Ralph de Diceto

2025-08-18T04:44:45Z

2A0A:EF40:83E:8A01:611E:958D:AAE7:4DA9:

{{Short description|12th-century English clergyman and chronicler}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
[[File:Opening page, with table of signs - Diceto's historical works (c.1204) - BL Royal MS 13 E VI.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Opening page from the [[St Alban's Abbey|St{{nbsp}}Alban's Abbey]] copy of Ralph's {{lang|la|Abbreviationes Chronicorum}} and {{lang|la|Ymagines Historiarum}}, featuring a table of the innovative marginal signs he introduced to help index his work]]

'''Ralph de Diceto''' or '''Ralph of Diss''' ({{langx|la|Radulfus de Diceto}}; {{c.|1120|1202}}) was [[archdeacon of Middlesex]], [[dean of St Paul's|dean]] of [[St Paul's Cathedral]] (from {{c.|1180}}), and the author of a major chronicle divided into two parts{{mdash}}often treated as separate works{{mdash}}the '''{{lang|la|Abbreviationes Chronicorum}}''' ([[Latin language|Latin]] for "Abbreviations of Chronicles") from the [[nativity of Jesus|birth]] of [[Jesus]] to the 1140s and the '''{{lang|la|Imagines}}''' or '''{{lang|la|Ymagines Historiarum}}''' ("Images of Histories") from that point until 1202.

{{anchor|History|Biography}}
==Life==
Ralph is first mentioned in 1152, when he received the [[archdeaconry of Middlesex]] in [[diocese of London|London]]. He was probably born between 1120 and 1130. Of his parentage and nationality, we know nothing. The common statement that he derived his surname from [[Diss, Norfolk|Diss]] in [[Norfolk]] is a mere conjecture. {{lang|la|Dicetum}} may equally well be a Latinized form of [[Dissay]], [[Dicy]], or [[Dizy (disambiguation)|Dizy]], place names in [[County of Maine|Maine]], [[Picardy]], [[Duchy of Burgundy|Burgundy]], and [[County of Champagne|Champagne]].{{sfnp|''Enc. Brit.''|1911}}

In 1152, Ralph was already a [[Master of Arts]] and, presumably, had studied at [[Paris]]. His reputation for learning and integrity stood high. He was regarded with respect and favour by [[Arnulf of Lisieux]] and [[Gilbert Foliot]], two of the most eminent bishops of their time. Quite naturally, the archdeacon assumed the same side on the [[Becket controversy]]{{mdash}}that of [[Henry II of England|King Henry{{nbsp}}II]]{{mdash}}as did his friends.{{sfnp|''Enc. Brit.''|1911}}

By 1164, Ralph had acquired the livings of [[St Michael's Church, Aynho|Aynho]] in [[Northamptonshire]] and [[Church of St John the Baptist, Finchingfield|Finchingfield]] in [[Essex]], serving them both by [[vicar]]s.<ref>{{citation |last=Simkin |first=John |date=September 1997 |contribution-url=http://spartacus-educational.com/Ralph_de_Diceto.htm |contribution=Ralph de Diceto |url=http://spartacus-educational.com |title=''Official site'' |publisher=Spartacus Educational Publishing |location=Worthing }}.</ref>

Although Ralph's narrative is colourless and although he was one of those who showed some sympathy for [[Thomas Becket|Becket]] at the [[Council of Northampton]] in 1164, his correspondence shows that he regarded the archbishop's conduct as ill-considered and that he gave advice to those whom Becket regarded as his chief enemies.{{sfnp|''Enc. Brit.''|1911}}

The natural impartiality of his intellect was accentuated by a certain timidity, which is apparent in his writings no less than in his life. Apart from his selection in 1166 as the envoy of the English bishops when they protested against the [[excommunication]]s launched by Becket, which he characteristically neglects to record, he remained in the background.{{sfnp|''Enc. Brit.''|1911}}

About 1180, Ralph became [[dean of St Paul's|dean]] of [[St Paul's Cathedral|St Paul's]]. In this office, he distinguished himself by carefully managing its estates, by restoring the discipline of its chapter, and by building a deanery house at his own expense. A scholar and a man of considerable erudition, he evinced a strong preference for historical studies. About the time he was preferred to the deanery, he began to collect materials for the history of his own times.{{sfnp|''Enc. Brit.''|1911}}

