Plague, piracy and payments to members of Parliament! The town of Bristol, England in the Sixteenth Century was a fascinating place, and John Latimer's book is a comprehensive guide to this period, describing royal visits from both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, as well as detailing contemporary pastimes such as wrestling competitions, bear-baiting and traveling players. He explains the sanitary arrangements, dreadful postal service and the difficulty of moving from the status of town to "City" among many other interesting topics. It is made up of papers originally published in the Bristol Mercury in 1902-3 and is read by Bristolian, Elaine Webb. Summary by Cori Samuel and Elaine Webb