The James Catalogue of Western Manuscripts

1. f.1 Epistola Guillelmi Mediolanensis abbatis ad Herbertum de Boseham super ypotesibus viii epistolarum Pauli Magistro herberto dilecto suo Guillelmus monachorum Beati Dionisii minimus in amplexibus Abysac Sunamitis feliciter calefieri.
... Poposcerat namque sollicitudo tua quatinus ypomnima temporis predicationis beati pauli quod me legente nuper audieras de greco sermone uerterem in latinum.
...Igitur parui uoto tuo et...alias ypotheses .xv. quas epistolis apostolicis sub certis titulis prescriptas inueni sedulitati tue transferendas decreui.
The style is rough, he says, because he has translated them literally.
Interdum quoque resectis articulis qui non modicum luminis intellectui prestant quia nichil est in latino quod eis proprie compensari possit, sensus aut obscurus aut inperfectus relinquitur. Et qui plerumque breui sermone poterat explicari uix longo circuitu reuolutus exprimitur.
f.1 Ends: compendiis singularibus in diuersa trahatur yponima scolasticum temporis quo b. paulus predicauit euangelium supercelestis uite
Primo anno omnis sancte et salutaris atque uiuificatricis delecte passionis resurrectionisque et assumptionis d. n. I. C. sanctus stephanus primus martyrizatus est. In principio autem secundi anni cepit S. apostolus paulus predicare euangelium et perseuerauit euangelizans per annos totos · xxxv · ita. Vsque ad presidem iudee felicem annos xxi compleuit sub quo accusatus a iudeis iterum (supplied below: compleuit in cesarea palestine alios annos duos · festo autem succedente felici et uolente ad gratiam iudieaeorum iterum) iudicare apostolum stans ante tribunal cesarem appellauit et dimissus est in custodia. Et rome alios annos duos · sub nerone uero excusatus dimissus est. Et iterum confirmatus est in predicatione usque ad alios annos · x · et tunc denuo constitutus sub nerone qui prius eum absoluerat propter in christum confessionem iussus est decollari. Ita fit omne tempus salutaris eius predicationis anni · xxxv · sicut predictum est. Consummatum est autem martyrium eius rome · iulii quinta
in qua et martyrizatus est. Qui et ante hoc iam multas adhortationes pro uita et uirtute beatus fecit et multa de his que agenda sunt hominibus nuntiauit per subiectam xiiii^cim epistolarum suarum doctrinam omnem eis rectam conuersationem indesinenter describens.
f.1 Ypothesis Epistole ad Romanos
Hanc epistolam mittit apostolus a corintho romanis quos quidem nunquam uiderat.
...Post hec autem exhortatorios sermones de moribus subdens terminat epistolam.
Ypothesis Ep. I ad Cor.
Hanc mittit ap. ab epheso asie corinthiis quos iam uiderat et docuerat.
-et de ratione in sanctos precipit et ita terminat epistolam.
f.1b Ypothesis Ep. II ad Cor.
Hanc mittit ap. a macedonia eisdem corinthiis
-in gratiarum actione terminat epistolam.
f.2 Ypothesis Ep. ad Galathas
Hanc mittit ap. Galathis a roma... et ita rursus de moribus exhortans et docens terminat Ep.
f.2 Ypothesis Ep. ad Ephesios
Hanc quoque mittit a roma ephesiis quos nunquam uiderat... instruit contra diabolicas fraudes et ita terminat ep.
f.2 Ypothesis Ep. ad philippenses
Hanc mittit a roma philippensibus quos iam prius uiderat... et iterum monens eos de moribus terminat ep.
Ypothesis Ep. ad Colosenses.
Hanc mittit a roma colosensibus quos ante quidem non uiderat... et earn que laodicensibus scripta fuerat predictis colossensibus recitari.
f.2b Ypothesis Ep. ad Hebreos
Ea uero que ad hebreos scribitur ep. uidetur quidem non esse pauli....ad hebreos enim propria locutione scripta est. Postea uero interpretatam fuisse dicunt alii quidem a luca, alii uero a clemente.
..Familiariter ergo gratia notificandi concordiam legis sue predicationis hanc ep. mittit hebreis.
...Disputat autem ap. in hoc ep. de iudaicis misteriis et quod eorum in christum transpositio a prophetis prenuntiata fuerit.
f.3a is blank.
f.3b Inc. prefatio Herbert (in lower margin, de boseham gloriosi martiris b. thome sicut in prosperis et in aduersis comitis indiuidui) ad Willelmum senonensem Archiep. super nouo quod condidit opere super epistolas Quod quidem super epistolas opus intenderam et presulatui tuo necdum factum dedicaram inter eiulatus et lacrimarum sordes uix tandem consummare iam potui. The cause of my grief you know. Ecce enim helya nostro currus suos ignitos ascendente et properante ad celos. Michi puero suo nec mafortem (marg. melotem) dimisit. To speak more plainly it is the death of our 'neomartyr,' which causes my sorrow. He was Elias "cui etiam nec camelorum defuerant pili."

2. The concordantiae (marginal references) to the Psalms and Epistles are set down in this work.

3. Capitula are prefixed to each Epistle.

4. Original words of doctors are set down, as in the work on the Psalms.

5. For convenience of reference singulas epistolas proopriis uersibus suis distinximus ipsorum sicut solet fieri capita nunc mineo nunc azorio colore signantes. Et quemadmodum psalmorom uersus metris et subdistinctionibus, ita et hos metris, distinctionibus, subdistinctionibus, colis uidelicet comatibus et periodis limitauimus. This has been done by older writers. I have revised their divisions: the reader must not complain at finding different numbers of verses, still I do follow the old order. Quippe in uetustissimo quodam bibliothece uolumine easdem distinctiones et sub eodem fere digestas numero repperi. facta tamen per loca innouatione permodica.

