Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 016II: Matthew Paris OSB, Chronica maiora II

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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 II

Description

Alternative title Matthaei Paris Chronica Maiora II
Type of resource mixed material
Extent ff. 5 + 281
Date created [ca. 1200 - 1299]
Language Latin; French, Middle (ca. 1400-1600)
Material Vellum
Layout double columns of 56 and 52 lines
Height (mm) 358
Width (mm) 244
Collation a(6?) (wants 6) | I(10) (wanting 4-7, which are replaced by 7 leaves (6 + 1) inserted by Parker, with about 44 lines to a page) II(10) (1 replaced by 2 leaves in the second hand) III(10) IV(12) (+ 1 after 2nd and a half-leaf after 7th) V(12) VI(14) (or 12 + 2: in two hands, the second beginning art the 5th leaf) VII(16) (+1) VIII(14) IX(12) (wants 1; no number on last leaf) X(8 + 1) (originally 8, 2nd leaf replaced by two) XI(12) XII(14) XIII(12) XIV(12) (+ 1: the quire is numbered XXVII) XIIII(8) (+1) XV (eight leaves, but 1 is alone, 2 is alone, 3, 4 are one sheet, 5-8 a quire of 4) XVI (23 leaves: first 4 leaves: then leaves numbered I-XIII, partly a quire of 10: then 6 leaves (2-3 forming a pair)) XVII(12) (12 canc.?) XVIII(10) (1-4, 7-10 original: 5-6 a pair inserted by Parker) XIX(8) XX(12) (or 10 + 2) XXI(12) (not numbered) XXII (twelve leaves, misbound, a leaf lost at the end).
Writing in four(?) hands
Foliation ff. e-f + 1-284 + g-h
Provenance This volume appears to have been in the hands of Robert Talbot prebendary of Norwich (1547-1558) who has written a note on f. 245r. It afterwards belonged to Sir Henry Sidney, K.G., from whom Parker borrowed it.
Additions This is the second part of the Chronica Maiora extending from 1189 to 1253 inclusive. The greater portion is in a hand now known to be that of Matthew Paris. Two others also appear. The first of these, a fine black angular character, appears in ff. 1r - 3v, 8r - 10v, 13r - 32r col. 2, 46v col. 1 - 50r col. 2. The second writes 32r col. 2 - 33v col. 2, 55r - 61v col. 2, and also re-writes several passages over erasures, e.g. on ff. 157r, 197r. The Paris hand writes 11r - 12v, 33v col. 2 - 46r col. 2, 50v - 54v, 61v col. 2 - 111v, 112v - 281v. A fourth hand writes most of f. 112r. The original numbering omits f. 77r. Leaves are lost as follows: three after f. 3v (1190-1192) one after 103v (1237) one after 116v (1238) one after 232v (1250). The missing portions (except that after 116v) have been supplied by Parker, chiefly from the text of Nero D. v.

