Add MS 39758

From A Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum in the Years 1916-1920 (London: Trustees of the British Museum, 1933), pp. 172-76:

'CHRONICLE and Chartulary of the Abbey of Peterborough, partly compiled by the monk Walter de Wytillesey [or Whittlesey], circ . 1321-1329, and largely in his hand. The work is attributed to him in a distich of leonine hexameters, " Witlissey natus Walter Burg iam monacatus hunc recolens Christum librum Petro dedit istum," round the initial on f. 20, and in the 14th cent. title and note on ff. 7 b, 1 b respectively. Whittlesey, who was also the author, and possibly the illuminator, of a " cronica rotulata " containing a pedigree of the Kings of England to the death of Edward I, with additions, described in The Ancestor , xi (Oct. 1904), pp. 158-160, appears to have been alive in 1319, when a Papal indult to choose a confessor was granted to " Walter de Witlesey, monk of Peterborough," see Calendar of Papal Registers, 1342 - 1362, p. 330. Contents:

1. Dates, not in strictly chronological order, of:- -(a) Foundations of fifty-six religious houses, chiefly in England ; -(b) Obits of English Kings to Edw. II ; -(c) English battles and other historical events ; -(d) Obits, etc., of Saints. The latest entry refers to the Battle of Poitiers, 1356. A transcript of the first of these lists, with extracts from other parts of the MS., by Robert Glover, Somerset Herald, is in the Bodleian Library, Oxford (Ashmole MS. 848, ff. 10-18 b), cf. Lansdowne MS. 205, ff. 138 b-143. f. 2.

2. " Passio sanctorum Wlfadi et Ruffini filiorum Wlferi regis fundatoris istius domus quorum passio erat occasio ditacionis," beg. " Si Tulliane facultatis fecunda facundia." Printed from Cotton MS. Otho A. xvii (destroyed in the fire of 1731) in Dugdale's Monasticon , vi, pt. 1, p. 226, see Bibliotheca Hagiographica Latina , 1898-1901, p. 1260. The copy seen by Leland at Peterborough (cf. Collectanea , iii (1770), p. 31) was apparently that in the burnt Cotton MS., from which the present text was probably taken. Selden, following Camden and Stowe, in his notes to Drayton's Poly-Olbion , 1612, p. 188, attributes the Passion to Robert de Swapham ; but there is no copy of it in Swapham's MS. (see below). f. 8.

3. Chronicle of England from Brutus to 1274, with occasional references to Peterborough Abbey. The work, which is described by Hardy in Cat. of Brit. Hist . (Rolls Ser.), iii, p. 202, is excerpted from Geoffrey of Monmouth, Florence of Worcester, Henry of Huntingdon, Nicholas Trivet and other common sources. The life of Hereward, inserted at f. 46 b. is apparently abridged from the " Gesta Herwardi " (ff. 320-339 in Robert de Swapham's MS. in the Library of Peterborough Cathedral), printed by C. T. Martin in Lestorie des Engles (Rolls Ser., 1888), i, p. 339, see also ibid ., ii, pp. xxxiii-xxxv. A transcript of the whole, belonging, circ . 1720, to John Bridges, the Northamptonshire topographer, is now in the Bodleian Library (MS. Top. Northants c. 21), see Madan, Summary Cat. of MSS ., iii, p. 648, no. 16638. Beg. " Attestantibus antiquorum cronographorum testimoniis " ; ends abruptly " ad ludum militarem quem wlgo." On f. 95 b are a few lines continuing the narration of the accession and coronation (here dated 1272) of Edward I. Changes from the original hand occur between ff. 35 b-36, 76-92. Written in the margins of artt. 2, 4. f. 8.

4. Chronicle of Peterborough Abbey from its foundation until 1338/9, with notices of related monasteries. The narrative as far as 1175-1177 is adapted from the chronicle of Hugo Candidus (formerly Cotton MS. Otho A. xvii, ff. 21-75), see Hardy, op. cit ., ii, p. 412, and F. Liebermann in Neues Archiv der Gesellschaft für ältere deutsche Geschichtskunde , xviii, p. 231. (Leland, followed by Bale and others, in De Scriptoribus Britannicis , 1709, p. 280, describes Candidus's work as ending at the reign of Henry III, and Smith's Bibl. Cotton. Cat ., 1696, p. 69, gives the final date as circ . 1220.) From 1177 to 1245 the source is Robert de Swapham's MS., see Hardy, iii, pp. 103, 189 and Lestorie des Engles , i, p. xlvii. Whittlesey's own work covers the period 1246-1321, see Hardy, iii, p. 371. A continuation in another hand (f. 129) extends to 1338/9. Printed, with an introduction, by J. Sparke in Historiae Anglicanae Scriptores Varii , 1723, where this text is collated with a transcript of the Cotton MS., then belonging to Bridges (but apparently not among his MSS. now at Oxford), and with Swapham's MS., variant readings being noted at the foot of each page. Gunton and Patrick's Hist. of the Church of Peterborough , 1686, is little more than a running analysis of the chronicle so far as it goes ; Gunton used this text, cf. ibid ., p. 47, while Patrick relied on Swapham's MS. Transcripts of the MSS. of Candidus and Swapham are in Lansdowne MSS. 992, 994 and in MS. Dd. 14, 28, in the Cambridge University Library. Prologue beg. " Scripturus de loco qui quondam Medeshamstede nunc autem consuete Burch uocatur." Text, " Est nobile monasterium in regione Gyruiorum." f. 20.

