Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum primum.

OCTOVIANUS [Octavianus, Cx. ut semper.] Augustus gan [bigan, β.; bygan, Cx.] to regne in Marche in þe bygynnynge of his two and fourty ȝere, [in the ȝere] [From β., γ., and Cx.] of Herodes oon and þritty, [in the thrydde] [From β., γ., and Cx.] ȝere of [þe] [From β., γ., and Cx.] Olympias nyne score and ten, after þe buldynge of the citee of Rome sevene hondred ȝere and fyve, after þe concepcioun of Iohn [Iohan, Cx.] Baptiste þe sixte [sixþe] om. γ.] monþe, [moneth, Cx.] þe fyve [fyfte, γ.] and twenty day of Marche, in a Friday, þe tenþe [teoþe, γ.] day of the mone, þe twelfþe [twelthe, γ.; twelve, Cx.] Inductioun, at Nazareth in Galilee, Crist is [was, Cx.] i-conceyved of þe virgine Marie, Ioseph his spouse. Trevisa. The Grees [Grekis, β.; Grekes, Cx.] usede somtyme tornementes [turnamentes, β. and Cx.] and dedes of myȝt and of strengþe at þe [þe] om. β.] foot of þe hil [mons] [From β. and Cx.] Olympus, ones in fyve ȝere, and clepede [named, Cx., et infra.] suche dedes and pleyes Olympias; and also þe firste fyve ȝere of suche pleies [playes, β. and Cx., et infra.] þey cleped þe firste Olympias, and þe secounde fyve [vyf, γ.] ȝere of suche dedes and pleyes þe secounde Olympias, and þe þridde [five ȝere þe þridde] [From β., γ., and Cx.] Olympias, and so forþ of alle þe [þe] om. Cx.] oþere. And for Crist was conceyved in the twelfþe [twelthe, γ.] Inductioun [þat is to menyng in þe xii. ȝere of the Indiction]. [From β., γ., and Cx.] Þerfore take hede þat the Inductioun [Indichon, Cx.] is þe tyme of fyftene ȝere. For whan þe Romayns hadde i-wonne meny

provinces and londes þey hadde of every [everyche, Cx.] lond þat þey hadde i-wonne þre manere tribute in fiftene ȝere, and cleped þe fiftene ȝere Indictioun; and þe firste fyve ȝere of þe Indictioun þe Romayns hadde brasse to tribute forto make armure [armour, Cx.] ; in [and, Cx.] þe secounde fyve ȝere þey hadde silver for to paye knyȝtes and soudeours; [and soudeours] om. Cx.; sou|dyours, γ.] and þe þridde and [the] [From Cx.] laste fyve ȝere of In|dictioun þey hadde golde to the tresorie [tresery, γ.] of Rome. Petrus. Crist was conceyved ful man in soule and in flesche, [flesshe, Cx.] so þat þe schap of his lemes [lymes, γ.; lymmes, Cx.] and [of] [From γ. and Cx.] his body myȝte nouȝt be seie [seen, β. and Cx.; seye, γ.] in [wiþ, β., γ., and Cx.] manis eyȝe. [ye, γ.; age, Cx.] And so [endeþ] [From β. and Cx., not γ.] þe fifte age of þe worlde, as it were þe elde, [age, Cx.] ofte i-greved wiþ care [kare, γ.] and wiþ woo, from þe transmigracioun of Iewes anon [unto, Cx.] to Criste, þat is from Marche tofore [bifore, β. and Cx.] þe brennynge of þe temple, þat was i-doo [i-doo] doon, β.; don, Cx.] in hervest [harvost, γ.] anon to [harvest unto, Cx.] Marche in þe two and fourty ȝere of Augustus, under fourtene generaciouns, and conteyneþ fife hondred ȝere and oon and fourty [so seiþ Bede; Isidre seiþ fyve hundrid ȝere and fyve and fourty;] [From β., γ., and Cx.] Elporicius seiþ fyve hondred ȝere [ȝere] om. β. and Cx.] foure score and nyne [nyȝne, γ.] : but þe faireste [verreyest, β.; verreyste, γ.; veryest, Cx.] acountes of all seiþ fyve hondred ȝere foure score and

