Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Wednesday, 28 May 2014

More on St Augustine's Abbey Canterbury


Following on from my post St Augustine's Abbey Canterbury a friend who is a regular reader sent me a note about St Augustine's Abbey and the books behind the High Altar. There is, he tells me, an interesting detail in Christopher de Hamel's A History of Illuminated Manuscripts 2nd ed. 1994 p.16.

Among the books depicted behind the altar was a two volume Bible. This was preserved in English Catholic hands until at least 1604, but is, alas now lost.

Given that I would add that we all owe a debt of gratitude to Archbishop Parker for preserving the Gospels beleived to have been brought by St Augustine, and for the other parts of the Canterbury libraries he preserved by giving them to Corpus Christi in Cambridge.


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