Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 329: John Bramis, Historia regis Waldei. Chronicle (incarnation to 1415). Geoffrey de Rocherio OSB, History of Thetford Priory
Description
Abstract/Contents
- Summary
- The provenance of CCCC MS 329 gives every appearance of being firmly established as originating from the Benedictine priory of Thetford (Norfolk). Written c. 1425-50, the manuscript contains a number of texts associating it with the priory of the Blessed Virgin Mary. These include a statement about the authorship of John Bramis (fl. fourteenth century) of the Historia regis Waldei, to the unique copy of the History of Thetford priory by Geoffrey of Rocherio OSB (d. 1301), both texts found in this volume. There is also an anonymous account of a miracle attending the repairs carried out on the buildings of the priory. Yet, as James observed, another anonymous Chronicle from the incarnation to the year 1399, that also appears in this manuscript, takes a close interest in the affairs of the nearby priory of Augustinian canons at Ixworth (Suffolk). Parker no doubt valued it for its account of church history from his home county of Norfolk, but how it came into his possession is not known.
- Contents
- Historia regis Waldei -- Gesta regum Anglorum (excerpt - De translationibus episcopatuum Wellens. Cestrens. et Thetford) -- Account of how a new Lady Chapel came to be built at Thetford Priory -- Letter of William of St Mary's 'Merlesham' describing the finding of a relic in the heel of a statue in Thetford Priory -- Chronicle of memorable affairs from the incarnation to 1399 -- History of Thetford Priory
Bibliographic information
- M.R. James Date
- xv early
- Downloadable James Catalogue Record
- https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:vs977vn1907/MS_329.pdf
- Superseded Interim Catalogue Record
- https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:bn021nn2402/329.pdf
- Contains
-
- John Bramis, Historia regis Waldei. 9-204
- Nasmith
- Historia Waldei quondam Norfolchiae et Suffolchiae regis eximii de Gallis et Anglis verbis in Latinum translata. 9-204
- Author
- John Bramis
- Note
- Ex prefatione, Verum si cui forsan libet translatoris agnitionem percipere, litteras capitales hujus operis aureas sibillicando perspiciat, quarum a sensu nomen ordo vel patria lucide inspicienti versu inveniente patefiet. Litterae vero aureae de quibus agitur componunt hunc versum, DE: THETFORD: MONACHUS: BRAMIS: EDIDIT: ISTA: IOHANNES. Historia porro fabulosa, in qua tempore Britonum frequens Normanniae et Saracenorum mentio
- Rubric
- (17) Incipit prologus super hystoriam Waldei quondam norffolchie suffolchieque regis eximii de gallicis et anglicis verbis in latinum translatam
- Incipit
- (17) Primitus subsequens regis Waldei filiorumque historia suorum in lingua anglica metrice composita est. Deinde ad instanciam cuiusdam femine que ipsam penitus linguam nesciret quam non alio quam amice nomine uoluit indagare a quodam in linguam gallicam est translata
- Note
- The first four parts only remained in English
- Explicit
- (18) Uerum si cui forsitan libet translatoris agnicionem percipere litteras capitales huius operis aureas. quas iccirco aureas siue ab aliis coloris alterius posteris scriptoribus esse deputaui sillibicando perspiciat. quarum a sensu nomen ordo uel patria lucide inspicienti uersu innuente patefiet. Sed et hoc forsitan vanitas vel presumpcio spiritus putabitur. Quibus ut verum est dictum vaticinii testimonium valebit forsitan satisfacere
- Rubric
-
(18) Explicit prologus
(19) Incipiunt capitula libri sequentis - Note
-
Capitula of the six parts of the work
(24) blank
(25) (Pars I.) - Rubric
- (25) Castor a Julio Cesare rex Norff. consti(tutus) castre ciuitatem edificauit. Capitulum primum
- Incipit
- (25) Tempore illo Iulio quo cesari esset adeptus plurimumque terrarum
- Note
-
