Chapter VIII: A Pastoral Epistle, written by command of archbishop Wulfstan

IX. An Epistle entitled "Quando dividis Chrisma[11]."

{ix} X. A Collection of Homilies on the Saints' days observed by the
Anglo-Saxon Church.

Though the present is the first edition of these most ancient sermons in any of the Germanic tongues, it may be interesting to some readers to be informed that two attempts at publishing them were made in the early part of the last century by Mrs. Elizabeth Elstob, which failed through want of encouragement, a few leaves only having been printed[12].

In assigning to Aelfric, archbishop of York, the honour of being the author of the Homilies and other works enumerated above, it would have been gratifying to add, that the character of that prelate given by the chroniclers was beyond a doubt all that could be desired, and such as to render it highly probable that to him we are indebted for those noble and holy labours. Unfortunately the case is otherwise, the few facts recorded of Aelfric of York being for the most part quite irreconcileable with the portrait of the pious student which our imagination spontaneously draws, on calling to mind the exertions in the cause of religion and learning attributed to our Aelfric. Of the archbishop, Malmesbury speaks in terms of {x} no ordinary severity, asserting, that at his instigation Hardacnut caused the corpse of his brother Harald Harefoot to be taken from the grave and decapitated, and afterwards thrown into the Thames; also, that being exasperated against the people of Worcester, who had rejected him for their bishop, he again instigated the same king to burn their city and confiscate their property, under the pretext of their having resisted the royal tax-gatherers[13]. The better testimony of Florence of Worcester, with regard to the first of these transactions, is, however, less prejudicial to the character of Aelfric: he says merely, that Aelfric, archbishop of York, with others was sent to London by the king for the purpose of digging up the body of Harald and casting it into a fen[14]. Of the second transaction Florence makes no mention. But the earliest account is that in the Saxon Chronicle[15], and in this it is simply said, that "he (Harthacnut) caused the dead body of Harald to be taken up, and had it cast into a fen:" to Aelfric and the others there is no allusion whatever. In the same record his death is mentioned in the following terms of respect: "This year (1052) died Aelfric, archbishop of York, a very venerable and wise man." It is also stated that he was the accuser of earl Godwine, of the earl of Kent, and of Living, bishop of Worcester, as the murderers of the young Aelfred, the son of Aethelred[16].

The manuscript from which the text of the present volume is taken belongs to the Public Library at {xi} Cambridge. It is a small folio and probably coeval with its author, though hardly, as it has been supposed, his own autograph copy[17]. It is not perfect, having suffered mutilation in several places, but its defects are all supplied in the present work from another MS. in the British Museum[18]. For the most liberal use of the Cambridge manuscript, I beg leave, on the part of the Aelfric Society, to express the sincerest thanks to the SYNDICS OF THAT UNIVERSITY.

To W. E. BUCKLEY, Esq., Fellow of Brasenose College, and Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of Oxford, I return my sincere thanks for his kindness in removing my doubts of the integrity of the text by collation with the Bodleian manuscript; also to my greatly respected friend, the REVEREND DANIEL ROCK, D.D., I acknowledge myself much indebted for the kind promptness with which he at all times satisfied my inquiries respecting the ancient observances of the Church, as well as other points of doubt, which his deep knowledge of ecclesiastical antiquities so well qualifies him to solve.

The second volume, containing Homilies for another year, is in preparation, and will, it is hoped, be laid before the Members of the Society in the course of the year 1845.

B. T.

Notes to Introduction

[1] See also H. Whartoni Anglia Sacra, t. i. p. 125.

[2] He was abbot of Eynsham. See Biogr. Brit. Lit. p. 482, _n._ ++

[3] Among his sources he mentions Smaragdus and Haymo: of these the former was abbot of St. Mihiel, a monastery in the diocese of Verdun, in the eighth century. He wrote commentaries on the Scriptures, Sermons, etc. Haymo was bishop of Halberstadt, about the middle of the ninth century: he compiled, from the works of the fathers, commentaries on almost every part of the Scriptures. There was also a Haymo of Canterbury, who wrote commentaries on the Pentateuch, Isaiah, etc., of whom see Biogr. Britan. Lit. vol. i. p. 510. The other sources mentioned by Aelfric are too well known to need further notice.

