Wulfstan's noble pagans

Abstract

Given his frequently expressed hostility to pagans, Wulfstan's apparent commendation of their devotion at the beginning of the Sermo Lupi has long been a source of scholarly frustration. While the passage is without parallel in Wulfstan's Old English writings, it is mirrored closely by several other texts in Wulfstanian manuscripts, including a previously unedited tract titled De ueneratione sacerdotum. These tracts provide the best analogues for the passage in the Sermo Lupi, explaining how it came to be written and giving a glimpse into how Wulfstan composed the sermon.