Knighton's Chronicon (also known as Knighton's Leicester Chronicle) is an English chronicle written by Henry Knighton in the fourteenth century. He referred to it as his "work in hand" that he wrote while at the Augustinian Abbey of Saint Mary de Pratis, associated with the House of Lancaster, where he was a canon.[1]
Ruins of the Abbey of Saint Mary de Pratis, more commonly known as Leicester Abbey.
Knighton wrote a four-volume chronicle, first published in 1652, giving the history of England from 959 to 1366. It was originally considered that a fellow canon completed the work in a fifth book, covering the years 1377 to 1395, probably due to Knighton's growing blindness (see the "Continuator of Knighton", below). The earlier books (to 1337) are simply re-workings of earlier histories. But the latter two books are vital to the contemporary study of the period, since they were written by informed scholars who actually lived through the times they write about. The latter two books give us an exemplary and detailed first-hand insight into the 14th century - such as the effects of the Black Death and the consequent breakdown of the feudal system, and precise details of the systems of wages and prices in England. He also reflects the prejudices common among the clergy at the time; notably being against the translation of the Bible into the common tongue, lamenting the low standards of scholarship among young religious clerks, and being strongly against the rising of the Lollards.
"This Master John Wyclif translated into the Anglic (English) -not Angelic-tongue, the Gospel that Christ gave to the clergy and the doctors of the Church, that they might minister it gently to laymen and weaker persons, according to the exigence of their time, their personal wants, and the hunger of their minds; whence it is made vulgar by him, and more open to the reading of laymen and women than it usually is to the knowledge of lettered and intelligent clergy; and thus the pearl of the Gospel is cast forth and trodden under the feet of swine."[1]
Continuator of Knighton's Chroniconedit
The Continuator of Knighton (or "Knighton's Continuator") was a supposed late 14th century continuator of Knighton's chronicle.
The Continuator's existence was first supposed by the nineteenth-century historian Walter Waddington Shirley, who noted a lengthy break in events described by the Chronicle, and concluded that the later section had been written by a different and unnamed author, commencing in 1377. Shirley also posited that the Continuator had been a foreigner of Lancastrian sympathies, though with little affection for the English language, who had managed to obtain a position in Leicester Abbey.[2]
Shirley's theory was taken up by J. Rawson Lumby, a classicist and Hebraicist who edited Knighton's Chronicle in the 1880s for the Rolls Series. Despite some reservations about the Continuator's existence, Lumby also concluded a different author had written the post-1377 sections. His division of the Chronicle's authorship was followed by later authors, with the result that the Continuator was referenced in subsequent historical study footnotes of learned historians that followed him.[2]
The existence of the Continuator was not questioned until 1957, when the historian Vivian Hunter Galbraith published an in-depth study of the Chronicle's chronology. In particular, he was able to prove that the section of the Chronicle covering later events, from 1377–95, was actually written before the earlier section, confirming Knighton's probable authorship of both sections.[3] The current academic view agrees with Galbraith in that the Continuator most likely never existed, and Knighton wrote the entire Chronicle.[4]
knighton, chronicon, also, known, knighton, leicester, chronicle, english, chronicle, written, henry, knighton, fourteenth, century, referred, work, hand, that, wrote, while, augustinian, abbey, saint, mary, pratis, associated, with, house, lancaster, where, c. Knighton s Chronicon also known as Knighton s Leicester Chronicle is an English chronicle written by Henry Knighton in the fourteenth century He referred to it as his work in hand that he wrote while at the Augustinian Abbey of Saint Mary de Pratis associated with the House of Lancaster where he was a canon 1 Ruins of the Abbey of Saint Mary de Pratis more commonly known as Leicester Abbey Contents 1 The chronicle 2 Continuator of Knighton s Chronicon 3 See also 4 Notes 5 Sources 6 Further readingThe chronicle editKnighton wrote a four volume chronicle first published in 1652 giving the history of England from 959 to 1366 It was originally considered that a fellow canon completed the work in a fifth book covering the years 1377 to 1395 probably due to Knighton s growing blindness see the Continuator of Knighton below The earlier books to 1337 are simply re workings of earlier histories But the latter two books are vital to the contemporary study of the period since they were written by informed scholars who actually lived through the times they write about The latter two books give us an exemplary and detailed first hand insight into the 14th century such as the effects of the Black Death and the consequent breakdown of the feudal system and precise details of the systems of wages and prices in England He also reflects the prejudices common among the clergy at the time notably being against the translation of the Bible into the common tongue lamenting the low standards of scholarship among young religious clerks and being strongly against the rising of the Lollards This Master John Wyclif translated into the Anglic English not Angelic tongue the Gospel that Christ gave to the clergy and the doctors of the Church that they might minister it gently to laymen and weaker persons according to the exigence of their time their personal wants and the hunger of their minds whence it is made vulgar by him and more open to the reading of laymen and women than it usually is to the knowledge of lettered and intelligent clergy and thus the pearl of the Gospel is cast forth and trodden under the feet of swine 1 Continuator of Knighton s Chronicon editThe Continuator of Knighton or Knighton s Continuator was a supposed late 14th century continuator of Knighton s chronicle The Continuator s existence was first supposed by the nineteenth century historian Walter Waddington Shirley who noted a lengthy break in events described by the Chronicle and concluded that the later section had been written by a different and unnamed author commencing in 1377 Shirley also posited that the Continuator had been a foreigner of Lancastrian sympathies though with little affection for the English language who had managed to obtain a position in Leicester Abbey 2 Shirley s theory was taken up by J Rawson Lumby a classicist and Hebraicist who edited Knighton s Chronicle in the 1880s for the Rolls Series Despite some reservations about the Continuator s existence Lumby also concluded a different author had written the post 1377 sections His division of the Chronicle s authorship was followed by later authors with the result that the Continuator was referenced in subsequent historical study footnotes of learned historians that followed him 2 The existence of the Continuator was not questioned until 1957 when the historian Vivian Hunter Galbraith published an in depth study of the Chronicle s chronology In particular he was able to prove that the section of the Chronicle covering later events from 1377 95 was actually written before the earlier section confirming Knighton s probable authorship of both sections 3 The current academic view agrees with Galbraith in that the Continuator most likely never existed and Knighton wrote the entire Chronicle 4 See also editChronicon Anonymi CantuariensisNotes edit Martin p xv a b Aston p 28 Gordon p 136 145 Myers p 37Sources editAston Margaret Lollardy and the gentry in the later Middle Ages Palgrave Macmillan 1997 ISBN 0312173881 Gordon Donald James Fritz Saxl 1890 1948 a volume of memorial essays from his friends in England T Nelson 1957 Martin Geoffrey Haward translator Knighton s Chronicle 1337 1396 Clarendon Press 1995 ISBN 0198205031 Myers A R English Historical Documents 1327 1485 Psychology Press 1996 ISBN 0415143691Further reading editJoseph Rawson Lumby ed Chronicon of Henry Knighton 1895 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Knighton 27s Chronicon amp oldid 1164229695, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
