Aelfsin or Aelsin. Calligrapher.. Saec. X.
Monk of New Minster, before the removal to Hyde, which took place in 1110, under Abbot Geoffry (see Aelfwine).
Wrote an "Officium S. Crucis" with two miniatures in the same manner as those of the Benedictional of Aethelwold, Bishop of Winchester. It is contained in a volume of various tracts among the Cotton MSS, Titus D. 27. On the miniature representing the Crucifixion, with Sol and Luna above, inscription, "Hæc crux consignet Aelfwinum, corpore, mente. In quo suspendens traxit Deus omnia secum." Prefixed to the volume is a calendar of the tenth century (about 978), which contains a number of obituary notices of an interesting kind. Thus on the V Non. Julii "Obita. wulfrici mo pictoris." On the VIII Id. Julii "Obitus EADGARI REGIS." On the XIII Kal. Maii "Obitus Aetherici mo pictoris." On the VIII Kal. Sept. "Obitus AELFSINI ABBS. These and other deaths all occurred probably within a few years of each other, that of Edgar being in 975. Besides, the style of the miniatures is precisely that of the Aethelwold Benedictional, and Aethelwold was Bishop of Winchester from 963 to 984. Mr. Gage was of opinion that a miniature in Titus D. 26 is by the same hand as those in this "Aelsin" MS., and that both the Rouen Benedictional and the other MSS. spoken of are either by the hand or from the school of Godemann ("Archæologia," xxiv. 42). In the calendar above mentioned are some enigmatical lines, which may be read:
Wrote several treatises in Saxon and Latin, contained in a MS. in the British Museum (Titus D. 27), some time between 978 and 995.--Warton: History of English Poetry, Dissertations, ii. 101 (Ed. 1840).
The frequent inaccuracy of Warton's references makes it very difficult to verify them. Here for example he gives Tit. D. 26, which is wrong. I doubt even this name, although Aelfsin occurs as Abbot (977-995), and his death is mentioned in the obituary, as is also that of another Aelsin, a priest.