Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Sunday, 8 December 2024

An important source for Scottish history goes to St Andrews


A few days ago, I posted about two surviving letters that can be linked directly to Sir William Wallace the Scottish patriot leader. Today the Internet turned up an article from The Scotsman about the acquisition by the library of Saint Andrews University of an early sixteenth century manuscript account of the events of the uprising in 1297. It is bound up with a copy of the slightly later work of John Major or Mair’s History of Greater Britain printed in Paris in 1521. There is more about Major in the interesting Wikipedia article about him at John Major (philosopher)

The manuscript portion contains unique references to details of the events that led to the war in 1297. 

Even in recent years, the book has travelled from Northern Ireland to Norway and then back to this country and to a permanent home at St Andrews. It is a reminder that such archival material can still re-emerge and add to our knowledge of the past.

The illustrated article about the volume and its significance can be seen at Manuscript shedding new light on William Wallace and Wars of Independence made public for first time


No comments: