Gerald composed the Topography in 1186-8, after his travels in Ireland in 1183 and with Prince John in 1185. He produced a second edition before Henry II's death in 1189, followed by a third, fourth and various ‘late’ editions before his death in 1223. I shall suggest that his sojourn in Lincoln from 1196-8 may well have witnessed the formulation of an illustrative programme by Gerald or under his supervision, or that he may already have formulated it and have introduced it to the Lincoln Cathedral scriptorium. Of the surviving early manuscript copies, that in the National Library of Ireland in Dublin is closest to the original core of this programme, whilst that in the British Library in London probably represents a visual and textual elaboration by those who knew the author at Lincoln, probably conducted under his personal supervision, either during his stay there in 1196-8 or following his retirement to Lincoln from 1207 / 1208. - [Author]

Language: English