The Cambridge Anthology of British Medieval Latin: Volume 1, 450–1066

A two-volume anthology of Latin texts, with English translation, on many different subjects written by the people of medieval Britain.

This anthology presents in two volumes a series of Latin texts (with English translation) produced in Britain during the period AD 450–1500. It is aimed at those interested in Latin, medieval culture, the history of Britain, and the important role of Latin beside English and French in the Middle Ages.This anthology presents in two volumes a series of Latin texts (with English translation) produced in Britain during the period AD 450–1500. Excerpts are taken from Bede and other historians, from the letters of women written from their monasteries, from famous documents such as Domesday Book and Magna Carta, and from accounts and legal documents, all revealing the lives of individuals at home and on their travels across Britain and beyond. It offers an insight into Latin writings on many subjects, showing the important role of Latin in the multilingual society of medieval Britain, in which Latin was the primary language of written communication and record and also developed, particularly after the Norman Conquest, through mutual influence with English and French. The thorough introductions to each volume provide a broad overview of the linguistic and cultural background, while the individual texts are placed in their social, historical and linguistic context.