Description
Book SynopsisThe Egbert Pontifical (Paris, BN lat. 10575) and the Sidney Sussex Pontifical (Cambridge, Sidney Sussex College 100) cast light on the English church in the 10th century. This book presents editions of two of the best known Anglo-Saxon pontificals, the so-called `Egbert Pontifical' (Paris, BN lat. 10575) and the `Sidney Sussex Pontifical' (Cambridge, Sidney Sussex College 100). The pontifical was abishop's book which contained the various ceremonies which ony a bishop could perform: consecration of a church or cemetary, consecration of all orders of clergy and of abbots and abbesses, and the coronation of a king. The various pontifical services in these two manuscripts, therefore, help to illustrate the nature of these solemn ceremonies in Anglo-Saxon England, and are a valuable index of the state of the English chuch in the 10th century.
Trade Review`The revivification of the Henry Bradshaw Society is an event that should be welcome not only to students of liturgy and of medieval England, but also to medievalists in general.' MILTON McC. GATCH, Union Theological Society. Speculum, January 1991. `scholars will welcome these two editions, the former out of print since 1857 and the latter heretofore unedited.' CHURCH HISTORY (US) ...it is of great importance: the Egbert Pontifical has been out of print since 1857, and the Sidney Sussex Pontifical has not been edited before. The edition is attractive and presented in a way to be of great use to scholars. ...handsomely presented. It makes two rare but important pontificals available to modern readers and will be of great importance in Anglo-Latin and Anglo-Saxon studies. In Geardagum XI * . *
