' . John of Worcester was an English monk and chronicler who worked at Worcester Priory. He is usually held to be the author of the Chronicon ex chronicis'.
''Chronicon ex chronicis''
The Chronicon ex chronicis is a world wide history which begins with the creation and ends in 1140. The chronological framework of the Chronicon was presented by the chronicle of Marianus Scotus. A great deal of additional material, particularly relating to English history, was grafted onto it.
Authorship
The greater part of the work, up to 1117 or 1118, was formerly attributed to the manFlorence of Worcester on the basis of the entry for his death under the annal of 1118, which credits his skill and industry for making the chronicle such a prominent work. In this view, the other Worcester monk, John, merely wrote the final part of the work. However, there are two main objections against the ascription to Florence. First, there is no change of style in the Chronicon after Florence's death, and second, certain sections before 1118 rely to some extent on the Historia novorum of Eadmer of Canterbury, which was completed sometime in 1121 – 1124. The prevalent view today is that John of Worcester was the principal author and compiler. He is explicitly named as the author of two entries for 1128 and 1138, and two manuscripts were written in his hand. He was seen working on it at the behest of Wulfstan, bishop of Worcester, when the Anglo-Norman chronicler Orderic Vitalis visited Worcester:
Manuscripts
The Chronicon survives in five manuscripts : drawing in 1128, by John of Worcester.
MS 157. The principal manuscript, working copy used by John.
In addition, there is the chronicula, a minor chronicle based on the Chronicon proper: MS 503, written by John up to 1123.
''Chronicon ex chronicis'': editions and translations
Darlington, Reginald R. and P. McGurk, P. McGurk and Jennifer Bray. The Chronicle of John of Worcester: The Annals from 450–1066. Vol 2. Oxford Medieval Texts. Oxford: 1995.
McGurk, P.. The Chronicle of John of Worcester: The Annals from 1067 to 1140 with The Gloucester Interpolations and The Continuation to 1141. Vol 3. OMT. Oxford, 1998.
Stevenson, J.. Church Historians of England. 8 vols: vol. 2.1. London, 1855. 171–372.
Forester, Thomas. The Chronicle of Florence of Worcester. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1854. Available from Google Books.
Weaver, J. R. H., ed. The Chronicle of John of Worcester, 1118–1140: being the continuation of the 'Chronicon ex chronicis' of Florence of Worcester. Oxford: Clarendon Press
