As the central structural principle of his chronicle, Lorenz Fries (1489/91–1550) employed the chronological sequence of the Würzburg (Prince-)Bishops. In the version authorised by him, which extends from the beginnings up to the death of Prince-Bishop Rudolf II von Scherenberg (c. 1401–1495), Fries treats local, Franconian, and imperial history through the succession of sixty office-holders.
The text of the “Echter copy” (M.ch.f.760), on which the present compilation of persons is based, further contains textual additions concerning four more Würzburg Prince-Bishops, reaching into the early years of the episcopate of Melchior Zobel von Giebelstadt (1544–1558). The additions, undertaken by various scribes up to 1546, were presumably influenced by the version of the chronicle edited by Johann Reinhart, the Würzburg Cathedral Master.
In his work, Fries follows a consistent pattern: each chapter devoted to a prelate opens with information on his family and social background and on the general circumstances of his assumption of office, and it closes with a rhymed “announcement” (Kundspruch). The content recounted between these two elements is structured through thematic headings marking significant events during the respective episcopate. Depending on the importance and length of a bishop’s rule, some entries record only a few events, while others describe several dozen.
Through the present compilation, all (Prince-)Bishops can be accessed either chronologically or alphabetically, together with all the events attributed to them in the text of the “Echter copy”.