The Wikipedia article of the day for December 17, 2025 is Poisoning of Abbot Greenwell.Around June 1447, John Greenwell was poisoned by a monk, William Downom. The abbot of Fountains Abbey (ruins pictured), Greenwell led the richest abbey in England; his office made him an important figure in Yorkshire. The first half of the century saw the abbey wracked with internal strife, including a disputed election which had violent repercussions as well as, 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 of pottage, which he attempted to feed to Greenwell while he was sick. He survived the poisoning, and the case became notorious. Although it took over a year and discussions with Fountains' motherhouse of Cîteaux Abbey, Downom was eventually expelled. Greenwell remained controversial and was both accused and accuser in local lawsuits, and incurred the distrust of King Edward IV for his political leanings.
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