Royal MS 14 C XII

R. HIGDEN, Polychronicon; cf. 13 D. I, art. 1. Preceded by an alphabetical index (ff. 2-8), and a plan of the world, giving names only, without boundaries (f. 9b). The text in libb. i, ii abounds with alterations, many passages (often of considerable length) being written over erasures, and others added in the margins. The corrected text corresponds generally with that printed by Babington and Lumby. Originally ended (f. 130) with 1342, 'capitis et carceris interdixit', though the sections relating to 1341 and 1342 (from 'Rex Edwardus cum navigio suo) are in a different hand from the rest. The history is continued (ff. 131-136) in another hand to 1377, the continuation being the same as that contained in 13 D. 1, art. 17. A 16th cent. hand has inserted in the margin several notes relating to Shropshire (ff. 4, 26, 27, 29, 29 b, 31, 31b, 33, 94 b, 110 b, 111 b, 112 b, 113, 113 b, 115, 115 b, 130). A table of contents (17th cent.) on f. 1 shows that the volume formerly also contained the epistle of S. Bernard 'de cura familiae', 'Chronica compendiosa de Angliae regibus', and 'Hen. de Hercley [Henry Harkeley, Chancellor of Oxford University 1313-1316], concio Th. Beckett'.

Vellum; ff. 136. 1 ft. 2¹/₂ in. x 9³/₄ in. XIV cent. Gatherings of 12 leaves, with catchwords (ii¹⁰, xi¹⁰, ending the original work, xii⁸, containing the continuation, two leaves being blank). Sec. fol. 'De Birino' or (text) '-mestor Trecensis'. Initials flourished in red and blue. A label (removed from the former binding) states that the MS. belonged to the house of S. Thomas of Acon in London, by the gift of James, Earl of Ormonde (1539-1546); cf. 13 C. XI. Cat. of 1666, f. 7 b or 8; not in CMA.