Page:Anglo-Saxon version of the Hexameron of St. Basil.djvu/16

Rh supposes was written between the years 987 and 998. It was probable too at Æthelmar's request that Ætlfric made a digest of Ætthelwold's rules of St. Benedict for the monks of Eynesham, as that abbey was also founded by his patron Æthelmar.

In the year 990, (as see Pitseus, and Cressy's Church History, p. 902,) but according to Simeon of Durham in A.D. 994, Ælfric was consecrated bishop of Wilton-called in later ages the see of Salisbury - upon the accession of Sigeric to the archiepiscopal seat. During his continuance in this see he finished the composition of another book of forty homilies, which he also sent to Sigeric for correction. Among these was the celebrated Paschal Homily, which was first printed in the year 1566, under the superintendence of Archbishop Parker, the strenuous upholder of the pure reformed Protestant religion, and the energetic reviver of Anglo-Saxon literature.

The Editor feels that an apology is due for selecting from this valuable homily any single passage, but in order that those, to whom it is not familiar, may be induced to peruse the original, he has ventured to cite the following: "Micel is betwux ðære ungesewenlican mihte ðæs halgan husles and ðam gesewenlican hiwe agenes gecyndes. Hit is on gecynde brosniendlic hlaf, and brosniendlic win, and is æfter mihte godcundes wordes soðlice Christes lichama and his blod. na swa ðeah lichamlice ac gastlice. Mycel is betwux ðam lichaman ðe Christ on ðrowade. and ðam lichaman ðe to husle bio gehalgod. Se lichama soðlice ðe Christ on ðrowode. was geboren of Marian flæsce. mid blode and mid banum. mid felle and mid sinum. on menniscum limum. mid gesceadwisre sawle geliffæst. and his gastlica lichama. Se we husel hatað. is of manegum cornum gegaderod. buton blode and bane. limleas and sawulleas. and nis forði nan ðing ðæron to understandenne lichamlice. ac is eall gastlice to understandenne." &c. "Great is the difference between the