Description
Alternative title
Matthaei Paris Chronica Maiora I
Type of resource
mixed material
Extent
ff. 2 + 6 + 140 + 2 + 1
Date created
[ca. 1200-1299]
Language
Latin, French, Middle (ca. 1400-1600)
Material
Vellum
Layout
double columns of 56 lines
Height (mm)
260
Width (mm)
195
Collation
a(2) | A(6(?)) | I(10) (+ 3 half-leaves after 7) II(10) (+ 3 half-leaves after 8) III(12) IV(10)-VI(10) VII(12) (2 canc.) VIII(8) IX(10) X(8) XI(10) (5 canc.) XII(13) XIII(14) (+ 2 leaves after 2, and 1 at the end) | B(2) | 1 flyleaf.
Writing
closely written
Foliation
ff. A-B + a-b + i-vi + 1-141+ vii-ix + C-D
Provenance
Written at St Albans, and presented to the convent by Matthew Paris.
It belonged to Edward Aglionby of Balsall Temple, who lent it to Parker.
Research
The full text of the Chronica Maiora contained in volumes 26, 16I and 16II was edited in the Rolls Series by Dr H. R. Luard. They are described by Sir F. Madden in the preface to Matthew Paris Historia Anglorum (Rolls pp. liv-lxi), and by Sir T. Duffus Hardy Catalogue of Materials III 117-119. Madden was of opinion that the two volumes were largely in the autograph of Matthew Paris: Hardy in the introduction to vol. III of his Catalogue contests this opinion with success, and shows that only small portions of the nature of corrections and supplements can be safely assigned to the hand of Paris himself. His discussion is accompanied by facsimiles of the various manuscripts which have been supposed to be in Paris's handwriting. The following are taken from our MSS. pl. X, XI from MS 26. pl. XII-XVI from MS 16.
In what follows I summarize the descriptions of Madden and Hardy, and add a survey of the illustrations, chiefly marginal, which occur in the two volumes. Many of these have been reproduced, notably in the illustrated editions of Green's Short History and of Social England ; but I do not know that any convenient list of them exists, though they are mentioned as they occur in the footnotes to Luard's edition. The drawings of shields are described by Luard Chronica Maiora vi, App. I. He also gives facsimiles of the writing in vols. I and II.
The Cotton MS. Nero D. v contains a copy of the text of both volumes made at St Albans later in the xiiith century.
Additions
There are two flyleaves at the beginning from a Canon Law MS. (xiv: double columns, closely written).
Marginal additions are few at first, but become more numerous after the year 1100. At the end of the year 1188, in the lower margin, is this note by a hand of cent. xiv (which also appears in MS 16II, on f. 37v): Anno dominice incarnationis MCLXXXIX est uera continuacio historie Mathei Parisiensis in alio uolumine eiusdem manus. This refers to no. 16.
Writing
The remainder of the volume is in two hands. The first writes 1-14, 21-30, 33-36, 39-117, 193-252, 257-282. The second, a somewhat rounder hand, appears to extend from 117 to 192.
Abstract/Contents
- Summary
- Matthew Paris OSB (c. 1200-59), a Benedictine monk of St Albans Abbey, was their official chronicler who wrote chronicles covering both world history and British history. These two volumes are of his most important work, the Chronica maiora, covering world history, but with a particular emphasis on that of Britain - vol I is CCCC MS 26 and vol II is CCCC MS 16, their production dating to the period c. 1240-55. Matthew was also a talented artist who was both scribe and illustrator of his own chronicles. These volumes have coloured marginal drawings, and also signs and heraldic shields in the borders signifying the persons and incidents in their lives, and also signifying their deaths, set beside the text passages mentioning these events. Recently, in 2003, the prefatory section to MS 16 (ff. i recto - v verso), containing lists and genealogies of kings, a diagram of the winds, itineraries, maps, and the picture of the elephant given by Louis IX to Henry III, has been bound separately as MS 16I. The part containing the chronicle text itself, ff. 1v-282r, has been rebound as MS 16II.
- Contents
- Chronica maiora I (preliminary matter) -- Chronica maiora I
Access conditions
- Use and reproduction:
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- License:
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