Anecdota Oxoniensia. Semitic series.

xvi CHURCHES AND VMONASTERIES OF EGYPT.

at present through a study of the original Arabic MSS. It is from
these patriarchal biographies that our author borrows the greater part
of what he tells us on the subject of the history of the Coptic patriarchs,
and part of what he says on the churches and monasteries. It is thence
that he takes, for instance, his account of the visit of Al-IKasim to the
White Monastery.
The Patriarchal Biographies of Severus of Al-Ushmunain are based
in their earlier portion, as he himself tells us, on Greek and Coptic
documents preserved in the ancient Monastery of Saint Macarius in the
Nitrian Valley. In the later part the compiler has inserted the works of
certain writers almost without change, such as the biography of the
patriarch Kha'il or Michael by John the deacon, a contemporary and
acquaintance of that patriarch, and a considerable portion of the series
written by George, archdeacon and secretary of the patriarch Simon.
Many of our author's quotations are taken from the life of the patriarch
Michael.
Another writer, to whom our author is considerably indebted, is
better known to European readers, since his history was published in
1654-6 by Pococke, at Oxford. This is Sa'id ibn al-Batrik, the Melkke
patriarch of Alexandria, whose name was translated into Greek in the
form Eutychius. He was a famous physician, as well as a priest, and
composed a medical work in addition to his historical labours. His
chief work, however, was that from which our author quotes, namely the
Nanmn al-J7auhar or Row of Yewels, to which the European editor has J
given the Latin title of Eutychii Annales. It is a history, beginning
with the earliest events narrated in the Bible, and continued down to
the author's own time; but its most valuable part is the ecclesiastical
chronicle of Egypt which it contains. The author was born at Al-Fustat
in A.H. 263=A.D. 877, became Melkite patriarch of Alexandria in
A. H. 321 =A. D. 932, and died in the latter city in A. 1H. 328=A. D. 940.
Our author makes more references than one to a writer whom he
calls Mahbub ibn Kustantin al-Manbaji, that is 'Mahbub, son of Con'stantine, a native of the city of Manbaj.' This writer also bore the Greek
name Agapius, corresponding to his Arabic appellation. He composed
a history of the world in two parts, of which a copy of the first part is