Royal MS 18 A IX

CHRONICLE OF THE BRUTE in English to 1419, with a geographical introduction prefixed. The text is classified by F. W. D. Brie, Gesch. der Prosachronik The Brute, 1905, pp. 83, 84, as belonging to the group of which Harley MS. 24 is the type, viz. group A of the ' erweiterte Fassung ', the prologue of which indicates that it originally extended only to 1377. The present MS., however, is much abridged and altered as compared with Harley MS. 24. The geographical introduction headed 'Primus liber cronicorum' seems to be excerpted from Higden's Polychronicon (see Babington's ed., Rolls Ser., 1865, i, pp. 40-150), but is independent of either of the Engl. versions printed by Babington. Beg. 'Iulius Cesar a wysemanne desyring for to haue the dimensuracions'; breaks off (through loss of leaves after f. 7) 'the people of Gotelande whos . . .'. Then follows (f. 8) 'The kalendre of Brute in Englesshe', beg. 'Here begynneth a booke in Engleshe tunge called Brute of Englonde'. Prologue beg. 'Svme tyme in the noble lande of Surre þer was a noble kinge and a myghti called Dioclician'; text, 'In the noble cite of Troye ther was a myghty manne of renowne called Eneas'. Breaks off (cf. Harley MS. 24, f. 218) 'ther was nowmbre[d] in the citte by haraldes. . . '. Vellum; ff. 132. 9 1/2 in. x 6 3/4 in. Second half of XV cent. Gatherings (beg. f. 2) of 8 leaves (i⁶, vii⁹, viii¹⁰, xvi¹⁰), with catchwords and a peculiar system of signatures (not alphabetical). Sec. fol. 'and in that'. Initials pen-flourished in blue and red. Scribbled names occur (17th cent.) of Richard Summers (ff. 1, 6 b) and Edmond Pery (f. 39). Belonged (f. 2) to John Theyer. Theyer sale-cat. no. 169; CMA. 6386