• The Ploughman's Tale: Introduction

No fifteenth-century manuscript of the poem survives. The Text The complete text of The Ploughman's Tale exists only in Christ Church Oxford MS 152 (fols. 228b-231a), dated c. 1460-70, on pages originally left blank at the end of the quire

• From Walter Bower's Continuation of John of Fordun's Scotichronicon (c. 1440)

early and late. But Bower's story is focussed to make Robin a hero of the church, and the fact that he transfers plunder to the church and always supports Mass-attendance conveys a polemical tone suited to Bower's own religious context.]

• John Gower, The Minor Latin Works: Cultor in ecclesia

quo nulla patet via certa, Symon oves ducit, quas Cristo raro reducit. 13. The Husbandman in the Church The husbandman in the Church, who, when wisdom is lacking, Sows seeds of vanity, will be a harvester of nothing. But those

• 21. Gregory

celebrated medieval popes. In many ways he laid the foundation of the medieval Church: he instituted sweeping papal and ecclesiastical reforms, argued for a more rigidly hierarchical Church structure with the pope firmly at the top, established the power of

• Robin Hood and the Bishop: Introduction

of TEAMS Texts Copyright Information for this edition they also express the hostility to the established church found in the Gest and Robin Hood and the Monk. This story is told in the Forresters manuscript under the title Robin Hood

• The Life of Saint Francis: Introduction

they also shared a tendency to be critical of the wealth and worldliness of the church, and to deviate in certain ways from orthodox church doctrine. But whereas early itinerants (such as Robert of Arbrissel and Norbert of Xanten) ended

• Robin Hood and Allin a Dale

little mile." Then Robin he hasted over the plain, He did neither stint nor lin, Until he came unto the church, Where Allin should keep his wedding. "What dost thou here?" the bishop he said, "I prethee now tell to

• The Legend of Frideswide of Oxford, an Anglo-Saxon Royal Abbess: Introduction

Cardinal College (now Christ Church) and rebuilt the minster church to serve as the college chapel. In 1546 it became the cathedral church of the newly founded diocese of Oxford. Frideswide's shrine, still located inside the church, was destroyed and

• Item 34, The Stations of Jerusalem: Introduction

the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which had been built up since the fourth century on what was be­lieved to be the site of Jesus’ burial and Resurrection. After discussing many of the sites and religious practices within the church

• Of Theyre Nature

omnipotent, Hym save and kepe both nyght and day; Wretyn in the lusty season of May. themselves; (see note) occasion church (see note) customs live effort vex advise; therefore (see note) report absence; grow spirit; exhausted (see note) truly ruined

• Legends of St. Anne, Mother of the Virgin Mary: Introduction

church the cult of Anne herself may go back as far as c. 550, when Justinian built a church in Constantinople in her honor. The earliest sign of her veneration in the West is an eighth-century fresco in the

• The Northern Homily Collection: Introduction

point to the power of the church in this period: “The church baptized all children. It stood at the center of medieval villages, towns, or eventually, cities. Everything of importance revolved around the church. Its bells tolled the hours of

• The Northern Homily Cycle: Prologue

Luke 1:28 and 42. They were encouraged to recite these and other prayers at identified points in the church service (Swanson, Church and Society, pp. 276–77). PROLOGUE: TEXTUAL NOTES Abbreviations: MED: Middle English Dictionary. For manuscript abbreviations (ED, A, D,

• Item 33, Stimulus Consciencie Minor: Introduction

strayed from his copy-text. Printed Editions Horstmann, Carl, ed. Yorkshire Writers: Richard Rolle of Hampole, An English Father of the Church and His Followers. 2:36–45. [From British Library MS Royal 17.B.17.] Reference Works NIMEV 244 MWME 7.20.18.2268–70, 2486–92 [On The

• The Northern Homily Cycle: Ratio

(see note) made; go If yield; ransom release gift release; bonds purchase The needs of us all; (see note) Holy Church with honor; mirth every coming; gift freed; devil’s bonds therefore tale arrival mourning; (t-note) Explicit istud precedens Argumentum. Incipit

• The Death of Robin Hood: Introduction

his comrades' advice. He wishes to be bled at Churchlees: in Robin Hood and the Monk he wanted to visit church and in Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne he merely wanted to encounter Guy alone. Here it is Will

• Margaret of Antioch: Introduction

(July 20), many people could have followed along by looking at the images painted on the walls of their own church. Because of the promises made just before Margaret's death to assist anyone - especially women in childbirth - who

• Item 25, The Feasts of All Saints and All Souls: Introduction

Vision of Tundal (Tnugdal), and the popular St. Patrick’s Purgatory circulated widely in Latin and many vernacular languages. While the Church did not always officially endorse the views of the afterlife presented in these works, they were largely accepted, and

• Item 18, The Knight Who Forgave His Father’s Slayer: Introduction

the beginning of the story seems dead­locked until Good Friday, when the older knight sees the faithful marching barefoot to church to honor the day on which Christ was crucified.2 The importance of the timing (not acknowledged in all surviving

• Lydgate: Saint Austin at Compton

the church of which he was patron. The parish priest, however, was buried outside in the churchyard. This social gap between patron and incumbent is emphasized in the Narratio, where, by contrast with the knight's durable mausoleum in the church