In the tradition of the Jesuit school theater, Jacob Masen (1606-1681) has long had a reputation as a playwright second only to his countryman Bidermann. With no modern editions of his plays, and translations of the Latin original extremely limited, few readers have had direct access to Masen's theater. It presents in modern English three exemplary Masen plays: Androphilus, Maurice, and Rusticus imperans. A brief introduction places the plays within the context of Masen's life and century, and his theoretical writings on the theater. The book is the only English edition of Masen's plays.

Of the many Catholic religious orders established in the wake of the Protestant Reformation, none was as influential--or as controversial--as the Society of Jesus, better known as the Jesuit Order. Beginning with key selections from Ignatius of Loyola's Autobiography and Spiritual Exercises, the documents collected here show how the Order grew, in its first hundred years, from a handful of companions to an international organization praised by friends for its missionary, educational, and scholarly achievements--and reviled by enemies for its influence on church and state affairs throughout the world. Headnotes to the selections provide historical, religious, and political context; footnotes identify proper names, historical events, and literary allusions, and offer suggestions for further reading. A map, an index, and eighteen illustrations are also included.

Annual collection of articles and book reviews on Medieval and Renaissance literature, excluding Shakespeare