Durham University Library Archives & Special Collections Catalogue
Manuscript codex comprised of four sections, of which (D) was presumably made to complete (C). The earliest firm evidence that all four sections had been brought together is the mid 17th century contents list, f.iiv, but (A) has possible associations with St Albans abbey, so linking it with (C-D).
Parchment, quires 5 and 7 with flesh-side outermost and quire 8 with hair-side outermost, otherwise indistinguishable; flaying holes in (B), outer edges of (B) cropped. Discolouration and staining, from exposure, on outer pages of quires 1-2. Staining from water on upper part of f.37v-43v; rust-marks, from an inserted object (?), f.43r.
foliated i-ii, 1-88, (inserted paper leaves now 43*, 49*)
Brown calf over millboards, with Hutchinson's tool 6 in corners of each cover and of panel defined by double fillet 30 mm from spine, double fillets round each cover and roll D on edges; flat spine divided in nine sections by double fillets: all blind; 17th century endleaves. One brass clasp and gilt press-marks at foot (19th century). Rebound in house 2009 with added paper guards and fitted box.
Inscription: "Macer de virtutibus harbarum. Et pertinet Fratri Nicholao Kyrkeby de sancti Albano", f. 86v; he was 34th among 46 monks of St Albans present for the abbatial election in 1465, precentor between 1476 and 1478, one of two monks sent by the abbot of St Albans to conduct a visitation of the cell at Tynemouth; precentor and "Magister Capelle" in 1480, see Registra quorundam abbatum..., ii, p.28, 146, 186, 231. "Wyllmus Johnson Thomas Beddell", f.16r, "Ryght Reverand and Worshyppyll fadder and Modyr ... Thomas dei gratia ... Wyllelmus Johnson Iesu haue Mersy of Hyme and Praye For hyme", f.16v, in the same later 15th century hand as item (2a,b). Item (2b) mentions a Robert Johnson of Whitby (N. Yorks.), and, with item (2a), may have connections with Tynemouth and St Albans abbey. List of contents by Davenport and Rud's ex-libris, f.iiv. The lines added to the margin of item (6) may be in the hand of the Durham antiquary Dr Christopher Hunter (d. 1757).
1-28
No evidence of pricking. Written space 115 or, quire 2, 108 x 83 mm; no visible frame or ruling. 24-28 long lines.
Written in anglicana of documentary aspect, 15th century, with "a" often single compartment, proficiently, by one hand.
Not executed: spaces for thirteen 2-line initials to chapters, but none at start.
Written in England, mid 15th century.
This copy is not among the fourteen listed in the edition (p.279-280), and does not appear to descend directly from any of the five collated.
All in the same hand.
Single sentence. Opening phrases of a grant by an unnamed abbot and convent; Fountains abbey held the vill of Newsham, 15 miles east of Coverdale, while St Albans abbey had a cell at Tynemouth, which enjoyed the appropriated tithes of Tynemouth church, including those of Newsham near Blyth, where there may have been a glebe tenement.
Incomplete. Opening phrases of indented bill; one William Andrew was received as a monk of St Albans in 1470, see Registra quorundam abbatum..., ii, p.90. The spelling is northern ("qwylke").
Erased names "Wyllm Johnson" (twice) and "Thomas Beddell"
Opening formula of letter to a father and mother, and other pen-trials, including "Thomas dei gratia" and "Wyllelmus Johnson"; smaller but probably by the same hand, and smaller "Non est consilium qui proclamatur ad crucem | Itt hys noght concyll that ys cryytt ad cros | Whar by I sayt".
316, 412 wants 12 before f.33 but text continuous; stub turned back after f.43
Pricking in outer margins, largely cropped away. Written space 103-107 x 77-80 mm; ruled in brown. 26-28 long lines.
Written in anglicana, proficiently, by one hand, left-leaning, first quarter of 14th century, with a change of nib and ink at f.29r/6.
Text-capitals filled with pale green, f.26r, 29r-30r or, f.43v, lined with red. Paraphs, f.20r, 25v-28r and 30r, in green. Initial, f.19r, 2-line red.
Corrections by expunctuation, interlineation and over erasure, f.30v, 33v.
Written in England, start of 14th century.
Later additions.
Added on blank page, running down length. Copy of letter asking his parents' blessing and requesting them to get confirmation from his "cussinge" of a matter discussed with him.
Letters and syllables of the tonic solfa scale in vertical rulings.
This copy is M36 in the list of eighteen copies of the French version, pp. viii-ix in the Robbins edition. Robbins described it in a letter of 10 October 1923 as a "complete and careful copy of A-text (similar to Arundel) with unique Latin introduction and prayers not found elsewhere, but condensed (B-text) chapter on Sacraments", i.e. cap xiv, p.40-44. The Wilshere edition, p.vi-vii, lists 23 copies, complete or partial, seven being of B, the revised "lay" version, of which Cosin is B6, with C5 (Pembroke Cambridge 285) following the A text in the last five sacraments, but with the first two expanded. "Nu gos ye sonne vndre wode: Me reuez Marie yi faire roude ..." two rhyming couplets, NIMEV 2320, occurs as usual in the text on f.39r.
