London, British Library Harley 107 Ælfric's "Grammar and Glossary"

Abstract

261. London, British Library Harley 107

Ælfric's "Grammar and Glossary"

[Ker 227, Gneuss 414]

HISTORY: Mid 11c, perhaps Canterbury as suggested by Kentish spellings in the later part of the "Grammar and Glossary" and by the fact that text is related to that in Durham Cathedral B. Ill. 32 (120] (Ker, Cat., p. 303), an Ælfric "Grammar" volume probably from St. Augustine's Canterbury. The text is Zupitza's "H:' It was acquired by Harley from Simonds D'Ewes (undated letter of Wanley to Harley; D'Ewes "List B" no. 225, both cited Watson: 1966, 58,304). Bound in as f. 73 is a deed of sale concerning Paul D'Ewes, Simonds' father, dated 1622 (line 3). The manuscript was damaged by fire, and this document forms an unburnt back flyleaf. Perhaps the fire in question was that which took place in 1621 in Paul D'Ewes' office (Watson 1966: 4). Foliation is in the hand of Simonds D'Ewes and has been left as the official foliation. Collated by Junius (probably in 1648 or 1649 when he was staying with D'Ewes [Hetherington 1975:80]) when he transcribed BL, Cotton Julius A. ii (198] into Oxford, Bodleian Junius 72 (5183). Junius is doubtless responsible for the restorations (from Julius A.ii?) of missing words in the burnt lower corners up to f. 30 (see his note on f. lr of Oxford, Bodleian Junius 45 (5157), a transcript of Cotton Julius A. ii, 'Quaedam hujus Glossarii loca contulimus cum fragmento D'ewsiano'.)