4 PREFACE ΤΟ VOL. IV. OF THE COMMENTARIES. In the list of his own works, which Bede attached to his Ecclesiastical History, are enumerated the following Commentaries on different books of the New Testament: In Evangelium Marci, libri iv. In Actus Apostolorum, libri 11. In Actus Apostolorum Retractationes. In Apostolum, quæcunque in opusculis S. Augustini exposita inveni, &c. In Epistolas VII Catholicas, libri singuli. In Apocalypsim S. Johannis, libri 111. We are at present concerned with only the first two of these Commentaries; the former of which is given complete, of the latter only the commencement is to be found in this volume. The Expositio in Evangelium Marci is found in the folio editions of Bede's works. [B. v. 1-175. VOL. X. a C. v. 92-213.] It is dedicated to Bishop Acca, and, like the rest of Bede's Commentaries, shows the zeal which he displayed in studying the works of the Fathers which were applicable to his subject. In his own autograph, Bede inserted in the margin the initials of the names of the writers from whom he quoted, requesting all future copyists to follow the same rule. This precaution, however, seems to have been neglected; and consequently there is much difficulty in distinguishing Bede's own matter from the extracts which he has inserted from other writers. See Rich. Simon, Hist. Critique des Princip. Commentateurs du N. T. ch. 24. p. 340. The Commentary on St. Luke, In Evangelium Lucæ Expositio, occurs in the folio editions, [B. v. 175 —–515. C. v. 215-451.] and is, like nearly all Bede's Commentaries, inscribed to Bishop Acca, at whose instigation it was written. In the Public Library at Cambray is a MS. [No. 277] of Bede's Commentary on St. Luke, presented by Bishop Hildovard to his Church about the year 800, as appears by the following lines found on a slip of parchment facing the title : En tibi ter senos, pia virgo Maria, libellos, The text of the present edition is founded on a collation of the Basle edition of these two Commentaries with two MSS. preserved in the King's Library at Paris [2352. 2354], by means of which numerous grammatical errors have been corrected; but in a work like the present, where it is the matter and not the style which is of moment, it has been deemed unnecessary to add the variations of phraseology which occurred in the collation of the manuscripts. |