Medieval English Travel

<em>Medieval English Travel: A Critical Anthology </em>is a comprehensive volume that consists of three sections: concise introductory essays written by leading specialists; an anthology of important and less well-known texts grouped by destination; and a selection of supporting bibliographies organised by type of voyage. This anthology presents some texts for the first time in a modern edition. The first section consists of six companion essays on 'Places Real and Imagined' 'Maps the Organsiation of Space' 'Encounters' 'Languages and Codes' 'Trade and Exchange' and 'Politics and Diplomacy'. <p/>The organising principle for the anthology is one of expansive geography. Starting with local English narratives the section moves to France en-route destinations the Holy Land and the Far East. In total the anthology contains 26 texts or extracts including new editions of <em>Floris &</em> <em>Blancheflour </em> <em>The Stacions of Rome</em> <em>The Libelle of Englyshe Polycye</em> and <em>Chaucer's Squire's Tale</em> in addition to less familiar texts such as Osbern Bokenham's <em>Mappula Angliae</em> John Kay's <em>Siege of Rhodes 1480</em> and Richard Torkington's <em>Diaries of Englysshe Travell.</em> <p/>The supporting bibliographies in turn take a functional approach to travel and support the texts by elucidating contexts for travel and travellers in five areas: 'commercial voyages' 'diplomatic and military travel' 'maps rutters and charts' 'practical needs' and 'religious voyages'.<br>