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Peter of Cornwall’s Booktongue and the Invention of London Literature

Peter of Cornwall’s Booktongue and the Invention of London Literature

In this essay for Ralph Hanna’s festschrift, Galloway unites two of Hanna’s interests – pre-Chaucerian London literature and Augustinian writing – with a study of Peter of Cornwall, prior of the Augustinian canons at Holy Trinity Priory, Aldgate, London, from 1197 to 1221, whose works helped to define and inspire the flourishing of London literature. Although written in Latin, Peter of Cornwall’s works pursued the genres of writing that were to define the work of later vernacular writers like L, John Gower and Geoffrey Chaucer; seen in the light of Peter of Cornwall’s contributions, works like PPl, Confessio Amantis, and The Canterbury Tales no longer appear like ‘abruptly emerging islands’.