Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries

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

Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum, MS McClean 2

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11856

Contents

Introduction: This richly illuminated Greek Gospel lectionary probably dates in its earliest portion to the second half of the 11th century. One scribe was responsible for copying the menologion, containing the lection sequence for the fixed calendar, beginning from 1 September, and another for the synaxarion, containing the lections of the mobile calendar, beginning from Easter. Both sections are provided with elaborate decoration with extensive use of gold, but the style differs between the two, showing that in this too they were the work of different hands. It is unclear whether the two components were produced as part of a single project but assigned to separate teams of scribe and artist, or if they originated in separate projects. In the latter case, they could be portions of two different original lectionaries which were created independently but later combined when both were damaged or left incomplete, or one section could have been produced purposely to supply what was now missing from the other. The script of the menologion seems if anything the earlier, while that of the synaxarion could date from the same 11th-century period but would also be consistent with a 12th-century origin. Therefore it is likely that if either was created to replace losses to the other it was the synaxarion which was produced to supplement the menologion, but contemporaneous production is also plausible. Early quire signatures are present in the synaxarion, but only a few survive, while none are present in the menologion, so no clear evidence of the manuscript's origins can be derived from these. At a later date, two replacement quires were produced to supplement losses from the synaxarion, ornamented in a somewhat simpler style but still with extensive use of gold. The text of these quires is in an unusual, very square script which is not easily placed chronologically but perhaps dates to the 14th century. There have been significant further losses from the manuscript, and the surviving portions are now bound out of order. The menologion sections for December and January appear out of sequence at the very beginning of the manuscript, while the early folios of the synaxarion are severely disordered. Unusually, the manuscript contains portrait miniatures of the Evangelists, which appear within the menologion. Two of these survive, depicting Matthew (f. 1v) and Mark (f. 20v). Such miniatures are a feature much more commonly associated with Gospel books, in which the text appears in its original order, than with lectionaries. Their inclusion within the menologion also seems less natural than it would be in the synaxarion, in which the calendar outside of Holy Week is divided into sections each dominated by readings from one of the four Gospels, whereas the four are interspersed throughout the menologion. The inclusion of the miniatures also seems to have led to some disruption to the copying of the text. The portrait of St Mark was painted on a single folio which was then inserted into a quire, as was common practice, but for some reason when the scribe reached this point they broke off copying the lection which was interrupted by this folio and began copying it again on the next folio after that bearing the miniature. Still more peculiarly, this lection was followed by the repetition of another lection which had already appeared a few folios earlier. This disruption offers a notable insight into the working process of the manuscript's production, since it indicates that the extra folio bearing the miniature was inserted into the quire before it was copied rather than afterwards. It remains unclear why the scribe thought it necessary to begin the current lection again after the miniature, while the repetition of another lection directly afterwards is still more perplexing. The presence of the Evangelist portraits could conceivably account for the current erroneous placement of the menologion sections for December and January, since this places one of the miniatures on the very first folio of the manuscript, while the other appears within the last quire of the displaced section. This suggests that they could have been placed at the beginning of the manuscript for greater prominence, by a modern owner who was not going to be using it for liturgical purposes. Still more unusual than these full-page miniatures is a small miniature of the Virgin Mary which appears in the division between the two columns of text on f. 154v. This is placed alongside the beginning of the lection for the feast of her Nativity on 8 September. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: Codex: i + 26 | 83 | 11 | 32 | 24 + i leaves. 254 × 195 mm.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [i] + 1-176 + [ii], in pencil, in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right.

Collation

Part I consists of 7 quires (1-4, 23-25), Part II of 16 (5-16, 19-22), Part III of 2 (17-18): 11, 2-38, 48+1 | 58-2, 68-5, 7-128, 138-6, 14-168 | 172, 1810-1 | 19-228 | 23-258.

Condition

There are tears in the gutter to ff. 18, 67, 82-83, 86-87, and occasional holes (e.g. f. 85). Tears to the edges of ff. 56 and 97 have been repaired with stitching. The previously detached ff. [i] and 1 have been reattached. Tears to ff. [i], 18 and [ii] have been repaired with Japanese paper, and holes in f. 85 with berlin tissue. There are frequent drops of wax, water staining and areas of dirt. Staining is particularly severe to f. 169r. There is some cockling and creasing. Ink, paint and gold have been abraded in places.