enlevene. For Isodorus [Isidre, Cx.] in þe [þe] om. Cx.] cronike of his fifte [vyfte, γ.] book Ethymologiarum [Ethymologiarum] om. Cx.] overlepeþ [hath overe leped, Cx.] Ptholomeus Philometor, [filometor, Cx.] by|twene Ptholomeus [Tholomeus, Cx., bis.] Epiphanes and Ptholomeus [Tholomeus, Cx., bis.] Euer|getes þe secounde, and eft [ofte, Cx.] he overlepeþ Ptholomeus Sother in þe secounde ordre of his regnynge, þat regnede, after þat his moder was i-slawe [i-slawe] slayn, β.; slayne, Cx.] eyȝte ȝere, and bygynneþ þe sixte age of þe worlde from Crist. [Slightly transposed in β. and Cx.] Þe [whuch] [From γ.] age is nouȝt certeyne of generaciouns noþer [nowther, Cx.] of ȝeres, but it schal be ended as it were by deth, þe laste elde [age, Cx.] of al þe worlde. Som wil [wole, β.; wol, Cx.] mene þat þis [þe, Cx.] sixte age of the worlde bygan at þe Incarnacioun of Crist, by þe whiche Incarnacioun Crist visited us and come [cam, β. and Cx.] doun from hevene. Somme acounteþ [acounten, Cx.] þe sixte [sixth, Cx.] age of þe worlde from þe burþe [byrthe, Cx.] of Criste, and for þat auctorite of þe apostel, "Whan plente of tyme come [comeþ, γ.] God sent [sende, β. and Cx.; send, γ.] his sone i-bore [i-bore] born, β. and Cx.] of a womman." Som acounteþ [acounte, Cx.] from þe fullynge [fram the follyng, γ.; cristnyng, Cx.] of Crist, for þe vertue þat was i-ȝeve [i-ȝeve] ȝeven, β.; yeven Cx.] to [unto, Cx.] the water to brynge forþ children gostliche [goostly, Cx.] whanne þe circumsicioun gan [bigan, β. and Cx.] to cese. [cease, Cx.] Som acounteþ [acounte, Cx.] from Cristes passioun, for

þo [þanne, β. and Cx.] was i-opened þe ȝate of Paradys. Þan þe ȝeres from þe bygynnynge of þe world, þat was þe fourtenþe day to fore [bi fore, β.; of, Cx.] Averel, in þe whiche day þe world bygan, anon to [began unto, Cx.] þe in|carnacioun of Crist, were fyve þowsand ȝere and two hondred [yere], [From Cx.] so seiþ Orosius. But þe more [more] om. Cx.] comoun [comyn, Cx.] calculynge seiþ fyve þowsand an [and, Cx.] hondred [ȝere] [From β. and Cx.] foure score and six|tene. Marcius seiþ a [v., β.; fyve, Cx.] þowsand ȝere and [and] om. Cx.] an hondred ȝere foure score [foure score] om. Cx.] and nyne. Þe firste Adam synned in a Friday, and deyde in þe same Friday after nyne hondred ȝere and fifty. [þritty, β. and γ.; xxx., Cx.] And in suche a Friday þe secounde Adam, þat is Crist, toke flesche and blood and endede his fastynge, and suffrede deþ for mankynde [mankuynde, γ.] ; and [in] [From Cx.] þe same houre of þe Friday þat Adam was i-putte out of Paradys riȝt in suche an houre þe þeef [þeof, γ.] was brouȝt into [in, Cx.] Paradys. Marianus, libro 2^o. [It] [From β. and Cx.] is nouȝt aȝenst þis þat Holy Cherche [chirche, Cx.] holdeþ þat þe firste Adam was i|made of eorþe [erthe, Cx.] [in] [From Cx.] þe nynþe [nyþe, γ.] day tofore Averil, [byfore Apryl, Cx.] and Crist

