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The 'Historia Regum Britanniae' of Geoffrey, archdeacon of Mon-mouth and later bishop of st. Asaph, Written in the 12th century in England

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MS. Fairfax 28
Held at the Weston Library

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The 'Historia Regum Britanniae' of Geoffrey, archdeacon of Mon-mouth and later bishop of st. Asaph (1152-84), here with only the first prologue addressed to Robert earl of Gloucester: beg. 'Cum mecum multa et de multis sepius animo reuoluens': text beg. 'Britannia insularum optima' (fol. 1).

A 13th-cent. hand, which has added the title 'Liber Bruti, et continet quater viginti et x folia, et cc et v capitula' (fol. 1), has inserted marginalia and some rough sketches throughout. On an added quire of parchment Charles Fairfax has copied notes on Geoffrey of Monmouth from Selden (fol. iii) and a vision: beg. 'Facta est visio quedam mirabilis in claustro Cisterciensis ordinis Tripoli. Quidam monachus celebrauit coram abbate ...' (fol. iiiv), copied from MS. Fairfax 27.

Dates

  • Creation: Written in the 12th century in England

Extent

92 Leaves

Language of Materials

  • Latin

Shelfmark

MS. Fairfax 28

Other Finding Aids

Falconer Madan, et al., A summary catalogue of western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford which have not hitherto been catalogued in the Quarto series (7 vols. in 8 [vol. II in 2 parts], Oxford, 1895-1953; reprinted, with corrections in vols. I and VII, Munich, 1980), vol. II, no. 3908

Custodial History

There is an erased 16th-century inscription on the last leaf.

Physical Facet

On parchment, binding, brown leather on bevelled boards, with leather strap and brass clasp, 15th-century English work

Dimensions

6 3/10 × 5 1/2 in.

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

Contact:
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom