Royal MS 14 C VII, ff 8v-156v

The only complete copy of the Historia Anglorum, a history of England covering the years 1070-1253, probably composed and written by Matthew Paris in the period between 1250-1255 (ff. 10r-156v). Prologue incipit: 'De chronographia, id est temporum descripcione'; text incipit: 'Anno dominice incarnationis m^olxvii^o '. Contains numerous marginal notes, corrections, and additions by the author.

Decoration:

The text of the chronicle is prefaced with images of English kings holding buildings that represent their religious foundations, including: William I the Conqueror with Battle Abbey; William II with the Westminster Hall; Henry I with Reading Abbey; Stephen with Faversham Abbey (f. 8v); and Henry II with Waltham Abbey; Richard I the Lionheart with the church of St Thomas of Canterbury; John with the Cistercian Abbey of Beaulieu; Henry III with Westminster Abbey (f. 9r).

Marginal tinted drawings in colours including numerous shields with coats of arms, crosiers and mitres or tiaras in colours, upright or inverted, indicating births, elections of bishops or popes, coronations, or death of kings and knights.

f. 10r, Inverted arms of Harold with a crown indicating his death, and the arms of William the Conqueror with a crown, indicating his accession to the English throne.

f. 12r, Mitre and crosier indicating the election of Paul, abbot of St Albans.

f. 13v, The inverted royal arms of William the Conqueror referring to his death, and the same arms in the upright position for the accession of his son, William Rufus.

f. 36r, The royal arms of England with a crown and sceptre referring to the coronation of Henry I.

f. 37r, The inverted arms of Jerusalem referring to the death of Godfrey de Bouillon, and the same arms in the upright position for the coronation of Baldwin as king of Jerusalem.

f. 40v, The royal arms of France with a crown referring to the death of Philip I, king of France, and an inverted mitre with a crosier indicating the death of Anselm, bishop of Canterbury.

f. 42v, Two knights Templar on horseback.

f. 43r, Inverted mitre and crosier indicating the death of Richard, abbot of St Albans.

f. 45r, Inverted arms of France referring to the death of Philip I of France.

f. 46r, Inverted shield with the royal arms of England referring to the death of Henry I, and the same arms in the upright position referring to the coronation of Stephen.

f. 49r, Inverted arms of Jerusalem referring to the death of Fulk, king of Jerusalem.

f. 53r, Inverted shield with the royal arms of England referring to the death of king Stephen, and the same arms in the upright position referring to the coronation of Henry II.

f. 55r, Inverted mitre and crosier referring to the death of Richard, bishop of London.

f. 58v, Inverted mitre and crosier referring to the death of Robert, abbot of St Albans.

f. 68r, Arms with a pike, referring to the discovery of the relics of Amphibaldus.

f. 69v, The royal arms of France referring to the coronation of king Philip II, and the inverted royal arms of France referring to the death of king Louis VII.

f. 70v, Inverted mitre with a crosier indicating the death of Simon, abbot of St. Albans, and the same insignia in an upright position referring to the accession of abbot Warin, and a drawing of an inverted shield with the royal Arms of England, referring to the death of Henry the Young King, son of Henry II.

f. 77r, Inverted shield with the royal arms of England referring to the death of Henry II, and the same arms in the upright position indicating the coronation of Richard I.

f. 82r, Mitre and crosier referring to the election of Hubert Walter as archbishop of Canterbury.

f. 83v, Inverted arms of Jerusalem indicating the death of Henry I, king of Jerusalem.

f. 84r, Arms of Otto IV, king of Germany indicating his coronation.

f. 85v, Inverted shield bearing the royal arms of England with a crossbow and a crown referring to the death of Richard I, and the same arms in the upright position indicating the coronation of king John.

f. 86v, The arms of Otto IV referring to his coronation in Rome as the holy roman emperor.

f. 90r, Henry III as a baby in a cradle, and a drawing of a bell and clapper referring to the papal interdict.

f. 94r, Bells being rung referring to the relaxation of the papal interdict.

f. 97r, Inverted arms of Geoffrey De Mandeville with a broken lance, symbolizing his death and excommunication.

f. 98v, Inverted arms of Eustace de Vescy referring to his death.

f. 99v, Inverted royal arms of England indicating the death of king John.

f. 100r, The royal arms of England and a crown to referring to the coronation of Henry III.

f. 104v, Inverted arms of William Marshal, earl of Pembroke.

f. 105v, Two inverted shields bearing the arms of Simon de Montfort, accompanying the rubric 'Obiit Symon comes Montis fortis' and referring to his death and to the death of his brother, and a drawing of a crown next to the rubric reading 'De secunda coronatio regis henrici'.

f. 106r, Inverted shields with the arms of Saer de Quincy, his son Robert, and Henry de Bohun, referring to their deaths, and a drawing of the inverted shield of arms of Biham, next to a rubric reading 'De obsidione cast. de Biham'.

f. 106v, Inverted shield bearing the arms of William d'Aubigny, earl of Arundel, with a caption reading 'Obiit Will[iam]us de abineto comes harundelie'; a drawing of two small crosiers referring to the resignation of William, bishop of Lincoln, a drawing of a crown indicating the marriage of Johanna, sister of Henry III to Alexander II, king of Scotland, and a ring referring to the marriage of Hubert de Burgh to Margaret of Scotland.

f. 107v, Inverted shield with the royal arms of France referring to the death of Philip II, with an inscription reading 'Obiit philippus rex francorum', and a drawing of a small crosier referring to the election of Walter Mauclerc, bishop of Carlisle.

f. 108r, Two inverted mitres and crosiers for the deaths of Simon de Apulis, bishop of Exeter, and William, bishop of Chester.

f. 109v, Arms of Richard, earl of Cornwall, Henry III's brother.

f. 110r, Inverted arms of Hugh Bigod, earl of Norfolk; and a candle.

f. 111r, Inverted shield bearing the arms of William de Longespée, count of Salisbury, indicating his death.

f. 112r, Inverted Royal arms of France with a crown indicating the death of Louis VIII, and the same arms in the upright position referring to the coronation of Louis IX.

f. 112v, Inverted shield with the arms of William de Mandeville, count of Essex, indicating his death, and drawings of two papal tiaras and crosses, one inverted and one upright, referring to the death of pope Gregory IX and the accession of Honorius III.

f. 113v, Crosier and two mitres referring to the translation of bishop Richard from Salisbury to Durham.

f. 114r, Inverted mitre referring to the death of Geoffrey de Burgo, bishop of Ely, and of an upright crosier indicating the election of Hugh.

f. 115v Mitre and crosier referring to the election of Robert de Bingham as bishop of Salisbury; and episcopal insignia for the elections of Richard, archbishop of Canterbury, Roger, bishop of London, and Hugh, bishop of Ely.

f. 116r, Inverted shield with the arms of William de Brause referring to his murder.

f. 116v, Henry III in a boat sailing to Brittany, with a caption reading 'Rex henri[cus] III / naviga[n]s in b[re]ta[n]ia[m]'; inverted shield with the arms of Raymond de Burgh referring to his death.

f. 117r, Two inverted shields with the arms of Gilbert de Clare (between the columns), and of William Marshal, earl of Pembroke, referring to their deaths, and a pair of clasped hands above referring to the marriage of Richard, first earl of Cornwall and king of Germany, to Isabella of Gloucester.

f. 117v, Three soldiers opening the tomb of Archbishop Richard of Canterbury.

f. 118r, Man threshing corn, referring to the plunder of barns at Wingham.

f. 119r, Hubert de Burgh kneeling at an altar.

f. 119v, Inverted arms of Ralph de Blandeville, earl of Chester, indicating his death, and a drawing of three vessels referring to the confiscation of Hubert de Burgh's treasures.

f. 120v, Inverted mitre and a broken crosier, referring to the quashed election of John Blund as the archbishop of Canterbury, and a drawing of an upright mitre and crosier indicating the election of Edmund of Abingdon, with a Manus Dei above.

f. 121r, A house referring to the house for converted Jews in London.

f. 121v, Hospital founded by Henry III in Oxford.

f. 122r, Roger Nigel, bishop of London, consecrating Edmund of Abington as archbishop of Canterbury, inscribed with their names above.

f. 122v, Edmund, archbishop of Canterbury, reconciling Gilbert Marshal and Henry III, with the arms of Marshal below.

f. 123r, Inverted crosiers and mitres referring to deaths of Hugh, bishop of Lincoln and Henry of Sanford, bishop of Rochester.

f. 123v, Marriage of emperor Frederick II to Isabella of England.

f. 124v, Marriage of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence.

f. 125r, Inverted shield with the arms of William d'Aubigny indicating his death.

f. 125v, Inverted arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and of John of Brienne, king of Jerusalem, indicating his death, and an inverted mitre and crosier referring to the death of Richard II, bishop of Durham.

f. 126r, Council of London of 1237.

f. 127v, Black bird emerging from the lips of the sultan of Babylon, referring to his death; and an inverted mitre and crosier, referring to the death of Peter des Roches, bishop of Winchester.

f. 128r, God's hand blessing king's head, with a note 'Nota protectionem dei' referring to an attempt to kill Henry III at Woodstock.

f. 128v, Inverted mitre and crosier indicating the death of Alexander, bishop of Chester; two inverted mitres and crosiers, and a broken crosier referring to the annulled elections of bishops of Norwich and Winchester; inverted arms of William of Cantelupe, indicating his death.

