X PREFACK. contained in the MS. Titus A. 14, is printed in this volume by Gale, where it occupies pp. 21-118. The connexion between these two chronicles is so remark- able, that they will best be considered togetlier, before- their respective peculiarities are pointed out. Autlior- In the first place it must l)e observed that the ^"^' ascription of the authorship of this chronicle to Wykes rests entirely on the authority of Bale. That it was written in the monastery of Osney is extremely pro- bable, as so large a portion is identical with the Osney MS., and the mention of various persons of the name of Wykes proves that the author, if not one of the family, must have had at least some close connexion with them. We find mention of the death of Robert de Wykes in 124G (p. 96), of that of Edith de Wyka in 1269 (p. 230), of the profession of Thomas de Wykes at Osney in 1282 (p. 292), and of the vow of John de Wykes in 1283 (p. 295). This may be thought slender ground on whicli to give the authorship to Thomas de Wykes ; still T can see no improbability in the supposition : that the history was wiitten at Osney there can be very little doubt, and as this is the only occasion when any one is mentioned in the whole chronicle as taking the habit Thomas there, it seems at least reasonable to suppose that the Drobabl ^^ithor is Speaking of himself; and this is of course the author, strengthened by finding the mention of the deaths of his relations, when no other similar facts are mentioned throughout his work, these being solitary instances where anything which is not of immediate public inte- rest is recorded. Bale, besides giving a short character of Thomas Wjdces, which could only have been pure invention, states that he was the author of a catalogue of the abbats of Osney and of two poems, " Commen- " dationes vini " and " Increpationem gula" of which he gives the beginnings, and that he also wrote other works both in prose and poetry. This is copied by Pits and
