Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries

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

Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, MS 59/153

Medical texts

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript, like many others included in the Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries project, was once owned or used by Roger Marchall (c. 1417-1477) , a doctor and physician to Edward IV. In common with numerous other manuscripts, Marchall added a table of contents to the beginning of the manuscript (p. [iii]) and added a title to one treatise in the volume 'Tegni Galieni cum comento Haly' on p. 251). Marchall's ownership or use of manuscripts is very well-attested, with forty-five surviving books (including this one) bearing evidence to connect him to them in some way; six others may have been his or accessed by him, and a further twelve are recorded but not traced. As described by Linda Voigts, the present manuscript is one of eighteen (possibly nineteen) manuscripts at Gonville and Caius College that may be linked to Marchall, and which were probably donated by him to Gonville Hall (as Gonville and Caius then was); King's College and Peterhouse, where the study of medicine was also supported, received gifts of books from him too. Thirteen manuscripts owned or used by Marchall (and another with possible Marchall connections) have been digitised, catalogued and conserved as part of the Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries project: Dr Sarah Gilbert| Project Cataloguer | Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries References: |
See L. Voigts, 'A doctor and his books: the manuscripts of Roger Marchall (d. 1477)', in R. Beadle and A. J. Piper (eds.), New science out of old books: studies in manuscripts and early printed books in honour of A.I. Doyle (Aldershot, 1995) pp. 249-314

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: All medieval leaves are parchment.
Extent: Codex: ii + 1 | 218 | 6 | 1 + ii leaves.
Foliation:

19th century pagination:

[a]-[d] + [i]-[ii] | [iii]-[vi] + 1-194, 197-434 | 435-446 | [vii]-[viii] + [e]-[h]

Paginated in ink in Hindu-Arabic numerals in the upper outer corner of each recto. The medieval and modern endleaves have been assigned page designations [enclosed in square brackets] during the preparation of the online catalogue record for this item as part of the Curious Cures project. Page numbers numbers pp. 195-196 accidentally omitted from the pagination sequence. There is no interruption to the text, no visible stub, and the leaves of the quire are arranged FHHF throughout.

Collation

This is a composite volume with the Quires and Parts arranged as follows:

  • Parchment endleaf (former pastedown: pp. [i]-[ii] |
  • Parchment endleaves (bifolium; pp. [iii]-[vi]) +
  • Quire 112 (pp. 1-24)
  • Quire 214 (pp. 25-52)
  • Quire 32 (pp. 53-56)
  • Quires 4-78 (pp. 57-120)
  • Quire 86 (pp. 121-132)
  • Quires 9-138 (pp. 133-194, 197-214)
  • Quire 1412 (pp. 215-238)
  • Quire 156 (pp. 239-256)
  • Quires 16-2212 (pp. 257-418)
  • Quire 238 (pp. 419-434) |
  • Quire 246 (pp. 435-446) |
  • Parchment endleaf (former pastedown: pp. [vii]-[viii])

[i]-[ii] | [iii]-[vi] + 112 214 32 4-78 86 9-138 1412 156 16-2212 238 | 246 | [vii]-[viii]

Additions

Quire signatures ('1-23') in the bottom right-hand corner of the recto side of the first leaf of each quire, written in pencil by a hand of the 19th/20th century.

Binding

Rebound in 1909. Fully bound in leather over wood boards with matching blind-tooled decoration on both covers. Bound by J.P. Gray and Son , Cambridge, 1909: stamp on lower turn-in of the inside of the front cover.

Each cover is decorated with a double-fillet frame inset from the perimeter of the board by c. 10mm, and further divided into two unequal-width vertical panels by an additional double-fillet inset from the joints by c. 45mm. The left panel is decorated with four annulets, one set at each corner of the panel. The right panel is decorated with two fleurons, one set at the upper-, and the other at the lower-left corner of the panel.

Five raised bands on the spine. Spine compartments are decorated along their upper and lower perimeters with a single fillet. Head and tail bands with alternating red and cream segments. Two small printed paper labels affixed to spine '153' and '59' for the present shelfmark.

Paper pastedowns. Paper endleaves of the same paper stock at the pastedowns: pp. [a]-[d] at the opening of the volume and pp. [e]-[h] at the close of the volume - all blank.

