Medieval Institute Publications

Old English Newsletter Subsidia

The Medieval Institute and Medieval Institute Publications were involved with the publication of Old English Newsletter 29, no. 1 (Fall 1995) through 39, no. 2 (2006), and OEN Subsidia volumes 13 (1998) through 36 (2016). Physical copies of the volumes listed below are available for purchase from Medieval Institute Publications. If you are interested in a specific volume or a range of volumes, please contact us.

Order OEN Subsidia volumes

To order volumes of OEN Subsidia, please email @email with your name, mailing address, and the volume(s) you would like to order. Orders are subject to availability. The volumes are $5 each, and shipping costs are dependent on location and number of volumes ordered.

Subsidia volumes

Volume 1: An English–Anglo-Saxon Vocabulary

An English–Anglo-Saxon Vocabulary

Compiled by the Rev. Walter Skeat, MA

“Walter Skeat printed his English–Anglo-Saxon Vocabulary for his friends and students a year after his election to the Elrington and Bosworth Chair. It does not appear in his own bibliographies of his writings, presumably as it was not commercially available…For ‘scanty and imperfect’ though Skeat himself described it, the list, like so much of what he wrote, retains its usefulness. It is an aid to the novice, a prompt to the busy scholar, and an invitation to explore the most up-to-date dictionaries.” - From the introductory note

Volume 2: A Glance Backward: A Series of Summary Evaulations of the Scholarship on Old English Language, Literature, and Civilization written between 1967 and 1977

A Glance Backward: A Series of Summary Evaluations of the Scholarship on Old English Language, Literature, and Civilization written between 1967 and 1977

Edited and with an introduction by Rowland L. Collins

This volume features work by contributor’s the Year’s Work in Old English Studies: Colin Chase, Robert Thomas Farrell, Milton McCormick Gatch, Jr., Matthew Marino, and Joseph B. Trahern, Jr.

Volume 3: Maccus and Mauris

Maccus and Mauris

Edited by Manfred Görlach

Out of Print, revised edition is available, see Vol. 19 below.

Volume 4: Liturgical Influence on Punctuation in Late Old English and Early Middle English Manuscripts

Liturgical Influence on Punctuation on Late Old English and Early Middle English Manuscripts

By Peter Clemoes

Originally printed as Occasional Papers: Number 1 for the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Cambridge: 1952

“...all education was under monastic control before the rise of Universities. Liturgical practice affected any kind of writing intended to be read aloud; and reading aloud was the normal practice both in public and in private. It was an association of profound significance for English literature. Yet less is known about the liturgy’s influence on English verse and prose than about its importance in the history of the drama and lyric. I should like to offer a few remarks intended to serve as an introduction to the study of liturgical punctuation and its influence on the writing of English.” - From the introductory text

Volume 5: The Chronology of Ælfric's Works

The Chronology of Ælfric's Works

By Peter Clemoes

Originally published in The Anglo-Saxons: Studies in Some Aspects of their History and Culture: 1959

The author's aim in this work “is simply to define the main features of Ælfric’s educational programme and to determine their chronological sequence—and, so far as possible, the order of individual texts within groups—by means of a survey and interpretation of our manuscript resources.”

Volume 6: John Mitchell Kemble's Review of Jakob Grimm's Deutsche Grammatik

John Mitchell Kemble's Review of Jakob Grimm's Deutsche Grammatik

By John Mitchell Kemble, preface by Raymond A. Wiley

Originally set for the Foreign Quarterly Review but never published. Reprinted with the kind permission of the Acting Librarian, Cambridge University Library from Kemble’s presentation copy.

Volume 7: Rædellan of Heorðwordheorde mid þa “Rædellan in Heolstre” of Se holbytla

Rædellan of Heorðwordheorde mid þa “Rædellan in Heolstre” of Se holbytla

Translated into Old English by Constance B. Hieatt, with Sharon Butler, Scribe

A collection of riddles translated from Modern English into Old English.

