GB 0096 MS 278 - Robert Of Gloucester chronicle

Área de identidad

Código de referencia

GB 0096 MS 278

Título

Robert Of Gloucester chronicle

Fecha(s)

  • [1440] (Creación)

Nivel de descripción

Volumen y soporte

1 volume containing 149 leaves

Área de contexto

Nombre del productor

Historia biográfica

Robert of Gloucester (fl 1260-1300) is only known through his vernacular chronicle of English history. It is thought that he may have been a monk of Gloucester.

Institución archivística

Historia archivística

The manuscript was owned by William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (1520-1598), whose library passed to his great-grandaughter, Lady Diana Cecil. When she died without issue, the library was inherited by her step-son, Robert, 2nd Earl of Elgin and 1st Earl of Ailesbury (d 1685). The library was sold on 20 Nov 1687, and the chronicle was purchased by Sir Thomas Mostyn. It bears the bookplate of Sir Roger Mostyn, 3rd Baronet (d 1739), and a mid-nineteenth century book label of the Gloddaeth Library. In 1870-1874, the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts examined the Mostyn manuscripts and published a full catalogue (Fourth Report, Part I, 1874). The manuscript was bought for Sir R Leicester Harmsworth at the Mostyn sale, Sotheby's, 3 Jul 1920. It was then part of the Sotheby's Leicester Harmsworth sale, 15 Oct 1945, where it was bought by Quaritch.
GB 0096 MS 278 [1440] Collection (fonds) 1 volume containing 149 leaves Unknown
Robert of Gloucester (fl 1260-1300) is only known through his vernacular chronicle of English history. It is thought that he may have been a monk of Gloucester.

The manuscript was owned by William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (1520-1598), whose library passed to his great-grandaughter, Lady Diana Cecil. When she died without issue, the library was inherited by her step-son, Robert, 2nd Earl of Elgin and 1st Earl of Ailesbury (d 1685). The library was sold on 20 Nov 1687, and the chronicle was purchased by Sir Thomas Mostyn. It bears the bookplate of Sir Roger Mostyn, 3rd Baronet (d 1739), and a mid-nineteenth century book label of the Gloddaeth Library. In 1870-1874, the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts examined the Mostyn manuscripts and published a full catalogue (Fourth Report, Part I, 1874). The manuscript was bought for Sir R Leicester Harmsworth at the Mostyn sale, Sotheby's, 3 Jul 1920. It was then part of the Sotheby's Leicester Harmsworth sale, 15 Oct 1945, where it was bought by Quaritch.

Bought from Quaritch in 1950.

Manuscript volume containing a verse chronicle of the history of England from the legendary Brut up to 1272, [1440], most notably focusing on the barons' rebellion led by Simon de Montfort during the reign of King Henry III. The chronicle is written in rhymed couplets in a south-west Midland dialect, and was copied in a good semi-cursive hand by two, or possibly three, scribes. The chronicle is known in two versions, of which this is the shorter; in the longer version there is a reference to the darkness which fell on the surrounding country following the Battle of Evesham (Aug 1265), and this, as well as local knowledge of the area, has led to the author being traditionally named 'Robert of Gloucester'. On the verso of the second fly-leaf there is a 'Precepts in -ly' (moral or religious counsels) entitled 'A spesiall glasse to loke in daily', which is dated at Holy Rode on 14 Sep 1516. It was possibly written by Richard Whitford (1476-1542), who was chaplain to William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy, and later to Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester, afterwards becoming a monk at Syon Monastery, Isleworth, until the Dissolution. It is unclear if Whitford also undertook the copying of the Richard of Gloucester chronicle. Folio 147 contains 25 lines of miscellaneous Latin, including a section relating to the prophecies of Merlin.

Single item

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.
English, with a little Latin
Manuscript folio. Written on vellum. Rubricated initials, with decoration including ink drawings in the margins, mainly grotesque heads, animals and fish. The capital letter beginning every other line of verse is filled with yellow. The vellum binding dates from the mid-nineteenth century. The manuscript has late medieval foliation on ff 1-146, with f 16 missed out.

