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 781/819

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 11879

Contents

Introduction: This Gospel book, probably copied in the second half of the 12th century, is equipped in an unusual fashion for liturgical use. It is common to find marginal notes, whether included as part of the book's production or added by later users, identifying the day or days of the liturgical calendar on which a particular passage would be read, and the words ἀρχή and τέλος marked in the text to identify the beginning and end of these lections. In this manuscript, however, the liturgical notes are included as headings in the main sequence of text, marked out by the use of red ink. These rubrics also include the prefatory phrases which would be spoken at the beginning of a lection, either giving specific contextual information or merely a generic introduction such as "At that time" or "Christ said to his disciples". In lectionary manuscripts these phrases are routinely included in the text, but they do not usually feature in books where the Biblical text is written in sequence. The Gospels are also accompanied by a variety of supporting texts, including chapter lists, poetic epigrams, introductory hypotheses regarding their authors and context of composition, and closing subscriptions giving more basic information of this kind or counts of their subdivisions under different systems. The combination of such texts present here varies between the different Gospels, and includes hypotheses not commonly found. The system of κεφάλαια (chapters) used here also does not correspond to that usually found, dividing Matthew into 69 sections rather than the typical 68, Mark into 51 rather than 48, and most notably Luke into 27 rather than 83. At some point a later hand added further supplementary texts, some of which duplicate those already included by the original scribe. This may be because the red ink originally used for these purposes has faded considerably and become hard to read, although in this case the process must have been swift, as the style of the later hand suggests that only decades had passed. The manuscript now begins with a summary lectionary listing the readings of the liturgical calendar. The quires containing this material, and also the chapter list to the Gospel of Matthew and a hypothesis to that text, are not included in the sequence of quire signatures, which begins with the first quire of the Gospel itself. This indicates that this content was added after the production of the manuscript had begun. However, these quires appear to be the work of the same scribe, while similar supporting texts for the other Gospels were part of the original production process. It can be concluded that the inclusion of the additional material was a revision of the original plan of production rather than a later event. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Physical Description

Form: codex
Extent: Codex: iii + 254 + iii leaves. 159 × 130 mm.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [i], 1-2 + 3-256 + 257-258, [ii], in Arabic numerals, in pencil, recto, upper right.

Collation

Part I consists of 31 quires, Part II of 1: 16, 28, 310-1, 4-128, 138-1, 14-318 | 3210-2

Condition

There is pest damage to ff. 3-7 and 252-256, and occasional small losses to the edge of folios. There is purple mould staining to ff. 255r-248v, and water staining and areas of dirt elsewhere. Much of the red ink is severely faded.

Additions

Notes by the Biblical scholar Henry Barclay Swete (1835-1917) are written on f. [ii] recto: ‘H. B. Swete Ashdon, Essex. (Postal address: Ashdon, Linton, Cambridgeshire)’; ‘Numbered by Dr Scrivener 736 and described by him Introduction (ed. 3, 1883) app. p. xxiii. Examined by Dr C. R. Gregory (Oct 1883), whose letter is inserted opposite to Dr Scrivener's description in my copy of the Introduction. Assigned by Scrivener to century XI or XII. Mr E. M. Thompson would put it two centuries later. H. B. S.’; ‘Numbered by Gregory Evan. 718 (Prolegomena p. 573) and by von Soden, ε 352 (p. 177)’

Binding

18th or 19th-century binding with red velvet secondary covering over couched-laminate boards and a textile primary covering, with pattened pastedowns. Sewn with cord on recessed supports, with Western-style headband and tailband, boards attached by laced-in strips. The boards are furnished with metal edges fitted with two hinged metal clasps. Pinned to each board is a decorative metal plate, that on the left board depicting the Crucifixion and that on the right board the Resurrection.

179 × 141 × 75 mm.

The spine lining is not fully adhered to the spine, and the velvet covering is worn through in places on both joints, principally over the sewing supports.

