From author's preface:
I have collected and illustrated some of the more important notes dealing with the Development of European Defensive Armour and Weapons. They are simply intended as a handbook for use in studying history and a short guide to the somewhat intricate technicalities of the Craft of the Armourer.

From author's preface to the present edition:
In some measure to supply a deficiency which common history cannot obviate, to make the period of the Crusades interesting, by giving to it the tangible thread of authentic narrative, these biographies of the " Heroines" who inspired the troubadour, animated the warrior, or in person " took the cross," have, with much care and labor, been selected and compiled.

From editor's preface to the present edition:
In the "Templar in Cyprus" Werner ascribes to a Carmelite body, calling themselves "Sons of the Valley", the downfall of the Templar fraternity, designed with a view to the establishment of a more extended system of a mysticism (which he calls the "Valley of Peace"); to make way for which the poem hints that the Templars are to be destroyed. Werner was a Freemason, and his religious notions, of which he makes "SIR ROBERT" the mouthpiece, where at the date of his writing this poem, of a theosophic order. In fact he aimed, at that time at establishing a New Religion of his own invention; though ultimately he became a Priest, and preached in Roman Catholic pulpits.

"Chroniques de France, d'Engleterre et des paīs voisins" begins in 1327 and ends in 1400. It is a firsthand narrative covering the Hundred Years' War from including events in Flanders, Spain, Portugal, France, and England. Jean Froissart (born c.1333, Valenciennes, Brabant — died c.1404, Chimay, Hainaut) was a French court historian and poet.
The text of Froissart's Chronicles is preserved in more than 100 manuscripts, illustrated by a variety of miniaturists. One of the first known printed edition was published under the title "Croniques de France, dAngleterre, dEscoce, dEspaigne, de Bretaigne, de Gascongne, de Flandres et lieux circunvoisins" 4 tomes, Paris, Antoine Verard, [ca. 1498].
This Chronicles were frequently reprinted in the early centuries in both French and, after Bourchier's translation of 1523-25, in English. But almost all those editions were so-called "Epitomes" - condensed version of the original text, along with such aids as indices and marginal dates. Full text of this chronicle containing almost three million words was translated from French into modern English with variations and additions and published in twelve volumes by Thomas Johnes (1748-1816) in 1803-1810. This is the most comprehensive edition of Froissart's Chronicles in English until now.
As an addition to this extraordinary work you can read "Memoirs of the life of Sir John Froissart" by Thomas Johnes.

From the preface to the present edition:
"His work is called Chronicles ; but we must not, however, consider this title in the sense commonly attached to it, which merely, conveys the idea of simple annals. The chronicles of Monstrelet are real history, wherein, notwithstanding its imperfections and omissions, are .found all the characteristics of historical writing. He traces events to their source, develops the causes, and traces them with the minutest details; and what renders these chronicles infinitely precious is, his never-failing attention to report all edicts, declarations, summonses, letters, negotiations, and treaties, as justificatory proofs of the truth of the facts he relates."

From the preface to the present edition:
"The vulgar notion that the Templars were as wicked as they were fearless and brave, has not yet been entirely exploded ; but it is hoped that the copious account of the proceedings against the order in this country, given in the ninth and tenth chapters of the ensuing volume, will tend to dispel many unfounded prejudices still entertained against the fraternity, and excite emotions of admiration for their constancy and courage, and of pity for their unmerited and cruel fate."

From the preface to the present edition:
"It is intended to give a history of the city of Jerusalem from about the year 30 to the present time. This period includes the siege and capture by Titus, the last revolts of the Jews, the Christian occupation of three hundred years, the Mohammedan conquest, the building by the Mohammedans of the Dome of the Rock, the Crusades, the Christian kingdom, the reconquest of the city, and a long period of Mohammedan occupation, during which no event has happened except the yearly flocking of pilgrims to the Church of the Sepulchre, and an occasional quarrel among the monks."

First edition: London (1930) , 8vo, 306 pp, 6 black and white plates, map endpapers, bookplate of Sir John Glubb.
From Author's foreword: "This unrelenting enemy of Christianity, who waded unmoved through the blood of thousands of the soldiers of the Cross, is shown by the testimony of his bitterest foes to have been the most consistent supporter of the ideals advanced by the Founder of Christianity..."

As stated in the editors Comments this is: "Extracts from an Arabian manuscripts entitled "ESSULOUK LI MARISET IL DUVEL IL MULOUK" ; that is to say, " The Road to Knowledge of the Reigns of Kings." It is the History of the Sultans Curdes-Eioubites, of the race of Saladin, and of the two Dynasties that have reigned in Egypt ; the one of Turkish slaves, known under the name of MAMELUKES-BAHARITES, the other of Circassians. This Work was composed by MAKRISI, who was born en the 769th year of the Hegira, or one hundred and twenty years after the expedition St. Louis." This chronicle was published as an Appendix to the Lord Joinville's "Memoirs of Louis IX, King of France."

"Flores Historiarum." Translated by Giles, J.A. 
From the editor's preface:"The original work of Roger de Wendover has been lately edited by the Rev. II. O. Coxe, of the Bodleian library, for the English Historical Society, and from the text of that edition the present translation has been made. I have done my best to give the English reader, for the first time, a faithful idea of the Latin original..." This chronicle contains an abridged history of the world from the creation to the year 1235. Roger of Wendover was a monk St. Alban's abbey, where he died on the 6th of May, in the year 1237.

"Flores Historiarum per Matthaeum Westmonasteriensem collecti, praecipue de Rebus Britannicis ab Exordio Mundi vsque ad Annum Domini 1307." Translated C. D. Yonge, B.A. 
The first edition published by archbishop of Canterbury, Matthew Parker in 1567. This chronicle extending from the Creation to 1235 - was initially composed by Roger of Wendover, a monk at St.Albans Abbey. Roger's work was rewritten, embellished and extended by another writers. One of them - Matthew of Westminster who continued this history to 1307.

"Livre des saintes paroles et des bons faiz de nostre saint roy Looÿs" (as author himself called it). John, Lord of Joinville, hereditary Seneschal of Champagne, was born between 1220 and 1228 A.D. and was only twenty-three when he joined King Louis's Crusade. In 1282 and 1297 he gave evidence to the enquiry into Louis IX's sanctity and on request of Joan of Navarre he produced an account of the king's holy words and good deeds. It was completed by 1309 and dedicated to the future king Louis X, as Joan of Navarre was by this time no longer alive. The seneschal died two years later, on 24 December 1317, at the age of at least 92. The manuscript that was given to Louis X has not survived. The oldest copy was found in the inventory of 1373 of the library of Charles V of France and now located in the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The present translation as indicated in the preface: "is by Colonel Johnes of Hafod, and is given entire, with all the notes which are really illustrative of the author."

"Vita Ælfredi regis Angul Saxonum". Edited by Dr. J.A. Giles. Originally composed in Latin, possibly sometime around 888 A.D. by Asser who is said to have been Bishop of St. David's, of Sherborne or of Exeter, in the time of king Alfred. This chronicle also known as "The Life of Alfred the Great" and describes the events of English history from A..D. 849 TO A.D. 887.
From editor's preface to the present edition:
Though most of the public events recorded in this book are to be found in the Saxon Chronicle, yet for many interesting circumstances in the life of our great Saxon king we are indebted to this biography alone. As the work has been edited by Petrie, so has it been here translated, and the reader, taking it upon its own merits, will find therein much of interest about our glorious king, concerning whom he will lament with me that all we know is so little, so unsatisfying.

"Historia ecclesiastica gentis anglorum" Translated by John Stevens. Edited by Dr. J.A. Giles. Describes the events of the history of England from 55.B.C. to 731 A.D.
Venerable Bede was born in 672 in Northumbria, near Jarrow. When he was 7, he was brought to the Benedictine abbey at nearby Wearmouth where he became a monk, scholar, and theologian. In 735 Venerable Bede died at monastery at Jarrow. His most famous work "The Ecclesiastical History of the English People" was finished in 731.
From editor's preface to the present edition: "The first version in modern English was that of Stapleton, bearing the following title, " The History of the Church of Englande, compiled by Venerable Bede, Englishman, translated out of Latin into English by Thomas Stapleton, Student in Divinity. Antw. by John Laet, 1565." ...The work was again translated into English by John Stevens, Lond. 8vo. 1723; and a third time (with some omissions) by W. Hurst, Lond. 8vo. 1814, and apparently with the same object which influenced Stevenson. The translation, attached to the text in this volume, is that of Stevens, but corrected without scruple, wherever it was necessary."

From editor's preface to the present edition:
"Of the author we know no more than he has told us in his work. "Malmesbury calls him 'noble and magnificent' with reference to his rank; for he was descended from king Alfred...I have translated this short chronicle from the original text as well as I was able, and as closely as could be to the author's text.

"Historia Regum Britanniae". Translated by Aaron Thompson with revisions by J. A. Giles. Describes events of world and English history from time of Trojan Aeneas to around 7th century A.D. Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1100 c. 1155) lived in the early part of the twelfth century, and in the year 1182 was raised to the bishopric of St. Asaph. His "History of the Kings of Britain" dedicated to Robert, duke of Gloucester, who died in 1147. An English translation of British History was first published by Aaron Thompson, of Queen's College, Oxford, [8vo. Lond.1718,] and lately revised and reprinted by the editor of this volume. [8vo. Lond. 1842.]"

