Add MS 54184

CHRONICLES OF ENGLAND: 'Historia Anglorum' of Henry of Huntingdon, 'Annales Regum Anglie' of Nicholas Trevet, and the 'Continuatio Chronicarum' ascribed to Adam Murimuth, probably written at Ramsey Abbey, co. Hunt.; early-mid 14th cent. (scripts). Latin. Names of abbots of Ramsey from 993 are entered at the top of each page throughout the volume, together with marginal memoranda of events relating to the abbey, all in late medieval hands. Marginals, etc., in 16th and 17th-cent. hands also occur, eg. ff. 6v, 23, 26, 37-38; art. 2 and 3 are less heavily marginated than art. 1. Text lacking from art. 1 and 2. Possibly the item listed as 'Hystoria Anglorum' in a late 14th-cent. catalogue of the Ramsey library, Cotton Roll ii 16, printed in Chronicon Abbatiae Rameseiensis, Rolls Series (1886), pp. 356-367 (see p. 360). See also N. R. Ker, Medieval Libraries of Great Britain (1964), p. 153. In 1722 the MS. was in the library of George Brudenell, 3rd Earl of Cardigan at Deene Park, where it was noted by Anthony Hall (see art. 3 below). Modern Deene Park shelf-marks in pencil 'D.6.4' and '518' (f. i). Sold by order of the Trustees of the late George Lionel Thomas Brudenell, Esq., see Sotheby's sale-cat. 12 Dec. 1966, lot 222. Purchased 8 April 1967.

Vellum, with paper fly-leaves; ff. ii+148. 16th cent. foliation 13-180 through ff. 1-146 (old ff. 1-12, 25-36, 73-80, 158-159 lacking). 302 x 190mm. Art. 1-3 are written separately by different scribes, and placed in order to make a continuous historical narrative, probably at Ramsey in the late 14th-early 15th cent., see the names of abbots which appear at the top of each page throughout the volume from f. 25v. Gatherings generally of 12 (i and iii lacking with loss of text, vii8 lacking with loss of text, xi lacks 6 and 7 with loss of text, xiii4, fly-leaf

f. 147). Catchwords regular 12v-120v. Signatures in dry point and red ink (small letters and roman numerals) are visible in quires v and viii-xii, but no regular sequence is discernable. Single columns. Lines to page: (a) 41, art. 1 and 2;-

(b) 48, art. 3. Four main 14th-cent. hands: A. ff. 1-48v;- B. ff. 49-121v, line 22;-

C. ff. 121v, line 22-130v;- D. ff. 131-144. A-C are neat book hands, D is a charter hand. Initials and some borders in red and blue penwork. Brown calf binding: the front cover and spine are modern, the back cover is 18th cent. The first few quires have suffered water damage. f. 146 is mutilated.

Contents:

1. ff. 1-48v. The 'Historia Anglorum' of Henry, Archdeacon of Huntingdon (d.1155). Imperfect, lacking the 1st, 3rd and 7th gatherings. The extant text begins in Book II with entries for 495, beg. '. . . Hospitati tamen Certic et filius suus'. The text breaks in Book III (f. 12v) in the entry for 626, at 'equam equitare, arreptoque gladio et lancia', and recommences (f. 13) in Book IV, at entries for 784, '[sepul]tus est apud Wincestre: juuenis autem apud Acseminister'. Book VII ends with the death of Henry I, 1135 (f. 47v): the text continues with the epilogue 'Hic est annus qui', and the assessment of Henry I (Defuncto igitur Henrico) which begins Book VIII, breaking finally in this paragraph at 'regni diadema dominum tempestas inuasit'. For a modern edition see Henrici Archdiaconi Huntendunensis Historia Anglorum, ed. T. Arnold, Rolls Series (1879); the present MS. is not among those listed there. The text and manuscripts are also discussed in A. Gransden, Historical Writing in England c. 550 to c.1307, pp. 193-201.

2. ff. 49-130v. 'Annales' of Nicholas Trevet, from the accession of Stephen to the death of Edward I, composed circa 1320-1323. Two ff. missing between ff. 125 and 126, with loss of text for part of the years 1300-1301. For printed editions see A. Hall, Nicolai Triveti . . . Annales sex regum Angliae . . . (1719) and T. Hog, F. Nicholai Triveti . . . Annales . . ., English Historical Society (1845), Kraus reprint 1964. See also R. J. Dean, 'Nicholas Trevet, Historian', Medieval Learning and Literature, ed. J. J. G. Alexander and M. T. Gibson (1976), pp. 328-352, where known MSS. of the text are listed.

3. ff. 131-144. 'Continuatio Chronicarum' of Adam de Murimuth for the years 1307-1334; mid 14th cent. Murimuth's full Chronicle covers the period 1303-1347. The present text, headed 'Incipiunt Annales Regis Edwardi filii Regis Edwardi . . .', is very similar to that printed in E. Maunde Thompson, ed., Adam Murimuth Continuatio Chronicarum, Rolls Series (1889), pp. 3-219. Entries for 1307-1308 are different and much fuller in the present MS., which is not listed by Maunde Thompson, than in the Rolls Series version. A. Hall, who published the text under the title Adami Murimuthensis Chronicon (1721) was aware of the existence of the MS. in the posession of the Earl of Cardigan, but does not use the fuller 1307-1308 material in his version.

4. ff. 144v-146v. Table of years 1335-1477; late 14th cent. With entries relating to abbots of Ramsey and national events, 1342-1468, mainly in hands that occur in marginals, etc., throughout the volume. Followed (f. 146v) by memoranda on celebrating the Office, on turtle doves, etc.; 15th cent.

5. ff. 147-147v. Fly-leaf made from a customal of tenants of the manor of Glatton, co. Hunts.; late 14th cent. (f. 147). Glatton eschaeted to the Crown in 1326 and was never part of the estates of Ramsey. Miscellaneous notes on the front of the leaf (f. 147) include: (a) a medical recipe; early 15th cent;- (b) memoranda on British legends and English kings; 15th cent.