ABSTRACT
The prayers and devotions in the first section of the Ancrene Wisse fall into two fairly well-defined groups. Hitherto, discussion of these prayers has focused on these later items to help determine the date of composition of the Ancrene Wisse. This chapter discusses the older items and try to place these devotions within the English tradition. Except for one or two items, the prayers and antiphons used in the Ancrene Wisse are drawn from the texts of the Mass and Office. The prayers to the Virgin Mary, for instance, begin with a series of some brief meditations in English on the Five Joys. Each meditation is followed by a psalm and five complete recitations of the Ave Maria. The prayers of the Ancrene Wisse bear witness to the strength of the Anglo-Saxon tradition in the South-west midlands in the early Middle English period.
