Skip to search Skip to main content
Parker Library On the Web - Spotlight at Stanford
  • Sign in
  • Feedback

Contact us

Reporting from: https://parker.stanford.edu/parker/catalog/rf352tc5448/metadata
Cancel

Parker Library On the Web

Manuscripts in the Parker Library at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
  • Home
  • Curated Features
    • The Parker on Loan
    • New Site Features
    • Previous Exhibition: The Making of Medieval Manuscripts
    • Previous Exhibition: Worlds Real and Imagined
    • Previous Exhibition: The History of the Book
  • Browse
  • About
  • Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 026: Matthew Paris OSB, Chronica maiora I

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 026: Matthew Paris OSB, Chronica maiora I

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

Bibliographic information

M.R. James Date
xiii
Downloadable James Catalogue Record
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:bb421ph3059/MS_26.pdf
Superseded Interim Catalogue Record
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:mk798wb5620/26.pdf
Contains
  • Matthew Paris OSB, Chronica maiora I (preliminary matter). ir-viv
    Author
    Matthew Paris OSB
    Note
    The preliminary matter consists of
    a. Itinerary from London to Jerusalem with a description in French, similar to one in the Royal MS. 14, C. vii but containing some interesting variations. It occupies seven pages. The portion from London to Dover is engraved by Gough Brit. Topogr. pl. VII, fig. 2. The text is printed by the Société de l'Orient Latin, Itinéraires Français, p. 125
    (ivv) b. A brief genealogical chronicle Cronica sub conpendio abreuiata a fratre M. Parisiensi
    Incipit
    (ivv) Considerans prolixitatem Cronicorum Anglie
    Note
    It runs from Alfred to Edward the Elder: then a leaf has been cut out. This took place at an early period, for a copy of it of cent. xiii late in Tiberius E. vi (f. 5) terminates in the same manner. At the end of the volume on p. 285 it is resumed and continued to Henry II
    (vr) c. Circular Paschal table
    (vv) d. Table of Concurrentes etc. from 1116 to 1620: a similar one is in Royal 14, C. vii
    Diagram of the winds with verses. Sunt subsolano socii
    Attributed to M. Paris in Nero D. I, f. 184v
    (vir) e. Kalendar. See below
    The following are my own notes on illustrations, etc.
    (ir) The itinerary from London to the Holy Land, ff. ir-ivr, is illustrated with conventional cities, and with ships and figures of men every now and then
    On f. ivv Genealogy: circular diagram with bust of Alfred in C.
    On f. vr the circular Paschal table is made to revolve: head of metal pin in C. Spandrels of beautiful ornament
    Another table or diagram formerly stuck to the lower part of the page is gone
    On f. vv Table of Concurrentes. Diagram of winds etc. (French and English names).
    On f. vir Kalendar, six months on page
    January 3. Genouefe red 4. Oct. dedicac. 5. Dep. S. Aedwardi red. De S. Aedwardo comm. 7. Dep. S. Aedwardi reg. et c. hic fiet festum red 19. Dep. S. Wlstani red 27. Festum Reliquiarum in eccl. S. Albani blue
    February 28. Osuualdi archiep.
    March 2. Ceadde ep. C. 10. Inuencio S. Oswini Reg. M. red 25. Ermelandi
    April 11. Guthlaci C. Added, Ob. Michael de mentemor. Abb. (1349, date in lower margin) 19. Aelphegi archiep. M. red 24. Inuencio S. Yuonis Ep. 30. Erkenuualdi Ep. red
    May 7. Johannis Archiep.
    June 7. Transl. S. Wlstani Ep. red 14. Basilii Archiep. red 17. Botulfi Abb. red 21. Leofredi Abb. (black). De S. Albano iii lect. red 22. Passio S. Albani Anglorum prothomartiris blue 23. Aetheldrede V. 25. Inuencio S. Amphibali sociorumque eius blue, with octave
    July 2. Swithin red
    August 2. Inuencio S. Albani blue and red, with octave 5. Oswaldi red 20. Oswini reg. m. red, with octave
    September 4. Transl. S. Cuthberti red 17. Lamberti red
    October 13. Transl. S. Ae(d)wardi Reg. C. green 17. Transl. S. Etheldride V.
    November 17. Hugonis Ep. C. red 20. Aedmundi Reg. M. blue.
    December 3. Birini
  • Matthew Paris OSB, Chronica maiora I. 1r-ixv
    Author
    Matthew Paris OSB
    Note
    Illustrations
    (4r) Brutus worshipping Diana, who has deer's horns and winged feet
    (6r) Lear and his three daughters: Cordeilla has scroll, tant as tant vauz tant te pris pere
    (12v) Alexander sits holding globe: feet on lion and dragon
    (14v) Cassibelanus? seated king
