The Old English version of Bede’s Ecclesiastical history of the English people

(1890)

Author: Bede, the Venerable, Saint, 673-735; Miller, Thomas, 1839-
Volumes: 4 [Only 3 of them available.]
Publisher: London, Pub. for the Early English Text Society by N. Trübner and co.
Language: English
Call number: ALD-6374
Digitizing sponsor: University of Toronto
Book contributor: PIMS – University of Toronto
Collection: pimslibrary; toronto

 PREFACE. 

The first edition of this version was that of Wheelock (Cambridge, 1643). This gives correctly the text of Ca. The second was that of Smith (Cambridge, 1722). It has not been republished since. Wheelock adds a few readings from B. and C. Smith reproduces Ca., correcting a few errors in Wheelock, and introducing good emendations from the other MSS. He gives a very full collation of B., incomplete of T. and O., and very slight of C. As C. was burnt in the fire of 1731, this omission is disastrous.
The present edition was undertaken, while I was studying the syntax of Alfred, for my own use with a view to obtain a correct and uniform text. T. was selected as the basis, and its defects supplemented from B., as belonging to the same recension. The text was completed and written out twice, keeping the original object in view. But after repeated collations and careful study of the MSS., it became evident that Bede was an Anglian and not a West-Saxon work, and that the first necessity was to exhibit a text, representing as far as possible the Anglian archetype. This led me to discard B., and adopt a ‘ contamination ‘ of texts founded on T. C. O. Ca. in order of preference. The scribe or editor of B.’s text has dealt very freely with his author, changing forms and words and recasting sentences. That which renders his work interesting to a student of syntax, makes it for dialectical purposes comparatively useless.
The consequent expenditure of time and labour has been very heavy. It was only after considerable hesitation, that I resolved to sacrifice so much that had been already completed. But I look with confidence for the approbation of scholars in the course I have followed. Great pains have been taken to secure a correct text. T. has been collated twice throughout. O. has been collated throughout, and twice in those portions used to supplement T. B. has been collated throughout, and twice at the beginning and end where T. is defective. Smith and Wheelock were collated and the resulting text collated throughout with the MS. Ca. The fragments of C. have been in part collated twice : see the detailed statement under the description of this MS.
All defects of that MS., which for the time forms the basis of the text, have been stated in the critical notes with variants of all the others. In cases of omission, if more than one MS. omits, the fact is stated. A star is affixed to conjectures, a dagger to corrupt portions. Smith’s pages and the Latin chapters are given in the margin to facilitate reference from existing Lexicons and other works. The Latin chapters are therefore put at the head of pages : the Roman numerals are copied from the English MSS.
The translation has been made to meet the requirements of the Early English Text Society, who are publishing the work.
My best thanks are due to the library authorities of the British Museum, the Bodleian, Cambridge University, Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, for facilities in consulting MSS. I have also to acknowledge my obligations to Professors Nettleship and Napier, Dr. Neubauer and Mr. Madan, Oxford; to Professor Lumby and Mr. C. J.Clay, Cambridge, as well as to the Rev. S. S. Lewis, C. C. C, whose untiring courtesy has lightened the labours of many scholars. Messrs. Warner and Bickley have obligingly aided in determining the age of MSS. Dr. A. Schmidt kindly sent me his dissertation, which I have cited in the Introduction. Mr. P. H. Miller, A. R. H. A., gave me information as to illuminated MSS., quoted in the description of T.
The second part will contain full apparatus criticus and glossary, with a conspectus of the dialectical peculiarities of all MSS.

GÖTTINGEN, July, 189O.

Note: The volume 3 is not available due to copyright issues. It was originally printed as Issues Nos. 95 and 96 of the Early English Text Society, and reprinted in 2007 and 2008 years:

• 95 Old English Version of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People I.i Ed. T. Miller 1890 Reprinted 2008 9780859918527
• 96 Old English Version of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People I.ii Ed. T. Miller 1891 Reprinted 2007 9780859917223