Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 041: Old English Bede
Description
Abstract/Contents
- Summary
- MS 41 contains the Old English translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History. This text is one of those made as part of Alfred the Great's campaign to translate into English "those books most necessary for men to know". MS 41 was written in the first half of the eleventh century probably somewhere in the south of England. It has a colophon asking for readers' blessings on the unnamed scribe. The manuscript is large in format, written in grand round script, and was obviously intended to be a high-grade book. Already in the eleventh century advantage was taken of its wide margins to add a variety of marginalia, ranging from the Old English poem Solomon and Saturn to liturgical texts and Old English charms. Probably at least some of these additions were made at Exeter: MS 41 was one of the manuscripts given to Exeter Cathedral by Bishop Leofric (1050-72), and still contains the bilingual donation inscription cursing anyone who removed it thence. The decoration of the book consists of numerous ornated initials in brown outline and a drawing of Christ crucified.
- Contents
- Old English Bede with marginal additions
Bibliographic information
- M.R. James Date
- xi
- Downloadable James Catalogue Record
- https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:fy665bm8363/MS_41.pdf
- Superseded Interim Catalogue Record
- https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:jg025pv1722/41.pdf
- Contains
-
- Old English Bede with marginal additions. 1-488
- James
- The History of Bede in the Anglo-Saxon version. 1-488
- Author
- Bede
- Note
-
Cameron B9.6
(1) Begins with Capitula - Rubric
- (1) ÐIS / IS / SEO / GESETTNES ÐlSSE / BRYTENE OÐ HIBERNIA / etc.
- Note
-
in capitals which gradually diminish in size
(1) There is a large initial: no more occur till p. 62
(2) Marginalia:bletsung to candelun. Domine Iesu Christe creator celi, etc. Text in Latin, ending p. 7, with Collect: Deus omnipotens tua nos protectione custodi, etc. his peractis cantetur Ant. Haue gratia plena. Sancti Simeonis collecta. Erudi quesumus domine
Old English liturgical rubrics intermittent in Latin text: Cameron B12.5.2
(8) Marginalia: Masses for Sexagesima and Quinquagesima, continued on following pages (p. 13 Feria iii infra quinquag., p. 14 Sabbatum)
(16) Marginalia: Dom. in(i)tium xl (1st Sun. in Lent). Masses, continued up to Good Friday (p. 36 and 38-39)
(18) Preface of Bede. Initial and first words not inserted
(22) Text begins. Initial and first words not inserted
(45) Marginalia: Mass for St Benedict
(46) Marginalia: Office for Easter Eve
(60) Marginalia: SS. Philip and James. Invention of the Cross
(61) Marginalia:61 sqq. Antiphons, etc. for Advent
(66) Liber II. Initial not inserted
(75) Marginalia: For the Christmas season
There is no more marginal writing until p. 122
(122) Marginalia:On þone forman deeig on geare þæt is on þone ærestan geohel dæig. (Of Christmas Day and the marvels accompanying the Nativity)
(124) Liber III. Initial not inserted
(124) A bit of ornament in the margin. Nothing more till p. 161 where is an initial in fine outline with a human figure hanging by the neck. The next is at p. 175
(124) Marginalia:On þone ilcan dæig cristes acennednesse godes circean arƿorðiað sanctam anastasiam
(125) Marginalia:(O)n ðone forman dæig bið sancta eufemian tid
(128) Marginalia: Similar notice of St Stephen
(130) Marginalia: (l. 4). St John Evangelist
(131) Marginalia: The Innocents
(132) Marginalia:St Silvester. A blank follows
For the above matter (from p. 122) see Old English Martyrology (E. E. T. S.) ed. Herzfeld
