'The documents _ provide illustrations of the practical difficulties of life in the north of England during the fourteenth century.' Each section has a short historical introduction and each petition, in French, is preceded by acalendar of its contents and followed by its approximate date and an editorial comment on its relation to other known material. Areas covered include trade, defence, compensation, war damage, franchises, legal petitions, financial petitions, clerical petitions etc.. See volume 176.