Coronation Gospels (British Library, Cotton MS Tiberius A.ii)

The Gospel book was probably written on the Continent, possibly at Lobbes Abbey (Belgium), in the late 9th or early 10th century.

It was presented by King Athelstan to Christ Church Priory, Canterbury, in the early 10th century, as a lengthy inscription on f. 15v records.

[1][2] Their names (odda rex and mihtild mater regis) are written, probably by an Englishman, on the back of the picture of Saint Matthew (f. 24r), here shown to the right.

[2][5] A third inscription, which occurs now on f. 15r but may originally have come before f. 3r, presents the Latin poem Rex pius Æðelstan ("Devout King Athelstan"), written by a continental scribe in Caroline minuscule.

[1] During the 11th and 12th century, blank spaces in the manuscript were used to record a number of texts in Old English and Latin bearing on the properties of Christ Church, Canterbury.