Additions

There is a note regarding content on the left pastedown, and one proposing a date of origin of c. 1000 on f. [i] recto. There is a note of the number of folios in Greek on f. [ii] recto, and another in English on the right pastedown, dated 5 August 1908, with the initials H.A.C.

Binding

19th-century full leather binding over millboards, hollow back, sewn with cord on recessed supports. Boards are attached with laced-in slips.

264 × 205 × 47 mm.

The left inner joint is fully split, the right inner joint is partially split, and the tailband is partially detached. There is slight pest damage to the left board.

Accompanying Material

There is a bookplate indicating ownership by Frank McClean on the left pastedown, a loose slip of paper with a brief printed description, clipped from the Sotheby's sale catalogue, tipped to this pastedown, with a handwritten note on it regarding its provenance from the White library and the date April 1902.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Owned by the historian Henry White (1812-1880) .

Purchased by the astronomer and collector Frank McClean (1837-1904) in the auction of the White collection at Sotheby's in April 1902 (lot 846).

Bequeathed to the Fitzwilliam Museum by McClean, together with the rest of his collection, in 1904.

Part 1 [Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum, McClean MS 2, ff. 1-26, 153-176]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

Gospel lectionary (Saturdays and Sundays)

Gregory-Aland l 1572

Defective at the end, with portions bound out of order

Incipit: f. 2r Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ υἱοῦ Δαβὶδ υἱοῦ Ἁβραάμ[sic]
Explicit: f. 176v καὶ ἀναφέρει ἀυτοὺς εἰς ὅρος ὑψη⟨λὸν⟩ ||
1.1. f. 1v
Evangelist miniature of St Matthew

f. 1r is blank

1.2. ff. 2r-14r
Menologion: Lections for December

The text here follows on from that at f. 168v, due to ff. 1-26 being bound out of sequence

1.3. ff. 14r-19v, 21r-26v
Menologion: Lections for January

Defective at the end

The lection for 1 January appears on ff. 14v-16r and is repeated on ff. 21v-22v, while the lection for the Sunday before Epiphany begins on f. 19v but is interrupted by a folio bearing a miniature (f. 20), and the same lection then appears again, in full, on f. 21r-21v

1.4. f. 20v
Evangelist miniature of St Mark

f. 20r is blank

1.9. ff. 153r-162r
Menologion: Lections for September
1.10. ff. 162r-165v
Menologion: Lections for October
1.11. ff. 165v-168v
Menologion: Lections for November

Defective at the end

1.12. ff. 169r-173v
Menologion: Lections for June

Defective at the beginning

1.13. ff. 173v-175r
Menologion: Lections for July
1.14. ff. 175r-f. 176v
Menologion: Lections for August

Defective at the end

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. 1-26 Parchment (FHHF), of medium thickness and quality.

Collation

This part consists of 7 quires, of which one is a single folio and the rest are quaternia. Quires 1-4 are bound out of position, and should appear after Quire 24. The signatures indicate that one or more quires have been lost between Quire 4 (in its original location) and Quire 25.

  • Quire 11 f. 1
  • Quires 2-38 ff. 2-17
  • Quire 48+1 ff. 18-26 An extra folio with a miniature has been inserted after the second folio of the basic quire structure.
  • Quires 23-258 ff. 153-176

There are quire signatures in Arabic numerals, in pencil, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right, belonging to a single sequence through the whole manuscript. They survive on Quires 2-25 (2-24), including Quires 2-4 and 23-24 of this part. The difference in numbering results from this sequence treating the two replacement Quires 17-18 (Part III) as a single quire.

Layout

ff. 1r-26v Two columns of 19 lines. 175 × 130 mm. Pricking occasionally survives in the upper and lower margins, but has mostly been lost to cropping. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 1, type Leroy 24C2. Text hangs from the lines.

Hand(s)

ff. 2r-19v, 21r-26v and 153r-176v were copied by Hand A in mixed minuscule script, upright or slanting slightly to the right, in brown ink, with modest variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear only at the end of lines. Breathings are usually round but sometimes angular, and mute iota is adscript or absent. Use of the double dot is functional only, and there is accentuation of all lengths of nomina sacra . The circumflex appears above breathings and is sometimes slightly expanded there.

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

Most lection headings and other rubric were written in Alexandrine majuscule script in red ink and gilded. Some headings identifying Gospels were written in epigraphic display majuscule script in red ink and gilded.

Musical Notation: The text has been provided with ekphonetic notation in red ink.

Decoration

Two full-page portrait miniatures in colours and gold:

  • f. 1r: St Matthew
  • f. 20v: St Mark

A small miniature of the Virgin Mary appears in the central division between the columns of text on f. 154v.

Most months of the menologion are preceded by rectangular headpieces in red, blue, green and white paint and gold (ff. 14v, 21r-21v, 153r, 162r-162v, 165v, 169r, 173v , 175v). One is preceded by a rectangular headpiece in red ink (f. 14r). The lection on f. 2r is preceded by a simple horizontal bar in red ink, gilded.

Most lections of this part begin with an ornamented major initial, usually outlined in red ink which has been gilded, with red, blue, green and white paint infill.

The beginnings of some lections, headings and summary lection notes, and of sections within some lections, are marked by smaller, simpler initials in red ink, usually gilded.

Lection headings and rubric were written in red ink and gilded.

Additions

Additional lection notes have occasionally been added in the margins by later hands (e.g. ff. 3v, 156r).

There are occasional pen-trials or doodles (e.g f. 2r).

History

Origin: This part was probably copied in the second half of the 11th century, as suggested by the style of script.

Part 2 [Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum, McClean MS 2, ff. 27-109, 121-152]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

Gospel lectionary (continued)
1.5. ff. 27r-56r
Synaxarion: Lections for the weeks of Matthew

Defective at the beginning; ff. 27-35 are bound out of sequence, as described under Collation

1.6. ff. 56r-85v
Synaxarion: Lections for the weeks of Luke

Defective at the end, with lacunas

1.7. ff. 86r-91v
Synaxarion: Lections for the weeks of Mark (Lent)

Defective at the beginning

1.8. ff. 91v-152r
Synaxarion: Lections of Holy Week

f. 152v is blank apart from a later miniature

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment (FHHF), of medium thickness and quality.

Collation

This part consists of 16 quires, of which two are quinia and the rest are quaternia. Quire 6 is composed of the last folio of a quire otherwise lost (f. 33), which originally preceded Quire 5, bound together with a bifolio detached from Quire 5 (ff. 34-35). The correct sequence of these folios runs ff. 33, 27, 34, 28-31, 35, 32. The first folio of Quire 6 is thus the first surviving folio of the manuscript in the original sequence. The signatures indicate that a further six quires have been lost before this and another one between Quires 13 and 14. The signatures suggest that the substitute Quires 17-18 (Part III) replaced a single original quire.

  • Quire 58-2 ff. 27-32 The bifolio forming the second and seventh folios has become detached, and is bound as part of Quire 6.
  • Quire 68-7+2 ff. 33-35 The first folio here is the last folio of a quire which is otherwise lost, and which directly preceded Quire 5; a stub of the conjoint leaf of this folio remains, and between this folio and stub has been bound the bifolio detached from Quire 5, forming the second and third folios of the present quire.
  • Quires 7-88 ff. 36-51
  • Quire 910-2 ff. 52-59 The second and eighth folios have been cancelled, without loss of text.
  • Quire 1010-2 ff. 60-67 The second and eighth folios have been cancelled, without loss of text.
  • Quires 11-128 ff. 68-83
  • Quire 138-6 ff. 84-85 The first, third-sixth and eighth folios have been lost, with loss of text.
  • Quires 14-168 ff. 86-109
  • Quires 19-228 ff. 121-152

There are quire signatures in Greek numerals, in red ink, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right. Most have been lost to cropping. They survive on Quires 7, 15-16, 20 (θʹ, ιηʹ-ιθʹ, κβʹ), and traces on Quires 5, 8, 9-12, 14, 21-22. There are also quire signatures in Arabic numerals, in pencil, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right, belonging to the single sequence for the whole manuscript. They survive on Quires 2-25 (2-24), including all quires of this part. The difference in numbering results from this sequence treating the two replacement Quires 17-18 (Part III) as a single quire.

Layout

ff. 27r-109v, 121r-152v Two columns of 19 lines. 185 × 130 mm. Piercing occasionally survives in the upper and lower margins, but has mostly been lost to cropping. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 1, type Leroy 22E2. Text hangs from the lines.

Hand(s)

ff. 27r-108v and 121r-152v were copied by Hand B in mixed minuscule script, upright or slanting slightly to the right, in brown ink, with modest variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear only at the end of lines. Breathings are round and mute iota is absent. Use of the double dot is functional only, and there is accentuation of all lengths of nomina sacra . The circumflex appears above breathings and is sometimes slightly expanded there.

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

Lection headings and other rubrics were written in Alexandrine majuscule script in red ink and gilded.

Musical Notation: The text has been provided with ekphonetic notation in red ink.

Decoration

A later picture of Christ Pantokrator, portrayed as a young man, in ink and paint only, has been added to the originally blank f. 152v. This is accompanied by a scroll with the inscription ‘ὁσι το θελὲτε ἠδὴν αὐτόν το δεσὲνιον να μου σιμπαθισέται δι ὁτι αμαθις ἠμουν ἀκομὶ τῆς τεχνις της ζωγραφικῆς’.

Lections begin with ornamented initials, some outlined in red ink which has been gilded, with blue paint infill, others only in red ink, gilded.

Lection headings and rubric were written in red ink and gilded.

Additions

As part of the original production of the manuscript, lection notes have been included in the margins.

History

Origin: This part was probably copied in the second half of the 11th or first half of the 12th century, as suggested by the style of script.

Part 3 [Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum, McClean MS 2, ff. 110-120]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

Gospel lectionary (continued)

Gregory-Aland l 1572

1.8. ff. 110r-120v
Synaxarion: Lections of Holy Week (continued)

These substitute folios replace a missing portions of the original text

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment (FHHF), quite thick and of medium quality.

Collation

This part consists of two quires, of which one is a quinion and the other a single bifolio.

  • Quire 172 ff. 110-111
  • Quire 1810-1 ff. 112-120 The first folio has been cancelled, without loss of text.

There are also quire signatures in Arabic numerals, in pencil, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right, belonging to the single sequence for the whole manuscript. They survive on Quires 2-25 (2-24), including both quires of this part. The difference in numbering results from this sequence treating these two replacement quires as a single quire.

Layout

ff. 110r-121v Two columns of 19 lines. 174 × 130 mm. Piercing occasionally survives in the upper margin, but most has been lost to cropping. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 1, type Leroy 30D2. Text hangs from the lines.

Hand(s)

ff. 110r-121v were copied in a very square mixed minuscule script with variable slant, in black ink, with minimal variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear only at the end of lines. Breathings are round and mute iota is usually absent but occasionally adscript. There is decorative use of the double dot, and accentuation of all lengths of nomina sacra . The double grave accent is in use.

Punctuation used includes the middle comma, upper comma (e.g. f. 113r, lines 1, 7, 19), full stop, and crosses in red ink marked as part of the ekphonetic notation (teleiai).

Lection headings and other rubric were written in Alexandrine majuscule script in red ink and gilded.

Musical Notation: The text has been provided with ekphonetic notation in red and orange ink.

Decoration

Each lection begins with an ornamented initial, either in red ink and gilded or outlined in red ink and gilded, with red and blue paint infill.

Lection headings and rubric were written in red ink and gilded.

Additions

As part of the original production of the manuscript, lection notes have been included in the margins.

History

Origin: These quires were apparently produced to replace lost original quires, probably in the 14th century, as suggested by the style of script.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Availability

Visitors to the Fitzwilliam Museum who wish to consult Collection material are required to apply to the Museum in advance of their visit. For information on eligibility and admission procedures see: Fitzwilliam Museum: Study Room.

Bibliography

    A descriptive catalogue of the McClean collection of manuscripts in the Fitzwilliam museum, James, M. R. (Montague Rhodes) (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1912) Лицевые рукописи из грузинского монастыря Богоматери Калипос близ Антиохии и их константинопольские ключи Древнерусское искусство. Византийский мир: региональные традиции в художественной культуре и проблемы их изучения. К юбилею Э.С. Смирновой, Saminskij, A. (Moscow, 241-270, Государственный институт искусствознания, 2017)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

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