Catalogue of Durham University Library Cosin MS. V.v.8

Durham University Library MS. Cosin V.v.8Theological miscellany
Held by: Durham University Library: Cosin Manuscripts

Manuscript volume containing four theological works, two by Bernard of Clairvaux, written in England between 1153 and 1174 (Bernard is styled “venerabilis”, f.31^r) now part of Bishop Cosin's Library.

Physical description of manuscript

Support

Parchment; matt, white, hair and flesh sides indistinguishable; small flaws; cropped on all sides; f.1^r and 91^v soiled.

Extent: iv+91+i f

Size: 145 mm x 100 mm

Foliation

foliated i-iii, 1-91

Secundo folio: lius obest

Collation

1-3⁸, 4⁶, 5-7⁸, 8⁸ (wants 2 after f.55), 9-11⁸, 12⁸ (wanted 7-8 (blank ?) after f.91, now re-arranged (?) as 12⁴ wants 3-4 (blank?) after f.87 followed by 13⁴.

Layout

No remaining evidence of prickings. Written space approximately 100-110 x 60-70 mm; ruled in brown. 20-22 long lines or, f.31, 2 columns; first written line above ruling; third ruling and antepenultimate across margin;penultimate on f.48^v-49^r, 50^v-51^r and 54^v.

Script

Written in neatproto-Gothic minuscule, proficiently, with ampersand and tailed e; some ascenders and descenders cursively.

Decoration

Text-capitals (litterae notabiliores) filled with buff, f.5^r, 7^v, or green, f.30^v-31^r. Initials: (i) to subsections in items (2) and (3), 1-line, red or green; (ii) to lists of steps (f.31^r) and each gradus in item (3) and to item (4) D, 2-line, alternately red and green; (iii) to homily 2 of item (2), to item (3) (f.31^v) 3-line, as (i); (iv) to item (4) L, parted red and green; (v) to items (1) and (2), 3-line and 4-line, green or blue, with geometric infilling of blue or green and buff and red.

Corrections and annotation

Original correction of error (homoteleuton) over erasure, f.12^r, and another on f.70^r. Accents added over long vowels, f.62^r-65^v, perhaps for instruction or reading aloud. Long note in brown ink, turn of 13th/14th century, heavily cropped, from “[An]selm de similitudinibus”, f.30^v foot. Items (3) and (4) have many marginalia in a minute cursive hand, with barred ink-lines and pairs of round black dots, 13th century. Item (2) has some 14th century plummet trials, and a sketch of a human head on f.25^r.

Binding

Bound in Durham by Hutchinson in brown calf, the sides bearing panels formed by double fillets with Hugh Hutchinson's roll A and tool 5, the spine divided across by eleven pairs of double fillets; 1 clasp and gilt spine press-mark added mid 19th century.

Manuscript history

Creation

Written in England, mid 12th century.

Provenance

Inscription: “In isto libello continentur | tractatus origenis super canticis pro parte | bernardus de gradibus humilitatis | et idem de libero arbitrio”, in red, 13th/14th century, f.1^r foot, presumably for a library. Inscription, mid 15th century: “Richard Redmayn”, with phrases in French, f.94^v. List of contents, by George Davenport, f.i^r. Ex-libris and shelf-numbers by Thomas Rud on f.1^r.

Manuscript contents

(1) f.1^r-4^r

Modern title: Laudatory letter to William prior of Taunton

Author: Radulfus. nouus monachus

Incipit: Domino suo et ubique laude eximia predicando. Guillelmo priori de tantonia. suus per omnia. Radulfus. nouus monachus. peccator antiquus. scientia leui

Explicit: certe uel cicatricatum pectus ad ueniam

Language: Latin

William occurs as prior of the Augustinian house of Taunton in 1133 and 1136 x 1137, Heads of Religious Houses, p.185.

Edited: Talbot, misreading the name “tantonia”, and consequently wrongly identifying the dedicatee, and the author as a Ralph of Durham.
Edited: Sharpe, 1230

(2) f.5^r-30^v

Original title: De Canticis Canticorum Tractatus Origenis

Author: Origen
Jerome, Saint, -419 or 420

Incipit: Quomodo didicimus per Moysen esse quedam non sola sancta

Explicit: ut digni efficiamur sponsi sermone. sapientia iesu: cui est gloria et imperium. in secula seculorum. Amen.

Language: Latin

Origen, translated by Jerome, Homiliae in Canticum Canticorum.

Edited: Baehrens, 27-60

(3) f.31^r-61^v

Original title: De Gradibus humilitatis et superbiae

Author: Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 1091-1153

Incipit: Incipit Liber Venerabilis Bernardi Abbatis Clarevallis de gradibus humilitatis. Scala humilitatis. Primus gradus ascendendi. corde et corpore semper humilitatem

Explicit: melius in tuo corde. quam in nostro codice leges.

Language: Latin

The amount of text lost between f.55 and 56 is the equivalent of one folio. The only break in the first part of the text is a coloured capital without heading at (20); in the second part there is a capital with heading for each gradus, except vi and vii which fall in the missing section, and a capital at (57). List set out in two columns, each with twelve steps, f.31^r.

Edited: Leclercq, 13-59 (missing folio equates to p.49/5 - 50/16) listing this copy without mentioning that it is one of the few lacking the retractio (p.6).

(4) f.62^r-91^v

Original title: De gratia et libero arbitrio

Author: Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 1091-1153

Incipit: Incipit liber B. abbatis de liber arbitrio. Loquente me coram aliquando

Explicit: non quos iustos inuenit: hos et magnificauit.

Language: Latin

No major divisions.

Edited: Leclercq, 165-203, listing this copy (p.159).

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 University Library.

Bibliography

Homilien zu Samuel I, zum Hohelied und zu den Propheten, Kommentar zum Hohelied, in Rufins und Hieronymus' Ubersetzungen , ed. Baehrens, W. H., (Leipzig: J.C. Hinrich, 1925)

S. Bernardi opera iii - Tractatus et opuscula , edd. Leclercq, J. & Rochais, H. M., (Rome: Ed. Cistercienses, 1963)

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]).

The heads of religious houses, England and Wales, 940-1216 , ed. Knowles D., etc. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1972)

Sharpe, Richard, A handlist of the Latin writers of Great Britain and Ireland before 1540 , (Turnhout: Brepols, 1997)

Talbot, C. H., "William of Wycumbe, fourth prior of Llanthony", Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society 76 (1957), 62-69

Index terms