This 12th-century manuscript originates from the Benedictine abbey
of St Mary in Reading. It contains the commentary on the Gospel of
Luke by Bede the Venerable (d. 673, d. 735), an English Benedictine
monk, theologian, and historian. This is one of the more than a
hundred manuscripts that survive from Reading abbey’s library
today, a large number of which can be dated to the mid- to late
12th century. The manuscript is listed in a catalogue (c. 1192)
that survives in a cartulary of Reading abbey (now Egerton MS 3031,
f. 8v), which includes at least six other manuscripts with Bede’s
biblical commentaries. Contents: ff. 2r-184r: Bede, In Lucae
Evangelium Expositio (Commentary on the Gospel of Luke); ff. 2r-2v:
Bede, Letter to Acca, Bishop of Hexham (b. 709, d. 732); ff. 2r-4r:
Bede, Letter to Acca, Bishop of Hexham (b. 709, d. 732); ff. 4r-7r:
A list of chapters; ff.7r-184r: Books I-VI. [ff. 1r, 1v, and 184v
are empty].Decoration:7 large initials in blue, red, and green with
intricate foliate penwork decoration at the beginning of books and
prefatory material (ff. 2r, 7r, 42v, 72v, 100v, 127v, 157v). 1
large initial in red with green penwork decoration (f. 2v). 1 large
initial in red with green and red penwork decoration (f. 4r).
Display capitals in red and green. Large initials in red or green,
some with penwork decoration in red and green. Small initials in
red or green. Incipits in red or green. Paragraph markers in red.
Quotation marks (for passages from Luke), line-fillers, running
headers, quire signatures (versos of final folios) and catchwords
in brown ink.
