Nicholas Love (monk) facts for kids

Nicholas Love, also known as Nicholas Luff, was an important monk in medieval England. He lived around the 1400s and died in 1424. He started as a Benedictine monk. Later, he became a Carthusian monk. He was the first leader, called a prior, of Mount Grace charterhouse in Yorkshire.

Nicholas Love is famous for two main things. First, he translated a popular religious book into English. This book helped the Church teach against the ideas of John Wycliffe. Second, he tried to help King Henry V make changes to how Benedictine monks lived. Sadly, he passed away before these changes could happen.

Becoming a Monk

Nicholas Love spent most of his adult life as a Carthusian prior. However, he first began his religious journey as a Benedictine monk. He might have been part of Freiston Priory in Lincolnshire. This priory was a smaller part of Crowland Abbey.

Love became the fourth leader, or "rector," of Mount Grace charterhouse. In 1411, Mount Grace became a formal priory. At that time, Love was promoted to "prior." This meant he was the main leader of the monastery. We know he was still alive in March 1423. Records show he died in 1424 as a "former prior."

Writing Religious Books

Nicholas Love translated a very popular religious book. It was from the 1300s and written by Franciscans. The original book was called Meditations on the Life of Christ. Love translated it into English as The Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ.

At the time, people thought the original book was written by St Bonaventure. Now, we know the real author is unknown. Some think it was written by an Italian Franciscan named Giovanni de' Cauli.

Around 1410, Love showed his Mirror translation to Thomas Arundel. Arundel was the Archbishop of Canterbury. This was important because new rules had been made. These rules said that any new translations of the Bible or religious texts needed approval. They had to be shown to a local bishop.

The archbishop made these rules to stop certain ideas from spreading. He wanted to stop the Wycliffite translation of the Bible. He also wanted to stop other writings by Lollards, who followed John Wycliffe's ideas.

Love's Changes to the Text

Love's translation of The Mirror was not just a simple copy. He added many new parts to the original Latin text. These additions were made to argue against the ideas of John Wycliffe and his followers. For example, Love wrote against their views on the Church hierarchy. He also wrote about almsgiving and the sacraments. These sacraments included Penance and the Eucharist.

One extra chapter in Love's book is sometimes called A Short Treatise of the Highest and Most Worthy Sacrament of Christ's Body and Its Miracles. This chapter focuses on the Eucharist.

Archbishop Arundel did more than just approve Love's translation. He personally supported it. He also ordered that copies of the book be shared widely. The Mirror was mostly spread from book-making centers in London and Westminster. It was not mainly from Mount Grace Charterhouse.

The Mirror became incredibly popular. We still have 64 copies of the book written by hand. Also, 6 printed versions were made before the year 1535.

Trying to Make Changes

Later in his life, Nicholas Love spoke to King Henry V. He told the King that the Benedictine monks in England were not following their rules strictly enough. Love had been a Benedictine monk himself.

King Henry V then called a special meeting of the Benedictine Order. This meeting was held in Westminster. The monks had to answer to thirteen charges that Love had likely prepared. Love was one of three people chosen by the King to help with this reform. However, both Love and the King died before any real changes could be made.