Goscelin, monk of Saint-Bertin,
who came to England in the early 1060s, was one of the most prolific
hagiographers of the Anglo-Saxon saints. William of Malmesbury
described him as 'second to none since Bede in the celebration of
the English saints'. Part of his career was spent in wandering
exile, and one of the places Goscelin stayed briefly was Ely, who
twelfth-century house-history portrays him working late at night on
verses commemorating Ely's patroness, St Æthelfryth.
By the late tenth century, the cult of Æthelfryth, the
seventh-century virgin-queen whose two unconsummated marriages were
recounted in Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica, had been combined with
that of her sister Seaxburh, and of another supposed sister,
Wihtburh (whose relics were 'translated' from East Dereham in
Norfolk to Ely in 974). To this group were added Seaxburh's daughter
Eormenhild, and Eormenhild's daughter Wærburh.
A collection of the Lives of these female saints - some probably the
work of Goscelin - is preserved in three twelfth-century Ely
manuscripts.Taken together these texts offer a fascinating insight
into Ely's view of the women venerated by the community and of its
own past history. 360 pages
Readership: Scholars and students of medieval history and
religion; specialists in medieval women's studies; local historians
of Ely; readers interested in hagiography.
This is
the first complete edition and translation of the Historia Anglorum
( History of the English People) by Henry, Archdeacon of Huntingdon
(c. 1088-c.1157). The main narrative covers the history of England
from the invasions of Julius Caesar down to the accession of King
Henry II in 1154, and includes the only contemporary account of the
entire reign of King Stephen (1135-54). In the influential circle of
successive bishops of Lincoln, Henry was often at the centre of
political life - a practical man whose consciousness of the world
extended far beyond the limits of his archdeaconry, a visitor to
France and Rome. His work is a major source for events in England
and Normandy in his lifetime. Henry's pages are filled with good
stories, including the first written record of Cnut and the waves,
and of Henry's death from a surfeit of lampreys. The final two books
consist of poems that show Henry to be one of the finest of
Anglo-Latin poets.// Henry's work has never before been published in
its entirety. The 1879 edition in the Rolls series provided only a
Latin text, omitted three books and other sections of the text, and
failed to take account of several manuscripts. The critical edition
in the present volume shows the author's successive revisions and
continuations of his text. It is offered with parallel translation
and historical notes. The introduction provides a fresh appraisal of
Henry's career, incorporates new discoveries about his family
origins and education, and assesses his importance as a poet and
historian. 1078 pages
Readership: Scholars and students of medieval British history
and literature.
The History of the Church of Abingdon is one of the most valuable
local histories produced in the twelfth century. It provides a
wealth of information about, and great insight into, the legal,
economic, and ecclesiastical affairs of a major monastery.
Charters and narrative combine to provide a vital resource for
historians. The present edition, unlike its Victorian
predecessor, is based on the earliest manuscripts
of the text. A modern English translation is provided on facing
pages, together with extensive introductory material and
historical notes.
This volume covers the period from the reputed foundation of the
abbey and its estates to c.1071. 648
pages ( See also Volume II below )
Readership: Medieval historians, church historians, and
local historians, especially of Oxfordshire and Berkshire.
Hugh the Chanter's
History is a vivid and partly first-hand account of the church of
York between 1069 and 1127. It illuminates the history not only of
the church and court of England, but also of France and the papal
curia in these years. The text of this revised edition differs
considerably from its predecessors: it is based on a complete
re-collation of the manuscript, and on a number of other copies of
the documents it cites; the translation has also been adjusted at
many points. There is a full introduction, which describes the
manuscript, Hugh's background and purpose in writing, the chapter
of York, and the issues at stake with Canterbury and Scotland. The
textual apparatus and the notes to the text are entirely new. The
editors' detailed and scholarly revision of this valuable source
greatly increases our understanding of church and state under the
Normans. 304 pages
Readership: Scholars and students of medieval British and
European history; of political and ecclesiastical history under
the Normans; and of medieval literature.
