Liber Eliensis
| Liber Eliensis | |
|---|---|
Trinity College, Cambridge MS O.2.1
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|
| Also known as |
Book of Ely Historia Eliensis |
| Author(s) | Unknown |
| Ascribed to | Thomas or Richard, monks of Ely |
| Language | Medieval Latin |
| Date | Early through second-quarter 12th century |
| Provenance | Ely Abbey |
| Manuscript(s) | Trinity College, Cambridge MS O.2.1 (E) Ely Cathedral Chapter (F) British Library MS Cotton Titus A.i (G) British Library Cotton Domitian MS A.xv (B) British Library MS Cotton Vespasian A.xix (A) |
| Genre | Chronicle |
| Subject | Account of the history of Ely Abbey and the Bishopric of Ely |
| Sources |
Æthelwold of Winchester's Libellus Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People Florence of Worcester's Chronicon ex chronicis among others |
The Liber Eliensis (sometimes Historia Eliensis or Book of Ely) is a 12th-century English chronicle and history, written in Latin. Composed in three books, it was written at Ely Abbey on the island of Ely in the fenlands of eastern Cambridgeshire. Ely Abbey became the cathedral of a newly formed bishopric in 1109. Traditionally the author of the anonymous work has been given as Richard or Thomas, two monks at Ely, one of whom, Richard, has been identified with an official of the monastery, but some historians hold that neither Richard nor Thomas was the author.
The Liber covers the period from the founding of the abbey in 673 until the middle of the 12th century, building on earlier historical works. It incorporates documents and stories of saints' lives. The work typifies a type of local history produced during the latter part of the 12th century. Similar books were written at other English monasteries. The longest of the contemporary local histories, the Liber chronicles the devastation that the Anarchy caused during the reign of King Stephen. It also documents the career of Nigel, the Bishop of Ely from 1133 to 1169, and his disputes with King Stephen. Other themes include the miracles worked by the monastery's patron saint, Æthelthryth, and gifts of land to Ely.
Two complete manuscripts survive, complemented by partial manuscripts. The Latin text was published in 1962, and an English translation followed in 2005. Extracts had appeared in print earlier.
The Liber Eliensis provides an important history of the region and period it covers, and particularly for the abbey and bishopric of Ely.
The Liber Eliensis was written at Ely Abbey, which became Ely Cathedral upon conversion into a bishopric in 1109. The historian Elisabeth van Houts believes that it was written in two stages: first under Bishop Hervey le Breton, in office from 1109 to 1133; and continued under Bishop Geoffrey Ridel, who served from 1173 to 1189. For van Houts, the first stage was the translation of an Old English work into Latin, commissioned by Bishop Hervey. The rest of the work, van Houts argues, was composed in the 1170s. However, E. O. Blake, who edited the first Latin printing of the work, concludes that the Liber was probably composed in three parts, based on its contents; the first book of the Liber was begun after 1131, when one of the sources used in the Liber was completed. The second has a preface apologising for the delay in its completion, and could not have been started before 1154, as it records events from that year. The third and final book was completed between 1169, when Bishop Nigel died and whose death is mentioned in the book, and 1174, when a new bishop was appointed. As there is no mention of Nigel's replacement, Blake states that this suggests that book three was finished before the new bishop took office.
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