Bibliographic information

M.R. James Date xiii
Downloadable James Catalogue Record
Title
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:df404nq3208/MS_16II.pdf
Superseded Interim Catalogue Record
Title
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:gy045rn7453/16II.pdf
Contains
Title
Matthew Paris OSB, Chronica maiora II. 1v-282r
Author
Matthew Paris OSB
Note
Illustrations
Text
(1v) Shield and crown of Henry II reversed
(2r) Shield and crown of Richard I
(13v) Moritur Salaadinus. A crow (his soul) flies out of his mouth
(21v) Shield and crown of Richard I reversed: two swords, also reversed
(22r) Crown and shield of John.Three crowns (silver, gold, iron) of the Emperor Otto, and his shield.Shield of Otto dimidiated with England
(25v) Pillory, Collistrigium: frame on tall central shaft: with accommodation for necks and hands of two
(30r) A minorite friar
(31v) Bell with rope hanging round the beam (Interdict)
(33r) Shield reversed, of Roger of Chester
(33v) Shield reversed, of William de Braose
(35v) Charter with seal dependent, carta detestabilis
(41r) Battle. Philip of France unhorsed. Hugo de Boues gallops off to R., shot at
(42r) Magna Charta with seal
(43r) Charta de Foresta
(44r) Blank charter. Others occur later
(46v) Shipwreck of Hugo de Boues
(47v) Lateran Council: two groups of Bishops half-length
(48v) Oppressions: On L. a man in curious vandyked tunic covered with hammers in red, beats with a thong a stripped man with bound hands. On R. three nude men hang to a beam, two by their wrists, but the arms of one are turned back: they have fetters on their ankles: the third hangs head downwards
(49v) Shields of Faith and of the Soul. Below is written bacun.
(50r) Shield and sword of Geoffrey de Mandeville reversed
(50v) Landing of Louis, with ship's crew: he gets into a boat out of his ship
(52v) Reversed shield and falling crown of John: shield of Eustace de Vesci
(53r) Shield and crown of Henry III. His coronation (small, at top of page)
(53v) In text. A beautiful coloured bust of Christ (the Veronica). On the (brown) ground is α. ω. in white. The picture is on fine vellum pasted on to the page
(54r) The church of S. Alban: the robber Falco de Breauté in attitude of fear looking back at it
(55v) Siege of Lincoln
(56r) Bishops blessing English in a boat who fight with French in a larger ship
(56v) Kings of England and France embrace
(57v) Death of Saphadin: crow flies out of his mouth
(58r) Reversed shield of William Mareschall
(58v) Battle. Saracens and Christians at Damietta
(59v) Siege of Damietta
(60r) Second crowning of Henry by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Stone strikes the helmet of Simon de Montfort: his shield reversed. Shields of Albemarle and Bohun reversed
(61r) Fort of Montgomery. Shield of Arundel reversed
(61v) Shield of Hugo de Neville reversed. Lion pierced with sword and arrow
(62r) Two men wrestling
(62v) Shield of Philip of France reversed
(64r) Bedford Castle: outside it a gallows with a row of 4 (originally more) men hung on it
(65v) A maiden on L. with book. A prostrate man: a devil on R. seizes his leg. Miracle of a girl delivered from a demon
(68r) Reversed shield and crown of Louis of France
(68v) Shield and crown of Louis IX, small. Devil, fish, and man's head at top.Shield of Falcasius (de Breauté) reversed, also of Essex
(70v) Francis preaches to the birds: scroll, Auete aues etc. Francis reclines. S. Franciscus vite sue anno penultimo uidit Seraphin sic. The Seraph of the stigmata. Angelus magni consilii Seraphin. The names of the six wings in red. The names of the feathers on R.
(71r) Figure of Frater Willelmus nacione Anglicus socius S. Francisci
(71v) Reversed shield of Roger de thony. arg. a maunche gules
(74v) Cartaphila, the wandering Jew, with pick and scroll. Christ bearing cross addresses him. Legends: Cartaphila Christo. yppa xo crassay xos. Responsio Christi Euena yppa uo anany mamo. Vade ihesu ad iudicium tibi preparatum. Vado sicut scriptum est de me. Tu uero expectabis donec ueniam
(75r) Half-lengths, clerk with club, layman with axe. Town and gown fight at Paris
(76v) Scutum imperatoris. Scuti campus aureus aquila nigra. In text: seals of the golden bull of the Emperor
(79v) Reversed shield of William de Braose. gu. four piles arg. King of England in ship, arms on sail (goes to Brittany). Eclipse
(80v) Reversed shields. Remund de Burgo, Guilbertus comes Glouernie, William Mareschall
(82r) Man threshing sheaves. Violenta distraccio bladi Romanorum clericorum apud Wengham etc.
(82v) Knight tilts at man who stands embracing cross on mound.A knight spares his enemy out of reverence for the cross
(84r) Bell, beam and rope. Campana de communa lond
(85r) Three cups. Reversed shield of Ranulph earl of Chester, and sword
(86v) Diagram of perihelion
(88r) Fight of Mareschall at Monmouth?Man leads horses off on L.
(89r) Domus conuersorum london
(91v) Scutum marescalli. Mareschall? on horseback: surcoat with red hammers(?) on it
(93v) Clerk carrying crucifix. (Vision of Hubert of Kent)
(95v) William, abbot of St Albans, reclines (dead)
(97v) Two hands joined, crown and ring above. Marriage of Emperor
