Remorse and Entreaty: An Edition of some Vernacular Confessional Prayers in Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts

This study establishes groupings for a range of vernacular confessional prayers from the tenth and eleventh centuries, thereby revealing not only key divergences but the even more striking parallels in their English phrases -- phrases doubtless familiar to their intended readers or reciters which would have helped them in confessing or meditating upon their sins. Each edited text is provided with notes and there is an extensive glossary. The manuscript context of each prayer is examined in detail to consider how far this throws any light on the expected usage. Where known, the Latin original that lies behind the texts is supplied, demonstrating how closely or freely the original translator (and perhaps others intervening in the texts here printed) followed the Latin.