Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries

A catalogue of Western manuscripts and papyri at Cambridge University Library, the Fitzwilliam Museum and selected Cambridge colleges

Cambridge, Christ's College, MS Rouse 252

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11806

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript, copied in the 16th century, is a miscellaneous Euchologion (prayer book), containing a variety of texts for religious services. These include the basic texts for two of the principal versions of the liturgy (the principal Sunday service) and for a number of other standard services, details of antiphons (short chants based on the Psalms) for major festivals, and a selection of lections from the New Testament. The manuscript is a composite of two parts, of which the larger can be dated fairly precisely to the years around 1550, through its combination of watermarks. The other, much smaller portion of the manuscript, cannot be dated so closely because of its lack of visible watermarks, but its style of script suggests that it dates to the same century. It was evidently produced originally for a different manuscript, since its edges have been trimmed ineptly to a slightly smaller size than those of the main body. The manuscript has suffered the loss of various quires, individual folios and portions of folios. Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support:
Extent: Codex: iii + 143 + iii leaves.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [i-iii] + 1-117, 117a, 118-126, 126a-126b, 127-140 + [iv-vi], in pencil, in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right.

Collation

Part I consists of 3 quires, Part II of 15: Quires 1-28, Quire 38-1, Quires 4-98, Quire 1012, Quire 1112-3, Quires 12-138, Quire 148-2, Quire 158-3+1, Quires 16-178-1+1, Quire 188-1.

Condition

Almost all of ff. 31 and 63 has been lost, as has the majority of ff. 24 and 29-30 and substantial parts of ff. 23 and 62, with loss of text. There are significant losses from the margins of many other folios, often due to extensive pest damage as well as tears. There are small holes in various folios. The losses have been repaired with paper patches, and small Japanese paper patches have been attached for strengthening around holes. There is extensive and significant water staining, which has caused softening of the paper in places, and considerable areas of dirt.

Binding

19th-century full leather binding over millboards, with marbled pastedowns, by J.S. Wilson and Son of Cambridge. There is decorative gold tooling on the squares inside the cover, and blind tooling on the outside of the cover. The title ‘Liturgical MS. with portions of Scripture’ is tooled in gold on the spine.

225 × 169 × 47 mm.

Accompanying Material

There are three paper endleaves at each end of the maunscript, dating to the most recent rebinding. On f. [i] verso is a note recording the presentation of the manuscript to Christ's College Library by W.H.D. Rouse and a stamp recording its rebinding.

A loose sheet of paper with notes recording the locus of Gospel passages, written by William Elliott on dates between 1980 and 1988, is inserted at the front of the manuscript.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Presented to Christ's College by the classicist and teacher W.H.D. Rouse (1863-1950) , Honorary Fellow of Christ's, 3 July 1940.

Part 1 [Cambridge, Christ's College, MS Rouse 252, ff. 1-23]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

1.
Euchologion
1.1. ff. 1r-23v
Office for the burial of priests

Incomplete at the end, with lacunas.

Rubric: f. 1r Ἀρχὴ σὺν Θεῶ ἀγίω[sic] τοῦ ἐξόδου εἰς τηκοῦ τῶν ἰερῶν
Incipit: f. 1r οἰσέρχωνται[sic] οἱ ἰερῆς[sic] εἰς οἵκον[sic] αὐτοῦ
Explicit: f. 23v ἀξίωσον καμ||

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. 1-23 Western paper, folded in quarto. No visible watermarks.
Extent: Codex: 212 × 132-149 mm. This cropping of the folios of this part is uneven, slanting inwards in the upper part of the foredge.

Collation

This part consists of 3 quires, all quaternia.

  • Quires 1-28 ff. 1-16
  • Quire 38-1 ff. 17-23 The last folio has been lost, with loss of text.

Layout

A single column of 20-21 lines. 148 × 100 mm.

Hand(s)

ff. 1r-23v were copied by Hand A in a mixed minuscule script, slanting slightly to the right, in black ink, with modest variation in letter size and some flourishing of tails into the margin.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscription of word endings appear throughout the line. Breathings are round and mute iota is absent or subscript. There is decorative use of the double dot, occasionally even on diphthongs (e.g. f. 32r, line 13). Accents are sometimes joined to letters and abbreviations.

