Contents: This manuscript consists of the Historia Langobardorum
(History of the Lombards) by Paul the Deacon (d. 799) followed by
an excerpt from the Frechulf of Lisieux's Chronicle describing the
Ethiopian conquest including Moses's birth, and a poem relating to
the preservation of the Benedictine abbey of St Bertin, St Omer.
The scribe who copied the main part of the manuscript (ff. 2v-71r)
may have written Royal MS 13 A XXIII (Mauritius, a monk of the
abbey of Mont Saint-Michel), according to Alexander, Norman
illumination (1970). ff. 2r-69r: Paul the Deacon, Historia
Langobardorum, in six books with marginal glosses written by an
early 12th-century scribe. Book 1 (ff. 2r-13r), preceded by
capitula (ff. 2r-v), beginning: 'Septemtriunalis plaga quanto magis
ab estu solis remota est'; Book 2 (ff. 13r-21v), preceded by
capitula (ff. 13r-v), beginning: 'Igitur cum circum quaque
frequentes Langobardorum victorie personarent'; Book 3 (ff.
21v-31v), preceded by capitula (ff. 21v-22r), beginning: 'Igitur
aliquanti ex ducibus Langobardorum cum valido exercitu gallias
ingrediuntur'; Book 4 (ff. 31v-44r), preceded by capitula (ff.
31v-32r), beginning: 'Confirmata igitur Agilulfi qui et ago dictus
est regia dignitate'; Book 5 (ff. 44r-55v), preceded by capitula
(ff. 44r-v), beginning: 'Confirmata itaque Grimoald regno apud
Ticinum'; Book 6 (ff. 55v-69r), preceded by capitula (ff. 55v-56v),
beginning: 'Dum ista aput Langobardos trans Padum geruntur'; ending
(f. 69r): 'maxima semper cura Francorum avarorumque pacem
custodiens'. ff. 69r-71r: Excerpt from Frechulf of Lisieux,
Chronica, chapter 8, beginning: 'Assyriorum .xvi. Ascathades annis
.xl. huius regni anno', ending: 'Hec namque ex Josephi decerpsimus
Historia'. ff. 71v-72r: An added poem on the preservation of St
Bertin's abbey at St Omer from destruction by fire by St Vincent,
St Omer, and St Bertin who appeared in the form of three white
pigeons. The miracle is said to have occurred in the time of abbot
Odbert (reigned 1000-1012), beginning: '‘Dic suavis cithara, dic
citharista'.Decoration:One large initial in green with a dragon
motif (f. 2v). Smaller plain initials in red. Headings in black
ink. An added drawing in margin (f. 57r).
