Jewish Ritual Murder (AZL Cut)

AntiTraitors
Published on May 6, 2020
William of Norwich (2 February 1132 22 March 1144) was an English boy whose death is attributed to the Jewish community of Norwich. It is the first known medieval case of Jewish ritual murder. The Catholic Encyclopaedia states the facts of the case, as accounted by Thomas of Monmouth: a boy's corpse showing signs of a violent death was found in Thorpe Wood near Norwich. It was not touched until Easter Monday, where it was buried without any ceremony where it lay. In the meantime a number of young men and boys had visited the spot and the Jews were suspected of the murder on account of the nature of the wounds The body was recognised as that of William, a tanner's apprentice, who with his master had been in the habit of frequenting the houses of certain Jews. The grave was opened by William's uncle, the priest Godwin Stuart, the body recognised, the burial Office read, and the grave recovered. A few days later the diocesan synod met under the precedence of Bishop Eborard, and Stuart accused the Jews of the murder, and offered to prove his accusation by ordeal. But the Jews of the Norwich Jewry were the king's men and under the protection of the sheriff, who pointed out that the bishop had no jurisdiction in the case. The failure to secure a condemnation against the Jews seems to have been largely due to the presence of this strong official who held the castle of Norwich. The only result of Sturt's action at this time was to secure the translation of the body from Thorpe Wood to the monks cemetery on 24 April.