Location of Fountains Abbey

Around June 1447, theAbbot ofFountains Abbey, inYorkshire, Northern England, John Greenwell, was poisoned by a monk, William Downom (also Downam^[1]). By the 15th century, Fountains was the richest abbey in England, and its abbot was an important figure in local political society. The first half of the century saw it wracked with internal strife, including a disputed election which had violent repercussions and, possibly,embezzlement. Greenwell appears to have brought a degree of peace to the abbey upon his election, but he does not seem to have been popular.

Downom poisoned a dish ofpottage, which he then attempted to feed the abbot while the latter was sick. Greenwell survived, and the case became notorious. Although it took over a year and discussions with Fountains'motherhouse ofCîteaux Abbey, Downom—who may already have been anapostate—was eventually expelled. Greenwell himself remained controversial and was both accused and accuser in local lawsuits, and later incurred the distrust ofKing Edward IV for his political leanings. Greenwell eventually resigned in 1471; Downom stayed a monk after being expelled from Fountains and may have joinedKirkstead Abbey inLincolnshire, following which he disappears from the record.

By the 15th century,Fountains Abbey—approximately 3 miles (5 km) south-west ofRipon,Yorkshire—was the richest and most importantCistercian abbey in the country.^[2] It was also a period of turbulence and discord for the house. Trouble began on the death of Abbot Robert Burley in 1410. Thesubsequent abbatial election was heavily disputed,^{[3][note 1]} with bitter argument, accusations ofelectoral fraud and violence^[6] which climaxed in the physical eviction of the incumbent, John Ripon and his replacement by Roger Frank. It was eventually necessary for the abbots ofJervaulx andRievaulx to intervene and restore order;^[7][8] they declared for Ripon.^[6] Frequent, if sporadic, outbreaks of dissension among the monks continued for the remainder of Ripon's abbacy.^[9] Ripon's successor, Thomas Paslew was ill for much of his tenure, eventually succumbing to paralysis; he resigned a year before his death in 1443. He, in turn, was succeeded by John Martin, who died seven weeks after election.^[10]

John Greenwell, a monk of Fountains, was electedabbot in October 1442. He made hisprofession of obedience toGeorge Neville,Archbishop of York, in January the following year. Although described by the historianMichael Spence as an "outstanding personality" of the period,^[11] Greenwell's abbacy, his biographer at theOxford Dictionary of National Biography has argued, "was not without difficulties".^[12] In 1445, the archbishop was forced to issueedicts forbidding interference in the business of Fountains or its residents by local people.^[12] The abbot of Fountains was an important local figure and political officer in his own right. It is on this account that Greenwell was close to the local nobilty. These includedRichard Neville, Earl of Salisbury andHenry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, to whom he was a regular visitor at their Yorkshire castles atMiddleham andTopcliffe respectively. Greenwell also entertainedRichard, Duke of York at the monastic house of Swanley Grange.^[13] Notwithstanding Fountains' wealth and importance, it only housed 35 monks by 1447.^[14]

Poisonings within enclosed religious communities were relatively rare. They account for six per cent of all poisonings recorded in the 400 years between 1200 and 1600, and among monks, they are even scarcer.^[15] On the other hand, twenty per cent of recorded poisonings within enclosed communities were committed by nuns, who were, though, still only 2.4% of all criminal nuns.^[15] This was not the first attack on an abbot with poison of the 15th century; in 1405 and 1440, the superiors ofBeeleigh andNorton also died by poison, presumed to have been administered by one of their brethren.^[16] It was also not the last known attempt. In January 1493, following an investigation, the abbots ofStratford Langthorne andWoburn reported an attempt with poison on the life of Abbot John Bright atWardon Abbey.^[1][17]

Although the crises that had wracked Fountains early in the century appeared to have died down, in 1447 an even greater crisis broke out. A monk, William Downom, was accused of trying to poison Greenwell shortly before 11 June (the date on which he was charged with the offence).^[12][18] Downom was a veteran of his house,^[19] having beenordained anacolyte in June 1425.^[20] He likely held a senior position within the abbatial hierarchy, as he later faced further accusations of failing to file accounts for his offices over several years.^[12]

Greenwell had been ill. During his sickness, Downom, unprompted, made him a bowl of soup orpottage.^[21][12] However, when—and the historical record gives no explanation as to why—it was requested that he taste the dish before Greenwell supped, Downom refused to do so.^[12] The Earl of Salisbury was then in London onroyal council business. When news of the attack reached him, he dispatched one of his surgeons, Henry Welles of Middleham, to Fountains to attend the abbot.^[12] Greenwell survived,^[22] and Downom confessed to his crime.^[19] The reason he gave for refusing to taste the food was that he, personally, did not like the flavour.^[12] It was subsequently recorded that "The father abbot of the monastery was afflicted with a serious illness, where and when the said William Downom had certain pottages prepared for the abbot himself and offered them to him", and then, "when requested in virtue of holy obedience to taste, he expressly refused and did other unlawful things", although the nature of these "other things" is not elaborated upon.^{[note 2]}

