Editors: George W. Tuma, Professor Emeritus of English, and Dinah Hazell, Independent Scholar
Hosted by the English Department, San Francisco State University

THE WICKED AGE
MIDDLE ENGLISH COMPLAINT LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION

Historical Chronology 

This is not intended as a comprehensive chronology of the fourteenth century, but a framework of events relevant to the literary works included in the collection.

1272                Edward I (1272-1307)

1307                Edward II (1307-1327)

1315-17           Famine

1321-22           Famine

1327                Edward II deposed
                        Edward III (1327-1377)

c. 1330            Birth of John Wyclif (d. 1384)

1337-1453       Hundred Years War

1340                Birth of John of Gaunt (d. 1399)

1348-50           Plague onset

1349                Labor Ordinance

1351                Statute of Laborers

1352                Second Statute of Laborers

1361                Plague

1363                Sumptuary Laws

1368-69           Plague

1376                Good Parliament
                        Death of Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince

1377                Richard II (1377-1399)
                        Poll tax levied

1378-1417       Great Schism

1379                Graduated poll tax

1380                Third poll tax

1381                Rising of 1381 (“Peasants’ Revolt”)

1382                Wyclif’s doctrines condemned
                        Earthquake

c. 1385            English replaces French in schools

1388                Merciless Parliament

1399                Richard II deposed
                        Henry IV (1399-1413)

1400                Death of Richard II

1410                Lollard Disendowment Bill presented to Parliament

1413                Death of Henry IV
                        Henry V ascends to throne

1413-14           Oldcastle’s Rebellion (Lollard Revolt)