Florence of Worcester

Florence of Worcester (died 1118) was an English chronicler. He was a monk of Worcester, England, and according to the man who continued his work, he died on July 7 1118.

Beyond this fact nothing is known of Florence's life. His chronicle,Chronicon ect chronicis, begins with the creation and ends in 1117. The basis of his work was a chronicle compiled by Marianus Scotus, an Irish recluse, who lived first at Fulda, and later at Mainz. Marianus, who began his work after 1069, carried it up to 1082. Florence supplemented Marianus from a lost version of the English Chronicle, and from the writings of Asser, Bishop of Sherborne. He is always worth comparing with the extant English Chronicles; and from 1106 he is an independent annalist, dry but accurate.

Either Florence or a later editor of his work borrowed considerably from the first four books of Eadmer's Historia novorum. Florence's work is continued, up to 1141, by a certain John of Worcester, who wrote in about 1150. John is valuable for the latter years of King Henry I and the early years of King Stephen. He writes favourably, but not indiscriminately, about Stephen.

This entry was originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.