The Monk of Malmesbury

The Monk of Malmesbury

Supposed author of a chronicle among the Cottonian manuscripts in the British Museum (Vesp. D. IV. 73) which Tanner states to be only a copy of a chronicle written by Alfred of Beverley in the twelfth century, but which, according to Sir Thomas Hardy, is almost entirely based on that of Geoffrey of Monmouth. It is a valueless compilation, describing English history from the Saxon invasion to the year 1129. From the fact the manuscript bears the name "Godfridus de Malmesbury", it was originally conjectured that it was written by Godfrey of Malmesbury a native of Jumièges, who became Abbot of Malmesbury in 1081. As he founded the library of that abbey he was regarded as a man of literay tastes, but his authorship of the manuscript was sufficiently disproved, apart from its identity with Alfred of Beverly, by the fact that his death took place in or before 1107, when Edulf became abbot. Probably the signature merely indicates previous owership. It is said that a fifteenth-century Italian writer, Baptista Fulgosus, includes the work of "Gotfredus Anglus Historicus" among the authorities he had consulted.

EDWIN BURTON