Three Oxford Exemplum Books: John of Wales, Breviloquium de Virtutibus Antiquorum Principum Et Philosophorum; Thomas Waleys, Moralitates in Ysaiam; Ro

The most ubiquitous medieval instruction was oral and came from the pulpit. Sermons not only addressed basic Christian responsibilities, but also a great deal more. Following contemporary homiletic practice, preachers were expected to illustrate their points, and a variety of tools had been developed to aid them in this rhetorical amplification. Among these, exemplum books, collections of illustrative stories, had a primary place and were particularly effective in addressing lay audiences. As part of a drive for innovative and arresting anecdotes of this type, Oxford preaching materials are particularly renowned for their use of classical materials for this purpose.

This volume, following a lengthy introduction that addresses the cultural importance of exempla, presents editions and translations of three outstanding examples of the genre, all assembled by Oxford mendicants: John of Wales's Breviloquium (1260s), Thomas Waleys's Moralitates in Isaiam (c. 1320), and Robert Holcot's Moralitates (1330s?). While there is a century's worth of discussion of sermon exempla, this volume is the first collection devoted exclusively to insular materials.

Author: Ralph Hanna
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Liverpool University Press
Published: 01/09/2026
Series: Exeter Medieval Texts and Studies
Pages: 464
Weight: 1.81lbs
Size: 9.21h x 6.14w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781836245117