Old English manuscripts
It is certain that only a portion of Old English poetry has survived, though it would appear likely that the surviving portion is representative. The manuscripts in which the poetry is preserved are late in date, are unique and are four in number.
They are (a) the Beowulf MS. (Cotton Vitellius A. XV in the British Museum), containing Beowulf and Judith and is to be dated c. 1000; (b) the Junius MS. (MS. Junius XI in the Bodleian Library, Oxford), so called since it belong to Junius, librarian to Lord Arundel, and was first printed by him in 1655. It contains the so called Caedmonian poems; (c) the Exeter Book (in the Chapter Library of Exeter Cathedral), known to have been donated to that Cathedral by Bishop Leofric c. 1050, containing two of the signed poems of Cynewulf; and (d) the Vercelli Book (in the Cathedral Library at Vercelli near Milan), containing also two of the signed poems of Cynewulf (including Elene) and Andres and The Dream of the Rood.
They are (a) the Beowulf MS. (Cotton Vitellius A. XV in the British Museum), containing Beowulf and Judith and is to be dated c. 1000; (b) the Junius MS. (MS. Junius XI in the Bodleian Library, Oxford), so called since it belong to Junius, librarian to Lord Arundel, and was first printed by him in 1655. It contains the so called Caedmonian poems; (c) the Exeter Book (in the Chapter Library of Exeter Cathedral), known to have been donated to that Cathedral by Bishop Leofric c. 1050, containing two of the signed poems of Cynewulf; and (d) the Vercelli Book (in the Cathedral Library at Vercelli near Milan), containing also two of the signed poems of Cynewulf (including Elene) and Andres and The Dream of the Rood.
Comments
Post a Comment