DCL MS. A.III.18Isaiah, glossed. Jeremiah and Lamentations, glossed
Held by: Durham Cathedral Library: Durham Cathedral Manuscripts

Manuscript codex, a composite volume of two matching parts written in France in the early 13th century containing three books of the old Testament, glossed. (A), Isaiah, f.3-86; (B), Jeremiah and Lamentations, f.87-199 – plus flyleaves (f.1-2). The quire signatures indicate that (A) and (B) were made separately, but had clearly been brought together by the mid 14th century (indicated by the note of contents on f.2v), very probably by mid 13th century when Durham acquired the volume from Master William (note on f.1r).


Physical description of manuscript
Extent: iii+200+i f
Size: 348 mm x 242 mm

Foliation

Modern pencil foliation runs 1-176, 176*-200.


Secundo folio: uel ob stadium
Binding

Standard Tuckett binding, mid 19th century full brown calf over thick wooden boards (Charles Tuckett, binder to the British Museum, rebound many Durham manuscripts in the 19th century). Stains on the flyleaf from one or more former bindings: general impression of the turnovers; two pairs of rust stains at the fore-edge from the metal for a pair of clasps in much the same positions as the present ones; a pair of green stains towards the fore-edge midpoint from another clasp or chain fixture; rust stained hole at the bottom of the leaf, centre, possibly from a chain fixture.


Manuscript history
Creation

Written in France, early 13th century.

Provenance

Inscription: “liber sancti Cuthberti. Iste liber emptus est ab executoribus magistri Willelmi a Conuentu ad commune armariolum ut ibidem semper ponatur”, mid 13th century, in the same hand as the inscription recording the gift of Master William of Durham in DCL MS A.II.7, f.1r. Master William of Durham, D.Th. of Paris, which he left in 1229, returning to England and possibly Oxford; admitted rector of Wearmouth (Durham) c.1232; papal chaplain by 1248; died at Rouen 1249 (BRUO, I, 612-3).
Inscription: “Liber Sancti Cuthberti de Dunelmo”, 13th/14th century, f.2v, top. “[.b. - erased] Ysaias et Ieremias \Item lamentaciones ieremie/ glosati”, mid 14th century augmented end of 14th century, f.2v, top
Pressmark “.A.”, 14th century, f.3r, top right. Spendement 94, lettered A; 2475.40, lettered B, although neither 2475 {40} nor {49}, lettered L, mention Lamentations.


SECTION: (A)
Physical description of section of manuscript
Support

Parchment: smooth and even with minimal H/F contrast; occasional flaws and edgecuts. Generally arranged FH, HF, the occasional exceptions probably resulting from the lack of distinction between the two sides.

Extent: 84 f
Collation

flyleaves (f.1-2), bifolium. I-VIII10, IX4 ( First leaves: 3, 13, 23, 33, 43, 53, 63, 73, 83.)

Catchwords: Contemporary catchwords on quires I-II, IV and VI-VIII.
Signatures: Contemporary signatures (Roman numeral, flanked by dots; final verso, lower margin, centre) on every quire except VI (which is nevertheless reckoned into the numbering); uniquely the signature for quire VII includes the word, ‘Ysaie’ beside the number.
Layout

Written area: 222 x 132 mm. Up to three columns of variable width. The biblical text is written on every other line or every third line up to a maximum of 26 lines per page (height of minims, 4+ mm). The gloss is written on every line, up to a maximum of 52 per page, starting above top line (space, 2 mm; height of minims, 2 mm).
Pricking: awl. That for the horizontals done in both side margins. Prickings survive in all four margins.
Ruling: ink and lead. Planned for third phase /complex glossed book design – i.e. a solid text-block composed of the scriptural text written every other (or every third) line in a column that varies in width from page to page, the gloss, written on every line, being integrated within and around as well as beside it. Four sets of double verticals define the three main columns (gloss-text-gloss) which may vary independently of them; a further vertical in the inner margin and one or a pair of verticals in the outer margin define zones for additional glosses. The top one or two horizontals are often extended; a further pair of horizontals was often supplied in the upper margin for the running heading. Extra horizontals were supplied on an ad hoc basis in all margins for additional glosses.

Script

Textualis semi-quadrata for biblical text and planned gloss. Number of scribes uncertain, possibly one. The additional marginal and interlinear glossing done to a smaller scale (height of minims, 1 mm) is in a less formal version of the script; apparently contemporary with the main text it, too, might be by the same hand(s).

Decoration

The start of the Preface and of the Biblical text are marked by red and blue initials, 8 lines high, flourished in both colours. Sentence capitals within the biblical text are alternately red then blue, sometimes stroked in the other colour. Running heading (Ysaias) and chapter numeration in red and blue. Each main block of marginal gloss is headed by a paraph, alternately red then blue.

Binding

Standard Tuckett binding, mid 19th century full brown calf over thick wooden boards (Charles Tuckett, binder to the British Museum, rebound many Durham manuscripts in the 19th century)


Manuscript contents
(a)     f.3-86
Modern title: Isaiah, glossed

f.86v, blank.

