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Internet Medieval Sourcebook

Selected Sources: High Medieval Church Life

Contents

• Western Monasticism - After A.D. 900
  • Benedictines
  • Cluny
  • Cistercians
  • Carthusians
  • Other Orders
  • Women's Monasticism
• The Mendicant Orders
  • Franciscans
  • Dominicans
  • Other Orders
• The Secular Clergy
  • Cathedral Chapters
  • Parish Pastoral Clergy
• Medieval Heresy
  • General
  • Waldensianism
  • Catharism
  • The InquisitionLollardy
  • Hussites
• Christian Spirituality
  • The Life of Christ
  • The Cultus of the Virgin Mary
  • Saints and Relics
  • The Sacramental System
    • The Eucharist
    • Penance
    • Confirmation
    • Heaven, Hell, and In Between
  • Aspects of Popular Beliefs

• For Papal history, see the Empire and Papacy section
• For Church as an economic enity, see the Economic Life section

• WEB Internet Theology Resources: Monastic Studies [At CBSJU]
• Benedictines
  • Herman of Tournai. Liber de restauratione monasterii S. Martini Tornacensis. (On The Restoration Of The Monastery Of Saint Martin's Of Tournai) [At European University Institute]
    Latin text to accompany Lynn Nelson's recently published transaltion. See also Medieval Tournai: An Academic Resource Center [At European University Institute]
  • Domesday Book: Manors of the Abbey of St. Peter, Winchester, 1086
  • Jocelin of Brakelond (c.1156-d.1202?): Chronicle of the Abbey of St. Edmunds (1173-1202),[full text].
• Cluny
  • [Tierney 35.1, Geary 20.1] Charter of Abbey of Cluny. See also Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Odo.
  • WEB Cluny Project. [At University of Muenster]
• The Cistercians
  • Cistercian Order: Charta Caritatis. [At OSB.org]
  • WEB Cistercian Order page at OSB.org.
  • William of St. Thierry: A Description of Clairvaux, c. 1143
  • Two Accounts of the Early Career of St. Bernard, c. 1150
    Contains excerpts from William of St. Thierry: Life of St. Bernard, c. 1140, and The Acta Sanctorum of Arnold of Bonneval & Geoffrey of Clairvaux, c. 1153
• The Carthusians
• Other Orders
• Women's Monasticism
  • WEB Matrix: A collection of resources for the study of women's religious communities, 500-1500, [At USC].
    This includes a database of 1146 women's communities and a Documents page, with documents from women's communities at Laycock (13th century), San Sisto (13th century), Santa Francesca Romana (15th century).
  • Ancrene Wisse, In Middle English, with some Latin. [At Google Books] A collection of rules and advice for English nuns.