Dimensions (l x w x d): 325 x 220 x 50 mm.

Previous binding described by M.R. James (1907) vol. 1, p. 51: 'Old binding, wooden boards, clasps gone. Chain-mark at middle top of front cover. The boards are lined with the most part of 4 leaves of an early xiith cent, (perhaps xith cent.) medical MS. in a fine small hand.'

The small bifolia (the '4 leaves' as described by M. R. James) that were used as parchment pastedowns in the previous binding were lifted during the 1909 rebinding and are now the parchment flyleaves pp. [i]-[ii] and pp. [vii]-[viii].

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Owned by Roger Marchall , fellow of Peterhouse, physician: the table of contents (p. [vi]) and a heading (p. 251) in his hand.

Perhaps acquired from Roger Marchall . At Gonville and Caius College by 1600, when it was recorded as no. 230 in the Ecloga Oxonio-Cantabrigiensis by Thomas James (1600).

Part 1: Fragments (former pastedowns) [Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, MS 59/153, pp. [i]-[ii] and [vii]-[viii]]

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. [i]-[ii] and [vii]-[viii]
Medical recipes
Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Two parchment bifolia, now flattened and mounted as two single sheets.
Extent: Two fragments: former pastedowns, now endleaves. These endleaves comprise two former bifolia, which were flattened and used as pastedowns in an earlier binding. When the manuscript was rebound in 1909 the pastedowns were lifted and mounted as endleaves, one at each end of the volume. Two former pastedowns, now parchment endleaves pp. [i]-[ii] and [vii]-[viii] . 294-308 × 194-198 mm. 198 × 145 mm. Note that both the dimensions of the current flattened bifolium, and the estimated dimensions of a single leaf in relation to the fragment's original codicological context are given. There is pricking visible on pp. [i]-[ii], which permits a reasonable assessment of the original width of the leaf; the orignal height of the leaf has been reduced through trimming and rebinding and so is likely to have been greater in its original codicological context.

Collation

Two former pastedowns lifted and mounted as endleaves, one at each end of the volume, pp. [i]-[ii] and [vii]-[viii].

No leaf signatures particular to this Part.

No quire signatures particular to this Part.

No catchwords particular to this Part.

Condition

These leaves were used as pastedowns before being mounted as endleaves. Adhesive residue on pp. [i] and [viii]. Text on both leaves is faded and stained and difficult to read. Both leaves are stained and rubbed. Damage from the metal chain staple of an earlier binding present on pp. [i]-[ii].

Layout

175 × 110 mm. Note that this part of the description refers to the dimensions of a single leaf when the fragment was in its original codicological context. Ruled in hardpoint, frame and lines. Ruled in single column format, 46 full lines visible and partial line visible along the upper (now inner) edge of the leaf. Pricking visible in the outer margins.

Hand(s)

Written in a late-11th or early-12th century protogothic with some caroline minuscule features. The script is of Anglo-Norman aspect. Main text written by one scribe, with corrections and marginal annotations in darker ink by the same scribe, or a second scribe with a very similar hand.

Decoration

No decorative features in this Part.

Accompanying Material

Parchment tab fixed to the centre of the outer margin of p. [ii]. The tab bears a character, perhaps the number '7' in ink, once large and in a darker ink, and once smaller and in very faint ink.

History

Origin: Late 11th or early 12th century. ; England or perhaps northern France.

Provenance

These fragments have been with volume since at least the later medieval period. The fragments were used as the pastedowns in the volume's former binding, a binding which included a chain-staple, which caused damage to pp. [i]-[ii]; the damage is visible along the upper edge of that leaf.

Part 2 [Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, pp. [iii]-[vi] + 1-194, 197-434 ]

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. [vi]
List of the contents of the volume Roger Marchall
Language(s): Latin
Rubric: [vi] Contenta in hoc volumine sunt ista

Contents list in the hand of Roger Marchall.

