Whenever historical events are recounted one of the perpetual problems that plagues historians is finding sources. With wars and battle it is actually far easier, as logistics, casualties and status reports must be made to inform the leadership. When records are made of individuals throughout history, and across many cultures, those remembered are likely to have had the ability to record their experiences, had some form of monument made in their honor, or the money to pay for a scholar(s) who could write. When it comes to lives of everyday people, especially those of lower social status, it is far harder to ascertain information about them.

Therefore it is crucial for historians to not solely rely on written accounts. That is where oral traditions and statistical records come into play. In places where a large portion of the population could not write, it was essential for those who could write or memorize events to pass down their knowledge to future generations, both for financial and cultural purposes. For instance, in the book Myne Owne Ground there is a decent portion dedicated to a man named Anthony Johnson, not a poor peasant by any stretch but nonetheless a man history might have forgotten. While many details of his personal life and inner thoughts are lost to us, the court records of financial transactions and civil disputes allots us some information into his life. In cases like this another important source of data is the local church records, as they give us another window into the lives of the less notable; crucial clues as to when a family may have be founded, arrived, lived, left, or died off.

As for the oral traditions, the town of Artigat tells to this the day the story of Pansette, Martin and Bertrande, and while the retellings may have their own unique spin the underlying beats remain the same. It is through a combination of these things that historians are able to intelligently infer about events of the past. The case of the fake Martin Guerre is a fortunate case where a somewhat reliable narrator in the form of Jean de Coras wrote down the events of the trial, and in turn the personal story of a 16th century peasant, and those associated, who may have otherwise faded into obscurity like so many others.