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Preface
Writing can seem a solitary preoccupation at times; one finds oneself withdrawing from the world in order to speak to it. To those I have kept waiting or kept promising, let this book mark an end to all that—at least for a while. To those who have pitched in, my sincere gratitude and rest from your labors—at least for a while. My fascination with the fifteenth century in the British Isles began long ago in classes with Stavros Deligiorgis at the University of Iowa. That led to a doctoral thesis on Chaucerianism (“Remaking Chaucer: Influence and Interpretation in Late Medieval Literature 1994). Very little of that original thesis is reflected in what follows, but Deligiorgis’s influence has been continuous and profound. A dedication is small recompense indeed for so much time spent inspiring a very slow learner. Luckily for me, Stavros is an even more patient friend than mentor. I have tested the limits of other friends as well. Edward L. Risden read every word, untangled my prose as best he could, and asked a number of challenging questions. This is a much better book because of the pains Ed took with it. Tom Shippey chimed in with encouragement and insight right when I needed it, just as he