Oxford medieval texts

William of Poitiers began his career as a knight before studying in the schools of Poitiers and entering the Church. He became a chaplain in the household of William the Conqueror, and was able to give a first-hand account of the events of 1066-7. The Gesta Guillelmi, his unfinished biography of the king, is particularly important for its detailed description of William's campaigns in Normandy, the careful preparations he made for the invasion of England, the battle of Hastings and the establishment of Norman power after the Conquest. It is a mine of information of military tactics and the conduct of war in the eleventh century. Though written from the point of view of the Norman court, it gives what is probably the most authentic account of these momentous events. This edition, by the late R. H. C. Davis and Marjorie Chibnall, with facing-page English translation of the Latin text, provides the first complete English translation, as well as a full historical introduction and detailed notes. - Publisher.

This is the first complete edition and translation of the Historia Anglorum (History of the English People) by Henry, archdeacon of Huntingdon (c.1088-c.1157). The main narrative covers the history of England from the invasions of Julius Caesar down to the accession of King Henry II in 1154, and includes the only contemporary account of the entire reign of King Stephen (1135-54). In the influential circle of successive bishops of Lincoln, Henry was often at the centre of political life - a practical man whose consciousness of the world extended far beyond the limits of his archdeaconry, a visitor to France and Rome. His work is a major source for events in England and Normandy in his lifetime. Henry's pages are filled with good stories, including the first written record of Cnut and the waves, and of Henry's death from a surfeit of lampreys. The final two books consist of poems that show Henry to be one of the finest of Anglo-Latin poets. Henry's work has never before been published in its entirety. The 1879 edition in the Rolls series provided only a Latin text, omitted three books and other sections of the text, and failed to take account of several manuscripts. The critical edition in the present volume shows the author's successive revisions and continuations of his text. It is offered with parallel translation and historical notes. The introduction provides a fresh appraisal of Henry's career, incorporates new discoveries about his family origins and education, and assesses his importance as a poet and historian.

cxxi, 246 pages ; 23 cm

"Peter of Celle, abbot of the great Benedictine houses of Montier-la-Celle (c.1145-62) and Saint-Remi, Reims (1162-81), and bishop of Chartres (1181-3), was a figure of considerable authority and influence in twelfth-century France. Close to the royal family and to the court of Champagne, a friend of John of Salisbury and a supporter of Thomas Becket, known to St. Bernard and to Peter the Venerable, his connections were impressive. In his letters, however, it is the concerns and ideals of the monastic world which are to the fore. At a time of unprecedented upheaval in western religious life, Peter's circle embraced many members of the new orders, Cistercians, Carthusians, and Grandmontines among them. His letters form an eloquent testimony to the power of friendship and co-operation at a time of frequent tension and rivalry. They offer a unique insight into the ideals and values of the monastic world, through the strong voice and critical eye of one of its leading proponents, at a crucial turning point for western religion."--BOOK JACKET.

" ... second volume ... contains an introduction and detailed commentary to accompany the Latin text and translation of the work appearing in Volume I. The introduction presents and analyses the reasons behind the work ... The commentary, linked to the Latin text, discusses problems and questions thrown up by the work, and illustrations appear throughout."--Jacket.