• Franciscans
  • WEB The Franciscan Archive
  • [Tierney 65.1] St. Francis (1182-1226): Testament.
  • [Tierney 65.2] St. Francis (1182-1226): Canticle of the Sun, in Italian and English, text document.
  • [Geary 30] Rule of Franciscan order.
  • Honorius III: Bull Solet annuere, on the Rule of the Friars Minor, November 29, 1226. [At The Franciscan Archive]; or see copy [At EWTN]
  • Thomas of Celano: Two Lives of St. Francis . See also Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Francis of Assisi and Catholic Encyclopedia: Thomas of Celano.
  • Brother Ugolino: The Little Flowers of St. Francis. Full text. [At CCEL]
  • Gregory IX: Bull Mira Circa Nos, July 16, 1228 [At EWTN]
    The Bull canonizing St. Francis of Assisi.
  • [Geary 31] Clare of Assisi: Testament, copyrighted?  See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Clare of Assisi, Saint.
  • Nicholas III: Exiit qui seminat, Soriano, Italy: August 14, 1279, (With attached Latin Text). [At EWTN]
    See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Nicholas III
    On the confirmation of the rule of the Friars Minor.
  • Nicholas III: Exiit qui seminat, Soriano, Italy: August 14, 1279, (alternate translation by John Kilcullen and John Scott ). [At MacQuarrie U]
  • Clement V: Exivi de paradiso, May 6, 1312 with the Ecumenical Council of Vienne in session Latin Text available. [At Franciscan Archive]:or see copy [At EWTN]
    Declaration of the supreme Pontiff on the Rule of the Friars Minor.
• Dominicans
  • WEB Dominican Central: Tradition
    Wonderfully useful website by the Domincan Order. This is a link to the the "histoyr" page.
  • Dominican Order: The Lifes of the Brethren of the Order of Preachers, 1206-59 [At Dominican Central] 
    • Part I: The Foundation of the Order of Preachers
    • Part II: The Legend of St. Dominic
    • Part III: The Legend of St. Dominic by Blessed Cecilia Cesarine, O.S.B.
    • Part IV: The Legend of the Blessed Jordan of Saxony
    • Part V: The Progress of the Order
    • Part VI: Departure of the Brethren out of this World
  • St. Dominic: Biographical Documents, edited with an Introduction By Francis C. Lehner, O.P. [At Dominican Central] 
    • Blessed Jordan - Libellus [Or in pdf ]
    • Letters of St. Dominic
    • Bologna Canonization Process
    • Toulouse Canonization Process
    • Nine Ways of Prayer
    • Miracles of St. Dominic
    • Bull of Canonization
    • Prayer to St. Dominic
    • Bulls of Approbation
    • Jordan of Saxony - Letter
    • Primitive Constitutions
  • St. Dominic's Nine Ways of Prayer. Illustrated.
  • [Geary 32] St. Dominic: Canonization Process - Selected Documents, copyrighted  (but see above)
  • See also Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Dominic.
  • 2ND Dominican Central: The Friars Preachers. Translation of article from the Dictionnaire de Spiritualité [At Dominican Central] 
• Other Mendicant Orders
  • Innocent IV: Bull Quae honorem conditoris omnium ["Whatever Is for the Honor of the Creator of All"], October 1, 1247. [At EWTN]. See also the version at CarmelNet.
    On the prior and hermits of Mt. Carmel. The Bull includes the Carmelites' mitigated rule.
  • [Geary 33] Thomas of Cantimpré': Defence of the Mendicants, copyrighted

• Cathedral Chapters
  • The Cathedral Chapter of Chartres: The Riot of 1210, trans. Richard Barton
