IDS 305: Medieval and Renaissance Studies Colloquium: Videos in the Hatfield Library

Recounts the life and adventures of Robin Hood, who, with his band of followers, lived as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest dedicated to fight against tyranny.

In medieval France, a young lawyer moves from Paris to a small town to pursue his career, only to find that beneath the seeming quiet of the village lies mystery and corruption.

Christine Carpenter is a 14th century visionary girl in England, whose passions attract the village priest and an officer. The priest urges her to become an Anchoress (a virgin walled up in the church) and she accepts, attracting pilgrims seeking her advice and healing power.

The swashbuckling poet, Francois Villon, battles to save his country from the devious Duke of Burgundy. (Silent Film) (Villon, François, b. 1431)

A film adaptation of one of the great oral epics of the Bambara people, set during the powerful Mali Empire of the 13th century. (In Bambara with English subtitles)

A 12th century England court jester becomes involved with outlaws trying to overthrow the king.

Set in the Middle Ages, this is a romantic fantasy based on French legend. The Devil sends two envoys to a chateau to intervene in the betrothal between the count and Lady Anne. Since the count and Lady Anne were not truly in love their betrothal is destroyed, but the two emissaries succumb to the powers of love. (French with English subtitles)

Story is set in medieval Prague. The Rabbi gives life to the Golem who falls in love with the Rabbi's daughter and brings fear to the emperor's court. He is destroyed by an innocent child. Based on the legend of the Golem, a popular figure in Jewish tradition. (Silent with musical score and English intertitles)

A series of dramatic vignettes to explore the scientific hypothesis that witches of the middle ages and turn-of-the century psychiatric patients suffer from the same type of hysteria. (Silent movie, Swedish intertitles, English subtitles)

The story of the grotesque hunchback, Quasimodo, and his devotion to the gypsy girl, Esmeralda, in 15th century France.

Adaptation of Sir Walter Scott's classic tale set in England in the Middle Ages.

Based on one of the most important works of African oral literature, the Sundjata epic. When a djéliba, a master griot or bard, arrives mysteriously at the home of Mabo Keita to teach him "the meaning of his name," the boy and griot are inevitably brought into conflict with his Westernized mother and schoolteacher, who have rejected African tradition. The griot reveals to Mabo the story of his distant ancestor, Sundjata Keita, the 13th century founder of the great Malian trading empire. (In Jula and French with English subtitles) (Keita, Soundiata, d. 1255)

A reluctant leader, Arthur wishes only to leave Britain and return to the peace and stability of Rome. Before he can, one final mission leads him and his Knights of the Round Table to the conclusion that when Rome is gone, Britain will need a leader to fill the void.

Balian, a young Frenchman in Medieval Jerusalem during the Crusades, having lost everything, finds redemption in a heroic fight against overwhelming forces to save his people and fulfill his destiny as a knight.

This epic love story set in 14th century Norway. Follows one woman's decision to break with tradition to marry the man she loves rather than the man her father has chosen for her. (Norwegian with English subtitles)

Set in the last days of the doomed quest by Lancelot and the rest of King Arthur's knights for the Holy Grail, this is a tale of the end of the age of chivalry and the death of a dream. (French with English subtitles)

Follows the women of Avalon from their childhoods through the ultimate fulfillment of their destinies in the battle between Christianity and Paganism that threatens to bring down Arthur's kingdom.

The quest for the Holy Grail by King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is retold in the inimitable Python fashion.

One monk has fallen from a tower, another is found head-first in a vat of pigs' blood. Visiting Brother Sean Connery, investigating the deaths, discovers a secret library containing rare books considered lost to the world and dangerous to the Catholic faith. He must find the connection between the hidden literature and the killings before innocent people are burned at the stake.

After his family is murdered by a savage tribe, a young boy sets out on a journey of adventure and self-discovery. (In Saami (Lapp) with English subtitles)

A stylized film adaptation of Chrétien de Troyes' 12th century Arthurian romance featuring the knight Perceval. (French with English subtitles)

Robin Hood attempts to save England from Prince John and the Sheriff of Rottingham, while also winning the heart of Maid Marian.

After a decade of battling in the Crusades, a knight challenges Death to a fateful game of chess. (Swedish with English subtitles)

The heartbreaking story of Ivan and Marichka, whose love blooms, only to brutally die, in the remote Carpathian Mountains of medieval Russia. (In Ukrainian with English subtitles)

A peasant girl is raped and murdered in 14th century Sweden. When her killers seek shelter in her father's house, he kills them to avenge her death. (Swedish with English subtitles)

A band of Spanish conquistadors, led by Pizarro, go up the Amazon in search of gold. As the soldiers battle starvation, Indians, the forces of nature and each other, Don Lope de Aguirre (the self-styled "Wrath of God") is consumed by visions of conquering all of South America and leads a revolt, but Aguirre's megalomania turns the expedition into a death trip. (German with English subtitles) (Aguirre, Lope de, d. 1561.)

Set in 16th century England, featuring the comic adventures of Lord Edmund Blackadder, member of the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Accompanied by a small rabble of riff-raff-- the black-hearted Baldrick, and the pea-brained Percy-- the dastardly Lord Blackadder tarnishes the reputation of England's Golden Age.

17th century Britain is a hotbed of revolution, treachery, and court intrigue. And standing in the center of this tumultuous storm is Oliver Cromwell.

A dramatic interpretation of the murder of the Duke of Guise in 16th century France. (Silent film) (Guise, Henri duc de 1550-1588)

A young woman of the 16th century stands up to her scheming stepmother and works miracles on the lives of everyone around her, including the crown prince of France.

A black comedy set in the coastal wilds of 16th-century Brazil, which tells the story of a French explorer who tries in vain to be accepted by the tribe of cannibals who has captured him. (In Portuguese, French, and Tupi with English subtitles)

Two squabbling, 20th-century ex-marrieds are cast as squabbling Renaissance romantics in a musical version of The taming of the shrew. On stage they fight it out and backstage they continue to clash

A surrealistic portrayal of poverty, hunger, and death in a 16th century Mexican village. (Spanish with English subtitles)

Orlando is an English nobleman who defies the laws of nature with surprising results. Immortal and highly imaginative, he undergoes a series of extraordinary transformations which humorously and hauntingly illustrate the eternal war between the sexes.

Mexico, 1521. The Spanish army of Cortés has swept through the New World forcing their religious beliefs on the Aztec people. An Aztec scribe, who survived the Massacre of the Temple in 1520, spends years trying to preserve the rites and customs of his people. (Spanish and Nahuatl with English subtitles)

Thrown into a political marriage of convenience by her ruthlessly power-hungry family, the beautiful Margot soon finds herself hopelessly drawn into their murderous affairs. It's then she realizes her only hope of escape lies somewhere between the heroic soldier who loves her and the enemy husband who could save her. (French with English subtitles) (Marguerite, Queen, consort of Henry IV, King of France, 1553-1615)

When Will Shakespeare needs passionate inspiration to break a bad case of writer's block, a secret romance with the beautiful Lady Viola starts the words flowing like never before!

The plot revolves around the unraveling of the identity of a 16th century peasant who disappeared as a young husband, and the man who returns to resume his marriage nine years later. (Guerre, Martin, fl. 1539-1560)

A medieval romance set in the court of Charles IX and Catherine de Medici, the tournament serves as a resolution of the conflict between the Protestants and Catholics. Shot in Carcassonne. (Silent film) (Charles IX, King of France, 1550-1574)

April 1, 1649. St. George's Hill, Surrey, England. A reformation-era religious sect called the Diggers sets out to form a commune and till the soil on "common land," which by law permits grazing-- but not settlement and cultivation. Led by Gerard Winstanley, theirs is a nonviolent action to reclaim land for the poor who have been dispossessed by Oliver Cromwell's recent Civil War. But the local villagers see the Diggers as a threat to their livelihood and, led by the Presbyterian parson, John Platt, take violent action to harass and burn them out.

In feudal 11th century Japan, two noble children are sold into slavery to the tyrannical bailiff Sansho. Zushio grows up to accept the brutality of society, but his sister Anju adheres to humane principles, sacrificing herself so he can escape and find their mother, who had been sold into prostitution. (Japanese with English subtitles)

China, Later Tang Dynasty, 10th Century. The story of the Emperor (Chow Yun Fat) and his Empress (Li) and the tragic disintegration of their royal family. (Chinese with English subtitles)

Reconstructing the splendor of feudal Japan and the pageantry of war, Kurosawa creates a soaring historical epic about a peasant impersonating a nobleman in battle. (Japanese with English subtitles)

A seductive tale of love and betrayal set in 16th century India. A king's courtesan is forbidden to embrace her one true love. Trained in the art of pleasure, Maya, the beautiful servant girl, becomes defiant, rebelling against ancient tradition. As passion takes over, the conflict brings consequences that no one ever envisioned.

