The Idea of the Vernacular Book

	Acknowledgments
	Introduction
	Using This Volume: A Note on Conventions and Treatment of Text
Pt. 1	Authorizing Text and Writer	1
1.1	Chronicle: Prologue	19
1.2	The Bruce: Prologue	24
1.3	Complaint of Venus: Envoi	26
1.4	The Testament of Love: Prologue (Extract)	28
1.5	Translation of Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy: Prefacio Translatoris	34
1.6	The Complaint: Prologue and Extract	38
1.7	Troy Book: Prologue (Extract)	42
1.8	Amoryus and Cleopes: Prologue and Ending	50
1.9	Active Policy of a Prince: Prologue	56
1.10	Cyrurgie: Prologue (Extract)	61
1.11	Legendys of Hooly Wummen: Prologus	64
1.12	Speculum Devotorum (Myrowre to Devout Peple): Prefacyon (Extract)	73
1.13	A Revelation of Love (Short Text): Prologue and Chapter 6	78
1.14	The Book of Margery Kempe: Two Prologues	84
1.15	The General Prologue to the Wycliffite Bible: Chapter 12 (Extract)	91
1.16	Prologue to the Donet and The Repressor of Over Much Blaming of the Clergy (Extracts)	97
Pt. 2	Addressing and Positioning the Audience	107
2.1	Northern Homily Cycle: Prologue	125
2.2	Dialogue Between the Lord and the Clerk on Translation (Extract) and Epistle to Thomas, Lord Berkeley, on the Translation of Higden's Polychronicon	130
2.3	Ordinal of Alchemy: Prohemium	138
2.4	On Translating the Bible into English (Extract)	146
2.5	The Holi Prophete David Seith (Three Extracts)	149
2.6	The Knowing of Woman's Kind in Childing: Translator's Prologue	157
2.7	Life of St. Gilbert: Prologue	159
2.8	The Rule of Seynt Benet: Prefatory Letter	162
2.9	The Amesbury Letter: Prologue	165
2.10	Translation of Christine de Pizan's Book of Fayttes of Armes and of Chyvalrye: Prologue	169
2.11	Confessio Amantis: Prologue, Two Versions (Extracts)	173
2.12	Knyghthode and Bataile: Proem	182
2.13	The Nightingale: Prose Introduction and Proem	186
2.14	The Croxton Play of the Sacrament: Banns	190
2.15	South English Legendary: Prologue	195
2.16	Translation of Geoffroy de la Tour-Landry, Book of the Knight of the Tower: Prologue	200
2.17	Spektakle of Luf: Prologue	205
Pt. 3	Models and Images of the Reading Process	209
3.1	A Talking of the Love of God: Prologue	222
3.2	Pseudo-Augustinian Soliloquies: Prologue and Digression	224
3.3	The Cloud of Unknowing: Prologue	230
3.4	A Revelation of Love (Long Text): Explicit	233
3.5	The Orchard of Syon: Prologue	235
3.6	Pore Caityf: Prologue	239
3.7	The Prick of Conscience: Prologue (Extract)	241
3.8	The English Psalter: Prologue	244
3.9	Dives and Pauper: Part One, Chapters 1-3 (Extract)	249
3.10	The Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ: Prologue (Extract)		Mirrour of the blessed lyf of Jesu Christi	252
3.11	Sermon of Dead Men: Peroration	255
3.12	The Mirror of Our Lady: Three Prologues	258
3.13	The Wars of Alexander: Opening	265
3.14	Cursor Mundi: Prologue (Extract)	267
3.15	Translation of Poggio Bracciolini, Bibliotheca Historica of Diodorus Siculus: Prologue (Extract)	271
3.16	Eneados: Book V, Prologue	276
3.17	Reynard the Fox: Prologue	280
3.18	Fables: Prologue	281
3.19	Piers Plowman: C Text, Passus XV (Extract)	285
3.20	The Book of Ghostly Grace: Epilogue (Extract)	288
3.21	A Commentary on the Penitential Psalms: Psalm 50 (Selections)	291
3.22	The Book of Margery Kempe: Book I, Chapters 58-59 (Extract)	297
3.23	The Kingis Quair: Opening	300
3.24	Translation of Christine de Pizan's Book of the City of Ladies: Chapter 1, with Dedicatory Verses by Henry Pepwell	304
Pt. 4	Five Essays	311
4.1	The Notion of Vernacular Theory	314
4.2	The Politics of Middle English Writing	331
4.3	Authors, Scribes, Patrons, and Books	353
4.4	Historicizing Postcolonial Criticism: Cultural Difference and the Vernacular	366
4.5	An Afterword on the Prologue	371
	Alternative Arrangements of the Excerpts	379
	Glossary: The Language of Middle English Literary Theory	393
	Middle English Terms	395
	Select Latin Terms	447
	Abbreviations	449
	Index of Manuscripts and Early Printed Books	451
	Bibliography	453
	Index	493
	About the Editors	505