Praises in letters of recommendation of twelfth-century abbots and bishops
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Abstract
Through the comparative analysis of Latin letters of recommendation written by five high ranking twelfth-century religious men (Bernard of Clairvaux, Peter the Venerable, Peter of Celle, Gilbert Foliot, John of Salisbury), this study aims to show that the praises contained in these letters are not completely independent from any characteristics of the letter itself, but are rather influenced by various of its elements. The article, focuses on the way in which each author’s peculiar tendencies are reflected in the kind of praises used in the letters, and on how these praises differ on the basis of the type of beneficiary and request. Therefore, this attests to the existence of a shared repertoire of traits ideally associated with a certain role in society, for example that of a cleric, a monk, a bishop, an abbot, and even of a clerk and a letter-bearer.
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