5. " Compotus Willelmi de Braybroc. et Johannis de Munkelane Eschaetorum domini Regis de exitibus omnium temporalium Abbatie Burgi Sancti Petri vacantium per mortem fratris Godefridi de Croyland. nuper Abbatis," 21 Aug. - 7 Oct. 15 Edw. II [1321]. Written in the margins of an extent of the manors, etc., of the abbey of the same date, which concludes Whittlesey's part of the chronicle. Printed by Sparke, ibid ., pp. 175-216, in parallel columns with the extent. f. 116.

6. Papal privileges of the abbey from Pope Eugenius III, A.D. 1146 (Jaffé, Regesta, ii, 1888, no. 8965), in the original hand to Boniface VIII (A.D. 1295/6 continued in another hand (f. 179 b) to Innocent VI, A.D. 1360, reference being made at the beginning to a (spurious) charter of Pope Agatho, A.D. 680, which is included in the chronicle (f. 25 b). Other copies, apparently from the same source, of the charters on ff. 161-168, 183 b are in Egerton MS. 2733, ff. 107-124, 144 b. Some are printed in Sparke, pp. 78, 92, Dugdale, pp. 390, 391, 393, and Gunton and Patrick, pp. 129, 161. The pages have been scribbled over and the word " Papa " erased. f. 161.

7. Brief chronicle of Popes ending abruptly at the election of Clement VI [1342]. Another copy, omitting the reference to Clement VI and with other variations, is in Harley MS. 4887, f. 16. Beg. "Petrus apostolus nacione Galileus cum primus Antiochenam fundasset ecclesiam." Written in an almost contemporary hand in the margins of art. 6. f. 161.

8. Royal charters of the abbey, in the original hand, arranged under successive kings from the (forged) charter of Wulfhere, King of the Mercians, A.D. 664 (Kemble, Cod. Dipl. dcccclxxxiv), to Edward III, A.D. 1329, with certain charters of liberties (in some cases undated or mis-dated), etc. All the charters in Egerton MS. 2733, ff. 14 b- 28 b, 49 b-98 are included. Charters on ff. 193-199, 206, 215 b. 216, 219, 230, 229 b, 237 b, 238, 247, 258, 259 b are printed in Gunton and Patrick, pp. 117-168 passim. Some are in Dugdale, pp. 377, 382, 383, 390, 391, 392, and in Sparke, pp. 20, 25, 26. At the end (f. 279) a later hand has added " Carta Willelmi Humez de Stanford," 1 May 1172. f. 193.

9. Proceedings at eyres in various counties, 1329-1333. Mainly in Latin . The chief contents after preliminary matter, copies of writs, articles of inquiry, etc. and other notes, some of which may be compared with the account of the Kent eyre of 1313-1314 in Selden Soc., xxiv (1909), are :- -(a) " Quo Warranto " pleas, preceded by the claims, etc. of the Abbot of Peterborough at the eyre at Northampton, 6 Nov. 1329. The pleas on ff. 216 b-233 are printed in Placita de Quo Warranto Edw. I-III, pp. 551-557. Another copy of ff. 212 - 214, 216-236 is in Harley MS. 645, ff. 168, 172-180. The suit was terminated (f. 237 b) by a writ dated 12 Feb. 7 Edw. III [1333]. f. 212 ;- -(b) Proceedings upon a presentment made at the eyre at Northampton concerning the obstruction of the River Nene at Outwell, cos. Norf. and Camb., by Walter de Langton, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, circ . 1329-7 July 5 Edw. III [1331]. A free translation from other sources is in Dugdale's Hist. of Draining Fens, 1772, pp. 301-306. f. 238;- -(c) "Quo Warranto" pleas of the Abbot of Peterborough, preceded by his claims and certain writs, etc. at the eyre at Nottingham, 12 Nov. 1329. The pleas on ff. 256-260 b are printed in Plac. de Quo Warr ., pp. 641-643. f.253;- -(d) Similar pleas, with the Abbot's claims, at Bedford, 25 June, 1330. The pleas on ff. 261 b-267 b are printed ibid ., pp. 70-72. f. 260 b. Written in several 14th cent. hands in the margins of art. 8. f. 193.

