Durham University Library Archives & Special Collections Catalogue
Roffredo Epiphanio, Libellus de iure civili, Libellus de iure canonico; Bartholomew of Brescia, Ordo iudiciarius etc. written in southern France or Italy at the end of the 13th century. Four separable contemporary sections, distinguished by parchment type, ruling, and the absence of a signature on the final quire in each: (A) f.2-159; (B) f.160-217; (C) f.218-263; and (D) f.264-282. The contents list shows that they had been brought together by the 14th century.
Parchment. Follicle marks prominent on H sides throughout. Quires. I-XIII and XXIV-XXV ((a) and (f)) are smoother and more even toned than quires XIV-XXIII ((b)-(e)) which has more prominent flaws, a more noticeable H/F distinction, and sometimes a papery texture. Arranged FH, HF throughout.
Continuous modern pencil foliation, numbering all medieval leaves. Older inaccurate ink foliation on every fifth leaf.
1 a medieval flyleaf attached on the recto to a modern leaf. (A): I-VIII12, IX14, X-XII12, XIII10. (B): XIV10, XV-XVIII12. (C): XIX-XXI12, XXII8, XXIII2. (D): XXIV12, XXV6, f.283-4 (endleaves), singletons.
Text-block. f.2-217, and 264-282 (A, B, D; items (a)-(d) and (f)): 273x147 mm; two columns (66 mm). f.218-263 (C, item (e)): 273x175 mm; three columns (55 mm). Lines: 79 (space, 3-4 mm; height of minims, 2 mm). Pricking: knife (e.g. quire I) or awl (e.g. quire IV). Only those in upper and lower margins preserved. Ruling: lead.
Written in Textualis rotunda by about 10 scribes.
Decorated initials for the incipit of each text with 17 others scattered through the book, all by the same hand. Generally a pink letter-shape, 4-9 lines high, against a blue panel (or vice versa) with white highlights; snakes, fish, birds (based on herons or storks) and grotesques both within and beyond the letter-panel. Numerous other spaces that were reserved throughout for initials remain unfilled.
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). f.1 bears stains from fittings for a single clasp from an earliest binding.
Written in Southern France or Italy, end 13th century.
Inscription: “liber ?communale ad valorem -xx s”, 14th/15th century, f.2r
Inscription: “Liber ex dono Mr Gulielmi Doncastri Decani de Aucklande”, f.1v, 17th century, perhaps copied from a flyleaf now gone. (Master William Doncaster, notary public by 1433; collated Dean of Auckland June 1435; retained for legal services by Durham Priory from 1414; died by May 1439.)
Pressmark: 2a.9i.G, f.2r, top right.
Contents list registering (a) and (c)-(f), 15th/16th century by Thomas Swalwell, f.2r.
blocks of notes; list of contents (omitting (d)). The recto is entirely concealed by the modern leaf to which it has been pasted.
Light annotation throughout. The explicit is followed by 25 lines of notes. f.159v, blank.
Thirty lines of notes added under the explicit.
Light annotation throughout
The explicit was misplaced two and half lines before the end. Followed by 29 lines of notes. Light annotation
Light annotation up to f.229v
Annotation from f.275v-282v.
Added notes and verses in bottom corner of f.282r and on f.282v (filling the blank space in column two)
Two part leaves from a 13th century gradual preserving respectively 10 and 13 lines of text plus four-line staff. The casual jottings on f.283v suggest they were being used as endleaves by end of the 13th century.
Roffredi Beneventani Libelli iuris civilis 
(Corpus glossatorum iuris civilis, 6), (Augustae Taurinorum: Officina Erasmiana, 1968)