Manuscript leaf from a Bible, in Latin, produced in France (Paris)

MS 5650/90

Manuscript leaf from a Bible, in Latin, produced in France (Paris)

c.1330

Text: From a Bible, in Latin

Script: Textualis Formata (Textus Quadratus)

The text is from 1-Chronicles 12:40 to 16:5.

The leaf is written in double columns with forty-six lines, in a gothic hand in brown ink. Capitals are touched in yellow, headlines and chapter numbers in blue or burnished gold with red or black penwork. Line marking is in black. The heading on the verso is ‘PA’ and on the recto is ‘LIP’ representing ‘PA(RA)LIP(OMENON)’, i.e. ‘CHRONICLES’.

An eight-line versal ‘I’, three two-line versal initials in blue or pink with white tracery, the letters enclosing ivy leaves in orange or blue, the whole on burnished gold grounds. Three of the versals have extensions forming bar borders (two in the middle margin, one on the left) in gold with blue, pink and white embellishment running the length of the page on both sides of the leaf and terminating at the top in the head of a grotesque (two in the form of a human head and another the form of a head of an orange dog-like beast), the terminations at the bottom in the form of ivy leaves in orange, blue, or burnished gold.

This leaf comes from an important Bible once in the library of St. Albans Abbey. The manuscript was produced by a distinguished Parisian workshop of the Pucelle circle possibly for Richard de Bury, author of the Philobiblon, and it was almost certainly given to St. Albans Abbey by Michael de Mentmore who died of the Black Death in 1349. For a complete account of the manuscript and its history see the article by C. de Hamel. The manuscript was originally bound in a sixteenth-century St. Albans binding, with fly-leaves relating to St. Albans; it was already imperfect when it was sold at Sotheby's in 1964, after which it was dismembered. It was then imperfect and many leaves were lacking their illumination which probably had been clipped away in the nineteenth century. Unlike Bibles of the thirteenth century, those of the fourteenth century are comparatively rare, and it is very likely that this is one of the ‘duas bonas biblias’ given to St. Albans by Michael de Mentmore, Abbot 1335-1349 (Gesta Abbatum, Rolls Series, 1867, II, p. 363). Michael de Mentmore is known to have bought some of his manuscripts from the estate of Richard de Bury who acquired manuscripts in Paris in the 1320's and 1330's, so that it is quite probable that the St. Albans Bible was one of these.

References:

1 C. de Hamel and R. A. Linenthal (eds.), Fine Books and Book Collecting,

Books and Manuscripts acquired from Alan G. Thomas . . . 1981, pp.10-12.

2 Gesta Abbatum, Rolls Series, 1867, II, p. 363.

Related leaves:

1 Bernard Quaritch's Catalogue 1088, Item 74.

2 Maggs' European Bulletin No. 21, Item 33.

Recto side, column 1:

1 [12:40] . . . farinam palatas . uvam passam . vinu(m) [1-Chronicles

2 oleum . boves (et) arietes ad omne(m) copiam :

3 Gaudium quippe erat i(n) isr(ae)l . X I I I

4 [13:1] I Niit autem consilium david cum tri-

5 bunis (et) centurionib(us) . (et) univ(er)sis princi-

6 pib(us) : [13:2] (et) ait ad univ(er)sum cetum filiorum

7 isr(ae)l : Si placet vobis (et) a domino deo n(ost)ro

8 egreditur sermo quem loquor : Mittam(us)

9 ad f(rat)res n(ost)ros reliquos in universas regi-

10 ones isr(ae)l . (e)t ad sacerdotes (et) levitas qui ha-

11 bitant in s(u)burbanis urbium . ut co(n)gre-

12 gentur ad nos : [13:3] (et) reducamus archam dei

13 n(ost)ri ad nos : Non enim requisivim(us) eam

14 i(n) dieb(us) saul : [13:4] Et r(espon)dit universa multitudo :

15 ut ita fieret : Placuerat enim sermo om(n)i

16 p(o)p(u)lo : [13:5] Cong(re)gavit ergo david cunctum

17 isr(ae)l a syor egipti . usq(ue) dum egrediaris e-

18 math : ut adduc(er)et archam dei . de chariathi-

19 arim : [13:6] Et ascendit david (et) omnes vir is-

20 rael ad collem chariathiarim qui est i(n) iu-

21 da . ut afferent inde archam domini dei se-

22 dentis sup(er) cherubin . ubi invocatu(m) est nom(en) ei(us)

23 [13:7] Imposueruntq(ue) archam dei sup(er) plaustru(m)

24 novum : de domo aminadab . oza aute(m) [1-Chronicles

25 (et) f(rat)res eius : minabant plaustrum : [13:8] Porro

26 david (et) univ(er)sus isr(ae)l ludebant cora(m) d(omi)no d(e)o

27 omni virtute in canticis (et) in c(i)ptharis (et)