A 12th century Japanese story of a famous general and his six followers. (Japanese with English subtitles)

Delves into the dramatic and harrowing early years of the ruler who was born as Temudgin in 1162. (Genghis Khan, 1162-1227)

In war-ravaged medieval Japan, a peasant woman and her daughter eke out an existence by murdering soldiers. A crafty warrior seduces the girl and manages to save his life until her mother takes revenge. (Japanese with English subtitles)

In 16th century Japan, an aging ruler attempts to divide his kingdom among his three sons. They turn against each other and betray their father, triggering events that ultimately shatter the kingdom, destroy the family, and drive their father insane. Based on Shakespeare's King Lear. (Japanese with English subtitles)

Set in the Middle Ages, the nature of truth and subjective reality are probed in a series of flashbacks from four viewpoints to present the case history of a man's murder and the rape of his wife by a bandit. (Japanese or English; English subtitles)

In 16th century Japan, desperate villagers, with a dirty little secret, hire seven warriors to defend their lives and homes against a band of merciless, roaming bandits. (Japanese with English subtitles)

Adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, set in feudal Japan. Tells the story of a Samurai lord who kills his master and usurps his power in fulfillment of a witch's prophecy

Two peasants in war-torn 16th-century Japan abandon their families to seek their fortunes. In attaining his goal, each man destroys his own life. (Japanese with English subtitles)

Biographical story of Prince Alexander Nevsky and his successful resistance against an attempt by the Teutonic Knights to invade Russia in 1242. (Alexander, Grand Duke of Vladimir, 1220-1263)

The dramatic story of William Wallace, who rallied medieval Scotland to fight for liberty. (Wallace, William, Sir, d. 1305)

A compelling, insightful look at the early years of Francis of Assisi, who abandoned a life of wealth and comfort to seek a spiritual union with the world. (English or French dialogue) (Francis, of Assisi, Saint, 1182-1226)

The life and times of Medieval Europe's most heroic and legendary figure are dramatized in Charlemagne. Intense passions, bloody betrayals and political intrigues surround an extraordinary leader who changes the course of history, and sets aside his own happiness for the greater good. (Charlemagne, Emperor, 742-814)

The epic story of Spain's immortal warrior--liberator who drove back the invading Islamic hordes in the 11th century. (Cid, ca. 1043-1099)

In the 12th century, King Richard the Lionhearted vows to reclaim Jerusalem for Christianity. He marries a princess in order to finance his enterprise, and she joins him in his battle to save the Holy City. (Richard I, King of England, 1157-1199)

Tells the story of Joan of Arc. Part one, Battles, describes her early life, hearing the voices, and the victory over the English. Part two, Prisons, describes her capture, imprisonment, trial, and execution. (French with English subtitles) (Joan, of Arc, Saint, 1412-1431)

Dramatization of the life of Joan of Arc centering on her trial and execution. (Silent film with French intertitles, optional English subtitles and optional oratorio soundtrack sung in Latin and French) (Joan, of Arc, Saint, 1412-1431)

Historical drama of the conflict between King Henry II of England and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine over Henry's successor to the British throne. (Henry II, King of England, 1133-1189)

The dramatic story of Mohammed, the prophet who founded Islam. (Muhammad, Prophet, d. 632)

A drama set in the 13th century concerning a Dominican friar, sent by the Pope to seek out heretics, and a forest woman who performs ancient healing rituals. An historically accurate dramatization of the conflict between ancient customs and religious dogma. (French with English subtitles) (Stephanus, de Borbone, d. ca. 1261)

The story of Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th century Benedictine nun, who was one of the first women to preach and interpret Biblical scripture. (German with English subtitles) ( Hildegard, Saint, 1098-1179)

Story of the famed 15th century icon painter who survives the cruelties of medieval Russia and creates works of art. (Rublev, Andrei, Saint, d. ca. 1430)

Tragic drama of the second wife of England's Henry VIII, made in Berlin by Lubitsch before he moved to Hollywood to make comedies. (Silent film with English intertitles translated from the German) (Anne Boleyn, Queen, consort of Henry VIII, King of England, 1507-1536)

