John of Tynemouth (chronicler) facts for kids

John of Tynemouth was an English writer from the Middle Ages. He lived in the mid-1300s. People sometimes called him John of York or John de Tinmouth. He was known for writing down important historical events.

Who Was John of Tynemouth?

We don't know much about John of Tynemouth's early life. Some old stories say he was a vicar (a type of priest) in Tynemouth, a town in Northumberland, England.

Where Did He Live?

John's writings show he knew the area near Winchester. This makes some people think he might be the same person as John Whetely. John Whetely was a vicar in Tynemouth during the 1350s and 1360s. Another idea is that the place called Wheatley was in Yorkshire. This could explain why he was sometimes called John York.

Was He a Monk?

John might also have been a monk at St Albans Abbey. His writings were connected to this monastery early on. The vicar in Tynemouth was chosen by the leader of the Tynemouth priory. This priory was a smaller religious house that belonged to St Albans Abbey.

What Did John of Tynemouth Write?

John of Tynemouth wrote several important books. These books help us learn about history and the lives of saints from his time.

The Historia aurea

One of his main works was a history book called the Historia aurea. This means "Golden History." He finished writing it around 1350. The book covered the history of the world from its very beginning up to the year 1347.

What Sources Did He Use?

For his history, John used a shorter version of another famous history book called the Polychronicon.

Where Can We Find It?

Complete copies of the Historia aurea can be found in old books. These books originally came from places like Durham Cathedral and Bury St Edmunds Abbey. There are also copies from St Albans. However, the St Albans copies were made in the 1400s. This makes it less likely that John was a monk there. Shorter versions of his history book also exist.

The Sanctilogium

John also wrote a book called the Sanctilogium. Its full name was Sanctilogium Angliae Walliae Scotiae et Hiberniae. This book told the life stories of 156 English saints.

Where Is It Now?

Only one copy of the Sanctilogium still exists. It is kept in the British Library in London. You can find it in the Cotton Library as MS Tiberius E.i.

Later Versions

Later, another medieval historian named John Capgrave reorganized the Sanctilogium. He put the saints' lives in alphabetical order. He then published it under a new title, Nova Legenda Angliae.

The Martyrologium

John also wrote a Martyrologium. This was a list of saints and the days they were remembered. We only have small parts of this book. These parts are found at the end of some copies of his Historia aurea.