Accompanying Material

The outermost endleaves (ff. [i] and [ii]) are of the same patterned paper as the pastedowns. The other modern endleaves (ff. 1-2 and 257-258) are of plain paper.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Purchased in or before 1883 from the bookseller Muller of Endell Street, London, as indicated by M.R. James, Supplement to the Catalogue, p. 31.

Part 1 [Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, MS 781/819, ff. 3-248]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

1. ff. 3r-248v
Gospel book

Gregory-Aland 718; von Soden ε 352 (Io); Scrivener Evan. 736

Filiation: The manuscript was categorised by Aland as conforming to the majority text.
1.1. ff. 3r-21v
Summary lectionary
1.2. f. 22r-22v
Hypothesis to Matthew
Rubric: f. 22r Ὑ⟨πόθεσις τοῦ⟩ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἁγίου εὐαγγελίου
Incipit: f. 22r Ἵστεον ὅτι τὸ κατα[sic] Ματθαῖον ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον· Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτω γραφὲν ὑπ'αὐτοῦ· ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐξεδόθη
Explicit: f. 22v καὶ νῦν πληρώσαντι και[sic] πληροῦντι ἀμήν

Ed. von Soden, p. 311 [108]

1.3. ff. 23r-24r
List of κεφάλαια (chapters) to Matthew
Rubric: f. 23r Τὰ κεφάλαια τοῦ κατὰ Ἰωάννην[sic] ἁγίου εὐαγγελίου
Incipit: f. 23r αʹ Περὶ τῶν μάγων
Explicit: f. 24r κθʹ Περὶ τῆς ἁγίας ἀναστάσεως τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ
1.4. ff. 24v-25r
Summary lections of the Passion
1.5. ff. 26r-90r, line 16
Gospel of Matthew
Rubric: f. 26r Τὸ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον
Incipit: f. 26r Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Υἱοῦ Δαύιδ Υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ
Explicit: f. 90r πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας· ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος, ἀμήν

TLG 0031.001

1.6. f. 90r, lines 17-20
Subscription to Matthew
Incipit: f. 90r Τὸ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον ἐγράφη καὶ ἀντεβλήθη ἐκ τῶν ἐν Ἱερωσολύμοις παλαιῶν ἀντιγράφων τῶν ἐν τῶ ὄρει ἀποκειμένων ἐν στίχοις ͵βφιδʹ καὶ κεφάλαια τνεʹ

This is the full text of the subscription

1.7. ff. 90v-91v, line 5
List of κεφάλαια (chapters) to Mark
Rubric: f. 90v Τὰ κεφάλαια tοῦ κατὰ Μάρκον ἁγίου εὐαγγελίου
Incipit: f. 91v αʹ Περὶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ
Explicit: f. 91v ναʹ Περὶ τῆς αἰτήσεως τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Κυρίου
1.8. f. 91v, lines 6-8
Epigram on Mark
Incipit: f. 91v Ἔργον αριπρεπὲς·[sic] ἐκ μεγάλου Πέτρου μυηθεὶς, Μάρκος ἐτεύξε τόδε Πνεύματος ἐν σοφίη

This is the full text of the epigram

DBBE Type 1953

1.9. f. 91v, lines 9-14
Epigram on Mark
Incipit: f. 91v Ὅσσα περὶ Χριστοῖο θεηγόρος ἔθνεα Πέτρος
Explicit: f. 91v τοὔνεκα καὶ μερόπεσσιν εὐάγγελος ἄλλος ἐδείχθη

DBBE Type 2038

1.10. f. 91v, lines 14-16
Subscription to Matthew
Incipit: f. 91v Τὸ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον ἐγράφη καὶ ἀντεβλήθη ἐκ τῶν ἐν Ἱερωσολύμοις παλαιῶν ἀντιγράφων τῶν ἐν τῶ ἁγίω ὄρει ἀποκειμένων ἐν στίχοις ͵βφιδʹ καὶ κεφάλαια τνεʹ

This is the full text of the subscription

1.11. f. 91v, lines 17-18
Subscription to Matthew
Incipit: f. 91v Συνεγράφη τὸ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον· καὶ ἐξεδόθη μετὰ χρόνους ηʹ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἀναλήψεως

This is the full text of the subscription

1.12. f. 91v, lines 18-19
Subscription to Matthew
Incipit: f. 91v Στίχοι ἰροϊκοὶ[sic] ἐπιγράμματα εἰς τὸν κατὰ Ματθαῖον εὐαγγελιστήν

This is the full text of the subscription

1.13. f. 91v, lines 20-23
Epigram on Matthew
Incipit: f. 91v Ματθαίου τάδε ῥήματ'ἀριστοπόνοιο τελώνου
Explicit: f. 91v Χριστόν, ἀειζώοντα Θεὸς[sic] βροτὸν αὐτὸν ὄντα

DBBE Type 2014

1.14. f. 91v, lines 24-25
Epigram on Matthew
Incipit: f. 91v Τούνεκά τοι Ἠλίης ἀμειβόμενος οἱ πόνοιο
Explicit: f. 91v ἐνθάδε τεῦξεν πλὴν πνοιῆς αὐτὸν Ματθαῖον
1.15. ff. 92r-132v, line 5
Gospel of Mark
Rubric: f. 92r Τὸ κατὰ Μάρκον ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον
Incipit: f. 92r Ἀρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ
Explicit: f. 132v καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος· διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων. ἀμήν

TLG 0031.002

1.16. f. 132v, line 6-f. 133r, line 5
Hypothesis to Luke
Rubric: f. 132v Ὑπόθεσις εἰς τὸν κατὰ Λουκᾶν εὐαγγελιστήν
Incipit: f. 132v Κατὰ Λουκᾶν εὐαγγέλιον ἐπιγέγραπται· ἐπειδὴ Λουκᾶς ὁ μαθητὴς Παύλου
Explicit: f. 133r καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἀνεληφθη[sic] βλεπόντων τῶν μαθητῶν

Ed. von Soden, p. 315 [120]

1.17. f. 133r, lines 6-10
Hypothesis to Luke
Incipit: f. 133r Ἱστέον· ὅτι τὸ κατὰ Λουκὰν εὐαγγέλιον, ὑπαγορεύθη ὑπὸ Παύλου ἐν Ῥώμη
Explicit: f. 133r ὑπὸ Ζαχαρίου τοῦ ἱερέως θυμιῶντος ἤρξατο

Ed. von Soden, p. 311 [108]

1.18. f. 133r, line 11-f. 133v
List of κεφάλαια (chapters) to Luke
Rubric: f. 133r Τὰ κεφάλαια τοῦ κατὰ Λουκᾶν ἁγίου εὐαγγελίου
Incipit: f. 133r Περὶ τῆς ἀπογραφῆς αʹ
Explicit: f. 133v κζʹ Περὶ τῆς ἀποστολῆς τῶν δώδεκα
1.19. f. 134r, lines 1-3
Subscription to Mark
Incipit: f. 134r Τὸ παρὸν κατὰ Μάρκον ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον ἐγράφη καὶ ἀντεβλήθη ὁμοίως ἐν στίχοις ͵αφϙʹ· καὶ κεφαλαίος σλζʹ· ἀμήν

This is the full text of the subscription

1.20. f. 134r, lines 4-6
Subscription to Mark
Incipit: f. 134r Συνεγράφη τὸ κατὰ Μάρκον ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον μετὰ χρόνους ιʹ τῆς Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἀναλήψεως

This is the full text of the subscription

1.21. f. 134r, lines 7-11
Epigram on Mark
Rubric: f. 134r Στίχοι ἰροϊκοὶ[sic]
Incipit: f. 134r Ὅσα περὶ χριστοῖο θεηγόρος ἔθνεα Πέτρος
Explicit: f. 134r τούνεκα μέροπεσσιν εὐάγγελος ἄλλος ἐδείχθη