Account of the Spanish explorer's capture, escape, and journey from Texas to Mexico City (1527-1537). (Spanish with English subtitles) (Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Alvar, c. 1490 - c. 1564)

England, 1554. Henry VIII is dead. The country is divided, Catholic against Protestant. Henry's eldest daughter Mary, a fervent Catholic, is Queen. She is childless. The Catholics' greatest fear is the succession of Mary's Protestant half-sister, Elizabeth... (Cate Blanchett) (Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533-1603)

Explores the intersection of the private and public life of Elizabeth I in the latter half of her reign, offering a personal look at her allies, her enemies, and her suitors as she struggles to survive in a male-dominated world. (Helen Mirren) (Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533-1603)

v. 1. Lion's cub -- v. 2. Marriage game -- v. 3. Shadow in the sun -- v. 4. Horrible conspiracies -- v. 5. Enterprise of England -- v. 6. Sweet England's pride (Glenda Jackson) (Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533-1603)

Part I starts with the coronation of Ivan the Terrible and concludes with his return to power after the death of his wife. Part II covers the attempt to assassinate him in 1564. (Ivan IV, Czar of Russia, 1530-1584)

Joan of Castile (1479-1555, daughter of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella) has gone down in history as "Joan the Mad." (Spanish with English subtitles) (Juana, la Loca, Queen of Castile, 1479-1555)

The story of the aging Queen Elizabeth I's attraction to handsome Sir Walter Raleigh and her bitter clash with a scheming, younger rival. (Bette Davis) (Elizabeth I, Queen of England, 1533-1603)

An introduction to the forms, themes, and major works of medieval writing with special emphasis on the writing of Geoffrey Chaucer. (Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400)

v. 1. The birth of the Middle Ages (43:00) -- v. 3. Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire (31:00) -- v. 5. Christians, Jews, and Moslems in medieval Spain (33:00) -- v. 6. Byzantium, from splendor to ruin (43:00)

The historical Dr. Faust, and the legends that have arisen around him thanks to the writings of Marlowe, Lessing, and Goethe, are the subject of this fascinating program. (Faust, d. ca. 1540)

This program discusses papal reactions to church dissidents. Thirteenth-century fragmentation of religious orders into various sects is examined. Discussions include St. Francis of Assisi; the French Albigenses sect and the Albigensean Crusade; the fall of Albi; the Cathars and their extermination by the inquisition; Pope Innocent III; the founding of the Dominican order; and the Ecumenical Council of 1215.

An animated depiction of the creation myth of 16th century native Mexicans.

A unique look at the lives of the common soldier in the countless and continual wars of the Middle Ages. Drawing on ancient accounts of battles, rare artworks, the latest discoveries and groundbreaking scholarship, a complete account of the lot of these overlooked soldiers emerges.

Through dramatizations which bring Galileo to life, and commentary by authorities, this film offers a vivid re-imagining of the man whose achievements forever changed the way we view our place in the universe. (Galilei, Galileo, 1564-1642)

Examines the life and legacy of the 16th century Indian woman known as La Malinche, who by her role in the Spanish conquest of Mexico and in giving birth to Cortes's son is a symbol of both cultural destruction and creation. (In English and Spanish with English subtitles) (Marina, -- ca. 1505-ca. 1530)

Life in Medieval times. Provides an atmospheric and realistic taste of life in Britain and shows how everyday people endured and enjoyed their often difficult lives. Features authentic reconstructions of everyday life, expert commentary and analysis, and many period engravings, paintings and drawings.

Martin Luther nailed his treatise to the doors of the Wittenberg Cathedral and forever changed the Christian world. This previously obscure German monk unleashed forces that would plunge Europe into war and chaos. He offered the Christian world a new vision of man's relationship with God and, in turn, redefined man's relationship with authority in general, bringing the collapse of the medieval world and the birth of the modern age. (Luther, Martin, 1483-1546)

A tale of one family's ambition and of Europe's struggle to emerge from the ravages of the Dark Ages. The Medici used charm, skill and ruthlessness to garner unparalleled wealth and power, ruling Europe for more than 300 years.

Examines the life and work of Michel de Montaigne, the man who firmly established the essay as a form of literary expression. Includes period and classical images, Renaissance music by the Baltimore Consort, and footage of France. (Michel de Montaigne, 1533-1592)

A series of eight lectures by Dr. Dennis Dalton on political theory. Lecture 3. Machiavelli and political realism in The prince

A panoramic tour examining the world's most historic and inaccessible locations, Silk Road escorts the viewer on the ancient path travelled by Marco Polo, linking the riches of China with the European markets of the Middle Ages.

