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Alternative title

Bibliorum Pars II

Type of resource

mixed material

Extent

ff. 283

Date created

[ca. 1400-1499]

[ca. 1100-1199]

Language

Latin

Material

Vellum

Layout

double columns of 44 lines

Height (mm)

532

Width (mm)

360

Collation

I(8) (+1) II(8)-XX(8) XXI(12) (2 canc. in 2nd half) XXII(8)-XXXV(8). The old foliation remains.

Writing

It is the second volume of MS 3 and (with the exception of the first quire) seems to be in the same hand

Foliation

ff. i-ii + 1-283 + iii-iv

Provenance

The Dover press-mark has disappeared but there is no doubt of the provenance.

I think the artist who illuminated no. 4 was not the illuminator of MS 3. It also seems to me that the illuminator of no. 4 and Eadwine, the artist of the Canterbury Psalter at Trinity College, have a good deal in common. It is antecedently probable that this Bible was made at Christ Church Canterbury, of which Dover Priory was a dependency.

Summary

This second volume of the Dover Bible contains the latter part of the Old Testament from the Book of Psalms, and the whole of the New Testament, and these books have historiated or ornamental initials. The artists of this volume are different from the first volume, and their work is best parallelled in North French or Flemish manuscripts of the second quarter of the twelfth century - it is possible that they may indeed have come from the border region of France and Flanders, and this is suggested by characteristic iconography from those parts. Some of their work shows Italo-Byzantine influence, but quite different in appearance to that of the first volume, and characterised by patterned linear folds in the form of 'nested V's'. Figures have large faces with staring eyes and heavy dark eyebrows. The two volumes of the Bible found their way into Matthew Parker's collection after the dissolution of the priory at the Reformation.

Contents

The Dover Bible, Volume II

M.R. James Date

xv and xii

Downloadable James Catalogue Record

https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:nk125sm2554/MS_4.pdf

Superseded Interim Catalogue Record

https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:qq486mr7554/4.pdf

Contains:

• The Dover Bible, Volume II. 1r-283v

  Note:

  The first quire is a 'supply' of cent. xv in a fine upright narrow English hand, (1r) Prologue to Job, 1.

  Incipit:

  (1r) Cogor per singulos

  Note:

  2.

  Incipit:

  (1v) Si aut[em] fiscellam

  Note:

  3.

  Incipit:

  (1v) Iob exemplar

  Note:

  (2r) Capitula, (2v) Initial in blue and red to text, (9v) This quire ends in c. xxix, (10r) The original hand begins, (10r) liberassem pauperem (xxix 12)

  Rubric:

  (13v) In nomine domini incipit origo prophetie dauid regis psalmorum numero centum quinquaginta

  Incipit:

  (13v) Dauid filius Jesse

  Rubric:

  (14r) Psalterium rome dudum positus

  Note:

  (14r) Initial. Beatus vir, red and white ground. Above, David crowned plays psaltery and strikes gold bells (5) with hammer. A woman (?) on R. blows a pipe. Below. David as shepherd plays harp: ox, rain, and goat nibbling tree on R., (23v) Quid gloriaris (Ps. li), fine decorative initial, (33v) Domine exaudi (Ps. ci), fine decorative initial, stork, snake, and rabbit-headed dragon, (36r) Dixit dominus (Ps. cix) has blue initial larger than the rest, (42v) Ps. cli (Pusillus eram) is appended, (43r) Prologues to Proverbs, 1.

  Incipit:

  (43r) Jungat epistola

  Note:

  2.

  Incipit:

  (43r) Tribus nominibus uocatum

  Note:

  3.

  Incipit:

  (43v) Tres libros Salomonis

  Note:

  (43v) Capitula (60), (44r) Initial, red and white ground. Solomon crowned, with book, teaches Rehoboam (in cope) and another on R.

  Rubric:

  (53r) Explicit liber prouerborum VI D CC XL

  Note:

  (53v) Capitula of Ecclesiastes (31), (53v) Initial decorative, with fox

  Rubric:

  (56v) Explicit liber Ecclesiastes uersus D CCC V

  Note:

  (57r) Initial to Canticles. Solomon crowned, richly dressed, holds scroll of which one end is in a wooden case: Ecce tu pulchra es amica mea

  Rubric:

  (58v) Explicit liber cantica canticorum v. num. CCLXXX

  Note:

  (58v) Prologue to Wisdom

  Incipit:

  (58v) Liber sapientie apud hebreos

  Note:

