medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
After a weekend of rioting, and in the lull before the Ritual of the
Ejection of the Penitents (maybe Bill East can enlighten us on that one...),
perhaps I might recount some of my adventures?
I was seeking enlightenment on the medieval Office, but the vagaries of
modern publishing, the secondhand book trade and library systems have meant
that I have pursued rather an eccentric course. I am reading my way through
Tolhurst, Introduction to the English Monastic Breviaries, but finding it
rather hard going. I attribute this to Tolhurst's rather scholastic cast of
mind - it seems that he absorbed the spirit of his material all too well (a
warning for Richard Landes, perhaps). I have persuaded my local library to
locate a copy of Maskell's Ancient Liturgy of the Church of England in a
remote store (unfortunately, it is only the second edition of 1846), and
duped them into lending it to me. This is fascinating, if a trifle
perplexing. But I feel my greatest coup was purchasing a set of Maskell's
Monumenta Ritualia Ecclesiae Anglicanae - a little rubbed, but which of us
isn't, these days? I suppose it was a fair price, although supply and
demand may come into it - the bookseller had two copies but only one
purchaser! The three-volume set is an absolute hoot (it is the prized third
edition of 1882), if completely bonkers. The contents seem to be chosen
completely at random: where else would you expect to find the coronation
service of Queen Victoria? Maskell claims to eschew controversy, but his
footnotes reveal a level of vituperation of which only a pale shadow would
be found on this list if the name "Dennis Martin" was uttered aloud three
times... I can't help feeling that I am being more diligent than my
Victorian predecessor, as I spent a pleasant afternoon with a sharp knife,
opening pages!
Anyway, I feel I am making progress, if not in the direction I expected. I
am feeling confident about the Sarum Missal - more so if "global priority"
finds me from Eugene, Oregon (don't ask, just don't ask...) - and the
calendar, although still baffled by the Office. Thanks to all those who
offered suggestions as to signposts on the way.
John Briggs
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