her _Medieval People_ and I have therefore done what I could to replace
them with a reconstructed version of her first draft. The reconstruction
had to be done from somewhat disjointed notes and cannot therefore be
word-faithful. The readers must therefore bear in mind that the first
two and the last page of the essay are mere approximations to what
Eileen Power in fact wrote.

_April_, 1963 M.M. POSTAN _Peterhouse, Cambridge_.



_Contents_


I THE PRECURSORS

II BODO, A FRANKISH PEASANT IN THE TIME OF
CHARLEMAGNE

III MARCO POLO, A VENETIAN TRAVELLER OF THE
THIRTEENTH CENTURY

IV MADAME EGLENTYNE, CHAUCER'S PRIORESS IN
REAL LIFE

V THE MÉNAGIER'S WIFE, A PARIS HOUSEWIFE
IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY

VI THOMAS BETSON, A MERCHANT OF THE STAPLE
IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY