Harley MS 247

ff. 1r–225r: A collection of transcripts from various historical works.

ff. 1r–3v: Collections from Book VII of Livy's History by M. Valerio Corvino.

ff. 4r–5v: A tattered fragment of a brief and imperfect chronicle, which begins with a translation of Books II––V of Bede's Ecclesiastical History.

ff. 6r–7v: Fragment of a short chronicle, from the incarnation of Jesus to the year 635.

ff. 8r–9r: The story of Boudicca, Queen of the Britons, from Dio Cassius.

f. 9v: Note from Tacitus, concerning Prasutagus King of the Iceni.

ff. 10r–v: Fragment of the history of Britain, perhaps from Tacitus' De Vita Agricolae.

f. 11r: Translation of the counterfeit charter in the name of St Patrick.

f. 11v: Concerning the several churches belonging to Glastonbury Abbey; an account of the benefaction of gold and silver given by King Ina to the Abbey of Glastonbury.

f. 12r: Quotation from John Rosse's Book of the Bishops of Winchester, on the antiquity of Lichfield and on Joseph of Arimathea.

ff. 12r–13r: A short narration or chronicle of the bishops of Lichfield.

f. 13v: Notes from a chronicle beginning 'Adam fuit quindecem'; some public occurrences happening in the years 1425, 1426 and 1427.

ff. 14r–15v: Fragment of a short chronicle, from A.D. 639 to A.D. 679.

ff. 16r–19v: Fragment of a short chronicle, from the coming of the Saxons into Britain to the year 627.

ff. 20r–36v: Part of a history of the kings of Kent, which recites several charters. It is amended in places by John Stow.

ff. 37r–67v: Imperfect historical fragments, perhaps from Stow's collections. It includes an extract concerning the life of St Edmund, King and Martyr, taken by John Stow from the work of John Lydgate, monk of Bury; two copies of the testament of King Alfred (ff. 48r–51r); the letter from Pope Boniface to Ethelwald King of England (ff. 54r–v); notes for Mr Henry Hodgson (f. 56r), and part of the testament of King Alfred in English (ff. 57r–60v).

ff. 68r–69v: Oration by the most noble King Edgard. In Latin.

ff. 70r–v: The beginning of a chronicle of the famous King Edgar, son of Edmund.

ff. 71r–72r: A charm in French, from the register of evidence of Eynsham Abbey, Oxfordshire, which is in the custody of Walter Cope, gentleman usher to Lord Burghley.

ff. 73r–v: Stow’s notes on the eleventh century.

ff. 74r–75r: Notes in Latin from the book of the monastery of Peter and Paul, Brunswick.

ff. 76r–77v: Notes on King Edgar.

f. 78r: Notes on Edward the Confessor.

f. 79r: Note entitled ‘To find out who succeeded eche other of these men.’

f. 79v: Notes in Stow’s hand on the twelfth century.

ff. 80r–81v: Notes on the eleventh and twelfth centuries.

ff. 82r–100v: Stow’s notes from Hector Boece.

ff. 98r–100v: Extracts from Gervase of Tilbury’s De otiis imperialibus.

ff. 101r–v: Extracts from Ailredus Rivalensis.

ff. 102r–v: Extracts from the book of the new monastery (Newminster in Northumbria).

ff. 103r–v: Historical notes.

ff. 104r–v: The peace between Henry II and his sons.

ff. 105r–v: Historical notes, on the late twelfth century.

ff. 106r–107v: Prologue of William of Malmesbury upon the new history of the English nations, to Robert Earl of Gloucester.

f. 108r: The charter of Steven, King of England, made to Miles of Gloucester, of the honour of Gloucester and Brecknock.

ff. 108r–109r: A charter made by Empress Maud to Geoffrey Earl of Essex, of various lands and liberties.

ff. 110r–114v: Historical notes, some of which relate to Henry II and King John.

ff. 115r–116r: Collections from Liber Melrose, Scotland.

ff. 117r–120r: Mutilated historical notes.

ff. 121r–122v: Collections from Rad. De Cogshalle, made 1577.

ff. 123r–128v: Miscellaneous historical notes, some in Stow’s hand.

ff. 129r–v: A libel made against the mayor of London.

ff. 130r–131v: The peace made between King Edward II and Thomas Earl of Lancaster, and the barons.

