Bangor and the Hisperica Famina

Abstract

This article seeks to question the starting-point for discussing the Hisperica Famina given by the contents of Jenkinson’s edition. The author examines Jenkinson’s collection and concludes that the ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ texts of the Famina are authentically seventh-century Hiberno-Latin, ‘Adelphus adelpha’ and ‘Rubisca’ are probably tenth-century and written on the continent, while the Lorica is seventh-century but different in style. The author seeks to add to the genuine hisperic corpus a collect from the Antiphonary of Bangor, pointing out its links with the ‘B’ text of the Famina and the De excidio Britanniae of Gildas, noting also that the Lorica is closely paralleled by an exorcism in the Antiphonary. The author consequently ends by concluding that Bangor is likely to be a main centre (if not the main centre) for this stylistic development.

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