Punctuation used includes the middle and upper points, lower and middle commas and full stop.

The same hand has added headings and other rubric in the same style in red ink. The opening heading (f. 1r) is written in epigraphic display majuscule in black ink with red infill.

Decoration

The beginning of the text is preceded by a pyle in black and red ink, followed by a cross surrounded by the abbreviated inscription ‘Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς νικὰ’.

Some sections of text are preceded by major initials in black, red or black and red ink. These include omicrons with large downward extensions (ff. 6v, 8v, 9v, 20r), sometimes containing faces (ff. 8v, 20r).

Other sections begin with slightly ornamented minor initials in red ink. Some important words begin with normal letters in red ink.

Other sections begin with slightly ornamented minor initials in black ink

Additions

There is a note on f. 1r dated February 1671: ‘1671 εν μινι Φευρουαρι’.

History

Origin: The style of script suggests that this part was copied in the 16th century.

Part 2 [Cambridge, Christ's College, MS Rouse 252, ff. 24-84]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

2.
Euchologion (continued)
2.1. ff. 24r-26v
An Office

Defective at the beginning, with lacunas

Incipit: || f. 24r Ἰησοῦ μου τὸ θεῖον ὄνομά σου
Explicit: f. 26v Δι'εὐχῶν τῶν ἀγίων πατέρων ἡμῶν Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χρίστε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐλέησον
2.2. ff. 26v-32r, line 13
Morning Office

Incomplete, with lacunas

Rubric: f. 26v Ἀρχῆ[sic] τοῦ ὁρθρ⟨ου⟩
Incipit: f. 26v Ὀ[sic] ἰερεὺς[sic] ἐκφώνεται: Εὐλόγησον ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, τὸ τρὶς ἄγ[sic] ⟨ίον⟩
Explicit: f. 32r ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δύμανις καὶ ἡ δόξα τοῦ Πατρός[sic] καὶ τοῦ Υἰοῦ[sic] καὶ τοῦ Ἀγ[sic] ⟨ίου Πνεύματος⟩ ||
2.3. f. 32r, line 14-f. 55r
Basil, Saint, Bishop of Caesarea, approximately 329-379, Liturgy of St Basil

Begins with the second antiphonal prayer. The opening of the text was not included.

Incipit: f. 32r Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν· σωῶν[sic] τὸν λαόν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου
Explicit: f. 55r χάρητι[sic] τοῦ αχράντους[sic] σου Πατρὸς· καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου καὶ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ ζωὁποἰοῦ[sic] Πνεύματος νὺν[sic]
2.4. ff. 55r-63r
Liturgy of the Presanctified

Incomplete, with lacunas

Rubric: f. 55r Ἡ θεῖα λητουργεία· Τῶν προὴγιασμένων[sic]
Incipit: f. 55r Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρός ἡμῶν ἀρχιεπισκόπου Γρηγορίου, τοῦ διαλόγου:- Ἐκφών· Εὐλογημένην βασιλεία τοῦ Πατρός καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος
Explicit: f. 62r ἀνεπαισχύντω προσόπω· πεφωτισμένη καρδία· τῶν θείων σου||

Further small fragments of the text survive on the stub of f. 63r

2.5. ff. 63v-71v
Order of Baptism

Defective at the beginning and end

Incipit: || f. 64r Πιστεύω εἰς ἔνα Θεόν:· Εὤς[sic] τρεῖς
Explicit: f. 71v ἡ εὐλογήα[sic] σου καταβέτω· καὶ ὡς εὐλόγησας Δαβὶδ· δι'αὐτοῦ||

Further small fragments of the text survive on the stub of f. 63v

2.6. f. 72r-73r
Prayer for the forgiveness of sins

Defective at the beginning

Incipit: || f. 72r τοὺς πτωχοὺς οὐκ ηλέησε[sic] καὶ εὐἐργέτησε[sic] κατὰ δύναμιν
Explicit: f. 73r καὶ τῶ παναγίω καὶ ἀγαθῶ καὶ ζωοποιῶ σου Πνεύματι· νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰώνας τῶν αἰώνων ἀμὴν
2.7. ff. 73v-83v, 85r-92v
Office of the Holy Oil
Incipit: f. 73v Ἀκολουθία:· Τοῦ εὐχαι[sic] λαοῦ συνἀχθέντων[sic], τῶν ἰἐρέων[sic]
Explicit: f. 92v καὶ πύλαι ἄδου οὐ κατησχύσον ἐν ἀὐτοῖς[sic]
2.8. ff. 93r-99v
Ἀποστολοευάγγελα τῆς ὅλης ἑβδομάδος New Testament lections for each day of the week

Defective at the beginning (begins during the lection for Monday)

Incipit: || f. 93r ἡ χάρις πλεὀνάσασα[sic] δ'ἀπὸ πλειόνων, τὴν εὐχαριστίαν
Explicit: f. 99v ὁ γὰρ ζηγός μου Χριστὸς, τὸ φορτεῖον μου[sic] ἐλαφρόν ἐστίν[sic]
2.9. ff. 99v-100v, line 1
Antiphons for the liturgy on Easter Sunday
Rubric: f. 99v Τῆ αγία[sic] καὶ μεγάλῃ· Κυριακῆ τοῦ Πάσχα: Εἰς τὴν λειτουργείαν
Incipit: f. 99v Ἀλαλάξατε τῶ Κυρίω πᾶσα ἡ γῆ: Ταῖς πρεσβείας
Explicit: f. 100r-100v Ἐξομολογήσομέν σοι Κύριε ἐνόλη ἡ καρδία μου: Στιχέρον
2.10. f. 100v, line 2-118r
Lectionary (synaxarion): New Testament lections for the weeks of John

Incomplete, with a lacuna

Incipit: f. 100v Τὸν μὲν πρῶτον λόγον ἐποίησάν μην[sic]· περὶ πάντων ὦ Θεὄφιλε[sic]
Explicit: f. 118r οὐ μὴ περιπατήσει ἐν τῆ σκὀτεία[sic]· ἀλλέξει τὸ φῶς τῆς ζωῆς
2.11. ff. 118r-126r
Akolouthia for vespers on Pentecost
Rubric: f. 118r Τῆ Κυριακῆ Ἑσπέρας· Τῆς ἁγίας· Πεντεκοστῆς· Εις[sic] τὴν λυχνικὸν
Incipit: f. 118r Ἄχραντε· ἀμίαντε· ἄναρχε· ἀὄρατε· ἀκατάλυπτε· ἀνεξιχνίαστε
Explicit: f. 126r Το ἀπὸλυτικὸν[sic] τῆς ἐὀρτῆς[sic] καὶ απόλυσις[sic]
2.12. f. 126r-126v, line 4
Antiphons for the liturgy ⟨on Pentecost⟩
Rubric: f. 126r Εἰς τὴν λητουργείαν[sic]
Incipit: f. 126r Οἰ[sic] οὐρανοῖ διἠγοῦντε[sic] δόξαν Θεοῦ:- Ταῖς πραισβείαις[sic]
Explicit: f. 126v Ὄσοι εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτισθην(?)· Ἄνευ συνάπτει
2.13. f. 126v, lines 4-23
Epistles lection for the Monday after Pentecost

Defective at the end

Incipit: f. 126v Ἀδελφοῖ· ὠς[sic] τέκνα φωτὸς περὶπατεῖται[sic]
Explicit: f. 126v ὄτι αἴ ἠμέραι πονηραί εἰσιν||
2.14. ff. 84r-84v, 127r-140v,
New Testament lectionary (synaxarion): selected lections from the Gospels and the Acts and Epistles

Defective at the beginning and end, with a lacuna

Incipit: || f. 127r τοῦ ἐνουρανοῖς· ὄστις[sic] δὰν αρνήσεταί με ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων
Explicit: f. 84v ὄτε ἤγγισεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα· καὶ ἠλθεν εἰς Βισφα||

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. 24-31, 115-140 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Bull's head ( c. 105 × c. 30 mm. ) in the gutter, similar but not identical to Mazzoldi 367. This example is dated to 1558. ff. 32-55 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Bull's head ( c. 105 × c. 30 mm. ) in the gutter, similar but not identical to Mazzoldi 403. This example is dated to 1542. ff. 56-114> Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Hand ( c. 120 × 35 mm. ) in the gutter, similar to Briquet 10752. This example is dated to 1556.
Extent: Codex: 212 × 152 mm.