(98r) Two purses hanging on beam (the usurers of Cahors)
(98v) Reversed shield of Robert Fitzwalter
(99r) Hands, crown and ring. Marriage of King.Half-lengths of bishops with crown, asperge, sword, wand etc.
(106v) Reversed shield of John Earl of Chester
(109r) Council of London. Otto as Bishop on L. addresses Bishops on R., all seated
(112r) Germanus of Constantinople(?) as Bishop, seated, clutching his beard: angry. (Disagreement with the Latins)
(127r) Imperial seal of Frederick, and seals of golden bull
(132v) Shield of Devon, or lion rampant azure. Fine initial
(133r) Llewellyn dying in bed. Griffinus and David stand by weeping
(133v) Reversed shield of Earl de Warenne checky or and azure
(134v) Flight of the French. The Damascenes drive off captives on R. locus istius belli fuit ante gathre
(135r) Damascus
(135v) Shield of Earl of Lincoln
(137r) Earl Richard and crew in ship
(137v) Shield of Th. de Muletuna
(139v) Cities L. and R. Acon siue tholomaida, and Crac. Christians on L., Saracens on R. In C. fedus irritum. Comes Britannie and Nazer dominus crac kneel and join hands: in mail, bare-headed
(140v) The crown of thorns; two pictures
(141r) Reversed shield of John Fitz Robert, quarterly gules and arg. a bend sinister, Belue marine. Four sea monsters fighting
(141v) Fine initial
(142r) Flags of Hospital and Temple and Oriflamme of France. Shield of Savoy
(142v) Reversed shields. Gilb. Basset. Joh. Biset. Walt. de LascySt Louis on a scaffold holds up the cross, another holds up the crown of thorns
(143r) Falling towers (a vision)
(145r) Formidabile exterminium tartarorum: a horseman kills two prostrate men with spear
(147r) Sea fight of Pisans and Genoese. Cities R. and L.
(148v) Reversed shield (with sword and spear) of Gilbert Mareschall. Mareschall falls from his horse
(149r) French freed by Saracens walk out of castle holding opened fetters
(150r) Two female jugglers
(151r) Shrine of St Edward
(152v) Elephant (at Cremona) with band of music on his back and Magister bestie with bell. His trunk is called promoscida
(153r) Shield of Segrave. Pike (for Lucy)
(154r) Fine initial
(154v) Comes Ricardus with men in boat (returns)
(156r) Rex transfretat uersus pictauiam. The king and queen and two men in a ship
(156v) Six reversed shields. Gilb. de Gaunt. Hugo Wac. Phil. de Kime. Henr. fil. imperatoris. Baldwin Wac. Comes de Warewic.Will. de Marisco drawn by horse to execution
(160v) French soldiers die of plague in Poitou
(161v) A boat on land(?). (Flood.) Shields. Ric. de Burgo, Hugo de Lascy
(162r) Fine initial
(163r) Truce: two joined hands, two crowns. Shields reversed Arundel, Hubert de Burgh
(164v) King and Queen return in ship
(167r) Tartars: one beheads a man, one eats human leg, another seated on cut-up bodies roasts a boy on spit. On R. a nude man bound by hair and arms to a tree: a horse eats the leaves of the tree
(168v) Fine initial
(170r) Griffin escapes from Tower: he falls: broken rope. Reversed shield of Griffin
(171v) Battle, before Babylon. Balcanifer flees with standard of the Temple
(178r) Pope mounted, in red cap, flees to R. (from the Emperor)
(178v) Engelram of Coucy dies: falls from horse in water, and pierced with sword
(181r) Charter of King of Scotland
(183r) Louis of France ill in bed. Queen touches his head with a double cross. Bishop on R., attendant kneels L. (He takes the cross.)Reversed shield of Baldwin Earl of Devon
(184v) Herbert Fitz Mathew on horse: man (Welshman) casts stone on his head.Reversed shield, party per pale gu. and az.: three lions rampant or
(186r) Hand (of a papal officer) cut off. Shield of Clare
(186v) Reversed shield of Galfr. de Marisco
(187r) A stag's head. Westminster Abbey
(187v) Council of Lyons. Thadeus de Suessa retires saying dies ista dies ire
(195r) Reversed shield of Remund of Provence
(195v) Fort of Gannoc
(196r) Reversed shields of Walter and Anselm Mareschall
(199r) Reversed shields of David of Wales with two arrows, and bow below
(205v) Reversed shields of Joh. de Nouilla. Horn above
(209v) Fine initial
(211v) Reversed shield of Fulco de Nouocastro
(212r) Reversed shield of Anjou
(216r) Henry carries the Holy Blood under canopy: met by Bishops and Abbot on R.
(216v) Shield of William de Valentia
(217v) Shield of Norway
(217v) Reversed shield of Ferrers
(218r) Reversed shield of Ric. Suard
(220r) A coin
(245r) Reversed shield of Emperor Frederick
(250r) Reversed shield of William de Cantelupe
(253r) Reversed shield of Paulinus Piper
(253v) Reversed shield of Galfr. Despencer
(255r) Bird with fruit in beak. Crossbill?
(257r) Shield of Scotland with sword, scabbard and spear
(258r) Reversed shield. Nic. de Sanford gu. 3 fesses wavy arg.
(265v) Reversed shield Hernald de Munteini
(280r) Shield of Spain: rough
(282r) Reversed shield. William de Wescy
In the above enumeration I have omitted a great many reversed mitres and crosiers which mark the deaths of prelates, also a few crowns and charters
TJames 25
Stanley C. 5
Location https://purl.stanford.edu/qt808nj0703
Location MS 016II
Repository UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library

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