William of Newburgh or Newbury ( la, Guilelmus Neubrigensis, ''Wilhelmus Neubrigensis'', or ''Willelmus de Novoburgo''. 1136 – 1198), also known as William Parvus, was a 12th-century English historian and Augustinian canon of

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...

descent from Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire. William experienced the Jewish pogroms in York in the late 12th century mentioning, "the slaughter was less the work of religious zeal than of bold and covetous men who wrought the business of their own greed". William also composed a lengthy

Marian Marian may refer to: People * Mari people, a Finno-Ugric ethnic group in Russia * Marian (given name), a list of people with the given name * Marian (surname), a list of people so named Places *Marian, Iran (disambiguation) * Marian, Queensla ...

exposition on the Song of Songs and three sermons on liturgical texts and Saint Alban.

History of English Affairs

William's major work was ''Historia rerum Anglicarum'' or ''Historia de rebus anglicis'' ("History of English Affairs"), a history of England from 1066 to 1198, written in Latin. The work is valued by historians for detailing

The Anarchy The Anarchy was a civil war in England and Normandy between 1138 and 1153, which resulted in a widespread breakdown in law and order. The conflict was a war of succession precipitated by the accidental death of William Adelin, the only legiti ...

under Stephen of England. It is written in an engaging fashion and still readable to this day, containing many fascinating stories and glimpses into 12th-century life. He is a major source for stories of medieval revenants, animated corpses that returned from their graves, with close parallels to vampire beliefs, and the only source for the bishop-pirate

Wimund Wimund was a bishop who became a seafaring warlord adventurer in the years after 1147. His story is passed down to us by 12th-century English historian William of Newburgh in his ''Historia rerum anglicarum'', Book I, Chapter 24 entitled "Of bisho ...

. The 19th-century historian

Edward Augustus Freeman Edward Augustus Freeman (2 August 182316 March 1892) was an English historian, architectural artist, and Liberal politician during the late-19th-century heyday of Prime Minister William Gladstone, as well as a one-time candidate for Parliament. ...

expressed the now outdated opinion that William was "the father of historical criticism." Indeed, he was very critical of King John, whom he describes as "nature's enemy", and in general his discussion of English kings is "loyal but critical and cool". William saw his own work as being based on reliable sources, unlike Geoffrey of Monmouth's '' Historia Regum Britanniae'', of which Newburgh was critical, saying "only a person ignorant of ancient history would have any doubt about how shamelessly and impudently he lies in almost everything." He criticised Geoffrey for writing a history that conflicted with the accounts found in the writings of

Bede Bede ( ; ang, Bǣda , ; 672/326 May 735), also known as Saint Bede, The Venerable Bede, and Bede the Venerable ( la, Beda Venerabilis), was an English monk at the monastery of St Peter and its companion monastery of St Paul in the Kingdom o ...

. Because belief in souls returning from the dead was common in the 12th century, William's ''Historia'' briefly recounts stories he heard about revenants, as does the work of Walter Map, his Welsh contemporary. Although they form a minor part in each work, these folklore accounts have attracted attention within

occultism The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism an ...

. He also described the arrival of green children from "St. Martin's Land" and other mysterious, wondrous occurrences. While he says that these have an apparent signification, he does not explain what that meaning might be: "he offers these prodigious events to his readers with questions, hesitations, and doubt – with, in short, all the confessions of a critical and honest mind".Partner 115.

"The latest complete edition of William's history is still that found in Chronicles of the Reigns of Stephen, Henry II and Richard I. Edited by Richard Howlett. Rolls Series no. 82. London, 1884-9. Books 1-4 of William's history appear in volume 1, book 5 in volume 2."

References

Sources

* * ''The History of 'William of Newburgh' (1066–1194)'', Joseph Stevenson (Translator), LLanerch Press, 1996, , This is believed to be the Seeley's 1861 version as seen above, without Scott McLetchie's spelling updates. * ''Chronicles of the Reigns of Stephen, Henry II and Richard I.'' Edited by Richard Howlett. Rolls Series no. 82. London, 1884–9. Books 1–4 of William's history appear in volume 1, book 5 in volume 2. Most recent complete source. * ''The History of English Affairs, Book I (Medieval Latin Texts)'', by William, P. G. Walsh, M. J. Kennedy, 1988, , Book I only.
''The Sermons of William of Newburgh''
(Latin Edition), ed. A.B. Kraebel. * ''The History of English Affairs'', Book I. Ed. and trans. P. G. Walsh and M. J. Kennedy. Warminster: Aris and Phillips, 1988. * ''The History of English Affairs'', Book II. Ed. and trans. P. G. Walsh and M. J. Kennedy. Oxford: Aris and Phillips, 2007.

External links

from '' The Cambridge History of English and American Literature'', Volume I, 1907–21.
Ex Willelmi Neuburgensis Historia anglicana. MGH Scriptores 27. Hannover, 1885.
(Latin)

Monumenta Germaniae Historica The ''Monumenta Germaniae Historica'' (''MGH'') is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published primary sources, both chronicle and archival, for the study of Northwestern and Central European history from the end of the Roman Empire ...

Epistola Willelmi viri religiosi canonici de Novoburgo prefacionalis operis sequentis et apologetica ad abbatem Rievallis
(Latin)

* {{Authority control 1130s births 1190s deaths Augustinian canons 12th-century English historians People from Bridlington