  (58v) Capitula (47), (59r) Initial. (Reproduced in Camb. Ant. Soc. Proc., Vol. VII, pl. VIII (2)) Above in segmental space (white ground) Christ half-length crossnimbed holding scroll (one end of it in a wooden case) Diligite iustitiam qui iudicatis terram. On either side of His head in blue the letters R(ex) R(egum) D(ominus) D(ominantium). Below, on green ground with white band, in C. nude criminal with loincloth and bandaged eyes stands full face: a ring confines his legs closely together. His arms are bound behind him. On L. and R. groups of seated judges, two hold red stones (?), one a staff, (65v) Prologue to Ecclesiasticus

  Incipit:

  (65v) Multorum nobis etc.

  Rubric:

  (66r) Explicit prefatio Ieronimi presbiteri (!)

  Note:

  (66r) Capitula (129), (66v) Initial. A bearded man sits face R. in a chair on whose back is carved a human head. A Dove with cross-nimbus is at the writer's ear, and he has on a board before him a leaf inscribed: omnis sapientia. Red and white ground. The desk in this picture is interesting, (85r) The last chapter of Ecclus. is Oratio Salomonis

  Rubric:

  (85r) Explicit liber ecclesiasticus v num. II DCCC

  Note:

  (85r) Prologue to Chronicles

  Incipit:

  (85r) Septuaginta interpretum

  Note:

  (85v) Initial A with three tiers of busts on different coloured grounds, one bust in the top row and three in each of the others: all of bearded men, the topmost wearing a red hat, (97v) 2 Chron. Decorative initial, the central part gold with ornament in black, (113r) Prologue to Ezra

  Incipit:

  (113r) Utrum difficilius

  Note:

  (113v) Decorative initial, (117v) Nehemiah, small initial, (123v) Prologue to Esther

  Incipit:

  (123v) Librum hester uariis

  Note:

  (124r) Decorative initial, (129v) Prologue to Tobit

  Incipit:

  (129v) Chromatio et Heliodoro, (129v) Tobi filius ananihel

  Note:

  (129v) Panelled gold initial, (133v) Prologue to Judith

  Incipit:

  (133v) Iudith uidua, (133v) Apud hebreos liber iudith

  Note:

  (134r) Decorative initial with dragon, (139v) Capitula of 1 Maccabees (60), (140r) Prologue

  Incipit:

  (140r) Machabeorum libri duo prenotant

  Note:

  (140v) Initial. Alexander crowned in C. crowns two small youths standing on R. and L., he on L. holds a sword. The ground has been blue, now scraped off, (154v) Capitula of 2 Macc. (53), (155r) Decorative initial, blue ground carefully scraped off

  Rubric:

  (165r) Explicit Machabeorum lib. IIus uer. habet I DCCC

  Note:

  (165v) Canons of the Gospels in fine arcaded frames of gold and colour with foliage at top, (167r) Epistola beati Ieronimi ad Damasum (title in large coloured capitals)

  Rubric:

  (167r) Beatissimo pape Damaso

  Note:

  (167v) Prologues, 1.

  Incipit:

  (167v) Plures fuisse

  Note:

  2.

  Rubric:

  (168r) Eusebius carpiano

  Note:

  3.

  Rubric:

  (168v) Ieronimusdamaso

  Incipit:

  (168v) Sciendum etiam nequis

  Note:

  (168v) Argumentum

  Incipit:

  (168v) Matheus ex iudea

  Note:

  (168v) Breviarium

  Incipit:

  (168v) Nativitas Christi (Capitula 28)

  Note:

  (169v) Initial large. Matthew nimbed seated turns to R. and holds up book. Ground blue scraped off, (184r) Initial to Mark (no prologue) decorative, (193v) Initial to Luke. Luke nimbed in blue chasuble, stole and alb, plunges a knife into the throat of a red ox. Brown ground, (209r) Initial to John. Splendid decorative I with central medallion containing a nimbed bearded head, (220v) Prologues to Acts, 1.

  Incipit:

  (220v) Actus apostolorum nudam quidem

  Note:

  2.

