Ricardi de Cirencestria speculum historiale de gestis regum Angliae

Volume 1 of this two-volume Latin history of England, published 1863–9, covers the years 447–871.

Richard of Cirencester (Author), John E. B. Mayor (Edited by)

9781108046985, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 15 November 2012

418 pages, 2 colour illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.4 cm, 0.61 kg

Richard of Cirencester (c.1335–1400) wrote his Latin history of the deeds of the English kings while he was a Benedictine monk at St Peter's, Westminster. His work is largely unoriginal and derivative of other historians, but it does contain valuable information about Westminster Abbey, as well as a full account of the saints whose tombs were to be seen in the abbey church. The fourth (and last) book concentrates solely on the reign and deeds of Edward the Confessor. Although Richard expresses an intention to continue his story in a fifth book, beginning with William the Conqueror, there is no evidence that he ever did so. This first volume of a two-volume work, edited by the scholar John Eyton Bickersteth Mayor (1825–1910) and published in 1863, covers the period from the legendary accession of Vortigern in 447 up to the death of Ethelred of Wessex in 871.

General preface
Book I. From the Landing of Hengist and Horsa till the Coming of Augustine, AD 447–596: Titles of chapters
Chapters 1–54
Book II. From the Coming of Augustine to the Death of Ethelred, AD 596–871: Preface
Titles of chapters
Chapters 1–71.

Subject Areas: British & Irish history [HBJD1]