The Beowulf Manuscript (BL Cotton MS Vitellius A XV)

Two men talking with a lertix between them (fire damaged), f. 102r.

Colloquial name(s): The Beowulf Manuscript

Official name(s): British Library Cotton MS Vitellius A XV

Date: various, from 4th quarter of 10th C to 2nd half 16th C (source)

Origin: various, all England (source)

Online facsimile available via: British Library Digitised Manuscripts

This manuscript is a compendium of four seperate items, bound together for Sir Robert Cotton (d. 1631) (source). The leaves were damaged in 1731 by fire (source). It contains (source):

• ff. 1r-1v: a psalter leaf, c. 1350-60, England (removed and now f. 37 of BL Royal MS 13 D I*, which is not currently digitised)
• ff. 2r-2v: an endleaf inserted for Sir Robert Cotton, 17th C, England
• ff. 3r-3v: a medieval endleaf containing historical memoranda - 3r is from 1st half of 15th C, 3v is from 2nd half of 16th C - both are from England
• ff. 4r-93v:  series of texts from the second half of the 12th C, originally owned by Southwick Priory, Hampshire, England
• ff. 4r-59v: Augustine of Hippo's Soliloquia (imperfect)
• ff. 50r-86v: Gospel of Nicodemus (imperfect)
• ff. 86v-93v: Debate of Saturn and Solomon
• f. 93v: Homily on St Quintin (imperfect) 
• ff. 94r-209v: series of texts from the 4th quarter of the 10th C or the 1st quarter of the 11th C, English, previously owned by Laurence Nowell (d. c. 1570)
• ff. 94r-98r: Homily on St Christopher (imperfect)
• ff. 98v-106v: Marvels of the East
• ff. 107r-131v: Letter of Alexander to Aristotle
• ff. 132r-201v: Beowulf
• ff. 202r-209v: Judith (imperfect)

Marvels of the East (dating to the 4th quarter of the 10th C or the 1st quarter of the 11th C) is illustrated.

List of illustrations (source):

98v	A single-horned sheep facing right, a two-horned sheep facing left.
99r	A cock and hen; a creature with two bodies, two heads and eight legs.
99v	A double-headed serpent; a serpent on the left and a two-horned beast on the right.
100r	A cynocephalus (a man with a dog-like head).
101r	Three dog-like ants attacking a tethered camel, with a man in a tunic on the left with a camel and a young camel tied to a tree.
101v	Two elephants, resembling camels; a two-faced man.
102r	A naked man holding a plant; two men talking and between them a lertix (a sheep-like beast).
102v	A man with his eyes and mouth in his chest; two snakes, each 150 feet long; a centaur with a bangle on each wrist.
103r	Two wheels side-by-side.
103v	A tree from which balsam grows; a donestre (a beast-headed man) on the left holding a human leg and foot; a man on the right.
104r	A man with ears on stems, holding a bow(?).
104v	A long-haired man in a cloak and tunic, whose eyes shine like lamps; the temple called Beliobiles.
105r	A golden vine-tree; three people talking, representing a kindly nation who rule the Red Sea where the best pearls are found.
105v	A bearded woman facing right and an upright beast; a long-haired woman holding a plant.
106r	A man sitting on a cushion under an arch; two catini (open-mouthed beasts like dogs); a robed man with a staff, extending his hand to another man.
106v	A man lifting a woman; a tree on which gems grow; two men representing the race of the Ethiopians.