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Secondary sourceBook1898

St. Thomas of Canterbury, His Death and Miracles

Edwin Abbott Abbott · 1898

A 1898 scholarly study examining eyewitness and miracle accounts surrounding Becket's death.

A later scholarly analysis of eyewitness and miracle accounts about Becket's death, useful for studying how his story was recorded.

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St. Thomas of Canterbury, His Death and MiraclesPDF · 344 pages
Edwin A. Abbott, St. Thomas of Canterbury, His Death and Miracles, 1898. Internet Archive.

About this source

What it is

This is a book written by Edwin A. Abbott and published in 1898. It studies the surviving eyewitness accounts and miracle stories connected with the death of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. The digitised copy held by the Internet Archive is a scanned reproduction of the original printed volume.

Why it matters

Becket's murder in Canterbury Cathedral became one of the most famous events of medieval England, and stories of miracles at his tomb spread quickly afterwards. Abbott's study looks critically at these accounts, helping historians work out what the earliest witnesses actually claimed versus what grew into legend over time.

Look closer

  • Why might a historian in 1898 want to re-examine medieval eyewitness accounts rather than just accept them?
  • What does the existence of 'miracle accounts' tell you about how people understood Becket after his death?
  • How reliable do you think accounts written soon after a dramatic death usually are?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Thomas Becket on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Document

Primary source

Constitutions of Clarendon

Henry II of England · 1164

Exterior view of Canterbury Cathedral under a clear blue sky. A tall Gothic central tower with pinnacles rises above the stone nave and side chapels, with large pointed windows and a sloping roof visible. Grass lies in the foreground.Artifact

Primary source

Canterbury Cathedral

founded 597

A rectangular gilt copper reliquary casket with blue champlevé enamel, set with oval glass gems along its lid and four feet. Front panels show gilded figures in scenes, including a bishop-like figure at an altar with a chalice, and an upper scene of a tomb or bier with mourners.Artifact

Secondary source

Becket Casket

c. 1180-1190

A large semicircular textile, likely a chasuble, displayed flat in a curved glass case mounted on a white wall. Its faded beige fabric has repeating circular medallions containing small figures and patterns, with a vertical band down the center. Lights run along the top of the case.Artifact

Secondary source

Fermo Chasuble of St. Thomas Becket

12th century

Display case in a museum showing a pale cream silk liturgical robe with gold-embroidered borders on a mannequin, a pair of cream shoes, two long red-edged gold-patterned embroidered bands (stoles or orphreys), and a dark purple garment with gold trim at right.Artifact

Secondary source

Becket Liturgical Garments, Sens Cathedral

12th century

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