PREFACE. XXXVll ter MS., Cotton, Vespasian, K 4, which, excepting for the basis the years 1202-1260, the author of the Worcester chro- Worcester nicle has transcribed. This is a quarto, on pai'chment, Annals. occupying ff. 153-201 of the volume in which it is at present, and written throughout in the same hand, a very clear one of the end of the thirteenth century. It extends from the Incarnation to 1285, with additions from Matthew of Westminster at the end (ff. 1996-2016) for the years 1274 to 1280, in the same hand. The Annals of Worcester consequently possess matter in com- mon with the Annals of Winchester and Waverley, which either use this MS. or have themselves been used by its author for the events of several years in the thirteenth century.^ There can be no doubt that it was written at Winchester. In order to show in the clearest manner its connexion with the Worcester chronicle, I have printed all that is copied from the former in small type, and the additions inserted by the Worcester Maiter, from whatever source, in ordinary tN'pe, so that these addi- tions may be seen at a glance, whilst the margin gives the sources of the additions, when they are not original. I have given the variations between the two MSS. ; all the errors of the Vespasian MS. are copied without hesi- tation,- and it is clear that the Worcester writer had ' See what is said of this MS. in Simon, though immediately after- the preface to vol. ii. pp. xix and wards the chronicler, when not xxxviii. In the latter of these copying the Vespasian ^IS., gives pages, 1. 14, for 1280 read 1285. his true name 0^.); in the same -For instance, p. 370 (932), page the death of • Geoffrey, bishop Adelredus (^Ethelred) is called the " Chichester," is mentioned, an brother of Adelstanus (^Ethelstan) ; error which I cannot explain ; in in p. 374, Anselmus is called p. 415, Simon, who died in 1223, is " Papa ;" p. 381, we have "Octo- called bishop of London instead of " bonus imperator," apparently for £xe<er ; in p. 455, 1. 5, Normanderti " OctovianusPapa;" p. 383 (1175), must be a blunder for some other prince Henry is said to have died, name (the MS. is quite clear) ; in though his death is mentioned after- p. 456 (1266), there is Otlonem for wards under its proper year 1183; Ottobonum; p. 465, JiiUi for Mail ; p. 389 (1198), the abbat of Per- p. 469, Stephanifor Sirithuni, etc. shore is called Anselm instead of
