Royal MS 13 A VI

HISTORIA POST BEDAM: a compilation of English history from 734 to 1148, mainly derived from Simeon of Durham and Henry of Huntingdon, and itself afterwards adopted by Roger of Hoveden as the first portion of his Chronicle. See Stubbs, Chronica Mag. Rog. de Houedene (Rolls Series), i, 1868, pp. 3-210 and preface, pp. xxvi sqq. Beg. 'In exordio huius operis'; ends 'venerat ex Anglia', being the concluding words of the first edition of Henry of Huntingdon. The text was collated with Hoveden by Stubbs as 'a'. It is written in the same hand (12th cent.) throughout; but the title, 'Historia Saxonum uel Anglorum post obitum Bede', and the marginal and other rubrics were inserted by a 14th cent. hand. Over the title as above, and partially cut away by the binder, is written (15th cent.), 'Incipit historia Anglorum siue Saxonum post venerabilem Bedam edita a magistro Rogero Houeden' (the last two words nearly illegible). This title is identical with that of Hoveden's chronicle in Arundel MS. 150. At the end (f. 107 b) has been added in a 14th cent. hand, apparently the same which inserted the rubrics in the original text, a brief history of events from 1148 to the death of Stephen in 1154, with colophon, 'Explicit cronica Rogeri Howdene'. This is abridged from William of Newburgh, and is printed by Stubbs, Hoveden, i, p. cii. It is followed (f. 108, paper), in a hand of about 1600, by the continuation of Henry of Huntingdon's completed work, beg. 'Anno 14 (sc. 1149) Henrico nepoti suo', and ending abruptly at the bottom of the page 'Eodem anno (sc. 1151) Consul Andegaviae regis Henrici' (H. Hunt. Hist. Anglorum, ed. T. Arnold, Rolls Series, 1879, p. 282).

The first fly-leaf (f. 1) is from a 13th cent. Psalter, containing portions of Ps. xx, xxi. A few marginal notes on ff. 84 b, 99b, 101, 101 b, have been printed by Stubbs (op. cit., p. ci).

Vellum (f. 108 paper); ff. 108. 8 in. x 6¹/₄ in. Late XII cent., with additions. Gatherings, i-v⁸, vi¹⁰, vii, viii⁸, ix-xii¹⁰. Sec. fol. 'Anno sequenti'. Initials in red and green as far as f. 18; afterwards in red only, of smaller size and later date. At the foot of f. 2 is a shield of arms (17th cent.), sa. an eagle close or (? Roper, of Heanor, co. Derby). On f. 22 b is, Liber Caroli Theyer de Cowpers hill iuxta Glouc.' in J. Theyer's hand. Theyer sale-cat. no. 198; not in CMA. ?