Robert Mannyng facts for kids

Robert Mannyng (also known as Robert de Brunne; born around 1275 – died around 1338) was an English writer and a Gilbertine monk. A monk is a man who lives in a religious community. Mannyng wrote down many historical events, so he is called a chronicler.

We know a lot about Robert Mannyng because he wrote about himself in his two main books: Handlyng Synne and Mannyng's Chronicle. In these books, he tells us he lived at Gilbertine monasteries in Sempringham (near Bourne) and Sixhills. He also lived at the Gilbertine priory in Cambridge, called St Edmund’s.

Where Robert Grew Up

Robert's name, "de Brunne," tells us he came from a place called Brunne. Today, this place is known as Bourne, Lincolnshire. It's about 13 kilometers south of Sempringham Priory. Sempringham was the main house for the Gilbertine Order, which was a special group of monks and nuns in England. Both Bourne and Sempringham are located near the edge of the Lincolnshire fens, which are marshy areas.

Robert joined the Sempringham monastery in 1288. He trained there and then moved to Cambridge, probably as part of his learning. Later, he moved to Sixhills priory. Robert likely spent most of his life at Sempringham.

In his book Handlyng Synne, Robert says he was at the abbey for fifteen years. Ten of those years were when John Camelton was the prior (a leader in the monastery), and five years were with John Clyntone, who took over from Camelton. Even though he lived in Sempringham, Robert still cared about the people of Bourne. He wrote Handlyng Synne for "all Christian men under the sun and to good men of Bourne."

Robert's Books

Robert Mannyng wrote two important books:

Handlyng Synne

Handlyng Synne was finished in 1303. It's a very long poem, about twelve thousand lines! It was written in Middle English, which is the form of English spoken in England from about 1150 to 1500. The poem uses rhyming pairs of lines.

This book is about good and bad actions, and it teaches people how to live a good life. It gets many of its stories and examples from an older French book called Manuel des Peches by William of Waddington.

Mannyng's Chronicle

Mannyng's Chronicle was likely finished in 1338. In this book, Robert translated older histories into English. He translated part of Wace's Roman de Brut, which tells the history of Britain. He also translated Piers Langtoft's Chronicle, which covers English history after the Norman Conquest.

Why Robert Mannyng Is Important

Robert Mannyng was mainly a historian. He is important because he wrote history in three languages: Latin, Anglo-Norman (an old French language spoken in England), and Middle English.

His work in Middle English was part of a bigger change happening in the early 1300s. People were starting to write more in English instead of Latin or Anglo-Norman. Robert's writing helped English become a more important language for books and stories.

He was especially good at writing history. He learned a lot from famous historians who came before him, like Henry of Huntingdon, William of Malmesbury, and Geoffrey of Monmouth.

While some people think his poems are a bit plain, the stories in Handling Synne are full of life and color. They are very entertaining to read, especially compared to other similar books from that time!

See also

• Mannyng's Chronicle
• English historians in the Middle Ages
• Ayenbite of Inwyt