Clergy and Criminal Violence in Later Medieval England and Wales

'This is an exciting and innovative study of the rules developed by medieval canon law in relation to serious violence committed by clerics and against clerics and how these were applied and interpreted in England during the later Middle Ages and how they intersected with (and arguably influenced) the workings of English royal criminal justice. It is also a valuable study of the social settings of such violence and one which draws upon an impressive volume of original evidence from English ecclesiastical courts, the records of the papal penitentiary as well as English royal courts.' Paul Brand, University of Oxford
'Few modern historians of medieval England and Wales can draw on such a wide range of archival and manuscript sources as does Clarke in this book: canon law commentaries, apostolic penitentiary registers, English ecclesiastical archives, and English royal archives. On that massive and varied documentary base he constructs fresh and original arguments about the dilution in social practice of the theoretical difference between clergy and laity. Wide comparative reading about explanations for violence link up his research with work on other regions and periods. The book is a major contribution to both church history and the history of violence.' D. L. d'Avray, UCL and Jesus College Oxford
'In Clergy and Criminal Violence, Clarke illuminates the stark divide between theory and practice in the post-Becket world, where royal courts routinely reached the merits before handing clerics over to the ecclesiastical arm for purgation. Clerics might at once be held to a higher standard-with clerical hypocrisy sometimes inspiring violence against them-and yet never fully extricate themselves from the masculine culture in which they were raised. A must-read for historians of common law, canon law, and culture, Clarke's masterful book highlights the shared reservoir of ideas, often canonically inspired, evident in the royal and ecclesiastical courts charged with prosecuting serious crime.' Elizabeth Papp Kamali, Harvard Law School
'Peter Clarke has written a penetrating and detailed study on a major theme in medieval society: violence. He has turned his attention away from much studied lay violence to the much less examined criminal behaviour of ecclesiastics. The result is a fascinating story that takes readers from the tumult of the streets to the sobriety of the courts.' Ken Pennington, The Catholic University of America