>
>Carrying on from 'Oriens' wonderful response, I would just add that I
>believe that one aspect of late mediaeval lay spirituality was a
>growing number of lay people who took it upon themselves to say the
>daily offices, thus increasing the general exposure to the Old
>Testament in worship. This tendency would be reflected in Cramner's
>desire to provide daily office prayers in English for the laity as
>well as the clergy in his Book of Common Prayer.
>
Perhaps I can add a word about Primers and books of hours - very
common in the MS and early printed book world (SEe JM Blom, The Post
Tridentine English Primer 1982 Catholic Record Society Monograph 3)
The point is that these were predominatly for lay people: and in
the later middle agges there were a great amny lay people praying
in this way ie using psalsm and other pieces from OT, especially in
the Low countries - Devotio moderna etc.
As has been mentioned, for monks and nuns it was abit different.
St Benedict said you should not read the books of Kings to monks in
the evening, as they were too wild (RB 42) I remember too that
Chaucer and Langland seem to assume quite a lot of familiarity. Do
not forget all those wall paintings (like the ones that came back
to life at Fairford)
a.c.
a.c.
Anselm Cramer OSB
Monastery Librarian
Ampleforth Abbey, York
GB - YO6 4EN
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