CONTENTS

Introduction

Page I

PART I

ST. THOMAS'S DEATH

CHAPTER I

THE NARRATORS

§ 1. The five eye-witnesses. § 2. The absent friend. § 3. Anonymous writers. § 4. Gamier, and the Saga 11

CHAPTER II

THE BREAKING OPEN OF THE PALACE

§ 1. Introduction. § 2. The different accounts. § 3. The "extraordinary timidity " imputed by Stanley to the monks 27

CHAPTER III

THE CONVEYANCE OF THE ARCHBISHOP TO THE CATHEDRAL

§ 1. The different accounts. § 2. The carrying of the cross. § 3. The bolt that came off "as though it had been fastened by glue." § 4. Another door that "opened as if spontaneously." § 5. The "carrying" of the Archbishop 45

CHAPTER IV

THE ENTRANCE OF THE ARCHBISHOP INTO THE CATHEDRAL

§ 1. The different accounts. § 2. The Saga's regard for the Fitness of Things. § 3. Different points of view Page 58

CHAPTER V

THE APPROACH OF THE KNIGHTS

§ 1. The different accounts. § 2. Omissions and errors 64

CHAPTER VI

THE ENTRANCE OF THE KNIGHTS INTO THE CATHEDRAL § 1. The different accounts. § 2. The flight of the Archbishop's friends 77

CHAPTER VII

THE MEETING OF THE ARCHBISHOP AND THE KNIGHTS

§ 1. The different accounts. § 2. What did the Archbishop say? § 3. The Martyr's last footsteps. § 4. Stanley and Tennyson 87

CHAPTER VIII

THE STRUGGLE

§ 1. The different accounts. § 2. The words of the dialogue. § 3. Has Grim omitted any of the Archbishop's words? § 4. Striking off "the cap." § 5. Who, if any one, was "shaken off" by the Archbishop? § 6. Hugh of Morville. § 7. Stanley and Tennyson 100

CHAPTER IX

THE FIRST BLOW

§ 1. The different accounts. § 2. Who struck the first blow? § 3. Garnier's testimony. § 4. The Archbishop's words. § 5. Stanley and Tennyson 127

CHAPTER X

THE DEATH AND OUTRAGE

§ 1. The different accounts. § 2. Details of the death. § 3. The Archbishop's last words Page 149

CHAPTER XI

AFTER DEATH

§ 1. The different accounts. § 2. Was the body "entirely deserted"? § 3. Was there "a tremendous storm"? § 4. The date 175

CHAPTER XII

INFERENCES

§ 1. A general inference. § 2. An early narrative, if not from an eye-witness, mostly contains "lies." § 3. The evidence of one eye-witness is of more value than the concurrent testimony of many non- eye-witnesses. § 4. The evidence of non-eye-witnesses is only so far valuable as it preserves the evidence of eye-witnesses, distinct from inferences and corrections made by the former. § 5. The evidence of a late non-eye-witness is particularly liable to the inferential taint. § 6. Errors of word. § 7. Misarrangement of statements. § 8. Misapplication of statements. § 9. Misjudgment of statements. § 10. Omissions or alterations for edification. § ii. Floating Tradition. § 12. The importance of internal evidence 192

APPENDIX I

GERVASE OF CANTERBURY

APPENDIX II

HOW THOMAS WAS SAVED FROM DROWNING

§ 1. Gamier. § 2. Anon I. § 3. Grim. § 4. The Saga 216

ST. THOMAS OF CANTERBURY

PART II

ST. THOMAS'S MIRACLES

SECTION I

THE BEGINNING OF THE MIRACLES

§ 1. Miracles, at first, unfashionable, and even dangerous. § 2. The nature of the first miracles. § 3. Benedict's description of the night and day after the Martyrdom. § 4. Benedict's account of the first miracle. § 5. John of Salisbury. § 6. William's Preface. § 7. Apparent allusions to Benedict. § 8. William acts on the principle "Choose what thou wilt." § 9. Grim's account of the first miracle, and of the burial. § 10. Anon. I. on the burial. § II. Fitzstephen's account of the burial. § 12. Fitzstephen's account of the first miracles. § 13. Fitzstephen on the hostility to the miracles. § 14. Herbert on the burial. § 15. Herbert's silence on the miracles. § 16. Anon. II. on the miracles. § 17. Anon. III. and Anon. IV. on the miracles. § 18. Anon. V. reports legends. § 19. Anon. X. on the burial and miracles; "redness in the sky." § 20. Gamier on the burial and miracles. § 21. The Saga ; St. Thomas's Well. § 22. Origin of the Saga's legends. § 23. Contrast between the Saga and a contemporary letter. § 24. The singular value of Benedict's testimony Page 223

SECTION II

THE GROWTH OF THE MIRACLES, OR BENEDICT'S EARLIEST RECORDS

§ 1. Benedict's list compared with William's. § 2. Miracles of January, 1171. § 3. Lent, 1171. § 4. Easter, 1 17 1. § 5. Two disappointments. § 6. The Water of Canterbury. § 7. Danger from the enemies of St. Thomas. § 8. Increase of miracles after Easter, 1171. § 9. Influence of neighbourhood; the worm; the cherry-stone. § 10. Two peaceful deaths. § 11. A boy blind from birth. § 12. Whitsuntide; candle-miracles. § 13. The moral effect of the miracles. § 14. Dream? self-deception? or lie? § 15. Benedict is scolded for scepticism. § 16. Welsh miracles. § 17. St. Thomas or St. Ithamar? An enemy convinced. § 18. Offerings of money. § 19. The stories of Edric. § 20. The testimony of Henry of Houghton. § 21. Miracles at Newington. § 22. The thirteen "candles" 249

SECTION III

THE LATER MIRACLES, OR BENEDICT ASSISTED BY WILLIAM

§ 1. William's attitude to Benedict. § 2. The new Prologue. § 3. Leprosy. § 4. The chronicler seeks variety. § 5. Foreign cures ; miraculous chastisements. § 6. The son of William of Banwell ; Matilda from the region of Cologne. § 7. The Saint's "merry jests." § 8. Miracles for mariners; an imposture works a cure. § 9. The Water ; imperfect cures ; Benedict's miracle. § 10. Restoration after drowning. § 11. Leprosy again. § 12. Trial by ordeal. § 13. Dropsy; beer that will not ferment. § 14. End of the Fourth Book ; the Fifth Book ; confusion in arrangement. § 15. The Sixth Book Page 302