Editors of this series have always taken pride in bringing to the attention of its readers recent research into the history of the fifteenth century in Britain and Europe, and in offering historians at the start of their careers the opportunity to see their work in print for perhaps the first time. The present volume contains articles by seven such scholars who have just completed their doctoral theses or are currently adding some finishing touches to them. Most of the seven examine subjects that have rarely been fully explored in the nearly fifty years since this series began. Although the Church takes centre stage here, contributors studying its personnel, whether in monastic houses or secular cathedrals and parishes, offer differing perspectives by focusing on discrete aspects of the activities and roles of their subjects. Historical writing produced in monasteries has not been previously discussed in these volumes, and nor have the statutes governing ecclesiastical liberties which were passed in the English parliament: Claire Macht and Daniel Gosling fill the gaps. The paths taken by those embarking on careers as priests, in particular those seeking ordination in the diocese of Salisbury, are analysed by Des Atkinson; while Samuel Lane's study of the political standing of a much criticised bishop from the same diocese, William Ayscough, contributes to debates surrounding Ayscough's contemporaries as highlighted in past volumes. Ireland and the Irish in the late Middle Ages have received scant attention in our pages previously, with a few notable exceptions. The balance is redressed here with Simon Egan's examination of the relationships between leaders of the Gaelicspeaking Irish and the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, and Brian Coleman's look at the social standing of the elites in those parts of Ireland controlled by the English. London, by contrast, has hardly been neglected in past volumes, with their essays about the political dealings of its citizens, its Companies, merchants, bankers, lawcourts and schooling. Yet here we have a fresh approach to life in the capital, with Zosia Edwards’ examination of cases of identity theft and how the civic authorities dealt with them.

Two of the contributors here are historians well established in their fields: David Lepine, a scholar of secular cathedrals (that of Exeter in particular), has turned his attention to the life of a remarkable vicar at Dartford in Kent and the testamentary wishes of his parishioners;