from amazing insanity. [vi] Of an insane woman similarly cured. [vii] Of a boy freed from epilepsy. [viii] Of a blind woman who gained sight. [ix] Of Philip de Bella Arbore and the iron ring around his arm which was broken at Saint William’s tomb. [x] Of another, like him miraculously freed there from an iron on his right arm. [xi] A commendation of that miracle. [xii] Of a woman who was amazingly bent and was cured. [xiii] Of a hunchback boy bent over and cured, and then again bent and again cured as before. [xiv] Of a woman amazingly swollen and cured. [xv] Of another like her with a tumour in the throat who was cured. [xvi] Of a man made swollen and blackened by the breath of a serpent cured by the merits of Saint William. [xvii] Of a virgin whose breast was miraculously cured. [xviii] Of those saved at sea and the calming of a tempest. [xix] Of two men whose feet were bound in shackles, and freed by the blessed William by a night vision. [xx] Of another. [xxi] Of Albert Gresley’s falcon, who was miraculously cured.

  Here begins the sixth book.

  [I] OF THE FOURTH TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY MARTYR FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HIGH ALTAR TO THE NORTH SIDE, TO AN ALTAR WHICH WAS CALLED ‘OF THE HOLY MARTYRS’

  While the wondrous power of the holy martyr William grew with so many and such great miracles, a crowd of people more numerous than had been usual began to visit him. And since the place where the martyr lay did not accommodate a throng of so many and such frequent crowds – and, in fact, the inconvenience was often irksome – at the suggestion of Prior Richard and the entreaty of the convent, a suitable place was identified by the bishop, where he could lay with greater decorum and the people thronging to the tomb could approach it without trouble. There was, indeed, in the north part of Norwich Cathedral to the side of the high altar a chapel formerly designated for the veneration of the martyrs. So this place was preferred over others as suitable for the holy martyr, because it was spacious, because it was situated in a quiet enclosure and because it was consecrated in honour of martyrs.

  And that year was AD 1154, in which the day after Easter Monday was on the nones of April [5 April], when Bishop William girded himself to execute the solemn business of the translation, and with the bishop the holy community of monks. On that day, I say, a great multitude of people crowded together and the body of the martyr was carried there with the greatest veneration. There he lies, buried under the altar in the said chapel dedicated to the holy martyrs. And there he rests, buried in body but alive in glory that shines in daily miracles. He lights the earth with his limbs and inherits heaven with his merits. There the martyr so very acceptable to God shines forth in frequent miracles until this very day, and shows in the most revealing signs how much virtue and merit he has with God. There we have frequently seen the restoration of sight to the blind, walking to the lame, speech to the mute and good sense to the insane.1 We have also seen many sick people cured and not a few people bound by shackles freed. Not only are miracles present there, but they even grow more and greater; it is evident that his merits are special and precious in heaven.

  [II] OF THE DAUGHTER OF REGINALD OF WARENNE MIRACULOUSLY CURED

  A few days after the translation, the little daughter of Reginald of Warenne,2 who had been ill for quite some time, as her illness worsened, reached death’s door. Truly, everyone was despairing of her health, because she was at the threshold of death, as if her life hung by the merest thread. Certainly, the parents were deeply saddened by the grave danger to their daughter, whom they had always loved above all others. Finally, on the mother’s advice, she was carried to Norwich to be cured by the merits of the blessed William. When she arrived there and touched the tomb with an offering, divine pity immediately helped her, through the intercession of her glorious martyr William. At that moment she got better and she who had arrived dying, returned home with her family restored to health.3

  [III] OF A CERTAIN MAN WHO WAS CURED FROM AN ACUTE PAIN IN HIS FOOT

  There was at that time in Norwich a man called Godric, a money-changer by profession, who had already been suf
fering for many days with a pain in one foot, so that he could hardly walk or even touch it to the ground. When a great deal of time had already passed in great pain, on the advice of his relatives he came as best he could with the help of a stick to the tomb of Saint William. After offering there a foot made of wax, prepared in advance and brought by him, he commended himself totally in prayer and vow to the holy martyr. When he rose after a while, he already sensed that the pain in his foot had been much lessened and, going home with joy, he soon was totally cured.

