Durham University Library Archives & Special Collections Catalogue
Manuscript codex written in France or England in the second quarter of the 13th century, containing Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Cantica canticorum, Sapientiae, Ecclesiasticus, all glossed.
Parchment: originally moderate to good quality with minimal contrast between H/F sides, but now degraded from fire and liquid damage; cockling and dirt/soot staining throughout. Arranged: FH, HF.
Modern pencil foliation, duplicating 53.
I8, II6, III10, IV8, V8, VI8?, VII8?, VIII6?, IX12? (leaf 11 [after fol. 71] cancelled), X8, XI-XVI12, XVII6
Text-block: 216 x 135. Columns vary in number (1-3) and width.
Lines: 52 (space, 4+ mm). The biblical text is written on every other line, up to a maximum of 26 lines per page (height of minims, 4 mm). The gloss is written on every line, up to a maximum of 51 per page (starting below top line; height of minims, 2 mm).
Pricking: awl; the nature of the binding makes it impossible to see whether pricking was done in the inner as well as the outer margin. Pricked for the verticals (9) and horizontals (52) of the standard ruling pattern.
Ruling: lead. Planned for third phase /complex glossed book design - a solid text-block composed of the scriptural text written every other line in a column that varies in width from page to page, occupying one third, two thirds or the whole of the width; the gloss, written on every line, is integrated beside and around it. Single verticals flank the text-block area as a whole; two pairs of verticals subdivide the text-block into three columns; a further single vertical defines a column within the inner margin; a further pair of verticals subdivides the outer margin. The first two and the last two horizontals are generally extended; a further pair of horizontals in the upper margin guides the running heading.
Written in Textualis semi-quadrata, stately and regular, for both biblical text and planned gloss, the latter more compressed than the former. Number of scribes uncertain, possibly one.
Additional glosses added copiously to the margins throughout. Semi-cursive glossing/documentary hand, compressed, highly abbreviated; broadly contemporary with 1.
f.158r (item (e)3). Textualis, compressed, angular.
The incipit of each biblical text, (a) to (e), is headed by a red and blue initial, 4+ lines high, flourished in both colours. Many sentences within the biblical texts are headed by 1+-line-high initials, alternately red then blue, flourished in the other colour. Each block of marginal gloss is bracketed by a paraph, alternately red then blue. The flourishing of paraphs and sentence capitals at the bottom of the text-block extends into the lower margin. Running headings in alternately red and blue capitals; chapter numberings in alternately red then blue roman numerals plus paraph (guide numerals by the text scribe survive beside some of them).
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 France or England, second quarter 13th century.
Inscription: “.v. libri Salomonis ex dono magistri Alani de Wakerfeud extra commune Armariolum nulli acommodantur”, mid 13th century, f.1r, top right. Master Alan of Wackerfield, rector of Branxton (Northumberland) from 1234-54. Also described as Magister scholarium, he was perhaps responsible for the almonry school.
Pressmark: “.L.” – seemingly re-worked, later 14th century, f.1r, outer margin.
“[ ]abole Salamonis de communi monachorum dunelm”, early 14th century, f.1r, top.
Pressmark: “.L.”, 15th/16th century, f.1r, top right.
Pressmark:
“pa pe C 1 | contenta huius libri … [records (a) – (e)] |de libraria’, 15th/16th century by Thomas Swalwell, monk of Durham c.1483-1539, f.1r, bottom left. Recorded in Cloister catalogue.
Preface; standard Parisian chapter numbering supplied (in red and blue) in the margins as part of the original transcription. Running heading in red and blue capitals. Extensive additional glossing, 13th century, effectively an extension of the apparatus, with Nota marks (often now cropped) copied as part of it inserted in the margins throughout.
Preface; standard Parisian chapter numbering supplied (in red and blue) in the margins as part of the original transcription. Running heading in red and blue capitals. Extensive additional glossing, 13th century, inserted in the margins throughout.
Standard Parisian chapter numbering supplied (in red and blue) in the margins as part of the original transcription. Running heading in red and blue capitals. Extensive additional glossing, 13th century, inserted in the margins throughout.
Preface; standard Parisian chapter numbering supplied (in red and blue) in the margins as part of the original transcription. Running heading in red and blue capitals. Extensive additional glossing, 13th century, inserted in the margins throughout.
Preface; standard Parisian chapter numbering supplied (in red and blue) in the margins as part of the original transcription. Running heading in red and blue capitals. Extensive additional glossing, 13th century, inserted in the margins throughout. Postilla super Librum Ecclesiasticum, Hugh of St-Cher, appended in a compressed hand on added rulings.
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]).
Stegmüller, F., Repertorium biblicum medii aevi , (Madrid: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 1950-1961)