[4] It is right to observe, that in the MS. the texts taken from the Gospels are frequently of very great length; these I have ventured to abridge, presuming that all readers of the Homilies have a copy of the N. T. either in Anglo-Saxon or English.

[5] Aelfrici Abbatis Grammatica Latino-Saxonica, cum Glossario suo ejusdem generis. Folio. Oxon. 1659. That the author of the Grammar, the compiler of the Homilies and the translator of the Heptateuch was the same individual, is evident from the prefaces to those works.

[6] Published at the expense of the Historical Society of Science, in a volume entitled 'Popular Treatises on Science written during the Middle Ages,' edited by Thomas Wright, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., etc. etc. 8vo. 1841. That this work is by our Aelfric is evident from his own words immediately following his last homily: Her aefter fyligdh ['a]n lytel cwyde be gearlicum tidum, thaet nis to spelle geteald, ac elles to raedenne tham dhe hit licadh.--_Hereafter follows a little discourse concerning yearly tides, which is not reckoned as a sermon, but is else to be read by those whom it pleases._ MS. Cantab. p. 492.

[7] Heptateuchus, Liber Job, et Evangelium Nicodemi; Anglo-Saxonice. Historiae Judith Fragmentum; Dano-Saxonice. Edidit, etc. Edwardus Thwaites. Oxon. 8vo. 1699.

[8] A Saxon Treatise concerning the Old and New Testament, written about the time of king Edgar by Aelfricus Abbas, etc., by William L'Isle of Wilburgham, Esquier for the King's bodie, etc. 4to. Lond. 1623.

[9] An edition of the Anglo-Saxon text of this work, with a translation by W. E. Buckley, Esq., Fellow of Brasenose Coll. and Prof. of A.-S. in the Univ. of Oxf., is announced for early publication by the Aelfric Society. The ealdorman Aethelweard, son of Aethelmaer, mentioned in the preface to the Homilies and other works of Aelfric, is without doubt the chronicler of that name, concerning whom see Literary Introd. to Lappenberg's 'History of England under the Anglo-Saxon Kings,' p. xlv.

[10] According to the Oxford MS. of this Colloquium, it was originally composed by Aelfric (of Canterbury or York?) and enlarged by his pupil Aelfric Bata. It is printed in the 'Analecta Anglo-Saxonica.' For more ample information concerning the Aelfrics the reader is referred to Mr. Wright's interesting and useful publication, 'Biographia Britannica Literaria; Anglo-Saxon Period,' edited for the Royal Society of Literature.

[11] The three last-mentioned works are printed, with a translation, in the 'Ancient Laws and Institutes of England.' It appears from a note at the end of Matthew in the C.C.C.C. MS. of the Saxon Gospels, that an Aelfric was either the translator or copier of the Gospel of St. Matthew, if not of the four Gospels. See Notes to my edition of the Anglo-Saxon Gospels.

[12] Elfrici Homiliae, edit. El. Elstob. (fol. Oxon. 1715.) Of this first attempt only thirty-six pages were printed. Her second attempt was under the title, "The English-Saxon Homilies of Aelfric, Archb. of Cant., who flourished in the latter end of the tenth century and the beginning of the eleventh. Being a course of Sermons collected out of the writings of the ancient Latin Fathers, containing the Doctrines, etc. of the Church of England before the Norman Conquest, etc. etc. Now first printed, and translated into the language of the present times by Eliz. Elstob. fol. Oxon. 1715." Of this only two leaves were printed. A copy of both is in the Brit. Mus. See Biogr. Brit. Lit. p. 493. Mrs. Elstob also published Aelfric's Homily on the birth-day of St. Gregory, with a translation. 8vo. 1709. Reprinted with some account of Mrs. Elstob in 1839.

[13] De Gestis Pontificum Anglorum, lib. iii.

[14] Fl. Wigorn. Chron. ad a. 1040.

[15] Ad ann. 1046.

[16] R. Wendover, t. i. p. 478.

