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Hardyng's Chronicle, Table of Contents
JOHN HARDYNG, CHRONICLE, PROLOGUE: TEXTUAL NOTES
Abbreviations:m: marginalia; MS: London, British Library MS Lansdowne 204 (base manuscript).
Throughout the manuscript, the marginalia, book and chapter headings, and the running heads featuring the names of the reigning kings, are written in red ink; often the first letter of each stanza of the main text is also written in red ink. Because of the consistency of the scribe’s use of red in these areas, we have only recorded exceptions to this rule in the notes. Other features, such as scribal corrections, illumination, annotations by other hands other than the scribe(s), and editiorial emendations are recorded as they occur.
Occasionally, background smudges and traces of letters or words occur behind the current text of Lansdowne 204. Though beyond the scope of this edition, a comprehensive study of each instance of smudging is desirable, as some may have been caused by underwriting, indicating that the scribe(s) altered the work. The British Library analyzed ten examples of potential underwriting for us, using multispectral imagining equipment and Digital USB microscopy. Our selections fell into one of three categories. 1) Examples that did contain underwriting: the background shadows were caused by the scribe scraping the parchment to remove a word or phrase and writing different text over the erasure (or, as in two cases, simply erasing text that was no longer required). In such instances, traces of the original iron gall ink burn-through have survived, leaving partial letter-forms or words visible at a wavelength of 420 nm on the electromagnetic spectrum; sadly, it is often impossible to discern complete letters or words, and ink burn-through from text overleaf further obscures the original writing, making it largely unrecoverable. 2) Examples that do not contain underwriting: the shadows behind the text are caused by ink-burn through from text overleaf, which, to the naked eye, gives the impression of underwriting. 3) Examples that do not contain underwriting: the shadows behind the text are again due to degradation caused by the iron gall ink flaking away from the surface of the parchment and leaving the shape of the original letter below; to the naked eye, the spread of the burn-through can look like underwriting beneath the thinner flakes of surviving ink. The following textual notes make references to confirmed instances of underwriting only; we do not highlight potential cases because, given the degradation of the ink, we feel that this could be misleading.
Contents Page
The incomplete contents page is written entirely in red ink on one folio; it is divided into two columns, the second of which begins with the entry for Book 3, chapter 7. Each of the headings denoting a new book is enclosed by a red box.
The First Book. MS: The corner of the folio is missing.
xxvi capitulum Of Arvyragus. MS: This appears on the same line as the previous entry.
viii capitulum . . . Seint Elene. MS: The text runs into the gutter, which is too tight to see the final letters of Elene.
xx capitulum of Elfride of Westsex sovereyn. MS: An early reader has added a small manicule pointing to this line.
xxii capitulum Of Edward, sovereyn. MS: xxii capitulum Of Edward sover.
xxiiii capitulum. MS: xxiiii.
xxv capitulum. MS: xxv.
xxvi capitulum. MS: xxvi.
xxvii capitulum. MS: xxvii.
xxviii capitulum. MS: xxviii.
xxix capitulum. MS: xxix.
[The contents page is incomplete]
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