This list of manuscripts of Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica gives the location and name of known surviving manuscripts of Bede's most famous work, the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (Ecclesiastical History of the English People).
The c and m texts The majority of the manuscripts of Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica fall into one of two groups, known to scholars as c and m. The distinction between these two groups was first noticed by Charles Plummer, in his Baedae Opera Historica, published in 1896. Plummer gives five significant differences between the two:Plummer, Baedae Opera Historica, pp. xciv–xcv. In the m text, Bede asks for the prayers of his readers at the end of his preface; in the c text this comes at the end of the whole work. Chapter 14 of book IV only appears in the m manuscripts. There are three words in the m text near the beginning of book IV, chapter 18, which are omitted in the c text. There is a variation between the texts in the annal for 731 given in the recapitulation at the end of the work; and in addition, the c text adds annals for 733 and 734 which do not appear in the m text. The list of Bede's works in the c text omits his excerpts from Jerome on the prophets.
Colgrave, in his 1969 edition of the text, adds one more to this list, though he attributes this distinction to Plummer also:Colgrave, Bede's Ecclesiastical History, pp. xl–xli.
The c text is now thought to be an earlier form of the work, since it is unlikely Bede (or any reviser) would have removed IV.14.
In Britain, only the c text circulated, whereas almost all the copies on the continent were of the m form.
Important early manuscripts There are three early manuscripts of the c text, and five of the m text, which are regarded as the basis of these versions of Bede's work. The letters at the start of each manuscript description are used by scholars to refer to the main manuscripts; these were mostly assigned by Plummer, with some modifications by Colgrave. The "CLA" number quoted refers to the Codices Latini Antiquiores, a published series of manuscripts that includes several of the Bede manuscripts.Colgrave, Bede's Ecclesiastical History, pp. xliv–xlv.
The following are c text manuscripts. K. Kassel, Landesbibliothek 4° MS. theol. 2. CLA VIII, no. 1140. This manuscript omits books IV and V. It was written in a Northumbrian hand in the late 8th century. There is a pressmark on the cover, dating from the 15th century, indicating that it was owned by the abbey of Fulda in Hesse. C. London, British Library Cotton MS Tiberius C. II. CLA II, no. 191. Written in southern England in the second half of the 8th century. Plummer asserted that this was written in Durham, but Colgrave disputes this. O. Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Hatton 43 (4106). Early 11th century.
The following are m text manuscripts. M. Cambridge, Cambridge University Library Kk. 5. 16. CLA II, no. 139. Written in Northumbria in about 737. A complete reproduction of this manuscript was published in 1959. The manuscript was owned by John Moore, the bishop of Ely, who died in 1714; it was purchased by King George I and donated to Cambridge University the following year. L. Saint Petersburg, Public Library Lat. Q. v. I. 18. CLA XI, no 1621. Dates from no later than 747; probably copied at Wearmouth or Jarrow. A reproduction of the manuscript was published in 1952. The text of L and M are very similar, though M has more errors; both may well have been copied from the same original, which may have been Bede's own copy. U. Wolfenbüttel, Herzog-August Bibliothek Weissenburg 34. CLA IX, no. 1385. Late 8th century; in an early Caroline minuscule hand. At one time it is known to have been at Weissenburg Abbey, Alsace. E. Würzburg, Universitätsbibliothek M. p. th. f. 118. From the second third of the 9th century; the hand is a Caroline minuscule which matches the hand used in Würzburg under Bishop Hunbert, who was bishop there from 832 to 842. In about 800, a list was made of books at Würzburg cathedral; the list included a Historia Anglorum and this may be a copy of that manuscript. At a later date the manuscript was owned by the abbey of Ebrach, about thirty miles east of Würzburg. N. Namur, Public Library, Fonds de la ville II. Written in the 9th century in the Ardennes by several scribes of varying skill. Manuscripts E and U are very similar; N is useful as a somewhat independent witness to their text.
The m text in England Only one manuscript of the m type remained in England.Colgrave, Bede's Ecclesiastica Historia, pp. xlvi–xlvii.
B. British Library, Cotton MS Tiberius A. xiv. CLA Suppl., no. 1703. Written in Northumbria in the middle of the 8th century. It is a copy of L. It was part of the Cotton Library, and was badly damaged in 1731 in a fire at Ashburnham House in London. There are two later additions at the start of I.7 which are also found in a group of c texts connected to Gloucester; see below.
The c text in England The numerous c text manuscripts in England can be assigned to groups with greater or lesser certainty according to the correspondences between the manuscripts, though how they are derived from the original is not always clear.
Two manuscripts may have direct lineal relationship with C:Colgrave, Bede's Ecclesiastica Historia, pp. xlvii–xlviii. Cambridge, Trinity College R. 7. 5 (743). Mostly written in the early 11th century, though some leaves were rewritten in the 12th century. Colgrave suggests that this may be a direct copy of C, as the text is a very close match. Cambridge, St. John's College S. 6 (254). Some material from the Trinity College manuscript above appears in this text too, and it may be a descendant of that manuscript. It is signed by John Mablethorpe, who was a fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, in the middle of the 15th century, and the manuscript may be in his hand.
