A previously unpublished fifteenth-century book of knowledge, written in verse in question-and-answer from and enclosed in a framing adventure story. The English version is taken from an Old French source. The work covers a very wide range of topics and is of interest as an index of popular beliefs in the Middle Ages.

This parallel-text edition, which includes an Introduction, is based on the only two complete manuscripts of the Middle English text, collated with all other known English manuscripts of the poem.

Volume II (EETS OS 312) will contain the remainder of the text, explanatory notes, and a glossary. It is due to appear in 1999.