ff. 132r–143v: Miscellaneous notes, including some historical ones in Stow’s hand (ff. 141r, 143r).

ff. 144r–145v: The confession of the Templars concerning certain articles for which they were condemned, from the last leaf of Matthew Paris.

ff. 146r–v: Notes on events in the 1330s, 1254, 1294 and 1324.

ff. 147r–148v, 150r–v: The birth and life of William Wykeham, sometime Bishop of Winchester and founder of this college. ff. 149r–v: Copies of deeds of lands in Dulwich.

ff. 151r, 152v: Miscellaneous notes.

ff. 153r–156v: Concerning the inquisition taken at Bury St Edmunds in the third year of the reign of Edward III (1329–1330) about the great mischief done to the abbey by the townsmen, etc., written about by Holinshed.

ff. 157r–158r: In quodam Antiquo registro penes Episcopum Roffensem, in custodia Tho. Wardegar apud Roffam existenti, ac intitulato Registrum Hamonis qui fuit (viz. Anno Domini 1330) quondam Episcopus Roffensis hec subsequencia excerpsi, 3 September 1592.

ff. 159r–162v: Miscellaneous notes in Stow’s hand.

ff. 163r–164v: Fragment of the lives of Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of England.

ff. 165r–172v: Notes and pen-trials in various hands, including Stow’s.

ff. 173r–v: Short collections, to which Stow has given the title ‘Liber S. Albani, penned as it seemethe by John the Prior of Robarts-bridge aftar made Abbot of Boxley, in anno 1216.’

ff. 174r–v: Notes on the years 1444 and 1464.

ff. 174*r: Pasted-down fragment.

ff. 175r–v: Collections from the chronicle or history of King Henry V by Thomas Elmham, from the library of St Augustine at Canterbury.

ff. 176r–177v: Copies of some deeds relating to the affairs of the city, or the citizens of London.

ff. 178r–179v: Notes on the 22nd year of the reign of Henry VII and and the year 1402 (reign of Henry IV). f. 179 was cut from a printed book; the verso is an account of the first year of Henry II’s reign.

ff. 180r–v: A ballad of King Edward; some of the Latin verses in the Life of King Edward (Vita Ædwardi Regis) translated into English verse.

ff. 181r, 182r–v: De Morte Richardi Dunelmensi Episcopo, from Matthew Paris. In Latin.

f. 181v: Nomina Episcoporum Dunelmensium, et Regum Nordanhymbrorum.

ff. 183r–v: Account in English, beginning ‘I haue w[r]iten theffecte of this oracion…’

ff. 184r–185v: ‘ou of the booke of St Albones’, i.e. part of a royal confirmation of statutes made by a bishop, concerning the election of the abbot.

f. 186r: Notes in Stow’s hand.

f. 187r: The term for the hundred of Oswald.

ff. 188r–189v: Miscellaneous notes. ff. 190r–v: Some passages on Henry VIII's government, on his first accession to the crown.

ff. 191r–203v: Material related to Elizabeth I’s reign, including a voyage made by Francis Drake on 13 December 1577 (ff. 194r–195r) and a note of heretics burned on 12 April 1557 (f. 200r).

f. 204r: A brief declaration concerning the strange sickness and death of the most honourable Ferdinando late Earl of Derby, gathered by those present.

ff. 204r–205v: A true report from those who consider the Earl to have been bewitched.

ff. 206r–v: Short observations upon the life of Edward, Earl of Derby, who died 24 November 1572.

ff. 207r–v: The funeral of Edward, Earl of Derby, who died at Latham Hall, Friday 24 October and was buried at Ormskirk Thursday 4 December 1572.

f. 207*v: Address leaf connected with the previous item.

ff. 208r: On the burning of Moscow by the Crimean Tartars, written in Stow’s hand.

ff. 209r: Notes concerning some of Stow’s own affairs, written by him.

f. 209v: Pen trials and partially deleted notes in Stow’s hand.

ff. 210r–218v: Notes and collections written by Stow, relating to the history of England.

ff. 219r–222v: How long the archbishops of Canterbury lived, and their degrees and dignities, including some notes in Stow’s hand.

ff. 223r–224r: Account of various calamities happening to cities, towns, monasteries and churches by fire.

ff. 225r–v: A note on a bill.