• Architenens trucidat frigenscens forte Decimbrem. J

+ Quadrificus nonis denis nonisque kalendis. J.

+ Quinta tenet ueram dominam Anglorum Ialhswithe caram.
Quinta tenet ueram dominam Francorum caram. J.

§ Octaua Urbanum cum magno nomine sanctum. J.

T.

By the fire at Westminster, which, in 1731, destroyed a great part of the Library, in the collection of which Sir Robert Cotton, assisted by Andrews, bishop of Winchester, Lambard, Dr. Dee, Sir Christopher Hatton, and other learned men, had spent upwards of forty years, many of his valuable MSS. were consumed, or considerably damaged. Among the latter was the Saxon codex, Vitellius, E, XVIII, which is described in the catalogue to be so much injured, as to be rendered almost useless.* The mutilated leaves, each carefully enclosed in paper, are now preserved in boxes. The kalendar, which is in the Normanno-Saxon character, has lost nearly all the golden numbers, and the letters of Jerome's alphabet, which, depending upon computation, may be readily restored. With respect to the age of the MS. Dr. Hickes supposes it to be a composition of the year 1031, and describes it as containing the names of the months in Saxon and Egyptian. Of the latter there are but few; and as to its age, it commences with the Circumcision, of which the earliest mention, as a festival, is said to be in 488, under Pope Zeno. It is named by Ivo Carnotensis, who lived in 1090, and by St. Bernhard, who lived in 1140.+ There are several additions to the kalendar, in a hand apparently not older than the twelfth or thirteenth century, which, in the following copy, are distinguished by Italic lines. The words and parts of words enclosed within brackets have been destroyed by the fire, and where no attempt has been made to restore them, asterisks occur. The first column of Arabic ciphers is a present addition, to aid the reader, to whom an early and useful kalendar is offered.

* "Igne adeo corruptus ut pene inutilis hodie evasit." Catal. p. 481. Hildebrand de Diebus Festis, p. 37. This writer mentions another opinion, that the Circumcision has been observed since the seventh century. -V. Festum Dominicæ Circumcisionis.

KAL. COTT. VITELL. E, XVIII.

JANUARY.

PRINCIPIUM [JANI] SANCIT TROPIC* CAPRICORNUS. [Errena Geohler Monad] habet Dies .XXXI. Luna .XKX.

Octab. Epiph. 7 S'corum Hilarii Remigii.

G XVIIII KL. FEBR. S'ci Felicis.

B

ΧΙ

C

4

Ꭰ

6679.

5

XVIIII E

NON.

VIII F

VIII id.

G

VII id.

8

XVI

VI id.

B

v id.

[A]nno bissexti lune Februarii mensis .XXX. computandæ sunt.

Luna quoq. Martii .XXX. dies habet sicut semper habet.

[N]e Paschalis Lune ratio uacillet. Si luce festiuitas celebratur Mathia Ap'li in co:

In anno quando bissextus euenerit. aspice lunam Februarii.

si extingurante .vI. kl. Martii. si ante predictas sine kldas.