The Book of Arnold fitz Thedmar Ian William Stone Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy King’s College London, University of London 1 Abstract Arnold fitz Thedmar (1201-74) was a wealthy merchant and a second generation German immigrant who rose to the position of alderman and became the spokesman of the German merchants in London. He was also responsible for the production of a book which was the first of its kind in the British Isles. Arnold’s book is most famous for its ‘Chronicle of the Mayors and Sheriffs of London’: a unique lay source and the first British secular, civic chronicle. This chronicle recounts in compelling detail various events in the period between Magna Carta and the parliamentary state, when the country was torn apart by civil war, and when London was divided by internal strife and communal revolution. This chronicle, the original autograph of the author, accounts for roughly half of his book’s 167 folios; also included within his book is a detailed history of Europe 400-1225, biographies, poems, songs and other material, written in Latin and French. This thesis offers, for the first time, a complete transcript of the manuscript with a textual apparatus (printed in appendix i) and an extended commentary to the text. It also provides the first comprehensive introduction to the manuscript and the man who produced it. It shows, beyond any reasonable doubt, that Arnold was the compiler and composer of this book, and how Arnold went about this process – including a detailed study of his use of historical sources. This thesis also offers the first detailed analysis of Arnold’s authorship, and places both the man and his work within the contemporary European culture of historical writing, and the literary tradition of medieval London. 2 Acknowledgements My first and greatest debt is to my primary research supervisor, David Carpenter. The idea for this project was first floated by David in 2005 when I was an undergraduate at King’s College London. This thesis would never have seen the light of day without David’s support, encouragement, advice and belief at every step of the way. Tibi gratias multas ago. I owe a great debt of thanks to Caroline Barron, my second research supervisor. Her encyclopaedic knowledge of everything London has been freely and generously available to me. Julia Crick has been, in many ways, a third supervisor to me, and I am grateful for her time and advice throughout the last three years; I owe her and Alice Taylor particular thanks for my humbling MPhil upgrade. This thesis was examined by Chris Given-Wilson and Nicholas Vincent. I am obliged to them both for their careful reading of the text and appendices, and for their many suggestions to improve this thesis. I am also beholden to Daniel Hadas, magister optimus, and to Richard Cassidy, who has helped me time and time again with non subtilia sed utilia. Others to whom I owe thanks include: Sophie Ambler, Samantha Blickhan, Adam Chambers, Michael Clasby, Abby Davison, Helen Deeming, Emma Dillon, Anne Duggan, Kenneth Duggan, Manfred Groten, Joseph Huffman, Cristian Ispir, Giorgio Lizzul, John McEwan, Olwen Myhill, Alice Rio, Alexandra Sapoznik and Christian Steer, all of whom have at different times answered questions, provided assistance, or made useful suggestions. I am also grateful to the London Metropolitan Archives for allowing me to reproduce so many images within this thesis; and to all the staff at the Institute of Historical Research who always seem to be the most helpful and patient library staff in the country, and particularly to Vanessa Rockel, Fellowships Officer. I was generously funded throughout this process by the King’s College Graduate School and the Isobel Thornley Bequest at the Institute of Historical Research. Phillippa Morris has lived with this thesis for four years and has provided unflinching support and encouragement: sine qua nichil. Last, Sam and Mabel have undoubtedly slowed down the production of this thesis, but I wouldn’t have changed that for the world: karissimis liberis meis. 3 Contents The Book of Arnold fitz Thedmar ..............................................................................................................1 Abstract................................................................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgements .........................................................................................................................................3 List of plates and tables .................................................................................................................................5 Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................................................6 Glossary ............................................................................................................................................................ 11 The Manuscript .............................................................................................................................................. 13 Arnold fitz Thedmar .................................................................................................................................... 21 Compilation and composition .................................................................................................................. 36 Scribes and hands ......................................................................................................................................... 57 Sources .............................................................................................................................................................. 80 William of Malmesbury’s Gesta Regum Anglorum ....................................................................... 81 The London annals .................................................................................................................................. 84 BL Cotton MS Faustina A viii. ............................................................................................................... 88 Legal Records............................................................................................................................................. 91 Letters, newsletters and petitions ..................................................................................................... 95 Attitudes and abilities ................................................................................................................................. 97 Kings, Queens and Princes ..................................................................................................................106 Baronial reform and rebellion ..........................................................................................................112 Arnold’s philosophy of history..........................................................................................................115 Urban chronicle writing in thirteenth-century Europe ...............................................................131 Afterlife ...........................................................................................................................................................158 Commentary .................................................................................................................................................170 Bibliography .................................................................................................................................................274 4 List of plates and tables Table 1: The Book of Arnold fitz Thedmar 14 Figure 1: Arnold fitz Thedmar’s family tree 22 Figure 2: London, c. 1270 24 Figure 3: Arnold’s London, c. 1270 31 Figure 4: Fo. 113r. 49 Figure 5: Scribe 1 (fo. 157r) 58 Figure 6: Scribe 2 (fo. 132r) 60 Figure 7: Scribe 4 (fo. 44v) 62 Figure 8: Scribe 5 (fo. 3r) 64 Figure 9: Scribe 6 (fo. 9v) 66 Figure 10: Scribe 6 (fo. 67v) 66 Figure 11: Scribe 7 (fo. 11r) 68 Figure 12: Scribe 8 (fo. 35r) 70 Figure 13: Scribe 9 (fo. 145r) 72 Figure 14: Scribe 10 (fo. 42v) 74 Figure 15: Scribe 13 (fo. 59v) 76 Figure 16: Scribe 17 (fo. 151r) 78 Figure 17: Gesta Regum stemma 82 Figure 18: BL Cotton MS Faustina A viii, fo. 62r 89 Figure 19: Fo. 75v 113 Figure 20: Fo. 78r 167 Figure 21: Fo. 123r 260 Figure 22: Medieval civic chest 272 5 Abbreviations Albus Munimenta Gildhallæ Londoniensis; Liber Albus, Liber Custumarum et Liber Horn, ed. H.T. Riley, 4 vols. (Rolls Ser., 1859-62) i. Ann. Berm. Annales Monasterii de Bermundseia, 1042-1432, Ann. Mon. iii. Ann. Burton Annales Monasterii de Burton, 1004-1263, Ann. Mon., i. Ann. Dun. Annales Prioratus de Dunstaplia A.D. 1-1297, Ann. Mon., iii. Ann. Lond. Annales Londonienses, Chronicles of the Reigns of Edward I and Edward II, ed. W. Stubbs, 2 vols. (Rolls Ser., 1882), i. Ann. Merton The Annals of Merton Priory 1066-1242, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 59 fos. 158v-180r. Ann. Mon. Annales Monastici, ed. H.R. Luard, 5 vols. (Rolls Ser., 1864- 69). Ann. Osney Annales Monasterii de Osneia, 1016-1347, Ann. Mon., iv. Ann. Paul. Annales Paulini, Chronicles of the Reigns of Edward I and Edward II, ed. W. Stubbs, 2 vols. (Rolls Ser., 1882), i. Ann. Southwark The Chronicle of Southwark Priory A.D. 1-1240, BL Cotton MS Faustina A viii fos. 120v-146v. Ann. Tewk. Annales Monasterii de Theokesberia, Ann. Mon., i. Ann.