2. 1-56
⟨The Aphorismi of John of Damascus with commentary by Pseudo-Isidore of Seville⟩
2.1. 1-56
Aphorismi Johannis Damasceni
Incipit: 1 Liberet te deus . fili amantissime . a deuio erroris erroris et in via conseruet prosperitatis
Explicit: 55 Plurimi concrepant et ratio idem testatur experimentum conprobat id ante oculos pone contrarium uero contrario
eTK 0824A
2.2. 1-56
Commentary on John of Damascus, Aphorismi Pseudo-Isidore of Seville
Incipit: 1 Iohannes damacenus tradens quosdam canones
Explicit: 56 nunc autem deo gracias ago quia te huius primum translatat[sic]orem inueni.
Final rubric: 56 Expliciunt amphorismi Iohannis damaceni filii serapionis cum commento ysodori.
Colophon: 56 Et fuerunt scripti in die lune post ramos palmarum.
eTK 0777A (t0150440000)

Arranged as short passages of the main text followed by longer passages of the commentary.

3.1. 56
Definition of a comet
Incipit: 56 Cometa est stella crinita emittens de se flammarum radios
Explicit: 56 alia plus aplia minus iuxta altitudinem suam apparet

Added to an empty column by a cursive hand of the 14th/15th century.

eTK 0236F (t0045220000)
3.2. 56
De urinis significantibus mortem
Incipit: 56 In omnibus isti infirmitatibus videlicet ptisi
Explicit: 56 mortem signat Galienus in dianimidis predictus determinat
eTK 0700K (t0135520000)
4. 57-151
Prognostica with the commentary of Galen
4.1. 57-151
Hippocrates, Prognostica
Incipit: 57 Omnis qui medicine artis studio
Explicit: 151 quecumque determinantur certo numero dierum creticorum . nostro quoque sunt exposite ordine preceptorum :
eTK 1001L
4.2. 57-151
Galen, Commentary on Hippocrates' Prognostica (tr. Constantinus Africanus)
Incipit: 57 Uidetur michi quod ex melioribus rebus
Final rubric: 151 Explicit liber pronosticorum ypocratis cum commento Galieni.
eTK 1694N

Arranged as short passages of the main text followed by longer passages of the commentary.

Added in upper margin, p. 57: Assit principio sancta maria meo

5. 152-194, 197-256
De regimentis acutorum Ypocratis cum comento Galieni
5.1. 152-194, 197-256
De Regimine Acutorum Morborum Hippocrates
Incipit: 152 Qui de egrotancium accidentibus
Explicit: 249 sed in illis aliquando conueniens est.
eTK 1205K
5.2. 152-194, 197-256
Commentary on Hippocrates' Regimen acutorum (tr. Gerard of Cremona) Galen
Incipit: 152 [I]lli qui sententias illis de assidis[sic]
Explicit: 256 quod infirmus ei dicat dicat ipas[sic]
Final rubric: 256 Explicit Regimentum acutorum ypocratis cum comento Galieni.
eTK 0660A

Arranged as short passages of the main text followed by longer passages of the commentary.

6. 251-434
Tegni, with the commentary of ʻAlī ibn Riḍwān
Rubric: 251 Tegni Galieni cum comento Haly
Incipit: 251 Intendimus edere sermonem exponentem illud quod clausum est de sermone G. in libro suo

Rubric added in the upper margin in a later hand, identified by M.R. James as the hand of Roger Marchall.

6.1. 251-433
Tegni Galen
Incipit: 251 Tres sunt doctrine omnes
Explicit: 433 determinabo orationem in eis.
eTK 1585C
6.2. 251-434
Commentary on Galen's Tegni (tr. ? Gerard of Cremona) ʻAlī ibn Riḍwān
Incipit: 251 In omnibus doctrinis que secundum ordinem currunt
Explicit: 434 addi⟨s⟩ces artem medicine secundum quod magis completum est
Final rubric: 434 Explicit liber Tegni G cum commento Hali.
eTK 0700J

Arranged as short passages of the main text followed by longer passages of the commentary.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: Page 3: ut primo
Form: codex
Support: Parchment (HFFH).
Extent: Codex: 218 leaves. 315 × 205 mm.

