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

MS 5650/60

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

c.1220

Text: From a Bible, in Latin

Script: Textualis Libraria (Textus Semiquadratus)

The text is written in double columns of fifty-five lines written in a small exquisite gothic hand, brown ink, ruled with plummet. The text shows the end of I Machabees, and the beginning of the “capitula” of II Machabees. There is an illuminated seven-line initial ‘U’ on the verso in burnished gold against a blue and pink ground, headlines, small initials and chapter numbers in red and blue, two-line rubric, with marginal line prickings.

On the verso the heading is ‘LIBER MACHA’, alternate letters being in red and blue, while on the recto the heading is ‘CHAB(EES)’ with alternate letters in blue and red. Thus in an opening of the original Bible the heading would have read ‘LIBER MACHACHAB(EES)’ (The Book of Machabees). The chapter numbering in the margin, in red and blue, does not correspond to modern numbering. In the transcription modern chapter and verse numbering have been added, in square brackets.

The present Bible closely resembles work done by the atelier responsible for several manuscripts described by Robert Branner as the “Morgan 92 Group” (Manuscript Painting in Paris during the Reign of St. Louis, University of California Press, 1977, pp. 58-9). A Bible from this group (Morgan 269) bears a striking resemblance to the present manuscript: Similarities can also be seen in manuscripts produced by the Blanche Atelier, a contemporary Parisian workshop, named after a Psalter done for Blanche of Castile, Queen of France and mother to St. Louis IX (see Branner, pp. 30-32).

The leaf is from a Bible formerly in the collections of Henry and Alfred Huth (sale, Sotheby’s, 15 November 1911, lot 645). The Bible was bought by Quaritch for C. H. St. John Hornby and later bequeathed in 1946 to Sir Sydney Cockerell. It was bought by Quaritch from Cockerell in 1957 and subsequently owned by Arthur Haddaway (exhibited University of Texas, Austin, 1971).

Recto side, column 1:

1 -ba ista . [14:47] Et suscepit symon (et) placuit ei ut

2 summo sac(er)docio fung(er)etur (et) e(ss)et dux (et) prin-

3 ceps gentis iudeo(rum) (et) sac(er)dotu(m) (et) p(re)e(ss)et om(n)ibus . [14:48] Et

4 sc(ri)pturam istam dixerunt ponere in tabulis

5 ereis (et) pon(er)e eas in perib(o)lo s(an)c(t)o(rum) in loco celebri .

6 [14:49] exemplum aut(em) eo(rum) ponere in erario ut ha-

7 beat symon (et) filii eius . [15:1] E t misit rex anti- [Chapter LIX

8 och(us) filius demetrii ep(istu)las ab insulis maris sy-

9 moni sac(er)doti (et) p(ri)ncipi gentis iudeo(rum) (et) univ(er)-

10 se genti [15:2] (et) erant continentes hunc modum .

11 Rex antiochus symoni sac(er)doti magno (et) genti

12 iudeorum salutem . [15:3] Q(uonia)m quidam pestilentes

13 obtinuer(un)t regnum patrum n(ost)ro(rum) volo au(tem) vin-

14 dicare regnum (et) restituere illud sicut erat an-

15 tea electum . feci multitudine(m) exercitus (et) feci

16 naves bellicas . [15:4] Volo autem p(ro)cedere p(er) regio-

17 nes . ut ulciscar in eos q(ui) corruperu(n)t regione(m)

18 n(ost)ram (et) q(ui) desolaverunt civitates multas in

19 regno meo . [15:5] Nunc ergo statuo t(ibi) om(ne)s oblatio(n)es

20 quas remiserunt tibi ante me reges (et) q(ue)cumq(ue)

21 alia dona remiserunt tibi [15:6] (et) p(er)mitto t(ibi) facere

22 p(er)cussuram p(ro)prii nomismatis in regione

23 tua [15:7] iher(usa)l(e)m aut(em) s(an)c(t)am e(ss)e (et) liberam (et) omnia

24 arma que fabricata sunt (et) p(re)sidia q(ue) extrux-

25 isti que tenes maneant tibi (et) omne debitu(m)

26 regis (et) q(uo)d in futuro debetur regi ex hoc (et) in

27 totum tempus remittuntur t(ibi) . [15:9] Cu(m) aute(m) obti-

28 nuerim(us) regnum n(ost)r(u)m . glorificabimus te (et)

29 gente(m) tua(m) et te(m)plu(m) gloria magna . ita ut ma-

30 nifestetur gloria v(est)ra in universa t(er)ra . [15:10] Anno

31 centesimo septuagesimo q(ua)rto exiit antioch(us)

32 in t(er)ram patrum suo(rum) (et) convenerunt ad eu(m)

33 om(ni)s exercitus . ita ut pauci relicti e(ss)ent cum

34 trifone . [15:11] Et insecutus est eum antioch(us) rex (et)

35 t(ri)fon venit doram . fugiens p(er) maritima(m) . [15:12] Sci-

36 ebat enim q(uo)d congregata sunt in eu(m) mala .

37 (et) reliq(ui)t eum exercitus . [15:13] Et applicuit antio-

38 chus sup(er) doram cum centu(m) viginti milibus

39 viro(rum) belligerato(rum) (et) octo milib(us) equitu(m) : [15:14] et

40 circuivit civitate(m) (et) naves a mari accesser(un)t

41 (et) vexabant civitate(m) a t(er)ra (et) mari (et) nemine(m)

42 sinebant egredi . [15:15] V enit au(tem) numeni(us) (et) qui [Chapter LX

43 c(um) eo fuerant ab urbe roma habentes ep(istu)las

44 regib(us) (et) regionib(us) sc(ri)ptas in quib(us) contine-

45 bantur hec . [15:16] Luci(us) consul romano(rum) . ptolomeo

46 regi salutem . [15:17] Legati iudeo(rum) venerunt ad

47 nos amici n(ost)ri renovantes pristina(m) amici-

48 ciam (et) societatem : myssi a symone pri(n)-

49 cipe sac(er)dotum (et) pop(u)lo iudeo(rum) . [15:18] Attuler(un)t

50 autem (et) clypeum aureum mina(rum) mille .

51 [15:19] Placuit itaq(ue) nob(is) sc(ri)bere regib(us) (et) regio(n)ib(us)

52 ut n(on) inferant illis mala neq(ue) impugnent

53 eos (et) civitates eo(rum) (et) regiones eo(rum) (et) ut

54 n(on) ferant auxilium pugnantib(us) adv(er)sus

55 eos . [15:20] Visum e(st) aute(m) nobis accipere ab eis

Recto side, column 2:

1 clypeum . [15:21] Si qui ergo pestilentes refuger(un)t

2 de regione ip(s)o(rum) ad vos : tradite eos symoni

3 principi sac(er)dotum . ut vindicet in eos s(e)c(un)d(u)m

4 legem suam . [15:22] Hec eadem sc(ri)pta sunt demet(ri)o

5 regi (et) adthalo (et) arahe (et) arsaci [15:23] (et) in omnes

6 regiones (et) samsame (et) spartanis (et) delo et

7 mido (et) sicione (et) carie (et) samu(m) (et) pamfiliam .

8 (et) liciam (et) alacarnasum (et) rodum (et) faselida .

9 (et) choo (et) sidem (et) arado (et) gortina(m) (et) henidum .

10 (et) cypru(m) (et) cyrenen . [15:24] Exemplu(m) aute(m) eo(rum) scrip-

11 serunt symoni principi sacerdotum (et) p(o)p(u)lo

12 iudeorum . [15:25] A ntiochus aut(em) rex applicuit [Chapter LXI

13 castra in doram s(e)c(un)do . admovens ei semper

14 man(us) (et) machinas faciens (et) conclusit t(ri)fone(m)

15 ne p(ro)cederet . [15:26] Et misit ei symon duo milia

16 viro(rum) electo(ru)m in auxilium (et) argentu(m) (et) au-

17 rum (et) vasa copiosa [15:27] (et) noluit ea accip(er)e . sed

18 irrupit o(mn)ia q(ue) pactus e(st) cu(m) eo antea (et) aliena-

19 vit se ab eo . [15:28] Et misit ad eum athenobiu(m) u-

20 num de amicis suis . ut tractaret cum ip(s)o

21 dicens . Vos tenetis ioppen (et) gazaram (et) ar-

22 cem que e(st) in iher(usa)l(e)m civitates regni mei . [15:29] Fi-

23 nes ea(rum) desolastis (et) fecistis plagam magna(m)

24 sup(er) t(er)ram (et) d(omi)nati estis p(er) loca multa i(n) reg-

25 no meo . [15:30] Nunc ergo tradite civitates q(ua)s

26 occupastis (et) t(ri)buta loco(rum) q(ui)b(us) d(omi)nati estis

27 extra fines iudee : [15:31] sin aute(m) . date p(ro) illis q(ui)n-

28 genta talenta argenti (et) exterminii quod

29 ext(er)minastis (et) tributo(rum) civitatiu(m) alia ta-

30 lenta q(ui)ngenta . Sin aute(m) veniemus (et)

