London, British Library, Harley 5915, folios 8-9 Ælfric, "Grammar" (fragments) (with Bloomington, Indiana, Lilly Library Additional 1000 [14])

Abstract

277. London, British Library, Harley 5915, folios 8-9

Ælfric, "Grammar" (fragments)

(with Bloomington, Indiana, Lilly Library Additional 1000 [14])

[Ker 242, Gneuss 441]

HISTORY: Harley 5915 assembles unconnected fragments from manuscripts and printed books (the latter removed to the Library's Department of Printed Books) from the collection of John Bagford (1650-1716), on whom see Johnson 1970, Gatch 1985, and Birrell 1988: 29-32.T he bifolium numbered ff. 8-9 is in the same hand (d, g, ð are particularly distinctive) as Bloomington, Indiana University, Lilly Library, Add. 1000 [14] (formerly Sigmaringen, Ker, Cat. 384 & Supp.; Collins 1964, and 1976: no. 4) and they are likely fragments from the same codex. The Harley fragment was written in the first half of the l lc, but subsequently used as a binding pastedown, the inner side, ff.8v/9r, showing the offset of a (?leather) board-cover, especially at the bottom. The edges and top have been trimmed, the top so severely that text is lost. The outer side, ff. 8r/9v, has 16c(?) scribbles 'Thoma: 'd: 'g', 'h', etc.