Gripla - 01.01.1993, Page 58

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GRIPLA
by Björn Jónsson on Skarðsá from the vellum (AM 122b fol.), prob-
ably in the years 1635-1637.13 According to Jón Jóhannesson,14 Björn
had AM 122a fol. (Króksfjarðarbók) as well, from which he took addi-
tions and variants which Björn inserted in the margin of his copy (see
below) or on separate pages. Björn might also have interpolated the
text of both Króksfjarðarbók and Reykjarfjarðarbók towards the end
of his copy, but this, however, is rather unlikely.15 Björn Jónsson’s copy
is unfortunately lost, but from it are derived several paper manu-
scripts. The most important of these are: British Library Add. 11.127
(Br.), Stock. pap. 8 4to (H), AM 439 4to and AM 440 4to;16 the last-
mentioned manuscript is not used here, since it does not contain the
relevant passage from Hrafns saga.
There is one further group of manuscripts, of which the following
are used: Advocates’ Library 21-3-17 (V) and Ny kgl. saml. 1234 fol.
(1234). This group, according to Kálund,17 falls partly under the IIp
group in that the manuscripts derive from a combination of Br., one
manuscript from the Ip group and one unclassified manuscript. Jón Jó-
hannesson,18 however, thinks that they should be classified as a sep-
arate group.
British Library Add. 11.127 (Br.) is written by six different hands in
the year 1696 or thereabouts. In the manuscript this note is to be found
written in hand II: ‘Skrifud a Oddastad a Rangdrvóllum Anno 1696, D.
20 Aprilis.’
This manuscript contains four sagas, the first and longest of which is
Sturlunga saga. The relevant passage from Hrafns saga is contained on
leaves 73r-78r and is written in hand II.
According to Kálund19 there is no doubt that this manuscript was
written for Síra Björn Þorleifsson in Oddi, later bishop of Hólar (1697-
13 Kálund, op. cit. p. xxxvii; Jón Jóhannesson, ibid.; Árna saga biskups 1972, pp.
xviii-xix.
14 Jón Jóhannesson, op. cit., pp. xiv-xv.
15 Jón Jóhannesson, ibid.
16 Jón Jóhannesson, op. cit., p. xv.
17 Kálund, op. cit., pp. lv, lxii, lxiii.
18
Jón Jóhannesson, ibid.
19 Kálund, op. cit., p. lvii; cf. also Árna saga biskups 1972, p. xix.