Durham University Library Archives & Special Collections Catalogue
Glossed books of the Bible: Canonical Epistles, Sapiential books, Apocalypse, Minor Prophets; written in England or France early 13th century. A composite volume of six contemporary, matching parts: (A) f.6-91; (B) f.92-119; (C) f.120-141; (D) f.142-157; (E) f.158-225; (F) f.226-291; plus medieval flyleaves (f.4-5); plus raised pastedowns and fly- and endleaves (f.1-3 and 292-4) recycled from a different medieval book. The use of the last page of (E) to supplement the first page of (F) shows that these parts were joined in the early 13th century; and (A) to (F) plus f.4-5 had all been brought together by the second half of the 14th century at the latest (content list of that date on f.5v). That the recycled leaves were added at a later stage is indicated by the presence of two rust-ringed holes in f.4-6 (from metal fixtures on an earlier binding) which do not appear on f.1-3, and similarly by rust stains from fixtures plus impressions from board channels on f.290-291 that are not on f.292-4. Nevertheless, the stains and holes from different metal fixtures that are common to f.1-5 and to f.291-4 show that the recycled leaves were deployed for some time in at least one binding prior to the present one.
Parchment
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).
Traces of two previous bindings.
(1) Rust-stained holes on f.4-5 from two metal fixtures, half way across the leaf, one approximately 70 mm down from the top, the other approximately 70 mm up from the bottom; rust-stained holes on f.290-1, half way across the leaf, one 165 mm up from the bottom, a triangle of three smaller ones 80 mm from the bottom. Impressions left on f.91 from four oblong sewing channels (12 x 30 mm), occurring 70, 135, 205, and 285 mm from the top of the leaf, aligned with their long side at right angles to the spine.
(2) Rust-ringed holes (from the metal fixtures for a pair of clasps) towards the fore-edge of f.1-5. Stains on f.1r from turnovers. Rust-ringed hole from a metal clasp fixture at the fore-edge, towards the top of f.291-294. Stains from turnovers on f.294v. Impressions on f.293-4 from a pair of V-shaped sewing channels, close to the gutter, their points 110 and 250 mm from the top of the leaf.
Written in France or England, early 13th century.
Inscription: “¶liber Sancti Cuthberti de Dunelmo”, later 13th century, f.5v, top.
“Assignatus communi armario in claustro, qui hunc alienauerit anathema sit Amen.”, later 14th century, f.5v, added above the ex libris and linked to it by a line.
List of contents, later 14th century, f.5v (below ex libris): “In isto volumine continentur libri subscripti. Epistola iacobi canonica … Malachias” (contents of (A)-(F).
Pressmark: “.A.”, later 14th century, f.6r, top right.
“A Epistole canonice de communi libraria monachorum dunelm'”, early 15th century f.6r.
Cited in Cloister and Spendement catalogues.
Parchment
Text-block: 160 x 110 mm. 27 lines in two columns (width, 45 mm).
Written in Textualis semi-quadrata, not especially regular, by one hand with glossing in another hand.
Written in France or England, later 13th century.
Unmatched copies of ‘Textus Physicorum’ appear on the 1392 and 1416 Spendement lists (Cat. Vet., p. 32 R and E = p. 110 R and E), and the 1395 Cloister list.
f.294v (upper half): //[cor]pus autem medium loci contigens est., Sed non spacium corporis. Et est locus alicubi, non sicut in loco autem sed sicut terminus infinito …f.294v (lower half) … dicebat paragonicus [sic for ‘pithagoricus’] patro’ penitus, indisciplinabile, quia obliuiscuntur in hoc dicens [rect]ius.// Book 4, ch. 5 to Book 4, ch. 13. Book number (Arabic numeral) given as running heading on rectos. Regular marginal and interlinear glossing up to the end of chapter 9 (on fol. 3r, lower half). None thereafter.
Parchment
Written in documentary hand based on Textualis semi-quadrata
1.Saluos fac seruos tuos et ancillas tuas. Deus meus. 2. Esto nobis domine turris fortitudinis. A facie. 3. Domine salvuum fac regem. Et exaudi. 4. Fiat pax in uirtute tua. Et habundantia. 5. Domine deus uirtutum nos. Et ostende. 6. Domine exaudi orationem meam. Et clamor. 7. Dominus uobiscum. Et cum spiritu tua. Oremus. (Each entry starts on a new line, the responses being roughly aligned at the end of the relevant line)
Five for the King, two for peace
Parchment
I-VI12, VII14
Main written area: (f.6r-42r) 238 x 145 mm; (f.42v-90v) 245 x 152 mm; (f.91r) 268 x 132 mm. Columns vary in number and width.
f.6r-42r: the biblical text is written on every other line, up to a maximum of 26 lines per page (height of minims, 3 mm); the 
gloss 
is written on every line, up to a maximum 53 lines (height of minims 2 mm). f.42v-91r: the biblical text is written on every other line, up to a maximum of 27 lines per page (height of minims, 2 mm); the gloss is written on every line, up to a maximum of 55 per page (height of minims, 1+ mm).
