This book eloquently combines literary merit and human interest with meaningful historical evidence.
Compiled by Francis Godwin James, this volume introduces the main currents of medieval English life through historical and literary sources from “Bede’s Account of the Council of Whitby and of Cademon” (731) to “Froissart’s Account of the Peasants’ Revolt” (1410). The Pageant of Medieval England covers many varying topics, including Anglo-Saxon England, Medieval monastic life, the life of the feudal aristocracy, popular medieval religion, and the disintegration of medieval society.
Neither a collection of documents nor one of modern interpretive essays, these selections provide a basic understanding of the values of the medieval world, with each portion conveying a distinct impression. Introductory and explanatory remarks set the stage for each selection.