Researching the History of Rites

This chapter discusses the potential of liturgical rites as sources, some practical ways in which one can work with this material, some problems that are likely to be encountered, and some possible directions for future research. The focus is on how one can go about doing such research into medieval liturgical rituals

The audience for Old English texts: Ælfric, rhetoric and ‘the edification of the simple’

There is a persistent view that Old English texts were mostly written to be read or heard by people with no knowledge of Latin, or little understanding of it, especially the laity. This is not surprising because it is what the texts themselves tend to say. In this article I argue that these statements about audience reflect two rhetorical devices and should not be understood literally. This has implications for our understanding of the reasons why writers chose to use Old English and their attitudes towards translation of various kinds into the vernacular

Writing in Britain and Ireland, c. 400 to c. 800

No abstract available

The Language of Baptism in Early Anglo-Saxon England: The Case for Old English

Abstract: This essay explores the possibility that the vernacular (Old English) may have been used in the baptismal rite in Anglo-Saxon England before the middle of the eighth century. Statements made by Bede (d.735) and Boniface (d. 754), provisions in the Canons of the Council of Clofesho (747) and the probable existence of a lost Old English exemplar for the ‘Old Saxon’ or ‘Utrecht’ baptismal promise (Palatinus latinus 755, fols 6v–7r), all suggest that it was. The use of the vernacular was most attractive in a context of ongoing Christianization, where the faith commitment of the baptizand was foregrounded and his or her understanding of the rite correspondingly highly valued. Later, the shift of focus towards the correct pronunciation of the Trinitarian formula and the increase of general knowledge about the baptismal rite reduced the impetus for translation, and Latin became the standard language of baptism. The translation and non-translation of the baptismal rite reflect broader concerns about the place of the Church of the English and its ethnic and cultural particularity within the universal Church, and particularly its relationship with Rome

Sources for the liturgy of Canterbury Cathedral in the central Middle Ages

Recent research suggests there is a large quantity of surviving evidence for the liturgical texts written at Canterbury Cathedral in the central Middle Ages. A provisional list of manuscripts containing material for occasional rites, such as Candlemas, Palm Sunday and the dedication of churches is given and the reasons for thinking they contain evidence for Canterbury liturgy are presented. Some examples are given to illustrate their potential as sources of evidence for architectural historians, including for the policies of individual bishops, the fabric of the Cathedral, and changes in the performance of the liturgy