ABSTRACT
Manuscript evidence for the text of the First Series of Catholic Homilies, Ælfric's earliest work, is unusually full. It reveals progressive development in the author's text. It shows that when he sent a copy to the archbishop of Canterbury, explaining his aims and methods and asking the archbishop to give the book the sanction of his authority, considerable revision and correction of the homilies as they had been first composed had already taken place. It shows too that subsequenÆlfric reissued the homilies several times and in the process introduced more changes into his text. For instance, in Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS. 188 1 and some other manuscripts certain homilies have an authentically expanded form which they do not have in other manuscripts. Each surviving copy, in fact, represents some stage in the evolution Ælfric's text. London, British Library, MS. Royal T.C.xii is a unique witness to the earliest phase of which we know.
