Obs. Forms: 4–5 cronique, 5 -yque, -yke, 5–6 -ike, 6 chronik, 7 chronique. [a. OF. cronique, ad. med.L. cronica, chronica, -æ a chronicle, from L. chronica, -orum pl., a. Gr. χρονικά annals (also chronology), lit. ‘things’ or ‘matters of time,’ f. χρόνος time.] A chronicle, narrative of events in order of date.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Nun’s Priest’s T., 388. If a Rethor couþe faire endite He in a Cronique mighte saufly write As for a souereyn notabilite.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 67. I find ensample in a cronique.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 233/4. After the cronyques he lyued lxxxviii yere.
1536. Pilgr. Tale, 85, in Thynne, Animadv., 79. The cronikis old from kynge Arthur he could reherse.
1560. Rolland, Crt. Venus, I. 298. In Chronik and Scriptour.
1671. L. Addison, West Barbary, 74 (Todd). The best Chronique can be now compiled of their late changes, must for the most part be collected from some aged Grandsires memory.
