Chronicler: Richard of Devizes

In the centuries before professional journalists and historians kept a record of current events, that task often fell to monks.  Monks spent hours in scriptoriums copying portions of the Bible and important sacred and religious texts.  Some also took an interest in life beyond the abbey walls, noting down important events, particularly when they could attach some divine intent to the affairs of the day.

Richard of Devizes, a monk of St. Swithin's house in Winchester was one such chronicler.  Richard was active during the last few years of Henry II's reign and the first three years of Richard I, so late 12th century.  His name, Richard of Devizes, indicates that he may have been from the town of Devizes in Wiltshire, but no other facts are known of his life.  Unlike most chroniclers, who provided a dry recitation of basic events one right after another, Richard of Devizes adopted the point of few of a French Jewish cobbler giving advice to young Jewish Christians visiting London.  This posture was a radical one for the times, as the start of Richard's reign and the windup to the Third Crusade saw the outbreak of bloody reprisals against Jewish communities throughout England.  According to Richard of Devizes, when wealthy Jewish merchants came to Richard's court to pay their respects during or shortly after his coronation, they were roughed up and thrown out of the palace.  Riots erupted against the Jews throughout London and portions of the Jewish quarter were burnt.

Richard of Devizes says:

Now in the year of our Lord's incarnation 1189, Richard, the son of King Henry the Second, by Eleanor, and brother of Henry the Third, was consecrated king of the English by Baldwin, archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster, in the nones of the third of September. On the very day of the coronation, about that solemn hour in which the Son was immolated to the Father, a sacrifice of the Jews to their father, the Devil, was commenced in the city of London, and so long was the duration of this famous mystery that the holocaust could scarcely be accomplished the ensuing day. The other cities and towns of the kingdom emulated the faith of the Londoners, and with a like devotion dispatched their bloodsuckers with blood to hell. (from Wikipedia).

The Greek word holocausta, which referenced a great sacrifice, or a great burning, entered the English language for the first time, and it did so in reference to persecution of the Jews.  Richard of Devizes viewpoint makes plain his disapproval of how the Jews were being treated, though he doesn't outright defend them.  He gave an account of Richard's preparations for the Crusade and departure for the Holy Land, though he would have gotten his information about the Crusade itself filtered through many different sources.  Richard of Devizes remained behind in London and commented that John, Richard's brother who was serving as de facto regent, was a madman who foamed at the mouth.  Probably not literally, but it's a good word picture nonetheless.