Hello everyone and welcome to the History of England, episode 178, the 15th century

colour, part 1.

We've had lots of politics have we not, and I suspect that it's time to take a rest

of a breather.

Edward IV is on his throne and looking pretty secure now and ready to let the partying

roll.

Henry Tudor is an exile and a diplomatic pawn for the big boys.

So let's sneak away from the walls of the roses for a moment and look at the wider picture.

What was happening in the English economy between the Black Death and the start of the

16th century?

You'll remember all the excitement we had about the Black Death and all of that and the

impact it might or might not have had on the English society.

Well, let's hear about how that's all going and what it's like getting on in the middle

ages.

And I think what we'll do is talk about towns, how they fed economically and all that.

And then I bet about what it was like to live there.

And then next week the same do's to the countryside and then draw some slightly pompous,

overblown conclusions.

What do you think?

OK then, I'll take silence to mean enthusiastic assent and plow on.

Now, just to recap, super briefly, people died like flies in the Black Death.

Now, clearly I could be accused of being just a little bit high level in the statement

...