Collation

The quires in this Part are arranged as follows:

  • Parchment endleaves (bifolium; pp. [iii]-[vi]) +
  • Quire 112 (pp. 1-24)
  • Quire 214 (pp. 25-52)
  • Quire 32 (pp. 53-56)
  • Quires 4-78 (pp. 57-120)
  • Quire 86 (pp. 121-132)
  • Quires 9-138 (pp. 133-194, 197-214)
  • Quire 1412 (pp. 215-238)
  • Quire 156 (pp. 239-256)
  • Quires 16-2212 (pp. 257-418)
  • Quire 238 (pp. 419-434)

Alpha-numeric leaf signatures (minuscule letter + minuscule Roman numeral) in ink in the lower outer corner of most rectos in the first half of each quire in this Part - some signatures lost to trimming. Some leaves are double-signed, and also have the Hindu-Arabic leaf signatures in the typical medieval forms in faint brown ink next to the alpha-numeric signatures ( e.g., p. 353 which has the medieval Hindu-Arabic '4' for the fourth leaf in the quire in faint ink next to 't iiii' indicating that this is the fourth leaf in quire 't').

Alphanumeric leaf signatures arranged as follows:

  • Quires 3-8 - 'b' - 'g'
  • Quires 11-21 - 'k' - 'u'
  • Quires 22-23 - 'x' - 'y'

No quire signatures particular to this Part.

Catchwords present in the lower inner corner of the last verso of most quires in this Part, some framed in red ink.

Condition

Leaves are in generally good condition, with only minor damage to text through liquid or friction damage or trimming. Large liquid stain on p. 104.

Layout

210 × 130 mm. Written in two-column format, typically 42-48 lines to the page, and written below top line. Ruled in ink, frame and lines: six vertical single-fillet bounding lines (outermost line occasionally doubled) extending the full height of the page, and horizontal double-fillets extending the full width of the upper and lower margin of the page. Ruling occasionally added for marginal annotations. Pricking marks occasionally visible in the upper and lower margins.

Hand(s)

Written in variable textualis by several scribes exhibiting a mixture of the typical 'northern' and 'southern' textualis features. Note that scribal change often coincides with quire division.

Decoration

Maniculae, and doodles with human heads around initials, e.g. pp. 79, 81, 86, 87, 90 etc.

Plain initials alternating red and blue throughout at the minor divisions of the texts.

Additions

Pen trials on pp. 116, 128, 132.

Marginal annotations throughout in several contemporary and later hands.

History

Origin: 14th century. ; Italy.

Part 3 [Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, MS 59/153, pp. 435-446]

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. 435-446
De legibus et consuetudinibus angliae (fragment) Henry Bracton
Incipit: || 435 uel alio modo ad vitam transferri poterit
Explicit: 446 Richardus pater Rogeri donator nunquam recessit||

Part of 'De aquirendo rerum dominio' (vol. 2, pp. 128-156).

On the Laws and Customs of England, S. Thorne, ed. and tr., 4 vols (1968–77).

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: 437 donatarius utatur ut dominus
Form: codex
Support: Parchment (HFFH).
Extent: Codex: 6 leaves. 310 × 200 mm.

Collation

One quire of six leaves: | Quire 246 (pp. 435-446)

No leaf signatures particular to this Part.

No quire signatures particular to this Part.

No catchwords particular to this Part.

Condition

The leaves in this Part are a little rubbed and stained, but the legibility of the text is rarely affected.

Layout

240 × 155 mm. Ruled in brown ink, frame and lines with single vertical bounding lines extending the full height of the page and horizontal lines extending across the columns. Written in double-column format, 46 lines to the column, written above top line. Pricking visible in the upper and lower margins.

Hand(s)

Written in the Anglicana form of cursiva antiquior.

Decoration

No significant decoration in this Part.

History

Origin: First half of the 14th century. ; England.

Additional Information

Record Sources

This catalogue entry draws on Montague Rhodes James, A Descriptive Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the Library of Gonville and Caius College, 2 vols. (Cambridge, 1907-1908) vol. 1, pp. 51-52, and unpublished notes on this manuscript by Dr Debby Banham.

Availability

Visitors to Gonville and Caius College who wish to consult Lower Library material are required to apply to the Library in advance of their visit. For information on eligibility and admission procedures see: Gonville and Caius College: Library Information.

Bibliography

    A doctor and his books: the manuscripts of Roger Marchall (d. 1477) New science out of old books: studies in manuscripts and early printed books in honour of A.I. Doyle, Voigts, Linda Ehrsam (Aldershot, 249-314, Scolar Press, 1995)

Funding of Cataloguing

Wellcome

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

Abbreviations

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