William of Newburgh

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William of Newburgh (1136?-1198?), also known as Nubrigensis, was a 12th century English historian and monk from Yorkshire.

Contents 1 William of Newburgh 2 See also 3 Sources 4 Footnotes 5 External links

[edit] William of Newburgh

His major work was Historia rerum Anglicarum (History of English Affairs), a history of England from 1066 to 1198. The work is valued by historians for detailing The Anarchy under Stephen of England. It is written in an engaging fashion and still highly readable to this day, containing many fascinating stories and glimpses in to 12th-century medieval life.

Freeman expressed the now-outdated opinion that William was "the father of historical criticism"¹. Newburgh saw his own work as being based on reliable sources, unlike Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the British Kings, which Newburgh was critical of saying "only a person ignorant of ancient history would have any doubt about how shamelessly and impudently he lies in almost everything".² He criticized Geoffrey for writing a history that conflicted with the accounts found in the writing of Bede.

Because belief in souls returning from the dead was common in the 12th century, Newburghs Historia briefly recants stories he heard about revenants, as does the work of Walter Map, his southern contemporary. Although a minor part of both works, these folklore accounts have attracted attention within occultism.³ He also described the arrival of green children from "St. Martin's Land" (I.27) and other mysterious, wondrous occurrences. While he says that these have an apparent signification, he does not explain what that meaning might be.

He also composed a lengthy Marian exposition on the Song of Songs and three sermons on liturgical texts and Saint Alban.

[edit] See also

• William Fitz Osbern (1196) - The story of William Fitz Osbern, from William of Newburgh's historical account.
• Wimund (bishop) - The story of Wimund the bishop, from William of Newburgh's historical account.
• Medieval revenants - The story of those souls who return from the dead, from William of Newburgh's historical account.

[edit] Sources

• The History of English Affairs Online excerpts, as part of The Church Historians of England, volume IV, part II; translated by Joseph Stevenson (London: Seeley's, 1861). Spelling modernized 1999 by Scott McLetchie.
• The History of 'William of Newburgh' (1066-1194), Joseph Stevenson (Translator), LLanerch Press, 1996, ISBN 1-86143-013-2, 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, ISBN 0-85668-304-3, Book I only.

[edit] Footnotes

• Note 1: Freeman, Contemporary Review, vol. XXXIII (1878), p. 216.
• Note 2: Historia rerum Anglicarum, Book I, Preface, Retrieved Jan. 2005
• Note 3: see Medieval revenants#References

[edit] External links

• Latin Chroniclers from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries: William of Newburgh from The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, Volume I, 1907–21.