Spanning the artificial divide between medieval and early modern history, this collection of essays shows how men and women tried to put their ideals into practice, sometimes alone, but more commonly within the shared environment of cloister, college or city. The volume is presented to the distinguished medievalist Barrie Dobson in celebration of his 70th birthday, and takes the reader from a rural landscape to the London of Thomas More, and from the forests of Robin Hood to the central law courts.

A major contribution to the history of Parliament, to medieval English history, and to the study of the English constitution. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW The rolls of parliament were the official records of the meetings of the English parliament from the reign of Edward I (1272-1307) until the reign of Henry VII (1485-1509), after which they were superseded by the journals of thelords, and, somewhat later, the commons. The first three parliaments of Edward IV's reign - 1461, 1463 and 1467 - document the establishment of the new regime, including the new king's efforts to win over former Lancastriansas well as to punish the unreconciled. All three parliaments include acts of resumption deliberately deployed by the crown rather than by its critics. The volume also includes a partial reconstruction of the business of Henry VI'sresumption parliament of 1470 for which no roll survives. The rolls from the period are reproduced in their entirely, complemented by a full translation of all the texts from the three languages used by the medieval clerks (Latin, Anglo-Norman and Middle English). Dr Rosemary Horrox is Fellow and Director of Studies in History, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

A major contribution to the history of Parliament, to medieval English history, and to the study of the English constitution. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW The rolls of parliament were the official records of the meetings of the English parliament from the reign of Edward I (1272-1307) until the reign of Henry VII (1485-1509), after which they were superseded by the journals of thelords, and, somewhat later, the commons. This volume covers the years of crisis of Henry VI's reign. They begin with the unusual assembly at Bury St Edmunds in 1447 during which the king's uncle, Humphrey, duke of Gloucester,was arrested and died, and end with the parliament of 1460 at which Richard, duke of York, made a formal claim to the throne. In the interim the rolls are vital for assessing the impact of the loss of French lands between 1449 and 53, and for showing how the king's mental collapse halfway through the parliament of 1453 began a period of political instability which finally led to civil war in 1459. The rolls from the period are reproduced in their entirely, complemented by a full translation of all the texts from the three languages used by the medieval clerks (Latin, Anglo-Norman and Middle English). Anne Curry is Professor of History and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, University of Southampton; Dr Rosemary Horrox is Fellow and Director of Studies in History, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

A major contribution to the history of Parliament, to medieval English history, and to the study of the English constitution. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW The rolls of parliament were the official records of the meetings of the English parliament from the reign of Edward I (1272-1307) until the reign of Henry VII (1485-1509), after which they were superseded by the journals of the lords, and, somewhat later, the commons. It is striking that this volume ends in 1504 although Henry's reign continued until 1509, and that the volume includes five parliaments - in sharp contrast to the four previous volumeswith three apiece. Henry's parliaments were shorter and more narrowly focussed on the king's business, including his dealings with the land of the formerly disaffected. The rolls from the period are reproduced in their entirely, complemented by a full translation of all the texts from the three languages used by the medieval clerks (Latin, Anglo-Norman and Middle English). Dr Rosemary Horrox is Fellow and Director of Studies in History, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

A major contribution to the history of Parliament, to medieval English history, and to the study of the English constitution. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW The rolls of parliament were the official records of the meetings of the English parliament from the reign of Edward I (1272-1307) until the reign of Henry VII (1485-1509), after which they were superseded by the journals of thelords, and, somewhat later, the commons. This volume contains the only parliament of Richard III - an essential source for his accession in 1483 and for his response to the subsequent rebellion. Henry VII's assertion of his title in 1485 is strikingly different, as is his long act of resumption (a roll in itself) that reveals not only which Yorkist grants he was prepared to continue but also which early grants of his own he was willing to abandon. The1487 parliament shows the new regime continuing to try and establish itself in the face of continuing opposition. The rolls from the period are reproduced in their entirely, complemented by a full translation of all the texts from the three languages used by the medieval clerks (Latin, Anglo-Norman and Middle English). Dr Rosemary Horrox is Fellow and Director of Studies in History, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

A major contribution to the history of Parliament, to medieval English history, and to the study of the English constitution. ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW The rolls of parliament were the official records of the meetings of the English parliament from the reign of Edward I (1272-1307) until the reign of Henry VII (1485-1509), after which they were superseded by the journals of thelords, and, somewhat later, the commons. The three parliaments of Edward IV's second reign are strikingly unbalanced. The first, which lasted from 1472-75, was from the king's point of view mainly concerned with financing theprojected war against France, but also sees the final settlement of the Yorkist regime with former Lancastrians making their peace and a further act of resumption reconsidering earlier royal grants. The last two parliaments weremuch briefer and, again from the king's perspective, mono-causal. That of January 1478 was called to try Edward's brother the duke of Clarence, although this is barely reflected in the roll itself. Five years later Edward was in search of funding for his Scottish war. The rolls from the period are reproduced in their entirely, complemented by a full translation of all the texts from the three languages used by the medieval clerks (Latin, Anglo-Normanand Middle English). Dr Rosemary Horrox is Fellow and Director of Studies in History, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.