Durham group This group, so named by Plummer, consists of a manuscript from Durham cathedral and eight further manuscripts that are derived from it.Colgrave, Bede's Ecclesiastica Historia, pp. xlix–l. The parent is:
Durham Cathedral Library, B. ii. 35. Late 11th century.
The derived manuscripts are:
British Library, Harley MS 4124. Written in the 12th century; it is known to have belonged to the Augustinian priory at Worksop in the 14th century; the priory was founded in about 1120. Cambridge, Pembroke College 82. A 12th-century copy from Tynemouth Priory, not far from Durham. British Library, Add MS 25014. Late 12th century. It belonged at one time to Newminster Abbey, founded in 1138; the manuscript contains a contemporary account of damage to the monastery done in 1333 by the Scots, during the Second War of Scottish Independence. There is also a note in the hand of John Bale bishop of Ossory from 1552; it subsequently belonged to the earls of Gosford. Vatican Library, Reginensis lat. 694. A 13th-century manuscript that was at one time in Coupar Angus Abbey. Oxford, Corpus Christi College 279. This is a 14th-century manuscript bound with an 11th-century copy of the Old English version of the history. The book was given to Corpus Christi by the antiquary Bryan Twyne in the 17th century, and it may have been Twyne who had the manuscript bound in this way. Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland, Advocates 18. 5. 1. 14th century. This manuscript is recorded in a 1506 catalogue of Exeter Cathedral's manuscripts. It belonged to John Parker, son of Matthew Parker; John Parker gave it to Richard Cosen in 1585. In 1629 it came into the hands of Sir James Balfour, and from there went to the Edinburgh Faculty of Advocates when the faculty acquired Balfour's manuscript collection. British Library, Burney MS 310. This is a copy made of Durham B. ii. 35 by Guillaume du Stiphel, a Breton scribe, in 1381. The manuscript was copied for Uthred of Boldon, who had been prior of Finchale Priory, near Durham. Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Bodl. 302 (2086). Early 15th century. It was owned in the 16th century by one George Hull, and subsequently was in the possession of the antiquary Thomas Allen, who gave it to the Bodleian Library.
Winchester group This group consists of three manuscripts, the earliest of which is from Winchester.Colgrave, Bede's Ecclesiastical History, pp. l–li.
Winchester, Cathedral Library I. Early 11th century in multiple hands. Part of this manuscript was separated and is in the British Library as Cotton MS Tiberius D. iv. part ii, ff. 158–166. There is a note on the manuscript in a 14th-century hand which suggests it was in Winchester at that time, but its earlier history is unknown. Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Bodl. 163 (2016). Early 11th century. The manuscript was at Peterborough Abbey no later than the 12th century. There are two names on the manuscript: one is Humphrey Natures, a 16th-century monk at Peterborough; the other is Henry Stowkes, of whom nothing is known. John Barneston gave it to the Bodleian Library in 1605. It is likely that this is a transcript of the Winchester manuscript. It conforms in some respects with later copies, but may not be the source of those copies; see below. Oxford, Balliol College MS 176. This manuscript dates from the second half of the 12th century, and derives from the Winchester manuscript. Balliol acquired the manuscript as part of the library of William Grey, bishop of Ely, who died in 1478; its earlier history is not known.
Manuscripts of the c text containing the miracle of St. Oswald One of the distinguishing marks of the c text is the omission of IV.14, which tells of a miracle performed by St Oswald. However, by the end of the 11th century the missing chapter had been recovered from an m text manuscript. The following groups of manuscripts are all of c type but contain IV.14.
Gloucester group This group shares with B, above, a pair of additions to the text.Colgrave, Bede's Ecclesiastical History, pp. li–lii.
British Library, Royal MS 13 C. v. Dates from the second half of the 11th century; in multiple hands. The manuscript is missing the last leaf. There are two ex-libris marks: that of Gloucester Abbey, and also that of Richard Hanley, abbot there from 1457 to 1472. Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Douce 368. An early 12th-century copy from Winchcomb Abbey, near Gloucester. Bede's text is followed by a life of St. Kenelm, the patron saint of the abbey; hence the copy was probably made for Winchcomb. Colgrave obtained both this manuscript and Royal MS 13 C. v, and compared them to determine if it were a copy of the British Library manuscript, but was unable to find any evidence to settle the question. Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales, Peniarth 381. First half of the 12th century; the manuscript has been damaged, apparently by rats. There is a pressmark which has not been identified, and the manuscript also has two signatures: John Canon and Clement Burdett, both of whom owned the manuscript after the dissolution of the monasteries. Oxford, New College 308. A late 12th-century manuscript. Oxford, Pembroke College 3. Also late 12th century, but the manuscript is missing much material. Nothing is known of its history; it is signed in three places with a 17th-century name, "Anthonye Cole of Cadwych". Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Barlow 39 (6462). A 13th-century manuscript missing the first thirteen leaves; also missing a leaf after f. 39. Plummer believed this was a copy of the Winchcomb manuscript, MS. Douce 368, above. The origin of this manuscript is unknown.
Other manuscripts Other copies that include the chapter on St Oswald exist, but for the relationships with other manuscripts are more obscure.Colgrave, Bede's Ecclesiastical History, p. liii.
Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Laud Misc. 243. First half of the 12th century; multiple scribes. The chapter recording the miracle of St Oswald is marked out with a heading that makes it clear the intention was for the chapter to be read out loud.