King John's Maundy

On Maundy Thursday television viewers in Britain will glimpse the unique and colourful ceremony that constitutes one of the country's most ancient national traditions. As the Queen hands to each of the recipients the simple gift of alms, her action so powerfully conveys the idea of Christian humility that it comes as something of a shock to realise that the Royal Maundy owes its early development, perhaps even its origin, to that least humble of monarchs, King John.

The popular view is that John was the most vicious of the Plantagenets – the man who in a drunken rage had allegedly murdered his nephew, Arthur of Brittany, and the king of whom Matthew Paris wrote the memorable obituary: 'Foul as Hell is, it will be made even fouler by the presence of John'. In 1972, when I was researching for a historical pageant in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, I discovered that King John had been a considerable benefactor to our town. So, along with all the other characters of local interest – the murderers of Becket, Richard II, Mother Shipton, Guy Fawkes, Oliver Cromwell, Blind Jack and so forth – I included an uncharacteristically affable King John giving alms to the poor of Knaresborough.

I thought little more about it until 1985, when, as Mayor of Knaresborough, I was invited to attend the Royal Maundy in Ripon Cathedral. In my letter of acceptance to the Dean I remarked – not without a touch of civic pride – that it was appropriate that Knaresborough should be represented, as King John had held a Royal Maundy here in 1210. The Dean mentioned this to officials of the Royal Almonry, who expressed great surprise and interest. According to their records the first known Royal Maundy had taken place at Rochester in 1215.