31 expugnabim(us) vos . [15:32] Et venit athenobi(us) amic(us)

32 regis in iher(usa)l(e)m (et) vidit gl(ori)am symonis (et)

33 claritate(m) in auro (et) argento (et) apparatum

34 copiosum (et) obstupuit (et) retulit ei verba

35 regis . [15:33] Et respondit symon (et) dixit ei . Neq(ue)

36 alienam t(er)ram sumpsim(us) neq(ue) alienam de-

37 tinem(us) s(ed) h(er)editate(m) patrum n(ost)ro(rum) q(ue) ab ini-

38 micis n(ost)ris iniuste aliq(uo) t(em)p(o)r(e) possessa est .

39 [15:34] Nos vero temp(us) habentes vendicavim(us)

40 hereditatem patrum n(ost)ro(rum) . [15:35] Nam de ioppe

41 et gazara q(ue) expostulas : ip(s)i faciebant in

42 pop(u)lo plagam magna(m) (et) in regione n(ost)ra ho-

43 rum dam(us) talenta centum . Et non respondit

44 illi v(er)bum . [15:36] Et rev(er)sus cum ira ad regem re-

45 nuntiavit ei v(er)ba ista (et) gl(ori)am symonis (et) u-

46 niv(er)sa q(ue) vidit (et) irat(us) e(st) rex ira magna . [15:37] Tri-

47 fon autem fugit navi in ortosiada . [15:38] Et co(n)-

48 stituit rex cendebeum ducem maritinum .

49 (et) exercitum eq(ui)tum (et) peditum dedit illi . [15:39] Et

50 mandavit illi movere castra contra facie(m)

51 iudee (et) mandavit ei edificare cedrone(m) (et) ob-

52 struere portas civitatis (et) debellare pop(u)l(u)m .

53 Rex aute(m) p(er)seq(ue)batur trifonem . [15:40] Et p(er)venit

54 cendebeus iamniam (et) cepit irritare plebe(m)

55 (et) conculcare iudeam (et) captivare pop(u)l(u)m

Verso side, column 1:

1 (et) int(er)ficere (et) edificare cedrone(m) [15:41] (et) collocavit il-

2 lic equites (et) exercitu(m) . ut eg(re)ssi p(er)ambularent

3 viam iudee . sic(ut) constituit ei rex . [16:1] E t asce(n)dit [Chapter LXII

4 ioh(ann)es de gazareis : (et) nuntiavit symoni pat(ri)

5 suo q(ue) fecit cendebeus in pop(u)lo ip(s)o(rum) . [16:2] Et vocavit

6 symon duos filios suos seniores iudam (et) io-

7 hannem (et) ait illis . Ego (et) fratres mei (et) domus

8 pat(ri)s mei expugnavimus hostes isr(ahe)l ab ado-

9 lescentia usq(ue) in hunc diem (et) p(ro)speratum est

10 in manib(us) n(ost)ris liberare isr(ahe)l aliquociens . [16:3] Nu(n)c

11 aute(m) senui : s(ed) estote loco meo (et) fratu(m) meo(rum)

12 et egressi pugnate pro gente n(ost)ra . auxiliu(m) vero

13 de celo vobiscum sit . [16:4] Et elegit de regione vigin-

14 ti milia viro(rum) belligerato(rum) et equites (et) p(ro)fec-

15 ti sunt ad cendebeum (et) dormierunt in modin .

16 [16:5] Et surrexer(un)t mane (et) abierunt in campum (et) ec-

17 ce exercitus copiosus in obviam illis peditum

18 (et) equitum (et) fluvi(us) torrens erat int(er) medium

19 ip(s)o(rum) . [16:6] E t admovit castra cont(ra) faciem ip(s)o(rum) . [Chapter LXIII

20 ip(s)e (et) pop(u)l(u)s eius . Et vidit pop(u)l(u)m trepidantem

21 ad transfretandu(m) torrentem (et) transfretavit

22 primus . Et viderunt eu(m) viri (et) t(ra)nsierunt post

23 eum [16:7] (et) divisit pop(u)l(u)m et equites in medio pedi-

24 tum . Erat aute(m) equitatus adv(er)sario(rum) copiosus

25 nimis . [16:8] Et exclamaver(un)t sac(ri)s tub(is) (et) in fugam

26 conv(er)sus e(st) cendebeus (et) castra ei(us) et cecider(un)t ex eis

27 multi vulnerati : residui aut(em) fugerunt in

28 munitionem . [16:9] Tunc vulneratus est iudas fr(ater)

