Counter-Reformation and Book Production in Syon Abbey

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K00437
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02030:English literature and literature in the English language-related
• Research Institution: Fukuoka Women's University (2020-2021); Shikoku University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Mukai Tsuyoshi (向井毅) 福岡女子大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 学長 (40136627)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: サイオン修道院 / ウィットフォード / 初期印刷本 / 書物出版史 / 対抗宗教改革

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Householders, which had been published independently in quarto, was combined with Werk of Preparacion, etc., and continued to be published in an affordable octavo with two or three parts. The cross-references, which can be found between these separate works, imply Whitford envisaged a combined edition from the outset.
Regarding the reason why the religious practices of the monasteries were still sought after the Dissolution, we can presume that, in the turmoil of the Reformation, there was an opportunity for the family head or the chief layman in the community could become a spiritual guide. Whitford witnessed the execution of his companion Reynolds for disapproval of the king's remarriage, but remained disobedient and was declared a dangerous person by the Inquisitors. In view of this author's biography, each of 1537 editions by Redman and Waylande, which were disguised in the form of a "housekeeping book" aimed at the seculars, were read as a symbolic book of the Counter-Reformation.

Free Research Field

英国初期印刷本研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の独自性は、修道院解散前後の宗教的状況を浮き彫りにする上で、修道士ウィットフォードから適切な著作物を選び出せた点、及びその出版史の分析を通して著者の思想、出版者の思惑、改革混乱期における修道院内の実践がなお好意的に受容された様を解明できた点である。
Werke of Preparacionにあっては、異端的言説の改訂問題が、Work for Householdersにあっては、レッドマンやウェイランドを中心に同時に複数の印刷家が出版する特異性があった。自ら「サイオンの老いた惨めな男」と称し、解散命令の使者に抗う修道士の著作物が持つ、時代的意味とサイオンの出版メディア活用を明らかにできた。