BENEDICTUS

benedictus, the hymn of zacharias (luke i. 68 sqq.), so called from the opening word of the latin version. the hymn has been used in christian worship since at least the 9th century, and was adopted into the anglican order of morning prayer from the roman service of matin-lauds. in the prayer-book of 1549 there was no alternative to the _benedictus_; it was to be used "throughout the whole year." in 1552 the _jubilate_ was inserted without any restriction as to how often it should take the place of the _benedictus_. such restriction is clearly implied in the words "except when that (benedictus) shall happen to be read in the chapter for the day, or for the gospel on saint john baptist's day," which were inserted in 1662. the rubric of 1532 had this curious wording: "and after the second lesson shall be used and said, benedictus in english, as followeth." the name is also given to a part of the roman catholic mass service beginning _benedictus qui venit_. benedictus abbas (d. 1194), abbot of peterborough, whose name is accidentally connected with the _gesta henrici regis secundi_, one of the most valuable of english 12th-century chronicles. he first makes his appearance in 1174, as the chancellor of archbishop richard, the successor of becket in the primacy. in 1175 benedictus became prior of holy trinity, canterbury; in 1177 he received from henry ii. the abbacy of peterborough, which he held until his death. as abbot he distinguished himself by his activity in building, in administering the finances of his house and in collecting a library. he is described in the _chronicon petroburgense_ as "blessed both in name and deed." he belonged to the circle of becket's admirers, and wrote two works dealing with the martyrdom and the miracles of his hero. fragments of the former work have come down to us in the compilation known as the _quadrilogus_, which is printed in the fourth volume of j.c. robertson's _materials for the history of thomas becket_ (rolls series); the miracles are extant in their entirety, and are printed in the second volume of the same collection. benedictus has been credited with the authorship of the _gesta henrici_ on the ground that his name appears in the title of the oldest manuscript. we have, however, conclusive evidence that benedictus merely caused this work to be transcribed for the peterborough library. it is only through the force of custom that the work is still occasionally cited under the name of benedictus. the question of authorship has been discussed by sir t.d. hardy, bishop stubbs and professor liebermann; but the results of the discussion are negative. stubbs conjecturally identified the first part of the _gesta_ (1170-1177) with the _liber tricolumnis_, a register of contemporary events kept by richard fitz neal (q.v.), the treasurer of henry ii. and author of the _dialogus de scaccario_; the latter part (1177-1192) was by the same authority ascribed to roger of hoveden, who makes large use of the _gesta_ in his own chronicle, copying them with few alterations beyond the addition of some documents. this theory, so far as concerns the _liber tricolumnis_, is rejected by liebermann and the most recent editors of the _dialogus_ (a. hughes, c.g. crump and c. johnson, oxford, 1902). we can only say that the _gesta_ are the work of a well-informed contemporary who appears to have been closely connected with the court and is inclined on all occasions to take the side of henry ii. the author confines himself to the external history of events, and his tone is strictly impersonal. he incorporates some official documents, and in many places obviously derives his information from others which he does not quote. there is a break in his work at the year 1177, where the earliest manuscript ends; but the reasons which have been given to prove that the authorship changes at this point are inconclusive. the work begins at christmas 1169, and concludes in 1192; it is thus in form a fragment, covering portions of the reign of henry ii. and richard i. see w. stubbs' _gesta regis henrici secundi benedicti abbatis_ (2 vols., rolls series, 1867), and particularly the preface to the first volume; f. liebermann in _einleitung in den dialogus de scaccario_ (gottingen, 1875); in _ostenglische geschichtsquellen_ (hanover, 1892); and in pertz's _monumenta germaniae historica, scriptores_, vol. xxvii. pp. 82, 83; also the introduction to the _dialogus de scaccario_ in the oxford edition of 1902. (h. w. c. d.)