DBBE Type 2038

f. 134v is blank

1.22. ff. 135r-204r
Gospel of Luke
Rubric: f. 135r Τὸ κατὰ Λουκᾶν ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον
Incipit: f. 135r Ἐπειδήπερ πολλοὶ ἐπεχείρησαν ἀνατάξασθαι διήγησιν
Explicit: f. 204r καὶ ἦσαν διαπαντὸς ἐν τῶ ἱερῶ· αἰνοῦντες καὶ εὐλογοῦντες τὸν Θεὸν. ἀμήν
Final rubric: f. 204r Τέλος σὺν Θεῶ τοῦ κατὰ Λουκᾶν ἁγίου εὐαγγελίου

TLG 0031.003

1.23. f. 204v, lines 1-3
Subscription to Luke
Incipit: f. 204v Τὸ παρὸν κατὰ Λουκᾶν εὐαγγέλιον ἐγράφη καὶ ἀντεβλήθη ὁμοίως ἐν στίχοις ͵βχοζʹ· καὶ κεφαλαίοις τμβʹ

This is the full text of the subscription

1.24. f. 204v
Subscription to Luke
Incipit: f. 204v Τὸ παρὸν κατὰ Λουκᾶν ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον ἐγράφη καὶ ἀντεβλήθη ὁμοίως ἐν στίχοις ͵βχοζʹ· καὶ κεφαλαίοις τμβʹ· ἀμήν

This is the full text of the subscription

The text of this subscription has been inserted into the upper margin

1.25. f. 204v
Subscription to Luke
Incipit: f. 204v Συνεγράφη τὸ κατὰ Λουκᾶν ἅγιον εὐαγγέλιον μετὰ χρόνους ιεʹ τῆς Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἀναλήψεως

This is the full text of the subscription

The text of this subscription has been inserted into the spaces left blank at the end of lines 7-9 of the main text

1.26. f. 204v
Epigram on Luke
Rubric: f. 204v Στίχοι ἰροϊκοὶ[sic]
Incipit: f. 204v Λουκᾶς ἠπιόθυμος ἀκεστορίης ἐπιΐστωρ
Explicit: f. 204v ἔνθεν δʹ οὐρανίην ὑπὲρ ἄντυγα πατρὶ φαάνθη

DBBE Type 1990

The text of this epigram has been inserted into the spaces left blank at the end of lines 13-21 of the main text and the lower margin

1.27. f. 204v, lines 4-22
List of κεφάλαια (chapters) to John
Rubric: f. 204v Τὰ κεφάλαια τοῦ κατὰ Ἰωάννου ἁγίου εὐαγγελίου
Incipit: f. 204v αʹ Περὶ τοῦ ἐν Κανᾶ γάμου
Explicit: f. 204v ιηʹ Περὶ τῆς αἰτήσεως τοῦ Κυριακοῦ σώματος
1.28. ff. 205r-248v
Gospel of John

The original end of this text appears to have been lost; it is completed by the replacement quire, Part II

Rubric: f. 208r Τὸ κατὰ Ἰωάννην εὐαγγέλιον
Incipit: f. 208r Ἐν ἀρχὴ ἦν ὁ λόγος· καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν· καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος
Explicit: f. 248v ἔστι δὲ συνήθεια||

TLG 0031.004

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Parchment (FHHF), of variable thickness and quite poor quality. There are a considerable number of holes originating at the time of production, some within the written area.

Collation

This part consists of 31 quires, of which one is a quinion, one a ternion and the rest are quaternia.

  • Quire 16 ff. 3-8
  • Quire 28 ff. 9-16
  • Quire 310-1 ff. 17-25 The last folio has been cancelled, without loss of text.
  • Quires 4-128 ff. 26-97
  • Quire 138-1 ff. 98-104 The seventh folio has been cancelled, without loss of text.
  • Quires 14-318 ff. 105-248

There are quire signatures on Quires 4-31, in Greek numerals, in brown ink, on the first folio of each quire, recto, upper right, and the last folio of each quire, verso, lower left. They do not include the first three quires, beginning from Quire 4 with the number 1, and are evidently original to the production of the manuscript. Some are missing, perhaps due to cropping, but one or other of the signatures survives on each of Quires 4-31 (αʹ-κηʹ).

