Ars Memoria in the Hagiography of Osbern Bokenham
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Western University Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository 11-20-2020 1:00 PM Sacred Mnemonics in Late Medieval England: ars memoria in the Hagiography of Osbern Bokenham Erica C. Leighton, The University of Western Ontario Supervisor: Moll, Richard, The University of Western Ontario : Schuurman, Anne, The University of Western Ontario A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in English © Erica C. Leighton 2020 Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd Part of the Literature in English, British Isles Commons Recommended Citation Leighton, Erica C., "Sacred Mnemonics in Late Medieval England: ars memoria in the Hagiography of Osbern Bokenham" (2020). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 7571. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/7571 This Dissertation/Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Scholarship@Western. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository by an authorized administrator of Scholarship@Western. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract This thesis examines the practice and understanding of the ancient ars memoria (art of memory) tradition in late medieval England. Using the work of fifteenth-century Augustinian friar Osbern Bokenham, I argue that his hagiography demonstrates a pronounced engagement with both ancient ars memoria techniques and original medieval adaptations and expansions of these narrative mnemonic strategies. The late medieval ars memoria, therefore, speaks to the education and training that allowed for complex and fluid approaches to mnemonic narration. Bokenham’s surviving body of work includes a set of commissioned female saints’ lives entitled Legendys of Hooly Wummen, and a sizeable legendary of continental saints’ lives based largely on Jacobus de Voragine’s Legenda aurea, interspersed with both original and variously sourced local saints’ lives. Bokenham also wrote Mappula Angliae, a geographical history of England translated and adapted from sections of Ralph Higden’s Polychronicon. Finally, the “Dialogue at the Grave of Joan of Acres” is a short text that details Richard of York’s matrilineal claim to the throne. Bokenham’s engagement with conventional mnemonic traditions demonstrates intentional adaptations and customizations that correlate to various categorizations of saints. The narratives of many of the English, Irish and Welsh saints that Bokenham inserts into Voragine’s established list do not easily lend themselves to those traditional mnemotechnics based on the more formulaic nature of earlier, continental saints’ lives. For these local and usually later saints Bokenham substitutes a pronounced and novel i emphasis on mnemonic geographies, local anecdotes, or alternate forms of genealogies, such as spiritual or ecclesiastical lineages. For example, Bokenham employs etymology selectively instead of imitating Voragine’s near-universal application. Bokenham then takes the etymological and mnemonic principles of origin-mapping and transposes them onto geographical, cultural, and successional frameworks. The Mappula Angliae, which was designed to accompany Bokenham’s large legendary, emphasizes the innovative concept of transforming the cities, churches, shrines, and anecdotal memories of England and its people into a living, breathing memory palace. Keywords Middle Ages, Medieval, Christianity, Christian saints, Christian women saints, Virgin martyrs, Hagiography, Hagiographer, Middle English, ars memoria, Art of memory, Memory, Mnemonics, Etymology, England, East Anglia, Medieval literature, Fifteenth Century, Osbern Bokenham, Legenda Aurea, Mappula Angliae, Legendys of Hooly Wummen, Dialogue at the Grave of Dame Joan of Acres. ii Summary for Lay Audience This thesis examines the practice and understanding of the ancient Greek and Roman ars memoria (art of memory) tradition in late medieval England. Using the work of fifteenth-century writer Osbern Bokenham, who translated and adapted a large collection of saints’ lives, I argue that his texts demonstrate both a pronounced engagement with ancient ars memoria techniques and a development of original medieval adaptations of these narrative mnemonic (i.e. memory device) strategies. Bokenham’s surviving opus includes a set of commissioned female saints’ lives entitled Legendys of Hooly Wummen (Legends of Holy Women), and a sizeable legendary of saints’ lives based largely on Jacobus de Voragine’s Legenda aurea (Golden Legend), interspersed with adapted, variously-sourced, local saints’ lives. Bokenham also wrote Mappula Angliae (Map of England), a geographical history of England translated and adapted from sections of Ranulf Higden’s Polychronicon (A History of Many Ages). Bokenham’s uses or adaptations of conventional mnemonic techniques demonstrate his engagement with the art of memory as well as his ability both to select existing strategies and create new ones depending on various categories of the saints whose lives he re-tells. Bokenham uses a Christianized form of classical etymology—or the moralized, symbolic, and purportedly linguistic origin of words—as well as vividly described images, to make high-profile saints like the apostles or female virgin martyrs stand out. For the English, Irish, and Welsh saints that Bokenham inserts that do not easily lend themselves to traditional mnemonic strategies, Bokenham substitutes a pronounced and novel emphasis on geographies, powerful local anecdotes, or alternate forms of genealogies, such as spiritual or ecclesiastical lineages. iii In this way, Bokenham takes the etymological and mnemonic principles of origin-mapping and transposes them onto geographical, cultural, and successional frameworks. He also adapts the now popularized concept of memory palaces and transforms the cities, churches, shrines, and anecdotal memories of England and its people into a living, breathing memory palace. This project provides a look at the development of what is now arguably a lost art, and how, from its early roots in oratory, this art was adapted for use in written religious works. iv Acknowledgments This project is the culmination of many influences and experiences and was completed with the support of brilliant academics, the love of family and friends, and the encouragement of those special folks who are both brilliant academics as well as family or friends. Dr. Siobhain Bly Calkin and Dr. Robin Norris, thank you for instilling in me a lasting love of medieval literature and for guiding me in my early research on saints; thank you also to Dr. Grant Williams for introducing me to the memory arts in the form of many, many Early Modern rhetorical handbooks. A hearty thanks to the Abbotsford Library for the microfilm of Bokenham’s Legenda Aurea manuscript; to the many peers as well as senior scholars who provided, both on campus and at conferences, inspiring conversation; and to my excellent defence committee, Dr. Anne Schuurman, Dr. Jane Toswell, Dr. Mario Longtin, and Dr. Sarah Tolmie, for a rigorous and thoroughly enjoyable exchange. To my supervisor Dr. Richard Moll, your guidance, advice, encouragement, and understanding were invaluable, as were our enthusiastic conversations about all things medieval. Thank you for pushing me to do better and for all your help along the way. My warmest thanks to my parents Barry and Colleen, my brother Glenn, my extended family, and my friends for encouraging me and for believing in me. To my little ones, Erin and Gwen, you inspire me every day and I could not have asked for a better cheering squad. Finally, to my husband Dave, I am so very grateful for your patient unwavering support, your excellent company on this journey, and your love. v Abbreviations Dialogue Dialogue at the Grave of Dame Joan of Acres LA Legenda Aurea by Osbern Bokenham La Legenda aurea by Jacobus de Voragine (T. Graesse’s Latin edition) LHW Legendys of Hooly Wummen MA Mappula Angliae MED Middle English Dictionary NLA Nova Legenda Anglie OED Oxford English Dictionary SEL South English Legendary AKJV Authorized King James Version vi Table of Contents Abstract ....................................................................................................................... i Summary for Lay Audience ....................................................................................... iii Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................... v Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. vi Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 i. Ars memoria in Late Medieval England .......................................................................... 1 ii. Introduction to the ars memoria ..................................................................................... 7 iii. Medieval ars memoria ................................................................................................... 9 iv. Bokenham’s Life, Order, and Influences .................................................................... 12 v. Bokenham’s Works ...................................................................................................... 14 vi. Bokenham’s Travel and Mnemonic Geography ......................................................... 18 1. Variations on a Theme: The Mnemonic Function