On the Process of Secularization of the Production of Books in England in the Late Middle Ages

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to trace the process of secularization of book production in England in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
In the early Middle Ages the monasteries were the principal centers of the book production, but at the beginning of thirteenth century the monasteries began to decline and the function of book making was taken over by cratsmen. At the same time, universities were being founded in Italy and France and they were rapidly spreading to other European countries. This resulted in a great demand for books in various fields, which were now provided for by secular scribes, illuminators, and stationers; these cratsmen became very active in forming their own guilds in the various cities and towns.
In this paper the changing conditions are surveyed, particularly in Oxford, Cambridge and London, by reviewing the literature and also by consulting some examples of manuscripts which represent the works of this period.