Cross, J. E., ed.; Hamer, Andrew, ed., Wulfstan's Canon Law Collection (Ango-Saxon Texts 1. Woodbridge: Boydell and Brewer, 1999). ISBN: 859915344
Find in a library

Text name(s): Wulfstan's Law Code

Number of pages of primary source text: 106

Medieval Author(s): Wulfstan

Dates: 725 - 1023

Archival Reference:

Original Language(s): Latin;

Translation: English translation.

Translation Comments:

Geopolitical Region(s): England;

County/Region:

Apparatus: Index Bibliography Introduction

Comments:

Each entry in the law code consists of a brief sentence or two. For each entry, the editors give the original Latin, list what manuscripts it is from, note any differences between the manuscripts, list the sources for the law, and provide an English translation.

Introduction Summary:

The introduction (59 pp.) discusses the difficult question of who wrote this code of canon law: it has been attributed to Wulfstan, Ecgberht, and Hucarius (an obscure Cornish deacon). Cross and Hamer examine the two recensions of the text and compare them. They also examine statements made by Ælfric that seem to be direct quotes from this law code. They discuss Wulfstan’s use of the law code, and the major sources from which the code is drawn. They give a detailed analysis of the manuscripts and describe their editorial method.

Cataloger: MK