The idea for this book was first conceived during many lively discussions at the International Medieval Congress at Leeds over the years and a proposal was sub¬mitted to Boydell and Brewer in the late summer of 2019. When we agreed a submission date no-one had any idea of how all our lives would be changed later that year and as we passed into 2020. As with so many publications this book grew to life in the challenging circumstances of a pandemic, details of which do not need to be repeated here. However, this makes it more than ever necessary for us to express our sincere thanks to our authors, who have come through lockdowns, lack of access to their offices, to libraries and archives, and through illness, caring for others, and volunteering in emergency foodbanks. All our contributors will have individuals and institutions they would like to acknowledge. Our thanks go out to them for sticking with us and producing their chapters and answering our queries with remarkable good cheer. We are grateful as well to Caroline Palmer and all her colleagues at Boydell and Brewer for their utmost patience and allowing us extra time to submit the manuscript. Any academic endeavour is dependent on domestic goodwill and encouragement: Kimm would like to thank Brian and Max, and Janet, as ever, thanks William.