Excerpts from Thurstan’s letter to William, archbishop of Canterbury, explaining the flight of the monks who left St Mary’s York
(2/3)
…The rumour of internal strife began to circulate through the town … and
Prior Richard informed us [i.e. Archbishop Thurstan] of the whole state
of affairs … he
begged that I would not refuse my help in the observance of their vows, and declared
that their need of it was even then urgent.
…
So I, Thurstan, by God’s grace called archbishop of York … in accordance
with the prudent counsel of some monks, summoned Abbot Geoffrey and Prior Richard
with his sub-prior to a convenient place, so that in the presence of these monks
I might bring to a peaceful settlement the brethren’s request and the abbot’s
reply.
… Meanwhile, the rest of the monks strove all the more fiercely in their
hatred against them, as they more manifestly strove to fulfil their vow. They
called
together monks of Cluny and Marmoutier who were staying in our neighbourhood
so that, assisted by their presence and applause, they might expel the prior
and his friends as deserters and violators of the common rule from all dignity
and responsibility in the monastery.
…
I therefore, on the appointed day prepared early in the day to go to the chapter
of the monks … the abbot met us at the door with monks and forbade me to
enter unless I would dismiss some of the clergy who came with me … the
whole chapter-house rang with such tumult and confusion that it seemed more like
the seditious uproar of drunken revellers than the humility of monks of which
there was no sign. Many of them rushed up and came upon us with outstretched
arms as if to wrestle, and all cried out that they would be roused to fury if
I entered.
…
taking the prior and his followers they began to drag them away, intending, according
to the agreement they had made with each other, either to thrust them into prison
or to cast them forth to exile. They, having no other hope of escaping from the
hands of their enemies, clung to me with all their strength, and so with difficulty
we made our way to the church, while the others shouted and roared even unto
the church, ‘Seize the rebels, take the traitors.’
We then sat down in the church and the abbot, with the rest of his monks, returned
to the chapter-house. Meanwhile the servants of the monastery, the doors and
gates being shut, stood and kept ambushes at all the entrances; we, fearing an
attack of the monks, barred on the inside the door of the church which leads
to the cloister.
…
Since, therefore it was impossible to restore peace amongst the monks, we returned
home, taking with us the thirteen monks … Many of them were learned men
and all were seeking the true observance both of their rule and their profession,
and of the Gospel. And so they are lodged in the house of the Blessed Peter and
of us … But the monks of the abbey are still giving way to their rage and
hatred.