    (15v) The Virgin reclining: child in manger: ox and ass: curtain on rod
    (16v) The three kings on camels gallop to R.
    (18r) Crucifixion with Virgin and St John: four nails
    (18v) A man stones Stephen kneeling
    (20r) A small figure of the Virgin
    (33v) Merlin half-length only partly inked in: below two dragons and boar, in pencil
    (44r) Machometus: below his feet a red pig sus: he holds two scrolls. Poligamus esto. Scriptum est enim Crescite et multiplicamini. Presentes delicias pro futuris non spernite
    (53r) Bust: Offa in cowl, crown falls off showing tonsure: another of a woman in cowl and crown
    (58v) Alban beheaded. Executioner catches his (own) falling eyes in L. hand
    (59r) Offa directs two men, who dig up Alban's coffin
    (65r) Alfred half-length in medallion with scroll, Primus in anglia regnam solus
    (80v) Single combat on horseback between Aedmundus ferreum latus and Cnuto rex Dacie. Angli and Daci in two towers R. and L.
    (83r) Mimekan nanus cuts off legs of Rodogan gigas (lightly inked in)
    (86v) Shield and crown of Harold (az. lion rampant or)
    (87v) The same reversed. Shield of William (gu. 3 leopards or)
    (90v) William's shield and crown reversed. William II's shield and crown (the same)
    (99r) Crosier (of Abbot Richard of St Albans)
    (106r) Hand holding taper (opposite description of the Holy places: and account of William's court in Westminster Hall)
    (106v) Shield and crown of William II reversed: bow and arrow below. Shield of Henry I
    (109v) Crosier and cross reversed (death of Anselm)
    (110v) Two Templars on one horse
    (110v) Hospital founded by Matilda in London
    (111v) Men fall out of ship (wreck of the White Ship)
    (112r) Bust of Alexander of Scotland?
    (113r) Shield and crown of Henry I reversed. Shield of Stephen
    (117v) Bust of David of Scotland
    (119v) Shield of Stephen reversed. Shield of Henry II
    (127v) Baptism of the Soldan of Yconium by the patriarch of Antioch: in a tub. A cleric holds box of chrism
    (131r) Shield of the young king Henry, party per pale gu. and sable to denote death. The crown above, not upright
    (132r) Murder of Becket: the four knights; Grim with cross interposing. Becket falls away from altar on R.
    (133r) Falling walls (Leicester)
    (134r) Bust of William of Scotland, crown falling off. Bust of a Scotchman with axe, weeping
    (135v) Robert Mercer of St Albans, and two men digging up S. Amphibalus
    (137v) Crown and shield of Philip of France (az. six fleurs-de-lys or 3, 2, 1). Reversed crown of Louis
    (138r) Crowned mitre of Prester John
    (138v) Crown and shield (half black) of the young Henry, reversed
    (140r) Battle. Salaadinus and Guido rex struggling for Crux Sancta
    (viir) After the text, a full page with three splendid coloured drawings. Busts of crowned Virgin, and Child with cross-nimbus: border of clouds below
    (viir) Below this on L. Head of the dying Christ. On R. Head of Christ full-face with jewelled collar of tunic
    (viiv) Mappa mundi on verso, Gough Brit. Topogr. I 66, 86. The map in Nero D. v was copied from this. Genealogy of kings, one leaf
    (ixr) On the last flyleaf are notes, viz.
    (ixr) Title. Cronica ab origine mundi usque ad a. d. millesimum ... simum videlicet usque ad mortem henrici (II) Regis anglie
    (ixr) iiii marce auri dedit ... de ... pro pacevii marce dabantur comiti legr S. pro carta quam habuit a rege de custodia Wascon
    (ixr) S. Patrick prophesies greatness of the unborn S. David
    (ixr) Circa carleolum patria est dicta aluedele.Hic. uersus austrum cocormue villa. patria. complem.Aqua dorecte et currit (?) per cocormue
    (ixr) Edwarde Aglionby of Balsall Temple (xvi)
    (ixr) IhesusmariaJohnes (xv)
    (ixr) Note on dispersion of Apostles and division of the world
    (ixr) List of Saxon kings, Egbert to Ethelred
    Verso, covered with paper, apparently blank
TJames
30
Stanley
C. 9
Repository
UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library
Location
MS 026

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-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License
Download
Stanford Libraries
  • Hours & locations
  • My Account
  • Ask us
  • Opt out of analytics
  • System status
Stanford University
  • Stanford Home
  • Maps & Directions
  • Search Stanford
  • Emergency Info
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Trademarks
  • Non-Discrimination
  • Accessibility

© Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305.