29 ioh(ann)is Ioh(ann)es aut(em) i(n)secutus e(st) eos donec venit ce-

30 dronem quam edificavit [16:10] (et) fugerunt usq(ue)

31 ad turres que erant in agris azoti (et) succendit

32 eas igni (et) ceciderunt ex eis duo milia viroru(m)

33 et reversus e(st) iudea(m) in pace . [16:11] E t ptolomeus fili(us) [Chapter LXIIII

34 abobi constitutus erat dux in campo iherico :

35 (et) habebat argentum (et) aurum multu(m) . [16:12] Erat

36 enim gen(er) su(m)mi sac(er)dotis [16:13] (et) exaltatum e(st) cor

37 ei(us) (et) volebat obtin(er)e regionem (et) cogitabat

38 dolum adv(er)sus symonem (et) filios eius . u(t) tol-

39 leret eos . [16:14] Symon aute(m) perambulans civita-

40 tes q(ue) erant in regione videe (et) sollicitudine(m)

41 gerens ea(rum) descendit iherico . ip(s)e (et) mathatias

42 filius eius (et) iudas . anno centesimo septuage-

43 simo septimo . mense undecimo . hic mensis

44 sabath . [16:15] Et suscepit eos filius abobi in muni-

45 tiunculam q(ue) vocat(ur) doch cu(m) dolo qua(m) edifica-

46 vit (et) fecit eis conviviu(m) magnu(m) et absco(n)dit

47 illic viros . [16:16] Et cu(m) inebriatus e(ss)et symon (et) filii

48 eius surrex(it) ptolomeus cu(m) suis (et) sumpser(un)t

49 arma sua (et) intraverunt in conviviu(m) (et) oc-

50 ciderunt eum (et) duos filios eius (et) quosda(m) pue-

51 ros eius [16:17] (et) fec(it) deceptionem magnam i(n) isr(ahe)l .

52 (et) reddidit mala p(ro) bonis [16:18] et sc(ri)psit hec ptolome(us)

53 (et) misit regi ut mitt(er)et ei exercitu(m) in auxiliu(m) .

54 (et) traderet regione(m) (et) civitates eo(rum) (et) t(ri)buta .

55 [16:19] Et misit alios in gazaram tollere iohanne(m)

Verso side, column 2:

1 (et) t(ri)bunis misit ep(istu)las ut venirent ad se (et) da-

2 ret eis argentu(m) (et) auru(m) (et) dona [16:20] (et) alios misit

3 occupare iher(usa)l(e)m (et) montem templi . [16:21] Et p(re)cur-

4 rens quidam nuntiavit ioh(ann)i in gazara . q(uia) pe-

5 riit pat(er) eius (et) fratres eius (et) q(uia) misit te q(uoque) in-

6 t(er)fici . [16:22] Vt audivit aut(em) vehem(en)ter expavit (et) co(n)-

7 prehendit viros qui venerant p(er)dere eum (et)

8 occidit eos . Cognovit eni(m) q(uia) q(ue)rebant eu(m) p(er)dere .

9 [16:23] Et cet(er)a sermonu(m) ioh(ann)is (et) bello(rum) ei(us) (et) bonarum

10 virtutum quib(us) fortit(er) gessit (et) edificii muro-

11 rum quos extrux(it) (et) rerum gesta(rum) eius : [16:24] ecce

12 hec sc(ri)pta sunt in libro dierum sac(er)dotii eius

13 ex quo factus e(st) princeps sacerdotum p(ost) patre(m)

14 suum . Explicit liber machaborum primus .

15 Incipiunt capitula libri machabeo(rum) secund . [should be ‘secundi’

16 I U bi moment(ur) fratres memores e(ss)e

17 cenoph(i) .

18 II U bi occisus e(st) antioch(us) rex in

19 templo nanee a sacerdotib(us) cu(m)

20 his qui secu(t) erant .

21 III D e igne sac(ri)ficii qui fuit ab-

22 sconditus in puteo .

23 IIII D e or(ati)one neemie tenenda (et) q(uo)d regi p(er)-

24 saru(m) manifestatu(m) sit mirac(u)l(u)m factum .

25 V U bi archa dei (et) altare inclusa sunt ab

26 iheremia p(ro)ph(et)a (et) de . v . lib(ri)s quos iason

27 sc(ri)psit . in unu(m) redactis .

28 VI U bi symon detulit dona templo dei

29 (et) mittit(ur) helyodo(rum) ad auferenda ea .

30 VII S acerdotes (et) populus orant d(omi)n(u)m ut

31 deposita custodiant(ur) .

