Art. 116, De martirio sancti Wistani
ART. 116, DE MARTIRIO SANCTI WISTANI: EXPLANATORY NOTES
Abbreviations: AND: Anglo-Norman Dictionary; ANL: Anglo-Norman Literature: A Guide to Texts and Manuscripts (R. Dean and Boulton); BL: British Library (London); Bodl.: Bodleian Library (Oxford); CT: Chaucer, Canterbury Tales; CUL: Cambridge University Library (Cambridge); DOML: Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library; FDT: French Devotional Texts of the Middle Ages (Sinclair 1979); FDT-1: French Devotional Texts of the Middle Ages, . . . First Supplement (Sinclair 1982); IMEV: The Index of Middle English Verse (Brown and Robbins); MED: Middle English Dictionary; MWME: A Manual of the Writings in Middle English, 1050–1500 (Severs et al.); NIMEV: A New Index of Middle English Verse (Boffey and Edwards); NLS: National Library of Scotland (Edinburgh).
2 Wiglafus rex Merciorum. Wiglaf was King of Mercia, 827–840. His son Wigmund succeeded him, but died in the same year, leaving the throne to a kinsman Brithwulf [Berhtwulf], who ruled Mercia 840–52. The background of the tale involves three rival lineages of ninth-century Mercia: King Ceolwulf I (821–823) and his daughter Elfleda [Ælfflæd]; Ceolwulf’s successor Wiglaf and his son Wigmund (who married Elfleda); and Wigmund’s successor Brithwulf and his son Brithfard [Berhtfrith]. In his ambition to marry Elfleda and secure the Mercian kingdom — a plan opposed by Wistan — Brithfard becomes the villain of the legend.
23 By divine punishment, Brithfard is struck with insanity as soon as he commits the murders.
31 die kalendas Iunii prima feria. Wistan’s feast day is June 1, the day of his martyrdom. Modern historians set the year of his death in 849, not 850.
ART. 116, DE MARTIRIO SANCTI WISTANI: TEXTUAL NOTES
ABBREVIATIONS: As: Aspin; Bö: Böddeker; Br: Brook; BS: Bennett and Smithers; BZ: Brandl and Zippel; B13: Brown 1937; Dea: J. M. Dean; Do: Dove 1969; Fl: Flood; Fö: Förster; Fu: Furnivall; HB: Hunt and Bliss; Kem: Kemble; Ken: Kennedy; Mi: Millett; Mo: Morris and Skeat; MS: MS Harley 2253; Mu1: H. J. R. Murray; Mu2: J. A. H. Murray; NB: Noomen and van den Boogard; Pa: Patterson; Rev: Revard 2005a; Ri: Ritson 1877; Ro: Robbins 1959; SP: Short and Pearcy; Si: Silverstein; St: Stemmler 1970; Tu: Turville-Petre 1989; Ul: Ulrich; W1: Wright 1839; W2: Wright 1841; W3: Wright 1842; WH: Wright and Halliwell.
4 Repedone. So MS (ne written on stub; see Ker, p. xvi).
15 mortuus. So MS (s written on stub; see Ker, p. xvi).
16 sustinuisti. MS: sustinusti.
20 notificavit. So MS (first i written on stub; see Ker, p. xvi).
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