Review
Faith Wallis
Western medieval societies, like their antecedents in the ancient world, valued ability to foresee future events through interpretation of predictive signs—what can be called prognosis or prognostication narrow sense. And although Christian authorities occasionally denounced “divination”—that is, technologies inquire into future—there were also many ways which even divination could absorbed dominant religious worldview, provided that it was God who asked for guidance, and not pagan divinities demons. In consequence, prognostica sometimes materials originated Greco-Roman world transmitted manuscripts impeccably orthodox scholarly character, notably medical compilations, liturgical volumes, above all computus manuscripts. Computus Latin term body precept, data, technique deployed manage calendar, particular calculate dates Easters come. Like physician at patient's bedside, computist focused on outcomes, grounded his science make outcome certain. Hence manuscript books supported these two enterprises—books frequently albums compilations texts tables—offered an ideal refuge prognostic texts. These included lunaria lists predictions relating births, illnesses, advisability bloodletting, prophetic value dreams, so forth linked thirty days calculated synodic lunar month; catalogs lucky unlucky calendar month, often tied prescriptions concerning diet, purgation, bloodletting; prophecies weather, harvests, health year, based weekday New Year's Day, day first thunder year is heard. Such elided readily a more divinatory such as dream-interpretation manuals, versions “sphere life death” illness from combination age moon onset numerical letters composing name.This permeable boundary between prognostication, divination, has until recently served consign categories superstition folklore. English-speaking this been subtly reinforced by fact scholarship vernacular far outstripped research lay behind them. Old English precocious literary language, significant part its corpus comprises translations adaptations works, including prognostica. But philological interest documenting evolution language encouraged editorial practices plucked out settings, where they intermingled with materials. This extractive approach succeeded concealing essentially clerical learned character For example, Oswald Cockayne's popular collection medical, astronomical, computistical texts, Leechdoms, Wortcunning, Starcraft Early England (London, 1864–66), printed number volume 3, but when Charles Singer reissued Cockayne 1961, he omitted prognostica, apparently because considered them unworthy accompany genuine works science. Max Förster published numerous series articles Archiv für das Studium der neueren Sprachen und Literaturen 1908 1916, tellingly titled “Beiträge zur mittelalterlichen Volkskunde” (Contributions Medieval Folklore). part, Heinrich Henel, pioneering scholar history computus, went demote rank “Mönchsaberglaube” (monastic superstition).1One most important contributions Roy Liuzza's Anglo-Saxon Prognostics resolutely situate prognostics milieu vehicles, hence restore contemporary status worthy of, useful to, professed religious. book critical, annotated edition largest anthology found fols. 27v–43r London, British Library Cotton Tiberius A.iii, supplemented 65r–v same volume. The made cathedral priory Christ Church, Canterbury, middle decades eleventh century. rather stately begins glossed copy Rule St. Benedict, followed Regularis concordia, platform document Benedictine reform movement later tenth It includes instructional Ælfric's Colloquy De temporibus anni, adaptation Bede's textbooks computus. are accidental addenda, integral book; written scribe concordia. other words, monks designed A.iii forms legitimate learning congruent project reinvigorating claustral discipline. Liuzza establishes case systematically comparing nine (or one case, France owned England) before shortly after Norman Conquest, contain similar organized suites both. close similarity points disciplined patterns transmission; contexts include only devotional–liturgical handbooks, Portiforium Wulfstan, bishop Worcester (Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 391) Prayerbook Ælfwine, dean abbot Minster, Winchester (British Titus D.xxvi xxvii). Tiberius, Ælfwine communities individuals had pastoral responsibilities. thus postulates valued, collected, translated double purpose: reinforce (reformed) monk's consciousness living under highly structured temporal regime, reach wider human concerns birth death, illness, food environment.The would certainly appear support hypothesis blended functionality. dream Daniel, instance (edited pp. 81–123), speaks condition dreamer married man engaging business profit, seeking worldly wealth honor, facing danger daily life. On hand, another alphabetical (pp. 178–89) suitable monastic inquirer, significations generic, predicting unspecified joy sorrow, sickness. general lunarium(pp. 124–47) prognoses fortunes boys girls born each month (cf. 158–63), either secular (“he will warrior”) neutral. Another lunarium 202–5) might fortune-telling, prophesies subject “pious religious” “a martyr,” generally stresses moral qualities (though “he brave warrior” remains option). agenda 190–93) dispenses take wife, buy sell property, have dealings kings lords—all exclusively activities. yearly forecasts Day (p. 206) address issues health, harvest, weather affect everyone. omens pregnancy 212–13) assume observation behavior expectant mother order determine sex child; while gathering data unsuitable monk cleric, imagine him answering query concerned husband, observations.However, does go offer detailed reflections way used. His commentary textual lexical, historical, here playing strength accomplished versatile Anglo-Saxonists our day, commanding formidable knowledge record. substantial introduction nonetheless surveys types manuscript, offers judicious comments genre. argues against impulse overclassify prognostics, preferring instead what aptly calls “negative definition”: exclude regimina (e.g., monthly diet) well technologies, various kinds lot casting. Though manuscripts, about curing; traveling management. Rather, use (weekdays, dates, month) system signs point outcomes; natural phenomena, dreams thunder, serve analogous purpose. negative definition allows float “the shifting conceptual overlap medicine, modern notion ‘magic’” 60). space, freely recruited whose lives around annual schedules exceptional degree. appeal desire find rational meaning chaos events. As observes, medicine both rest theory seasons connected macrocosmic physics elements. sense, closely aligned we call than “superstition.”Liuzza's adherence context, valuable complement recent publication Prognostics, László Sándor Chardonnens (Leiden: Brill, 2007). aims update work devising comprehensive typology providing editions 174 witnesses within typology, culled thirty-seven obliges define precision, were—a task exempt. Unlike Liuzza, merges perhaps consequence strongly defends characterizing “superstition.” reinforces traditional method wresting setting, embed abstract, classification. very alert context practice analyzes generic terms: calendars, computi, sections, guest (“fillers”), anthologies given representative categories.There something gained approaches: comes appreciation rich ambivalence literature viewed perspective actual conveyed, men them; there vision scope diversity available during long century, vernacular. Neither study comprehensively tackles historical problem whether form tool solve problems. acknowledges connection diffusion reform, reads strictly terms possible avenues transmission. He firmly rejects application, Valerie Flint, Stephanie Hollis, himself propose, no fully articulated substitute. proffers enticing thesis, declines proceed further. Perhaps neither wishes venture speculations distract fundamentally project. thrown down challenge historians “preternature.” clearly indicate render defined moment, church specific social milieu. respect, eleventh-century resembles Frankish empire Carolingian period, birthplace oldest Intellectual histories need engage material, if aim mental spiritual experience society complexity.
Preternature