Nov. 3. 1849.] 
is made in Manning’s and Bray’s History of 
Surrey (vol.i. p. 314.) without any notice of 
its contents, is preserved in the upper chamber 
of a building on the north side of the chancel, 
erected in 1513, and designated as a “ vesti- 
bulum” in a contemporary inscription. The 
collection is small, and amongst the most in- 
teresting volumes is a small folio, in the 
original oaken boards covered with white 
leather, presented to the library, 7 June, 
1701, by William Jordan, of Gatwick, in the 
adjacent parish of Charlwood, probably the 
same person who was member for the borough 
of Reigatein 1717. Of previous possessors of 
the book nothing is recorded. It comprises 
several concise chronicles, which may be thus 
described : — 
1. “Cathologus Romanorum Pontificum:”— 
imperfect, commencing with fol. 11; some 
leaves also lost at the end. It closes with the 
year 1359, in the times of Innocent VI. 
2. “ De Imperatoribus Romanis:” — from 
Julius Cesar to the election and coronation 
of Charles IV. after the death of the emperor 
Lewis of Bavaria, and the Battle of Cressy, 
in 1347. 
3. “Compilacio cronicorum de diversis ar- 
chiepiscopis ecclesie Cantuariensis :” — the 
chronicle of Stephen Birchington, a monk of 
Canterbury, printed by Wharton, from 2 MS. 
in the Lambeth collection. The text varies 
in many particulars, which may be of minor 
moment, but deserve collation. The writing 
varies towards the close, as if the annals had 
been continued at intervals; and they close 
with the succession of Archbishop William 
de Witleseye, in 1368, as in the text printed 
by Wharton (Anglia Sacra, vol.i. pp. 1—48.). 
4. “De principio mundi, et etatibus ejus- 
dem.— De insulis et civitatibus Anglie:” — 
forming a sort of brief preface to the following 
—‘“ Hic incipit Bruto de gestis Anglorum.” 
The narrative begins with a tale of a certain 
giant king of Greece, in the year 3009, who 
had thirty daughters: the eldest, Albina, gave 
her name to Albion. The history is continued 
to the accession of William Rufus. 
5. “Incipit cronica de adquisicione Regni 
Anglie per Willelmum Ducem Normannorum,” 
&c. closing in 1364, with the birth of Edward 
of Engolesme, eldest son of the Black Prince. 
Wharton speaks of “ Historie de regibus An- 
glorum, de Pontificibus Romanis, et de Im- 
— 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
7 
peratoribus Romanis,” as found together with 
the chronicle of the archbishops of Canterbury ; 
both in the Lambeth MS. and in another for- 
merly in the possession of William Reede, 
Bishop of Chichester: and he was inclined to 
attribute the whole to the pen of Birchington. 
6. “Gesta Scotorum contra Anglicos :” — 
commencing in 1066, with the times of Mal- 
colm, king of Scotland, and ending in 1346, 
‘with the capture of David IL., and the cala- 
mitous defeat of the Scots near Durham. 
At the commencement of the volume are 
found some miscellaneous writings of less in- 
teresting character. I noticed, however, an 
entry relating to the foundation of a chapel 
at “ Ocolte,” now written Knockholt, in Kent, 
by Ralph Scot, who had erected a mansion 
remote from the parish church, and obtained 
license for the consecration of the chapel in 
the year 1281, in the time of Archbishop Kil- 
wardeby. 
The writing of this MS. appears to be of 
the latter half of the fourteenth century. Pos- 
sibly there may be readers of these “ Norrs 
AND QUERIES,” more familiar with such in- 
quiries than myself, who may have examined 
other contemporary MSS. of the compilations 
of Stephen Birchington. I shall be thankful 
for any information regarding them, and es- 
pecially as regards the existence of any trans- 
cript of the Canterbury Annals, extended be- 
yond the year 1368, with which this copy as 
well as that used by Wharton closes; whilst 
he supposes that in the chronicle as cited by 
Jocelin, chaplain to Matthew Parker, they 
had been carried as far as the year 1882. 
ALBERT Way. 
THE MORNING CHRONICLE, ETC.— WHEN FIRST 
ESTABLISHED. 
It is read in the Newspaper Directory that 
The Morning Chronicle was established in 
1770, The Morning Herald in 1781, The’ 
Times, 1st January, 1788. I believe that 
not one of these dates is correct, and that of 
The Morning Herald to be wrong by fifteen 
years or more. Can you, or any of the 
readers of “ NorEs AND QUERIES,” give me 
the exact dates, or tell me where I can find 
the earlier volumes; say, the first ten, of 
either or all? 
D. 
