The Itineraries of William Wey

`Another miracle! One of those sailing on our ship had his purse cut from his belt. He lost his valuables and all the money he had He immediately made a vow to St James that if he recovered his property he would go to him stripped. After he had made this vow, a Breton, who had cut his purse, was caught in the act of cutting another man's purse. The pilgrim's purse was discovered in the thief's pocket, and so, with St James's help, he got it back. Immediately be set off for St James, stripped, as he had vowed.'William Wey

William wey, fifteenth-century Devon priest, Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford and Bursar of Eton College, made three pilgrimages between 1456 and 1462 - to Compostella, Rome and the Holy Land. Prompted by friends, he wrote a compelling account of his experiences and here, for the first time, his text has been translated into modern English

Wey's narrative adds a personal dimension to the phenomenon of pilgrimage. An intriguing and devout person, Wey is adventurous, highly observant and eminently resourceful. While waiting for the pilgrim galley to sail to Jaffa, for example, Wey spent over a month in Venice and gives a colourful description of a mercantile city in its heyday. Not only was Venice a good place to exchange money and stock up on provisions, here he witnessed in awe the elaborate funeral procession of the Doge and the inauguration of his successor. He also provides practical advice on kit, such as taking a small chamber pot should you be too ill to climb to the upper deck of the galley, and on conduct and currency. Francis Davey has followed in Wey`s footsteps, identifying some of the relics and shrines mentioned in The Itineraries that exist to this day, such as the hand of St John the Baptist in Cetinje in Montenegro

Medieval English accounts of continental pilgrimage are rare and The Itineraries provides a fascinating insight into travel, religious faith and the topography of fifteenth-century Europe and beyond

Francis Davey attended New College, Oxford, and taught Classics for many years before his appointment as Headmaster of Merchant Taylors'School. In retirement, he and his wife have followed several medieval pilgrimage routes across Europe and the Middle East, especially those described by William Wey and Richard of Lincoln. They have also written guide books for the modern pilgrim of three of the routes to Compostella