[Transcriber's Notes:
_About this book._ Although the title indicates that the Chronicle begins in 1089, it actually begins in 1189 with the reign of Richard I, and ends in 1483 with the death of Edward IV. It is based on two manuscripts, now in the British Library, written by anonymous scribes in the 15th Century. It recounts events not only in the City of London--such as the elections of Mayors and Sheriffs--but also in the British Isles and France, covering battles, coronations, births and deaths of prominent people, tempests, earthquakes, plagues, and other noteworthy occurrences.
The Chronicle was first published in 1827, in a limited edition of 250 copies, with copious notes and an extensive section of illustrative documents. Although the editors of the 1827 edition are not named, the British Library catalogue identifies them as Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas, G.C.M.G., and Edward Tyrrell (whose signature appears at the end of the dedication).
This e-book was prepared from a 1995 reprint of the 1827 edition, published by Llanerch Publishers, and from images of the 1827 edition at the Internet Archive, www.archive.org.
_Orthography._ The Chronicle section is written in 15th-Century English. The original spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and hyphenation have been preserved in this e-book.
Numbers and dates in lowercase Roman numerals often end in a "j," signifying "i."
Superscripted letters are represented in curly brackets preceded by a carat, e.g., A^{o}.
A crossed double-L is represented as [-ll-], and a tailed Z as [z/].
Blank spaces in the text are represented by long dashes (----).
_Formatting._ The Chronicle section of the original utilizes unique page headers indicating the name of the monarch and the years covered on that page, e.g., REX HENRICUS T'CIUS [1238-1242]. These have been retained in this e-book and inserted in the appropriate chronological place.
The original contains numerous sidenotes. In the Chronicle section, sidenotes marked with an asterisk were added by the editors and are here treated as footnotes. Otherwise, sidenotes are marked as such and have been moved above the paragraph to which they refer. Where a paragraph is very long, as in the documents at the end of the Notes section, the sidenotes have been placed above the lines to which they refer.]
A
Chronicle of London,
FROM 1089 TO 1483;
WRITTEN IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY,
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME PRINTED
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Chronicle of London from 1089 to 1483
- 2: Than a brief account of the MSS
- 3: From the original in the Cottonian MS
- 4: And in this yere began the orde of oure lady in Pruce
- 5: Sidenote Ordre of the Trynyte
- 6: Also the erchebysshopp of Caunterbury
- 7: Sidenote The cessyng of the enterdytyng of this land
- 8: This yere the kyng was crowned ayeyn at Westminster
- 9: Sidenote Clerkes and seriaunts of the schirreve
- 10: Edmond was sacred erchebysshop of Caunterbury
- 11: Int' ip'm et Alianoram reginam
- 12: Sidenote Ordre of frere Austyns began
- 13: Abougte the convercion of seynt Poule
- 14: Sidenote A parlement at Redyng
- 15: Were mad the statuts called the Statuts of Marleburgh
- 16: Whiche Edward strangled the Sarasyn
- 17: Was thanne made erchebysshop of Caunterbury
- 18: Whiche that tyme lay at Rothelan
- 19: And thanne was Rauf Sandwych mad wardeyn of the citee
- 20: Deyde quene Elianore kyng Edward wyf
- 21: Sidenote The Normanes arryved at Dovorre
- 22: Where he fond the regalyes of Scotlond
- 23: Sidenote The kyng enprysoned his sone Edward
- 24: This yere Robert Bruz made hym kyng of Scotlond
- 25: That is to say Crowched Freres
- 26: And seide thorugh necligence of his noryce
- 27: The sonne was turned into blod
- 28: But non ansuere was sente ayeyne
- 29: Sidenote The foundacion of Garlykhithe chirch
- 30: Thorugh counseill of the Mortymer
- 31: And of footfolke mo thanne xxxv m l
- 32: Sidenote The bataill of Scluse
- 33: And moche peple of Normandye were sclayn
- 34: Sidenote The first duk of Lancastre
- 35: Sidenote Grete justes in Smythfelde
- 36: Sidenote A blody reyne and a blody crosse
- 37: Sidenote The bataill of Orrey
- 38: And pryve sell were discharged
- 39: And of every man nought avaunced iiij d
- 40: And there they founden alle the arrysers
- 41: John Urmonde was mad erle of Urmond
- 42: Among whiche schippes was oo schipp called Mewes Colman
- 43: This yere was scarcete of corn
- 44: The whiche Adam Bamme deyde the vj day of Juyn
- 45: And othere schires as they myghte beren
- 46: At a place that is clepyd Ravenspore besyde Bedlyngton
