Chronological Key
The narrator, John Ridd, says he was born on 29 November 1661; in Chapter 24, he mentions Queen Anne as the current monarch, so the time of narration is 1702–1714 making him 40–52 years old. Although he celebrates New Year's Day on 1 January, at that time in England the year in terms of A.D. "begins" Annunciation Style on 25 March, so 14 February 1676 would still be 1675 according to the old reckoning. Most of the dates below are given explicitly in the book.
| Chapters 1–10 |
| Elements of Education |
| An Important Item (29 Nov 73, 12th birthday) |
| The War-path of the Doones |
| A Rash Visit |
| An Illegal Settlement |
| Necessary Practice (Dec 73) |
| Hard it is to Climb (29 Nov 75, 14 Feb 76) |
| A Boy and a Girl |
| There is no Place like Home |
| A Brave Rescue and a Rough Ride (Nov 76) |
| Chapters 11–20 |
| Tom Deserves his Supper (Nov 76) |
| A Man Justly Popular (Nov 76, Feb 77, Dec 82) |
| Master Huckaback Comes In (31 Dec 82) |
| A Motion which Ends in a Mull (1 Jan 83) |
| Quo Warranto? (Jan 83) |
| Lorna Growing Formidable (14 Feb 83) |
| John is Bewitched |
| Witchery Leads to Witchcraft (Mar) |
| Another Dangerous Interview |
| Lorna Begins her Story |
| Chapters 21–30 |
| Lorna Ends her Story |
| A Long Spring Month (Mar, Apr) |
| A Royal Invitation |
| A Safe Pass for King's Messenger |
| A Great Man Attends to Business |
| John is Drained and Cast Aside |
| Home Again at Last (Aug 83?) |
| John has Hope of Lorna |
| Reaping Leads to Revelling |
| Annie Gets the Best of it |
| Chapters 31–40 |
| John Fry's Errand |
| The Feeding of the Pigs |
| An Early Morning Call (Oct 83) |
| Two Negatives Make an Affirmative |
| Ruth is not like Lorna |
| John Returns to Business (Nov) |
| A Very Desperate Venture |
| A Good Turn for Jeremy |
| A Troubled State and a Foolish Joke |
| Two Fools Together |
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| Chapters 41–50 |
| Cold Comfort |
| The Great Winter (Dec 83) |
| Not Too Soon |
| Brought Home at Last |
| Change Long Needed (15 Dec 83 – 7 Mar 84) |
| Squire Faggus Makes some Lucky Hits |
| Jeremy in Danger |
| Every Man Must Defend Himself |
| Maiden Sentinels are Best |
| A Merry Meeting a Sad One |
| Chapters 51–60 |
| A Visit from the Counsellor |
| The Way to Make the Cream Rise |
| Jeremy Finds out Something |
| Mutual Discomfiture |
| Getting into Chancery |
| John Becomes too Popular |
| Lorna knows her Nurse |
| Master Huckaback's Secret |
| Lorna Gone Away |
| Annie Luckier than John (autumn 84) |
| Chapters 61–70 |
| Therefore he Seeks Comfort (autumn-winter 84) |
| The King Must not be Prayed for (8 Feb, 13 Jun, Jul 85) |
| John is Worsted by the Women (Jul 85) |
| Slaughter in the Marshes (Sedgemoor, 6 Jul 85) |
| Falling Among Lambs |
| Suitable Devotion |
| Lorna Still is Lorna |
| John is John no Longer |
| Not to be Put up with |
| Compelled to Volunteer |
| Chapters 71–75 |
| A Long Account settled |
| The Counsellor, and the Carver |
| How to Get Out of Chancery |
| Blood Upon the Altar (Whittuesday 86) |
| Give Away the Grandeur |
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