"Gul Rogers, 1666."

From the person last mentioned the manuscript probably passed by gift to the College of which he was a member. It is of the octavo size, its binding is antient, and it is written in a distinct and beautiful hand.

Poetical Lives of Cuthbert are numerous. The first to be mentioned is that of Bede, in regular Hexameters, which is well known to the world, and which as a composition possesses very considerable merit. There are lines in the work which remind their reader of Virgil, and there are touches of feeling and description of no ordinary character.

Next may be mentioned the Life, which is now for the first time printed, by an author now unknown. Whoever this person was he seems to have contented himself with the facts and miracles recorded by Bede, without seeking for further information on the subject which was engaging his attention, and his main object seems to have been to clothe Bede's narrative in the Leonine verse which was in his time so popular. In this attempt he has succeeded admirably. Nothing can exceed the ingenuity and simplicity of some of his verses, and it will probably be allowed, that of the numerous poets who cultivated this peculiar style of metre, the author before us has been the most successful. It is for this reason, and not for any historical facts which he brings to light, for he tells us in fact of nothing which is new, that he finds a place in this volume. It is to be regretted that a leaf is wanting in the manuscript from which we print (see p. 97), but we fear that if we were to double the number

of "oulde angells" offered by our friend above to supply the deficiency, we should be unsuccessful, as we know of no other copy of the manuscript.

A third Poetical Life (the Irish Life in verse) has been mentioned above, and a fourth is preserved in one of the manuscripts bequeathed by Sir Matthew Hale to the Library of Lincoln's Inn.

The transcript of the Life now printed was obligingly made for the Society by Mr Henry Turner, one of its members; and the respectful thanks of the Society are due to the Master and Fellows of University College for the loan of the manuscript for this purpose.

IV. The short Life of Eata, Bishop of Hexham, is contained in the York manuscript above mentioned, and as it is materially different from the Life of this prelate printed in Capgrave, it has been thought worthy of a place in these pages. Capgrave's Lives are in fact mere abridgments, and in some instances his anxiety for compression has led him to reject matter of importance.

J. R.

** The Reader is requested to draw his pen through the note at the

VITA OSWINI REGIS, &c.

Incipit prologus in vitam Sanctissimi et Gloriosissimi Regis Deirorum Oswini, et quomodo sub rege Oswi martyrio coronatus

est.

Antiquorum incuria modernorum diligentiam in multis conatibus cogit deficere. Extitit namque antiquitas sæpe negligentior debito, in scribendis memoriæque mandandis strenuorum virorum gestis probabilibus; et maximè illorum, quorum vita Cristianæ fidei virtute vigebat, et mors caritatis eminentiâ pollebat. Hinc est quod visis auditis ve Sanctorum nonnullorum miraculis, eorum sanctitati congaudemus: de quorum tamen vitâ quia nichil est, vel parum scriptum tenemus, quid posteris profuturum dicamus, non habemus. Quærit fortè aliquis, quorsum hoc principium? Ego ad hæc respondeo. Cogit me propria devotio, immo fratrum importuna in rogando compellit vexatio, quatinus Sancti Regis et Martiris Oswini vitam martiriumque scripto committam: sed propriæ devotioni satisfacere, vel fratrum caritati obedire, in hac re non permittor; quia de vitâ morteve ejus, quarum utraque in conspectu Domini preciosa extitit, parum in veterum annalibus reperio. Namque Venerabilis Beda in Anglorum hystoriâ vitam mortemque Sancti Oswini succinctè perstringens, nec vitam ejus ut deceret, nec mortem ut oporteret, declaravit: utramque tamen innocentiæ gloriâ decoratam, brevi sed commodâ ratione intimavit. vero aliis vel dicta vel scripta sunt de tanto Martyre, credere quidem permittimus, sed auctoritate eorum ad credendum non cogimur. Et hæc est ratio, quare ad plenum exequi impedior, quod tamen quoquo modo exequi a fratribus oportunè rogantibus impellor, fateor quippe præsumptionem esse, quod Venerabilis Beda texuit, retexere; speciem quoque apocriphi fore perpendo, quod apud Bedam non invenitur, et tamen passim auditur, quasi veritate subnixum narrationi hystoricæ innectere. Int.... ergo scribere et non peccare, vel nescio vel non possum : tamen quod minus periculosum est eligens, Beda vestigiis inhæreo,

A

Quæ

quæ perstrinxit Sancti merita latius juxta possibilitatis mediocritatem narrare instituo, pauca tamen ab aliorum historiis excerpta,* fidei magis accedentia intersere. Explicit prologus.

CAP. I.- Incipit quomodo Beatus Oswinus, ab atavis regibus ducens originem, post mortem patris sui cum suis honestè exulaverit ; et post decennium, hæreditarius rex Deyrorum ad votum gentis illius effectus sit.

Gloriosus igitur Deoque dilectus vir venerandus Oswinus, claris ortus natalibus, regis Deyrorum Osrici fuit filius. Nordthanunbrorum regis clarissimi Ædwini propinquus extitit, paternique stematis generositatem morum probitate transcendens, fidem Cristi bonæ indolis puer excoluit, a quâ pater post susceptum baptismi sacramentum apostatans exorbitavit. Sublato namque de medio præfato Nordthanynbrorum rege Edwino, successerunt ei duo reges; quorum unus filius patrui sui Ælfrici erat, Osricus nomine; alter filius Æthelfridi, qui ante Ædwinum regnaverat, dictus Eufridus. Hi Nordthanynbrorum gentem, secundum quod antiquitùs erat, in duas provincias dividentes, Osricus beati Oswini frater regnum Deyrorum, et Enfridus Berniciorum sibi gubernacula, quasi successionis jure vendicârunt. Prodiitque quasi ex adipe iniquitatis eorum, dum fidem Cristi quam pauperes susceperant, jam divites facti abjecerunt, excitavitque Dominus baculum furoris sui Cædwalam regem Britonum, et eo ministro apostatas reges usque ad internicionem percussit. Tuleruntque Beatum Oswinum propinqui et fautores ejus, quia infra annos erat, et ætatis imbecillitas et facultatis tenuitas patris mortem vindicare non permittebat; et

cum

eo apud Occiduos Saxones per decennium exulârunt. Cædwala vero, licet Cristi sacramentis imbutus esset, tamen perditis moribus Cristi gratiæ ingratus, gentem provinciamque Nordthanimbrorum armis subactam populare cœpit, nec in eâ juris æquitatem exercere, sed eam per exterminium delere satagebat. Regis tamen dominium uno anno in miseram gentem sibi usurpavit, sed officium in dominio minimè commendavit : Compassusque pietatis Dominus miseræ gentis miseriæ, Sanctum Oswaldum Ænfridi fratrem ex Acchâ sorore jam dicti regis Edwini progenitum suscitavit; ipsumque eximiæ pietatis et religionis virum congredi cum Cædwalâ, non viribus vel armis tantum, sed compatiendi caritate et oppressis subveniendi, piâ intentione disposuit. Fraternâ igitur caritate, quæ vinci

* Vel excepta MS.