Incipit primum principale a cronicula Brute

Abstract

[This First Part consists in the MS. of folios Ob to 19a, and contains the history of Britain from Brute to the defeat of Harold by William the Conqueror. Ricart himself says it is “a cronicula Brute,” and he appears to have followed Geoffrey of Monmouth as far as Constantine, the successor to King Arthur. In his abridgement from this author he has made several variations, omitting certain names altogether, and altering others, as Aurylambros for Aurelins Ambrosius, Donebaude for Dunwallo Mulmutius, Corynbatrus for Gurgiunt Brabtruc, &c. Ricart often gives the number of years a king reigned where Geoffrey does not, the figures seldom agreeing even in those cases in which Geoffrey gives them. It is curious too that though Geoffrey accounts, after his fashion, for the founding of many towns in Britain, he does not once mention Bristol, although his history was dedicated to that very Robert Earl of Gloucester who played so important a part in the annals of the city. Ricart, however, was an apt pupil, and, not to suffer his famous city to be behind others in antiquity, he introduces the building of Bristol by Brynne, one of the British kings.