Historia
Henry's most notable work bears the title of
Historia Anglorum which was first printed by Sir Henry Savile in 1596 in the volume entitled,
Rerum Anglicarum Scriptores post Bedam praecipui. He was bidden by Bishop Alexander of Blois to write a History of England, from the earliest period and bringing it to modern times, ending it upon the accession of Henry II. (c.1154) It was assumed that the first edition, though there exists no surviving copy today, was published at the end of 1129, the second in 1135, at the end of the reign of Henry I. He kept publishing new editions as the years went on, the final fifth copy coming down in 1154, supposedly to terminate the History with the death of Stephen of England, leaving his History organized into eight books. There is some evidence that Henry did not intend to stop there, intending to add another book to his series that would cover the events of the first five years of the reign of Henry II. It was never carried out as Henry of Huntingdon must have been at least seventy years old by the time of the king's accession and he died shortly afterwards.
The sources from which Henry drew his information included:
- Bede, Historia Ecclesiastica (for the years up to 731).
- Historia Brittonum (Vatican recension)
- Paul the Deacon, Historia Romana (for Roman emperors), as well as Eutropius and Aurelius Victor
- Works of Saint Jerome and Gregory the Great, with which Henry had a passing familiarity.
- Saints' lives (especially Book 9)
- Versions of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle similar to C and E. This included the poem on Brunanburh, which he translated into Latin.
- Lost version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which he shared with John of Worcester.
- Old English poems, which he translated into Latin. This may include the legend of Cnut and the waves as well as material on Siward, Earl of Northumbria.
- Old French songs (for Norman history)
- Gesta Francorum (for history of the First Crusade)
Other Works
As an author, Henry distinguished himself in his youth by writing epigrams and poetry of various kinds. He wrote an Epistle to Henry I on the Succession of foreign kings and emperors up to their own time, another to a man named Warin containing an account of the ancient British kings, from Brute to Cadwaller, the information of which he received from a monk while he was at the Abbey of Bec which held the British History of Geoffrey of Monmouth.
His most notable Epistle was to his friend Walter on "
Contempt on the world, or on the Bishops and other Illustrious Men of his Age" which from direct evidence written within it would link the date of its creation to 1135.