Collation

This part consists of 15 quires, of which two are of twelve folios and rest are quaternia. The quire signatures imply the loss of five original quires before Quire 4, of four between Quires 8 and 9, one between Quires 9 and 10, and one somewhere between Quires 10 and 12.

  • Quires 4-98 ff. 24-71
  • Quire 1012 ff. 72-83
  • Quire 1112-4+1 ff. 84-92 The first, sixth, seventh and twelfth folios have been lost, with loss of text. The first has been incorrectly replaced by a folio misplaced from later in the manuscript.
  • Quires 12-138 ff. 93-108
  • Quire 148-2 ff. 109-114 The first and last folios have been lost, with loss of text.
  • Quire 158-3+1 ff. 115-119 The third, fourth and sixth folios have been lost, with loss of text. The sixth has been replaced with a blank inserted leaf.
  • Quire 168-1+1 ff. 120-126a The last folio has been lost, with loss of text, and replaced with a blank inserted leaf.
  • Quire 178-1+1 ff. 126b-133 The first folio has been lost, with loss of text, and replaced with a blank inserted leaf.
  • Quire 188-1 ff. 134-140 The last folio has been lost, with loss of text.

There are quire signatures in Greek numerals, in black or red ink, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower centre. Appearing first on Quire 5, the numbers are initially larger by two than would correspond to the present state of the manuscript, from Quire 9 larger by six, from Quire 10 larger by seven and from Quire 12 larger by eight. They survive on Quires 5-10, 12-13, 15-16 and 18 (ζʹ-ιʹ, ιεʹ, ιζʹ, κʹ-καʹ, κγʹ-κδʹ, κϛʹ). There is another set of quire signatures in Greek numerals, in black ink, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower centre-right, corresponding to the above sequence. They survive on Quires 5-8 (ζʹ-ιʹ). There are leaf signatures in Arabic numerals, in black ink, on each folio of Quires 4-18, recto, lower right.

Layout

A single column of 20-21 lines. 143-158 × 95 mm.

Hand(s)

ff. 24r-140v were copied by Hand B in a mixed minuscule script, slanting slightly to the right, in black ink, with moderate variation in letter size and some flourishing of tails into the margin. There are deletions by strikethrough. There are many errors in the diacritics, and sometimes also in the spelling.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscription of word endings appear only at the end of lines, except in the top line. Breathings are round and mute iota is absent or subscript. There is decorative use of the double dot. Accents are sometimes joined to abbreviations. There are inclusions of letters within omicron.

Punctuation used includes the middle and upper points, lower comma, question mark and full stop.

Decoration

The beginning of the lectionary (f. 99v) is preceded by a rectangular headpiece outlined in brown ink with red, yellow and green paint infill.

Some sections begin with major initials, usually outlined in brown ink with some combination of red, yellow, green and white paint infill.

Other sections begin with minor initials in red ink, sometimes slightly ornamented. Later in the manuscript (from f. 94r onwards) larger and more ornate initials in red ink appear. Some important words begin with normal letters in red ink.

The division between some sections is marked by line-fillers, outlined in brown ink with some combination of red, yellow and green paint infill (ff. 26v, 55r, 59v, 73v and many from 93v onwards).

Additions

A monk named Gabriel has written his name in monocondylion on f. 138v: ‘μοναχὸς Γαβριήλ’. There are occasional marginal notes in Greek and pen-trials in later hands (e.g. ff. 121r, 133v).

History

Origin: The combination of watermarks suggest that the manuscript was copied in the years around 1550, which is consistent with the style of script. The copyist is identified by Harlfinger and Hunger (RGK I, 43) as the monk Gabriel responsible for the monocondylion, who is otherwise unknown. However, this does not appear to be in the same hand as the main text.

Additional Information

Availability

Visitors to Christ's who wish to consult Special Collections material are required to apply to the Library in advance of their visit. For information on eligibility and admission procedures see: Christ's College Old Library.

Bibliography

    Greek manuscripts in Cambridge: recent acquisitions by college libraries, the Fitzwilliam Museum and private collectors. Transactions of the Cambridge Bibliographical Society, Easterling, Patricia E. (4, 179-191, 1966)
    The Centre for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

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