Hugh of Lincoln
Preserved but no longer current.
It was said that the Jews in 1255 stole a boy of 8 years old named Hugh, whom they tortured for ten days and then crucified or drowned in a well. Eighteen of the richest Jews of Lincoln were hanged for taking part in this affair, and more would have been put to death had it not been for the intercession of the Franciscans; the boy was buried in state.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Hugh of Lincoln” mean?
It was said that the Jews in 1255 stole a boy of 8 years old named Hugh, whom they tortured for ten days and then crucified or drowned in a well. Eighteen of the richest Jews of Lincoln were hanged for taking part in this affair, and more would have been put to death had it not been for the intercession of the Franciscans; the boy was buried in state.
Is “Hugh of Lincoln” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.