Johannes Faventius, Summa super Decretum Gratiani, written in England in the early 13th century
Parchment: modest to low quality with noticeable H/F distinction; variations in tone and texture; flaws, some surface areas rough. Arranged HF, FH.
Modern pencil foliation.
I4, II-III8, IV4, V-VI8, VII10, VIII9 (=8+1 [f.59]), IX-XII8, XIII12, XIV-XVI8, XVII4
Written area: 235 x 152 mm.
Two columns (68 mm), 53 lines (space, 4.5-5 mm; height of minims, 1.5 mm).
Pricking: awl and knife. Pricking in both side margins for the horizontals.
Ruling: lead and ink.
The main text is written in Textualis libraria by two scribes.
Blue capitals, 3+ lines high, modestly flourished in red (or vice versa), followed by one or two words in red and blue capitals for main headings. Red and blue capitals in the margins flag the Distinctiones and Quaestiones treated. Lemmata within the text are highlighted by red underlining plus (if the start of a sentence) a red or blue capital.
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). Pair of rust stains at fore-edge of fols. 1-2 from the fixtures for the clasps of an earlier binding.
Written in England, early 13th century.
Inscription: “Lectura super decreta”,mid 14th century, f.2r; “.[O>Q].”, 14th century(?), “[O>Q>D] lectura super decreta”, early 15th century, with “cum quibsdam notulis”, added 15th/16th century by Thomas Swalwell. Also “petrus solinus” - more appropriate to DCL MS C.II.6, early 16th century, f.5r.
Pressmarks: “.F.”, “E” (erased), f.2r. “2a 8i D”, 15th/16th century, f.5r. Recorded in Spendement catalogue.
Notes in various hands
The text begins two-thirds of the way down f.5r, col. i. with the Introduction; the Preface which presumably preceded it, has apparently been erased. Minimal subsequent annotation, largely restricted to Nota marks, including on f.31v crudely sketched heads.
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]).