The
Chronicles
of Jean Froissart (1337-1410) are universally acknowledged as the most vivid and faithful account of 14th century events and ideas.
This medieval collector of intelligence travelled widely from Scotland and Wales to France, Italy and the Netherlands, conversing with gentlemen of rank everywhere and developing a tremendous skill for persuading those about him to divulge their secrets. These
offer an unrivalled picture of the age of chivalry, drawn by a contemporary, with a verve that recalls Chaucer. Fresh, vivid, immediate and laced with a certain disrespect for the Establishment, they tell of acts of gallantry, tournaments, feasts and wars that make for fascinating reading, abetted by John Jolliffe's translation that renders Froissart into highly accessible modem English.