DCL MS. A.I.7Stephen Langton, Biblical CommentariesHeld by: Durham Cathedral Library: Durham Cathedral Manuscripts
Physical description of manuscript
Extent: ii+219+i f
Size: 365 mm x 285 mm
Foliation
Modern pencil foliation.
Secundo folio: auctoritatis aliquid
Condition of manuscriptFire and liquid damage to the lower margins and lower corners of all leaves, with mould spotting from f.130 onwards and some loss of text from f.164 onwards; the most severely affected areas have been sliced off each leaf. Additional liquid damage to the top of f.93-134.
Script
Written in textualis libraria, possibly by five scribes.
Decoration
Running heading in large red capitals, widely spaced, the letters often linked by red lines.
Binding
Standard Tuckett binding, mid 19th century full brown calf over
thick wooden boards (Charles Tuckett, binder to the British
Museum, rebound most of the Cosin Manuscripts in the 19th
century)
Manuscript history
Creation
A collection of eight broadly matching, coeval sections: (A) f.3-31; (B) f.32-96; (C) f.97-106; (D) f.107-134; (E) f.135-154; (F) f.155-180; (G) f. 181-205; (H) f.206-221, and a medieval flyleaf (f.2). While differences in the written area and line count of the individual sections, the irregularity of their final quires and the blank pages at their ends show that they were made independently, the appearance of one hand (or type of hand) in every part except (C) establishes that they are contemporary products of the same centre; and some early signatures and the common style of running headings demonstrate that they were brought together almost immediately.
Written in England,
early 13th century.
Provenance
Inscriptions: “Liber: Sancti: Cuthberti: Ex: Dono: R. Prioris. de: fincale:”, mid 13th century, f.3r, top
Pressmarks: “.B.”, later 14th century, f.3r, top right, written over an erasure.
“1a.2i Q”, 15th century, f.3r, top right.
Recorded in cloister catalogue.
“1a 2i.Q” and full list of contents in the hand of Thomas Swalwell,
SECTION: (A)
Physical description of section of manuscript
Layout
Two columns 80 lines
Manuscript contents(a)
f.3
r-31
r
Modern title: Commentary on Genesis
Original title: In Genesim
Language: Latin
SECTION: (B)
Physical description of section of manuscript
CollationIV8, V-VII10, VIII8, IX10, X9
Layout
Two columns 74 lines
Manuscript contents(b)
f.32
r-55
r
Modern title: Commentary on Exodus
Original title: In Exodum
Language: Latin
(c)
f.55
v-69
v
Modern title: Commentary on Leviticus
Original title: In Leviticum
Language: Latin
(d)
f.69
v
Modern title: Prologue to Numbers
Language: Latin
(e)
f.69
v-84
v
Modern title: Commentary on Numbers
Original title: In Numeros
Language: Latin
(f)
f.84
v-96
v
Modern title: Commentary on Deuteronomy
Original title: In Deuteronomium
Language: Latin
SECTION: (C)
Physical description of section of manuscript
Layout
Two columns 78 lines
Manuscript contents(g)
f.97
r-103
v
Modern title: Commentary on Joshua
Original title: In Joshuam
Language: Latin
(h)
f.97
r-103
v
Modern title: Commentary on Judges
Original title: In Judices
Language: Latin
SECTION: (D)
Physical description of section of manuscript
CollationXII12, XIII10, XIV6 (=8 leaves 7-8 cancelled)
Catchwords: Catchword on XIII
Signatures: Signatures XII and XIII in red, final verso, lower margin, centre.
Layout
Two columns 92 lines
Manuscript contents(i)
f.107
v
Modern title: Preface to Kings
Language: Latin
(j)
f.108
r-134
v
Modern title: Commentary on Kings
Original title: In I-IV Regum
Language: Latin
SECTION: (E)
Physical description of section of manuscript
Layout
Two columns 73 lines
Manuscript contents(k)
f.135
r-154
v
Modern title: Commentary on Isaiah
Original title: In Isaiam
Language: Latin
SECTION: (F)
Physical description of section of manuscript
CollationXVII-XVIII10, XIX6
Layout
Two columns 73 lines
Manuscript contents(l)
f.155
r-163
v
Modern title: Commentary on Jeramiah
Original title: In Jeremiam
Language: Latin
(m)
f.170
r
Modern title: Commentary on Lamentations
Original title: In Lamentationes
Language: Latin
(n)
f.163
v-170
r
Modern title: Interpretation of Hebrew alphabet
Language: Latin
(o)
f.170
r-180
r
Modern title: Commentary on Ezekiel
Original title: In Ezekielem
Language: Latin
SECTION: (G)
Physical description of section of manuscript
CollationXX-XXI10, XXII5 (=6 final leaf cancelled)
Layout
Two columns 73 lines
Manuscript contents(p)
f.181
r-205
v
Modern title: Commentary on the minor prophets
Original title: In Prophetas minores
Language: Latin
SECTION: (H)
Physical description of section of manuscript
CollationXXIII10, XXIV6 (=8 final two leaves cancelled)
Layout
Two columns 73 lines
Manuscript contents(q)
f.206
r-214
r
Modern title: Commentary on Proverbs
Original title: In Proverbia
Language: Latin
(r)
f.214
r-220
r
Modern title: Commentary on Ecclesiastes
Original title: In Ecclesiasten
Language: Latin
(s)
f.220
r-221
v
Modern title: Commentary on Wisdom
Original title: In Sapientiam
Language: Latin
MicrofilmMicrofilmed in 1985/86 by the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, St John's Abbey and University, Collegeville, Minnesota. Copies held by them and Durham University Library.
Digitised material for Durham Cathedral Library MS. A.I.7 - Stephen Langton, Biblical CommentariesDigitised April 2016 as part of the Durham Priory Library Recreated project
https://n2t.durham.ac.uk/ark:/32150/t2m4t64gn18v.html
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.
,
Surtees Society 7, (London: J.B. Nichols and Son, [1838]).
Index terms 