  [IV] OF A CERTAIN INSANE EVERARD WHO WAS CURED

  Again, one day a certain Everard, whom the people of Norwich called the Fisherman, who was disturbed by an unclean spirit and had his feet bound up in shackles and his arms tied behind his back, was led to the tomb of the holy martyr by the hands of a number of people. When, after a while, it happened that his hands were accidentally freed from the handcuffs, whoever he could touch he cruelly lacerated with his nails and teeth. But he was taken up by the many people who rushed up to him, who secured him very tightly and placed him – as he resisted fiercely – next to the tomb. While he spent the night there, his tongue did not stop moving even for a while, but he called aloud as if a great crowd of people were present. His noisy tongue spoke nothing but nonsense and blasphemies. Finally, around daybreak, he was quiet for a while and God’s grace took pity – by the merits of Saint William, as we believe – and he, who had passed so many nights and days without sleep, now entered a wholesome sleep. With a few intervening periods of waking, again and again he fell asleep in this way, until the benefit of rest made his sick brain better. Afterwards, he was very hungry and when food and drink were brought he ate and drank; around the ninth hour he went away healthy and joyful.

  [V] OF ANOTHER MAN RESTORED TO HEALTH FROM AN AMAZING INSANITY

  We also saw at another time, another man of an insane mind going mad in an extraordinary fashion in front of the tomb of the blessed martyr; his name was Robert, from the parish of St Michael, Conisford, in Norwich.4 He used to be seized by bouts of insanity at unpredictable times, and on that account had come with his mother to Saint William to receive the gift of health. But when he arrived at the church he immediately began to shake, as if seized. His mother, crying, coaxed him with many soft words and dragged him to the cathedral and set him in front of the martyr’s tomb. There he stayed calm for a time next to his mother, who was at prayer, while a large crowd of men and women looked on. All of a sudden his whole body shook as if he were falling apart, and he was suffering to an incalculable degree. His eyes burned like fires; his cries were terrible. His own mouth made many different sounds; forgetful of being human, he twisted and tore off his clothes. He was not ashamed of showing his private parts; he performed many deeds of strength, while being unable to control himself. The crowd gathered round him, seized with fear; all were stupefied; some wept and many prayed for the recovery of the patient.

  What need of many words? We believe that the merits of the holy martyr intervened and divine mercy looked upon him and expelled the insane spirit from the raving man, giving health thereafter. The people were filled with wonder at the miracle and they spread the word of divine power in William, its saint, and everyone returned home with joy.

  [VI] OF AN INSANE WOMAN WHO WAS CURED

  Also at another time a certain woman of Belaugh,5 by the name of Sieldeware, was troubled by a malign spirit and was brought to Norwich by her relatives to be cured by Saint William’s merits. When she arrived at the entrance to the church, she resisted her escorts there and could hardly be drawn inside, even by four of the strongest men. She demonstrated amazing strength and tried to escape from the hands of those who were holding her. She cried out in a loud voice: ‘What do you want to do with me? Where are you dragging me? I will not go there, there!’6 Then they gathered their strength and seized her most forcefully; removing the veil from her head, they bound her arms with her veil and her feet with her belt.7 Bound in this way, she was carried to the tomb of the holy martyr, crying and wailing; she was placed nearby with the consent of the guardian monk.

  From that moment she immediately behaved much more calmly and restrained her foolish cries. For the malign enemy was afraid, I believe, to disturb the saint with his shouts, and, having disturbed him, to give excessive offence to him whose formidable presence he sensed to be in the vicinity. And since while she was there she was behaving peacefully, those who had brought her there insane believed her now to be recovered. And for that reason she was moved away, deep into a private compartment, all the more confidently, because they believed her cured, and all the more properly, because it was to stop the people who gather at the tomb with offerings from being disturbed by her presence.

