Durham University Library Archives & Special Collections Catalogue
Nicholas of Lyra, Postilla litteralis (on Job, Psalms, Canonical Epistles, Acts, Apocalypse), written in Durham in the 1380s. Companion volume to DCL MS A.I.4.
Parchment
Modern pencil foliation runs 1-26, 26A (the part-leaf slip), 27-228, with some initial misnumbering and renumbering from 50-59 and 135-9.
I-III8, IV9 (=8 with a slip [f.26A] inserted after leaf 2), IV-XVIII8, XVIII-XIX10, XX-XXVII8
Composed of two matching, contemporary parts: quires I-XIX, f.1-156 and quires XX-XXVII, f.157-228.
Written in two columns (width 96 mm). 60 lines. Text-block: 305 x 204 mm.
Part I (f.1-156) was shared between three scribes; part II (f.157-228) was entirely by scribe 2.
Scribe 1: f.1r-26v, 27r-76v (quires I-IX and part of X). Textualis quadrata, sometimes semi-quadrata, rectilinear; calligraphic elaboration of sentence capitals; also responsible for some corrections in rasura. Citations underlined in red; some deletion in red; running headings in red to 48v (end of quire VI). The hand of William le Stiphel, as confirmed by the signature stiphel at the end of the stint (f.76v, lower margin, centre).
Scribe 2: f.77r-90v/column 1; f.157r-228r (parts of quire X and XII, all of quire XI and XX-XXVII). Textualis, semi-quadrata, grand in scale but poorly controlled. From f.77r-88v (quires X-XI) and again from f.221r-228r (quire XXVII), citations are underlined in red, and some deletions are done in red; otherwise in ordinary ink. No running headings on f.77r-90v; red running headings throughout 157r-228r. The hand of le berby, as attested by the signatures le Berwby on f.90v (below col. 1 where his stint ends) and le borwby on f.228r (ending the colophon).
Scribe 3: f.26A, 90v/column 2-156r. Textualis semi-quadrata. Citations underlined in black ink. In the work of this scribe alone, paraphs, alternately blue then red, mark subdivisions.
(a) and (b) are headed by a red and blue initial, 12 lines high, flourished in both colours; amplified by red and blue extensions on three sides of the page, their flourishing extending along the fourth side. (c 1) and (c 2), (d)’s preface and incipit, and (e)’s incipit are marked by blue initials, 6 + lines high, flourished in red. Items (c 3)-(c 7) are headed by blue initials, 3+ lines high, flourished in red; so too are chapters in (a), (c), (d) and (e) and the start of each psalm in (b).
Bound in Durham by Waghorn, 18th century. Pasteboard boards covered in calf; decorated with two rolled rectangles, the outer one with fleuron corner-pieces; the innermost and outermost zones speckled to be darker; 2 metal clasps; gilt armorial of Durham Cathedral subsequently applied to the centre of both boards (presumably by Tucketts).
Written in England, Durham, 1380s).
Payments in subsidium libro scribendo qui dicitur Lyra are recorded in Durham Feretrar’s accounts for 1383-4 and 1384-5 relating to DCL MS A.I.3 and the present volume. William le Stiphel (scribe 1) is documented at Finchale in 1381.
M (crossed through), 14th/15th century, f.1r, top left. Nicholaus de lira super Iob psalterium epistolas canonicas Actus apostolorum et Apocalipsim De communi libraria monachorum dunelm', early 15th century, f.1r, top.
Pressmark: 1 2i N, 15th century, f.1r, top right.
The inserted slip, f.26A, contains the commentary on 23.24 (from libera eum) to 23.30 (luce uiuentium), replacing the defective original copy that it faces.
Occasional gaps within text, generally corresponding to a correction. f.156v, blank.
f. 228v, blank
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]).
Stegmüller, F., Repertorium biblicum medii aevi ,
(Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 1950-1961)