The Chronology of the Parker Chronicle, 890–970

The palaeography of the Parker manuscript of theChronicle, laws and Sedulius, and historiography at Winchester in the late ninth and tenth centuries

“…5 He used O and N on i8r, H on 19V and the form of D based on square capital D on i8v. 6 By contrast with the severity of the forms used in this first line, some of the litterae notabiliores at the beginnings of the individual sections of the laws seem to be influenced by forms like those used in the Tollemache Orosius. ' See the facsimile edition, and compare the forms on pp.…”

“…A much later example occurs at the beginning of the laws (36r). 6 Again, scribe 2's stint in the Parker manuscript shows a more advanced stage in the process of standardization than his work in the Orosius where the square capitals are combined with insular majuscule forms. 7 In the two Latin texts, the Trinity Isidore and the Junius Psalter, the scribes used square capitals for litterae notabiliores at the beginnings of sententiae and periodic The process of standardization is more advanced in the Junius Psalter than in the Trinity Isidore, where the use of insular majuscule forms is more frequent.…”

“…5 Moreover in this booklet we get the first indisputable evidence of confusion over the reckoning of the commencement of the year: the entries to 951 are apparently based on the indictional year, whereas in the 955 entry the annalist must be reckoning the year from midwinter's day. 6 The nature of the entries in this second booklet and the con-fusion in the reckoning of the year suggest that the impetus of the Grimbald tradition of historiography died out at Winchester during the second half of the tenth century.…”

“…Hincmar's interest in historiography and hagiography are well known. 6 Grimbald came therefore from a centre in which the 5 In each case the first line of the text begins with an initial followed by a series of square capital forms. In each case the first line ends with a divided word and uncial forms are used for that part of the word needed to complete the first line.…”

“…In each case the first line ends with a divided word and uncial forms are used for that part of the word needed to complete the first line. 6 The best account is by J. M. Wallace-Hadrill (The Long-Haired Kings (London, 1962), pp. 100-5).…”