This collection of essays was presented to Barrie Dobson in celebration of his 70th birthday. It will be welcomed by all scholars of pre-modern religion and society. Spanning the artificial divide between medieval and early modern, the contributors - all acknowledged experts in their field - pursue the ways in which men and women tried to put their ideals into practice, sometimes alone, but more commonly in the shared environment of cloister, college or city. The range of topics is testimony to the breadth of Barrie Dobson's own interests, but even more striking are the continuities and shared assumptions across time, and between the dissident and the impeccably orthodox. Taking the reader from a rural anchor-hold to the London of Thomas More, and from the greenwood of Robin Hood to the central law courts, this collection builds into a richly satisfying exploration of the search for perfection in an imperfect world.

What was life really like in England in the later Middle Ages? This comprehensive introduction explores the full breadth of English life and society in the period 1200-1500. Opening with a survey of historiographical and demographic debates, the book then explores the central themes of later medieval society, including the social hierarchy, life in towns and the countryside, religious belief, and forms of individual and collective identity. Clustered around these themes a series of authoritative essays develop our understanding of other important social and cultural features of the period, including the experience of war, work, law and order, youth and old age, ritual, travel and transport, and the development of writing and reading. Written in an accessible and engaging manner by an international team of leading scholars, this book is indispensable both as an introduction for students and as a resource for specialists.

What was life really like in England in the later Middle Ages? This comprehensive introduction explores the full breadth of English life and society in the period 1200-1500. Opening with a survey of historiographical and demographic debates, the book then explores the central themes of later medieval society, including the social hierarchy, life in towns and the countryside, religious belief, and forms of individual and collective identity. Clustered around these themes a series of authoritative essays develop our understanding of other important social and cultural features of the period, including the experience of war, work, law and order, youth and old age, ritual, travel and transport, and the development of writing and reading. Written in an accessible and engaging manner by an international team of leading scholars, this book is indispensable both as an introduction for students and as a resource for specialists.

This collection of essays takes a fresh and invigorating look at late-medieval English society by focusing not on how people lived but on how they saw the world and their place in it. Alongside contributions on how different social groups saw themselves and were seen by others are more general discussions of key aspects of fifteenth-century life: attitudes to the rule of law, to the power of the ruler, to education, to honour and service, and finally to death.

Basing her research on a wide range of archival material, Dr. Horrox highlights a crucial feature of royal government in this period--the role of the king's servants. For the years immediately before and during Richard's reign, the book explores fully the practicalities of obedience, the reciprocal nature of service relationships, and the whole structure of late medieval "affinities" or client systems.

No English king has so divided opinion, both during his reign and in the centuries since, more than Richard III. He was loathed in his own time for the never-confirmed murder of his young nephews, the Princes in the Tower, and died fighting his own subjects on the battlefield. This is the vision of Richard we have inherited from Shakespeare. Equally, he inspired great loyalty in his followers. In this enlightening, even-handed study, Rosemary Horrox builds a complex picture of a king who by any standard failed as a monarch. He was killed after only two years on the throne, without an heir, and brought such a decisive end to the House of York that Henry Tudor was able to seize the throne, despite his extremely tenuous claim. Whether Richard was undone by his own fierce ambitions, or by the legacy of a Yorkist dynasty which was already profoundly dysfunctional, the end result was the same: Richard III destroyed the very dynasty that he had spent his life so passionately defending.

This series provides texts central to medieval studies courses and focuses upon the diverse cultural, social and political conditions that affected the functioning of all levels of medieval society. Translations are accompanied by introductory and explanatory material and each volume includes a comprehensive guide to the sources' interpretation, including discussion of critical linguistic problems and an assessment of recent research on the topics covered. From 1348 to 1350 Europe was devastated by an epidemic that left between a third and one half of the population dead. This source book traces, through contemporary writings, the calamitous impact of the Black Death in Europe, with a particular emphasis on its spread across England from 1348 to 1349. Rosemary Horrox surveys contemporary attempts to explain the plague, which was universally regarded as an expression of divine vengeance for the sins of humankind. Moralists all had their particular targets for criticism. However, this emphasis on divine chastisement did not preclude attempts to explain the plague in medical or scientific terms. Also, there was a widespread belief that human agencies had been involved, and such scapegoats as foreigners, the poor and Jews were all accused of poisoning wells. The final section of the book charts the social and psychological impact of the plague, and its effect on the late-medieval economy. -- .