DCL MS. B.IV.14Lives of saints
Held by: Durham Cathedral Library: Durham Cathedral Manuscripts

Early 12th century collection of saints' lives.

Physical description of manuscript
Support

Parchment

Extent: 237 f
Size: 270 mm x 175 mm

Foliation

Parchment stub f.116


Secundo folio: probatur vixisse
Collation

18, 2-1210, 1312, 14-188, 198, 2010, 2112, 22-238, 2410, 2512.

Layout

Written space: 210 x 125 mm. 32 lines. (f.201-26 44 lines)

Script

Hands in each of the six co-eval sections are found in other manuscripts made at this period.

Decoration

initials in red, purple and sometimes green one with a clove curl.

Binding

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)

Manuscript history
Provenance

Inscription: “.L. Vita sancti gregorii Martini Nicholai dunstani et Augustini De communi monachorum dunelm”, start of 15th century, f.1r.

Manuscript contents
(a)     f.1-111
Original title: Vita S. Gregorii Magni
Author: John, the Deacon of Rome, approximately 824-approximately 882
Language: Latin
Edited: BHL 3641, 3642
(b)     f.122-122
Original title: Vita S. Martini
Author: Severus, Sulpicius
Language: Latin
Edited: BHL 5610
(c)     f.122-126v
Original title: Epistolae de S. Martino
Author: Severus, Sulpicius
Language: Latin

3 letters

Edited: BHL 5611, 5612, 5613
(d)     f.126v-149v
Original title: Dialogi de S. Martino
Author: Severus, Sulpicius
Language: Latin
Edited: BHL 5614, 5615, 5616
(e)     f.149v-151v
Original title: Narrationes de miraculis in obitu S. Martini et de prima translatione eiusdem
Author: Gregory, Bishop of Tours, Saint, 538-594
Language: Latin
Edited: BHL 5619, 5620, 5621, 5622, 5623
(f)     f.151v-167v
Original title: De miraculis S. Martini
Author: Gregory, Bishop of Tours, Saint, 538-594
Language: Latin
Edited: BHL 5618
(g)     f.167v-169
Original title: De quodam miraculo beati Martini quod contigit in festiuitate translationis eius
Author: Hugh of Tours, -837
Language: Latin

Extract

Edited: BHL 5660
(h)     f.170-181
Original title: Vita S. Nicholai
Author: John, the Deacon of Rome, approximately 824-approximately 882
Language: Latin
Edited: BHL 6104, 6105,6106
(i)     f.181-189
Original title: Miracula S. Nicholai
Language: Latin
Edited: BHL 6150, 6151, 6152, 6153, 6154, 6160, 6161, 6164, 6167, 6172
(j)     f.190-200v
Original title: Translatio S. Nicholai Barium A.D. 1087, cum miraculis
Author: Johannes Barensis
Language: Latin

“Post beati Nicholai gloriosum ab hac vita” (incl. verses “Tempore quid miseris”, quoted Ordericus Vitalis, Historia Ecclesiastica 3,VII,ix

Edited: BHL 6104, 6105, 6106
(k)     f.200v
Original title: Versus de conversatione
Language: Latin

23 verses

(l)     f.201-218v
Original title: Acta et miracula S. Dunstani
Author: Osbern of Canterbury
Language: Latin

Edited: BHL 2344, 2345
(m)     f.219v-235
Original title: Vita S. Augustini
Author: Possidius, Saint, active 370-437
Language: Latin
Edited: BHL 785
(n)     f.235-236
Modern title: Table of works of St Augustine
Language: Latin
(o)     f.236-237r
Original title: De translatione S. Augustini
Incipit: “Beatus Augustinus dum Ypponiensi sepultus esset
Language: Latin
(p)     f.237r-237v
Original title: Epistola de translatione S. Jacobi in Hispaniam
Language: Latin

Attributed to Leo IX

Edited: BHL 4061

Microfilm
Microfilmed in 1985/86 by the Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, St John's Abbey and University, Collegeville, Minnesota. Copies held by them and Durham Cathedral Library.
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.   OCLC citation, Surtees Society 7, (London: J.B. Nichols and Son, [1838]).

Bibliotheca hagiographica Latina antiquae et medii aetatis   OCLC citation (Brussels, 1898-1901); Supplements (Brussels, 1911, 1986)

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]   OCLC citation, (Durham: 1939)

Index terms