10. "De preseruacione et cura morbi pestilencialis qui dicitur epidimia," the longer form of the treatise on the plague by John de Burgundia, or cum Barba, physician at Liége and reputed author of the " travels of Sir John Mandeville." This copy is not included in a list of the MSS. of this treatise in D. Murray's Notes on the Black Book of Paisley , 1885, p. 80, reprinted as John de Burdeus and the Pestilence , 1891. See also D. W. Singer, Some Plague Tractates , 1916, pp. 3- 14 (reprinted from Proc. of R. Soc. of Medicine , ix (1916), pp. 159- 212). Beg. " Quoniam omnia inferiora tam elementa." Late 14th cent. f. 283.

11. " Distancia centri terre a concauo celi empirii secundum Rabi Moysem " [Moses Maimonides of Cordova] : a note taken, with considerable variations, from Legenda Aurea , " De adscensione domini " (ed. T. Graesse, p. 321). f. 289 b.

Vellum ; ff. 300 (with some blank leaves, the majority being ruled for further additions). 9 3/4 in. x 6 1/8 in. First third of XIV cent. (.except artt. 1, 7, 10, 11). Gatherings of 12 leaves (i 7 , viii 13 , xiii 8 , xvii 8 , xxv 6 , xxvi 7 , xxvii 6 , xxviii 5 ) with catchwords. F. 20, reproduced by Sparke, op. cit ., p. 1, is illuminated in the East Anglian style with a three-parts border and a large initial S, containing Christ with orb in the upper compartment, and in the lower a black monk (Walter de Whittlesey), with scroll inscribed " misere[re] me," adoring the Virgin and Child; in the lower margin are three cartouches enclosing figures probably to be identified as the children of Penda, King of the Mercians and legendary co-founders of Peterborough Abbey, viz:- (i) SS. Kyneburga and Kyneswida, successive Abbesses of Caistor or Dormancaster, co. Northt., (ii) Peada, (iii) Wulfhere and St. Ethelred, successive Kings of the Mercians. Initials in burnished gold on panels of pink and blue (in the later additions the initials are in colours only). Shields of arms (reproduced by Sparke, ibid ., p. 95; a copy by Glover from Swapham's MS. is in Lansdowne MS. 872, f. 90) of some of the knights, or their heirs, to whom fees were alienated by Abbot Thorold [ circ . 1069-1100], in tincture, viz:-Peterborough Abbey, Galf. de S. Medardo, Roger de Torpel, Tho. fil. Rob. de Gunthorp, Galf. de la Mare, Reginald de Wateruille, Brian de la Mare (f. 50) ; Galf. de Milton, Hugo Fauuel (f. 51) Baldeuuim Wake, Rob. de Wateruille, Joh. de Folkeuuorthe (f. 52) Hugo de Bernak, Tho. fil. Eustachii, Vitalis Enayne (unfinished), Will. Andegauensis, Joh. de Helpiston (f. 53). Marginal sketches of heads call attention to passages on ff. 46 b-50 b. Original binding of oak boards covered with white skin stained pink. The MS. is annotated in various hands, some of which appear also in Egerton MS. 2733. On f. 8 is the name (early 16th cent.) Edwardus Grenehall, and the entry "Exhibitum in Ecclesia parochiali de Burgo Sancti Petri in presencia mei Nicholai Trygge " [? alderman of Stamford, co. Linc., circ . 1503 - 1514 ; see Letters and Papers , Hen. VIII , i (1509-1514), no. 5309 ; Cal. of Pat. Rolls, Hen. VII , ii (1494-1509), p. 358, etc.]. Belonged to Walter de Whittlesey (cf. the 14th cent. inscriptions on f. 1 b : " Walterus de Wytillesey," possibly autogr., and " Iste liber fuit quondam fratris Walteri de Wytlese "). A later inscription occurs on f. 299 b : " liber Fratris Rogeri Bird ex dono domini Roberti Kirkton abbatis [ circ . 1496-1528] anno domini m lo ccccc o xx testibus Fratre Francisco Lecestre et Willelmo Browene "; this is probably Roger Bird, chaplain to Abbot William Ramsey [1471-1496] and compiler of the Register referred to by Gunton, op. cit., pp. 50-55. Described by Gale, Registrum Honoris de Richmond, 1722, app., p. 3, as being in the possession of " Willielmus Fitzwillyams Miles auratus " [probably meaning the 1st Earl Fitzwilliam], and certainly belonged in 1726 (f. 7 b) to John [Fitzwilliam, 2nd] Earl (great-grandson of William Fitzwilliam, 1st Baron Fitzwilliam of Lifford, who owned Egerton MS. 2733) ; subsequently to George W. Fitzwilliam, of Milton Hall, Peterborough (sale-cat., Sotheby's, 30 April 1918, lot 255; see also Engl. Hist . Review, xxxiv, Oct. 1919, p. 582).'