The St Albans Chronicle: The Chronica Maiora of Thomas Walsingham, Volume I: 1376-1394 (Oxford Medieval Texts) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 019820471X ISBN 13: 9780198204718

Publisher: Clarendon Press, 2003

Synopsis

Thomas Walsingham, a monk of St Albans, has been described as the last of the great medieval chroniclers. His major work, the Chronica maiora, covers the years 1376 to 1420, and is arguably the most important account of English history to be written in England at this time. Walsingham's text has never been published as a continuous whole. It is found in no fewer than three separate publications in the Rolls Series, and was printed from manuscripts whose exact identity was not then clearly understood. The nature of the Rolls Series publications, and the different versions of the chronicle, have raised questions concerning the interrelationship of the various manuscripts of the Chronica maiora, and also of Walsingham's own involvement with the text. In this new edition these problems are considered, and the Chronica maiora is shown to be predominantly the work of one man, Thomas Walsingham.
Volume I of The St Albans Chronicle (1376-1394) contains that part of Walsingham's chronicle which can with some confidence be said to have been written by 1400. With the exception of a brief contemporary continuation (1393-4) the text is taken from BL MS Royal 13 E IX which, although known to the Rolls Series editors, was not used by them as a principal source. During the 1390s the Royal manuscript was extensively revised at St Albans in order to remove criticisms of John of Gaunt. This revision is perhaps the best example of the contemporary rewriting of history in late medieval England.

About this title

About the Author

John Taylor is a former Reader in Medieval History, University of Leeds. Wendy R. Childs is a Reader in Medieval History, University of Leeds. Leslie Watkiss is a former Head of Classics, Royal Liberty School, Romford.

Review

`Review from other book by this author [the Book of the Foundation of Walden Monastery
required reading for all historians of this period as well as providing the most stimulating possible introduction to English monastic history for undergraduates.'
Brian Golding, Ecclesiastical History

`the author's resonant biblical Latin is analysed and indexed, and felicitously translated ... this is a satisfying edition of a fascinating text.'
Benjamin Thompson, EHR

`This superb edition is an essential purchase for any respectable medieval library.'
History

Edition details

• Publisher: Clarendon Press
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 019820471X
• ISBN 13: 9780198204718
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 1030