Introduction

This table provides a short guide to the accounts of, and allusions to, Edward II's reign that were written in England during the period 1305–1697. (Texts written in France that exerted demonstrable influence on English texts are also included; as John Taylor has persuasively argued with reference to the fourteenth century in particular, ‘In a century when there was still a French dimension to English history, and when England was militarily and culturally involved with France, any account of English historical literature must take account also of narratives originating outside England itself’.) It details each account's textual history; its language and any translations; its relationship to other accounts, in terms of sources and texts that used it as a source; and its importance to the development of Edward II's reputation.

Texts are listed in alphabetical order of author; anonymous works are listed under ‘Anon’, in alphabetical order of title. Each text is listed under the title and author by which it is generally known to historians and literary critics; any alternative titles and authors are listed under ‘Textual history’. In the index, texts with known authors are listed under the author in the ‘Author’ column of this table; anonymous texts are listed under the title in the ‘Title’ column of this table.

References to numbers of early modern printed editions indicate only those printed during the period 1305–1697.