28 psalt(er)iis . (et) timpanis . (et) cimbalis et tubis :

29 [13:9] Cum autem p(er)venissent ad aream chido(n) :

30 tetendit oza manum suam . ut suste(n)ta-

31 ret archam : Bos quippe lasciviens : paulu-

32 lum inclinav(er)at eam . [13:10] Iratus est itaq(ue)

33 dominus c(on)t(ra) ozam : (et) p(er)cussit eum eo q(uod)

34 tetigisset archam : (et) mortuus est ibi co-

35 ram domino : [13:11] Contristatusq(ue) est d(avi)d eo q(uod)

36 divisisset dominus ozam : Vocavitq(ue) lo-

37 cum illum divisio oze usq(ue) in presente(m)

38 diem . [13:12] (et) timuit dominu(m) tunc temporis

39 dicens . Quomodo possum introduc(er)e ar-

40 cham domini : [13:13] (et) ob hanc causam non ea(m)

41 adduxit ad se . h(oc) est in civitate d(avi)d s(ed) dui( )-

42 tit in domum obethedom gethei [13:14] mansit

43 ergo archa dei i(n) domo obethedo(m) grethei trib(us)

44 mensib(us) : (et) benedixit dominus domui ei(us)

45 (et) omnib(us) que h(ab)ebat . X I I I I

46 [14:1] M Isit quoq(ue) hyram rex tyri nu(n)cios

Recto side, column 2:

1 ad david . (et) ligna cedrina . (et) artifices pari- [1-Chronicles

2 etum lignorumq(ue) : ut edificarent ei do-

3 mum : [14:2] Cognovitq(ue) d(avi)d q(uod) confirmasset

4 eum dominus in regem sup(er) isr(ae)l : (et) s(u)b-

5 levatum e(ss)et regnum suum sup(er) p(o)p(u)l(u)m

6 eius isr(ae)l : [14:3] Accepitq(ue) david alias uxores

7 i(n) ier(usa)l(e)m genuitq(ue) filios ac filias : [14:4] Et h(ec) no-

8 mina eorum qui nati sunt ei in ier(usa)l(e)m :

9 Sam(mu) . (et) sobab . nathan (et) salomon . [14:5] ieber :

10 (et) elisu . (et) heli . (et) eliphaleth . [14:6] Noga quoq(ue) et

11 napheg . (et) iasie . [14:7] elisama . (et) baliada (et) eliphe-

12 leth : [14:8] Audientes autem philistiim eo q(uo)d

13 unctus esset david in rege(m) sup(er) univ(er)sum

14 isr(ae)l : ascenderunt omnes . ut quererent eu(m) :

15 Quod cum audisset david egressus est

16 obviam eis : [14:9] Porro philistiim diffusi s(un)t

17 i(n) valle raphaim : [14:10] Consuluitq(ue) david do-

18 minum dicens : Si ascendam ad philis-

19 teos (et) si trades eos in manu mea . dixitq(ue)

20 ei dominus : Ascende (et) tradam eos i(n) manu

21 tua : [14:11] Cumq(ue) illi ascendissent in baalpha-

22 rasim : p(er)cussit eos ibi david . (et) dixit : Divi-

23 sit deus inimicos meos p(er) manum mea(m) :

24 sicut dividuntur aque : (et) idcirco vocatu(m) [1-Chronicles

25 est nome(n) loci illius : baalpharasim : [14:12] Dereli-

26 queruntq(ue) ibi deos suos : quos david iussit

27 exuri : [14:13] Alia autem vice philistiim irruer(un)t

28 (et) diffusi sunt in vallem : [14:14] Consuluit rur-

29 sum david dominu(m) : Et dixit ei deus no(n)

30 ascendes post eos : Recede ab eis : (et) venies

31 contra illos ex adverso pirorum : [14:15] Cumq(ue)

32 audieris sonitum gradientis i(n) cacumi(n)e

33 pirorum : tunc egredieris ad bellum : Eg(re)s-

34 sus est enim deus ante te : ut p(er)cuciat cas-

35 tra philistiim : [14:16] Fecit ergo david sicut pre-

36 cep(er)at ei deus : (et) p(er)cussit castra philistinor(um)

37 de gabaaon usq(ue) gazera : [14:17] Divulgatumq(ue)

38 est nomen david in univ(er)sis regionib(us) :

39 (et) dominus dedit pavorem eius super

40 omnes gentes : X V

41 [15:1] F Ecit quoq(ue) sibi domos i(n) civitate d(avi)d :

42 (et) edificavit locum arche dei : tete(n)dit-

43 q(ue) ei tab(er)naculum . [15:2] Tunc dixit david : Illi-

44 citum est ut a quocumq(ue) portetur archa

45 d(e)i nisi a levitis quos elegit dominus ad

46 portandum eam . (et) ad ministrandum

Verso side, column 1:

