Bede (d. 735)
Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
[Monkwearmouth Jarrow, mid-eighth century]
The earliest surviving account of English history was composed by Bede, a monk at the twin monastery of Monkwearmouth Jarrow in Northumberland. This copy, known as the Moore Bede, was written at the monastery within a decade or two of Bede’s death. Copies of the Historia were in demand throughout Europe; a short additional text on the final leaf which can be dated ca 800 suggests that this manuscript was sent to the court of Charlemagne at Aachen, perhaps at the request of his chancellor, Alcuin of York. The opening here discusses the founding of Barking Abbey by St Eorcenwold in ca 666.
This manuscript has been digitised in full: to view it, click “Open Digital Library”.
MS Kk.5.16, ff. 76v–77r (Royal Library)
The manuscript is almost entirely written in insular minuscule, by a single scribe in scripta continua, that is, with no spaces between words, suggesting that it was written at speed. Headings are written in uncials or insular majuscules.
The script of the Memoranda and hymn that close the work on fols 128r-v is a closely related script, if not the same hand.
At 128v, an excerpt from Isidore has been added some time later in a fine Caroline minuscule, resembling that of Charlemagne’s court school.
Many of the marginal notes are the work of the original scribe; the most extensive are merely short phrases. In places, e.g. at 41v, rubricated numerals and marginal marks aid legibility.
Numerous additions and alterations, principally expanding abbreviations, were added to the manuscript by the same Continental scribe who added the excerpt from Isidore on fol. 128v.
Dr Suzanne Paul
