Description

Little is known about the life of Symeon of Durham (fl. c.1090-c.1128), other than that he was one of the monks present at the translation of the remains of Saint Cuthbert in 1104. His eyewitness account of the opening of Cuthbert's coffin is just one of his writings included in this two-volume edition of his complete works in Latin, published for the Rolls Series between 1882 and 1885. Volume 1 contains Symeon's history of the church of Durham up to the year 1096, which draws on Northumbrian annals and provides much valuable information not found elsewhere. Volume 2 contains Symeon's history of the kings of Britain, which was intended as a continuation of Bede's history from the year 731 up to the writer's own day. Edited with introductions and English side-notes by Thomas Arnold (1823-1900), these volumes also contain several appendices of additional material.