    The circumstances of the Chartres Riot of 1210 described from the viewpoint of the Cathedral chapter. It provides clear insight into urban social tensions, and also sheds light on elements of liturgical procedure (particularly the liturgy of excommunication), on the cult of the Virgin, and on the increasing competency of the French crown in judicial matters.
  • Three Disputes involving the Cathedral Chapter of Notre-Dame of Chartres, 1215-1224
  • Henry III: Documents of the Church of Salisbury in the Early 13th Century,   trans. Richard Barton
  • The Register of Roger Martival, Bishop of Salisbury, 1315-1330,  trans. Richard Barton
    Texts from the Register of Roger Martivall, Bishop of Salisbury. The last one, in particular, is of interest, as it is concerned with criminous clerks and clerical status.
• Parish Pastoral Clergy
  • texts?

• General
  • Caesarius of Heisterbach: Medieval Heresies, from Dialogue on Miracles, V.
    Discussion of Waldensians, Albigenses, and "intellectual heretics" at Paris.
• Waldensians
  • [Tierney 62.1] Conversion of Peter Waldo. See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Waldenses.
  • [Tierney 62.2] Reinarius Saccho: Of the Sects of Modern Heretics, on Waldensians, 1254. also available en castellano.
• Cathars
  • Anna Comnena: The Bogomils, c. 1110
    The Bogomils where the source of Catharism in the West.
  • Cathar Gospel: Book of John the Evangelist.
  • Cathar Rites: Traditio: Immersion in the Perfect Community, from the Lyons Ritual.
  • Cathar Rites: The Apparelhamentum,, from the Lyons Ritual.
  • [Tierney 63] Raynaldus: Annales: Accusations against Cathars, also available en castellano.
  • Bernard Gui: Inquisitor's Manual: Accusations against Cathars, also available en castellano
• The Inquisition
  • [Tierney 64.1] Fourth Lateran Council: Canon 63 - on Heretics.
  • [Tierney 64.2] Bernard Gui: Technique of Interrogations [1307-1323], also available en castellano; See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Inquisition.
  • [Geary 35] Jacques Fornier: Inquisition Records - re: Beatrice de Planissoles, copyrighted
  • Jacques Fournier, Bishop of Pamiers 1318-1325: The Inquisition Record. [At SJSU]
    English translation by Nancy P. Stork of selected confessions by Cathar heretics and Jews to Bishop Jacques Fournier and the Inquisition at Pamiers.
  • Agnes Francou (member of the sect of the Poor of Lyons)
  • Arnaud Gélis (drunkard and prognosticator)
  • Barthélemy Amilhac (priest and husband of Béatrice de Planissoles)
  • Baruch (Jew baptized under threat of death)
  • Béatrice de Planissoles (noblewoman)
  • Grazide Lizier (widow and priest's concubine)
  • Guillemette Battegay (widow)
  • Jacqueline den Carot (scoffer)
  • Navarre Bru (widow)
  • David Burr: Introduction to Inquistion Documents.
  • Bernard Gui: Inquisitor's Manual [1307-1323] .
  • Angelo Clareno, a spiritual Franciscan: On Torture, early 14th Cent..
  • The Case of Na Prous, a beguine, 1325.
  • Petrus Iohannes Olivi (1247/8-1298): Selections from the Apocalypse Commentary.
• Lollardy
  • [Tierney 81.4] The Condemnation of Wycliffe, 1382 and Wycliffe's Reply, 1384. Also includes John Wycliffe (1324-1384): Condemned Propositions 1382, [Different version from Tierney].
    See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Lollards.
  • John Wycliffe (1324-1384): On the Sacrament of Communion [Excerpt from Trialogus]. See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Utraquism.
• Hussites
  • Jan Hus (1372/73-1415): Final Declaration, July 1, 1415 [At this Site]

