Books of advice for princes in fifteenth century England with particular reference to the period 1450-1485

The Introduction addresses the difficulty of providing a precise definition of the genre of books of advice to princes. Particular books have been selected because they were owned by or produced for an English prince during the period extending from the early fifteenth century to 1485. The first four chapters are devoted to a consideration of authoritative works which were translated from Latin or French and to treatises which were specially composed for a prince. The anonymous Tractatus de Regimine Principuin, Ashby's Active Policy of a Prince and the Fastolf/Worcester production, the Boke of Noblesse are largely original works. Their contents are subjected to a more extended analysis and the view of good princely government they contain is discussed. Chapter 5 starts with an account of the political writings of Sir John Fortescue, particular attention is paid to the De Laudibus Legum Anglie and the Governance of England as it is claimed that they belong to the genre of books of advice. An attempt is then made from a close examination of the internal evidence to assign a date to the Governance and extend understanding of the circumstances of its composition. The final chapter reviews contemporary documents for indications that the ideas and assumptions of the rulers and their followers were influenced by the precepts contained in books of advice. It is suggested that princely regard for these works can be demonstrated and that their impact must he seen in the wider context of the ethical values to which contemporary society subscribed. There are, however, indications in some popular manifestos, parliamentary petitions and the works of Fortescue of a growing unease at placing undue reliance on the personal qualities of a prince. The need to establish constitutional devices which would negate the weakness of a particular king was increasingly recognised

Creating and curating an archive: Bury St Edmunds and its Anglo-Saxon past

This contribution explores the mechanisms by which the Benedictine foundation of Bury St Edmunds sought to legitimise and preserve their spurious pre-Conquest privileges and holdings throughout the Middle Ages. The archive is extraordinary in terms of the large number of surviving registers and cartularies which contain copies of Anglo-Saxon charters, many of which are wholly or partly in Old English. The essay charts the changing use to which these ancient documents were put in response to threats to the foundation's continued enjoyment of its liberties. The focus throughout the essay is to demonstrate how pragmatic considerations at every stage affects the development of the archive and the ways in which these linguistically challenging texts were presented, re-presented, and represented during the Abbey’s history

How We Can Improve the Quality of Care for Patients Requesting Medical Assistance in Dying: A Qualitative Study of Health Care Providers

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How can we improve the experiences of patients and families who request medical assistance in dying? A multi-centre qualitative study

Background Medical assistance in dying has been available in Canada for 5 years, but it is unclear which practices contribute to high-quality care. We aimed to describe patient and family perspectives of quality of care for medical assistance in dying. Methods We conducted a multi-centre, qualitative descriptive study, including face to face or virtual one-hour interviews using a semi-structured guide. We interviewed 21 english-speaking patients found eligible for medical assistance in dying and 17 family members at four sites in Canada, between November 2017 and September 2019. Interviews were de-identified, and analyzed in an iterative process of thematic analysis. Results We identified 18 themes. Sixteen themes were related to a single step in the process of medical assistance in dying (MAID requests, MAID assessments, preparation for dying, death and aftercare). Two themes (coordination and patient-centred care) were theme consistently across multiple steps in the MAID process. From these themes, alongside participant recommendations, we developed clinical practice suggestions which can guide care. Conclusions Patients and families identified process-specific successes and challenges during the process of medical assistance in dying. Most importantly, they identified the need for care coordination and a patient-centred approach as central to high-quality care. More research is required to characterize which aspects of care most influence patient and family satisfaction.Medicine, Faculty ofNon UBCFamily Practice, Department ofReviewedFacultyResearcherOthe