Lost Letters of Medieval Life: English Society, 1200–1250 transed. by Martha Carlin, and David Crouch (review)

Drawing on material preserved in two early thirteenth-century formularies, this volume of one hundred letters offers a rich contribution to the study of medieval England. As the editors explain, it is 'a book about everyday life' (p. 1) as revealed by a 'casual, ephemeral kind of correspondence' (p. 1) that provides a fascinating window into the medieval world. Transcribed in Latin and translated into English, these letters are made usefully accessible. The editors' commentary and explication aid in their contextualization and interpretation, but also stitch the whole volume into a structured account of medieval English society, economy, and culture.

Arranged into sections broadly covering finance and trade, warfare and politics, processes of governance, families and communities, and knightly matters, these letters have been selected with care to be representative and insightful. The ordering of wine in preparation for medicinal bloodletting (p. 73), for instance, highlights a unique element of the medieval wine trade. Other nuances of life abound. The sheriff of Cambridge carefully explains to the king of England that the king of Scots owns a forest concerned with some requested venison (pp. 189–90). Priests warn each other of an approaching bishop (pp. 82–83). Students beg for money from their parents (p. 247). Promises are made and broken.

An earl's summons to his knights, the editors note, 'gives us an unparalleled glimpse into the military organization of medieval England' (p. 99). Many of the letters deliver similarly extraordinary views into the attitudes and workings of medieval life, a running theme of the volume. While theoretically formulaic letters, designed to be copied, the editors alert us to the complexities that underpin them. Some are obviously from specific historical moments, others quite generic, some merely playful. Such manuscript and textual matters are at the fore in this book. Through students potentially playing with poor Latin for amusement (p. 256), to the detailed explication about formularies general and particular in the introduction, this is a book about texts. Parallel source material is usefully and often quoted at length for elucidation and comparison.

Overall, this is a highly-recommended volume, which would be especially well-suited for use as an advanced teaching resource, or even as a refresher for those who think they know medieval England. It is well that these lost letters have found new life, and hopefully plentiful readers for them.