Volume 8: The Bibliography of Old English

The Bibliography of Old English

Edited with a foreword by Stanley B. Greenfield, with contributions from Eric Gerald Standly, Donald K. Fry, and Carl T. Berkhout

“The papers in this volume of Subsidia are slight revisions of presentations made by the authors at the 1981 Modern Language Association convention in New York. Their publication here is the result of accolades given the program and of numerous requests to see printed versions. Although the authors have added some footnotes, they have not felt obligated to change the orality of their originals.” - From the foreword

Volume 9: Anglo-Latin in the Context of Old English Literature

Anglo-Latin in the Context of Old English Literature

Edited with a foreword by Paul E. Szarmach, with contributions from George H. Brown, Allen J. Frantzen, and Colin Chase

“Like its immediate predecessor in this series this Subsidia volume is the informal record of a Special Session at the Annual Meeting of the Modern Language Association, which was sponsored by the Executive Committee of the Old English Division. This Special Session, which took place in Los Angeles in December, 1982, featured three papers on Anglo-Latin with special emphasis on its relationship to vernacular literature.” - From the foreword

Volume 10: The Literary Prose of King Alfred's Reign: Translation or Transformation?

The Literary Prose of King Alfred's Reign: Translation or Transformation?

By Janet M. Bately, M.A., Dipl.Comp.Phil.

A transcription of the inaugural lecture in the Chair of English Language and Medieval Literature delivered at University of London King's College on 4th March 1980. The lecture was given on the "independence, individuality and artistic sensitivity" of literary prose during the reign of King Alfred in the ninth century.

Volume 11: Best Known Books to the English, 597–1066: Addenda et Corrigenda

Best Known Books to the English, 597–1066: Addenda et Corrigenda

By J.D.A. Ogilvy, reprinted from Mediaevalia 7 (1981[1984])

In this addenda et corrigenda to Books Known to the English, 597–1066, J.D.A. Ogilvy revisits his list of manuscripts in order to expand and correct his earlier work. “The need for these corrections,” he says in his introductory text, “resulted largely from my insufficient attention to the history of English collections of manuscripts.”

Volume 12: The Sources of Christ III: A Revision of Cook's Notes

The Sources of Christ III: A Revision of Cook's Notes

By Frederick M. Biggs

“Albert S. Cook’s The Christ of Cynewulf, one of the great monuments of Anglo-Saxon literary scholarship, is now unfortunately both out of print and out of date. Although Christ I and Christ II have received more recent editorial attention, Christ III has not been published in a newly annotated, English edition since Cook’s time. As a preliminary step toward an edition of Christ III, I offer here a revision of Cook’s notes on the sources of this eschatological poem.” - From the introductory text

Volume 13: Anglo-Saxon History: A Select Bibliography

Anglo-Saxon History: A Select Bibliography

By Simon Keynes

“This bibliography is intended to serve as a general guide to the primary and secondary sources for the study of Anglo-Saxon history… The bibliography originated as a means of simplifying the business of giving specific references in lectures, and of recommending which books and articles to read for essays or dissertations on particular subjects. It is still intended primarily for that purpose; but it is hoped that in its expanded form it may prove to be of use to anyone interested in pursuing any aspect of the subject.” - From the introductory text

Volume 14: Old English Studies from Japan 1941–81

Old English Studies from Japan 1941–81

Edited by Tadao Kubouchi, William Schipper, and Hiroshi Ogaway

A volume of essays that represent the state of Old English studies in Japan from 1941–1981. The contributors are Fumio Kuriyagawa, Kinshiro Oshitari, Kikuo Miyabe, Kikuo Yamakawa, Tamotsu Matsunami, Shigeru Ono, and Shoichi Watanabe.

Volume 15: Twenty Years of the Year's Work in Old English Studies

Twenty Years of the Year's Work in Old English Studies

Edited with a foreword by Katherine O'Brien O'Keeffe, with papers by Joseph B. Trahern, Jr., Daniel G. Calder, Helen T. Bennett, Allen J. Frantzen

“In 1987 the Executive Committee of the Old English Division resolved to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Year’s Work in Old English Studies by dedicating a session in the following year to the achievements and future directions of the Year’s Work. The papers which make up this volume of Subsidia are revised versions of the presentations which were invited for the main Division Session at the 1988 Convention of the Modern Language Association.” - From the foreword

Volume 16: A Metrical Concordance to Beowulf

A Metrical Concordance to Beowulf

By Jeffrey Vickman, with a preface by R.D. Fulk

A concordance based on A. J. Bliss’s system of metrical analysis. This provides an invaluable reference for all scholars of Beowulf.