[17] The handwriting, though very nearly alike, is not the same in the two parts of the MS.; they also occasionally differ in orthography, 'middangeard,' for instance, in the first part being in the second constantly written 'middaneard.'

[18] MS. Reg. 7. c. xii.

* * * * *

{xii}

SERMONUM RUBRICAE QUI IN HOC VOLUMINE CONTINENTUR.

Page
Praefatio ............................................ 1
Praefatio, Saxonice .................................. 2
I. De Initio Creaturae .................................. 8
II. De Natale Domini ..................................... 28
III. Passio Beati Stephani Protomartyris .................. 44
IV. Assumptio S. Johannis Apostoli ....................... 58
V. Natale Innocentium Infantum .......................... 76
VI. Octabas et Circumcisio Domini ........................ 90
VII. Epiphania Domini ..................................... 104
VIII. Dom. III. post Epiphania Domini ...................... 120
IX. In Purificatione S. Mariae ........................... 134
X. Dominica in Quinquagesima ............................ 152
XI. Dominica Prima in Quadragesima ....................... 166
XII. Dominica in Media Quadragesima ....................... 180
XIII. Annunciatio S. Mariae ................................ 192
XIV. In Dominica Palmarum ................................. 206
XV. Dominica S. Pascae ................................... 220
XVI. Dominica Prima post Pasca ............................ 230
XVII. Dominica Secunda post Pasca .......................... 238
XVIII. In Litania Majore .................................... 244
XIX. De Dominica Oratione ................................. 258
XX. De Fide Catholica .................................... 274
XXI. In Ascensione Domini ................................. 294
XXII. In Die Sancto Pentecostes ............................ 310
XXIII. Dominica Secunda post Pentecosten .................... 328
XXIV. Dominica Quarta post Pentecosten ..................... 338
XXV. Nativitas S. Johannis Baptistae ...................... 350
{xiv}
XXVI. Passio Apostolorum Petri et Pauli .................... 364
XXVII. Natale S. Pauli Apostoli ............................. 384
XXVIII. Dominica XI. post Pentecosten ........................ 402
XXIX. Passio Beati Laurentii Martyris ...................... 416
XXX. De Assumptione Beatae Mariae ......................... 436
XXXI. Passio S. Bartholomaei Apostoli ...................... 454
XXXII. Decollatio S. Johannis Baptistae ..................... 476
XXXIII. Dominica XVII. post Pentecosten ...................... 490
XXXIV. Dedicatio Ecclesiae S. Michaelis ..................... 502
XXXV. Dominica XXI. post Pentecosten ....................... 520
XXXVI. Natale Omnium Sanctorum .............................. 538
XXXVII. Natale S. Clementis Martyris ......................... 556
XXXVIII. Natale S. Andreae Apostoli ........................... 576
XXXIX. Dominica Prima in Adventum Domini .................... 600
XL. Dominica II. in Adventum Domini ...................... 608
Notes ................................................ 621

CONTENTS.

Page
Praefatio .............................................. 1
Preface ................................................ 3
I. On the Beginning of Creation ........................... 9
II. On the Nativity of our Lord ............................ 29
III. The Passion of the Blessed Stephen Protomartyr ......... 45
IV. The Assumption of St. John the Apostle ................. 59
V. The Nativity of the Innocents .......................... 77
VI. The Octaves and Circumcision of our Lord ............... 91
VII. The Epiphany of the Lord ............................... 105
VIII. The Third Sunday after the Lord's Epiphany ............. 121
IX. On the Purification of St. Mary ........................ 135
X. Shrove Sunday .......................................... 153
XI. The First Sunday in Lent ............................... 167
XII. Midlent Sunday ......................................... 181
XIII. The Annunciation of St. Mary ........................... 193
XIV. For Palm Sunday ........................................ 207
XV. Easter Sunday .......................................... 221
XVI. The First Sunday after Easter .......................... 231
XVII. The Second Sunday after Easter ......................... 239
XVIII. On the Greater Litany .................................. 245
XIX. On the Lord's Prayer ................................... 259
XX. Of the Catholic Faith .................................. 275
XXI. On the Lord's Ascension ................................ 295
XXII. On the Holy Day of Pentecost ........................... 311
XXIII. The Second Sunday after Pentecost ...................... 329
XXIV. The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost ...................... 339
XXV. The Nativity of St. John the Baptist ................... 351
{xv}
XXVI. The Passion of the Apostles Peter and Paul ............. 365
XXVII. The Nativity of St. Paul the Apostle ................... 385
XXVIII. The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost .................... 403
XXIX. The Passion of the Blessed Martyr Lawrence ............. 417
XXX. On the Assumption of the Blessed Mary .................. 437
XXXI. The Passion of St. Bartholomew the Apostle ............. 455
XXXII. The Decollation of St. John the Baptist ................ 477
XXXIII. The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost ................. 491
XXXIV. Dedication of the Church of St. Michael the Archangel .. 503
XXXV. The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost ................ 521
XXXVI. The Nativity of All Saints ............................. 539
XXXVII. The Nativity of St. Clement the Martyr ................. 557
XXXVIII. The Nativity of St. Andrew the Apostle ................. 577
XXXIX. The First Sunday in the Lord's Advent .................. 601
XL. The Second Sunday in the Lord's Advent ................. 609
Notes .................................................. 621

