Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 01.djvu/180

Ælfric ‘Testimonie’ has frequently been reprinted, e.g. by W. L'Isle in 1623. It was re-edited by Mr. Copinger, and published by Pickering, London, 1877. In 1715 Elizabeth Elstob, niece of the great Anglo-Saxon scholar Hickes, made two attempts to publish the ‘Homilies.’ She did not accomplish more than a few pages in either case. The homily for the Nativity of St. George was published by her in 1709, and was reprinted in 1839. The two books of homilies, the second containing five additional discourses in the original Anglo-Saxon, with a modern English version, were edited by Thorpe and printed for the Ælfric Society, London, 1844–46. The sermons for saints' days have been edited by Mr. Skeat for the Early English Text Society 1881. 2. ‘A Treatise on the Old and New Testaments’ (ed. W. L'Isle, 1623). This work has also afforded food for controversy. Mr. H. Soames in his ‘Bampton Lectures’ (No. 96), and in his ‘Latin Church in the Anglo-Saxon Times,’ declares that Ælfric followed Jerome in his opinions on the subject of canonicity; while Dr. Lingard, in his ‘History and Antiquities,’ maintains that he is in accord with the Tridentine dogma. 3. The ‘Heptateuchus,’ an abridgment and translation of the first seven books of the Old Testament, with the Book of Job, &c., edited by E. Thwaites, Oxford, 1699. 4. The Life of St. Æthelwold in ‘Chron. Monasterii de Abingdon,’ ii. 255, ed. Stevenson, R. S., beginning ‘Alfricus Abbas, Wintoniensis alumnus.’ 5. ‘Excerpts from St. Æthelwold's Rule of St. Benedict,’ for the monks of Ensham. A proposal for publication under the editorship of W. E. Buckley, of Brasenose College, Oxford, was put forth by the Ælfric Society. 6. ‘Canons,’ written for Wulfsy, bishop of Sherborn (991–1001). These canons relate to the duties of priests. They magnify the priestly office, saying that there is no difference in order between a priest and a bishop, though the bishops have distinct duties and precedence. They refer to the universal habit of the marriage of the clergy and to their worldly lives. Canon 36 contains the same teaching concerning the ‘Holy Housel’ as the Paschal homily. 7. A ‘Pastoral Letter,’ written for Wulfstan, archbishop of York (1003–1023), in which he makes the archbishop declare that he will not forcibly compel his clergy to chastity, but admonishes them to observe that rule. 8. A letter entitled ‘Quando dividis Chrisma,’ on the use of the holy oil. These three, 6, 7, 8, are printed in Thorpe's ‘Ancient Laws and Institutes,’ published under the direction of the Commissioners of Public Records, 1840. The Corpus Christi College MS. of the ‘Canons’ ends with the 35th; cetera desunt. From this Spelman printed in the ‘Concilia,’ vol. i., and Migne in the ‘Patrologia,’ vol. cxxxix. This is all that Migne publishes of Ælfric's works, on account, he says, of their anti-catholic tendency. 9. A ‘Latin Grammar and Glossary,’ printed by W. Somner in the ‘Dictionarium Saxonico-Latino-Anglicum,’ Oxford, 1659. This grammar gained Ælfric the title of Grammaticus. It is founded on the grammars of Donatus and Priscian. It was written for, and is dedicated to, the boys of England. A twelfth-century fragment of the grammar was found by Sir T. Phillipps at Worcester, and published by him under the signature T. P., London, 1838. The grammar is included in the ‘Sammlung englischer Denkmäler,’ Berlin, 1880. 10. The ‘Colloquium,’ a dialogue written by Ælfric and enlarged by Ælfric Bata, his disciple. This is an amusing reading-book, designed to help young scholars to speak Latin correctly. It contains descriptions of the daily life of men of various occupations—e.g. of the ploughman, the king's huntsman, and the monastic scholar. It is published in Thorpe's ‘Analecta Anglo-Saxonica,’ 1834, and in ‘Altsächsische und angelsächsische Sprachproben,’ Halle, 1838. 11. A treatise ‘De Temporibus Anni,’ published by the Historical Society of Science in ‘Popular Treatises on Science during the Middle Ages,’ ed. T. Wright, 1841; and one or two short letters.

[Authorities quoted above, and notices in Ælfric's own works. For fuller list of editions see Wright's Biog. Brit. Lit.]  ÆLFRIC (d. 1051), archbishop of York, called, or the kite, first appears as provost of Winchester. He was consecrated to the see of York in 1023. Wharton (Anglia Sacra, i. 125) asserts his identity with the Abbot Ælfric, called the Grammarian [q. v.]. A refutation of this theory was put forth by E. R. Mores (published by Thorkelin, 1789), who attempted to prove that the grammarian was Ælfric, archbishop of Canterbury. The theory of Mores, which is adopted with some hesitation by Wright (Biog. Lit. vol. i.), seems impossible for chronological reasons. At the same time it is difficult to believe that the Archbishop of York could have been the grammarian, as he must in that case have lived to a very great age, and some record would probably have been given of this if such had been the fact. Ælfric of York was a benefactor to the collegiate churches of Beverley and Southwell. At Beverley he instituted the offices of chancellor, sacristan, and precentor, and translated the body of St. John of Beverley with great magnificence.