Liber Eliensis - Manuscripts

Manuscripts

The work survives in two complete manuscripts (MS), that of Trinity College, Cambridge MS O.2.1, usually known as the E manuscript; and one in the possession of Ely Cathedral Chapter, usually known as the F manuscript. The E manuscript dates from the late 12th century, and shows three different scribal hands. The F manuscript dates to the early 13th century, with four scribal hands. The E manuscript was given to Trinity College as part of the Gale Collection by Roger Gale in 1738. The F manuscript has remained at Ely since its creation, and is the only manuscript at Ely still remaining from the medieval monastic library.

As well as the two complete manuscripts, a number of other manuscripts contain parts of the whole work. British Library MS Cotton Titus A.i, usually known as the G manuscript, has part of Book II, and dates from the late 12th or early 13th century. British Library MS Cotton Domitian xv, known as the B manuscript, dates from the late 13th or early 14th century and includes some other material along with Book I and the same parts of Book II as in manuscript G. Another Cottonian manuscript, British Library MS Cotton Vespasian A.xix, has parts of Book III, and dates to between 1257 and 1286. This manuscript is usually known as the A manuscript.

The relationships between the various extant manuscripts is complex, and a definitive scheme of how the various manuscripts relate to each other cannot be made. Blake, in his edition of the Liber, suggests that Book I once existed as a stand-alone work, which influenced the B manuscript. A separate Book II, with parts of Book III, was then written and combined with the stand-alone Book I, into either manuscript E or an earlier version of that manuscript. Book II was then revised, combined with parts of G, Book I, and parts of E to make manuscript F.

Related manuscripts include Bodleian Library Oxford MS Laud 647, known as the O manuscript. This is based on the Liber, but reorganised into a listing of the acts of the various abbots and bishops. Blake, in his edition of the Liber, calls that and related works the Chronicon Abbatum et Episcoporum Eliensium. Another related work is contained in Trinity College, Cambridge MS O.2.41, which contains the Libellus of Æthelwold and an Ely cartulary. Two other related works containing just cartularies are British Library Cotton MS Tiberius A vi and Cambridge University Library Ely Diocesan Register Liber M.