* * * * *

ERRATA.

p. 3. l. 15. _For_ Aethelmaere _read_ Aethelmaer.
p. 6. l. 2. _For_ ormatan _read_ ormaetan.

* * * * *

{1}

INCIPIT PRAEFATIO HUJUS LIBRI.

* * * * *

IN NOMINE DOMINI.

Ego Aelfricus, alumnus Adelwoldi, benevoli et venerabilis Presulis, salutem exopto Domno Archiepiscopo Sigerico in Domino. Licet temere vel presumptuose, tamen transtulimus hunc codicem ex libris Latinorum, scilicet Sancte Scripture in nostram consuetam sermocinationem, ob aedificationem simplicium, qui hanc norunt tantummodo locutionem, sive legendo sive audiendo; ideoque nec obscura posuimus verba, sed simplicem Anglicam, quo facilius possit ad cor pervenire legentium vel audientium, ad utilitatem animarum suarum, quia alia lingua nesciunt erudiri, quam in qua nati sunt. Nec ubique transtulimus verbum ex verbo, sed sensum ex sensu, cavendo tamen diligentissime deceptivos errores, ne inveniremur aliqua haeresi seducti seu fallacia fuscati. Hos namque auctores in hac explanatione sumus sequuti, videlicet Augustinum Hipponensem, Hieronimum, Bedam, Gregorium, Smaragdum, et aliquando Haymonem; horum denique auctoritas ab omnibus catholicis libentissime suscipitur. Nec solum Evangeliorum tractatus in isto libello exposuimus, verum etiam Sanctorum passiones vel vitas, ad utilitatem idiotarum istius gentis. Quadraginta sententias in isto libro posuimus, credentes hoc sufficere posse per annum fidelibus, si integre eis a ministris Dei recitentur in ecclesia. Alterum vero librum modo dictando habemus in manibus, qui illos tractatus vel passiones continet quos iste omisit; nec tamen omnia Evangelia tangimus per circulum anni, sed illa tantummodo quibus speramus sufficere posse simplicibus ad {2} animarum emendationem, quia seculares omnia nequeunt capere, quamvis ex ore doctorum audiant. Duos libros in ista translatione facimus, persuadentes ut legatur unus per annum in ecclesia Dei, et alter anno sequenti, ut non fiat tedium auscultantibus; tamen damus licentiam, si alicui melius placet, ad unum librum ambos ordinare. Ergo si alicui displicit, primum in interpretatione, quod non semper verbum ex verbo, aut quod breviorem explicationem quam tractatus auctorum habent, sive quod non per ordinem ecclesiastici ritus omnia Evangelia tractando percurrimus; {3} condat sibi altiore interpretatione librum, quomodo intellectui ejus placet: tantum obsecro, ne pervertat nostram interpretationem, quam speramus ex Dei gratia, non causa jactantiae, nos studiose secuti valuimus interpretari. Precor modo obnixe almitatem tuam, mitissime Pater SIGERICE, ut digneris corrigere per tuam industriam, si aliquos nevos malignae haeresis, aut nebulosae fallaciae in nostra interpretatione repperies: et adscribatur dehinc hic codicillus tuae auctoritati, non utilitati nostrae despicabilis personae. Vale in Deo Omnipotenti jugiter. Amen.

