Provisional Drogereit pdf

(p. 417) of the scribe. We have already mentioned the clear writing style, which leans
towards the spoken word, a preaching tone 191 . Its vocabulary reminds us of Aldhelm,
from whose works he took the “Almus totius cosmi fabricae conditor” and “voti
compos”. From Bede he borrowed “Albion”. He also used a list of rare words such as:
“plasmatus; protoplastus; onoma; barathrum; gnosticus; cleronomus”. Like
Aethelwold in his youth this scribe must have received the “plenam litterarum
scientiam” 192 . Unfortunately, we find nothing about such a mundane occupation in
the “Vita Aethelwoldi”. Only once do we read the rather dull; “Hic (Aethelwoldus)
namque Regem eximium, cuius erat Consiliarius . . .” 193 . – The likelihood that
Aethelwold was the scribe has become almost a certainty.
In this context, one could still ask: “Who wrote the bombastic signatures to be found
in C. S. 1066?” The scribe in question had no idea of the relevant contemporary style.
He completed in his own manner the charter for Abingdon, which had already been
started by the first scribe, Eadgar A, as recipient producer. The recipient would also
certainly have employed this scribe to help him. His learned style and his vocabulary
suggest the Irish Anglo-Saxon circle, which also had a base in northern France. The
scribe also used the Caroline minuscule script, introduced from France with the
Benedictine reform 194 . The monk Osgar, who had been sent to Fleury 195 , was staying
around that time in Abingdon. It is not totally unjustified to believe that this
supporting scribe Osgar was leader of the “schola” in Abingdon.
If our hypothesis regarding Aethelwold is correct, it is clear, also from the political
history, that the priesthood ran Eadgar’s government; Dunstan having responsibility
for the external affairs and Aethewold the internal administration.
But there is more to be understood. Aethelwold was responsible for the finalising of
the charters. He was not actually a Chancery scribe
191 A. Brandl, Englische Literatur in H. Pauls Grundriß der germanischen Philologie 2 , (English
Literature in H. Paul’s Outline of Germanic Philology) 1909, p. 1098, characterises his vernacular
works in a similar way: “The work is characterised stylistically by simple clarity and a pleasing
continuity. Aethelwold disliked double words for simple expressions,…, yet he occasionally used
alliterative embellishment for emphasis.” See also above p. 397.
192 Chronicon Abingdon, I, 122.
193 Anglia Sacra, sive Collectio Historiarum de archiepiscopis et Episcopis Angliae, ed. H. Wharton,
London 1691, see pt. I, 166. Cf. Brandl, loc sit, p. 1100: Aeðelwod … waes bysig mid tham cynincge
(Aelfric, Lives of Saints XXI, 235).
194 Hessel, loc sit, 17 ff.
195 Chronicon Abingdon I, 129.
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