- 47: They token there wey to Surcetre
- 48: Sidenote The takyng of William Cerle
- 49: Arestyd for poysonyng of hys wyf in Northamptonschire
- 50: For the Henawde soughte hyder to seke awntures
- 51: With a faire retenewe and well arrayed peple
- 52: The capitayne of seynt John the Evangelist
- 53: John Oldcastell fledde and escaped
- 54: Toward the town of Harefleu in Normandye
- 55: And offred at seynt Edwardes schryne aforeseid
- 56: And mette with the emperor on the Blakehethe
- 57: And the othere carykes fledden awey
- 58: Sidenote The sege of Melau and of manye mo citees
- 59: Betuen Cristemasse and Candelmasse
- 60: Sidenote The bataill of Vermill
- 61: In a town that men callen Mouns in Henauude
- 62: Sidenote The bysshop of Wynchestre was mad cardynall
- 63: And on Seynt Georges day nest folwynge
- 64: Were foure sowdeours of Caleys beheded
- 65: Unwetynge the holy fadyr the pope
- 66: Sidenote Obit' Katerine Re' Angl'
- 67: Sidenote Oweyn brak prison prevyly
- 68: Be comown counseill and comown assent
- 69: Sidenote The lady of Gloucestre
- 70: Roger the clerk afornseyd on the Satirday
- 71: Stalled erchebisshop of Caunterbury
- 72: And the erle of Warwike duke of Warwike
- 73: Wherynne alle the comoens were aggreed
- 74: And so gete to Caleise and there were received
- 75: And there discomfeited therle of Warwik and his compeigny
- 76: And toke his journey furth ageyne on Eastre even
- 77: Which accusid diverse persones of the cite and other places
- 78: This yere was seint Edmond of Pountney translated
- 79: The son of John Bailolle sometyme kyng of Scotland
- 80: At the towne of Brugges in Flaundres
- 81: Which malfaisours or evil doers
- 82: That was the xxij day of Septembre
- 83: Thei to delyver the towne to the kyng
- 84: And themperour seiled into Holand
- 85: And after Eastrene he leide sege to Chirburgh
- 86: Instede of the duke of Clarence
- 87: The Pellican answeryng Cest enseigne
- 88: A Lessh callid the White Lessh
- 89: And the kyng helde his Cristmas at Eltham
- 90: And the parliament was ajourned til after Easter
- 91: A lepardis hedde with ij Ostrich fethers
- 92: Distressid them and toke their capiteyne
- 93: And did make a strong bastelle
- 94: Altitudo occidentalis testudinis continet ab ara cij pedes
- 95: Anno Domini Millesimo Sidenote Eodem Anno
- 96: Demum Anglici vocauerunt eam Londene
- 97: Coronacio Athelstani Regis apud Kyngeston'
- 98: Martirio insignitus Septonie tumulatur
- 99: Sidenote Capcio Johannis Regis Francie
- 100: Sidenote In the xliij rd year of king Edw
- 101: The second age from Noeh until Abraham
- 102: And say what lands thou wishest us to inhabit
- 103: The coronation of king Athelstan at Kyngeston
- 104: In the year one thousand ccclxxvij
- 105: And wolde noughte stonden therto
- 106: Occurs in the Roll of Carlaverock
- 107: 1340 the kyng faught with the Frensshmen at Scluse
- 108: Quam humana racio judicare poterat
- 109: The events which led to the battle of the Swyne
- 110: Lessqueles estoient toutz pris sauve xxiiij
- 111: Which also occurs in the Cottonian MS
- 112: Sir Denys de Morbeque of whom he speaks
- 113: A Chronicle of London from 1089 to 1483
- 114: Viscontes Le Visconte de Vychichoart
- 115: Giscard D'Angle Seneschal de Sentonge
- 116: Il fait conu'tir le paiis et tiegne q' a son poair
- 117: Habeat duas alias p'tes inter hered' meos
- 118: It is said to have been transcribed from the Cottonian MS
- 119: And toward the kyng and the Dolphynne
- 120: Hys bassatours bothe faire and free
- 121: Among the houses of Harflewe roune
- 122: Capteyn of Harflewe schall ye be
- 123: Oure ordynaunce the Frensshemen gan aspy
- 124: The erl of Huntyngdon sparyd nought
- 125: The erl of Rychemond certeynly
- 126: They knelyd a doun alle in that tyde
- 127: In statly wyse whanne they were met
- 128: Into this youre blessyd rem of Ingelond
- 129: With this scripture aperyng in ther sight
- 130: Most angelik with hevenly armonye
- 131: And instrumentis al of on acorde
- 132: Sidenote Bachus est deus vini
- 133: Like folkys faire 208 The ton was Ennok
- 134: And last was wreten in the frontours
- 135: The abbot after moost solempnely
- 136: As ever any gift was gevyn to any erthely prynce
- 137: Reioice Englond the concord and unite
- 138: Reiose Anglond in concorde and unite
- 139: Reioise Anglond in concorde and unite
- 140: With lousty gladnesse at Phebus uprysinge
- 141: Before them I knelyd upon my kne
- 142: That I had lost in Westminstar amonge the throng
- 143: In Westmynster hall I found out one
- 144: And wantyng my mony I cold not spede
- 145: Noon othir richesse of countirfet array
- 146: Noble Pryncessys of meeke benyvolence
