London, British Library Cotton Faustina A. x Ælfric's "Grammar and Glossary "; OE "Benedictine Rule"

Abstract

193. London, British Library Cotton Faustina A. x

Ælfric's "Grammar and Glossary "; OE "Benedictine Rule"

[Ker 154, Gneuss 331]

HISTORY: A composite volume containing lElfric's "Grammar and Glossary;' copied in the second half of the 11 c, and an OE "Benedictine Rule" copied in the first half of the 12c. The two distinct manuscripts of unknown origin have been together since the 12c as evidenced by the marginal notes in the same 12c hand ("AB") in both components, as well as late 12c French glosses in both parts (Hunt 1991: 111, "hand 3"). To judge by the various texts and notations that have been added, the books were actively used and consulted from their making through the 12c or even the 13c (cf. ff. 8v, 11v margins). It contains the only copy of Æthelwold's OE translation of the "Benedictine Rule" without a parallel Latin text and the only one accompanied by what appears to be Æthelwold's preface, appended in an imperfect copy (ff. 148r-15lv). Ker notes that in several places erasures and alterations from feminine to masculine pronouns have been made (cf. e.g., f. l l 4r/ 1 'on hys' altered from 'on hyre'): apparently the scribe was copying from a version for nuns. The composite manuscript was given to the Cottonian collection by "Thomas Cartwright" ofNorthants. in 1703 according to note on f. 1.