Monasticism in Late Medieval England, c.1300-1535
Monasticism in Late Medieval England, c.1300-1535 provides the first collection of translated sources on this subject. The volume covers both male and female houses of all orders and sizes, and offers a range of new perspectives on the character and reputation of English monasteries in the later middle ages. The documents, many translated into English for the first time, illuminate every facet of monastic life in late medieval England. The first section surveys the internal affairs of English monasteries, including recruitment, the monastic economy, standards of observance and learning. The second part looks at the relations between monasteries and the world, exploring the monastic contribution to late medieval religion and society and lay attitudes towards monks and nuns in the years leading up to the Dissolution. This study is an ideal introduction to this topic for students, scholars and the general reader alike. Supported by an extended and accessible introduction - the first general overview of this subject for a generation - this collection of documents gives an unrivalled insight into the last phase of monastic life in medieval England.