Apostate Nuns in the Later Middle Ages (Studies in the History of Medieval Religion, 49)

This book is about women who had taken vows to live as nuns and who had, without canonical dispensation, abandoned their cloister to return to secular life. It explores the way in which the developed canon law, incorporating principles articulated in the earliest monastic literature, sought to ensure adherence to religious vows, and how the resulting legal formulations impacted the lives of these female apostates. It spans the period from about 1300 to 1540, with both dates being significant. A study of women who left their nunneries: their motives and actions, and the consequences for them.To make a vow is a matter of the will, to fulfill one is a matter of necessity, declared late medieval canon law, and religious profession involved the most solemn of those vows. Professed nuns could never renege on their vows and if they did attempt to re-enter secular society, they became apostates. Automatically excommunicated, they could be forcibly returned to their monasteries where, should they remain unrepentant, penalties, including imprisonment, might be imposed. And although the law imposed uniform censures on male and female apostates, the norms regarding the proper sphere of activity for women within the Church would prohibit disaffected nuns from availing themselvesof options short of apostasy that were readily available to monks similarly unhappy with the choices that they had made. This book is the first to address the practical and legal problems facing women religious, both in England and in Europe, who chose to reject the terms of their profession as nuns. The women featured in these pages acted, and were acted upon, by the law: the volume shows alleged apostates petitioning for redress and actual apostates seeking to extricate themselves, via self-help and litigation, from the moral and legal consequences of their behaviour. ELIZABETH MAKOWSKI is Emerita Professor of History at Texas State University, San Marcos. A study of women who left their their motives and actions, and the consequences for them. To make a vow is a matter of the will, to fulfill one is a matter of necessity, declared late medieval canon law, and religious profession involved the most solemn of those vows. Professed nuns could never renege on their vows and if they did attempt to re-enter secular society, they became apostates. Automatically excommunicated, they could be forcibly returned to their monasteries where, should they remain unrepentant, penalties, including imprisonment, might be imposed. And although the law imposed uniform censures on male and female apostates, the norms regarding the proper sphere of activity for women within the Church would prohibit disaffected nuns from availing themselves of options short of apostasy that were readily available to monks similarly unhappy with the choices that they had made. This book is the first to address the practical and legal problems facing women religious, both in England and in Europe, who chose to reject the terms of their profession as nuns. The women featured in these pages acted, and were acted upon, by the the volume shows alleged apostates petitioning for redress and actual apostates seeking to extricate themselves, via self-help and litigation, from the moral and legal consequences of their behaviour. ELIZABETH MAKOWSKI is Emerita Professor of History at Texas State University, San Marcos. To make a vow is a matter of the will, to fulfill one is a matter of necessity, declared late medieval canon law, and religious profession involved the most solemn of those vows. Professed nuns could never renege on their vows and if they did attempt to re-enter secular society, they became apostates. Automatically excommunicated, they could be forcibly returned to their monasteries where, should they remain unrepentant, penalties, including imprisonment, might be imposed. And although the law imposed uniform censures on male and female apostates, the norms regarding the proper sphere of activity for women within the Church would prohibit disaffected nuns from availing themselvesof options short of apostasy that were readily available to monks similarly unhappy with the choices that they had made.
This book is the first to address the practical and legal problems facing women religious, both in England and in Europe, who chose to reject the terms of their profession as nuns. The women featured in these pages acted, and were acted upon, by the law: the volume shows alleged apostates petitioning for redress and actual apostates seeking to extricate themselves, via self-help and litigation, from the moral and legal consequences of their behaviour.

ELIZABETH MAKOWSKI is Emerita Professor of History at Texas State University, San Marcos. "To make a vow is a matter of the will, to fulfill one is a matter of necessity," declared late medieval canon law, and religious profession involved the most solemn of those vows. Professed nuns could never renege on their vows and if they did attempt to re-enter secular society, they became apostates. Automatically excommunicated, they could be forcibly returned to their monasteries where, should they remain unrepentant, penalties, including imprisonment ,might be imposed. And although the law imposed uniform censures on male and female apostates, the norms regarding the proper sphere of activity for women within the Church would prohibit disaffected nuns from availing themselves of options short of apostasy that were readily available to monks similarly unhappy with the choices that they had made. This book is the first to address the practical and legal problems facing women religious, both in England and in Europe, who chose to reject the terms of their profession as nuns. The women featured in these pages acted, and were acted upon, by the law: the volume shows alleged apostates petitioning for redress and actual apostates seeking to extricate themselves, via self-help and litigation, from the moral and legal consequences of their behaviour. ELIZABETH MAKOWSKI is Emerita Professor of History at Texas State University, San Marcos To Make A Vow Is A Matter Of The Will, To Fulfill One Is A Matter Of Necessity, Declared Late Medieval Canon Law, And Religious Profession Involved The Most Solemn Of Those Vows. Professed Nuns Could Never Renege On Their Vows And If They Did Attempt To Re-enter Secular Society, They Became Apostates. Automatically Excommunicated, They Could Be Forcibly Returned To Their Monasteries Where, Should They Remain Unrepentant, Penalties, Including Imprisonment, Might Be Imposed. And Although The Law Imposed Uniform Censures On Male And Female Apostates, The Norms Regarding The Proper Sphere Of Activity For Women Within The Church Would Prohibit Disaffected Nuns From Availing Themselves Of Options Short Of Apostasy That Were Readily Available To Monks Similarly Unhappy With The Choices That They Had Made. This Book Is The First To Address The Practical And Legal Problems Facing Women Religious, Both In England And In Europe, Who Chose To Reject The Terms Of Their Profession As Nuns. The Women Featured In These Pages Acted, And Were Acted Upon, By The Law: The Volume Shows Alleged Apostates Petitioning For Redress And Actual Apostates Seeking To Extricate Themselves, Via Self-help And Litigation, From The Moral And Legal Consequences Of Their Behaviour.-- Elizabeth Makowski. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [201]-215) And Index. Preface vii Acknowledgements xi List of Abbreviations xiii Introduction 1 Part I The Vowed Life 1 Spiritual Ideal and Legal Realities 25 Part II Casting Off the Habit of Religion 2 Force and Fear 45 3 Land, Lust, and Love 78 4 Diversions and Disasters 105 Part III Prodigals Return 5 Penitents and Penalties 137 6 Recidivists and Renegades 159 Conclusion 183 Bibliography 201 Index 217