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The devil in the choir
Robert’s biographer relates how on one occasion Abbot Robert saw the devil in the abbey church at Newminster, in the guise of a bare-legged peasant carrying a basket on his back. The devil appeared outside the choir during the night Office and, rolling his eyes, scrutinised the monks, looking to see which of them was susceptible to temptation. Realising his intentions, Robert prayed earnestly and urged the community to stand firm against temptation. After some time, the devil gave up and went instead to the lay-brothers’ choir and here he struck gold, for he saw a recent recruit, who was already planning his escape from the abbey. The devil, with his three-pronged fork, made off with this man. It was later heard that this former brother of Newminster had been beheaded, as a common thief, a grave warning to any other such recruits that might consider hot-footing it from the abbey. [This episode is related in chapter VI of his life, see Williams, ‘St Robert of Newminster’, p. 142].
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