The Life and Miracles of St. William of Norwich

The Life and Miracles of St. William of Norwich is the medieval hagiography written in 1173. It tells the life story of a real personality, known as William of Norwich, that was supposedly tortured and killed by the Jewish community in the Medieval city of Norwich. The author of the scripture heard and recorded the story from a former Jew, Theobald of Cambridge. The story tells the life of William in the Jewish community that treated him well, at first. But later, they tortured him, mocking the Bible scenes of the crucifixion. This story by Monmouth had a significant effect. It started the intense discrimination against the Jewish community and eventually led to expelling Jews from England by King Edward I order.

Thomas of Monmouth (1149-1172) was an English monk who lived at Norwich Cathedral Priory, Norfolk. He was most famous for the work The Life and Miracles of St. William of Norwich, and his efforts to persuade the church into canonization of William.