Preface

The eighteenth annual meeting of the Illinois Medieval Association was held at the Newberry Library, Chicago, February 16-17, 2001. The theme of the meeting was Gestures, Behaviors, and Emotions in the Middle Ages. The meeting was co-sponsored by the Medieval Studies Program of Loyola University Chicago. The program committee was chaired by Mark D. Johnston of the Newberry Library. The plenary address, delivered by E. Ann Matter, is the first essay in this volume.

The annual business meeting was held during lunch on Saturday, February 17, and was chaired by President Barbara H. Rosenwein of Loyola University Chicago. Officers for 2001-2002 proposed by the Executive Committee and approved by the membership at the business meeting are as follows: Mark D. Johnston, Newberry Library, President; C. Stephen Jaeger, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Vice-President. Counselors are Anne Clark Bartlett, DePaul University; Raymond Clemens, Illinois State University; William Fahrenbach, DePaul University; Lisa Lampert, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Anita Riedinger, Southern Illinois University; and David Wagner, Northern Illinois University. Allen J. Frantzen, Loyola University Chicago, continues as Executive Secretary. The membership accepted the invitation of C. Stephen Jaeger to hold the nineteenth annual meeting in February 2002 at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

The essays contained in this volume were chosen from among those submitted for publication; the papers were subsequently revised and, in most cases, expanded. William Fahrenbach, Lisa Lampert, Barbara Rosenwein, David Wagner, and Allen Frantzen served on the editorial committee, which also consulted outside readers who wish to remain anonymous.

This volume of Essays in Medieval Studies is the first to be published by the West Virginia University Press. The Executive Committee wishes to that Patrick Conner, Director of the Press, for supporting this joint venture and for his skill in launching it. The first seventeen volumes of EMS are available online at http://www.luc.edu/publications/medieval. Copies of most volumes can be purchased from Allen J. Frantzen, Executive Secretary, Illinois Medieval Association, Loyola University Chicago, 6525 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60626; prices for individuals and institutions are available at the website.