Affective piety and the practice of penance in late-eleventh-century Worcester: the address to the penitent in Oxford, Bodleian Library, Junius 121
Helen Foxhall Forbes
Abstract Oxford, Bodleian Library, Junius 121, a manuscript written in Worcester the early years of episcopate St Wulfstan (1062–95), contains unique, untitled, anonymous text which has previously been interpreted as Lenten homily. This article argues that this is not homily, but must be understood context penitential material surrounding it for was probably specifically composed. The attracted much attention, an important and vernacular witness to developing tradition affective writing became prominent during latter part eleventh century. In addition, itself its placing reveal careful, deliberate decisions 121's compiler made about his material: by reusing earlier texts alongside newly composed English material, he provided practical pastoral materials use late-eleventh-century Worcester.
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