f. 129r, Baby in a cradle and a crown referring to the birth of Henry III's son and heir; a comet with an inscription 'signum in aere'.

f. 129v, Mitre and crosier indicating the election of William de Raley as bishop of Norwich; inverted arms with two attached mitres and a head of a crosier, referring to the death of William of Savoy, bishop elect of Valance-sur-Rhône; two inverted shields indicating the deaths of Henry of Trubleville and Ralph de Thony; mitre and crosier referring to the election of Hugh de Pateshull as bishop of Coventry; and the death of Isabella, countess of Cornwall.

f. 130v, Three inverted shields with the arms of the French crusaders killed at Gaza: Dareines, Henry II, count de Bar, and John de Barres, with the inverted banners of the Hospitaliers and Templars; and two inverted arms of John de Lacy, earl of Lincoln, and William, earl of Warenne.

f. 131v, The Crown of Thorns and a cross.

f. 132r, Inverted arms of Gilbert Marshal indicating his death.

f. 133r, Inverted tiara and cross referring to the death of pope Gregory IX; inverted shield with the arms of Stephan de Segrave; upright mitre and crosier indicating the election of Fulco Basset as bishop of London; inverted insignia referring to the death of Hugh de Pateshull, bishop of Coventry; and papal insignia in the upright position indicating the election of the pope Celestine IV.

f. 133v, Inverted and broken sword and shield with the arms of William de Marisco, referring to his execution in 1242.

f. 134v, Three inverted shields with arms of Henry, king of the Romans, Thomas, earl of Warwick and Richard de Burgh; and Henry III and Eleanor returning by sea from Gascony, with Nicholas de Molis is in a small boat alongside.

f. 135r, Papal insignia indicating the election of pope Innocent IV.

f. 135v, Inverted arms of Hugh d'Aubigny, earl of Arundel, and Hubert de Burgh, earl of Kent, referring to their deaths.

f. 136r, Griffin escaping from the Tower of London.

f. 137v, Louis IX of France cured by the true Cross; two crosiers and mitres for the election of bishops of Worcester and Hereford.

f. 138r, Prince Edmund as a baby in a cradle; and two inverted shields with arms of Baldwin, count of Devon, and of Herbert Fitz-Matthew.

f. 138v, Arms of Richard, count of Clare referring to his knighting; Westminster Abbey referring to its refurbishment by Henry III; the Council of Lyons excommunicating Frederic II; and two crosiers and mitres referring to papal consecrations of three English bishops: Boniface of Savoy as archbishop of Canterbury, Richard de Wych as bishop of Chichester, and Roger of Weseham as bishop of Chester.

f. 139r, Inverted arms of Raimund, count of Provence referring to his death; and two inverted arms of Marshal indicating the deaths of William and Gilbert II.

f. 140r, Two hand holding a crosier for the resignation of bishop Walter of Carleon.

f. 141r, Three inverted shields with arms of Fulk de Chateauneuf and Henry Raspe, Landgrave of Thuringia and king of Germany.

f. 141v, Arms of William of Holland, referring to his election as king of Germany.

f. 142r, A long cross penny referring to the coinage reform of 1247, and the vase of the holy blood referring to its presentation to the abbey of Westminster by Henry III; and arms of William de Valence, brother of Henry III, with two mitres and crosiers referring to the consecration of the bishop elect of Carlisle, and the election of Thomas, bishop of St. David's.

f. 143v, Inverted mitre and crosier for the death of Robert, bishop of Bath.

f. 145v, Arms of Enso, son of Frederic II indicating his capture.

f. 146r, Ascension of Christ; and a mitre and a crosier indicating the election of Walter of Kirkham as bishop of Durham.

f. 146v, Inverted arms of Roger Balliol, Alexander, king of Scotland, Hugh Brun, count of Marches, Peter Genuere, and two others referring to their deaths.

f. 148v, Six inverted shields alluding to the defeat of Christians, bearing the arms of William de Longespée with two hands above issuing from a cloud and holding a dove, William, castellan of Saint-Omer, castellan of Ghent, count of Boulogne, Robert, count of Artois, with a black bird symbolizing his soul, and Raul de Coucy, identified as Enguerrand.

f. 149r, Inverted mitre and crosier referring to the death of William de Raley, bishop of Winchester, mitres and crosiers in the upright position indicating the election of Lawrence of St Martin as the bishop of Rochester, a drawing of an inverted mitre with a crosier referring to the death of Richard de Wendene, bishop of Rochester, and a drawing of an inverted arms of Frederick II with five inverted crowns, referring to his death.

f. 150r, Arms of Castille and Leon, France, England, Norway, and Jerusalem, all with crosses and crowns.

f. 156v, Inverted arms of William de Vesci.

Puzzle initials in red and blue with a foliate decoration in green, brown, and red. Initials in blue with red pen-flourishing, or in blue with red pen-flourishing.