(134) Marginalia: pp. 134-139. Latin text. Offices for Advent
(158) Marginalia: Mis(sa) quam sacerdos pro se debet
(182) Marginalia: Latin prayer: Pietatem tuam quesumus domine nostrorum absolue uincula delictorum
(182) Marginalia: Anglo-Saxon follows: ƿið ymbe nim eorþan ofer ƿeorp mid þinre sƿiþran handa under þinum sƿiþran fet 7 cƿet fo ic under fot funde ic hit hƿæt eorðe mæg, etc. (Cockayne, Saxon Leechdoms, Rolls Series I 384)
Cameron A43.8
(192) Marginalia: pp. 192-194. Offices for the Eve and Feast of All Saints
(196) Marginalia: pp. 196-198. Fragment of Salomon and Saturn, used by Kemble and other editors. It supplements the only other known MS. (MS 422 in this collection)
Cameron A13 - Incipit
- (196) Saturnus cƿæð hƿæt ic iglanda
- Explicit
- (198) ofer mægene 7 hine eac ofslehð. T. (l. 189 Kemble)
- Note
-
(206) initial in pencil
On p. 207 sqq., initials in plain black
(206) Marginalia: pp. 206, 207, 208. Charms partly printed by Cockayne, Leechdoms I 394, 398
Cameron A43.9, A43.10, B23.1.1
(206) Marginalia:Ne forstolen ne forholen etc. Gif feoh sy undernumen etc. ... Petur pol patric pilip marie brigit felic in nomine dei 7 chiric Cyriacus is coupled with Patrick in the hymn Rogo patrem in Harl. 7653 and the Leabhar Brecc qui queri(t) inuenit
What follows has not been printed
(207) Marginalia:Christus illum siue (= sibi) elegit in terris ficarium qui de gemino captiuos liberet seruitio plerosque / de seruitute quos redemet hominum innumeros de sabuli obsoluit dominio ymnos / cum apocalipsi salmosque cantat dei cousque et edificandum dei tractat pupulum quem legem / in trinitate sacre credent nominis tribusque personis unam · Sona domine (zona domini) precintus diebus ac noc / tibus (sine) intermissione deum oret dominum cuius ingentes laboris pcepturis pcepturis (sic) premium / cum apostoli(s) regnauit scs super israel. Audite omnes amantes deum sancta merita uiri in Christo / beati patricii episcopi · quomodo bonum ab actum simulatur angelis perfectum - que est propter uitam / equatur apostolis patricii laudes semper dicamus ut nos cum illo defendat deus. / Crux Christi reducat Crux Christi perriit et inuenta est habraeham tibi uias montes / p. 208 / silua(s) semitas fluminas andronas cludat Isaac tibi tenebras inducat Crux iacob te / ad iudicium ligatum perducat iudei christum crucifixerunt persimum (!) sibimet ipsum perpetrauerunt / opus celauerunt quod non potuerunt celare sic nec hoc furtum celatur nec celare (-ri) possit / per dominum nostrum. Space follows. Cf. Cockayne loc. cit. 60, 286
(208) Marginalia: Receipt: ƿið eah ƿærce, etc. Cockayne I 382
Cameron B21.5.1
The lines from Christus illum to defendat deus are the last stanzas, very corruptly written, of the Hymn of SS. Sechnall or Secundinus on St Patrick, of which only four complete copies are known. This fragment has not been noticed. Special efficacy was attached to the stanzas here quoted. See Bernard and Atkinson (The Irish Liber Hymnorum)
(224) Liber IV. Initial
(224) (Liber IV) initial in outline, the first of a numerous and very pretty series
(224) Marginalia: pp. 224-225. Office for the Invention of the Cross
(254) Marginalia: pp. 254-280. Homily. Men þa leofestan ic eoƿ bidde 7 eaðmodlice lære, Archiv, XCI 379 (latter part). Copied for Professor Napier: also in Vercelli MS.
Cameron B3.4.9
(272) Marginalia: Interrupted at p. 272 by a prayer in Latin: ƿið ealra feoda grimnessum. Dextera domini fecit uirtutem, dextera domini exaltauit me (Cockayne I 386)
Cameron B23.1.2
(280) Marginalia: pp. 280-287. Homily. Her sagað ymbe þa halgan marian usser dryh(t)nes modor (on the Assumption). Copied for Professor Napier: apparently only in this MS.
