THOMAS

See also:

• THOMAS ELMHAM (d. c. 1420)

ELMHAM (d. c. 1420)  , English chronicler, was probably born at North Elmham in Norfolk . He became a Benedictine monk at Canterbury, and then joining the Cluniacs, was prior of Lenton Abbey, near Nottingham; he was chaplain to Henry V., whom he accompanied to France in 1415, being present at Agincourt . Elmham wrote a history of the monastery of St Augustine at Canterbury, which has been edited by C . Hardwick for the Rolls Series (1858); and a Liber metricus de Henrico V., edited by C . A . Cole in the Memorials of Henry V . (1858) . It is very probable that Elmham wrote the famous Gesta Henrici Quinti, which is the best authority for the life of Henry V. from his accession to 1416 . This work, often referred to as the " chaplain's life," and thought by some to have been written by Jean de Bordin, has been published for the English Historical Society by B . Williams (185o) . Elmham, however, did not write the Vita et Gesta Henrici V., which was attributed to him by T . Hearne and others .

See C . L .

Kingsford, Henry V . (19oi) .