The papers, originally delivered at the ninth colloquium of fifteenth-century historians, explore the major themes of political and constitutional history on which McFarlane wrote. Three contributions - G.L. Harriss, 'The Dimensions of Politics'; Christine Carpenter, 'Political and Constitutional History: Before and After McFarlane'; and A.J. Gross, 'K.B. McFarlane and the Determinists: the Fallibilities of the English Kings, c. 1399-c. 1520' - look at the wider interpretative framework and reassess McFarlane's influential perception of the character of fifteenth-century politics. Others take up and explore particular themes upon which his writings touched: Anthony Tuck discusses Henry IV's foreign policy; I.M.W. Harvey considers whether there was popular politics in fifteenth-century England; Simon Payling traces the development of marriage contracts; Simon Walker examines the reasons why some kings came to be celebrated as popular saints; and Linda Clark examines the role of magnates and their affinities in the parliaments of 1386-1421.