  And so, after she had been removed, but was still tied up in the manner I have described, that same malign enemy invaded her as before and disturbed her spirit. From this it is possible to deduce that he was really afraid of the blessed martyr, in whose presence he did not dare to disturb her, but the moment she was away [from the tomb], the enemy was present, tormenting her. The woman, lying on the ground, was now kicking it with her heels, now trying to break the bonds that bound her with her teeth. Now she mouthed disgusting nonsense, now the church was filled with horrible cries. A great multitude of people had gathered to see such a miserable spectacle. I, too, was there, by chance, and was moved to pity for the wretch, and gave instructions that she was to be placed again next to the tomb. This done, suddenly, as if she had suffered no ill before, she was quiet and not a single sign of insanity appeared in her. Above all, after a while, she was seized by sleep: she who previously had not slept for many days or eaten food, fell asleep and she lay continuously asleep for two half-days and one night.8 On the third day she woke up and, when food and drink were brought to her, she refreshed her exhausted spirit. Returned in this manner to full health, the woman received a celestial remedy, by which her body was strengthened in health and her soul in faith.

  [VII] OF A BOY FREED FROM EPILEPSY

  A certain knight of Haughley,9 Ranulph by name, had a son who had suffered for many years from epilepsy. When he was taken by his relatives to the tomb of Saint William he uttered a prayer, made an offering and – as we later learned from the mother’s messenger – no longer felt the suffering of that illness. And another man of Lothingland10 – whose name escapes me – came with the priest of the village, and he (that is to say, the peasant) was also suffering from epilepsy. He was so disturbed by the illness that not a single day passed on which he did not feel its pain. And when he came to the venerable tomb of the blessed martyr he spent a while in prayer, offered a candle, and what he asked for piously in his faith he was deemed worthy to receive. For divine grace acceded to the merits of Saint William and the man no longer felt the usual disturbance of the illness; and we later found out the truth of the matter both from him and from others.

  [VIII] OF A BLIND WOMAN WHO GAINED HER EYESIGHT

  At that time in King’s Lynn, in the parish of St Edmund,11 there was a certain woman called Gilliva, daughter of Burcard the Carpenter. She lost her sight by some accident and was condemned to blindness of her eyes for three years. To add to the misfortune, so terrible a pain developed in her eyelids and oppressed her with suffering that for three whole years her eyes were always closed, as if stuck together with glue, as if she would never be able to open them again. When three years had passed, she decided to seek refuge in the haven of the blessed martyr William, as sole and singular remedy; and with greater confidence, since she had learned by common report that others similarly condemned to blindness had been cured at his tomb. Her young nephew walked before her, leading the way with a cord around her, and she finally arrived in Norwich at Saint William, thanks to that guide. And so, standing in front of the altar, she began to pray and, after saying a small part of the prayer, the rest was interrupted by a sudden attack of pain. Indeed, her head was troubled and both eyes were seized with a fiery heat; and she plucked at her forehea
d and cheeks with her nails. Wild with anguish, the wretch rolled on the ground and, as if in a fit of madness, she rolled on the pavement, filling and disturbing the whole church with immense and frightful cries. But among the pangs of pain she cried out with a clear voice, saying from time to time: ‘Gentle boy! Martyr William! Have pity on me, a wretch! You who have so often had pity on others!’

  A multitude of people had come to the church that day and they gathered round the spectacle. Seeing the violence of her pain, everyone shared her sorrow, and, inwardly moved to pity, they poured out both prayers and tears. It was such a miserable sight that men and women alike cried, made vows and wailed. For who could watch such things and be so stony-hearted as to keep their eyes from weeping? At last, after much suffering and torment, as we truly believe by the impulse of divine mercy and the interventions of the merits of the blessed martyr, gradually the pain began to abate. When she felt the coming of the celestial remedy she got up from the ground and stretched her hands to heaven; and the eyelids which before were closed and which for pain she could not open even a little, now she opened; and immediately something like a spurt of blood flowed out, bursting from both eyes. Without delay, the night of her long-standing blindness was dispelled, as if by a dawn of new light reborn. She, who for so long had not seen and who for so long had desired to see, now seeing, was delighted and said: ‘Now to you, highest God, maker and repairer of all things, and to you, William, most holy martyr of God, I pay due praises and thanks, for after so much suffering I am now at rest, and after three years of continuous blindness I have sight.’