The Letters of Master David of London: A New Edition and Study

Healy, Catherine (2022) The Letters of Master David of London: A New Edition and Study. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

This thesis provides a new edition and translation of the letter collection of Master David of London,
with an accompanying study. It seeks to provide a new overview of David’s career, as well as to
situate his letter collection in its twelfth-century context.

Part one begins with a palaeographical and codicological study of the only surviving manuscript copy
of the collection, including an analysis of the manuscript in its entirety and the other works contained within. It also offers an in-depth examination of the section containing David’s collection.

Part two (chapters two and three) provides a new narrative account of David’s life and career, based
on this new edition of the collection, seeking to correct previous misreadings of the letters and to
provide a fuller account of the later years of David’s career. This section also aims to explore the
historical context to letters in the collection that have no clear connection to David.

Part three (chapters four and five) seek to place David’s collection in context amongst other twelfth-century letter collections. It does so firstly through direct comparisons between this collection and others. Secondly, the individual letters themselves are considered in more detail, with David’s skills as a letter-writer and his adherence to the ars dictaminis particular subjects for scrutiny.

This thesis shows that David’s letter collection was not a register, but rather a collection likely compiled by David himself, designed to provide a narrative of his career and reform his reputation in the aftermath of his dispute with his former patron, Bishop Gilbert Foliot of London.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Arts and Humanities > School of History
Depositing User:	Kitty Laine
Date Deposited:	15 Dec 2022 10:40
Last Modified:	15 Dec 2022 10:40
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/90187
DOI:

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