Dom Perignon was not the only monk to enjoy a tipple REX FEATURESThe usual view of monks as pious and peaceful men living a secluded life has been confounded by a study of the Benedictine order that uncovered examples of overindulgence, military service and duels. Monks in Motion, a project run by Durham University, compiled records of 900 monks who lived incognito in England and Wales at a time when they faced the death penalty for their beliefs. Charles II’s wife owned a Benedictine devotional book USHAW COLLEGE/DURHAM UNIVERSITYThe database, which can be searched by scholars and the public, includes such colourful characters as William Davies (Brother Maurus), who travelled to England as a missionary but who appears to have died fighting a duel on Whitsun morning on June 9, 1663. He had already established a reputation as a maverick in 1645, three years after he joined…

Source: The Times August 30, 2017 23:03 UTC