April is the cruelest month. Much grading means that I have done the bare minimum of reading and research. Here is the little stack I managed to get through (the small grey paperback under Bone Black is Donovan Kuhio Colleps’ Proposed Additions) and sadly, none of this was pleasure reading–although I derived great pleasure from reading much of it–but rather preparations for classes and review for a forthcoming article.
My favorite find in the ongoing research on Middle English sermons is the random Arthurian reference in BL ms. Royal 18 B xxiii, sermon 49, on his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I should not be surprised. King Arthur is, as I have demonstrated time and time again, literally everywhere …! Also, I note that Middle English sermons on the whole are not nearly so entertaining as Old English sermons.
Melissa Ridley Elmes 