(25) A very fine border and decorative initial: characteristic English work of the end of the xivth and beginning of the xvth cent. The gold is good. There is a good deal of green flourishing of a somewhat peculiar kind in this and subsequent borders
Smaller initials are usually blue with good red pen flourishing: but those which enter into the acrostic are in gold more or less ornamented in other colours. Each Part has a whole or partial border and fine initial
(48) Pars II
cap. 28 is printed by T. Martin, Hist. of Thetford App. XXXVIII, p. 128
(84) Pars III, very fine initial
(117) Pars IV
(148) Pars V
(181) Pars VI
Ends - Explicit
-
(204) Imperauit igitur guyacus super duo imperia rome viz. et almannie que omnibus vite sue diebus strenue et insigniter gubernauit. ipsoque defuncto filii sui et filii filiorum suorum multis postmodum diebus successere. Deo gratias et beate marie
(204) ffinit hystoria regis Waldei duorumque filiorum suorum guyaci et gudlaci - Note
- Art. 1 has been recently transcribed for publication by Dr Immermann and by Dr Suchier
- William of Malmesbury OSB, Gesta regum Anglorum (excerpt - De translationibus episcopatuum Wellens. Cestrens. et Thetford). 205-205
- Nasmith
- De translationibus episcopatuum Wellens. Cestrens. et Thetford. [ex Willelmo Malmburiensi]. 205-205
- Author
- William of Malmesbury OSB
- Rubric
- (205) De translacionibus episcopatuum Wellen. Cestren. et Thetforden
- Incipit
- (205) Tres sunt in anglia episcopatus qui ex antiquis sedibus in alias transierunt
- Explicit
- (205) si non vana fides penitencie super ethera tulerunt
- Note
- From Will. Malmesbury Gesta Regum IV, ยงยง 338, 9. Rolls Ed. II 385
- Account of how a new Lady Chapel came to be built at Thetford Priory. 206-209
- Nasmith
- Motiva exhortatoria quare capella virginis gloriosae in parte aquilonari monasterii monachorum Thetfordiae per priorem ejusdem loci extiterat constructa. 206-209
- Rubric
- (206) Hec sunt motiua exhortatoria quare capella virginis gloriose in parte aquilonari monasterii monachorum Thetfordie per Priorem eiusdem loci extiterat constructa
- Incipit
- (206) Olim dum sedes episcopalis fuerat in ciuitate Thetfordie predicta in ecclesia parichiali (!) sancte marie
- Explicit
- (209) ymagini gloriose virginis supradicte deuotissime optulerunt
- Note
- See Blomefield, Norfolk II 117. Martin, Thetford, p. 81
- Letter of William of St Mary's 'Merlesham' describing the finding of a relic in the heel of a statue in Thetford Priory. 209-210
- Nasmith
- Epistola Willelmi ecclesiae S. Mariae de Merlesham ministri qualiter sanctae reliquiae in capite supradictae imaginis repertae ad Thetfordense monasterium pervenerint. 209-210
- Rubric
- (209) Qualiter sancte reliquie in capite supradicte ymaginis repperte ad Thetfordense monasterium peruenerunt. Epistola
- Incipit
- (209) Domino et patri Stephano Thetfordensis ecclesie procuratori egregio Willelmus ecclesie S. Marie de Merlesham minister
- Explicit
- (210) in hac ecclesia anniuersarium suum imperpetuum deuote fieri quod est Idus Octobris
- Note
- See Blomefield, Norfolk II 117. Martin, Thetford, p. 84
- Chronicle of memorable affairs from the incarnation to 1399. 211-219
- Nasmith
- Chronologia rerum memorabilium ab incarnatione verbi ad annum 1399. 211-219
- James
- Chronicle. 211-219
- Note
- (211) Chronicle
- Incipit
- (211) Scire cupiens quot anni fluxerunt a tempore quo hec subscripta contigerunt
- Note
-
(211) Anno a creacione mundi iiii ml lxxxvijo Brutus venit in Angliam
To Translation of St Thomas 1220 - Rubric
- (212) De prima christianitate missa in angliam
- Note
-
(Lucius)
(212) De secunda ... (Germanus)
(212) De tercia ... (Gregory) - Rubric
- (212) De institucionibus quorundam (!) religionum
- Note
- Augustine (402) to 1287 Austin Friars
- Rubric
- (213) Sequitur de vita sanctorum confessorum et pontificum
- Note
- Nicholas, Martin, Silvester
- Rubric
- (213) De doctoribus ecclesie catholice
- Note
- The Four Latin Doctors
- Rubric
- (213) Sequitur de confessoribus abbatibus et heremitis
- Note
- Paul, Benedict, Leonard, etc.
