Studies in Philology

Abstract:

This article argues that Thomas Usk centralizes the natural law in his Testament of Love to attempt to bring about a cultural reformation. Throughout his text Usk weaves the natural law into his elaborate model of service, outlining ethical and political concepts that he believes should structure and inform social life in his contemporary London. In doing this, Usk hopes to inspire his culture to abandon the vicious practices that he thinks led to his own imprisonments in the 1380s.