Representations of continental mysticism in British Library MS. Additional 37790: Mystical union's relationship with courtly love (Jan van Ruusbroec, Marguerite Porete)

Marguerite Porete's Mirror of Simple Souls and John Ruysbroek's The Treatise of Perfection of the Sons of God are found in British Library MS. Additional 37790. Both are Middle English translations of Continental vernacular mystical texts. These works discuss the apostolic life and how to achieve a mystical union with the divine. Both texts incorporate the courtly love literary convention to describe the religious devotee's desired relationship with God. This thesis considers Porete's and Ruysbroek's literary influences in articulating their versions of mystical union and their respective applications and contestations of the courtly love convention. As well, this thesis examines the Mirror's and The Treatise of Perfection's inclusion in the Middle English manuscript. The thesis proposes that Porete's and Ruysbroek's works were included in the manuscript as representations of Continental mysticism that would address the spiritual needs of the manuscript's audience.