Preface

PREFACE

Some five or six years ago a plan was formed to illustrate a dozen or more different aspects of 14th century history by the publication of work done by graduates of the History School of Manchester University The war has seriously hindered the realization of the project, and this volume represents merely an instalment of it Apart from my own contributions, each of the studies here presented is based on a thesis prepared for the History Schools of 1911 and 1912 Their separate publication in advance of the rest may plead the justification of a certain unity of subject They deal with various economic aspects of the reign of Edward III, and the writers, with one exception, were members not only in Professor Tout's honours class in the "Early part of the reign of Edward III," but of my honours class in Economic History It has thus fallen to my lot to advise their postgraduate researches and to edit this volume

The two articles on "The Social Evolution of Mediæval London" and "London Tradesmen and their Creditors," though falling somewhat outside the scope of the book as indicated by its title, have been included in the hope that they might supply a broader introduction to some of the special problems dealt with in the subsequent studies As will perhaps be apparent to the critical reader, they were both originally prepared for oral delivery-the former as one of the Warburton Lectures of 1911 and the latter as a paper read before the Manchester University Historical Society in the following session

Of the remaining articles, that on "The Estate of Merchants" was the last to be written, and ain ed, along with the Introduction, at providing a tenta ive survey of the reign as a whole

The full treatment of the Staple has been fa ilitated by the thesis of Mr L H Gilbert, B A (low in France) on the History of the Staple, 1313-1 53, which it has not been found practicable to include in this volume It should also be added that Mr Sargeant's article on "The Wine Trade with Gascony" had to be completed amidst the distractions of barrack-life in Ireland, and since the author's removal to France, has been deprive of the full advantage of the author's revision

I desire to express my deep obligation to my colleagues, Professors Tout and Tait, whose knowledge of fourteenth century history is far greater than my own, and whose numerous suggestions and corrections I have been grateful to adopt

In the somewhat laborious task of preparing the book for the press, I have been much assisted by my wife, and by Mr H M McKechnie, the Secretary of the University Press, to whose experienced judgment and untiring care I owe more than I can adequately acknowledge

George Unw N

The University,
Manchester,
January 11th, 1918,