Durham University Library Archives & Special Collections Catalogue
Manuscript codex of Thomas Aquinas, Catena aurea in Matthaeum, In Marcum, written in England (probably Oxford) at the turn of the 13th/14th century. The short quire XVII and the absence of a catchword at the end of (a) indicate that, though prepared to the same specifications, (a) and (b) were made as separate units. The mid 14th century inscription on f.vv shows that they were bound together at an early date.
Parchment: modest quality – stout, scars and flaws, clear H/F contrast. Arranged FH, HF.
Two sets of modern pencil foliation. One starts with Roman numerals on the modern paper flyleaf, continues with Roman numerals on the 4 medieval flyleaves (numbers separately both parts of the two medieval flyleaves that have been stuck together) turning to Arabic for the main body of the book, running i-v, 1-262. The other set is a continuous numeration in Arabic numerals starting on the first medieval flyleaf, but numbering both it and the second leaf that was stuck to it as 1, running 1-265.
Preliminary leaves ii-v, probably two bifolia, I-XVI12, XVII3 (=4 with 4, probably blank, cancelled), XVIII-XXII12, XXIII7 (=12 with 8-12, probably blank, cancelled).
Text-block: 320 x 174 mm. Two columns (width, 76-80 mm). Lines: 55 (space, 5-6 mm; height of minims, 6 mm for biblical text, 3 mm for commentary). Pricking: knife and awl. Ruling: lead and ink. The outer sides of the two columns defined by double verticals, the inner sides by single verticals (i.e. two in total in the intercolumnar space); a further single vertical in the inner margin, a further pair in the outer margin. Further pairs of verticals supplied as necessary down the centre of the text columns to divide them into two (the left-hand side for biblical text, the right-hand side for commentary). The first horizontal extended; all horizontals run across intercolumnar space and project irregularly into margins. A further pair of horizontals in every upper margin (for running heading); on the final verso of quires only, there is another pair in the lower margin (for catchwords).
A single scribe throughout (a) and (b); also responsible for corrections (e.g. f.132r). Textualis semi-quadrata, larger and slightly more formal for the biblical text, smaller and slightly less formal for the commentary. The biblical text occupies the left-hand side of one column and is written on every other ruled line; the commentary, written on every line, begins alongside it in the right hand side of the column, subsequently spreading to fill its entire width of the column.
Historiated initials and border bars for the prefaces to, and incipits of both texts.
f.1r (Preface addressed to Pope Urban IV) S historiated with enthroned Lord, blessing with his right hand and holding in his left a T-globe; plain gold ground. Border bars of blue and pink, lightly ornamented with white and punctuated with ivy leaves and golden balls, extend from the letter around four sides of the page, with a further one in the intercolumnar space. Two heraldic shields in the inner margin beside the letter (see provenance).
f.1r (Gospel preface), E with Crucifixion – dead Christ on the cross, blood coming from hands, feet, and side; flanked by standing BVM and John; plain gold ground.
f.2v (Start of Matthew’s Gospel), L with Nativity: BVM reclining in bed in bottom half; seated Joseph, Christ in manger, heads of Ox and Ass above; plain gold ground. Border bars extend from the letter into the intercolumnar space and on into the lower margin; a further bar (capped by a bird-man hybrid) in the outer margin.
f.196r (Dedication for Mark), R with Virgin and child, the former crowned and holding in her right hand a slender staff seemingly topped with a fleur-de-lys, the latter blessing and holding a book, set against a patterned ground of red, blue and gold squares, the gold simply tooled. Border bars (blue, pink and red, articulated with balls, semi-circles and leaves of gold and silver, now tarnished) on all four sides, with another in the intercolumnar space; two birds perch on leaves projecting into the outer margin; a dog chases a hare along the lower border.
f.196r (Mark Preface), V with haloed, winged figure seated at lectern (presumably St Mark) accompanied by a lion; gold ground with simple tooling.
