London, British Library, Royal 15 C. vii "Libellus S. Swithuni"

Abstract

304. London, British Library, Royal 15 C. vii

"Libellus S. Swithuni"

[Ker 270, Gneuss 496]

HISTORY: A beautifully-written volume composed entirely of works concerning St. Swithun (d. 863). The terminus post quem of the copy is the date referred to in Lantfred's "Translatio;' twenty-five years after that event in 971 or 995/996, and Lapidge thinks it likely that the book was written in that year, which coincided with the translation of St. Aethelwold, the founder of the cult of Swithun (Lapidge 2003: 740); at any rate it is dated on paleographic grounds to ca. 1000; from the Old Minster, Winchester. Shortly after it was written it was marked by another hand into lections for the night office. This copy was probably used by the compiler of the "Liber monasterii Hyda" (15c), who cited ch. 10 of the "Translatio" verbatim (in ch. 12, ed. Edwards 1866: 23-25, cf. Lapidge 2003: 242). Belonged in 1566 to the priest Thomas Dackomb, a canon of Winchester cathedral in the early 1540s, and before and after this rector of St. Mary Colebrook, Winchester (name on f 1 *r, f. 2r, f. 95r); other names appearing are John Stephynson, who may have owned it before Dackomb (mid-16c hand, perhaps the same as the one who received his Oxford M.A. in 1515) (f. 2r), Humphrey Lloyd (d. 1568), brother-in-law of Lumley, who may have acquired it in the short time between Dackomb's signature and his death (f. 2*v); subsequently owned by Lord Lumley (d. 1609) (f. 2r) from whose collection came many Royal manuscripts (on ownership see Watson 1963). Notes on slip on back fly that f. 1 was re-attached to the volume and that the endpapers were reattached at back of volume (both items dated 11 Nov. 2006).