First published in 1926, G. R. Owst's Preaching in Medieval England has remained a seminal work on the topic of English sermons of the period 1350 1450. In studying a largely neglected but important aspect of the medieval religious experience, the author adds considerably to our understanding of the pre-Reformation church. The book is in three parts - the preachers, the circumstances of the preaching and reception, and the sermons themselves. In the first section Owst discusses the different classes of preacher, the secular clergy, monks and particularly the wandering friars, famous for their...