Contents

Data Source: Parker on the Web

• Résumé : In CCCC MS 173 is found the Parker Chronicle, one of the most important manuscripts for our understanding of Anglo-Saxon history. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the earliest history written in English, seems to have originated under the impetus of Alfred the Great's educational reforms, and a core set of annals was composed which were then augmented variously over the years in different places. Every version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is therefore different and has its own complicated transmission history. The Parker Chronicle, also known as the A-version, is the oldest manuscript surviving. It was started in the late ninth century and continued into the eleventh. It originated somewhere in Wessex, probably Winchester where it has mid tenth-century provenance, but had moved to the cathedral priory of Christ Church, Canterbury by the end of the eleventh century. Although the Chronicle is the most famous part of the manuscript, it also contains other very important material. In the same section as the Chronicle there are important early texts of the Old English laws of Alfred the Great and the late seventh-century laws of his distant predecessor on the throne of Wessex, King Ine (d. in or after 726), as well as a list of bishops and popes. A second volume was already bound with the Chronicle manuscript in the Middle Ages: this contains works by the late Antique poet Sedulius (fl. first half of the fifth century), in particular his Carmen paschale, a retelling of the gospels in bombastic Virgilian Latin verse. This part of the manuscript is older than the Chronicle, probably dating to the third quarter of the eighth century, and is an important witness to English scholarship before the disruption caused in the ninth century by Viking attacks. It seems to have the name of Frithestan, bishop of Winchester 909-31, on f. 57r. The volume was greatly valued by Parker and his circle; Parker brought the list of archbishops of Canterbury up to date to include own name. It was also used in the earliest printed book in Old English, Parker's Testimonie of Antiquitie.

  
  

  Contenu :

  
  

  Langue(s) des textes : anglais, latin

  
  

  1r-32r - The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, A-version, preceded by the West-Saxon Royal Genealogy || The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

  Note : The most recent edition is that of the Rev. C. Plummer, M.A., Corpus Christi College, Oxford (vol. I, 1892, II, 1899). His symbol for this MS. is Ā. He describes it fully at p. xxiii sqq. of vol. II

  Note : Facsimiles in Mon. Hist. Brit. pl. xxiii, xxiv and New Pal. Soc. pls. 134-136

  Note : On previous editions of the text see Plummer's Introduction

  Note : The Chronicle, mostly in single columns except f. 1v (part) to f. 4v sub fin. where it is in double columns: number of lines varying from 39 to 25

  Note : A complete survey of the hands in which this is written is given by Plummer, p. xxv, § 13 and in the New Pal. Soc. Plummer's list summarized is as follows: 1. To the end of f. 16r death of Suibhne in 891, and the year-number 892. 2. f. 16v including part of 894 (to Ac hi haefdon). 3. f. 17r-17v. 4. f. 18r to f. 21r sub fin. (end of 912). 5. f. 21r sub fin. to f. 24v sub fin. (end of 921) except three lines on f. 28v. 6. Three lines on f. 23v (gefaran mehte ... abraecon), four lines on f. 24v (beginning of 922): apparently more, now erased and re-written on f. 23v. A poor scribe. 7. f. 25r-25v to end of 924, half of f. 25v left blank. 8. f. 26r to f. 27v, end of 955. 9. f. 28r and year-number 968 on f. 28v. 10. f. 28v to f. 30r sub fin., end of 1001, except the last ten words. So far the Winchester portion. 11. (Year-numbers on f. 30r?) f. 30v to f. 31v, end of 1066, except the last sentence about the comet and the fragmentary charter at 1031. 12. f. 31v last sentence of 1066 and first part of 1070 to gehersumnesse mid aðswerunge. 13. The charter at 1031 and the remainder of 1070. 14. The Latin Acts of Lanfranc and some of the lists of bishops etc.

  Note : There are also numerous interpolations, most of them by the scribe 14 who is also according to Mr Plummer the scribe of Domitian A. VIII (the Latin-Saxon Chronicle called F). Others are: The annals 710 accidentally omitted, supplied by scribe 8. Additions at 923 and 941 by no. 11 (a Christchurch hand). Additions relating to Dunstan at 925 (first part), 943, 956, 959, 961, by no. 12. Early additions at (688), 728, 870, 890, 993, 1001. At 988 is a beautifully-written small Latin note on the death of Dunstan. The hands were dated as follows by Dr G. F. Warner (l. c. p. xxvii note). Nos. 1-6 900-930; no. 7 cir. 930; no. 8 cir. 960; no. 10 cir. 1000; no. 11 cir. 1075. For remarks on the character and affinities of the script, the description in New Pal. Soc. should be consulted

  Note : Cameron B17.1, incorporating the Chronicle poems Cameron A10.1-4

  
  

  32r-32v - Acta Lanfranci

  Note : The Latin Acts of Lanfranc are printed by Plummer, vol. I, App. B, pp. 287-292. In the MS. this Parkerian note is prefixed to them in the margin

  Note : (32r) hec habentur in libro S. Aug. cui titulus est Diversi tractatus monasterii S. Augustini

  Note : The book here mentioned was formerly in Parker's possession, but is marked in his Register as missing at the time when the collection was bequeathed to the College. It is now MS. 1213 in the Lambeth Library

  
  

  33r-52v - Anglo-Saxon Laws of Alfred and Ine

  Note : The next two quires containing the Laws are apparently all in one hand, with 25 lines to a page

  Note : Liebermann, Gesetze p. xxiv, calls this MS. E, and assigns it to cir. 925. It is the oldest of his authorities. Text, p. 16

  Note : The writer in New Pal. Soc. speaks of the writing as rounded English minuscules of the eleventh century

  Note : (33r) The capitula occupy ff. 33r-35r

  Note : (35v) blank

  Note : (36r) Laws of Alfred

  Note : (39v) Laws of Ine

  Note : Cameron B14.4

  
  

  53r-56v - Lists of popes and English bishops

  rubric : (53r) Incipiunt nomina pontificum romane urbis

  Note : The names as far as Damasus are in one hand: from Damasus to Julius in a second hand, and from Liberius (lx) to Marinus (cxxxv - the numbers being continued to clxx) in a hand which may be that of the Latin on f. 32r (Acts of Lanfranc)

  Note : Two blank pages follow (ff. 53v, 54r)

  Note : (54v) Then the list of the Popes who sent palls to archbishops, mostly in one hand of cent. xi (scribe of Acts of LanfrancLanfranc's name is written in capitals.): but the last two entries are added later, viz. Urbanus Anselmo, Paschalis Radulfo

  Note : (55r) The lists of Archbishops and Bishops on the next leaf are in one hand, English of cent. x (?). They are in five columns

  Note : (55r) Column 1: Nomina archiepiscoporum dorouernensis ecclesie, i Agustinus to xxiii Dunstan

  Note : (55r) Column 2: Nomina episcoporum hrofensis ecclesie, i Paulinus to xv Ælfstan

  Note : (55r) Column 3: Nomina episcoporum orientalium Saxonum i Mellitus to xx Ælfstan

  Note : (55r) Column 4: Nomina episcoporum australium Saxonum i Ƿilfrið to xvii Æþelgar

  Note : (55r) Column 5: Nomina episcaporum occidentalium Saxonum. i. Primus occidentalium Saxonum birinus fuit episcopus qui cum consilio honorii papae uenerat brittanniam to xix Ealhferð After xiii the numbers were originally written wrong and corrected

  Note : (55v) On verso, original hand

  Note : (55v) Col. 1 continues lists of West Saxon Bishops. xx Tumberht to xxvii ælfheah

  Note : (55v) Col. 2. Nomina episcoporum Scireburnensis ecclesie i Aldhelm to xix æƿelsige

  Note : (55v) Col. 3. Nomina episcoporum ƿiltuniensis ecclesie i æþelstan to vii sigric

  Note : And, below

  Note : (55v) Nomina episcoporum cridiensis ecclesiae i Eadulf to iii Alfƿold

  Note : (55v) Besides these are three Latin paragraphs in brown ink in Christ Church (Canterbury) hand, viz.

  Note : a. (col. 1)

  Note : (55v) Nomina episcoporum lindisfarnensis id est dunelmensis ecclesie. Aidanus, Finanus etc.

