medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
It was a very naughty world.
Many thanks,
DW
Millett E.N. wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
>
> Well, I don't know about boiling oil, but the West Midlands rule for
> anchoresses, _Ancrene Wisse_ (probably late 1220s) mentions the use of
> boiling water to defend castle or city walls in a similitude:
>
> "Hwen me asaileth burhes other castel, theo withinnen healdeth scaldinde
> weater ut, ant werieth swa the walles. Ant ye don alswa as ofte as the
> feond asaileth ower castel ant te sawle burh: with inwarde bonen warpeth
> ut upon him scaldinde teares' (bk. 4, lines 940-3; Cambridge, Corpus
> Christi College, MS 402, f. 66r). [ 'When fortified towns or castles are
> attacked, those inside pour out boiling water, and so defend the walls.
> You too should do the same as often as the devil attacks your castle and
> the fortification of the soul; with heartfelt prayers pour out on to him
> scalding tears'].
>
> It also (bk. 7, lines 257ff.) includes an elaborate comparison of God's
> love to Greek fire, which the author says is made of 'a red man's blood'
> (probably the sulphur mentioned below), and is also thrown on to one's
> enemies ('Me warpeth Grickisch fur upon his famen').
>
> best wishes
> Bella
>
>
> Dr Bella Millett
> English, School of Humanities
> Avenue Campus (room 2033)
> University of Southampton
> Highfield
> Southampton
> SO17 1BF
> t: 023 80593704
> e: [log in to unmask]
> www: http://www.soton.ac.uk/english/profiles/millett.html
> -----Original Message-----
> From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious
> culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Michael
> Anthony
> Sent: 01 December 2007 14:32
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [M-R] Oil
>
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> culture
>
> Good point. I had forgotten about this use of oil. This stuff is, I
> think, normally referred to as Greek Fire and it was a sort of medieval
> Napalm.
> It's usage was pretty much confined to the Middle East and Byzantium,
> off-hand I can't think of any western European sieges where its use is
> recorded.
>
> In my defence I was thinking about boiling oil being used in the context
> of the original question, i.e. being poured down machicolations onto
> attackers.
>
> Good reference though, I'll be using that one.
>
> Thanks
>
> Mike
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bonnie Blackburn" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 11:36 AM
> Subject: Re: [M-R] Oil
>
>
>
>> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
>>
> culture
>
>> Well, here is a reference to oil, as part of a mixture of sulphur,
>>
> oil,
>
>> pitch, and tow, set on fire and hurled onto a siege tower:
>>
>> Nec mora, minime diem expectantes, sed rapidum ignem sulfure, oleo,
>>
> pice
>
>> et stuppis suscitantes, machine regis subito iniecerunt, ut uiros ab
>>
> ea
>
>> absterrerent sagittas assidue desuper intorquentes et urbem ualide
>> impugnantes.
>>
>>
>
>
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