Reference code: GB-0033-COM
Title: Cosin Manuscripts
Dates of creation: late 11th - early 16th century
Extent: 79 volumes
Held by: Durham University Library, Archives and Special Collections
Origination: medieval manuscripts presented to Bishop Cosin's Library
Language: Latin; English, Middle (1100-1500); French, Middle (ca. 1300-1600)
This collection forms part of Bishop Cosin's Library, Durham, which was founded in 1669 by John Cosin, Bishop of Durham, as an endowed public library. The library, still in its original building, now forms part of Durham University Library, and
since 1937 the University of Durham has been its trustee.
Medieval book manuscripts (in Latin, medieval French and Middle English) containing theological, liturgical, legal, literary, historical, medical, scientific, and culinary texts.
Most of the manuscripts were collected by John Cosin's chaplain George Davenport (d. 1677), Rector of Houghton-le-Spring, and were donated by him to the library in about 1670.
Open for consultation.
Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Sub-Librarian, Special Collections (e-mail PG.Library@durham.ac.uk) and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. The Library will assist
where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material
The manuscripts formed part of the original shelving layout of Bishop Cosin's Library, where the book cases are identified by letters and shelved by size. The larger volumes are kept on the bottom shelf (identified by Roman numeral i), decreasing
in size as the shelves ascend. There were thus five shelves of manuscripts (V.i - V.v). The V sequence was later reused for printed books added to the library in the 18th or 19th centuries, which means that Cosin V.i.1 is a printed book, Cosin MS.
V.i.1 is a manuscript.
The manuscripts in Bishop Cosin's Library were catalogued by Thomas Rud in the early 18th century: this was printed in 1838 as an
appendix,
p.136-191 to
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. preserved in the library of Bishop Cosin, at Durham Surtees Society, 7 (London: J. B. Nichols, 1838). Ian Doyle and Alan Piper worked on a catalogue of the medieval manuscripts in Durham University Library between 1950 and 2016
which has been used as the basis of the online catalogue descriptions attached to this list.
Microfilmed in the mid 1980s by the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library.
Post-medieval manuscripts in Cosin's Library are
catalogued separately
Cosin MS V.i.Cosin MS V.i.1 later 12th century
Language:
Latin
Origen,
Homilies on the Old Testament (Genesis-Ezekiel).
Written in England, showing scribal signs of Cistercian influence; owned by George Davenport, from whom it came to Bishop Cosin's Library.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.2 mid 15th century
Language:
Latin
Breviary (York use), with some musical notation. Missing about half of the original
From Hutton Rudby church (North Yorkshire)
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.3 early 15th century
Language:
Latin
Breviary (Sarum use), with some musical notation.
Belonged to the church of St John the Baptist, Coltishall (Norfolk).
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.4 late 12th century
Language:
Latin
Peter Lombard,
In Psalmos
Recorded as in Durham Priory Library in 1391 and 1416, it left there in unrecorded circumstances until it was acquired for Bishop Cosin's Library where it is recorded in 1663.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.5 late 12th century
Language:
Latin
Peter Lombard,
Sententiarum libri iv
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.6 mid 13th century
Language:
Latin
Peter Lombard,
Sententiarum libri iv
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.7 mid 15th century
Language:
Latin
Roger Waltham,
Compendium morale; etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.8 early 14th century
Language:
Latin
Anselm,
Similitudines Anselmi and
De concordia presciencie et predestinacionis. et gracie dei sum libero arbitrio; Augustine
De libero arbitrio and
De verbis Domini et apostoli.
Ownership inscription of Durham Priory monk Robert Graystanes (d. 1334). How it left Durham Priory is not recorded but it was owned by George Davenport in 1663, from whom it came to Bishop Cosin's Library.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.9 late 14th century
Language:
Latin
Giles of Rome,
Gouvernement des rois
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.10 early 15th century
Language:
French, Middle (ca. 1300-1600)
J. Mandeville,
Itinerarium
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.11 end 12th / early 13th century
Language:
Latin
Aelred of Rievaulx; Achard of St Victor
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.12 mid 15th century
Language:
Latin
Ephrem Syrus; etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.i.13 end 14th / early 15th century
Language:
Latin
Bernardus, Rabbi Samuel, Origen, H. Suso, etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iiCosin MS V.ii.1 late 12th century
Language:
Latin
Old Testament, Numbers, glossed
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.2 later 12th century
Language:
Latin
Old Testament: Ruth - Esther, glossed. Aelred of Rievaulx:
Epistola de sermonibus,
Sermo in adventu domini,
Sermones De oneribus. Augustine,
Contra Julianum.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.3 14th/15th century
Language:
Latin
Augustinus, Methodius
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.4 14th/15th century
Language:
Latin
Peter Aureolus; tabula patristica
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.5 early 14th century
Language:
Latin
Theological miscellanea, etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.6 early 12th century
Language:
Latin
Symeon of Durham,
Historia Ecclesiae Dunelmensis.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.7 mid 14th century
Language:
Latin
William Peraldus,
Summa de vitiis
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.8 mid 13th century
Language:
Latin
Sermons of Odo, Peter of Rheims, etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.9 mid-late 13th century
Language:
Latin
Quaestiones theologicae
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.11 late 14th century
Language:
Latin
Boethius,
De consolatione philosophiae, with the commentary of Nicholas Trivet, etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.12 early 15th century
Language:
Latin
G. de Columnis, Ps.-Turpin, etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.13 mid 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Chaucer,
Troilus and Criseyde etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.14 mid 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
J. Lydgate,
Siege of Thebes etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.15 later 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Boethius, trans. J. Walton,
