Literae Cantuarienses

Christ Church, Canterbury, was the seat of the archbishop and an important pilgrimage site. The letters and other documents in its register reveal not only its history, but how complex was the management of the priory and its estates. This three-volume edition is based on a transcript of the register compiled in 1411. Volume 1, edited by Joseph Brigstocke Sheppard (1827–95) and published in 1887, contains items 1–494, ranging in date from 1210 to 1333. The editor has selected documents addressed to individuals or groups, and the subjects vary widely. The earlier sections include many personal letters from the prior to his friends and colleagues, while others are formal letters of appointment or relate to business matters. Also covered are matters of state (as the prior sat in parliament), such as the deposition of Edward II. The texts are in Latin, Norman French and English, with translations provided for the French documents.