Meetings with a Remarkable Manuscript: A Study of a Late Medieval Collection of Latin Sermons (original) (raw)

Before anything else is said, I must thank my parents, who, in persistent selflessness, provided me with the upbringing and education that could lead to a project of this sort. I also want to thank my grandfather, for spurring on my interest in all things medieval, especially the 13 th (and greatest) century, and my godfather, to whom this thesis is dedicated, a constant source of help, encouragement, prayer, and books. I also need to thank the professors that have guided and assisted me in my project, especially my advisors Jesse Torgerson and Jeff Rider, and also Marco Aresu, Michelle Biddle, and Lucie Dolezalova, for their expertise, experience, and abundant generosity. Thanks to Suzy Taraba, Leith Johnson, Francesca Livermore, and all the good people at the SC&A for taking great care of "my" manuscript, and for their constant efforts on behalf of my project. I am especially indebted to the Lankford Fund, the Squire Fund, and the Friends of the Library, in particular Dr. Joseph Fins, COL '82, whose financial support enabled me to undertake this project. Thanks to my friends in the COL as well as the family, housemates, and teammates-of which there are too many to mention by name-who have allowed me talk about a single book for far longer than charity permits. And finally, to the friar who bothered to write down his sermons so many years ago, thanks for giving me such a fun year. 10 For a more detailed account of parchment making, see De Hamel, Scribes and Illuminators , p. 10-11.