Two poems by Aldhelm, written early in the 11th century in England
Two poems by Aldhelm:
- (fol. 1) 'Incipit liber Aldhelmi episcopi de Virginitate': at end 'Explicit libellus Aldhelmi episcopi de laude sanctorum Patrum atque Virginum ...'
- (fol. 64) 'Incipit liber eiusdem de Octo Vitiis': at end 'Explicit liber Aldhelmi de Octo Vitiis.'
There are some slightly later Latin glosses, interspersed with a very few English ones (sambuca . speglhorn, fol. 11v, ingluviem . frecnesse, fol. 65v): the whole volume appears to have been written in the Continental hand in England, glosses and all.
Each side of fol. ii, which is a separate leaf, bears an outlined picture with slight red, green and gold colouring, the recto depicting St. Aldhelm seated with a reading desk and book beside him, the verso the saint presenting his book to some women. Red is freely used for capitals and rubrics.
[Dated hitherto among the palaeographical exhibits as '10th century': my own dating would be 'latter half of the 10th century?' E.W.B.N.]
Dates
- Creation: written early in the 11th century in England
Extent
77 Leaves
Language of Materials
- Latin
Shelfmark
MS. Bodl. 577
Other Finding Aids
Falconer Madan, et al., A summary catalogue of western manuscripts in the Bodleian Library at Oxford which have not hitherto been catalogued in the Quarto series (7 vols. in 8 [vol. II in 2 parts], Oxford, 1895-1953; reprinted, with corrections in vols. I and VII, Munich, 1980), vol. V, no. 27645.
Custodial History
'Verus possessor meus est Guilielmus Seller': 'Thys hys Wylliam Ryffe hys boke' (both 16th cent.): there is other late writing.
Physical Facet
On parchment, illuminated, see below
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk