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Orosius. 'An History of the World from the Creation to A.D. 416…’

Reference code
MSS/0064
Title
Orosius. 'An History of the World from the Creation to A.D. 416…’
Date
1751
Level of description
item
Extent and format
Paper; ff. i + 137.
Quarto.
Purple linen wrapper, over leather binding, brown.
Scope and content
'An History of the World from the Creation to A.D. 416..'. A transcript of the Anglo-Saxon translation traditionally ascribed to King Alfred of the history of Paulus Orosius, made by George Ballard (1706-55) of Chipping Campden, Glos.; 1751 (title page, fol. 1). With a dedication to the Rev. Charles Lyttelton, as Dean of Exeter, fols. 2-3v, and an extensive preface, fols. 4-29, by Ballard on the uses of Anglo-Saxon studies, work of various scholars, and sources, concluding with the wish that other translations by King Alfred in the Bodleian Library might be published. Ballard's transcript (in imitation Anglo-Saxon lettering) was made from the Junius transcript in the Bodleian Library (cf. fol. 27) collated by Dr Marshall with the Lauderdale MS (now BL Add. MS 47967). For an account of George Ballard see Bodl. Lib., S.C., III, 160. See also MSS/0006.
Creator
Lyttelton, Charles (1714-1768), Bishop of Carlisle, antiquary
Orosius (c 380-c 420), Roman Christian historian
Alfred (849-899), King of the West Saxons
Ballard, George (1706-1755), historian and antiquary
Previous reference number(s)
SAL/MS/64
Archival history
Lyttelton Bequest. Minute Book XI, 12 Jan.1769, p.5.