1 sibi usq(ue) in eternum : [15:3] C ongregavitq(ue) u- [1-Chronicles

2 niv(er)sum isr(ae)l in ier(usa)l(e)m . ut afferent archam

3 dei in locum suum que(m) p(re)parav(er)at ei : [15:4] necn(on)

4 (et) filios aaron (et) levitas : [15:5] De filiis caath : u-

5 rihel principes fuit (et) f(rat)res eius . ducenti

6 viginti . [15:6] De filii(s) merari . asaia princeps

7 (et) fratres eius . cc . xxx . [15:7] De filiis gerson io- [ducenti triginta

8 hel princeps . (et) fratres eius . c . xx . [15:8] De filii(s) [centum viginti

9 elisaphan semeias princeps (et) fratres ei(us) .

10 cc : [15:9] De filiis ebron heliel princeps . (et) f(rat)res [ducenti

11 eius octoginta [15:10] de filiis oziel : aminadab

12 princeps (et) f(rat)res eius . c . xii . [15:11] Vocavitq(ue) da- [centum duodecim

13 vid sadoch (et) abyathar sacerdotes . (et) levi-

14 tas . urihel . asaia . Iohel . semeiam eliel . (et)

15 aminadab [15:12] et dixit ad eos . Vos qui esti(s)

16 principes familiaru(m) leviticaru(m) sanctifi-

17 camini cum fratrib(us) v(est)ris : (et) afferte ar-

18 cham domini dei isr(ae)l ad locum qui p(re)para-

19 tus est : [15:13] ne ut a principio quia non eta-

20 tis presentes p(er)cussit nos domine : sic et

21 nunc fiat . illicitum quid nobis age(n)ti-

22 b(us) : [15:14] Sanctificati sunt ergo sacerdotes et

23 levite : ut portarent archam domini dei

24 isr(ae)l : [15:15] Et tulerunt filii levi archam dei sic(ut) [1-Chronicles

25 precepat moyses : iuxta verbum domini

26 humeris suis i(n) vectib(us) : [15:16] Dixit q(uoque) david

27 principes levitaru(m) . ut constituerent de

28 fratrib(us) suis cantores i(n) organis musi-

29 corum . nablis videlicet (et) liris (et) cimba-

30 lis . ut resonaret in excelsis sonitus leti-

31 cie : [15:17] Constitueru(n)tq(ue) levitas heman fili-

32 um iohel : (et) de fratrib(us) eius asaph filiu(m)

33 barachie : De filiis vero merari fratrib(us)

34 eorum ethan filiu(m) casaie [15:18] (et) cum eis f(rat)res

35 eorum : In s(e)c(un)do ordine zachariam et ben .

36 (et) iazihel . (et) semiramoth . (et) iahihel . (et) hel( )

37 bit ani . s(ed) patimi a ameliab s(u)b uno no [a ?

38 mine s(ed) d(omi)no sunt ani (et) eliab anes (et) he-

39 liab . (et) banaia(m) . (et) maasiam . (et) mathathia(m) .

40 (et) heliphalu elehul (et) maoenia(m) . (et) obededom

41 (et) iehiel ianitores : [15:19] Porro cantores eman

42 asaph . (et) ethan . in cimbalis eneis co(n)crepa(n)-

43 tes . [15:20] Zacharias autem (et) ozihel . (et) semira-

44 moth (et) raniel . (et) hani . (et) heliab . (et) maasia(s) .

45 (et) banaias in nablis archana canebant :

46 [15:21] Porro mathathias (et) eliphalu . (et) maceni-

Verso side, column 2:

1 as . (et) obededo(m) . (et) iehihel . (et) ozaziu : in c(i)pthari(s) [1-Chronicles

2 p(ro) octava canebant (et) smithion : [15:22] Chone-

3 nias autem princeps levitaru(m) p(ro)ph(et)ie

4 p(re)erat ad p(re)cinendam melodiam : erat

5 quippe valde sapiens : [15:23] Et barachias . (et)

6 helchana : ianitores arche : [15:24] Porro sebeni-

7 as (et) iosaphat . (et) nathanael . (et) amasa (et)

8 zacharias (et) banaias . (et) eliezer sacerdote(s)

9 clangebant tubis coram archa domini :

10 (et) obededom . (et) achiniaas erant ianitore(s)

11 arche : [15:25] Igitur ergo (et) omnes maiores

12 natu isr(ae)l (et) tribuni : ierunt ad deportan-

13 dam archam federis domini de domo obe-

14 dedom cum leticia : [15:26] Cumq(ue) adiuvisset

15 deus levitas qui portabant archam fede-

16 ris domini i(m)molabantur . vii . tauri . (et) [septem

17 vii . arietes : [15:27] Porro david erat indutus [septem

18 stola bissina (et) univ(er)si levite qui porta-

19 bant archam fed(er)is domini cantoresq(ue) (et)

20 chonenias princeps p(ro)ph(et)ie inter cantores :

21 david indutus erat ephoth lineo : [15:28] Univ(er)-

22 susq(ue) isr(ae)l deducebant archam federis do-

23 mini : in iubilo (et) sonitu buccine . (et) tubi(s)

24 (et) cimbalis (et) nablis (et) citharis concrepan- [1-Chronicles

25 tes : [15:29] Cumq(ue) p(er)venisset archa federis d(omi)ni

26 usq(ue) ad civitatem david : michol filia

27 saul p(ro)spiciens p(er) fenestram vidit rege(m)

28 david saltantem atq(ue) lude(n)tem . (et) despex-

29 it eum (et) corde suo . X V I

30 [16:1] A Ttulerunt igitur archam dei . (et) co(n)-

31 stituerunt eam in medio taberna-

32 culi q(uo)d tetenderat ei david : (et) obtulerunt

33 holocausta (et) pacifica coram domino : [16:2] Cu(m)-

34 q(ue) co(n)plesset david offere(n)s holocausta (et) pa-

35 cifica b(e)n(e)dixit p(o)p(u)l(u)m i(n) nomine domini [16:3] . (et)

36 divisit univ(er)sis p(er) singulos a viro usq(ue)

37 ad muliere(m) . torta(m) panis (et) partem asse car-

38 nis bubule . (et) frixam oleo simila(m) : [16:4] Cons-

39 tituitq(ue) coram archa domini de levitis q(ui)

40 ministrarent . (et) recordarent op(eru)m eius . et

41 gl(or)ificarent atq(ue) laudarent dominu(m) deu(m)

42 isr(ae)l : [16:5] asaph principem (et) s(e)c(un)d(u)m eius zacha-

43 riam : Porro iahiel . (et) semiramoth . (et) iehi-

44 hel . (et) mathathiam . (et) heliab (et) banaiam

45 (et) obededo(m) . (et) iehiel . sup(er) organa psalterii (et)

46 liras : asaph aute(m) ut cimbalis p(er)sonaret

Notes:

A Letters: a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,l,m,n,o,p,q,r,s,t,u/v,x,y,z,

A,B,C,D,E,F(see Note C),G,I,M,N,P,Q,R,S,T,U/V,Z.

Versals:A,F,I,M,V,X.

B Alternative versions of ‘i’(2), ‘r’(2) and ‘s’(3). This includes a second ‘i’

in a pair of ‘i’s, and the trailing ‘s’, e.g. ‘estis’ (verso 1, line 15).

C ‘ff’ used in place of a majuscule ‘F’ in ‘Fecit’ (recto 2, line 35).

D The elaborate capital ‘C’ (verso 1, line 1).

E Use of majuscule ‘R’ in ‘R(espon)dit’ (recto 1, line 14).

E Ligature between ‘sb’, e.g. in ‘sub’ (verso 1, line 37).

F Ligature between ‘st’, e.g. in ‘est’ (recto 1, line 20).

G Fusion between letters ‘aa’, ‘ao’, ‘ba’, ‘be’, ‘bo’, ‘da’, ‘dd’, ‘de’, ‘do’,

‘ha’, ‘he’, ‘oc’, ‘od’, ‘og’, ‘oq’, ‘os’, ‘pa’, ‘pe’, ‘po’, ‘Po’, ‘pp’ and ‘Vo’.

H Elision between letters ‘ci’, ‘cu’, ‘cp’, ‘fi’, ‘gi’, ‘ri’, ‘rm’, ‘ti’, ‘tu’

and ‘xi’.

I Bifurcation on ascenders of letters ‘b’, ‘h’ and ‘l’.

J Bifurcation on some descenders of letters ‘p’ and ‘q’.

K Hairlines occur with letters ‘h’, the crossbar of Tironian ‘et’, the crossbar

of the ‘per’ abbreviation, round ‘r’, ‘x’, ‘z’, and sometimes final ‘t’.

L Abbreviation for ‘usque’ (recto 1, line 17).

M Abbreviation for ‘contra’ (recto 1, line 33).

N Abbreviation for ‘david’, (e.g. recto 1, line 35).

O Abbreviation for ‘quod’, (e.g. recto 1, line 35).

P Abbreviation for ‘quoque’, (e.g. recto 1, line 35).

Q In verso side, column 1, in line 7 the number should be ‘. cc . xx .’

(not ‘. cc . xxx .’), and in line 8 the number should be ‘. c . xxx .’

(not ‘. c . xx .’) - a scribal error!

MS 90

Latin

1 leaf

Material: Vellum leaf