Durham University Library Archives & Special Collections Catalogue
A composite volume of seven parts: (A) f.1-36; (B) f.37-52; (C) f.53-9; (D) f.60-63; (E) f.64-74; (F) f.75-8; (G) f.79-138. Additional weathering to the outer leaves of (A)-(C) and (E)-(G) (f.1r, 36v; 37r; 53r; 64r; 78v; and 79r) further confirms their independent existence. (A) and (B) had seemingly been brought together by late 14th century (being probably recorded as one item in the 1392 Spendement catalogue and the 1416 catalogue). (G) was itself expanded at an early date, and (F) had been prefixed to it by early 15th century. The collection as a whole took its present form at an uncertain date between 1500 and 1700. 15th century inscription on f.1r: “Quattuor euangelia. xij prophete parui. Parabole salomonis Ysa//” [end lost; the last three surviving words were crossed out at an early date]. The title added 15/16th century suggests that (E) was still independent then. (F) were evidently together by 15th century, as shown by the title added to f.78v.
Modern pencil foliation.
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)
Parchment
I-III12
Text-block: 168 x 130 mm (except f.33v-36r, item (c), where 180-5 x 130 mm). Two columns (width: 60 mm). Usually 64 lines.
Written in textualis by several hands.
Initials in red and blue, 10-25 lines high, with flourishing in both colours
Written in England, late 13th century.
15th century inscription on f.1r: Quattuor euangelia. xij prophete parui. Parabole salomonis Ysa//’ [end lost; the last three surviving words were crossed out at an early date].
f.1r, lower margin, vigorously erased inscription: ‘liber domini Iohannis ?Warner -?- -?- -?-’.
f.36r, side margin, erased inscription: ‘Dominus Iohannes Warner magister’.
f.36r, lower margin, erased inscription: ‘Iste liber constat dompno Ricardo ?Byllngham ex dono dompi Iohannis Warner’. Richard Billingham, monk of Durham approximately 1441-72. John Warner, monk of Durham 1423-1478x79.
Incomplete, stops at 26.4
Parchment
I12, II4
Text-block. Two designs, flexibly treated, corresponding to scribal hands, both with two columns (width: 55-60 mm): (1) f.37-47, 150-170 x 125 mm; (2) f.48-52, 170-175 x 125 mm. Lines. (1) f.37-47: 60-68 (space, 2.5 mm; height of minims, 1.5 mm). (2) f.48-52: 55-58 (space, 3 mm; height of minims, 1.5 mm).
Written in textualis in two hands
Red and blue initials, flourished in both colours.
Written in England, late 13th century.
Erased inscription, f.51v, lower margin: “Iste liber -?- dompno Ricardo Byllyngham ex dono dompni Iohannis Warner”. Richard Billingham, monk of Durham approximately 1441-72; John Warner, monk of Durham 1423-1478x79.
Paper
I7 (lacks final leaf ?)
Text-block: 235 x 155 mm, 44-6 lines
Written in Anglicana
Written in England, late 14th century.
Breaks off imperfect owing to loss of leaves. What remains has about 400 quotations arranged under 235 alphabetically-ordered subject headings. Entries typically comprise: quotation, a number in Arabic numerals, the name or title of the recipient, and guidance to the place of the extract within the letter. The numbers, which range from 1-610, indicate that the tabula was compiled with reference to a substantial but now lost collection of letters that comprised an expanded version of Duggan’s Archetype β plus both the earlier and the later letters of John of Salisbury.
Parchment
I4
Text-block: 218 x 113 mm. Written area: up to 230 x 113 mm. 42 lines.
Written in Anglicana
Spaces for decorated initials unfilled.
Written in England, earlier 14th century.
Incomplete collection of summaries and excerpts from classical and medieval authors. Themes and (less commonly) authors are flagged in marginal rubrics written by the text scribe.
Parchment
I11 (=12 with leaf 12 cancelled)
Text-block: 205-210 x 130-8 mm. Long lines on f.64r, two columns thereafter (width: 62 mm) 46-51 lines.
Written in Anglicana
Spaces for decorated initials unfilled.
Written in England, later 14th century.
Parchment
I4
Text-block: 255 x 180 mm. Four columns (width, 40-42 mm), 55 lines.
Written in Anglicana
Written in England, later 14th century.
Parchment
I-III12, IV14, V10
Text-block: 178 x 128 mm, two columns (width, 58 mm). f.79-116: 37 lines (space, 5 mm; height of minims, 2 mm). f.117-138, variable.
Written in secretary
Spaces for decorated initials unfilled.
Written in England, 14/15th century.
‘Liber dompni Ricardi Byllyngham’, late 15th century, f.79r, top. Richard Billingham, monk of Durham approximately 1441-72. Erased inscription immediately above the last: ?‘liber domini J-?- Manby ex dono -?-yllyngham’, later 15th century. John Manby, monk of Durham approximately 1463-1494 x 1495. The first inscription was changed and augmented by Thomas Swalwell: ‘liber quondam dompni Ricardi Byllyngham per dompnum T swalwell. Registro seu usui cancellarij limitatus’.
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]).