Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1948, Page 36
XXXIV
V
The Manuscripts and the Present Edition.
1. The letters from Worm. Worm’s copy-book is
preserved in the Royal Library of Copenhagen in GI. kgl. Saml.
311 g, 40, I-II (in this work called W I-1I). All the fair copies have
been lost. Most of Worm’s testimonials (see pp. 330-39) are to be
found in the same place in drafts; of no. 4 a copy of the fair copy
has, however, been preserved. The testimonials nos. 6, 12, and 13
are to be found in drafts in the Royal Library in Rostgaard is 1 fol.,
a MS containing various drafts and papers from the time Worm
acted as notary of the consistory of the university1.
2. Letters to Worm. The preserved original letters from
Icelanders to Worm are to be found in AM 267 fol. (with exception
of no. 95, see the note to this). Åmi Magnusson has no doubt re-
ceived them from Ole Worm’s grandson, Bishop Chr. Worm, but
whether that was before or after their being used for the edition
of the letters in 1728 (see below) is not known; in all probability
it must, however, have been after this time. There have been several
more letters from Icelanders to Worm in 1728 which are now known
from the edition only; this also applies to all the printed letters from
Stephanius to Worm of which extracts are here quoted in Appendix.
A single letter which is otherwise lost is partly preserved in a copy
by Stephanius (see the note to no. 21).
3. The old Edition of Worm’s Letters. In 1728
Hans Gram issued a selection of Worm’s correspondence under the
title: Olai Wormii et ad eum doctorum virorum epistolæ I-II. But
just as the edition was ready, but not yet sent out, Copenhagen
suffered under the great fire, and most of the edition was destroyed
by the flames. Only a few undamaged copies were saved. Whether
1 Here are also in Worm’s handwriting drafts for testimonia publica for the
following Icelanders: p. 26 Jonas Gisserus (Jon Gissurarson, see the note to
p. 27510) drawn up on February 23, 1615 (the same testimonial is given to
two different persons) ; p. 32 Gislaus Ottonis on April 7th, 1615 (Bishop Gisli
Oddsson, see the note to nos. 83-94) ; p. 55 Tyrfingius Gudmandus on May 8th,
1615 (Tyrfingur GuSmundsson; he died before receiving any office, see Syslu-
mannaæfir II 69) ; p. 58 Sigvardus Otthonis on June 2nd, 1615 (SigurSur Odds-
son, dean at Stafholt, f 1675).