6. The Introitus to the whole is divided into 5 distinctions.

7. As I contemplate dealing thus with other books of the Bible, I say once for all that it will be necessary to divide them newly into chapters or to modify the old arrangement.

8. I have left out the prologues and arguments to the several epistles to save room.

9. Address to William to accept the book.
Et quia domino ad patriam translate seruus peregrinatur adhuc. tu qui legis hec semper peregrini memento.
f.6 Incipiunt capitula seu distinctiones super epistolam ad Romanos
i. Quod fides romanorum in uniuerso mundo annuntietur · unde apostolus agit gracias. quibus et in spiritu suum promittit aduentum . et . quod uirtus ex fide uiuit. Primum quidem.
xiii. obseruandos eos qui dissensiones et offendicula faciunt. et de thimotheo et ceteris adiutoribus suis. Rogo autem.
f.6b Inc. capitula seu distinctiones super introitum tocius libri (five)
Introitus super totum librum.
Ambrosius. Principia rerum requirenda sunt prius
-a dignitate · ab officio · a nomine · dicens.
The margins from this point are divided into triple columns as in the Gloss on the Psalms.
(1) (outer). Cross-references to the Psalms, and quotations from the expositors.
(2) Names of expositors and lines showing how far their words extend.
(3) Cross-references to the Pauline Epistles
f.8b Epistola ad Romanos
Paulus seruus etc. usque ibi omnibus qui sunt rome huc usque enim pendet littera.
f.94 Ep. I ad Corinthios
Capitula siue distinctiones prime ep. ad Corinthios (xix).
i. Laudat apostolus Corinthios et ad concordiam hortatur etc.
f.95 Prefatio epistole
Paulus uocatus apostolus etc. Hanc epistolam scribit apostolus corinthiis. Corinthii autem sunt achaici.
f.95b Text
Ep. II ad Corinthios 158
Capitula (xv).
i. Quod deus sit pater misericordiarum et deus totius consolationis etc.
Prefatio.
f.159b Paulus etc. Hanc epistolam item scribit apostolus corinthiis
f.159 Text
Gloss ends f.194b.
Ut trium perfectio consummatio sit hominis in salutem. Amen.
Expl. Secunda ad corinthios et prima pars epistolarum.

Then follow without initials the Capitula and Prefatio to
Galatians, marked in the margin vacat.

As to writing and decoration,
ff.1, 2 are in a different, but not later hand.
Herbert's prologue f.3b has a fine decorative initial.
Each paragraph has a dragon or serpent to mark it off, and a small initial.
Capitula (f.6) a moderate sized initial.
Introitus (f.6b) a larger one, excellent.
Romans (f.8b) two magnificent initial P's (to text and gloss) one fitted into the other. They contain nude brown figures of men, and dragons, but not the small lion-like beasts of (e.g.) B.5.5.
Each verse of text has a small initial.
The marginal figures are comparatively rare.
f.35. A beardless man in blue, white-haired, with short staff, and scroll CAVE.
f.72. Similar figures in blue and white with pointer, and scroll NON EGO.
f.80. Similar with scroll EGO ALITER.
Preface to 1 Cor. (f.95) medium sized initial.
Text and Gloss (f.95b). Two initials, one with Atlas-figure, roughly done.
Preface to 2 Cor. (f.158b). Initial with stalk containing the small lion-like beasts, but not in white or yellow; these are green and blue.
Text and Gloss (f.159). Two initials; the smaller has a figure of Paul seated, with scroll.
f.189 marg. A figure in blue over pink, with white hair and beard, holding pointer and scroll CAVE.
A fair number of the small initials contain snakes and human heads.

Jackson, D., Morgan, N. and Panayatova, S. (eds.), Illuminated Manuscripts in Cambridge : A Catalogue of Western Book Illumination in the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Cambridge Colleges. Part 3, France, vol 1, c.1000-c.1250 (London, 2015), vol 1. no. 33.

Ker, N. R., Medieval Libraries of Great Britain, Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks 3, 2nd edn (London, 1964), Canterbury.

Kauffmann, C.M.,Romanesque Manuscripts 1066-1190, A Survey of Manuscripts Illuminated in the British Isles 3 (London, 1975), p.27.

Dodwell, C.R., The Canterbury School of Illumination 1066-1200 (Cambridge, 1954), p. 105.

Haney, K.E., The St Albans Psalter: an Anglo-Norman Song of Faith Studies in the Humanities: Literature, Politics, Society 60 (New York, 2002)

Robinson, P., Catalogue of Dated and Datable Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries, 2 vols (Cambridge, 1988), no. 331, pl. 83 [with B.5.7 (153); datable between 1170? and 1177, written in Paris]

de Hamel, C., Glossed Books of the Bible and the Origins of the Paris Booktrade (Woodbridge, 1984), pp. 7, 22, 42-3, 44, 57-8, pl. 18a [given by Herbert of Bosham to Christ Church, Canterbury]

James, M. R., The Ancient Libraries of Canterbury and Dover (Cambridge, 1903), pp. 510, 513

Thomson, R. M., Manuscripts from St Albans Abbey, 1066-1235, 2 vols (Woodbridge, 1982), p. 139 n. 33.

Fingernagel, A., Romanik, Geschichte der Buchkultur 4/1-4/2 (Graz, 2007) 2 vol.

Panayotova, S., ed., The Cambridge Illuminations : the Conference Papers (London, 2007)