- Rubric
- (213) Sequitur de episcopis et confessoribus Anglis
- Note
- Dunstan, Anselm, Edward, Edmund C.
- Rubric
- (213) De Sancto Bernardo et Sancto Dominico
- Note
- Bede and John of Bryglynton (1382)
- Rubric
- (214) De regibus Anglie ante conquestum
- Note
- (from Arthur)
- Rubric
- (214) De regibus Anglie post conquestum
- Note
- Ends with 1415
- Explicit
- (215) Capta fuit ciuitas areletensis ab henrico quinto rege Anglie
- Rubric
- (216) De preliis per anglicanos et alios commissis
- Note
- (216) Taking of Jerusalem by Titus. The last is Poitiers
- Rubric
- (217) Construcciones quorundam monasteriorum anglie
- Note
-
Glastonbury, Peterborough, Canterbury, Westminster, Hulme, St Albans, Cluny, Ely, Bury (several dates), Thetford: 1119 St Osith's
1170 Construccio domus et prioratus de Ixword
1172 Introduccio Canonicorum apud Ixword
1096 Building of Norwich Cathedral - Rubric
- (217) De mirabilibus signis et prodigiis
- Note
-
(218) Under 1361 are the verses
(218) Luce tua maure magnus fuit impetus aureM. c. ter ventus fui(t) l. monaptata decem
The last is 1412 - Explicit
- (218) in vigilia Sancte Cecilie magnus ventus ... ac eciam in nocte katherine sequente
- Note
-
(219) A. d. millmo ccco xc ixo pro isto anno in datum presens
(219) Anno ab origine mundi vi mo Do xco ixo
(219) Anno a passione Sancti Edmundi
(219) ab introduccione in Sanctum Edmundum
(219) Anno a construxione domus de Ixword cc xo
(219) ab insurrectione communitatis xixo
(219) Pontificatus pape Bonifacii quarti xo
(no reference to Thetford)
pp. 220-229 missing
- Geoffrey de Rocherio OSB, History of Thetford Priory. 230-267
- Nasmith
- Historia cenobii Thetfordensis per Gaufredum ejusdem loci monachum. 230-267
- Author
- Geoffrey de Rocherio OSB
- Note
- (230) No title, and different script
- Incipit
- (230) Fratribus commanentibus in Thetfordensi ecclesia cuius protectrix extat virgo Maria vester Gaufredus eiusdem virginis filio
- Explicit
- (230) quantum sapio quantum capio hoc modo enarrat mea deuocio
- Incipit
- (230) Anno ab incarnacione domini millmo co iiiio a passione Sancti Edmundi regis et martyris cco xxxiiiio
- Note
- (236) Unfinished, ending
- Explicit
- (236) Quod episcopus cum ira magna se facere negauit. Tunc prior ex parte dei et beate marie
- Note
-
Printed: Monasticon V 151. By Geoffrey de Rocherio. Martin's Thetford, App. VI, p. 29
pp. 110-114 are ruled but blank. 115-122 entirely blank
(238) On this page is the mark and signature of F. Blomefield, who uses this MS. in his history of Norfolk
At the end are 5 flyleaves (pp. 263-268), bits of a roughly written account roll of 35-36 Edward III
(236) On the last page, the name ffr. Wyllmus Weting and a rhyme
Summa totalisNescio que qualisSed si sit tantaEst que qualis quantaAff uel negatyveI cannat contryveUtrum partycularnescio vel syngularvel indeffinitaScio non. Ita
- John Bramis, Historia regis Waldei. 9-204
- TJames
- 100
- Stanley
- J. 10
- Location
- https://purl.stanford.edu/nv587yn0448
- MS 329
- Repository
- UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library
Access conditions
- Use and reproduction:
- Images courtesy of The Parker Library, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. For higher resolution images suitable for scholarly or commercial publication, either in print or in an electronic format, please contact the Parker Library directly at parker-library@corpus.cam.ac.uk
- License:
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC).