ALCUIN OF YORK
LECTURES DELIVERED IN THE CATHEDRAL
CHURCH OF BRISTOL IN 1907 AND 1908
BY THE
RIGHT REV. G. F. BROWNE
D.D., D.C.L., F.S.A.
BISHOP OF BRISTOL
FORMERLY DISNEY PROFESSOR OF ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY
IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE TRACT COMMITTEE.
LONDON:
SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.
NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C.; 43, QUEEN VICTORIA STREET, E.C.
BRIGHTON: 129, North Street.
New York: E. S. Gorham.
1908
No attempt has been made to correct the variousforms of many of the proper names so as to makethe spelling uniform. It is true to the period toleave the curious variations as Alcuin and otherswrote them. In the case of Pope Hadrian, thename has been written Hadrian and Adrian indiscriminatelyin the text.
While Alcuin’s style is lucid, his habit of dictatingletters hurriedly, and sending them offwithout revision if he had a headache, has left itsmark on the letters as we have them. It hasseemed better to leave the difficulties in the Englishas he left them in the Latin.
The edition used, and the numbering of theEpistles adopted, is that of Wattenbach andDümmler, Monumenta Alcuiniana, Berlin 1873,being the sixth volume of the Bibliotheca RerumGermanicarum.
| PAGE | |
| CHAPTER I | |
| The authorship of the anonymous Life of Alcuin.—Alcuin’s Life of his relative Willibrord.—Willibrord at Ripon.—Alchfrith and Wilfrith.—Alcuin’s conversion.—His studies under Ecgbert and Albert at the Cathedral School of York.—Ecgbert’s method of teaching.—Alcuin becomes assistant master of the School.—Is ordained deacon.—Becomes head master.—Joins Karl | 1 |
| CHAPTER II | |
| Alcuin finally leaves England.—The Adoptionist heresy.—Alcuin’s retirement to Tours.—His knowledge of secrets.—Karl and the three kings his sons.—Fire at St. Martin’s, Tours.—References to the life of St. Martin.—Alcuin’s writings.—His interview with the devil.—His last days | 23 |
| CHAPTER III | |
| The large bulk of Alcuin’s letters and other writings.—The main dates of his life.—Bede’s advice to Ecgbert.—Careless lives of bishops.—No parochial system.—Inadequacy of the bishops’ oversight.—Great monasteries to be used as sees for new bishoprics, and evil monasteries to be suppressed.—Election of abbats and hereditary descent.—Evils of pilgrimages.—Daily Eucharists | 51 |
| CHAPTER IV | |