Le Bone Florence of Rome

Le Bone Florence of Romeis a Middle English tail-rhyme romance whose unique copy dates to the late fifteenth century. An analogue of ChaucersMan of Laws Tale, itfollows the adventures of a heroine who survives multiple exiles, sexual harassments and false accusations. At the same time, it explores such issues as the abuse of power, the stakes of global conflict, womens place in society and their control over their destiny, all of which are treated in significantly different ways from the Constance story and other medieval tales of calumniated women. This fresh edition is accompanied by a complete line-by-line translation, which makes this textaccessible to readers at all levels. Its introduction offers a comprehensive analysis of the themes, ideologies and literary relationships of the romance, together with new insights into its local connections and a detailed description of its manuscript context.