Harley MS 565

Contents:

ff. 1r-1v: A list of the kings of England, from Alfred [Aelfred] (b. 848/9, d. 899), King of the West Saxons and of the Anglo-Saxons, to Henry VI (b. 1421, d. 1471), King of England and Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine. Title (f. 1r): 'Nomina Regum & quot Annis regnarunt'. Incipit (f. 1r): 'Alfridus regnavit annis xxx & I die'. Explicit (f. 1v): 'henricus sextus regnavit xxj Annis'. The 21st year of Henry's reign was 1443/4.

ff. 2r-2v: A transcript of a 'tablet' hanging in St Paul's Cathedral near the tomb of John of Gaunt (b. 1340, d. 1399), Duke of Aquitaine and of Lancaster. The text describes the cathedral itself. Rubric (f. 2r, in red): 'Copia tabule pendentis ad columpnam iuxta Tumulum Ducis lancastris in ecclesia sancti Pauli londonensis’. Incipit (f. 2r): 'Ecclesia sancti pauli london' continet infra limites suos tres acras terre & dimidiam. unam Rodam & dimidiam & sex virgas constratas'. Explicit (f. 2v): 'De cuius misericordia omnibus ffabrice huius ecclesie auxilium procurantibus. xxvij. anni. C.l. dies omni tempore anni conceduntur. preter Staciones Romane que sunt. xliiij^or anni & quam plura alia beneficia'. The transcript has been annotated by the scribe (beginning in 1203, with the note 'Anno iiij^to Regis Ioha[nnis]'), and, for the earlier events, by a later reader [For an edition of the text based on this manuscript, see A Chronicle of London (1827), p. 174].

ff. 2v-4r: A transcript of a 'tablet' hanging in St Paul's Cathedral, between the tombs of John of Gaunt and of Roger Niger (d. 1241), Bishop of London. A chronicle from 1040 to 1382, with particular reference to St Paul's, and including important events in religious history and natural occurrences like plagues and earthquakes. Rubric (f. 2v, in red): 'Copia alterius tabule pendentis ad mediam columpnam ibidem inter dictum Tumulum dicti Ducis & tumulum sancti Rogeri nuper Episcopi london’. Incipit (f. 2v): 'Anno domini C^mo. xl^o. Invencio ymaginis crucifixi. ad hostium Boriale sancti pauli londonensis in magno fluvio Thamisie'. Explicit (f. 4r): 'Anno domini Millesimo CCC^mo. lxxxij^do. xij^o. kl Iunij videlicet feria iiij^ta. ante pentecosteum inmediate post nonam erat terre motus magnus. per totam Angliam'. The transcript has been annotated by the scribe (beginning in 1203, with the note 'Anno iiij^to Regis Ioha[nnis]'), and, for the earlier events, by a later reader [For an edition of the text based on this manuscript, see A Chronicle of London (1827), pp. 174-75].

ff. 4r-9r: A transcript of a 'tablet' hanging in St Paul's Cathedral, near the tomb of Roger Niger, Bishop of London. A chronicle from creation to the coronation of King Henry VI as King of France in 1431. Rubric (f. 4r, in red): 'Copia magne tabule ibidem pendentis per dictam tumbam dicti Rogeri nuper Episcopi Londonensis'. Incipit (f. 4r): 'In principio creavit deus celum & terram & omnia que in eius sunt / Sexto autem die a creacione mundi factus fuit prothoplasmus Adam'. Explicit (f. 9r): 'Et postea idem Rex coronatus fuit Rex ffrancie apud Parisiam in ecclesia beate Marie ibidem xvj^o die decembris Anno regni Sui x^mo incipiente'. Some marginal annotations, as appear in A Chronicle of London (1827), pp. 176-80].

ff. 10r-99r: Chronicle of London, in English, broken up by year, from the coronation of Richard I in 1189, to 1443, in the reign of Henry VI. Each year includes a list of the Wardens, Mayors and Sheriffs of London for that year. Heading (f. 10r): 'Willielmus Conquistor Willielmus Ruffus Henricus primus Stephan Henricusque secundus Ricardus John Henricus Edward tres Ricardus Henricusque iiij^tus'. Incipit (f. 10r): 'Nomina Custodum london' tempore Regis Ricardi primi qui cornoatus fuit apud Westminster tercio die September anno domini Millo C^mo lxxxix^o'. Explicit (f. 99r): 'Also þis same yere deide þ^e Bisshop Tirvyn Bisshop of Ely þ^e [blank] day of September and lyth'. Some text has been scraped away at both the bishop's date of death and burial site. Annotated throughout by both the scribe and later readers.

ff. 100v-101v: Added documents, in both Latin and English, dated to the 6th and 7th years of the reign of Henry VIII (1515 and 1516), regarding the shipment of cargo on the ship John of Baptiste, owned by John Chandeler, between Boston and London. Incipit (f. 100v): 'Diversis & singulis Ministris domini Regis anglie ad quos presentes'. Explicit (f. 101v): 'Anno Regni Regis henrici octavi sexto'.

ff. 102r-114r: An English poem on the expedition of Henry V into France. Incipit (f. 102r): 'God þat all þis world gan make / And dyed for us on a tre / Save Ingelond for Mary Sake / Sothfast god in Trinyte'. Explicit (f. 114r): 'This Iournay have [g]e herd now alle be dene / The date of Crist I wot is was / A thousand foure hundred and fyftene / Gloria tibi Trinitas'. Colophon (f. 114r): 'Harflu fert Mauric Angincourt prelia Crispin' [See Boffey and Edwards, A New Index (2005), no. 969].

ff. 114v-124r: John Lydgate, King Henry VI's Triumphal Entry into London. Incipit (f. 114v): 'Toward þ^e ende of wyndy ffebruarie / Whanne phebus was in þ^e fiyssh ronne / Out of þ^e signe which callyd is Aquarie / Newe kalendas were entred and be gonne'. Explicit (f. 124r): 'Considere þis þat in þ^e moost lowly wyse / My will were good for to do servyse'. Colophon (f. 124r): 'Here endith þ^e makyng of þ^e comynge of þ^e kyng / out of ffraunce to london' Be þ^e monk of Bery'. Marginal annotations throughout in the hand of the scribe [See Boffey and Edwards, A New Index (2005), no. 3799].

f. 125v: Latin proverbs, begininng: 'Bursa carens [a]ere'.

f. 125v: Two lines (incomplete) from a larger macaronic poem lamenting the evils of Age: 'Syng I wold but alas decedu[nt]' [See Boffey and Edwards, A New Index (2005), no. 3113; without this manuscript]

Decoration:

Red ink used throughout, in large initials, rubrics, paraph marks, and highlighting of some capitals.