List of manuscripts in the Cotton library

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This is a list of all manuscripts in the Cotton library. It is currently incomplete.

Robert Cotton organized his library by placing busts of various Roman emperors and ladies over each his book cabinets. The shelf of each cabinet had a letter assigned to it. Manuscripts were identified by the bust over the cabinet, the shelf letter, followed by its number (in Roman numerals) from the left side of the shelf. Thus, The Lindisfarne Gospels, Nero B IV, was the fourth manuscript from the left on the second shelf (shelf B) of the cabinet under the bust of Nero. A few of the cabinets had only one shelf so that the shelf letter was left out of the shelfmark. The British museum retained Cotton's organization when the Cotton's collection became one of the foundational collections of its library. This list is organized by the Cotton's system.

  • Augustus
    • i - Two large portfolios containing a collection of sixteenth century maps, charts and plans of towns, buildings, fortifications and related items. Some of the items are plans for projects that were never completed.
    • ii - A portfolio containing a large collection of mostly Anglo-Saxon charters, also contains a few later medieval charters, Papal Bulls, and some other items. Includes:
    • iii - A portfolio containg a miscellaneous collection of drawings and prints, many of them military in nature.
    • iv - Troy Book by John Lydgate, edition of 1555 with some variations. According to heraldic evidence the manuscript was created between 1411 and 1458, probably during Lydgate' lifetime.
    • v - Le Tresor des Histoires. Universial history, from the Creation to Pope Clement VI (died 1342). 15th century copy, lavishly illuminated.
    • vi - Le livre des proprietés des choses, translated from Latin to French by Jehan Corbechon under the [atronage of Charles V of France. 14th century, illuminated.
  • Caligula
    • A.ii "A Pistil of Susan" (frag.) (probably by Huchoun)
    • A.vi Heliand
    • A.viii Miscellany
    • A.xiv Caligula Troper
    • A.xv Easter Table Chronicle
  • Claudius
    • A.iii Volume of liturgcal fragments
    • B.v Acts of the Council of Constantinople
    • B.vi Cotton Genesis (fragmentary)
  • Cleopatra
  • Domitian
  • Faustina
    • A.v Miscellany
    • A.x Additional Glosses to the Glossary in Ælfric's Grammar
  • Galba
    • A.v Psalter
    • A.xviii Athelstan Psalter
  • Julius
    • A.x Old English Martyrology
    • E.vii Ælfric's Lives of Saints
  • Nero
  • Otho
    • A.xii Battle of Maldon (destroyed in 1731)
    • A.x Aethelweard's Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
    • B.x Mary of Egypt (fragmentary)
    • B.x.165 Anglo-Saxon rune poem (destroyed in 1731)
    • B.xi.2 fragment of the Parker Chronicle (the Winchester Chronicle)
    • C.i Volume conting fragments of the four Gospels, dialgues of Gregory, Ælfric's De creatore et creatura and other pieces in Old English.
    • C.v Otho-Corpus Gospels (fragmentary)
    • E.xiii Legal Miscellany
  • Tiberius
    • A.iii Miscellany. Includes:
    • A.vi Abingdon Chronicle I (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle B)
    • A.xiii Worcester cartularies
    • A.xiv Bede, Ecclesiastical History
    • A.xiv Bede, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
    • B.i Abingdon Chronicle II (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle C)
    • B.ii Miscellany
    • B.iv Collection of Chronicles, Histories and related material. Includes:
      • Item 1 - Worcester Chronicle (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle D)
    • B.v Scientific Miscellany
    • C.i Miscellany.
    • C.ii Bede, Ecclesiastical History
    • C.vi Tiberius Psalter
  • Titus
    • D.xxvi Ælfwine's Prayerbook
  • Vespasian
    • A.i Vespasian Psalter
    • A.xix Miscellany
    • B.xi Chronicle Of Hagnaby Abbey
    • B.xx Goscelin of Saint-Bertin, Lives of the Canterbury saints
    • D.vi Miscellany
    • D.xii Latin Hymnal with Old English gloss
    • D.xiv Ælfric's De duodecim abusivis
    • E.iv Miscellany
  • Vitellius
    • A.xv Nowell Codex (Beowulf, Judith)
    • C.viii Miscellany
    • C.xii Miscellany
    • E.XVIII Psalter with interlinear Old English Gloss
    • F.xi Vitellius Psalter