Excerpt from Willelmi Malmesbiriensis Monachi Gesta Regum Anglorum, Atque Historia Novella, Vol. 2: Ad Fidem Codicum Manuscriptorum Recensuit Thomas Duffus Hardy The text of the present edition has been taken from a ms. Written towards the close of the twelfth century, which formerly belonged to the abbey of Margan, founded by Robert earl of Gloucester, the nobleman to whom Malmes bury dedicated his work. This magnificent ms. Now preserved among the Royal manuscripts in the British Museum, (bibl. Reg. 13. D. II.) was selected, after a careful examination and com parison with other manuscripts, because it was found not only to be the least corrupted, but to contain proofs of the author's latest correo tions. The only other ms. Which agrees with the Royal Manuscript, though not so ancient by some centuries, is in the collection of Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart. From the various' readings, and from many important alterations observable throughout, it is certain that the author made several corrections in his work after he had com pleted it; and it is believed that traces may be found of at least four distinct classes of copies of the Gesta Regum Anglorum, ' and of two of the 'historia Novella.' No one can examine the various readings in the foot-notes of this edition without coming to the conclusion that the author was constantly employed in the correction and amplification of his work. Many of his alter ations, it is true, are merely verbal; but they contribute greatly to the elegance of his dic tion. In some places severe expressions are mo dified and softened, whole passages are added. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.