i-conceyved þe sevenþe day tofore Averil; [Apryl, Cx., et infra.] ffor þe nyȝt of þe nynþe [nyþe, γ., et infra.] day to fore [byfore, Cx., et infra.] þe firste day of Averil, þat come after þe day þat Adam was i-made ynne, is now i-made by Cristes passioun þe nyȝte of þe eyȝtþe [eyȝteþe, γ., et infra.] day of Averel, and gooþ to fore þe day. For þe eyȝtþe day to fore Averel of his firste partye is i-made þe nynþe day to fore Averel, and of his laste partye, þat is þe nyȝt in [the] [From γ. and Cx.] whiche Crist was i-holde, [i-holde] holden, β. and Cx.] i- [and, β. and Cx.] buffeted, [yboffeted, γ.] and i-scorned, is i-made þe sevenþe day tofore [afore Apryll, Cx., et infra.] Averel; [þanne it folewiþ þat Crist suffride þe ix. day, þe viii. day, and þe vii. day tofore Averil]. [From β., γ., and Cx.] Þat may be schewed by anoþer resoun; for everiche ȝere þe lettre of þe day chaun|geþ in to [to] om. β., γ., and Cx.] þe kalender, ffor þere is oo [one, Cx.] lettre mo [more, Cx.] þan two and fifty wokes, [wekys, Cx.] hit is no wonder þey [though, Cx.] the Friday, þat was in þe bygynnynge of þe worlde þe nynþe [nynethe, Cx.] day to fore Averil, [afore Apryll, Cx., et infra.] whan Adam was i-made, falle [fylle, Cx.] after so meny ȝeres þe sevenþe day to fore Averel, [afore Apryll, Cx., et infra.] whan Crist suffrede deth: þat holdeþ and

apreveþ [apreoueþ, γ.] lore of greet men, auctorite of holy chirche, and certeyn assay of calculers. [certayne essaye of calcalers, Cx.] But as Seynt Austyn seiþ above, aȝenst resoun no sober man demeþ; no Cristen man demeþ aȝenst holy writte; no pesible [peysyble, γ.; possible, Cx.] man demeþ aȝenst holy chirche. Also here take hede þat Seint Austyn seiþ þat Crist lay in þe herte of þe erþe þre dayes and þre nyȝt [nyghtes, Cx., et infra.] [but nouȝt al ful and hool þre dayes and þre nyȝt;] [From β. and γ.] for Crist lay in his grave but fourty hours: so þat he lay in his grave in the laste ende of þe firste day, forto acounte þe firste day of foure and twenty houres wiþ þe nyght þat was to þe Friday þat Crist deyde ynne; and Crist lay in his grave holiche [holych, γ.; hooly, Cx.] al þe secounde day, and in þe firste partie of þe þridde day; and so [Seynt] [From Cx.] Austyn seiþ þat everiche [sayth that yche, Cx.] of þese þre dayes hadde his nyȝt so [soe, Cx.] þat þe nyȝt passede tofore [afore, Cx.] þe day: þerby it semeþ þat þe maister in [of, β.; of the, Cx.] stories schulde nouȝt be folowed [folewyde, Cx.] þere he seiþ þat þe nyȝt þat was bytwene þe Saturday [Saterday, Cx.] and þe Sonday of the resurrectioun [resurrexion, γ.] was comyn [come, Cx.] boþe to þe Saturday and eke [also, Cx.] to

þe Sonday. Trevisa. Hit nedeþ [neodeþ, γ.] nouȝt to wiþ seie [wyþsegge, γ.] þe maister of stories in þis place wiþ oute oþer evydens, while nyȝtes and dayes mowe be acounted in meny manere wise. [Trevisa . . . wise] om. β. and Cx.] Beda and Lucas. [Transposed in β., γ., and Cx.] Þanne Marie aroos after þat sche [sche] heo, β.; she, Cx.] hadde i-conceyved, and com to [into, β. and Cx.] Zakarie his citee, foure myle out of Ierusalem, and was þere þre monþes, and servede hir cosyn Elizabeth forto [tyl, Cx.] þat sche [heo, β.] hadde [a] [From Cx.] childe, and þoo [þanne, β.; than, Cx.] Marie went aȝen in to hir owne hous into Nazareth. Lucas. Þanne wolde nouȝt here spouse Ioseph take here sikerliche [sekerly, Cx.] to his wif, for sche [heo, β.] was i-founde wiþ childe, or [er, β.; ar, γ.; til, Cx.] þe aungel charged hym in his slepe þat he schulde fonge [fange, β.; take, Cx.] hir wiþoute drede. Lucas. Þat tyme come oute a maundement from þe emperour [þe emperour] om. β., γ., and Cx.] Cesar Augustus forto descryve al þe worlde. Petrus. Cesar wolde wete [wyte, γ.] þe noumbre of londes of þe worlde þat were sugette [subget, Cx.] to Rome, and also þe nombre of [þe nombre of] om. Cx.] þe citees of everiche londe, and þe nombre of polles [pollys, Cx.] of everiche citee, and heet [bade, β.; bad, Cx.] þat oute of suburbes, of stretes [subarbes of citees, Cx.] of smal townes and grete, and

