Oxford, Bodleian Libray, Digby 211 (SC 1812) Bede, "Historia ecclesiastica''; "Epistola Cuthberti" with "Bede's Death Song"

Abstract

371. Oxford, Bodleian Library, Digby 211 (SC 1812)

Bede, "Historia ecclesiastica''; "Epistola Cuthberti" with

"Bede's Death Song"

[Ker 321]

HISTORY: On the verso of flyleaf 'i' (numbered in ink 'l') there is an early 13c ex libris: 'liber s<an>c<t>e crucis de waltha<m>' from Holy Cross at Waltham (Essex) refounded in 1177 as an Augustinian priory. N. R. Ker observes that the same inscription was also written "apparently" by the same scribe on the front pastedowns of London, BL, Stowe 35, Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson C. 3000, and Cambridge, St John's College 126 (Ker 1942-45: 299). Webber dates the manuscript to the fourth quarter of the 12c and identifies 13c annotations that mark Historia ecclesiastica i.23-ii.3 for reading in refectory (Webber 2016: 66, 73). The manuscript belonged to Thomas Allen and later to Sir Kenelrn Digby, who gave it to the Bodleian Library in 1634. On f. 2r, top margin, is written 'Vindica te tibi Kenelme Digby: On Digby's motto see Fulton (1937: 40). Colgrave and Mynors (1969: lv-lvi) include this manuscript in their southern group, also containing both the "Historia ecclesiastica" and the "Epistola Cuthberti:' This manuscript is the base text for Dobbie's (1937) "Insular Version" ("Digby Group") of the "Epistola:'