  Note : ending

  Note : (55v) Walcherus, Willelmus, Rannulfus

  Note : b. (col. 4)

  Note : (55v) Nomina episcoporum eboracensis ecclesie Primus ipsius ecclesie presul erat paulinus. Ordinatus arusto (sic for a iusto) archiepiscopo accipiens pallium ad consecrandum dorobernensem archiepiscopum ab honorio papa Hac enim de causa pallium habuit. (Here 1.5 lines erased.) Turbatis postea rebus northanhymbrorum paulinus rediit cantiam et quoniam rofensis ecclesia pastore tunc fuerat destituta: inuitante honorio archiepiscopo curam ipsius ecclesie suscepit. in qua moriens pallium reliquit. Post cuius discessum ab ecclesia eboracensi quod fuit anno. dc xxxiii dominice incarnat. usque dcc. xxxv. annum incarnacione dominice hoc est per cii. annos presides eboracenses non habuerunt pallium. Primus ipsius ecclesie presul paulinus. Ceadda, Wilfridus etc. to Thomas, Gerardus, Thomas

  Note : c. Across the page at bottom

  Note : (55v) Sciendum quod theodorus archiepiscopus sepe northanhymbrorum prouinciam sua presentia uisitauit epos, ordinando et in quibus locis ante non fuerant constituendo et alia primatis anglorum officia administrando. Testatur namque beda quod pulso ab episcopatu pro sua inobedientia Wilfrido duos in eius locum substituit episcopos (etc. he ordained other bishops and presided at a synod in Northumbria). Hec et alia nonnulla ex iure primatis anglorum suo tempore ibidem exercuit. etiam eo tempore quo eboracensis ecclesia suum episcopum habuit. bosam uidelicet qui Wilfrido successerat

  Note : After this a hand more like that of the Lists, but not identical with it, writes

  Note : (55v) Hec sunt nomina regum cantie post aduentum Sancti Augustini, Ægelberhtus, Eadbaldus, Hercanberhtus, Egberhtus, Lotharius, Wihtredus, Eadberhtus, Ægelbertus

  Note : The last leaf of the quire (7) is ruled but blank (f. 56r-56v): edges have been cut off it

  
  

  Intervenants :

  Sedulius - author

  57r-58v - Sedulius, Letter I to Macedonius || Sedulius

  Note : (cent. viii-ix Bradshaw)

  Note : ff. 1r-2v are in single lines, in a different hand from the restf. 2v may very well be by a third hand, 33 lines to a page. The rest is in double columns of 27 lines. Both hands are of Celtic aspect. The first is much rounder and more legible than the second

  Note : At the top of f. 1r in large capitals is

  rubric : (57r) FRI ÐESTAN

  Note : (57r) (followed by diacon in minuscule)

  Note : The first three letters appear to have been written over some others, two of which appear to be IN. The letters in DES (with a tall minuscule s) seem perhaps to be altered from DEI. I have some suspicion that an inscription in capitals IN DEI NOMINE has been partly erased and adapted to FRIÐESTAN. Dr G. F. Browne, Bishop of Bristol, has suggested that this name may be an early signature of Frithestan afterwards (909) Bishop of Winchester

  Note : References are made here to the edition by Huemer in the Vienna Corpus Scriptt. Eccl. Latt. (1885) for which this manuscript was not used

  rubric : (57r) Incipit epistula sedulii ad macedonium praesbiterum

  incipit : (57r) Sedulii iuxta fidem catholicam christiani. Inquo sunt haec uersibus heroicis paschalis carminis Libri u.

  Note : (57r) Sancto ac beatissimo patri macedonoi presbitero sedulius in christo salutem

  Note : (p. 1)

  incipit : (57r) Priusquam me uenerabilis pater

  explicit : (58v) Cum [patre et corr.] sancto spiritu per omnia (in cuncta corr.) secula seculorum

  Note : (p. 13)

  Note : Corrector adds in space

  Note : (58v) h p usque ad passionem et resurrectionem ascensionemque domini nostri Ihesu Christi

  Note : Red capitals

  rubric : (58v) Explicit epistola Sedulii ad Macedonium presbiterum

  
  

  59r-79v - Sedulius, Carmen paschale || Sedulius

  Note : The second hand

  Note : (59r) Large initial P with serpent heads and panels of interlaced work: dotted with red and ? purple

  incipit : (59r) Paschales quicumque dapes

  Note : (p. 14)

  Note : Titles are in small capitals: often in the margin

  Note : Smaller initials are sometimes plain Roman in red: some are of the Celtic type, with dots about them

  Note : (68r) A bit of Celtic ornament drawn in the margin

  Note : (68v) Upper L. corner in red RA. Each book has an interesting initial

  Note : Ends

  explicit : (79v) per tanta uolumina libros

  Note : (p. 146)

  rubric : (79v) Explicit liber u.

