Stowe MS 104

From Catalogue of the Stowe Manuscripts in the British Museum, 2 vols (London: British Museum, 1895-1896), I, no. 104:

'1. BEDAE VENERABILIS Ecclesiastica Historia. f. 1. The prologue and table of chapters of the first book are wanting. The other books have a table of chapters prefixed. In the table of chapters of book iv., chapters 14 and 15 are omitted, but in the text they are given together as chapter 15; ch. 12, " Quartus occidentalium," having been divided into two, and ch. 13, " Pulsus est," being numbered 14. The chapter following, 15, is, however, numbered 13 (cf. Introduction to the English Historical Society edition, p. xxxiv). At the end of the work (after the words " ante faciem tuam ") is added, as in many other MSS., the last paragraph of the prologue, beginning " Propterea omnes," and ending " fructum pie intercessionis inveniam. Amen." 2. " Epilogium de transitu venerabilis Bede " : the epistle of Cuthbert [afterwards Abbot of Jarrow] to Cuthwine, describing the death of Beda, including the Anglo-Saxon verses which are omitted in most MSS. (cf. Eng. Hist. Soc. ed., Introd., p. xv). f 112 b.

3. Sixteen Latin hexameters, beg. " Dux Augustinus precellit in ordine primus," containing the names of the archbishops of Canterbury from Augustine to Nothelm and Lambertus [? Jaenberht, A.D. 766]. f. 113 b.

4. Three chapters and a half of the Ecclesiastical History of Beda, relating to St. John of Beverley, Archbishop of York 705-718, which are omitted from their proper place (cf. f. 89), beginning in the middle of bk. v. ch. 2, " dicenda illi proponere " (Eng. Hist. Soc. ed., p. 335), and ending at the end of ch. 5, "perhibet esse relatum " (ib. p. 340). f 114. To these are added (f 115 b) some sections from the life of St. John of Beyerley by Folcard of Canterbury (cf Acia Sanctorum, ed. 1680, vol. xv. 7 May, p. 168 seq.), viz. 16, 17, " Magnificavit Dominus illum . . . eum eius gratia" (op. cit. p. 170), 23, 24, I'referebat etiam . . . inhabitationis suae " (ib. p. 172), and §§ 18, 19, audite quaeso . . . coram hominibus in terris " (ib. p. 171).

5. " Vita sancti Edwardi regis Anglorum " : the life of Edward the Confessor, by Aelred, Abbot of Rievaulx (1150-1166). f. 118. To the Life itself are prefixed (a) table of chapters ; (b) epistle dedicatory to King Henry II., beg. " Multis veterum studio fuisse "; (c) epistle to Laurentius, Abbot of Westminster, who had persuaded Aelred to undertake the work, beg. " Dilecto et diligendo." The Life itself begins, " Gloriosi ac Deo dilecti regis." Printed by Sir Roger Twysden, Hist. Angl. Scriptores X, 1652, p. 370, and elsewhere. At the end are four Latin hexameters, beg. " Gloria summa Deo, qui solus iure triumphat." 6. Prologue with part of ch. 1 of a treatise " De Virginitate sancte Marie." The author's name, as appears from the prologue (which is addressed " ad Walterum pontificem "), is Hugo, and the work is generall.), ascribed to Hugo de S. Victore (ob. circ. 1142), but not without some doubt (cf. Migne, Patrologia, clxxv. dol. exxi). Begins, " [San]cto pontifici G. Hugo servus vestre teatitudinis"; ends, " tam impudica et nugaci loquacitate " (Migne, clxxvi. col.

857, 1. 27), the rest being lost. f. 149 b. Vellum; ff. 149. xiith-xiiith cent. Thirty-two lines to the page. Initials decorated in red, blue, and green. There are marginal notes in a 15th-cent. hand. Small Folio.'.