Written in Textualis semi-quadrata, larger and more formal for the biblical text than for the gloss ; Textualis libraria, semi-cursive, for the marginal apparatus (some of which may have been contributed by hands other than that of the main scribe at the point in question).
Red and blue initials, flourished in both colours.
Divided into the standard 5 chapters by initials within the text and Roman numerals in the margins.
Divided into the standard 5 chapter via Roman numerals in the margins, the relevant sentence capitals being stroked in red
Divided into the standard 3 chapters by Roman numerals in the margins and paraphs within the text
5 standard chapters are marked by Roman numerals in the margins, and paraphs within the text. Confusion at the junction between I and II John and the Preface to the latter.
Carries on from I John
Divided into 2 chapters, the second starting at verse 11
Divided into the standard 42 chapters by initials in the text and Roman numerals in the margins
f.91v, blank
Parchment
I-II12, III4
Written area: 237 x 156 mm. Columns vary in number and width.
The biblical text is written on every other line, up to a maximum of 27 lines per page (height of minims, 3 mm), always starting below top line; the gloss is written on every line, up to a maximum 55 lines (height of minims 1.5 mm), often starting above top line.
Written in Textualis semi-quadrata, larger and more formal for the biblical text than for the gloss , by one hand
Red and blue initial, 30 lines high, flourished in both colours, heads the biblical text. Red initial, 10 lines high, flourished in blue, marks the Preface.
Divided into the standard 31 chapters by red or blue initials within the text plus a Roman numeral in the margins
Parchment
I10, II12
Written area: 240 x 146 mm
Written in Textualis semi-quadrata, larger and more formal for the biblical text than the gloss . Number of hands uncertain: if there is a change of hands, it occurs between f.128v and f.129r.
Red and blue initial, 7+ lines high, flourished in both colours heads both biblical texts. Red or blue initial, 3+ lines high, flourished in the other colour, heads each preface
Preface, then text divided into the standard 12 chapters via coloured initials within the text and roman numerals in the margins.
Hugh of St Cher's Prologue to commentary on Song of Songs added in13th century, f.128v
Parchment
I12, II4
Written area: 242 x 156 mm
Written in Textualis semi-quadrata, larger and more formal for the biblical text than for the gloss
Red and blue initial, 8 lines high, flourished in both colours for the start of the biblical text.
f.157v, blank
Parchment
I-III12, IV-V8, VI-VII10
Written area: 222 x 135 mm.
Written in Textualis semi-quadrata, larger and more formal for the biblical text than for the gloss , with the marginal apparatus smaller and less formal than that in the main text-block. Very similar to the hand(s) of (F).
Red and blue initials, 8 lines high, flourished in red and green for Preface and the start of the biblical text of Ecclesiasticus, both on f.158r. A red initial. 5 lines high, with simple white lines of reserved parchment, heads the biblical text of the Apocalypse.
With Prologue by Hugh of St-Cher. The standard 51 chapters, numbered in red Roman numerals in the margins; spaces reserved within the text for 1-line-high initials, but left blank
Parchment
I-V12, VI6
Written area: 245 x 162 mm
Written in Textualis semi-quadrata, larger and more formal for the biblical text than for the gloss, with the marginal apparatus smaller and less formal than that in the main text-block. Number of hands uncertain, possibly one, and certainly very similar to the scribe of Part E
Red and blue initials, 8+ lines high, flourished in both colours, for the incipits of the biblical texts of each book except Hosea; a blue initial, 3-5 lines high, flourished in red (or vice versa) marks the incipit to Hosea.
Preface starts on f.225v (i.e. end leaf of (E)).
Divided into the standard 3 chapters by red Roman numerals in the margins.
Divided into the standard 9 chapters by red roman numerals in the margins; 1-line-high spaces reserved for initials remain unfilled
Standard 4 chapters marked by red Roman numerals in the margins; 1-line-high spaces reserved for the initials of their first sentences remained unfilled.
Standard 7 chapters are marked by red roman numerals in the margins; 1-line-high spaces reserved for the initials of their first sentences remained unfilled
Standard 3 chapters are marked by red roman numerals in the margins; 1-line-high spaces reserved for the initials of their first sentences remained unfilled
Standard 3 chapters are marked by red roman numerals in the margins, plus a 6-line-high flourished initial for ch. 3 (the 2-line-high space reserved at the start of ch. 2 remained blank)
Standard 3 chapters are marked by red roman numerals in the margins; spaces reserved for 1-line-high initials remain unfilled
Standard 2 chapters are marked by red roman numerals in the margins; the space reserved for a 1-line-high initial for ch. 2 remains unfilled
Standard 14 chapters are marked by red roman numerals in the margins; spaces reserved for 1-line-high initials remain unfilled.
Divided into 3 chapters by red roman numerals in the margins; spaces reserved for 1-line-high initials remained unfilled. The start of modern chapter 4 was not marked. f.291 blank bar a few jottings, now faint and largely illegible.
glosses
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)