The Southwick Idyll and the Old English Introduction to the Soliloquies:
A Diplomatic and Digital Edition of the First Four Pages of the Southwick Codex
This website offers a reconsideration of the first four pages of the Southwick Codex. Traditionally, the first three pages have been read as the preface to the Old English Soliloquies. In most editions, this preface continues through the upper half of the fourth page, with the Old English Soliloquies beginning halfway down the page. A recent edition, however, has the preface ending on the third page and the Old English Soliloquies beginning at the top of the fourth. This edition interprets these four pages differently. It is argued in the foreword that the codex’s first three pages do not form a preface to the Old English Soliloquies but are the fragmentary conclusion to a different text, whereas the fourth page in its entirety offers a formal introduction to the Old English Soliloquies. The fragment is here named the Southwick Idyll. The website offers a diplomatic digital edition of these four pages in two formats: one preserving the manuscript’s lineation and the other setting the two texts into paragraphs for smoother reading. The brief guide explains the features of the edition and how to use it.
Editor
Michael Treschow, University of British Columbia
Associate Editors
Elizabeth Williamson, University of Exeter
Gary Stringer, University of Exeter
Julia Hopkin, University of Glasgow
Editorial Assistant and Webmaster
Matthew Holdt, University of British Columbia
This project was undertaken in collaboration with the Digital Humanities Lab at the University of Exeter, with financial support from the UBC Okanagan–Exeter Excellence Fund’s Catalyst Grant. This funding made the collaboration, and ultimately the realization of this edition, possible. As editor, I want to express my gratitude to the Exeter team: Lizzy Williamson for her leadership and expertise, Julia Hopkin for her insightful and meticulous work, and Gary Stringer for his ready support and guidance. I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Matthew Holdt at UBC Okanagan for his dedication to the project and his technical expertise in developing this website. My thanks go also to Ali Mirzabayati for shouldering a share of the work at an earlier phase. Claire Breay and Julian Harrison of the British Library deserve particular appreciation for their generous assistance and support in my inquiries into the manuscript, as do Francis Leneghan and Tristan Major for their valuable comments and encouragement. But beyond all, I am grateful to Debra, for the sheer possibility of it. Any errors or deficiencies in this edition fall to me. — MT
For Sam and Paul, whatever good will grow.
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© 2026 Michael Treschow. All rights reserved.
The website's preview image is an AI-generated illustration of the Southwick Idyll.