The main Scottish annal for the year, kept at a Cistercian house on the Tweed. Around 1200 it records the birth of William the Lion's heir Alexander in 1198, the king's meeting with John and his homage at Lincoln in November 1200, the death of Hugh of Lincoln, Scottish episcopal appointments and deaths, and the Cistercian business of the order's chapter and John's levy. Its Scottish dates are the best available and it is independent of the English chroniclers for the north.
About this source
- Title
- Chronica de Mailros
- Author
- Anonymous (monks of Melrose abbey)
- Written
- about 1173 to 1270, in many hands; the 1200 entries are near contemporary
- Language
- Latin
- Covers
- 735 to 1270
- Kind
- Chronicle
The 1936 facsimile by A. O. and M. O. Anderson and the 2007 stratigraphic edition (vol. 1) are not free. The Glasgow edition supersedes Stevenson but is still being completed.
Where to read it
Editions
- J. Stevenson (ed.), Chronica de Mailros, Bannatyne Club (1835)
- D. Broun, J. Harrison and J. R. Davies (eds), The Melrose Chronicle: a digital edition (University of Glasgow), transcription, translation and images, Creative Commons
Translations
Read it online
- Glasgow digital edition with English translation
- Stevenson's 1835 Latin text at the Internet Archive
- Stevenson's English translation (Church Historians vol. 4 part 1) at the Internet Archive