Bernard of Pavia and other legal texts. A composite volume of four parts: (A) f.3-61; (B) f.62-94; (C) f.95-201; (D) f.202-231- with a medieval flyleaf (now f.232 but originally at the front of the book), and with two added medieval endleaves (f.2 and 233) formed from cut-down, folded sheets of Durham bursar’s arrears of the period approximately 1290-1308. The four parts are contemporary, written in Italy in the first half of the 13th century, with complementary content and matching articulation, and may have been together from the start; however, they differ in text-block, scribal hand and details of preparation, implying that they were made separately.
i (modern) + i (medieval leaf, foliated ‘2’) + 233 +ii (medieval endleaves, foliated ‘233’, ‘234’) + i (modern). Modern pencil foliation, starts with ‘2’ on the first medieval leaf and runs 2-234, but with f.9 and f.138 both used twice.
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)
Written in Italy, earlier 13th century.
Pressmark: “E”, later 14th century (crossed through); Inscription: “Decretales antique”, start of 15th century; Pressmark: “1a 8i I” 15th century, all f.3r, top. Recorded in Spendement catalogues.
Written in England, Durham, approximately 1290.
Made by re-using cut-down, folded sheets of Durham bursar’s arrears
Parchment: modest quality, papery, generally yellowy with limited H/F contrast. Early marker-tab inserted into f.56.
I-VI10
Written in Textualis rotunda, probably by a single scribe; the gloss in a compressed glossing Textualis, number of hands uncertain.
Books I, IV and V start with one line of elongated display capitals, alternately red and blue, 7-12 lines high; Books II-III start with a line of blue capitals, simply embellished with red, 4-7 lines high. Each subsection headed by a 2+-line-high capitals, alternately red then blue, embellished with one or more lines in the other colour. 1-line-high initials, alternately red then blue for the first letters of authorities. Running heading giving book number in red and blue capitals.
A few early additions (e.g. 11v, 12v, 39r, 61r).
With gloss of Tancred. Intensive all-round glossing throughout, contemporary with main text, keyed into place by sigla. The flyleaf onto which its tituli were copied is now misbound at the end of the book: f.232.
Parchment: modest quality with noticeable H/F contrast.
I12,; II8, III13 (=12+1[f.94])
Text-block: 183x108 mm. Two columns (width, 52 mm). Planned for all-round glossing. Lines: 49 (space, 3+ mm; height of minims, 2 mm).
Written in Texutalis libraria, probably a single hand. The gloss in a compressed glossing Texutalis, number of hands uncertain.
Each Book starts with one line of elongated display capitals, alternately red and blue with lines in the other colour, 4-8 lines high. Each subsection headed by a 2+-line-high capital, alternately red then blue, embellished with one or more lines in the other colour. Authorities marked by 1-line-high initials, alternately red then blue. Running heading giving book number in red and blue capitals.
Regular early additions.
With gloss of Tancred. Continuous all-round gloss, the principal stratum contemporary with main text, keyed into place by sigla.
Parchment: modest quality with glaring H/F contrast. Parchment tab stuck to f.130v (start of Book II).
I-VIII12, IX12 (with 4 and 9, f.193 and 198, singletons)
Text-block: 181 x 96 mm. Two columns (width, 45 mm). Lines: 43 (space, 4+ mm; height of minims, 1.5+ mm).
Written in Textualis libraria, proabably a single hand. Gloss: a compressed glossing Textualis, number of hands uncertain.
Preface headed by red and blue elongated capitals, 8 lines high. Book I headed by a blue initial, 4 lines high, flourished in red. Books II-IV headed by elongated blue capitals, 6 lines high, embellished with red lines. Each subsection headed by a 1 to 2-line-high capital, alternately red then blue, embellished with one or more lines in the other colour. Authorities marked by 1-line-high initials, alternately red then blue. Running heading, giving book number, in red and blue capitals.
Breaks off imperfect in Book V, Titulus iv.3. With gloss of Tancred. All-round glossing contemporary with main text, keyed into place by sigla.
Parchment: modest quality with clear H/F distinction
I-II12, III6
Text-block: 184x95-105 mm. Two columns (width: 45 mm). Lines: 43 (space, 4 mm; height of minims, 1.5-2 mm).
Written in Textualis libraria, probably a single hand. Gloss in compressed glossing Textualis by at least two hands.
Each Book headed by a line of red and blue elongated capitals, embellished with lines of the other colour: those for Book I, 7 lines high, the initial “F” flourished in red; those for Books II and III, 6 lines high; those for Books IV-V, 5 lines high. Each subsection headed by a 1+-line-high capital, alternately red then blue, embellished with one or more lines in the other colour. Authorities marked by 1-line-high initials, alternately red then blue. Running heading, giving book number, in red and blue capitals.
Light additional glossing throughout. Addition on f.225v, at right-angles to main text, of noted chant: Iube domine silencium in auribus audiencium possitis intel[li]gere et nos benedicere.
Breaks off at Book V, titulus xiii.1. With gloss of Johannes. All-round glossing of varying intensity, contemporary with main text, keyed into place with sigla.
The greater wear on the recto, plus the nature of item e1, indicate that this was originally the front flyleaf, preceding the present f.3.
A series of additions in several 13th century hands.
1. f.232r. De consitutionibus, De scriptis et eorum interpretatione … De regulis iuris. [Tituli for Part A item (a)].
2. f.232r. Nota quid sit prescriptio. Prescriptio i exceptio accionis …ult’ q canonice.
3. f.232v. Series of short notes on canons and rulings, including: Condempnet, -?-, muta i mutanda dispendus i corporalibus penis …; ¶Si unus uel plerus siue arbitrarii uel iudices ordinarii, siue delegate, uno absente, non possunt -?- iudicare…
4. f.232v. Fons, educit agrum, fons esras [repeated and continued with pointing by syllable].
5. f.232v. N.o. octauas kalendas …[principally concerned with April].
6. f.232v. De appellationibus. Videbimus quid sit appellatio in quibus negotiis … hac inueneris spirituale ?dicas
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]).