This project began as a graduate seminar on the editing of pre-modern texts at the University of Western Ontario in the summer of 2017. The students in the class, who are listed below, were Masters and PhD candidates in the universityâs Department of English and Writing Studies. I chose to build the class around Gerard Leghâs Accedens of Armory for the simple reason that I owned a copy of the first edition. I had been working on fifteenth-century heraldic treatises for some time, and Leghâs text, though largely unfamiliar to me when I committed to teaching the class, seemed like an ideal work for students to explore the process of academic editing. As it turned out, this was an excellent choice. Some of the considerations were practical: Legh works primarily with English sources, so a group of graduate students, few of whom focused their own studies on pre-modern literature, could work with his sources. The evolution of his text between 1562 and 1612 also provided many excellent examples through which to discuss the importance of collation and the organic nature of an early modern text. But Leghâs text was also just a lot of fun. As we worked that summer, and as Iâve continued to work with the Accedens for these eight years, Iâve learned a lot that I never expected to (e.g. the introduction of Guy of Warwick as one of the Nine Wortihies, the process of repairing St Paulâs Cathedral after it was struck by lightning, the invention of the arms of William Cecil). Iâve also come to appreciate the role that heraldry played in Gerard Leghâs life, both as a means of asserting the gentility of his associates and as a way of shaping and strengthening his friendships. Finally, I have a better appreciation of the survival of medieval learning into the early modern period, as Legh worked with original manuscript material and with medieval texts that were brought into print throughout the sixteenth century.
Any editing project incurs a large number of debts, but this one owes a great deal to that 2017 class of ENGÂ 9148. I want to thank them all for their conversations and work as we were all introduced to Legh and his book together. The class produced the initial transcriptions of the Accedens and began the process of collation. We also began the process of producing what has turned out to be a prodigious number of explanatory notes. It is with gratitude that I recognize their work here:
Kristine Abramoff
Colin Ennis
Timothy Golub
Ian Hynd
Luke Jennings
Merium Khan
Rowan Morris
Vickery Pentz
Tatiana Savushkina
Curtis Simpson
Lacey Texmo
Gabriele Vita
Emily Walter
I would also like to thank the various Research Assistants who have contributed to the project. Caroline Deizyn, Cam Fediuk, Liam Rockall and David Mitterauer have proofread notes and assisted with the glossary. Any errors that remain are, of course, my own.
Many institutions have allowed me access to their collections, and I want to specifically thank the British Library, the Bodleian Library, the College of Arms, the Worshipful Company of Drapers, and the library of the University of California (Los Angeles). For permission to reproduce images of items in their collections, I want to thank the British Museum, the Getty Research Institute, Royal Library of Belgium, the Library of Congress and the Guild Church of St Dunstan-in-the-West.
Finally, I want to thank my colleagues at the University of Western Ontario. Jane Toswell and Mario Longtin, as always, have been full of useful conversation and encouragement. Anne Schuurman offered valuable insight into Leghâs discussion of usury, and James Purkis unwittingly drew to my attention just how odd the arms of Richard Goodricke are. Margaret McGlynn has put up with this project for longer than is reasonable and her willingness to talk through problems with the text has been most appreciated. She is also a storehouse of information on the Inns of Court.
The project has been supported with funds from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada and their support is greatly appreciated. Publication has been supported with a Research Mobilization, Creation & Innovation Grant from the University of Western Ontario and I want to thank Research Western for their support.