Volume 17: Anglo-Saxon Art: Texts and Contexts

Anglo-Saxon Art: Texts and Contexts

By Thomas H. Ohlgren

In this volume, Thomas H. Ohlgren examines ten visual images from early medieval English manuscripts and Anglo-Viking culture to analyze the reciprocal relationships between texts, images, and culture.

Volume 18: Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts in Trinity College

Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts in Trinity College

By Simon Keynes

“The present catalogue is intended to convey an impression of the varied interest of the several manuscripts in the Library which commend themselves to the attention of the itinerant Anglo-Saxonist. It was devised in the first instance to accompany an exhibition held on the occasion of the second meeting of the International Society of Anglo-Saxonists, Cambridge, 19-23 August 1985…” - From the preface

Volume 19: Mac ond Mauris in Old English Rhymed and Alliterative Verse

Mac ond Mauris in Old English Rhymed and Alliterative Verse

Edited by Manfred Görlach

A translation of the mid-19th century German children’s book Max und Moritz into Old English verse.

Volume 20: An Introduction to Old English Metre

An Introduction to Old English Metre

By Alan Bliss, with an introduction by Daniel Donoghue

A new edition of Alan Bliss’ 1962 booklet on the metre of Beowulf. This volume is a valuable classroom resource, which can introduce students to the study of Old English metre by providing “some basic principle and a common vocabulary for understanding a prosody long obsolete but still essential for appreciating the art of Old English poets.”

Volume 21: Beginning in Old English: An Elementary Grammar for Use with Computerized Exercises

Beginning in Old English: An Elementary Grammar for Use with Computerized Exercises

By Constance B. Hieatt, Brian Shaw, and Duncan Macrae-Gibson

A primer for students of Old English which enumerates basic grammatical concepts and then moves through the building blocks of studying Old English in the classroom.

Volume 22: The Scansion of Beowulf

The Scansion of Beowulf

By Alan Bliss, edited with a foreword by Peter J. Lucas

A guide for students to the different types of verses and their scansion in Beowulf. It is a valuable companion to other Subsidia volumes; namely, Volume 16: A Metrical Concordance to Beowulf and Volume 20: An Introduction to Old English Metre.

Volume 23: The Liturgical Books of Anglo-Saxon England

The Liturgical Books of Anglo-Saxon England

Edited with an introduction by Richard W. Pfaff

A survey of different types of manuscripts which were used in liturgical practice in early medieval England. This volume features contributions by the editor and Alicia Correa, K. D. Hartzell, Sarah Larratt Keefer, Janet L. Nelson, Phillip Pulsiano, and E. C. Teviotdale.

Volume 24: The Christian Elements in Beowulf

The Christian Elements in Beowulf

By Friedrich Klaeber, translated by Paul Battles

“While there have been many subsequent studies concerning the nature of the Christian elements in Beowulf, none has offered a comparably thorough investigation of the poem’s relationship to biblical and medieval Christian texts, images, and ideas, or an equally balanced, judicious evaluation of how Christianity informs the meaning of the poem.” - From the translator’s preface

Volume 25: Ambrose in Anglo-Saxon England with Pseudo-Ambrose and Ambrosiaster

Ambrose in Anglo-Saxon England with Pseudo-Ambrose and Ambrosiaster

By Dabney Anderson Bankert, Jessica Wegmann, and Charles D. Wright

“The present work assembles evidence for the knowledge and circulation in Anglo-Saxon England of the genuine works of Saint Ambrose and of certain works falsely attributed to him, including those of the so-called Ambrosiaster.” - From the introduction

Volume 26: The Dictionary of Old English: Retrospects and Prospects

The Dictionary of Old English: Retrospects and Prospects

Edited with an introduction by M. J. Toswell, preface by Antonette diPaulo Healey, papers by Frederick M. Biggs, Mary Blockley, Sarah Foot, Taro Ishiguro, Mary Richards, and E. G. Stanley