Ralph's friendships with [[Richard FitzNeal]], who succeeded [[Gilbert Foliot]] in the [[bishop of London|see]] of [[diocese of London|London]]; with [[William Longchamp]], the [[Chancellor of England|chancellor]] of [[Richard I of England|King Richard{{nbsp}}I]]; and with [[Walter de Coutances]], the [[Archbishop of Rouen|archbishop]] of [[diocese of Rouen|Rouen]] in [[Duchy of Normandy|Normandy]], gave him excellent opportunities of collecting information.{{sfnp|''Enc. Brit.''|1911}}

{{anchor|Writings}}
==Works==
'''Ralph of Diceto's Chronicle''' covers the history of the world from the [[nativity of Jesus|birth]] of [[Jesus]] to the year 1202.<ref name=mmb/> It is divided into two parts, often treated as separate works: the {{lang|la|Abbreviationes Chronicorum}} ("Abbreviations of Chronicles") up to around 1147 and the {{lang|la|Imagines}} or {{lang|la|Ymagines Historiarum}} ("Images of Histories") from then until 1202.<ref name=mmb>{{citation |contribution-url=https://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2021/07/chroniclers-of-history.html |date=30 July 2021 |contribution=Chroniclers of History at St Albans Museum |title=Medieval Manuscripts Blog |location=London |publisher=British Library |last=Cockburn |first=Calum }}.</ref>

The former is a work of learning and industry but is almost entirely based upon extant sources. The latter, beginning as a compilation from [[Robert de Monte]] and the letters of Bishop Foliot, becomes an original authority {{c.|1172}} and a contemporary record {{c.|1181}}. In precision and fullness of detail, however, the {{lang|la|Ymagines}} are inferior to the chronicles of [[Roger of Howden]].{{efn|Roger's two {{lang|la|Gesta}} were formerly attributed to [[Benedictus Abbas]].}} Ralph is careless in his chronology. The documents which he incorporates, while often important, are selected on no overarching principle. He has little sense of style but displays considerable insight when he ventures to discuss a political situation. For this reason and on account of the details with which they supplement the more important chronicles of the period, the {{lang|la|Ymagines}} are a valuable (though secondary) source.{{sfnp|''Enc. Brit.''|1911}}

==Editions==
* {{citation |author=[[Ralph de Diceto]] |display-authors=0 |editor-link=William Stubbs |editor-last=Stubbs |editor-first=William |language=la |title=Radulfi de Diceto Decani Lundoniensis Opera Historica |trans-title=The Historical Works of Master Ralph de Diceto, Dean of London |series=[[Rolls Series]], Vol. 68 |date=1876 }}. The first volume ([https://books.google.com/books?id=ZFQ4AQAAMAAJ Google Books]) contains an introduction, the {{lang|la|Abbreviationes}}, the {{lang|la|Capitula Ymaginum Historiarum}} ("Summary of the Images of History"), and the first part of the {{lang|la|Ymagines}} itself. The second volume ([https://archive.org/stream/radulfidedicetod02dice#page/n7/mode/2up Internet Archive]) contains the {{lang|la|Ymagines}} from 1180–1202 and minor works, compendia of facts taken from well-known sources.
* {{citation |author=[[Ralph de Diceto]] |display-authors=0 |editor-link=William Hale Hale |editor-last=Hale |editor-first=William Hale Hale |title=The Domesday of St Pauls |location= |publisher=[[Camden Society]] |url=https://archive.org/stream/domesdayofstpaul00stparich#page/n3/mode/2up |date=1858 |pages=109 ff }}. This covers Diceto's fragmentary [[domesday]] of the deanery's estates.

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{EB1911 |wstitle=Diceto, Ralph de |volume=8 |pages=177-178 |display-editors=0 |noicon=1 |noprescript=1 |ref={{harvid|''Enc. Brit.''|1911}} }}

==External links==
*[http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/illmanus/other/011add000040007u00042000.html British Library]

{{St Paul's Cathedral}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Diceto, Ralph de}}
[[Category:Deans of St Paul's]]
[[Category:English chroniclers]]
[[Category:12th-century English historians]]
[[Category:1120 births]]
[[Category:1200s deaths]]
[[Category:Year of death uncertain]]

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Ralph de Diceto