Preface

Summary

This book concerns aspects of the history of the English Premonstratensian canons in the later Middle Ages, and concentrates on the period c.1458– 1500 in particular. It focuses primarily on the conventual observances of the abbeys of the ‘white’ canons and their visitation by Bishop Richard Redman (✤ 1505), commissary-general of Prémontré and English visitor, as revealed in his visitation register and other manuscript sources. The first chapter, by way of introduction, surveys the development and organisation of the English Premonstratensian province. This includes a brief discussion of the origins of the white canons, the foundation of the English houses, and their devolved government from Prémontré, their French motherhouse. Chapter Two considers the manuscript sources containing the visitation records of the English Premonstratensians, Bodleian Library, Oxford MS Ashmole 1519, and British Library Additional MSS 4934 and 4935. The first of these, the Ashmole MS, is shown to be the most important primary source for our period, as it contains Richard Redman's visitation register. Following a discussion of the register's composition, is an examination of the unpublished journey itineraries contained in the Ashmole MS, which enabled Redman to travel from abbey to abbey. The third chapter contains an extensive analysis of Redman's visitations, mainly between 1478 and 1500, and attempts to ascertain the nature and observance of monastic life within the English Premonstratensian abbeys. An account is given of the procedure of visitation as conducted by Redman and Premonstratensians generally, followed by an examination of the name lists in Redman's register, which give an idea of the level of recruitment among the canons and the complements within each abbey.