“The present volume, like the previous one, originates in papers delivered at a conference, and, like the previous one, it is a benchmark for the project. In April 1997, Prof. Jane Toswell, University of Western Ontario, organized two sessions on the topic of “The Dictionary of Old English: Accomplishments and Prospects,” at the annual meeting of the Medieval Academy of America, held at the University of Toronto. [...] The papers printed here reflect the learning, inquisitiveness, pragmatism, and excitement which characterised those two sessions.” - From the preface

Volume 27: Thirty Years More of the Year's Work in Old English Studies

Thirty Years More of the Year's Work in Old English Studies

Edited with a foreword by Joseph B. Trahern, Jr., papers by Mary Blockley, Katherine O'Brien O'Keeffe, and Nicholas Howe

“The paper offered herein constituted a session designed by the Executive Committee of the Old English Division of the Modern Language Association for the Association’s 1998 meeting in San Francisco. They commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the Year’s Work in Old English Studies. [...] Each of the three contributors to the present volume looks both backward and forward as the Year’s Work enters its fourth decade and Old English scholars enter the new millennium.” - From the foreword

Volume 28: A Bibliography of Germanic Alliterative Meters

A Bibliography of Germanic Alliterative Meters

Compiled by Kari Ellen Gade and R. D. Fulk

A bibliography of resources for the study of Germanic Alliterative Meters, ranging from the late 19th century to the late 20th century. This bibliography provides sources in the areas of Old English, Old Norse, and Middle English alliterative meter and is a wonderful resource for students and scholars wishing to read more on the subject.

Volume 29: Beowulf Repunctuated

Beowulf Repunctuated

Edited by Bruce Mitchell and Susan Irvine

An edition of Beowulf which includes “no punctuation where the sense is clear without any, and second, when it is necessary, a minimal use of modern punctuation.” This is a useful tool for the classroom and for scholars looking to revisit a seminal Old English text.

Volume 30: Ælfric's Lives of Canonised Popes

Ælfric's Lives of Canonised Popes

Edited by Donald Scragg

A collection of essays which “tackle many issues related to Ælfric’s approach to hagiography in general and to his Lives of Saints collection in particular…” This volume features essays by Mechthild Gretsch, Susan Rosser, Scott DeGregorio, and Joyce Hill.

Volume 31: Beowulf in Our Time

Beowulf in Our Time

Edited by Mary K. Ramsey

A collection of essays originally presented as plenary addresses at a conference held at Kennesaw State University in March of 2001. The goal of this conference was to provide a place where teachers of Beowulf, from high school to graduate programs, could discuss teaching the poem in translation.

Volume 32: Old English Scholarship and Bibliography

Old English Scholarship and Bibliography

Edited by Jonathan Wilcox

“This volume contains a series of original essays in honor of Carl T.Berkhout.” Most of these essays “focus on Anglo-Saxon bibliography, reflecting on the successes and challenges, the needs and the possibilities of bibliographies in the field.”

Volume 33: The Old English Life of Mary of Egypt

The Old English Life of Mary of Egypt

Edited by Donald Scragg

“This booklet follows the series established in Ælfric’s Lives of Canonised Popes in presenting studies of the Old English prose lives of Saints.” - From the editor’s note

Volume 34: Ælfric of Eynsham: His Life, Times, and Writings

Ælfric of Eynsham: His Life, Times, and Writings

By Helmut Gneuss

This book initially began as a lecture in German titled, Ælfric von Eynsham und seine Zeit, which was later published in Sitzungsberichte in 2002.

Volume 35: Anonymous Interpolations in Ælfric's Lives of Saints

Anonymous Interpolations in Ælfric's Lives of Saints

Edited by Robin Norris

This project started as four contributions presented at the International Congress on Medieval Studies at Western Michigan University in May 2006. These four essays deal with The Life of Saint Euphrosyne and the economics of sanctity, Saint Mary of Egypt in the British Library, the Old English Seven Sleepers, and the Passion of Saint Eustace.

Volume 36: Books Most Needful to Know

Books Most Needful to Know

Edited by Paul E. Szarmach

This book includes essays on Anglo-Latin literature, Old Norse, and Old English in comparison and contrast, and “The Learning of Ironland” in the early Middle Ages by Rosalind Love, Richard Dance, and Maire Ni Mhaonaigh respectively.