This volume investigates the administrative and ecclesiastical activities of Bishops Robert Burnell and William March to illuminate the intersection of church governance and royal service in late 13th-century England. Richard Huscroft, a specialist in medieval history, utilizes surviving episcopal documents to reconstruct the professional lives of these two influential figures. By providing full Latin texts alongside English descriptions, the author establishes a framework for understanding how these bishops balanced their religious duties with their roles in the government of King Edward I.

Scholars and historians regard this volume as a vital resource for understanding the administrative history of the medieval English Church. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the meticulous nature of the archival research presented by the author.