oute of everiche contray and kiþþe, [kyþthe, γ.; kyth, Cx.] everiche man schulde wende [departe, Cx.] home to his owne citee þat he com of and hadde of his burþe. [byrth, Cx.] And every man schulde take a peny [penny, Cx.] of silver of the value [valuwe, γ.] of ten pans, [panes, γ.; valewe of the ten pens, Cx.] þat were þo i-used, to þe steward [styward, γ. and Cx.] of þe province, and knowleche hym self suget [subget, Cx.] to þe empere [emperour, β. and Cx.; Emper, γ.] of Rome. Lucas. Þerfore Ioseph wente out of Nazareth into Bethlem, [Bethleem, γ.; Bethlehem, Cx.] þat was his citee, wiþ his wif Marie þat was wiþ childe forto knowleche þere, and þere Marye hadde [a] [From Cx.] childe. Petrus. Þan in þe ende of þe sevene and fourty [xlii., β. and Cx.; secunde and fourty, γ.] ȝere of Augustus, þe Saturday [at] [From Cx.] nyȝt þat [þanne] [From β. and Cx.; þo, γ.] folwede þe day, þe fourtenþe ȝere of þe [þe] om. Cx.] age of Marye, þe sevenþe day to fore Ianyver, [Januarie, β.; Janivere, Cx.] Criste was i-bore at Bethleem, [Bethlem, Cx.] and þanne the eyteþe day afterward he was circumcided in a Sonday. Þe twelfþe day after þe burþe [byrth, Cx.] was the Epiphanye, and fel in a Friday, þe sixte day of Ianyver; þo [þan, β. and Cx.] come þe kynges in worschippynge of [and worschiped, β., γ., and Cx.] Crist. And after [þat] [From β., γ., and Cx.] fourty dayes of [after, β., γ., and Cx.] þe nativite, in a Þorsday, þe secounde day of Feverer, [Februarie, β.; Feverere, Cx.] Criste

was presented [presentet, γ.] in þe temple; in mynde þerof is þe feste of [þe feste of] om. Cx.] Candelmasse day. After þat by warnynge of þe aungel, þat warned Ioseph [in] [From Cx.] his sleep, he fliȝe [fledde, Cx.] in to Egipt wiþ his moder and Ioseph, and [and] om. γ. and Cx.] was þere sixe ȝere anone to Herodes his [his] om. Cx.] deth. Herodes caste forto slee al þe children by cause of Crist, for he wolde be siker [of hym] [From β., γ., and Cx.] among oþere. Whan Crist entrede into Egipt, þe mawmettes overþrewe and fil [ful, γ.; fille, Cx.] doun. ℞. Þanne from [to, Cx.] the sevenþe day to fore Averil, [afore Apryll, Cx.] þat was the Friday in þe whiche Crist was conceyved, in [to, β. and Cx.] þe nyȝt of þe Sonday in whiche Crist was i-bore, were two [to, Cx.] hondred dayes þre score and sixtene, þe whiche nombre of dayes makeþ nyne monþes [monethes, Cx., et infra.] of þe mone and sixe dayes, so þat everiche monþe [every moneth, Cx.] be of þritty dayes, as men accounted in olde tyme. Þese [þeos, γ.] nyne monþes and sixe dayes beeþ [ben, Cx.] assigned to wommen [wymmen, γ., et infra.] þat gooþ with childe, as it were ten monþes, þeyȝ [þouȝ, β.; though, Cx.] nouȝt alle wommen gooþ [go, β.; goo, Cx.] wiþ childe to þis sixte day, as it [yet, Cx.] was sooþ of Iohn [Iohan, Cx.] Baptiste and of Seynte Marie, þat hadde

