The Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical history of England / [translated by J. Stevens] Also the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. With illustrative notes, a map of Anglo-Saxon England and a general index. Edited by J.A. Giles.

  • Bede, the Venerable, Saint, 673-735.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical history of England / [translated by J. Stevens] Also the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. With illustrative notes, a map of Anglo-Saxon England and a general index. Edited by J.A. Giles. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    death is recorded, after a considerable cha-sm, in the year 1006. After this period the notices of events and transac- tions are very scanty and defective. The royal donation of the haven of Sandmch to Christ Church, Canterbury, is placed to the year 1031, but evidently written after the con- quest, and left unfinished. The Saxon part ends in the year 1070, with the words, - - bletsungan underfeng ; after de- scribing at full length the dispute between the archbishops of Canterbury and York.”* II. The second copy of the Saxon Chronicle is in the British Museum. [MS. Cotton, Tiberius A. vi.J It is “ written in the same hand with much neatness and accuracy, from the beginning to the end,” and “ is of very high autho- rity and antiquity. It was probably written c. 977, where it terminates. The hand-writing resembles that ascribed to St. Dunstan. It narrowly escaped destruction in the fire at Westminster, prerious to its removal to its present place of custody, being one of Sir R. Cotton’s MSS., formerly be- longing to the monastery of St. Augustine’s, Canterbury.”! III. A third MS. is also in the British ^Museum. [Cott. Tib. B. i.] “ This MS., though frequently quoted by Somner in his Dictionary under the title of ‘ Chronica Abbendoniae,’ or the Abingdon Chronicle, and said to have been transcribed by him, seems not to have been known to Gibson, though no- ticed by Nicolson within a few years after the appearance of his edition.! It contains many important additions to the former Chronicles, some of which are confirmed by C. T. B. iv.; but many are not to be found in any other ^1S., par- ticularly those in the latter ]>art of it. These are, now incor- porated with the old materials. Wanley considers the hand- Avriting to be the same to the end of tlie year 104S. The orthogra})hy, however, varies about the year 890 (889 of the printed Clironicle). The writer seems to have been startled at Ofl'aJ for Oththan, i. e. Othoni, A.n. 925 ; for tliere is a chasm from that place to the year 934, Avhen a slight notice is introduced of the expedition of Athelstan into Scotland.§ • Dr. Ingmm’s preface, p. xx. + Ibid. J Enj^lish Historical Library, Part I. p. 116. $ Most of the MSS. are defective here; and the thread of historr, during this turbulent period, appears to have been often disturbed. But