• The Life of Christ
  • Innocent III: Sermon on the Resurrection of the Lord.
  • Thomas à Kempis (c.1380-1471): The Imitation of Christ, excerpts, available soon. See full text[At CCEL]
  • Thomas à Kempis (c.1380-1471): The Imitation of Christ, translated by  William Benham [At Project Gutenberg]
• The Cultus of the Virgin Mary
  • Jerome: Against Helvidius: On the Perpetual Virginity of the Virgin Mary. [At CCEL]
  • Sermon Stories: Tales of The Virgin, 12th-13th Century. See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Devotion to Blessed Virgin Mary.
  • Hymn to Virgin, c.1300 [At Bartleby]
  • Conrad of Saxony: Mirror of the Blessed Virgin Mary, [Full text], often ascribed to St. Bonaventure, but now considered the work of Conrad by many scholars. [At Intratext]
• Saints and Relics
  • See the Medieval Sourcebook: Saints' Lives Page
  • [Geary 21] Bernard of Angers: Miracles of St. Foy, copyrighted?
  • Gregory of Tours (539-594): Eight Books of Miracles, Selections.
  • Letaldus of Micy: Journey of the Relics of St. Junianus, including a description of the Peace Council of Charroux in 989. Trans. by Thomas Head [At ORB]
  • Leyenda de Santiago (translated by William Granger Ryan).[At UCLA]
  • Andrew of Fleury: Miracles of St. Benedict. Trans. by Thomas Head [At ORB]
    A description of the Peace League of Bourges and its campaign in 1038.
  • Ademar of Chabanne: Chronicle: Discovery of the Head of John the Baptist, 1016. Trans. by Thomas Head [At ORB]
  • Anonymous:  Life of St. Gregory of Nicopolis. Excerpts on his burial, Early 11th Cent. Trans. by Thomas Head [At ORB]
  • Peter Damian: Life of Romuald. excerpts on his relics of a hermit. Late 11th Cent. Trans. by Thomas Head [At ORB]
  • Anonymous: A Miracle of St. Maximinus, c. 1050-75. Trans. by Thomas Head [At ORB]
    Description of the pilgrimage and miraculous cure of a single individual.
  • Hugh of Fleury: Life, Translation, and Miracles of St. Sacerdos: Prologue, Trans. by Thomas Head [At ORB]
    Discussing his methodology as a hagiographer and historian reconstructing the life of a long dead saint.
  • Sermon Stories: Tales of Relics, 12th-13th Century.
  • Invention of the Relics of St. Benedict, (7th century?)
  • Amulo of Lyon: Letter on the Misuse of Relics in Dijon. mid-9th Century. Trans. by Thomas Head [At ORB]
  • Claudius of Turin: Apology: An Attack on Veneration of Relics. 8-9th Cent. Trans. by Thomas Head [At ORB]
  • Guibert of Nogent (1053-1124): On the Relics of the Saints: Book I, Trans. by Thomas Head [At ORB]
  • Guibert of Nogent (1053-1124): from Treatise on Relics.
  • Stephen de Bourbon: De Supersticione: On St Guinefort,
    The basis of the film The Sorceress about a sainted dog. Based on the tradition of St. Christopher as being "dog-faced".
  • The Translation of Saint Nicholas [Greek Anonymous], 13th Century MS.
    The story of the sacred theft of the relics of St. Nicholas from Myra in 1087.
• Pilgrimage
  • The Itinerary of the Anonymous Pilgrim of Bordeaux (Itinerarium Burdigalense) - 333 A.D. [At Christus Rex]
  • Egeria: Description of the Liturgical Year in Jerusalem: Translation [At Oxford]
  • Egeria: Travelogue, Translated by M.L. McClure, The Pilgrimage of Etheria, (New York, 1915) [At Yale]
  • Daniel (1106-1107): The Pilgrimage of the Russian Abbot Daniel in the Holy Land, 1106-1107 A.D., annotated by Sir C. W.Wislon (London, 1895) [At Holy Fire]
  • Anonymous:  Guide-book to Palestine. (c. 1350). Translated by. J. H. Barnard. London: Palestine Pilgrims’ Text Society, 1894.  [At Traveling to Jerusalem/U Sth Colorado]
  • Margery Kempe (1413-1415): Book of Margery Kempe. (Text--Butler-Bowden translation of Chapter 26-34, 37-41)[At Traveling to Jerusalem/U Sth Colorado]
  • John Poloner (1422): Description of the Holy Land (c. 1421), based on the translation of Aubrey Stewart from the Tobler text. London, 1894. [At Traveling to Jerusalem/U Sth Colorado]
  • Felix Fabri (1480 & 1483-84): The Book of the Wanderings of Felix Fabri (Circa 1480-1483 A.D.) trans. Aubrey Stewart. 2 vols. London: Palestine Pilgrims' Text Society, 1896 [At Traveling to Jerusalem/U Sth Colorado]
  • Pietro Casola (1494): Canon Pietro Casola's Pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the Year 1494. trans. Mary Margaret Newett. Manchester: The University Press, 1907. [At Traveling to Jerusalem/U Sth Colorado]
  • [Tierney 101] Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1340-1400): Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, text file in original language.
    The stories revolve around a pilgrimage to Canterbury.
  • Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1340-1400): Canterbury Tales: The Prologue [Parallel Texts] , [uses Tables], (c.1380)
  • Spill: A Fictional Pilgrimage from Valencia to Santiago in the Fifteenth Century, From the Spill or Book of Women by the fifteenth-century Valencian medical doctor, Jaume Roig.[At UCLA]
• The Sacramental System
  • The Seven Sacraments: Catholic Doctrinal Documents.
    Excerpts from the Profession of Faith of Michael Paleologus (1274), and the Decree for the Armenians (1439).
  • The Eucharist
    • Caesarius of Heisterbach: The Eucharist as A Charm (from Dialogus Miraculorum), (written c.1220-1235).
    • The Sarum Missal: Easter Sunday Mass.
    • Sermon Stories: Tales of The Host, 12th-13th Century.
  • Penance
    • [Geary 17] Theodore: Penitential, copyrighted?
    • Caesarius of Heisterbach: Confession, Ordeal and Miracle (from Dialogus Miraculorum), (written c.1220-1235).
    • Sermon Stories: Tales of Confession, 12th-13th Century. See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Attrition, Catholic Encyclopedia: Indulgences, Catholic Encyclopedia: Apostolic Indulgences, and Catholic Encyclopedia: Purgatory.
  • Confirmation
    • Eadmer: A Confirmation Scene from The Life of Anselm (12th century). See also Catholic Encyclopedia: Eadmer and Catholic Encyclopedia: Confirmation.
  • Heaven, Hell and In Between
    • Benedict XII: Constitution Benedictus Deus, 1336. [At EWTN]
      On the Beatific Vision of God.
    • Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510): Treatise on Purgatory [At EWTN], Full text.
• Aspects of Popular Beliefs
  • Sermon Stories: Tales of the Devil, 12th-13th Century.
  • Johann Busch: Reading in the Vernacular, (b. 1399).
  • John of Ruysbroeck (1293-1381): The Adornment of Spiritual Marriage, full text. [At CCEL]