(a1)     f.3r-4r
Modern title: Preface
Incipit: Nemo cum prophetas uersibus
Explicit: eius diutius insultarent
Language: Latin

Preface, with marginal glosses.

Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 482
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.4
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.5
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.3
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.2
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.1
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.6
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.7
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.9
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.10
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.12
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.13
(a2)     f.4v-86r
Modern title: Isaiah, glossed
Incipit: Uisio ysaiae filii amos
Explicit: usque ad sacietatem uisionis omni carni.
Rubric: Explicit liber ysaie.
Language: Latin

Divided into the ‘standard Parisian’ 66 chapters by red and blue Roman numerals placed in the margins. Arabic numerals giving the relevant chapter number were added to the top right-hand corner of the rectos at an uncertain date in the middle ages. With marginal glosses. Further marginal and interlinear glossing throughout, written to a smaller gauge, sometimes keyed into place via sigla.

Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.11
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.15
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11807.17

SECTION: (B)
Physical description of section of manuscript
Extent: 113 f
Collation

I-IX10, X-XI12. (First leaves: 87, 97, 107, 117, 127, 137, 147, 157, 167, 176*, 188).

Catchwords: Collation: Contemporary catchwords on every quire bar the last.
Signatures: Contemporary signatures, form and position as in Part (A) on quire I, and V-VII, the omitted quires reckoned into the numbering, those on quires V and VII including the name of the biblical book (.V’. Ier’ and .VII’. Ie’).
Layout

Materials and preparation as in Part (A), except that the additional vertical ruling in the outer margin is invariably a single one, and on pages with a predominance of biblical text (e.g. 143v, 144r) only three pairs of verticals were supplied (though there was the normal pricking for four).

Script

Textualis semi-quadrata for biblical text and planned gloss; closely similar in aspect to that of Part (A). The number of scribes is uncertain, possibly one. The additional marginal and interlinear glossing, apparently contemporary with the main text, was done to a smaller scale (height of minims, 1 mm) in less formal versions of the script. Its aspect on the first pages resembles that of the corresponding hand(s) in Part (A); however, it soon becomes more fluid and less carefully controlled.

Decoration

The start of the Preface to (b), of the Biblical text of (b), and of both Chapter I and II of the biblical text of (c) (87r, 87v, 171r, 177r) are marked by red and blue initials, 6+ lines high, flourished in both colours. The Prefatory texts to (c) are headed by red then blue capitals, the former plain, the latter flourished in red. Sentence capitals within the biblical texts are alternately red then blue, sometimes stroked in the other colour; guide letters remain visible underneath. Running headings (‘IERE’ , ‘TRENI’) and chapter numeration are done in red and blue. Each main block of marginal gloss is headed by a paraph, alternately red then blue. A trial for a decorative scrolling form, 13th century?, was faintly sketched in the lower margin of 103r.


Manuscript contents
(b)     f.87r-170r
Modern title: Jeremiah, glossed.

The bottom two-thirds of 170r left blank. Additional glossing in the outer margin throughout. Later ‘Nota’ added to 158r.

(b1)     f.87r-v
Modern title: Prefaces
Incipit: ¶Ieremias propheta cui hic prologus scribitur, sermone quidem apud hebreos
Explicit: inuidorum insaniam prouocare
Language: Latin

Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 487
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11808.1
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11808.2
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11808.3
(b2)     f.87v-122r
Modern title: Jeremiah, glossed
Incipit: Uerba ieremie filii elchie, de sacerdotibus
Explicit: ad diem mortis sue cunctis diebus uite sue uel eius
Language: Latin

Divided into the standard 52 chapters by contemporary Roman numerals in the margins; the corresponding Arabic numerals were added to every recto, upper margin, top right. Running heading IE-RE on versos and rectos respectively, except 102v+103r which mistakenly have TRE-NI instead.]

Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11808.6
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11808.5
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11808.8
(c)     f.170v-199v
Modern title: Lamentations, glossed

(c1)     f.170v-171r
Modern title: Prefaces
Incipit: ¶Sunt cantica canticorum, sunt et lamentationes
Explicit: in uale lacrimarum, in loco quem posuit
Language: Latin

Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.1
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.2
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.3
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.4
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.5
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.6
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.7
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.8
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.9
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.11
(c2)     f.171r-199v
Modern title: Lamentations, glossed
Incipit: Quomodo sedet sola ciuitas plena populo
Explicit: iratus es contra nos uehementer
Language: Latin

The standard 5 chapters marked in Roman numerals in the margins; the corresponding Arabic numerals added to every recto, top right. The explicit (Explicit lamentations ieremie prophete) follows the final glosses and is written to the same (smaller) gauge as them. Additional glossing in the outer margin throughout.

Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.12
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.13
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.16
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.10
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.14
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.15
Citation: Stegmüller RBMA 11809.17

Microfilm
Microfilmed in 1985/86 by the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, St John's Abbey and University, Collegeville, Minnesota. Copies held by them and Durham Cathedral Library.

Bibliography

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.   OCLC citation, 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   OCLC citation, (Woodbridge, Suffolk, England: Boydell Press, 1984)

Stegmüller, Friedrich, Repertorium biblicum medii aevi   OCLC citation, (Madrid: 1950-1980)

Index terms