The Fifteenth Century XI: Concerns and Preoccupations

The concerns of people over differing levels of fifteenth-century society are the focus of the essays contained in this volume. How would a queen in exile wish to be depicted on a medal, or a newly-crowned king deal with recalcitrant London merchants when their interests clashed with his policies? The logistics of an invasion of France present a challenge to the military advisers of another king, and by bringing fresh insights to the text a translator of Vegetius’ De re militari addresses the fears of rulers and ruled in a time of civil unrest. English supplicants to the papal curia require expert advice to navigate bureaucratic procedures at Rome; while Welsh students encounter other obstacles as they embark on careers in Church and state. Manuscript and printed versions of parliamentary statutes point to differing preferences on the part of government clerks and practising lawyers in their choice of language; while the papers of a professional estate manager from Norfolk reveal antiquarian interests and an affinity with William of Worcester.

Contributors: Christopher Allmand, Peter Clarke, Rhun Emlyn, Samantha Harper, Frederick Hepburn, John Milner, Dean Rowland, Anthony Smith