oon day lasse þat [þan, β., γ., and Cx.] Crist in þe moder womb. [℞.] [From β., γ., and Cx.] And for the comynge to gideres [togyders, Cx.] of ȝeres of Criste and of þe [þe] om. Cx.] kynges, of þe whiche ȝeres of kynges [of þe whiche ȝeres of kynges] om. Cx.] þe bygynnynges [begynnyngys, Cx.] and the endes beeþ [ben, Cx.] uncertayn, and ful ofte falleþ [fallen, β.; falle, Cx.] grete doutes in a countynge [acountyng, β. and Cx.] of ȝeres, and also of þe ȝeres of oure Lord, what ȝere he was i-fulled, [i-fulled] folled, β.; yfolled, γ.; baptysed, Cx.] what ȝere Crist suffrede deþ, auctoures spekeþ dyversliche. [auctors speken dyversly, Cx.] Þerfore forto putte away al manere doute, take hede by Beda his lore, [loore, Cx.] libro de temporibus, þat the Romayns to fore [byfore, Cx.] Numa Pompilius his tyme bygonne [bygan, Cx.] þe ȝere in Marche, as þe Hebrewes dooþ [don, Cx.] ; but from Numa his tyme, [Numaes tyme, Cx.] þat putte tweie monþes [two monethes, Cx.] to þe ȝere, Ianyver and Feverer, [Ianuarie and Februarie, β.; Ianyvere and Feveryere, Cx.] þe Romayns bygynneþ [bygynne, Cx.] þe ȝere in þe bygynnynge of Ianyver; holy chirche in þe weste londes folweþ [folowith, Cx.] hem in þe comoun [comyn, Cx.] kalender, and in þe ȝere þat is most i-used. But þe Grees, [Grekis, β.; Gres, γ.; Grekes, Cx.] þat brouȝt up Olympias, bygynneþ [begynnen, Cx., et infra.] þe ȝere

from þe schortest day of [the] [From γ. and Cx.] wynter; but þe Hebrewes bygynneþ þe ȝere in Marche, whan þe day and þe nyȝte beeþ [ben lyke, Cx.] i-liche longe, for þat tyme þe worlde was firste i-made. But the Egipcians bygynneþ [bygynnen, Cx.] þe ȝere from herveste. [harvost, γ. et infra.] Men of þe Est [eeste, Cx.] londes, as Arabes and Caldeys, bygynneþ þe ȝere after þe gaderynge of wyn, of corn, and of fruyt, whanne þe teþynges beeþ i-brouȝt [tethenges ben brought, Cx.] in to þe temple, in þe bygynnynge of Octobre, whan þe day and þe nyȝt beeþ nyh [nyh] om β. and Cx.; nyȝ, γ.] i-liche [ben ylyke, Cx.] longe, in hervest tyme, as it [yet, Cx.] semeþ by [by] om. Cx.] Ezechiel his visioun, þere he spekeþ of þe fourþe [ferþe, γ.] moneþe and of [of] om. Cx.] þe firste [fijþe, β. and Cx.] day of þe monþe; [moneth, Cx., et infra.] among hem Octobre was þe firste monþe, and Ianyver [Ianuarie, β.; Ianyvere, Cx.] þe ferþe. [fourth, Cx.] ℞. Hit is i-seide þat dyvers men haveþ [have, Cx.] dyvers bygynnynge of ȝeres, and ȝit over þat comeþ dyverse ȝeres by som happe þat þere falle [falliþ, β.; falleth, γ. and Cx.] and bygynneþ in dyverse tymes of þe ȝere þat we most useþ, [moost use, Cx.] as it [yet, Cx.] is of ȝeres of kynges þat bygynneþ [begynnen, Cx.] to regne in dyverse tyme of þe ȝere þat we most useþ [use, Cx., et infra.] ; ȝet we acounteþ [acounte, Cx.] þe ȝeres of oure Lorde in tweie manere wyse, oþer by his burþe, oþer [byrthe or, Cx.] by his age. And so [also, Cx.] while Crist was i-bore in þe ende of þe ȝere