32 VIII Q uomodo helyodorus volens spoliare

33 templum corrept(us) sit .

34 IX S umm(us) sac(er)dos oblato sac(ri)ficio pro

35 X eliodoro orat ut a plaga liberet(ur) . [ X on wrong line

36 D e insidiis symonis p(ro)ditoris cura

37 oniam sac(er)dotem .

38 XI U bi iason frat(er) om(n)e p(re)mio corrupit

39 regem antiochum pro adipiscendo

40 summo sac(er)dotio .

41 XII U bi iason misit argentu(m) didrag-

42 mas . ccc . ad sac(ri)ficium hercul(is) .

43 XIII U bi iason misit menelaum ad re-

44 gem (et) idem menelaus exclusit ia-

45 sonem de sac(er)dotio q(uia) menelaus p(re)te(r)a [quia?

46 amotus e(st) succedente ei lisimacho fr(atr)e

47 suo .

48 XIIII U bi onias sacerdos occiditur ab

49 andronico p(re)mio menelai .

50 XV U bi occiditur andronic(us) p(ro) onia sa-

51 cerdote occiso .

52 XVI U bi a pop(u)lo lysimac(us) occisisus e(st) (et) c(ir)c(a) [should be ‘occisus’

53 menelaum ap(u)d rege(m) agit(ur) (et) ei(us) senten-

54 tia a ptholomeo invertitur .

55 XVII D e signis celestib(us) ap(ud) iherosolima(m)

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,H,I,L,M,O,Q,R,S,U/V,X.

Versal: U.

Occasionally ‘a’ is written as a tall letter, e.g. in ‘ad’ (recto 1, line 46).

B Alternative forms of letters ‘d’(2), ‘i’(2), ‘m’(2), ‘r’(2), ‘s’(2) and ‘E’(2).

Where two ‘i’s are adjacent the second ‘i’ has a descender.

Note the occasional use of an Uncial ‘m’, e.g. in ‘secundum’ (recto 2, line 3).

A trailing ‘s’ is used in ‘oblationes’ (recto 1, line 19).

Round ‘s’ appears not to be used.

C Fusion between letters ‘be’, ‘bo’, ‘da’, ‘dd’, ‘de’, ‘dm’, ‘do’, ‘ec’, ‘ed’, ‘ee’,

‘eo’, ‘he’, ‘ho’, ‘oc’, ‘od’, ‘oe’, ‘og’, ‘oo’, ‘pc’, ‘pd’, ‘pe’, ‘po’ and ‘pp’.

D Ligature between letters ‘st’, e.g. in ‘ista’ (recto 1, line 1).

E Ligature between letters ‘ct’, e.g. in ‘electum’ (recto 1, line 15).

The ligature line from the ‘t’ does not actually join with the ‘c’.

F Frequent use of Tironian ‘et’ throughout. This is sometimes crossed,

sometimes not.

G There are two forms of abbreviation for ‘us’, (a) the ‘9’ form, as in

‘antiochus’ (recto 1, line 31), and (b) the ‘3’ form, as in ‘milibus’

(recto 1, line 39).

H There are two forms of abbreviation for ‘rum’, (a) the crossed round ‘r’ form,

as in ‘eorum’ (verso 1, line 54), and (b) the crossed small majuscule ‘R’

form, as in ‘earum’ (verso 1, line 41).

I Abbreviation for ‘Quoniam’ (recto 1, line 12).

J Abbreviation for ‘qui’ (recto 1, line 17).

K Abbreviation for ‘tibi’ (recto 1, line 19).

L Abbreviation for ‘secundum’ (recto 2, line 3).

M Abbreviation for ‘populo’ (recto 2, line 11).

N Abbreviation for ‘quibus’ (recto 2, line 26).

O Abbreviation for ‘tempore’ (recto 2, line 38).

P Abbreviation for ‘usque’ (verso 1, line 30).

Q Abbreviation for ‘frater’ (verso 1, line 28).

R Abbreviation for ‘est’ (verso 1, line 29).

S Abbreviation for ‘quia’ (verso 2, line 4).

T Abbreviation for ‘esse’ (verso 2, line 16).

U Abbreviation for ‘post’ (verso 2, line 13).

V Abbreviation for ‘dominum’ (verso 2, line 30).

W Abbreviation for ‘circa’ (verso 2, line 52).

X There are a very large number of other abbreviations.

Y Crossed descender of ‘p’ for ‘per’ (recto 1, line 16).

Z Line pricking on the inner margin has been done with a knife.

MS 60

Latin

1 leaf

Material: Vellum leaf