36 
verfes, which are inferted at the end of 
the work, and which ferve to verify its 
date and authenticity : 
Aurea purpureis pinguntur gammata fchedis 
Regna-poli rofeo paté fanguiné facta tonantis. 
Fulgida ftelligeri promunt et gaucia celi 
Eloquiumque Dei digno fulgore corufcans, 
Splendida perpetuz promittit pramia vitz. 
En precepta Dei decorata colore rofarum 
Munera martyrii demoniirant effe capienda. 
Candida virginitas celorum cura colenis 
Auriflaventis fpecie hortatur habenda. 
Argentique figuratur fplendore micantis. 
Vita maritorum cunétis conceffa jugalis. 
Sic dodtrina Dei pretiofis feripta metallis 
Lucida luciflui perducit ad atria regni 
Lumen evangelii feCtantes corda benigno - 
Scandentes gue poli fuper ardua fidera eelfi 
Collocat in thalamo exlorum regis in ayum. » 
Orbe bonus toto paffim !audabilis Heros, 
Inclitus in regno, fretus czleftibus armis, 
Laude triumphuter dudum fuper zthera notus 
Jure patrum iolio feliciter inditus heres 
Paeincus rector, patiens. dominator et equus 
Prelatus multis humili pietate fuperbus, | 
Providus ac fapiens, ftudiofus in aite librorum, 
ultitize cuftos rectus, verus que fidelis, 
Pauperibus largus, miferis folatia preettans, 
Plenus honore Dei et Chrifti complexus amore 
Septenis cum aperit felix bis fafcibus annum, 
Hoc opus eximium francorum fcribere Carlus 
Rex plus, egregia Hildgarda cum conjuge jufht. 
Quorum falvifico tueatur omine vitas. 
Kex regum, dommus czlorum gloria Chriftus. 
Ultimus hoc famulus ftuduit complere Gocefcal 
Tempore vernali tranfcenfis Alpibus ipte, 
Urbem Romuleam voluit quo vifere Conful, 
Ur Petrum fedemque Petri rex cerneret atque 
Plurima celfithrono deferret munera Chrifto. 
Mutta peregrinis conceffit dona mifellis, 
Annua tune ipidem celebrant folemnia Pafche. 
Preeiulis oficia tum Adrianus funétus in arvis 
Culmen apoitolicum romana rexit in urbe. 
Principis hic Caroit claris natalibus ortam 
Carimanum fobclem mutato nomine Pippin 
Fonte renaicentern facro baptifmate totum 
xtulit albatum facratis compater undis. 
Septies explesus fuerat centefimus anus 
Ocries in decims fol cum concurreret anno 
Exquo Chrittus lefus faecla beaverat ortu, 
Exucrat totum et tetva caligine mundum. 
A free Tranflation of tke preceding Lines. 
* Charafters written in gold on a ground of 
purple are an emblem of heaven, opened by the 
precious blood which God vouchfafed to thed 
for us. They denote, moreover, the heavenly: 
bleficdnets; and the word of the Almighty 
beammg with divine brightnefs, is a pledge to 
us of our eternal recompence, 
§€ ‘fhe ground of rofe colour, which throws. a 
brilliancy and luftre on the facred precepts in- 
feribed on it, ought to excite a holy ardour in 
our boloms, a lively ambition for the palms of 
the maityr, 
Latin Verfes of the VILIth Century. 
[Jai 
“The {plendid colour of gold fhould remind 
us of what importance it is to us to preferve 
immaculate our virginity, fo h'ghly cherifhed 
by the inhabitants of heaven; and the dazzling 
whitenefs of filver, indicates the rare merit of that 
conjugal and Chiiftian life, which the church, 
as achafte bride, ought to follow after. 
“ Thus, the doétrines of truth, engraved on 
recious metals, lead to true happinefs all who 
fhail obferve the evangelical precepts with a 
humble penitent heart, and by raifing their 
thoughts and defires to fublime obje&s, affure 
to them a diftinguithed place in the manfions 
of our heavenly father. 
‘© A hero, the ornament and glory _of the 
world, the darling of his people ; who puts his 
confidence only in the divine aid; whofe vir- 
tue is celebrated even in the heavenly fpheres ; 
whom the facred right of blood has feated on 
the throne of his progenitors; whofe love of 
juftice, of peace, and of humanity, is the rule 
by which he adminifters his powe1; who is 
only fuper-eminent above his tubje&s by the 
‘noble example he fets before them, of a more 
humble and ardent piety; fage, prudent; an 
enlightened lover of learning ; faithful to the 
caufe of juftice, of goodnefs, and of truth; mu- 
nificent to the indigent; ever ready to comfort 
the afflicted, and breathing earneft afpirations 
for the honour, the love, and the glory of God, 
and his fon, Chrift: Charles, this pious prince, 
in conceit with Hildegarde, his beautiful 
f{poufe, enjoined the writing of this precivus 
volume, at the commencement of that year in 
which fourteen fafces preceded his auguit per- 
fon. May the King of kings, the Lord of hea- 
ven, vouchfafe to lengthen out their days, un- 
der the happ eft aufpices! Godefcale, the low- 
heft of their fervants, has executed their orders, 
and accemplifhed this work, in the fpring of 
that year in which this great monarch, after 
having paffed the Alps, repaired to Rome, of 
which he was :lready the frit magiftrate, there 
to worfhip St. Peter and his. chaif, and to lay 
the moff fupeib and rich offerings at the feet of 
Jefus Chriit. Alms were dittr.buted ina pro- 
fufe abundance to the poor pilgrims, who had 
flocked thither from al! parts ofthe Chriftian 
world, by his exprefs and partictlar injunétion s 
and there alfo this pious king celebrated his 
Eafter. Adrian at that tme fat on the threne 
of the pontiits. This holy fucceffor, and the 
reprefentative ofthe prince of the apoftles, con- 
fecrated in the water of baptifm their young 
fon, Carloman, and chriftened him at the font, 
by the name of Pepin. 
«¢ This auguit ceremony took place at the 
end of the year 780, reckoning from the xra 
when, the buth of our Redeemer difpelled the 
darknefs which had till then covered the 
earth, and brought in a new fucceffion of lucid 
' happy ages.”” 
It now remains, that we fhould en- 
quire how and when it came to pafs, that 
this extraordinaty manu{cript, compofed 
with fuch fingular care. and diligence, 
was 
