The first half of the Canterbury Roll depicts a vision of English and British "history". The mix of myth and actual historical facts illustrates the broader medieval view of the nature of the English and British past.
The Lancastrian Scribe did not invent the version of history presented on the Roll on his own. It is highly likely that he worked from a template, one based on popular chronicles of the time. The Roll even references the Polychronicon by Ranulf Higden and appears to rely on work by Geoffrey of Monmouth.
Drawing heavily on the history written in medieval chronicles, the Canterbury Roll incorporates pseudo-mythical traditions into its account of Britain and its kings.
