Getting Medieval on Love

By C. Margery Kempe

The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne…

You know the drill: hearts, flowers, chocolates. Great if you’re in a relationship, but often not so great if you’re not. Many a lonely soul on Valentine’s Day wonders: How did all this insanity get started?

Well, you can blame the Middle Ages for a lot of it. Sure, St. Valentine himself was really a third century Roman martyr, clubbed to death and then beheaded (not a propitious start for the holiday, eh?). The holiday itself, ho...