Overview

This early thirteenth-century West Midlands guide for women recluses is not only one of the major works of early Middle English prose, but is also a key document for the development of medieval spirituality. It reflects the 'democratization' of religious experience which was one of the outcomes of the 'Medieval Reformation'. Drawing on new kinds of pastoral literature designed to appeal to a more general audience, the insight, wit and charm of 'Ancrene Wisse' led to its adaptation for other readers, both religious and lay, and it continued in use until the end of the Middle Ages. This annotated translation, based on the text in Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 402, incorporates the most recent research on 'Ancrene Wisse''s contemporary context and offers an accessible, up-to-date introduction for both scholars and students.