Which Anglo-Norman works explained Christian teachings to lay audiences?

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Following the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215, there was a significant increase in the production of doctrinal and devotional works in Anglo-Norman intended for lay audiences. These writings were designed to explain Christian teachings to those who were not learned in Latin.1

Notable examples of such works include:

  • Le Miroir de seinte église ("Mirror of Holy Church") by St. Edmund of Abingdon, which is considered one of the earliest and most appealing instructive compilations.1
  • Sunday Gospels, written in the 13th century by Robert of Greatham for a noble lady.1
  • The "Castle of Love," which stands as the oldest religious allegory written in French.1
  • Various treatises and manuals that appeared throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, covering essential topics such as confession, as well as broader technical and moral subjects.1

Additionally, Anglo-Norman literature featured numerous biographies of saints, which served to connect religious houses with their patron saints and provide moral instruction.1