Studies the effects of Viking aggressions on the history of Europe, their attacks upon the Church, their art and society and the activity of the Viking longboats in the development of European trade.

This documentary presents Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on a journey from Zanzibar to Timbuktu, the Nile River Valley to Great Zimbabwe, the slave coast of Guinea to the medieval monasteries of Ethiopia in search of the lost wonders of the African world.

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame at Amiens, located north of Paris and built in the 50 years after 1220, offers an extraordinary vision of Gothic space and structure, expressing the zenith of medieval technical prowess. Through film images, digital modeling and animation, these films reveal how the Cathedral is encoded as an image of heaven, the way it was built, and why it nearly collapsed.

disc 1. 1. The classical ideal -- 2. A white garment of churches : Romanesque and Gothic -- 3. The early Renaissance -- disc 2. 4. The high Renaissance -- 5. Realms of light, The Baroque -- 6. An age of reason, an age of passion --

History and views of chateaux of the Loire Valley. The gardens and interiors of fourteen castles and manor houses show the evolution of the feudal chateau into the Renaissance country house. Includes Chinon, Angers, Loches, Saumur, Ussbe, Chambord, Blois, Chenonceaux, and others.

Discusses the history of Western culture from the end of the Graeco-Roman world to the present day. Covers the great works of sculpture, painting, architecture, philosophy, poetry, literature and music from each century covered. Host, Sir Kenneth Clark.

An examination of the life and works of Domenecus Theatocopolis, known as El Greco, which analyzes his style, subject matter, and treatment of specific works, particularly his religious works. (Greco, 1541?-1614)

Contains 36 lectures surveying the art of the Italian Renaissance.

v. 1. The late medieval world -- v. 2. The Renaissance

v. 1. Early art -- v. 2. Renaissance

Viggo Mortensen plays the Spanish soldier-turned-mercenary Captain Alatriste, a heroic figure from the country's 17th century imperial wars. (Spanish with English subtitles)

In the 17th century, Father Laforgue, a young Jesuit priest, is assigned to go upriver into the Canadian wilderness to convert the Huron Indians.

Set in a Danish village in 1623, Anna, the young wife of a much older paster, falls inlove with her stepson. Also stars, Sigrid Neiiendan ; director of photography, Karl Andersson. (Danish with English subtitles)

A 17th-century Spanish noblewoman romances her low-born personal secretary, who is in love with her maid. (Spanish with English subtitles)

This historical drama tells the story of Juana Inés de la Cruz, one of the greatest poets of the Spanish Siglo de Oro. In order to pursue her passion for writing, Juana enters the convent. There, she develops an intimate relationship with the vicereine, who inspires her poetry. But when the forces of the Inquisition invade the convent, the women have only each other to turn to. (Spanish with English subtitles)

Set admidst the first encounter of European and Native American cultures during the founding of the Jamestown Virginia settlement in 1607. Tells the classic tale of Pocahontas and her relationships with adventurer John Smith and aristocrat John Rolfe. This woman's journey of love lost and found again takes her from the untouched beauty of the Virginia wilderness to the upper crust of English society as we witness the dawn of a new America.

Screen portrayal of the 17th century Queen of Sweden who shocked all of Europe when she relinquished her throne for love.

A dramatization which chronicles the Palmares Quilombo, the most famous of the 17th century Brazilian groups of runaway black slaves. Shows how this self-governing community flourished for several decades under the reign of the legendary chieftan Ganga Zumba. (Portuguese with English subtitles)

Peace in 17th-century Japan causes the Shogunate's breakup of warrior clans, throwing thousands of samurai out of work and into poverty. An honorable end to such fate under the samurai code is ritual suicide, or hara-kiri. (Japanese with English subtitles)

The tale follows the adventures of a slave girl as she rises to power over a great city. Around her revolve the stories of magic and lust, mystery and fantasy that derive from three cultures (Persia, Egypt and India) and range from the ninth century to the Renaissance. (In Italian with English subtitles)

Dramatization of the 16th century novel Celestina, attributed to Fernando de Rojas

Eight tales from 14th century Naples. (In Italian with English subtitles)

An adaptation of Cervantes' epic about the adventures of the legendary Don Quixote and his companion Sancho Panza. (In Spanish)

Adapted from Malory's Le morte d'Arthur. The classic saga of King Arthur and those around him in the Court-- the knights, his Queen, and the wizard Merlin. Focuses on the rise of Christian civilization out of the Dark Ages.

