Add MS 38129

WILLIAM OF MALMESBURY, "De gestis re-um Anglorum" (f. 1) and "Historia Novella" (f. 181): the third recension, with the dedicatory epistle at the end of the third book, being the MS. Ce² of Stubbs's edition (Rolls Series, 1887, 1889) and E² in that of Sir T. D. Hardy (Engl. Hist. Soc., 1840), for both of which it was collated. A description of it is given by Hardy, Descriptive Catalogue (Rolls Series, 1862-1871), ii, p. 159, and Stubbs, op. cit. i, p. lxxxii. The text is closely related to that of the Margam MS., Royal 13 D. ii, though not a transcript of it, both, in the opinion of Sir T. D. Hardy, being copied from the author's autograph. The "Historia Novella" is imperfect through the loss of several leaves; the missing portion, from "Cuius concilii" (Stubbs, 492, p. 574) to "impedimenta" ( 519, p. 592), has been supplied on printed pages (ff. 195-198) copied from Hardy's edition. Vellum; ff. ii + 200. 10 in. x 7 in. Early xv cent. Gatherings of 12 leaves. Initials, many roughly decorated, in red and green. Sec. fol. "arcuum exinanita." On f. 1 is an obliterated inscription (16th cent.), "liber Hospitalis . . . . ." In 1635 the MS. belonged to Sir Roger Twysden, who has prefixed a table of contents and written headings to several pages. Subsequently it passed into the possession of the Sebright family, and at the sale of part of Sir John Sebright's library in 1807 (lot 1190) it was bought by Richard Heber, from whom it passed (sale-cat. 1836, lot 1006) to Sir Thomas Phillipps. Phillipps MS. 8239 (sale-cat. 1911, lot 668).

William of Malmesbury: Gesta Regum and Historia Novella: early 15th cent.

England General Chronicles and History: William of Malmesbury, Regum and Historia Novella: early 15th cent.