Durham University Library Archives & Special Collections Catalogue
Four coeval parts: (A) f.1-4 and 189-190; (B) f.5-138; (C) f.140-153; (D) f.154-188. (B)-(D) were clearly brought together at a very early date (continuous series of numerical quire signatures), and the extra emphasis given to the start of the first of them (B) could suggest that they were designed as a set. The fact that (A) was produced in the same milieu as (B) is shown by the reappearance of the same hand adding leaf numbering in Arabic numerals to rectos (lower margin, centre) in both; and if (A) was indeed a set of reject leaves, it may have be recycled as endleaves for this collection almost immediately.
Parchment
Modern pencil foliation.
Bound in Durham by Waghorn, early 18th century. Pasteboard boards (rolled panel with fleurons at the corners; golden armorial of Durham Cathedral subsequently embossed at the centre); gilt title on spine. Traces of turnovers and 3 V-shaped sewing channels from an earlier binding are visible on f.1r and f.190r (which were used as paste-downs).
Written in England, late 14th century.
Inscription: “liber sancti Cuthberti de Dunelm’ ex procuratione fratris Willelmi de Appylby assignatus communi Armariolo eiusdem”, 14/15th century, f.5r, upper margin (William Appleby, monk of Durham c. 1373-1409, warden of Durham College 1404-9)
Pressmark and title:
“.N.” (crossed through), “Tabula naturalis philosophie De communi libraria monachorum dunelm'”, early 15th century, f.5r, upper margin, extreme top left, and above col. 2 respectively.
Pressmark:
“1a. 10i .h. contenta huius libri patent in fine libri”, 15/16th century, probably in hand of Thomas Swalwell.
Parchment
Three bifolia, the remains of a single quire.
Text-block, 205 x 138 mm. Two columns (width, 64 mm), 50 lines.
Written in Textualis libraria by one hand.
Part of a copy of the same work as in (B) and may well be reject leaves. Original order of leaves: 2, 1, 189, 190, 4, 3. Reused as pastedowns and end-leaves in an earlier binding.
Parchment
I-X12, XI-XII8
Text-block: 205x138-140 mm. Two Columns (width, 62-66 mm), 43-45 lines.
Written in Anglicana
Start is marked by a red and blue initial, 8 lines high, flourished in both colours, with extensions along the upper and inner margins. Blue letters, 3 lines high, flourished in red, head each subsequent letter of the alphabet. Plain blue capitals, 1 line high, mark the start of all subsequent entries.
Running headings give the relevant letter of the alphabet. Head-words are generally repeated in the adjacent margin. References to texts are usually signalled by a red paraph and red underlining.
Parchment
XIII12, XIV2
Text-block: 205x138-140 mm. Two Columns (width, 62-66 mm), 43-45 lines.
Written in Anglicana
Blue letters, 3 lines high, flourished in red, head the first entry for each new text.
Parchment
XV-XVI12m XVII11 (=12 with leaf 12 cancelled)
Text-block: 205x138-140 mm. Two Columns (width, 62-66 mm), 43-45 lines.
Written in Anglicana
Blue letters, 3 lines high, flourished in red, head the first entry for a new letter of the alphabet. Plain blue capitals, 1 line high, mark the start of all subsequent entries.
Catalogi veteres librorum Ecclesiae cathedralis
dunelm. Catalogues of the library of Durham cathedral, at
various periods, from the conquest to the dissolution, including
catalogues of the library of the abbey of Hulne, and of the mss.
,
Surtees Society 7, (London: J.B. Nichols and Son, [1838]).
de Hamel, Christopher, Glossed books of the Bible and the origins of the Paris book
trade , (Woodbridge, Suffolk, England: Boydell Press,
1984)
Peter Lombard, Bishop of Paris,
approximately 1100-1160, Commentarium in
Psalmos ,
Library of Latin Texts A (Turnhout: Brepols, 2010)
Mynors, R.A.B., Durham Cathedral
manuscripts to the end of the twelfth century. Ten plates in
colour and forty-seven in monochrome. With an introduction
[including a list of all known Durham manuscripts before
1200] ,
(Durham: 1939)