A composite volume made up of two distinct contemporary parts, both created in the Low Countries in the later 11th century, which have been together since at least the 14th century. (A) contains Gregory the Great's Homilies on the Gospels; (B) an antiphoner
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)
Most of ex libris inscription has been cropped from f.2r; pressmark “ff”; “pars antiphonarii” in hand of Thomas Swalwell on f.136.
I7 (=8 lacks 1), II-IV8, [?lost quire], V8, [lost quire]; VI-VII8, VIII9 (=8 + 1), IX-X8, XI6, XII-XVII8
Two columns 33 lines.
Written in Late Caroline Minuscule in several similar hands.
Written in Low Countries, later 11th century.
Homilies (as numbered in PL 76, cols. 1077-1312): 1-16, 17 (imperfect), 21-25 (imperfect), 26 (imperfect)-32 (incomplete), 35 (acephalus)-40, 20, 19, 18, 34 (incomplete). The omission of homilies 18-20 may be owing to the very early loss of a quire or because of a peculiarity or deficiency in the exemplar; they were included towards the end of the collection (fols. 76r-83v). The end of 25 and most of 26 are lacking, presumably owing to loss of a quire. The unorthodox order of the homilies mislead the 14th century hand that supplied the number of each homily in Roman numerals in the upper right corner of the rectos of each leaf; a 15th century hand corrects these where necessary.
Six further homilies added by the original scribes around all three outer margins. Bede, Homily VIII on Luke xi; Homily V on John xvi; Homily VI on John xvi; Homily VII on John xvi; Homily X on John xv; Gregory, Homily 26.
Similar to those of Haymo of Auxerre
Similar to that of Hrabanus Maurus.
Three pieces, added by a single hand
I-III8
36 lines
Written in Late Caroline Minuscule
Written in Low Countries, possibly Liege, later 11th century.
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]).
Mynors, R.A.B., Durham Cathedral manuscripts to the end of the twelfth century. Ten plates in colour and forty-seven in monochrome. With an introduction [including a list of all known Durham manuscripts before 1200] , (Durham: 1939)