London, British Library, Cotton Julius A. x Life of St. Oswin; (substantially complete) "OE Martyrology"

Abstract

200. London, British Library, Cotton Julius A. x

Life of St. Oswin;

(substantially complete) "OE Martyrology"

[Ker 161, Gneuss 338]

HISTORY: A two-part compilation, presumably Cotton's work, of a late 12c or early 13c copy, apparently unique, of a Latin "Life of St. Oswin" (ff. 1-43) composed in the 12c, and the "OE Martyrology" (ff. 44-175), missing a few portions, copied in the late 10c or early 11c. The "Martyrology" was composed from diverse sources, originally in the Anglian dialect in the mid-9c. The genre of the "narrative" martyrology arranged according to the Sanctorale was apparently devised by Bede, and imitated, with differing saints, narrative styles, and scope in the martyrologies of Usuard of St. Germain, Ado of Vienne, Florus of Lyons, Hrabanus Maurus, and others. The "OE Martyrology" corresponds to none of these closely enough that any may be considered a direct source (see Kotzor 1986). Numerous sources in Latin homilies have been pointed out (Rauer 2003: 103-9 lists over 200 works that might have been drawn upon) and the composer was certainly a competent Latinist who had wide knowledge of hagiographical sources and a flair for selection, combination, and condensation of the materials ( cf. Cross 1985, 1986, Rauer 2003).