Ancrene Wisse, the early thirteenth-century West Midlands guide for female recluses, is one of the major works of early Middle English prose. It is also a key document for our understanding of the development of medieval spirituality. The text reflects the democratization of religious experience which was one of the outcomes of the reform movements of the 'long twelfth century'. Drawing on new kinds of pastoral literature designed to appeal to a more general audience, Ancrene Wisse is written with an insight, wit and charm which led to its adaptation for other readers, both religious and lay, and it continued in use until the end of the Middle Ages. Bella Millett's new annotated translation is the first to explore the full textual tradition of this widely circulated work. It incorporates the most recent research on Ancrene Wisse's contemporary context and offers an accessible, up-to-date introduction for both scholars and students, along with a detailed textual commentary. Book jacket.