The Works of Alexander Neckam

A collection of the Latin writings of Alexander Neckam (1157–1217), Augustinian canon and abbot of Cirencester, encoded using EpiDoc. A website is under development to present this material in a readable fashion.

The texts here are imperfect working editions, generally based on a single manuscript, and have not yet been thoroughly checked. They are being made public on the grounds that, while imperfect, they are more accessible than anything else currently available.

Corrections and contributions of new texts (in any format) are welcome. In the long term, it is hoped that searchable versions of the entire corpus of Alexander's works will be made available.

Material may be freely reused under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-SA).

In Progress

Full text available, but still needing verification to varying degrees:

• Meditatio de Magdalena or Tractatus super admirabili conuersione beatissime Magdalenes, from Hereford, Cathedral Library, O.i.2, incorporating corrections from Bestul (1999)
• Questiones secundum magistrum Alexandrum de Sancto Albano, from London, Lambeth Palace Library, 421, based on a transcription by Tomáš Záhora
• Tractatus super Mulierem fortem, a commentary on Proverbs 31:10–31 (Oxford, Jesus College, 94)
• Tractatus super Parabolas Salomonis, an incomplete commentary covering Proverbs 1:1–3:27 (Oxford, Jesus College, 94)
• Cambridge, University Library, Gg.6.42:
  • Sol meldunensis, a florilegium of Alexander Neckam's prose works by 'Galfridus' addressed to 'Gaufridus' (abbot of Malmesbury, 1246–60)
  • Geoffrey of Monmouth, Prophetia Merlini (first part, with glosses)
  • A florilegium of Alexander Neckam's poetry, consisting of verses on wine (Peter of Blois, De commendatione uini; Robertus de Bellafago, De commendatione ceruisiae; Peter of Blois, Responsio; Alexander Neckam, De uino); Nouus Auianus; miscellaneous verses; De passione saluatoris (which it seems safe to ascribe to Alexander)

Transcription incomplete:

• Poetic anthology in Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, Latin 11867, currently including:
  • Corrogationes noui Promothei, building on the text established by Cropp (1991)
  • Letter from 'S.', prior of Malmesbury, to Master Walter Melidie, canon of Cirencester, in praise of Alexander

Planned

• Commentary on the Song of Songs
• Corrogationes Promothei