This manuscript contains the collection of poems ( Carmina ) of
Venantius Fortunatus (d. after 600), bishop of Poitiers, with
accompanying letters including his two acrostic figure-poems. Two
flyleaves originally belonging to this volume were removed after
the 12th century and are now Columbia, University of Missouri
Library, F. M. 1 and F. M. 2 (see Voigts, ‘A fragment of an
Anglo-Saxon liturgical manuscripts’ (1988) p. 83). Contents: ff.
2r-158v: Venantius Fortunatus, Carmina (Poems) with accompanying
letters in eleven books, beginning: ‘Domino sancto et dote
meritorum sacris altaribus’ preceded by the prefatory letter to
Pope Gregory I (b. c. 540, d. 604) [ff. 2r-3r] and a table of
contents [ff. 3v-5v]. ff. 158v-159r: Anonymous poem, beginning:
‘Felicis patriae praeconanda fertilitas’.[f. 159v is
blank].Decoration: Two brown and red rectilinear acrostic
figure-poems (ff. 19r, 30r), of which one (f. 30r) bears a titulus
forming a tympanum decorated with a cross. One large simple red
initial (f. 2r). Large red initials, mostly oxidised. Some large
black capitals. Red oxidised capitals throughout.
