Medieval English Political Writings

Poems and historical documents relevant to understanding the political climate of fourteenth- and fifteenth-century Britain, many of which have been out of print for a century. This new edition, geared towards classroom use with its notes, introductions, gloss, and glossary, opens up the fascinating study of late medieval English history.

This selection of (mostly) anonymous texts reflects a variety of English political concerns from the turbulent fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Five sections introduce important themes: “Poems of Political Prophecy,” which foretell the imminent demise of England, include prophecies attributed to Merlin and Thomas of Erceldoune. “Anticlerical Poems and Documents,” which records complaints against corrupt clergy, focuses on the controversial Lollard movement. “Literature of Richard II’s Reign and the Peasants’ Revolt” documents the events of the 1381 rising, which began with protests against a royal poll tax; highlights include letters by the rebel priest John Ball. “Poems against Simony and the Abuse of Money,” which condemns greedy actors in the Church and courts of law, contains the “Sir Penny” lyrics. Finally, “Plowman Writings,” inspired by Langland’s Piers Plowman, idealize the poor hard-working farmer as a symbol of spiritual truth in the face of oppressive overlords. Discontent with the uneven distribution of wealth suffuses these Middle English works—an issue still relevant today.