GEOFFREY THE BAKER (d. c. 1360), English chronicler, is also called
Walter of Swinbroke, and was probably a secular clerk at Swinbrook in
Oxfordshire. He wrote a _Chronicon Angliae temporibus Edwardi II. et
Edwardi III._, which deals with the history of England from 1303 to
1356. From the beginning until about 1324 this work is based upon Adam
Murimuth's _Continuatio chronicarum_, but after this date it is valuable
and interesting, containing information not found elsewhere, and closing
with a good account of the battle of Poitiers. The author obtained his
knowledge about the last days of Edward II. from William Bisschop, a
companion of the king's murderers, Thomas Gurney and John Maltravers.
Geoffrey also wrote a _Chroniculum_ from the creation of the world until
1336, the value of which is very slight. His writings have been edited
with notes by Sir E.M. Thompson as the _Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de
Swynebroke_ (Oxford, 1889). Some doubt exists concerning Geoffrey's
share in the compilation of the _Vita et mors Edwardi II._, usually
attributed to Sir Thomas de la More, or Moor, and printed by Camden in
his _Anglica scripta_. It has been maintained by Camden and others that
More wrote an account of Edward's reign in French, and that this was
translated into Latin by Geoffrey and used by him in compiling his
_Chronicon_. Recent scholarship, however, asserts that More was no
writer, and that the _Vita et mors_ is an extract from Geoffrey's
_Chronicon_, and was attributed to More, who was the author's patron. In
the main this conclusion substantiates the verdict of Stubbs, who has
published the _Vita et mors_ in his _Chronicles of the reigns of Edward
I. and Edward II._ (London, 1883). The manuscripts of Geoffrey's works
are in the Bodleian library at Oxford.
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