  
  

  79v-80r - Sedulius, Hymn A solis ortus cardine || Sedulius

  rubric : (79v) Incipit carmen (de laud)e christi

  incipit : (79v) A solis ortus cardine

  Note : (p. 163)

  explicit : (80r) caelis reddidit

  rubric : (80r) Explicit carmen de (?na)t' domini nostri Ihesu Christi

  
  

  80r-81r - Sedulius, Letter II to Macedonius || Sedulius

  rubric : (80r) Incipit Epistolis sancti Seduli ad

  incipit : (80r) Sancto ac beatisimo patri macedonio praes. Sedulius in Christo salutem

  Note : (p. 171)

  incipit : (80r) Praecipisti reuerendae mi domine paschalis carminis textum

  Note : Ends f. 25r col. 1

  explicit : (81r) cum patre et sancto spiritu per omnia secula seculorum. Amen, beatissime ora pro me pater, finit

  
  

  81r-81v - Verses of Damasus on St Paul

  incipit : (81r) Iam dutum salus (saulus) procerum praecepta secutus cum domino patrias uellet praeponere leges

  Note : (Verses of Damasus on St Paul, P. L. XIII 379)

  Note : Ending

  explicit : (81v) Sancte tuus damasus uoluit triumphos

  
  

  81v-82v - Sedulius, Elegia || Sedulius

  incipit : (81v) Cantemus socii domino cantemus honorem

  Note : (Hymnus I. p. 155)

  Note : (81v) At bottom an omission of a couplet is supplied

  Note : Ends

  explicit : (82v) Cum sancto spiritu gloria magna patriFinit hoc opusculum deo gratias. Amen

  
  

  Intervenants :

  Augustine - author

  82v-83v - Augustine, De ciuitate Dei, xviii.23 (excerpts) with three versions of Sibylline prophecies

  rubric : (82v) Hec sunt uaticiniae sibillae (?de Christo)

  incipit : (83r) In manus infidelium post ea ueniet. dabunt et deo alapas manibus

  explicit : (83r) Et tunc ab inferis regressus ad lucem ueniet primus resurrectionis principio reuocatus ostenso

  Note : (Aug. de civ. dei xviii 23 from Lactantius)

  incipit : (83r) Iudicii signum tellus sudore madescit

  Note : (Aug. de civ. dei xviii 23)

  explicit : (83v) e caelo ignisque et sulphur(is) annis

  incipit : (83v) Hos predicens uersus sanctus / Agustinus ex libro sybellae adsu / mens in xxuii (blank) dei de greco / translates inseruit. non nulli hanc / sybellam aput grecos / natam ferunt eo tempore quo / romulus romam condidit in iudea / aesaia et osse profetantibus regnante ezechia, alii uero belli troiani temporibus quaedam de Christo / manifesta scribsise

  rubric : (83v) Item in / ... uersos de aduentu Christi

  incipit : (83v) Iudicii signum su / dauit rupada tellus / et saecli ueniet qui / cuncta lauabit secoram / celsus iudex orbemque probabit / etc.

  Note : The writing of col. 2 is very faint. Ends

  explicit : (83v) Salpix luctifera caelo tune uoce sonabit / Adfore iam monstrantur erumnasque adfore / Saeculi. loetiferumque chaus monstrauit terra de (?hiscens)

  Note : This second version is not among those given by Alexandre (Oracula Sibyllina II 230)

  Note : In the earlier part have been a good many Anglo-Saxon glosses, but a large number are erased. After col. 1 of f. 8v glosses of any kind decrease markedly in number

  Note : Old English glosses to Sedulius are Cameron C97.2