distinguished, in an appendix to the work itself it is
called "Liber de Wintonia," or "The Winchester-Book," from
its first place of custody.
(2) This title is retained, in compliance with custom, though it
is a collection of chronicles, rather than one uniform work,
as the received appellation seems to imply.
(3) In two volumes folio, with the following title: "Domesday-
Book, seu Liber Censualis Willelmi Primi Regis Angliae,
inter Archlyos Regni in Domo Capitulari Westmonasterii
asservatus: jubente rege augustissimo Georgio Tertio praelo
mandatus typis MDCCLXXXIII"
(4) Gerard Langbaine had projected such a work, and had made
considerable progress in the collation of MSS., when he
found himself anticipated by Wheloc.
(5) "Nunc primum integrum edidit" is Gibson's expression in the
title-page. He considers Wheloc's MSS. as fragments, rather
than entire chronicles: "quod integrum nacti jam discimus."
These MSS., however, were of the first authority, and not
less entire, as far as they went, than his own favourite
"Laud". But the candid critic will make allowance for the
zeal of a young Bachelor of Queen's, who, it must be
remembered, had scarcely attained the age of twenty-three
when this extraordinary work was produced.
(6) The reader is forcibly reminded of the national dress of the
Highlanders in the following singular passage: "furciferos
magis vultus pilis, quam corporum pudenda, pudendisque
proxima, vestibus tegentes."
(7) See particularly capp. xxiii. and xxvi. The work which
follows, called the "Epistle of Gildas", is little more than
a cento of quotations from the Old and New Testament.