An analysis of Rabelais' work, Gargantua, within the context of its time. (In French; no English subtitles)

Presents and describes the 12th century handscroll version of Genji monogartari (The tale of Genji), an 11th century Japanese novel by Murasaki Shikibu.

The first Italian feature film ever made, L'Inferno was also the first international blockbuster, based loosely on Dante's journey through hell as influenced by the illustrative style of Gustave Doré. (Silent Film)

In 1503, Lazaro is the young son of a widowed mother, who agrees to let a wandering blind beggar take him along on his travels and teach him the ways of the world while the boy guides him. Physically starved by one master after another, Lazaro learns enough to feel ready for the adventurous future sure to come. (Spanish with English subtitles)

African version of the English medieval Chester mystery plays.

Based on the 12th century epic poem Die Nibelungenlied. (Silent Film)

Benjamin Bagby performs lines 1-1062 of the epic poem, accompanying himself on an Anglo-Saxon harp. It is the story of King Hrothgar, the monster Grendal and the hero Beowulf.

The Bolshoi Opera's production of Mussorgsky's epic 16th century tale of power struggles, usurped thrones and murder.

The Carmina Burana were poems written by wandering monks in the 13th century and kept hidden in a Bavarian monastery for over 600 years. This complete performance is subtitled in English, affording the viewer the unique opportunity to experience the mighty choral work in all its poetic and musical splendor.

"Werner Herzog's chilling and atmospheric chronicle of sixteenth century composer Don Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa, whose life embraced sexual excess, ghastly murder and obsession. Filmed on location in Italy, the program explores both Gesualdo's musical legacy and the extraordinary influence his tormented life has continued to exert on those whose lives crossed his path."

A celebration of the earthy, joyous, and spiritual passion of the 13th century Persian Sufi poet, Rumi. Features Coleman Barks, the preeminent contemporary translator of Rumi's poetry, in live performance and intimate conversation.

A wealthy landowner is poisoned while staying at the abbey, and when Brother Cadfael is called upon to identify the poison, he is shocked to discover the victim's wife is his own childhood sweetheart

Brother Cadfael finds himself caught in the crossfires of the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud, and when he's called upon to bury 94 rebel soldiers and finds one corpse too many, it sets him on a murder trail.

Suspected of robbing the town goldsmith, a young juggler seeks refuge at the abbey where Brother Cadfael is given the job of keeping an eye him while the authorities investigate. But things become more complicated when the goldsmith's neighbor is found floating dead in the river.

A great wedding is to take place at the Abbey of Shrewsbury between the powerful Baron Huon de Domville and the young, kind-hearted Iveta de Massard. On the eve of the wedding, the Baron mysteriously rides off alone into the night. Cadfael sets out to investigate his death.

Cadfael's novice and his three accidental travel companions, a brother and sister and a young nun, get separated in a snow storm. When the novice is found, he accuses himself of raping the nun, who is later found dead at the bottom of a frozen brook. Not believing that his novice is the murderer, Cadfael sets out to clear his name.

Cadfael suspects the motives of the young man wanting to join Shrewsbury Abbey as a novice to be not entirely selfless. A senior cleric sent to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a colleague forms the same impression. Suspicions increase when the half-burnt body of the cleric is found and a wild man from the woods is falsely accused.

A visiting merchant is murdered at the Shrewsbury fair, and many of the locals may have had a motive. The search for the murderer intensifies after a second merchant is killed.

After refusing to baptize the illegitimate baby of a local prostitute, the new parish priest is found dead in the river.

When a party of monks treks to Wales to dig up the remains of St. Winifred, the main opponent to their excavation efforts is found dead.

A young monk falls in love with a beautiful widow and is found cruelly bludgeoned to death.

Cadfael unravels a mystery surrounding the disappearance of St. Winifred's holy relics.

When a woman's skeleton is discovered in a local potter's field, Cadfael must find the culprit before he himself is found lynch by an angry mob.

A body is found among a crowd of visitors to Shrewsbury, leaving Cadfael to uncover possible explanations for the death.