Geoffrey de Runcey facts for kids
Geoffrey de Runcey (born around the 1340s, died 1384) was an English writer from the 1300s. He worked for a monastery and kept a valuable diary of his travels. Even though parts of his diary are now missing, it tells us a lot about medieval East Anglia long ago.
We don't know much about Geoffrey's family background. But his name suggests he came from North Runcton, which is now part of King's Lynn in Norfolk. "Runcey" was an old way to spell it. Some people think he might have been the son of a landowner or someone who rented land freely. Others even thought he might have been the son of a priest. Even though he wasn't officially made a priest, he was educated at Bury St. Edmunds Abbey. He worked for the monastery for the rest of his life.
Geoffrey is most famous for his diary, called the Chronicle, which he wrote around 1379. It seems the monastery sent him to share the news that the head abbot of Bury had died. He traveled to other Benedictine monasteries in East Anglia. During his journey, he met many different kinds of people. His diary was probably written to show that he completed his task. Geoffrey de Runcey died in 1384, but we don't know why. He was buried at the monastery of St Edmund in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. Sadly, his tomb was destroyed when monasteries were closed down by the king during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Geoffrey's Diary: The Chronicle
The Chronicle is special because it was written in Middle English, which was the language spoken in England at the time. This was unusual for such a record. There was also a second version of the diary (called the B manuscript). In this version, Geoffrey or someone else tried to translate parts into Latin for the new abbot to read. This Latin version was also more decorated.
Geoffrey's diary has been very helpful for historians. It teaches them about the customs of the Fen region before a big drainage project in the 1630s. The diary is also unique because it has a playful and unusually non-religious way of looking at things. It doesn't show much superstition.
One part of his diary is especially famous. It describes people who walked on stilts. This vivid account has been used in many histories of the area:
Stilltemen are yfounden inn the Fenn regionis…Althow theyye are usually triumfant, manny younge boyes are accustomed to falle manny tymes beforr theyye are trewly sucsesfull.
This means: "Stilt-men are found in the Fen regions... Although they are usually successful, many young boys often fall many times before they are truly successful."
Sadly, much of Geoffrey's original diary has been lost. But the parts that remain are kept safe. You can find fragments at the Hillard Collection in Suffolk and the Wisbech Museum. Also, a copy of the important parts of both versions, translated into modern English, is available at the Chatteris Museum.
See also
- Jocelyn de Brakelond, known for his Chronicle of the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds from around 1173-1202.
- John de Taxster, another writer from Bury who kept records from around 1173-1265.
- Chronica Johannis de Oxenedes, another diary written at St Benet's Abbey, Norfolk.