* * * * *

PRAEFATIO.

Ic Aelfric munuc and maessepreost, swa theah waccre thonne swilcum hadum gebyrige, weardh asend on Aethelredes daege cyninges fram Aelfeage biscope, Adhelwoldes aeftergengan, to sumum mynstre the is Cernel gehaten, thurh Aedhelmaeres bene dhaes thegenes, his gebyrd and goodnys sind gehwaer cuthe. Tha bearn me on mode, ic truwige thurh Godes gife, thaet ic dhas boc of Ledenum gereorde to Engliscre spraece awende; na thurh gebylde mycelre lare, ac forthan the ic geseah and gehyrde mycel gedwyld on manegum Engliscum bocum, the ungelaerede menn thurh heora bilewitnysse to micclum wisdome tealdon; and me ofhreow thaet h['i] ne cuthon ne naefdon tha godspellican lare on heora gewritum, buton tham mannum anum dhe thaet Leden cudhon, and buton tham bocum dhe Aelfred cyning snoterlice awende of Ledene on Englisc, tha synd to haebbene. For thisum antimbre ic gedyrstlaehte, on Gode truwiende, thaet ic dhas gesetnysse undergann, and eac fordham the menn behofiadh godre lare swidhost on thisum timan the is geendung thyssere worulde, and beodh fela frecednyssa on mancynne aerdhan the se ende becume, swa swa ure Drihten on his godspelle cwaedh to his leorning-cnihtum, "Dhonne beodh swilce {4} gedreccednyssa swilce naeron naefre aer fram frymdhe middangeardes. Manega lease Cristas cumadh on minum naman, cwedhende, 'Ic eom Crist,' and wyrcadh fela tacna and wundra, to bepaecenne mancynn, and eac swylce tha gecorenan men, gif hit gewurthan maeg: and butan se Aelmihtiga God dha dagas gescyrte, eall mennisc forwurde; ac for his gecorenum he gescyrte tha dagas." Gehw['a] maeg the eadhelicor dha toweardan costnunge acuman, dhurh Godes fultum, gif h['e] bidh thurh boclice lare getrymmed; fordhan dhe tha beodh gehealdene the odh ende on geleafan thurhwuniadh. Fela gedreccednyssa and earfodhnysse becumadh on thissere worulde ['ae]r hire geendunge, and tha synd dha bydelas thaes ecan forwyrdes on yfelum mannum, the for heora m['a]ndaedum sidhdhan ecelice throwiadh on dhaere sweartan helle. Thonne cymdh se Antecrist, se bidh mennisc mann and sodh deofol, swa swa ure Haelend is sodhlice mann and God on anum hade. And se gesewenlica deofol thonne wyrcdh ungerima wundra, and cwydh thaet he sylf God beo, and wile neadian mancynn to his gedwylde; ac his tima ne bidh na langsum; forthan the Godes grama hine fordedh, and theos weoruld bidh sidhdhan geendod. Crist ure Drihten gehaelde untrume and adlige, and thes deofol the is gehaten Antecrist, thaet is gereht, dhwyrlic Crist, aleuadh and geuntrumadh dha halan, and naenne ne gehaeldh fram untrumnyssum, buton tham anum the he sylf aer awyrde. He and his gingran awyrdadh manna lichaman digellice thurh deofles craeft, and gehaeladh h['i] openlice on manna gesihthe; ac h['e] ne maeg naenne gehaelan the God sylf aer geuntrumode. He neadadh thurh yfelnysse thaet men sceolon bugan fram heora Scyppendes geleafan to his leasungum, sedhe is ord aelcere leasunge and yfelnysse. Se Aelmihtiga God gedhafadh tham arleasan Antecriste to wyrcenne t['a]cna, and wundra, and ehtnysse, to feorthan healfan geare; forthan dhe on dham timan bidh swa micel yfelnyss and thwyrnys betwux mancynne thaet h['i] wel wyrdhe beodh thaere deoflican ehtnysse, to ecum forwyrde tham dhe him onbugadh, and to ecere