Added in blank space
Walther lists twelve copies, two in England (B.L. MS Add. 38131 (13th century) f.82v, and Oxford Bodleian Library MS Rawlinson A.384 (13th century) f.116r).
The version in Cronica fratris Salimbene de Adam OM, ed. O. Holder-Egger, (Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptorum 32; 1905-1913), p.84 has "Me non inclino" for "non declino", and, among the six copies listed, the three in England, Cambridge Pembroke College MS 258 (13th century) f.43v, Cambridge Trinity College MS O.2.45 (13th century) p.13, London British Library MS Cotton Vespasian B.xiii (14th century) f.132r, also read "inclino".
Also found in Munich, clm 28547 (12th century) f.177r.
56, 616, 712 [originally preceded quire 6]
No evidence of pricking. Written space 120-123 or, quire 6, 110-115 x 69 mm; ruled in greyish brown. 24-28 long lines.
Written in proto-anglicana, currently, end of 13th century, by two(?) hands, left-leaning.
Not executed in quire 6. Text-capitals filled with palish red. Marginal apparatus highlighted in palish red. 1-line space for initial, f.44r.
Written in England, second quarter of 13th century.
Here, taking Quire G before Quire F, the order in which the plants are arranged differs from the edition: 1-7, 40, 34-37, 51, 42, 45, 43-44, 8-33, 38-39, 63-65, 53-54, 47-50, 52, 55, 58, 60-61. The text in section (C) breaks off at this point and is continued by the later addition of section (D). The original scribes provided English names for most plants in the margin. In several places omitted lines are supplied in an 18th century hand (f.46v, 51r, 57r, 58v, 59v, 60r, 61v, 64r, 64v, 65r, 69v, 70r, 74v, 86r).
810 has blank stub of 10 before f.78.
No evidence of pricking. Written space 113 x 65 mm; framed in faint grey. 25 long lines.
Written in secretary, but with frequent long "r", proficiently, by one hand, earlier 15th century.
Not executed: unfilled spaces for 2-line initial to each plant.
Written in England, mid 15th century.
Continues the text from section (C): 41, 46, 59, 55 - 57, 62, 66 - 77, i.e. 55 Gaisdo repeated, presumably because this part was added much later, and so from a different exemplar.
Added on blank page: (&b-d) in one hand and ink, possibly all in the same hand as the ownership inscription of Nicholas Kyrkeby at the head of the page.
Macaronic
On Caedmon.
Bloomfield, Morton W., Guyot, Bertrand-Georges, Howard, Donald R. and Kabealo, Thyra B., Incipits of Latin works on the virtues and vices, 1100-1500 A.D. Including a section of incipits of works on the Pater noster 
(Cambridge, Mass.: Mediaeval Academy of America, 1979)
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]).
Macer Floridus. De viribus herbarum una cum Walafridi Strabonis, Othonis Cremonensis et Joannis Folcz carminibus similis argumenti, quae secundum codices manuscriptos et veteres editiones recensuit, supplevit et adnotatione critica instruxit Ludovicus Choulant : Accedit anonymi carmen graecum de herbis, quod e codice Vindobonensi auxit et cum Godofredi Hermanni suisque emendationibus edidit Iulius Sillig (Sumptibus Leopoldi Vossii ; Apud I. Muller ; Apud J.B. Baillière, Lipsiae, Amstelodani, Londini, 1832)
A new index of Middle English verse , ed. J. Boffey & A. S. G. Edwards (London: British Library, 2005)
Newhauser, R. and Bejzcy, I., A supplement to Morton W. Bloomfield et al. Incipits of Latin works on the virtues and vices, 1100-1500 A.D. (Turnhout: Brepols, 2008)
O'Brien, R., "The Stimulus peccatoris of William of Rymyngton", Commentarii Cistercienses 16, (1965), 278-304
Registra quorundam abbatum monasterii S. Albani, qui saeculo XVmo floruere , ed Riley, H. T., (Rolls Series, 28,vi) (London: Longmans, 1872-73)
Robbins, H. W., ed., Le merure de seinte eglise by St Edmund of Pontigny, an early example of rhythmical prose in the Anglo-Norman dialect ... , (Lewisburg, [1925])
Walther, H., Carmina medii aevi posterioris latina 1. Initia carminum ac versuum medii aevi posterioris latinorum: alphabetisches Verzeichnis der Versanfänge mittellateinischer Dichtungen (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1959-69)
Walther, H., Proverbia sententiaeque latinitatis medii aevi. Lateinische Sprichwörter und Sentenzen des Mittelalters in alphabetischer Anordnung (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1963-86)
Wilshere, A. D., ed., Mirour de seinte eglyse: St. Edmund of Abingdon's Speculum ecclesiae , ANTS 40, (London: Anglo-Norman Text Society, 1982)