þat we useþ by þe cours of [þe cours of] om. Cx.] þe sonne, he hadde of þe firste ȝere of his burþe but sevene dayes [seve dawes, γ.] from þe nativite to ȝeres|day. But þe firste ȝere of his age of twelve monþes by þe [his, Cx.] cours of þe sonne, [of the sonne] om. Cx.] from þe fyve and twenty day of Decembre to þe same day at [at] om. Cx.] twelfmonþe, [twelvemonethes, Cx.] is fulfilled in [in] om. Cx.] þe secounde ȝere of his burþe. And so in þe firste ȝere of his age [he fulfilled almost [almest, γ.] two ȝere of his burþe. And þe secunde ȝere of his burþe is þe first ȝere of his age]. [From β., γ., and Cx.] Þerfore [yet, Cx.] it is þat þe ȝeres of þe burþe of oure Lorde by þe course of þe sonne beeþ [buþ nyȝ, γ.; be nygh, Cx.] nyh foure and þritty ȝere and an half, and the ȝeres of his age nyȝ [nyghe, Cx.] þre and þritty ȝere and an half; and he was i-fulled [yfolled, γ.; baptysed, Cx.] in his þritty ȝere of [age, in þe xxi. [hys on and thrytty yer, γ.; xxxi., Cx.] ȝere of his] [From β., γ., and Cx.] burþe, for to acounte þat ȝere wiþ þe laste partie þat was al|most [almoost an, Cx.] half ȝere. Hit is sooþ [sothe, Cx.] þat Crist prechede [prechid, Cx.] foure ȝere, and specialliche þre ȝere and an half, and [and] om. Cx.] by þe gospel of Seint Iohn; [Iohan, Cx.] and so Crist suffrede deeþ in þe þre and þritty ȝere of his age, [and in þe xxxiiii. ȝere of his burþe]. [From β., γ., and Cx.]

[℞.] [From Cx.] Þan in [in] om. γ.] þe secounde ȝere of fourty [xlii. ȝere, β.; secunde ȝer and fourty, γ.; two and fourty yere, Cx.] of Octovianus, in þe whiche ȝere Crist was i-bore, bygan in Marche [and endede [endeth, Cx.] in March]. [From β., γ., and Cx.] And [And] om. β. and Cx.] þerefor þat ȝere bygan in þe þridde [ȝere] [From β., γ., and Cx.] of þe [þe] om. β. and Cx.] Olympias nyne score and fourtene, [and ended in þe ferþe] [From β., γ., and Cx.] ȝere of þe same Olympias in þe monþe of Marche; and for þe wisdom of oure Lorde ordeyned his burþe [þere] [From β. and Cx.; þar, γ.] þe Grees bygynneþ þe ȝere wiþ [þe] [From β., γ., and Cx.] Olympias, þerfore þe ȝeres of oure Lorde bygynneþ and endeþ [bygynne and ende, Cx.] wiþ þe Olympias. But þe ȝeres of kynges and of emperours by|gynneþ and endeþ [begynne and ende, Cx.] certenliche [certaynly, Cx.] but riȝt seelde, [selde, Cx.] þerfore it is harde to acounte hem wiþ þe Olimpias oþer [owther, Cx.] wiþ þe ȝeres of oure Lorde, ffor þey bygynneþ [begynne, Cx.] ofte in oon [one, Cx.] ȝere of þe Olympias and endeþ [ende, Cx.] in anoþer. Þanne þe kyngdom of Augustus is acounted in Marche, and Crist bygynneþ his firste ȝere of his burþe [byrthe, Cx.] in þe ende of Augustus his two and fourty ȝere. Þanne þe þre and fourty [xlii., Cx.] ȝere of Augustus bygynneþ in þe firste ȝere of þe age of Criste, and þe foure

and fourty [xliii., Cx.] ȝere of Augustus bygynneþ [bygynneþ] om. β., γ., and Cx.] in þe secounde ȝere of þe age of Crist, and his [is, Cx.] fyve [vyf, γ.] and fourty [xliiii., Cx.] ȝere in þe þridde, and so forþ.