Cameron B3.3.21
(287) Marginalia: pp. 287-295. Homily (on Last Judgment, Heaven, Hell, etc.). Repleatur os meum laude ut possim cantare. Men þa leofestan tƿa ceastra ƿæron from fruman ƿorode. Copied for Professor Napier: apparently only here
(295) Marginalia: pp. 295-301. Homily (on Ascension Day, Last Judgment, etc.). Hec est dies quam fecit dominus exultemus et letemur in ea. Men þa leofestan Her sagað an þissum bocum ym ða miclan geƿird. Copied for Professor Napier: also in MS 303, p. 72
Cameron B3.2.29 and B8.5.3
(322) Caedmon's hymn, West Saxon version, Cameron A32.2
(326) Marginalia: Charm. ƿið sarum eagum. Domine sancte pater omnipotens aeterne deus sana occulos hominis istius N etc. (Cockayne I 387)
Cameron B23.1.3
(326) Marginalia:ƿið sarum earum (Cockayne I 387)
(326) Marginalia:Rex glorie Christe [raphaelem angelum] exclude fandoro[a]hel auribus famulo dei illi mox recede ab aurium torquenti sed in raphaelo angelo sanitatem auditui componas. Per. ƿið magan segcnesse. (Cockayne I 387)
(326) Marginalia:Adiuua nos deus salutaris noster exclude angelum sanielem angelum malum qui stomachum dolorem stomachi facit sed in dormielo sancto angelo tuo sanitatem serui tui in tuo sancto nomine sanatione(m) ad ad tribuere. per
(327) a black initial, and then some omitted
(329) Marginalia:Creator et sanctificator pater et filius et spiritus sanctus ut sit benedictio tua super omnia dona ista. per. + · sator · arepo · tenet · opera · rotas. Deus qui ab initio fecisti hominem et dedisti ei in adiutorium similem sibi ut crescere [vel nt] et multiplicare [vel nt] da super terram huic famulam tuam N ut prospere et sine dolore parturit
(350) Marginalia: pp. 350-353. Charm. (Wanley, p. 115: Cockayne I 388) Ic me on þisse gyrde beluce
Cameron A43.11
(352) initial
(365) initial
(368) Liber V. No initial
(370) Marginalia: pp. 370-373. Masses for Common of Saints and Pro rege. Rubrics in red capitals
(394) initial (very rough)
(400) initial
(402) Marginalia: pp. 402-417. Homily on St Michael. Men ða leofestan us is to ƿorðianne 7 to mærsianne seo gemind þaes halgan heah engles sancte Michaeles (hand changes on p. 408). Copied for Professor Napier: apparently only here
Cameron B3.3.24
(410) a very pretty initial, with a small figure of Christ, beardless, on the Cross, the Divine Hand above (within the Cross)
(433) a sketch of a man with two rings confining his legs
On f. 436 and 448 are scribbles in runes Cameron B25.4.1
(436)
(448)
(474) a bit of ornament in pencil
(475) Marginalia: pp. 475-477. Responses from Job, and de Tobi, de Iudith, Dom. I mensis October usque in Dom. i mensis November, de minoribus prophetis (written pphens) a[d] dom. I mens. nou. usque medium aduentu domini.
(478) Marginalia: Responses etc. for S. Martin
(482) Marginalia: Responses etc. for John Baptist and Peter and Paul
(483) Marginalia:For þone cyng 7 for þone bysceop 7 for eall cris(tene...edge of leaf gone)
Marginalia: A Mass (a paganorum nos defende periculis)
(484) Old English Bede ends - Explicit
- (484) oð his daga ende drihten herigan. Amen
- Note
-
(484) [Added: geƿeorþe þaet] This is the end of the scribe's prayer which is given in full by Wanley, by Miller and by Schipper
(484) surrounded and partly written over by later text, is part of a fine figure of Christ crucified: it lacks the left arm. The head is bearded, the Cross not drawn
(484) Marginalia: pp. 484-488. Following the end of the text. Homily giving the story of the Passion. Men ðe gehirað nu hu (space) drihten ƿæs sprecende on þas tid to his geferum. Copied for Professor Napier: apparently only here
Cameron B3.2.19
(485) On the next page is a small nude figure (also written over) standing on rocky ground and holding up his hands, spread out on a level with his shoulders
(488) Marginalia: Unimportant scribbles. Above the Leofric-inscription is: Atte le
- Old English Bede with marginal additions. 1-488
- TJames
- 278
- Stanley
- S. 2
- Location
- https://purl.stanford.edu/qd527zm3425
- MS 041
- Repository
- UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library
Access conditions
- Use and reproduction:
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- License:
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