Durham University Library Archives & Special Collections Catalogue
Manuscript codex containing copy of Hugh of Saint-Cher, Postillae on the Pauline Epistles written in Paris in the mid 13th century (before 1259). The volume is very similar to DCL MS A.I.13.
Parchment: moderate to low quality with noticeable H/F distinction, imperfections, edgecuts. Arranged FH, HF. Weathered.
Modern pencil foliation runs: 1-133, 133*-218 (91 was originally misnumbered as a second 90 - which has been crudely altered to 91; initially 127-132 were all misnumbered and the following leaf overlooked; this has been resolved via renumbering and including a 133*).
Preliminary leaves (f.1-2) a bifolium. I-XIII8, XIV11 (=10 + a singleton [f.115] as leaf 9), XV-XXII8, XXIII4, XXIV-XXVII8, XXVIII2. Quire XIV appears to have been enlarged to make its end coincide with the end of item b3, but is the page dimensions are slightly smaller than the rest.
Text-block: 274 x 175 mm. Two columns (width, 83-5 mm). Lines of writing: 60 (space, 5 mm; height of minims, 1.5+ mm). Pricking: awl and knife. Pricked for the horizontals in both side margins. Prickings generally preserved in the upper and lower margins, sometimes in the outer. Ruling. Ink and lead. Single verticals flank columns (three in total in the intercolumnar space); an extra single vertical in the outer margin; an extra single vertical (almost at the centrefold) visible in the inner margins at the centres of some quires (e.g. f.6v+7r, f.70v+71r, f.86v+87r, f.204v+205r) but not in others (e.g. f.78v+79r), but occasionally on other leaves (e.g. f.135r). Horizontals 1, 2, 15, 16, 30, 31. 32, 46, 47, 60 and 61extended; a further pair of horizontals in the lower margin.
Written in Textualis libraria. One hand – closely similar to, but not quite as regular as, that of DCL MS A.I.13, scribe 1. A pecia copy (peciae numbers written in the margins by the original scribe, e.g. vij on f.16r, xiij on f.30r, xvii on f.40r ... xxiij on f.59r, xxiiij on f.62r, xxv on f.65r ... lxxxij on f.175r, lxxxv on f.181v, lxxxvij on f.185v, lxxxvij on f.187r, and [lxx]xix on f.191v); noted by Murano, Opere, no. 517. ‘Cor′’ [‘correctus’ or similar.] noted on each quire, final verso, lower margin.
The Preface and Biblical incipit to b1 and the incipits of b2, b3, b5, and b7-b14 are marked by a red and blue initial, 4+ lines high, flourished in both colours. The space reserved at the incipit of b4 (only 2 line high) remained unfilled. Blue initials, 3+ lines high, flourished in red, head item b6, the Preface to b10, and chapters throughout. Lemmata are underlined in red; sentence capitals are stroked in red. Running heading giving biblical book and chapter. ‘T’s and ‘G’s below most columns, indicating whether expositio textus or glossae.
18th century binding. Pasteboard boards, covered in calf (foliate roll around the perimeter, forming an inner panel, and joining the panel to the perimeter via diagonals at the corners; gilt armorial of Durham Dean and chapter subsequently applied to the centre of both boards); 6 narrow bands; 2 metal clasps. Both joints splitting; spine splitting (at the junction between quires XIV and XV). Rust-stained holes on f.1, clustered at two points towards the fore-edge, at two places on the lower edge, and at one on the upper edge, from clasp and chain fixtures on an earlier binding or bindings. Stains on f.1 and f.218 from the turnovers of an earlier binding.
Written in France, Paris, mid 13th century (no later than 1258).
Inscription: “Liber sancti cuthberti ex dono Bertrami de Midiltona Prioris dunelm′. Epistole Pauli.”, later 12th century, f.2v, top. Bertram of Middleton, monk of Durham ca.1213-1266, prior 1244-58. He also gave other parts of Hugh of Saint-Cher’s Postillae: DCL MSS A.I.12, ?A.I.13, ?A.I.15, A.III.21. Note of content (“Postille super Epistolas pauli”), mid 14th century, f.1v, top. Pressmark: “1a Secundi E” later 14th century, f.3r, top, the “E” subsequently retraced or reworked. Recorded in Cloister catalogue, mentioning Prior Bertram.
Readings listed by biblical book – Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philemon, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus, Hebrews, James, Peter, John, Apocalypse – each entry generally comprising: liturgical occasion (all general – none for local saints), incipit of text, reference (book, chapter, letter to indicate the part thereof). The sheet was evidently reused as flyleaves for the main book by the later 13th century (as is indicated by the title and ex dono inscription added to f.2v)
f.217v-218v, blank bar 14th century jotting on f.217v: “Aduentus christi ... gal′ 4”, and very faint, largely illegible lead jottings on f.218r.
Little spaces were left throughout the text (e.g. 14r, 32v, 99r, 130r, 141v, 154r, 157r, 163r, 172v, 173r, 176v, 177r, 180v, 181r etc. - particularly numerous in item b13) at least some owing to gaps or obscurities in the exemplar: see the incipit of b11. Marginalia and ‘Nota’s by the original scribe throughout.
Further 13th century annotation throughout in lead or faint ink, generally flagging themes; the same hand, which occasionally drew little beast-heads in the lower margin (e.g. 119v, 143r, 164v, 187v, 189r), appears in the same role in DCL MSS A.I.13 and A.I.15. A few ink annotations by different 13th century hands (e.g. f.9r, highlighting ‘error triplex’ – already flagged in a marginal note by the original scribe [“Nota triplicem errorem circa deum”]; f.48r, “Nota quod vtilitates procedunt de malis”.
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)