myrhdhe dham the him thurh geleafan widhcwedhadh. God {6} gedhafadh eac thaet his gecorenan thegenas beon aclaensade fram eallum synnum thurh dha ormaetan ehtnyssa, swa swa gold bidh on fyre afandod. Tha ofslihdh se deofol dhe him widhstandadh, and h['i] thonne faradh mid halgum martyrdome to heofenan rice. Tha dhe his leasungum gelyfadh, tham h['e] aradh, and h['i] habbadh sydhdhan tha ecan susle to edleane heora gedwyldes. Se arleasa dedh thaet fyr cymdh ufan swilce of heofonum on manna gesihdhe, swilce h['e] God Aelmihtig sy, dhe ah geweald heofenas and eorthan. Ac tha cristenan sceolon beon thonne gemyndige hu se deofol dyde tha dha he baed aet Gode thaet he moste fandian Iobes. He gemacode dha thaet fyr come ufan swilce of heofenum, and forbaernde ealle his scep ['u]t on felda, and tha hyrdas samod, buton anum the hit him cydhan sceolde. Ne sende se deofol dha fyr of heofenum, theah dhe hit ufan come; fordhan the he sylf naes on heofonum, sydhdhan he for his modignysse of-aworpen waes. Ne eac se waelhreowa Antecrist naefdh tha mihte thaet he heofenlic fyr asendan maege, dheah the h['e] thurh deofles craeft hit swa gehiwige. Bidh nu w['i]slicor thaet gehwa dhis wite and cunne his geleafan, weald hwa dha micclan yrmdhe gebidan sceole. Ure Drihten bebead his discipulum thaet h['i] sceoldon laeran and taecan eallum theodum dha dhing the he sylf him taehte; ac thaera is nu to lyt dhe wile wel taecan and wel bysnian. Se ylca Drihten clypode thurh his witegan Ezechiel, "Gif thu ne gestentst thone unrihtwisan, and hine ne manast, thaet h['e] fram his arleasnysse gecyrre and lybbe, thonne swelt se arleasa on his unrihtwisnysse, and ic wille ofgan aet dhe his blod," thaet is his lyre. "Gif dhu dhonne thone arleasan gewarnast, and he nele fram his arleasnysse gecyrran, thu alysdest thine sawle mid thaere mynegunge, and se arleasa swylt on his unrihtwisnysse." Eft cwaedh se Aelmihtiga to tham witegan Isaiam, "Clypa and ne geswic dhu, ahefe thine stemne swa swa byme, and cydh minum folce heora leahtras, and Iacobes hirede heora synna." For swylcum bebodum weardh me gedhuht thaet ic naere unscyldig widh God, gif ic nolde odhrum mannum cydhan, odhdhe thurh {8} tungan odhdhe thurh gewritu, tha godspellican sothfaestnysse the he sylf gecwaedh, and eft halgum lareowum onwreah. For wel fela ic wat on thisum earde gelaeredran thonne ic sy, ac God geswuteladh his wundra thurh dhone the he wile. Swa swa aelmihtig wyrhta, he wyrcdh his weorc thurh his gecorenan, na swylce he behofige ures fultumes, ac thaet we geearnion thaet ece lif thurh his weorces fremminge. Paulus se apostol cwaedh, "We sind Godes gefylstan," and swa dheah ne do we nan thing to Gode, buton Godes fultume. Nu bidde ic and halsige on Godes naman, gif hwa thas boc awritan wylle, thaet he h['i] geornlice gerihte be thaere bysene, thylaes the we thurh gymelease writeras geleahtrode beon. Mycel yfel dedh sedhe leas writ, buton he hit gerihte, swylce he gebringe tha sodhan lare to leasum gedwylde: forthi sceal gehwa gerihtlaecan thaet thaet he aer to woge gebigde, gif h['e] on Godes dome unscyldig beon wile. Quid necesse est in hoc codice capitula ordinare, cum prediximus quod xl. sententias in se contineat? excepto quod Aethelwerdus dux vellet habere xl. quattuor in suo libro.