Three Short <em>Exempla</em> Concerning the Purity of Gerard “<em>la Pucelle</em>”

Authors

  • David Ross Winter Brandon University

Abstract

Though comparatively well known for his association with Thomas Becket and members of Peter the Chanter's academic circle, the twelfth-century Anglo-Norman canonist, Gerard "la Pucelle" (d. 1184) remains an elusive figure in the history of canon law. While the lineaments of his career are generally known, the root cause of his celebrity is less clear. His legal opinions are known primarily through glosses on Gratian's Decretum, but no major work from his pen survives. This article introduces a repertoire of three heretofore unnoticed preaching exempla about Master Gerard, each of them revolving around his putative probity and rectitude. In this way, they begin to elucidate his evocative cognomen, "the Maiden."

Author Biography

David Ross Winter, Brandon University

Associate Professor

Department of History

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Published

2020-01-02

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2020): Three Short Exempla Concerning the Purity of Gerard “la Pucelle”

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