Katherine Group


The Katherine Group is a collection of five 13th-century Middle English texts composed by an anonymous author of the English West Midlands, in a variety of Middle English known as AB language.
The texts are all addressed to anchoresses and praise the virtue of virginity.

The texts

All five texts are preserved in the manuscript Oxford, Bodleian Library, Bodley 34. All except Hali Meiðhad are also in British Library, Royal 17 A XXVII. Additionally, British Library Cotton Titus D XVIII has Sawles Warde, Seinte Katherine and Hali Meiðhad.

Editions

Hali Meiðhad

  • Early English Text Society
  • A. F. Colborn
  • Bella Millett,

    Literature

  • Fletcher, A. J. "Black, white and grey in Hali Meidhad and Ancrene Wisse: evidence for dating from mention of religious orders' habits", in: Medium Aevum
  • Millett, Bella Ancrene Wisse, the Katherine Group, and the Wooing Group
  • Millett, Bella & Wogan-Browne, J. Medieval English Prose for Women: selections from the Katherine Group and Ancrene Wisse. Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • Tolkien, J. R. R.:
  • * Holy Maidenhood
  • * The Devil's Coach Horses
  • * Some Contributions to Middle-English Lexicography
  • * Ancrene Wisse and Hali Meiðhad
  • * ''"Iþþlen" in Sawles Warde''

    Related groups of texts

The Katherine Group is similar in language and content to the Ancrene Wisse and the Wooing Group.