The Fine Rolls were the earliest rolls kept by the English royal chancery. Recording offers of money to the king for all manner of concessions and favours, they are central to the study of political, governmental, legal, social and economic history. The reign of Henry III [1216-1272] is a particularly rich period for surviving documents; there are some 56 rolls preserved in the National Archives, one for each regnal year. However, despite the light they shed on politics, government, and society, they have never previously been properly edited or published, and these fully-indexed volumes - covering the period up to 1248 - will therefore be widely welcomed. The Latin rolls are presented in English translation, with all identifiable place-names modernised, although the original forms are preserved; and each volume includes full person, place and subject indexes.

This volume covers in some detail thefirst phase of Henry's personal rule, which began in 1234. The rolls provide key evidence both for the great reform of the realm following Henry's marriage to Eleanor of Provence in 1236 and for the concessions by which Henry encouraged participation in his Poitevin campaign of 1242. In two years when fine rolls are missing the volume prints originalia rolls [copies of the fine rolls sent to the Exchequer] in their place, thus enabling detailed examinationof the processes by which the king raised his revenue.