Collection level description. See also N. R. Ker, Medieval manuscripts in British libraries: I, London (1969).

There are known to exist eleven more or less complete manuscripts of the chronicle, three fragments and one garbled version. Aside from the University of London manuscript, the other complete versions are held by the Huntington Library in California; the British Museum, London; the Bodleian Library, Oxford University; Cambridge University Library; Trinity College, Cambridge University; and Glasgow University.

Further information concerning the manuscript may be found in J. H. P. Pafford, 'University of London Library MS 278, Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle', Studies presented to Sir Hilary Jenkinson (Oxford University Press, London, 1957).

Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Jun 2001 Avon Civil war England Europe Evesham Henry III , 1207-1272 , King of England History Isleworth Literary forms and genres Literature Middlesex Montfort , Simon , De , 1208-1265 , Earl of Leicester x De Montfort , Simon x Leicester , Earl of Poetry Political movements Religious belief Robert of Gloucester , fl 1260-1300 , English chronicler x Gloucester , Robert of Syon Theology UK Western Europe Whitford , Richard , 1476-1542 , monk and religious writer Worcestershire London Hounslow

Origen del ingreso o transferencia

Bought from Quaritch in 1950.

Área de contenido y estructura

Alcance y contenido

Manuscript volume containing a verse chronicle of the history of England from the legendary Brut up to 1272, [1440], most notably focusing on the barons' rebellion led by Simon de Montfort during the reign of King Henry III. The chronicle is written in rhymed couplets in a south-west Midland dialect, and was copied in a good semi-cursive hand by two, or possibly three, scribes. The chronicle is known in two versions, of which this is the shorter; in the longer version there is a reference to the darkness which fell on the surrounding country following the Battle of Evesham (Aug 1265), and this, as well as local knowledge of the area, has led to the author being traditionally named 'Robert of Gloucester'. On the verso of the second fly-leaf there is a 'Precepts in -ly' (moral or religious counsels) entitled 'A spesiall glasse to loke in daily', which is dated at Holy Rode on 14 Sep 1516. It was possibly written by Richard Whitford (1476-1542), who was chaplain to William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy, and later to Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester, afterwards becoming a monk at Syon Monastery, Isleworth, until the Dissolution. It is unclear if Whitford also undertook the copying of the Richard of Gloucester chronicle. Folio 147 contains 25 lines of miscellaneous Latin, including a section relating to the prophecies of Merlin.

Valorización, destrucción y programación

Acumulaciones

Sistema de arreglo

Single item

Área de condiciones de acceso y uso

Condiciones de acceso

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Uncatalogued material may not be seen. Please contact the University Archivist for details.

Condiciones

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Idioma del material

  • inglés

Escritura del material

  • latín

Notas sobre las lenguas y escrituras

English, with a little Latin

Características físicas y requisitos técnicos

Instrumentos de descripción

Collection level description. See also N. R. Ker, Medieval manuscripts in British libraries: I, London (1969).

Área de materiales relacionados

Existencia y localización de originales

Existencia y localización de copias

Unidades de descripción relacionadas

There are known to exist eleven more or less complete manuscripts of the chronicle, three fragments and one garbled version. Aside from the University of London manuscript, the other complete versions are held by the Huntington Library in California; the British Museum, London; the Bodleian Library, Oxford University; Cambridge University Library; Trinity College, Cambridge University; and Glasgow University.

Descripciones relacionadas

Nota de publicación

Área de notas

Notas

Identificador/es alternativo(os)

Puntos de acceso

Puntos de acceso por lugar

Puntos de acceso por autoridad

Tipo de puntos de acceso

Área de control de la descripción

Identificador de la descripción

Identificador de la institución

Senate House Library, University of London

Reglas y/o convenciones usadas

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Estado de elaboración

Nivel de detalle

Fechas de creación revisión eliminación

Idioma(s)

  • inglés

Escritura(s)

    Fuentes

    Área de Ingreso