William the Clerk of Normandy
Encyclopedia
William the Clerk of Normandy (fl.
1210/1211–1227/1238) was a Norman
cleric and Old French
poet
. He is not the same person as the Scoto-Norman
poet William the Clerk
, who wrote the Roman de Fergus
, sometimes wrongly attributed to the Norman.
William was married with a family. Both the Catholic Encyclopedia
and the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODB) maintains that he lived for a time in England
, but it remains that he did not write in the Anglo-Norman dialect
. He was originally from Normandy
and his works suggest that he resided in the Diocese of Lichfield
in England.
William authored "six religio-didactic works for lay audiences" (ODB). The oldest, dated to 1210 or 1211, and most popular—it survives in twenty manuscripts—is the Bestiaire divin ("Divine Bestiary"), a work of natural history
and theology
. It is dated on the basis of a reference to the sad state of the English Church in 1208. It contains many descriptions of animal life. It is dedicated to William's lord, a certain Radulphus, whose name is the object of an etymology
given in the epilogue
. Radulphus may be Ralph of Maidstone, who was treasurer of Lichfield
in 1215. The Bestiaire was given several printings between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries.
William's also wrote the Vie de Tobie for one William, prior of Kenilworth
in Arden
(1214–27), also in the diocese of Lichfield, and Les joies de notre Dame (or nostre Dame), which survives in only a single manuscript. The legendary Vie de Sainte Marie-Madeleine, a short biography of Mary Magdalene
, belongs to an unknown date. The Besant de Dieu, an allegorical poem, William composed in 1226 or 1227. For this William drew on several recent events: the publication of De miseria conditionis humanae by Pope Innocent III
, the Fourth Crusade
, the interdict
placed on England by Innocent in 1208–13, the Albigensian Crusade
, and the Albigensian campaigns of Louis VIII of France
. William also comments on the oppression of the peasantry by their rulers. William's last piece, Les treis moz de l'evesque de Lincoln, was written between 1227 and 1238 for Alexander Stavensby, the Bishop of Lichfield
.
Several fabliau
x have been erroneously assigned to William: Du prestre et d'Alison, La male honte, and La fille à la bourgeoise. There is no grounds for these ascriptions.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1210/1211–1227/1238) was a Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
cleric and Old French
Old French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. He is not the same person as the Scoto-Norman
Scoto-Norman
The term Scoto-Norman is used to described people, families, institutions and archaeological artifacts that are partly Scottish and partly Norman...
poet William the Clerk
William the Clerk
William the Clerk was an Old French poet who names himself at the end of his only known work: the Arthurian Roman de Fergus, a parody of the romances of Chrétien de Troyes, notably Perceval, the Story of the Grail....
, who wrote the Roman de Fergus
Roman de Fergus
The Roman de Fergus is an Arthurian romance written in Old French probably at the very beginning of the 13th century, by a very well educated author who named himself Guillaume li Clers...
, sometimes wrongly attributed to the Norman.
William was married with a family. Both the Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
and the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODB) maintains that he lived for a time in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, but it remains that he did not write in the Anglo-Norman dialect
Anglo-Norman language
Anglo-Norman is the name traditionally given to the kind of Old Norman used in England and to some extent elsewhere in the British Isles during the Anglo-Norman period....
. He was originally from Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
and his works suggest that he resided in the Diocese of Lichfield
Diocese of Lichfield
The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...
in England.
William authored "six religio-didactic works for lay audiences" (ODB). The oldest, dated to 1210 or 1211, and most popular—it survives in twenty manuscripts—is the Bestiaire divin ("Divine Bestiary"), a work of natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
and theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. It is dated on the basis of a reference to the sad state of the English Church in 1208. It contains many descriptions of animal life. It is dedicated to William's lord, a certain Radulphus, whose name is the object of an etymology
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
given in the epilogue
Epilogue
An epilogue, epilog or afterword is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work...
. Radulphus may be Ralph of Maidstone, who was treasurer of Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
in 1215. The Bestiaire was given several printings between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries.
William's also wrote the Vie de Tobie for one William, prior of Kenilworth
Kenilworth
Kenilworth is a town in central Warwickshire, England. In 2001 the town had a population of 22,582 . It is situated south of Coventry, north of Warwick and northwest of London....
in Arden
Arden
- Europe :*Arden Municipality, Denmark, a former municipality, including the Town of Arden*Arden, Warwickshire, England*Arden, Argyll and Bute, Scotland*Arden, Dunbartonshire, Scotland*Arden, Glasgow, Scotland- United States :* Arden, Arkansas...
(1214–27), also in the diocese of Lichfield, and Les joies de notre Dame (or nostre Dame), which survives in only a single manuscript. The legendary Vie de Sainte Marie-Madeleine, a short biography of Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
, belongs to an unknown date. The Besant de Dieu, an allegorical poem, William composed in 1226 or 1227. For this William drew on several recent events: the publication of De miseria conditionis humanae by Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
, the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
, the interdict
Interdict
The term Interdict may refer to:* Court order enforcing or prohibiting a certain action* Injunction, such as a restraining order...
placed on England by Innocent in 1208–13, the Albigensian Crusade
Albigensian Crusade
The Albigensian Crusade or Cathar Crusade was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Catholic Church to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc...
, and the Albigensian campaigns of Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...
. William also comments on the oppression of the peasantry by their rulers. William's last piece, Les treis moz de l'evesque de Lincoln, was written between 1227 and 1238 for Alexander Stavensby, the Bishop of Lichfield
Bishop of Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
.
Several fabliau
Fabliau
A fabliau is a comic, often anonymous tale written by jongleurs in northeast France between ca. 1150 and 1400. They are generally characterized by an excessiveness of sexual and scatological obscenity. Several of them were reworked by Giovanni Boccaccio for the Decamerone and by Geoffrey Chaucer...
x have been erroneously assigned to William: Du prestre et d'Alison, La male honte, and La fille à la bourgeoise. There is no grounds for these ascriptions.