Blue initials, flourished in red, extended with red and blue waterfalls, head each section of biblical text and of the commentary thereon throughout, the former 3+ lines high, the latter 2 lines high.
Running headings in blue capitals flourished in red. (Incorrect letter supplied on f.48v: crudely corrected by crossing out.) Sentence capitals rubricated in the dedicatory letter f.1r, but not otherwise.
18th century calf binding, made in Durham by Waghorn, sewn on 5 bands; 2 metal clasps. f.ii+iii formed the pastedown in an earlier binding. Two triangles of rust stains from the fixtures for a pair of clasps from an earlier binding at the fore-edge of f.v; further rust stains at the centre of the lower margin (echoed on ii+iii) are possibly from a chain staple.
Written in England, Oxford (?), 13th/14th century.
Anthony Bek, bishop of Durham 1283-1311: upper shield on f.1r, planned as part of the original decoration: gules a cross Moline argent – the arms of Bek (which also appear in two further MSS: Princeton Scheide Library, 30 (Statutes of England) and Paris, Bibliothèque Mazarine, 34 (Bible)). The identity and relevance of the arms on the lower shield on the same page (argent a heron proper) are unclear.
Alan de Chirden of Oxford and Northallerton: inscription, mid 14th century, on f.vv: “liber Sancti Cuthberti de Dunolm ex Colacione Magistri Alani de Chirden Sacre Pagine professoris quondam Vicarij de aluerton”. de Chirden is recorded as fellow of Merton College, Oxford, in 1291, serving as its second bursar in 1300-1 and its subwarden in 1314-15 and 1319-20; he had obtained his B.Th by 1317, his D.Th by 1325; he was vicar of Northallerton, a manor of the bishopric of Durham, in 1323 (BRUO, I, 418).
Durham Cathedral Priory by mid 14th century: same inscription plus a note of content (“Thomas de Aquino super matheum et marcum”) in the same hand. Other priory library marks: “.Q.” [lightly crossed out], late 14th century, fol.1r, top left; “[1>2]a 2i. A.”, 15th century, f.1r top right; the first note of content (f.vv) was amplified, 15th/16th century, by Thomas Swalwell, who added “Optima expositio super oone’ dm’ca”.
Recorded in the Cloister catalogue.
f.iiir: largely concealed by f.ii, to which it was stuck, presumably contained XI.48.10-20, following on directly from DCL MS A.I.9, f.2. Fol. iiiv. //ecclesia ut remaneant cum omni cautela … per multos annos neque agrum coluit neque aliquid colo// [XI.48.20-XI.48.22.]. Fragments from the same 13th century Italian manuscript appear in DCL A.I.9 (2 leaves), A.I.11 (2 leaves), B.I.33 (4 leaves), B.III.17 (3 leaves) C.III.1 (8 leaves).
The names of cited authorities are written in red, the titles of the relevant works being given in ordinary ink in the abutting margin. Chapter numbers for the biblical text also given in the nearest margin. Biblical citations within the commentary are underlined in red. Running heading “Matheus” - to which the relevant chapter numbers were added rather casually in lead at an early date. Early annotation largely confined to Nota lines and marks. f.195v is blank.
The names of cited authorities are written in red, the titles of the relevant works being given in ordinary ink in the abutting margin. Chapter numbers for the biblical text also given in the nearest margin. Biblical citations within the commentary are underlined in red. Running heading “Marcus” - to which the relevant chapter numbers were added rather casually in lead at an early date. Early annotation largely confined to Nota lines and marks.
Emden, A. B., A biographical register of the University of Oxford to 1500 
(Oxford: OUP, 1957-59)
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]).
Dondaine, H-F. and Shooner, H. V., Codices manuscripti operum Thomae de Aquino (Roma: Commissio Leonina, 1967-1982)
Stegmüller, Friedrich, Repertorium biblicum medii aevi (Madrid: 1950-1980)