In this book, we hear the voice of the sixteenth century describing in great detail the state of England in that time. William Harrison, chaplain to Lord Cobham, wrote copiously on every aspect of English life: from clothing to coinage, rivers and cities, precedence and peasantry, food and houses, law, the navy, animals both wild and domestic, fairs and markets, precious stones and salt, and many other toopics, giving us an unparalleled insider's view of the period. He does fall victim to the rampant sixteenth century epidemic of tracing everything to the Romans, but you can skip those bits. An invaluable reference work.