  Incipit:

  (220v) Lucas natione syrus

  Note:

  (220v) Capitula (71), (221v) Initial. Luke nimbed seated holds up a tablet with rounded top in R. hand and metal stylus in L. Green ground, (236r) Prol. Epistolarum apostolorum

  Incipit:

  (236r) Non ita ordo

  Note:

  (236v) Capitula to James (19). Argument

  Incipit:

  (236v) Jacobus apostolus sanctum

  Note:

  (236v) Initial represents trunk of a tree with blue snake twined about it, (238r) Capitula 1 Peter (21). Argument

  Incipit:

  (238r) Discipulos saluatoris

  Note:

  (238r) Initial. Peter throned full-face, with curtain hung behind. He is in low mitre, chasuble (red) with pall, blue dalmatic, stole, alb and has pastoral staff. Blue ground scraped, (239v) Capitula 2 Peter (11). Argument

  Incipit:

  (240r) Per fidem

  Note:

  (240r) Initial. Above, fox and cock crowing, both red : below, wolf (?) and stork extracting bone from his throat. Blue ground scraped, (241r) Capitula 1 John (20). Initial decorative, (242v) Capitula 2 John (5). Argument

  Incipit:

  (242v) Usque adeo

  Note:

  (242v) Initial decorative, blue and white, and black on gold, (242v) Capitula 3 John (5). Argument

  Incipit:

  (242v) Gaium pietatis causa

  Note:

  (242v) Initial. On R. man rubbing blue lump (?lapis lazuli) on marble block (?grinding colour): green ground: on L. man with palette painting wall. Blue ground, scraped, (243r) Capitula of Jude (7), no argument. Decorative initial, (243v) Prologues to Pauline Epistles, 1.

  Incipit:

  (243v) Epistole pauli ad romanos causa

  Note:

  2.

  Incipit:

  (243v) Pauli apostoli epistole numero xiiii, (243v) Omnis textus uel numerus epistolarum

  Note:

  3.

  Incipit:

  (244r) Primum queritur quare

  Note:

  (244r) Argumentum ep. ad Rom.

  Incipit:

  (244r) Romani ex iudeis, (244v) Romani sunt in partibus

  Rubric:

  (244v) Versus Damasi

  Incipit:

  (244v) Iam dudum saulus

  Note:

  (245r) Capitula (30), (245r) List of 14 Epistles, (245r) Initial to Rom. Paul with long cross and book. Blue ground scraped, (251r) 1 Cor. Capitula 24. Decorative initial rather plain, (256r) 2 Cor. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (256v) Post actam penitentiam

  Note:

  (256v) Capitula 20, (256v) Initial. Paul seated with book blessing. Blue ground scraped

  Rubric:

  (260r) Explicit epistola secunda ad corinthios scripta de macedonia. uersus DXC

  Note:

  (260r) Gal. Prol. Galathe sunt greci. Capitula 12, (260r) Initial decorative

  Rubric:

  (262r) Explicit epistola ad Galathas S(c)ribens eis ad epheso uersus CC XCII

  Note:

  (262r) Eph. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (262r) Ephesii sunt asiani. Capitula 10

  Note:

  (262r) Initial. Paul in an almost dancing attitude holds up book, (264r) Phil. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (264r) Philipenses sunt macedones

  Note:

  (264r) Capitula 8, (264r) Initial like 1 Cor., (265v) Col. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (265v) Colosenses et hi

  Note:

  (265v) Capitula 10, (265v) Initial in colour as last, (266v) 1 Thess. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (266v) Thessalonicenses sunt macedones

  Note:

  (266v) Capitula 9, (267r) Initial ut supra, (268r) 2 Thess. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (268r) Ad Thessalonicenses secundam

  Note:

  (268r) Capitula 6, (268r) Initial decorative with gold, (268v) 1 Tim. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (268v) Timotheum instruit

  Note:

  (268v) Capitula 12, (269r) Initial without gold, (270r) 2 Tim. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (270r) Item timotheo

  Note:

  (270v) Capitula 7, (270v) Initial without gold, (271v) Tit. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (271v) Titum commonefacit

  Note:

  (271v) Capitula 6, (271v) Initial without gold, (272r) Philem. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (272r) Phylemoni familiares

  Note:

  (272r) Capitula 4 (3), (272r) Initial without gold, (272v) Heb. Prol.

  Incipit:

  (272v) In primis dicendum

  Note:

  (272v) Capitula 23, (272v) Gold and coloured initial, (276v) Laodicenses. Capitula 4, (276v) Prol. to Apoc.

  Incipit:

  (276v) Iohannes apostolus et euangelista

  Note:

  (277r) Capitula 24, (277r) Initial. John sleeps on island. Divine hand in cloud on R. Blue ground, scraped, (283r) Text ends

TJames

358

Stanley

Under C. 5

Repository

UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library

Location

MS 004

Use and reproduction:

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License:

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