De consolatione philosophiae
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.16 mid 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
J. Lydgate,
Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ii.17 later 13th century
Language:
French, Middle (ca. 1300-1600)
Anseis de Carthage,
Ogier le Danois
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iiiCosin MS V.iii.1 mid 12th century
Language:
Latin
Lawrence of Durham,
Works.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.2 early 13th century
Language:
Latin
Sermons
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.3 mid 14th century; later 12th century
Language:
Latin
Clement V,
Constitutiones; Summae super Decretum
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.4 13th/14th century
Language:
Latin
Boniface VIII,
Liber sextus decretalium etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.5 mid 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
J. Mirk,
Festial
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.6 late 14th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Lollard dialogue
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.7 early 15th century
Language:
Latin
J. Mandeville,
Itinerarium etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.8 early 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Pseudo-Bonaventure
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.9 1421 x 1426
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Thomas Hoccleve,
Poems
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.10 mid-late 15th century; 14th/15th century
Language:
Latin
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Medical, Astronomical, Grammatical texts.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.11 early 15th century
Language:
Latin
Recipes, etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.12 early 14th century
Language:
Latin
E. de Evesham,
Quadrilogus de T. Becket; etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.13 early 13th century
Language:
Latin
Pontificale, with some musical notation.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.14 mid 15th century
Language:
Latin
Ralph Ardens,
Sermones de tempore
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.15 mid 14th century
Language:
Latin
Jacobus de Cessolis,
Liber de ludo scaccorum
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.16 15th/16th century
Language:
Latin
Theological Miscellanea
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.17 14th/15th century
Language:
Latin
Usuardus,
Martyrologium
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.18 early 14th century (post 1322)
Language:
Latin
Franciscan tracts on poverty
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.19 early 15th century
Language:
Latin
R. Higden,
Polychronicon extracts.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.20 mid 13th century
Language:
Latin
Isidorus,
Etymologiae; W. Brito,
Vocabulari Bibliae
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.21 end of 14th century
Language:
Latin
Manuale of Sarum Use, with some musical notation
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iii.22 early 14th century; 14th/15th century
Language:
Latin
Visio Thurkilli; Albertanus Brixiensis; etc.
Catalogue
[Cosin MS V.iii.23] late 15th century
Language:
Latin
Rosary of the Virgin Mary.
Cosin MS V.iii.23 was recorded as missing 1 July 1881; now British Library MS Egerton 1821, and catalogued as acquired in 1860, see
British Library online
catalogue or
Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum. 1854-1875, ii, (1877), p. 889.
Not held at Durham; now in British Library.
Cosin MS V.iii.24 mid 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Doctrine of the Hert; Tree, and Fruits of the Holy Ghost.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.ivCosin MS V.iv.1 15th century
Language:
Latin
English, Middle (1100-1500)
French, Middle (ca. 1300-1600)
Medical texts
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iv.2 1477
Language:
Latin
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Fasciculus Morum (abridged) etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iv.3 mid 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Sunday sermons: Advent, Lent, Easter
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iv.4 mid 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Jan van Wackerzele,
Life of St Barbara, etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iv.5 later 14th century
Language:
French, Middle (ca. 1300-1600)
Latin
English statutes of Edward III
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iv.6 mid 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Contemplations of the dread and love of God.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iv.7 mid 15th century
Language:
Latin
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Astrological & Medical texts
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iv.8 early 15th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
Medical recipes.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.iv.9 earlier 15th century
Language:
Latin
J. de Hildesheim,
Historia trium regum, etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.vCosin MS V.v.1 end 14th century
Language:
English, Middle (1100-1500)
New Testament, etc. in English
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.v.2 mid 15th century
Language:
Latin
A. de Insulis, etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.v.3 end 13th century
Language:
Latin
Sermons
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.v.4 end 12th century; end 13th century
Language:
Latin
Sermons; Sententiae; Alfraganus; etc.
Cosin MS V.v.5. early 15th century
Language:
Latin
Book of Hours
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.v.6 end 11th century
Language:
Latin
Kyriale, Graduale, Tonale, etc.
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.v.7 mid 14th century
Language:
Latin
Synodalia
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.v.8 mid 12th century
Language:
Latin
Radulphus; Origen; Bernard
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.v.9 12th-15th century
Language:
Latin
English, Middle (1100-1500)
French, Middle (ca. 1300-1600)
Miscellanea
Cosin MS V.v.12 15th/16th century
Language:
Latin
Devotional texts
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.v.13 end 15th century
Language:
Latin
English, Middle (1100-1500)
French, Middle (ca. 1300-1600)
Medical texts
Cosin MS V.v.14 14th/15th century
Language:
Latin
Theological texts
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.v.15 later 13th century - mid 15th century
Language:
Latin
Wm Rimington, Edmund Rich, Macer
Cosin MS V.v.17 13th century
Language:
Latin
Bible
Cosin MS V.v.18 13th century
Language:
Latin
Bible
Catalogue
Cosin MS V.v.19 early 16th century
Language:
Latin
Theological Miscellenea; St John of Bridlington.; etc.
