The work consists of six parts giving a history of England and of the city of Bristol, a list of civic officers, and details of local customs and ceremonies.

[2] Scribed on vellum, separated by leaves of parchment, the book was reproduced in print in the 19th century for Lucy Toulmin Smith's edition, which omitted some content.

A short interlude at the end of the first part, describes Joseph of Arimathea's visit to Britain and an account of the founding of the abbey at Glastonbury in Somerset.

[11] Covering the period from the Norman conquest up until the death of John, King of England in 1216, this section is based heavily on Matthew Paris' Flores Historiarum.

Much of the subject matter is derived from London chronicles of the time with little local content until the early 15th century, when information on grain prices, William II Canynges, local reaction to the Cornish Rebellion of 1497, ship losses, and bad weather started to appear alongside accounts of executions and the Wars of the Roses.