The object of this dissertation is to examine how historians view and interpret primary sources and is presented in chapter form. As Richard III is being used as a model, chapter one will present a brief biography of Richard's life, this may also offer clues as to what may have had an influence on the chroniclers of the period. In chapter two the background of the primary sources will be examined, this will also look at the writers of the sources, as well as examining the writers, this chapter will also include an investigation as to what motivated them to put pen to paper, the question of what exactly is a primary source?, will also be discussed.

The next chapter will look at the two writers who are the subject of this dissertation, it will examine their aims and objectives, and try to find out what has made them arrive at such diverse conclusions, if they are as diverse as they first appear!. In chapter four how the respective historians view and regard the writers of the primary sources will be looked at, and how they have they have presented the source writers to their readers, the question of whether they have tried to influence as to how their readers will view the reliability of the source writers.

The penultimate chapter, chapter five, will provide the main body of the work. This chapter will involve an
in-depth examination of how the two writers have actually interpreted their sources. Finally, in chapter five all the various strings will be drawn together to form a conclusion.