Late Medieval Devotional Compilations in England

Stretching the canon of medieval literature in English to include devotional compilations.

Devotional compilations were the staple spiritual food for lay and religious readers in the late medieval period. As well thought-out assemblages of texts or extracts of texts, they provided readers with material from basic catechetic instruction to advice and tools for the practice of contemplation. Their exploration enables a more sophisticated understanding of the authorial roles played by compilers, the reading practices of their recipients, and the patronage of compilations carried out by religious and secular individuals and communities. It also offers a new window into late medieval English religiosity as well as demonstrating the complexity and creativity associated with compiling activity.

In this volume, leading scholars in the field of medieval English literature consider the role and impact of a substantial number of devotional compilations, offering new evidence about the manuscripts, sources, and contexts that frame this important corpus.