具体描述
This is the first history of the book in Britain from the Norman Conquest until the early fifteenth century. The twenty-six expert contributors to this volume discuss the manuscript book from a variety of angles: as physical object (manufacture, format, writing and decoration); its purpose and readership (books for monasteries, for the Church's liturgy, for elementary and advanced instruction, for courtly entertainment); and as the vehicle for particular types of text (history, sermons, medical treatises, law and administration, music). In all of this, the broader, changing social and cultural context is kept in mind, and so are the various connections with continental Europe. The volume includes a full bibliography and 80 black and white plates.
The History of the Book in Britain: From the Norman Conquest to the Age of Print Revolution (c. 1066–c. 1600) This volume chronicles the transformative centuries in the history of the book in Britain, tracing its evolution from the manuscript traditions of the early medieval period through the revolutionary advent of printing. It provides a comprehensive survey of the material culture of the book, the economic structures supporting its production and dissemination, and the intellectual and social contexts that shaped reading practices across England, Scotland, and Wales. Part I: The Manuscript Tradition in Transition (c. 1066–c. 1350) The period following the Norman Conquest witnessed profound shifts in the religious, administrative, and linguistic landscape of Britain, all of which directly impacted the creation and use of books. The Scriptorium and the Monastic Book: Following 1066, the surviving evidence points to a complex, though often fragmented, landscape of book production dominated initially by monastic scriptoria. Centres such as Durham, Canterbury, and Winchester maintained traditions rooted in Insular and Carolingian models, focusing primarily on liturgical texts, Bibles, and patristic writings. This section explores the organisation of the monastic workshop—the role of the armarius (librarian), the scribes, and the illuminators. It examines the shift in patronage away from solely ecclesiastical figures towards increasingly powerful secular lords and nascent royal administrations, a change that slowly began to diversify textual content. The Rise of the Professional Scribe and Stationer: By the High Middle Ages, particularly in burgeoning university towns like Oxford and increasingly in London, the need for standardized legal, philosophical, and literary texts surpassed the capacity of the cloister. This section details the emergence of the secular professional scribe. We analyze the development of pecia systems at Oxford, whereby text blocks were leased out for copying, ensuring textual standardization and speedier production. The growth of the stationers’ trade—booksellers who also acted as authorized copyists—is mapped, showing how the book moved from a scarce, bespoke item to a more readily available commodity, even if still expensive. Linguistic Transformation and Literary Demand: The political union brought the imposition of Norman French and Latin as the languages of law and governance, sidelining Old English. This section traces the complex linguistic negotiation that occurred in book production. We analyze the survival of Latin liturgical texts alongside the slow, sometimes surprising, re-emergence of vernacular literature in Middle English (Chaucer, Langland). The focus here is on the increasing secular demand for narrative, romance, law codes (like Glanvill), and chronicles written specifically for lay aristocratic patrons, illustrating how the book began to serve purposes beyond the cloister and the royal chancery. Material Culture and Decoration: This part details the evolution of the physical book. Changes in parchment preparation, the standardized use of new ruling techniques, and the refinement of script (from large, formal book hands to smaller, more efficient textualis forms) are discussed. Illumination also evolved, moving from the dense, patterned miniatures of earlier periods towards more naturalistic historiated initials and narrative scenes catering to increasingly sophisticated lay tastes. Part II: The Book in Transition: From Manuscript Dominance to Print Invasion (c. 1350–c. 1600) The late medieval period served as a critical proving ground for the technologies and market structures that Gutenberg’s invention would exploit. The transition to print was not instantaneous; rather, it was integrated into an existing, highly dynamic book trade. The Late Medieval Book Market and Lay Literacy: As the 14th and 15th centuries progressed, literacy, though still largely confined to the elite, became increasingly utilitarian and devotional. This section explores the flourishing market for private devotional books, such as Books of Hours, often tailored with specific local calendar entries. We examine the role of female patronage in commissioning these personalized, often exquisitely decorated volumes, and the rise of private libraries among gentry and merchants in major urban centres. The economy of scribal labour became more formalized, resulting in more standardized formatting across different scriptoria preparing for the forthcoming mechanical reproduction. The Arrival and Establishment of Printing: William Caxton’s introduction of the printing press to England in 1476 marks the definitive turning point. This section meticulously examines Caxton’s initial output—his pragmatic choice of vernacular texts (Chaucer, Malory, and translations of popular French works) designed to capture an immediate, established market. We analyze the material differences between the printed page and the manuscript page: the standardization of typeface (initially based on existing Gothic scripts), the shift towards paper as the primary substrate due to cost, and the initial reliance on continental typefounding expertise. The London Printing Hub and the Statute of Artificers: Printing quickly centralized in London, establishing a powerful monopoly. This part investigates the early legal and commercial frameworks governing the new technology. The formation of the Stationers’ Company in 1557 is analyzed not merely as a guild, but as a mechanism of state control over content, licensing printers and enforcing copyright (or rather, the privilege to print specific texts). The book trade was now subject to Crown oversight, especially concerning religious polemics during the Reformation. The Reformation and the Vernacular Bible: The seismic religious and political shifts of the 16th century were fundamentally mediated through the printed word. This section focuses heavily on the production and dissemination of vernacular Scripture—from Tyndale’s unauthorized translations to the authorized Great Bible. The sheer scale of Bible production necessitated new economic models, larger presses, and increased use of lay labour, fundamentally altering the scale of the book industry. The book became an instrument of political loyalty and theological warfare, driving literacy campaigns designed to ensure every literate subject could engage directly with the printed word. Beyond Religious Texts: Law, Science, and the University Press: While religion dominated output, this concluding section surveys the expansion of printed materials into other domains. We examine the printing of Statutes, Plea Rolls, and legal commentaries, standardizing English Common Law across the realm. Furthermore, the re-establishment of the University Presses (Cambridge and Oxford) under royal charter allowed for the controlled, large-scale production of classical texts, scientific treatises, and scholarly editions, positioning the printed book as the essential vehicle for Renaissance humanism within British academia. In totality, this volume demonstrates how the British book transitioned from an expensive, often unique religious artifact crafted by cloistered hands into a mass-produced, commercially driven vehicle of state propaganda, religious doctrine, and emerging secular literature, laying the groundwork for the expansive reading culture of the 17th century.