Although Downom's motives for poisoning Greenwell are unknown—none was suggested by contemporaries^[19]—Greenwell's biographer John Walker speculates that there may have been a pre-existing enmity between the two men. Downom was alleged to have been responsible for the abbey accruing massive debts that Greenwell subsequently managed to reduce by 1000marks.^{[12][note 3]} The debts may well have been the result of Downomappropriating abbey funds, suggests Spence, while he also seems to have challenged his Order on occasion, both in its authority and doctrine.^[19] During his subsequent interrogation, Downom swore to "not voluntarily conceal debts which are due to the aforesaid monastery", nor to harm the "bodily health of my abbot, Master John Grenewell".^[25]

Themedievalist Julie Kerr suggests that Downom's may have been an extreme response to the often claustrophobic atmosphere of monasteries, which, she argues, could at times be "a hothouse of emotions".^[26] While abbots were able to leave thecloister freely—thus escaping the source, if need be, of their affront—ordinary monks had less opportunity for suchself-management, despite being expected to avoid anger and extreme emotion. It may be, says Kerr, that Downom was sufficiently angered by Greenwell's refusal to eat his soup that he took an immediate, possibly unthinking revenge.^[26]

The investigation subsequently accused Downom ofnon pauca crimina et errores ("not a few crimes and errors").^[27] It is possible that this was not the first time Downom had been suspected of such activities. He appears to have had similar trouble on a previous occasion, although whether for anything as serious as poisoning is unknown.^[19]Apostasy is another possibility, as he appears to have left Fountains without permission, albeit repenting before the abbots ofNewminster andKirkstead on 11 May 1448.^[28] Perhaps referencing this event, one of the monks who later witnessed the official accusation against Downom, William Hull, qualified his signature with the commentconscius de primis erroribus in ultima rebellione ("in knowledge of earlier errors in the first rebellion"). This was considered relevant enough to remain on the record, in the knowledge that it would be seen by themotherhouse,Cîteaux Abbey, to whom Downom was being reported.^{[19][note 4]}

Another of those to sign the accusation against Downom was the physician who had attended Greenwell, Henry Welles.^[29] However, it is also likely that Downom's condemnation did not meet with universal agreement among the brethren, as the names of several monks known to be resident at the time—including that ofThomas Swynton, Greenwell's eventual successor as abbot—are missing as signatories.^[19]

The principal source for historians' knowledge of these events is a collection of letters anddepositions^[1] sent from Fountains to the Abbot of Cîteaux, which thoroughly documented the poisoning and Downom's subsequent expulsion.^{[12][note 5]} These werelegally notarised documents^[19] and comprised a complaint drawn up by theChapter House and another signed andsealed by aconvocation of 18 Cistercian abbots which met inLeicester in July 1448.^[19] The compilation as eventually received at Cîteaux was probably finalised by 28 December 1448, although the documents themselves range between then and 11 June 1447.^[1] At some point the affair became public knowledge and a notorious scandal for Fountains, the most important Cistercian abbey in the country.^[21][1] Downom seems to have temporarily escaped the abbey—apostasising himself again—as a record shows that Greenwell ordered his recapture on 2 June 1449.^[28]

The same day as the abbey's despatch to Cîteaux, 28 December 1449, his condemnation being complete, Downom was formally expelled from Fountains.^[12][31] The protracted period between the poisoning and Downom's leaving, says Talbot, indicates "the trouble, expense and complicated legal processes which one disgruntled member of a community could bring upon his abbey".^[32]

Greenwell's abbacy also continued to be involved in frequent controversy. He was unpopular locally, and in 1451 he was forced, says thewrit ofrecognisance, to providesecurities for his good behaviour "toward all the people".^[12] Greenwell's spirited defence of his house'stithes appears to have been a particular source of contention.^[33] The same year, as part ofincreasing ill-feeling between the major local families ofPercy andNeville, Fountains was attacked by Salisbury's son,John.^{[34][note 6]} With the outbreak ofcivil war in 1459, Greenwell was an adherent ofLancaster, and when theYorkist claimant won the throne in 1461 asEdward IV, Greenwell was taken to London and placed under abond of £2,000 (equivalent to £2,000,000 in 2023) to keep theKing's Peace.^[12] For context, the abbey's annual income around this time was approximately £1,155 (equivalent to £1,000,000 in 2023).^[36]

Greenwell survived until at least 1470, when his application to the Pope to resign as abbot was granted.^[12] Perhaps indicative of lingering resentment, no mention of Greenwell's abbacy was made in the record of Swynton's election as abbot in 1471, even though it was customary to honour a new abbot's predecessor by doing so.^[37] Little is known of Downom after his expulsion from Fountains. He appears to have subsequently joinedKirkstead Abbey,Lincolnshire, at some point, after which he disappears from the records.^[38]

54°06′36″N1°34′52″W / 54.1100°N 1.5811°W /54.1100; -1.5811

• Diocese of York
• Cistercian Order
• Monasticism
• 1447 in England
• 1449 in England
• Religious scandals
• Cistercian abbots by monastery
• Poisoners
• Monasteries in Yorkshire

• Articles containing Latin-language text
• Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Featured articles
• Use dmy dates from June 2025
• Use British English from June 2025
• All Wikipedia articles written in British English
• Articles containing French-language text
• CS1 French-language sources (fr)
• CS1: long volume value
• Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the ODNB
• Coordinates on Wikidata
• Pages using the Kartographer extension