This book offers a detailed and scholarly analysis of the exemplum, a type of moral and religious tale that was widely used in medieval and early modern England. Drawing on a range of literary and historical sources, Joseph Albert Mosher provides a comprehensive overview of the exemplum and its influence on the literature of the period. His book is an essential resource for anyone interested in the history of English literature and the development of moral and religious thought. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.