Mediaeval Mystics of England

Mediaeval Mystics of England, edited by Eric Colledge, 304 pages

This book is an anthology of works by Christian mystics resident in England between the 12th and 15th centuries.  It includes selections from the writings of St Aelred of Rievaulx, St Edmund Rich, Richard Rolle, Walter Hilton, Julian of Norwich, Margery Kempe, and the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing.  Editor Colledge also authored an excellent extended introduction, covering the development of the mystic tradition of the late Middle Ages and these authors in particular.

Unfortunately, the brief selections are insufficient for more than a taste of the works chosen.  Hilton's The Scale of Perfection is the standout, perhaps because it is also the longest.  Readers seeking devotional material or theological wisdom are likely to be disappointed, although this collection may serve to encourage (or discourage) further reading.