Chronica Johannis de Oxenedes
Encyclopedia
The Chronica Johannis de Oxenedes is a medieval chronicle
written in Latin
, probably around 1290.
abbey
of St. Benet's at Holme in Norfolk
, made clear by his personal involvement in events related to that abbey, as well as the inclusion of a history of the house.
The author is generally supposed to have come from the former village of Oxnead, which lies about ten miles from the abbey. This supposition is supported by the fact that a number of monks at the abbey were given the name of their village as an appellation.
, the chronicler has compiled a register of historical events from previous sources, and has edited, removed or added events that he perceived to be less or more important, or of which he himself had personal knowledge.
The chronicler mentions the arrival of Hengist and Horsa but really begins the narration at the reign of Alfred the Great
.
Highlights of the chronicle also include the reign of Edgar
, the treatment of Jews
in England
at the time of the Norman Conquest, the Purgatory
of St. Patrick, the reign of Henry III
and the first elephant
in England in 1255.
As is usual in medieval chronicles, the accounts of events near the author's own period are richer in detail and greater in length. In this case, the account of the Battle of Lewes
is of particular interest, as are the final defeat of the Llewellyns
of Wales in 1282 and the punishment in which Rhys ap Meredith was tied to the tail of a horse and dragged to his death. The accounts of the floods which took place in Norfolk at this time, especially that of 1282, are also ususually detailed.
The chronicle ends suddenly in the middle of a sentence about Robert of Winchelsey
; the rest of that sheet is blank. This is seen not as a fault on the author's part, but rather a scribe
who was unable to continue his transcript for some reason.
The chronicle is known in just two manuscripts. One, edited for the Rolls series by Sir Henry Ellis in 1859, is Cottonian Nero D.ii. Another subsequently came to light among the manuscripts from Clumber
now at the British Library
.
Other sources have been strongly identified, through textual comparison, as sources which the chronicler consulted.
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
written in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, probably around 1290.
Authorship
The chronicle was written by a monk of the BenedictineBenedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
of St. Benet's at Holme in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, made clear by his personal involvement in events related to that abbey, as well as the inclusion of a history of the house.
The author is generally supposed to have come from the former village of Oxnead, which lies about ten miles from the abbey. This supposition is supported by the fact that a number of monks at the abbey were given the name of their village as an appellation.
Content
Following a trend from around the time of Henry IHenry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
, the chronicler has compiled a register of historical events from previous sources, and has edited, removed or added events that he perceived to be less or more important, or of which he himself had personal knowledge.
The chronicler mentions the arrival of Hengist and Horsa but really begins the narration at the reign of Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch still to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself...
.
Highlights of the chronicle also include the reign of Edgar
Edgar of England
Edgar the Peaceful, or Edgar I , also called the Peaceable, was a king of England . Edgar was the younger son of Edmund I of England.-Accession:...
, the treatment of Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at the time of the Norman Conquest, the Purgatory
Purgatory
Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven...
of St. Patrick, the reign of Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
and the first elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
in England in 1255.
As is usual in medieval chronicles, the accounts of events near the author's own period are richer in detail and greater in length. In this case, the account of the Battle of Lewes
Battle of Lewes
The Battle of Lewes was one of two main battles of the conflict known as the Second Barons' War. It took place at Lewes in Sussex, on 14 May 1264...
is of particular interest, as are the final defeat of the Llewellyns
Llywelyn the Last
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd or Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf , sometimes rendered as Llywelyn II, was the last prince of an independent Wales before its conquest by Edward I of England....
of Wales in 1282 and the punishment in which Rhys ap Meredith was tied to the tail of a horse and dragged to his death. The accounts of the floods which took place in Norfolk at this time, especially that of 1282, are also ususually detailed.
The chronicle ends suddenly in the middle of a sentence about Robert of Winchelsey
Winchelsea
Winchelsea is a small village in East Sussex, England, located between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh, approximately two miles south west of Rye and seven miles north east of Hastings...
; the rest of that sheet is blank. This is seen not as a fault on the author's part, but rather a scribe
Scribe
A scribe is a person who writes books or documents by hand as a profession and helps the city keep track of its records. The profession, previously found in all literate cultures in some form, lost most of its importance and status with the advent of printing...
who was unable to continue his transcript for some reason.
The chronicle is known in just two manuscripts. One, edited for the Rolls series by Sir Henry Ellis in 1859, is Cottonian Nero D.ii. Another subsequently came to light among the manuscripts from Clumber
Clumber Park
Clumber Park is a country park in the Dukeries near Worksop in Nottinghamshire, England. It was the seat of the Pelham-Clintons, Dukes of Newcastle.It is owned by the National Trust and open to the public.-History:...
now at the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
.
Sources
The author himself mentions the following sources in the text:- William of MalmesburyWilliam of MalmesburyWilliam of Malmesbury was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. C. Warren Hollister so ranks him among the most talented generation of writers of history since Bede, "a gifted historical scholar and an omnivorous reader, impressively well versed in the literature of classical,...
- The Chronicle of Hugh de St. Victor
- Polycraticus Cartonensis
- Veteres Historiae Hibernienses
- Roger of WendoverRoger of WendoverRoger of Wendover , probably a native of Wendover in Buckinghamshire, was an English chronicler of the 13th century.At an uncertain date he became a monk at St Albans Abbey; afterwards he was appointed prior of the cell of Belvoir, but he forfeited this dignity in the early years of Henry III,...
Other sources have been strongly identified, through textual comparison, as sources which the chronicler consulted.
- The Chronicon Anglicanum of Ralph de Coggeshale
- Matthew ParisMatthew ParisMatthew Paris was a Benedictine monk, English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire...
' Chronica MajoraChronica MajoraThe Chronica Majora is an important medieval illuminated manuscript chronicle by Matthew Paris, one of a number of redactions of his work on English history.It is currently in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. It covers the period 1240-53... - The Chronicle of John of WallingfordJohn of WallingfordJohn of Wallingford , also known as John de Cella, was Abbot of St Albans Abbey in the English county of Hertfordshire from 1195 to his death in 1214...
.