"De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae". Translated and edited by J.A. Giles. Saint Gildas was born in 494 or 516 and died around 570. His work is a sermon in three parts condemning the acts of his contemporaries, both secular and religiousis and is almost the only surviving source written by a near-contemporary of British events in the fifth and sixth centuries. From editor's preface to the present edition:
"Of Gildas, the supposed author of the third work contained in this volume, little or nothing is known. Mr. Stevenson, in the preface to his edition of the original Latin, lately published by the English Historical Society, says: "We are unable to speak with certainty as to his parentage, his country, or even his name, the period when he lived, or the works of which he was the author." The title of the old translation is as follows: "The Epistle of Gildas the, most ancient British Author : who flourished in the yeere of our Lord, 546. And who by his great erudition, sanctitie, and wisdome, acquired the name of Sapiens. Faithfully translated out of the originall Latine." London, 12mo. 1638. Of the present translation, the first or historic half is entirely new; in the rest, consisting almost entirely of texts from Scripture, the translator has thought it quite sufficient to follow the old translation of Habington correcting whatever error he could detect, and in some degree relieving the quaint and obsolete character of the language."

"Chronica". Translated from the latin with notes and illustrations by Henry T. Riley , ESQ. Comprising the history of England and of other countries of Europe: from A.D. 732 to A.D. 1201. Nothing is known of this chronicler before the year 1174. After the King Henry's death in 1189, Roger travelled with Richard’s crusade to the Holy Land. His work breaks off in 1201 and probably he died in that year.

From editor's preface to the present edition:
These volumes contain the memorials of the Queens of England from the Norman Conquest to the death of Queen Adelaide, in 1849. The Memoirs are presented in chronologic order; and pains have been taken to render them truthful and life-like portraitures. The sayings, doings, manners of the royal ladies under notice, so far as reliable authorities have preserved them, have been impartially and faithfully chronicled; and those of their letters that were available, have been introduced.

"Chronicon de rebus gestis Ricardi Primi". Translated and edited by Dr. J.A. Giles. This chronicle is an account of events in England and the Holy Land during the Third Crusade. Richard of Devizes, English chronicler of late 12th century, a monk of St Swithin's house at Winchester. From editor's preface to the present edition:
" The original Latin was first published by the English Historiml Society, under the editorial care of the Rev. Joseph Stevenson. From that edition, a translation was made by the Rev. Dr. Giles, in 1841, which is here reprinted, with occassional emendations by himself."

"Gerusalemme Liberata". Translated by Edward Fairfax. Torquato Tasso (March 11, 1544 - April 25, 1595) - Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem (Jerusalem Delivered) (1580), in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem. Published 1581 in Parma, Italy. Translated by Edward Fairfax (1560-1635); translation first published in London, 1600. Original title of Fairfax translation: "Godfrey of Bulloigne or The Recoverie of Jerusalem."

"Itinerarium Peregrinorum et Gesta Regis Ricardi." Translated by a classical scholar and a gentleman well read in Mediæval history. Geoffrey de Vinsauf - the English monk, chronicler and poet of thirteen century. From editor's preface to the present edition: "It is the only Chronicle written by an eye-witness, of those furious assaults which the army of Saladin made upon the Christians, and of the firmness with which the lion-hearted Richard withstood and repulsed them...The original of this interesting record was printed for the first time complete in the second volume of Gale and Fell's Collection in 1687...The present translation is the conjoint labour of a classical scholar and a gentleman well read in Mediæval history."

"Historia Brittonum". Translated by W. Gunn. Edited by Dr. J.A. Giles. Describes the events of the history of England starting from Adam to 642 A.D. Nennius is traditionally stated as having lived in the early 9th century.
From editor's preface to the present edition:
"THE History of the Britons, which occupies the fourth place in this volume is generally ascribed to Nennius, but so little is known about the author, that we have hardly any information handed down to us respecting him except this mention of his name… The present translation is substantially that of the Rev. W. Gunn, published with the Latin original in 1819, under the following title: "The' Historia Britonum,' commonly attributed to Nennius; from a manuscript lately discovered in the library of the Vatican Palace at Rome: edited in the tenth century, by Mark the Hermit ; with an English version, facsimile of the original, notes and illustrations." The kindness of that gentleman has enabled the present editor to reprint the whole, with only a few corrections of slight errata, which inadvertency alone had occasioned, together with the two prologues and several pages of genealogies, which did not occur in the MS used by that gentleman."