Layout

A single column of 24 lines. 122 × 85 mm. Pricking does not survive. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 1, type probably Leroy 22D1. Text hangs from the lines.

Hand(s)

ff. 3r-91v, line 14, ff. 92r-133v and ff. 135r-148v were copied by Hand A in an upright mixed minuscule script, in brown ink, with moderate variation in letter size. Tails are very occasionally flourished into the lower margin, sometimes ornamented with cross-bars (e.g. f. 248v). There are deletions by expunctuation (e.g. f. 40r).

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear only at the ends of lines, except in the top line. Breathings are both angular and round, and mute iota is absent. There is decorative use of the double dot, and accentuation of all nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to abbreviations. The double grave accent and marginal quotation marks are in use.

Minuscule zeta is often written with an elongated upper curve wrapped around the preceding letters (e.g. f. 178r, lines 12, 16).

Punctuation used includes the lower, middle and upper points, lower comma, question mark and full stop. There are also unusual punctuation marks formed of two dots in the manner of a colon, with a cross in red ink over the upper dot (e.g. f. 119v, lines 3, 7, 18, 22), or an upper point with a red cross below (e.g. f. 120r, line 2).

Chapter lists, most headings and some subscriptions are written in the same style in red ink. Headings for the beginning of Gospels are written in epigraphic display majuscule, in red ink.

f. 91v, lines 14-25, f. 134r and the additional text inserted on f. 204v were copied by Hand B in mixed minuscule script with variable slant, in brown ink, with moderate variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear throughout the line. Breathings are both angular and round, and mute iota is absent. There is accentuation of all nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to nomina sacra strokes.

Punctuation used includes the middle and upper points and full stop.

Decoration

The beginning of the Gospel of Matthew is preceded by a pyle in red ink (f. 26r). Other texts are preceded by rectangular headpieces in red ink:

  • f. 3r summary lectionary
  • f. 92r Gospel of Mark
  • f. 135r Gospel of Luke
  • f. 205r Gospel of John

Some of the supplementary texts are preceded by simple vignettes in red ink (e.g. ff. 132v-133r, 204v).

The Gospel of Mark begins with an initial outlined in brown ink, with red infill (f. 26r).

Other texts and sections begin with minor initials in red ink.

The space following the end of the chapter list on f. 133v is occupied by a triangular piece of ornament in red ink.

Additions

As part of the original production of the manuscript, lection information has been included in the main sequence of text between lections, including ἀρχή and τέλος marks and the introductory phrases for each lection, in red ink. The scribe has sometimes placed further lection information in the margins (e.g ff. 9r, 11r, 130v-131r, 184r-185r). Ammonian section numbers have been marked in the margins in red ink.

There are numerous marginal annotations, primarily regarding lections but also including other variant readings, by a number of other hands.

History

Origin: The main body of the manuscript was probably copied in the second half of the 12th century, as suggested by the style of script. The continued predominance of angular breathings would tend to suggest a date in the first half of the century, but features such as the frequent decorative use of the double dot suggest a later date. The poor quality of parchment suggests a provincial, perhaps peripheral origin, which would be consistent with some features being slower to reflect changes in metropolitan style.

Part 2 [Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College, MS 781/819, ff. 249-256]

Contents

Language(s): Greek

2. ff. 249r-255v
Gospel book (continued)
2.1. ff. 249r-255v
Gospel of John (continued)
Incipit: || f. 249r ὑμῖν· ἵνα ἕνα ὑμῖν ἀπολύσεων τῶ πάσχα
Explicit: f. 255v οὐδὲ αὐτὸν οἶμαι τὸν κόσμον χωρῆσαι τὰ γραφόμενα βιβλία· ἀμήν

TLG 0031.004

This completes the text left unfinished by the apparent loss of the end of the original manuscript, Part I

f. 256r-256v is blank apart from later notes.

Physical Description

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

Collation

This part consists of a single quires, a quinion.

  • Quire 3210-2 ff. 249-256 The third and seventh folios have been cancelled, without loss of text.

Layout

A single column of 24 lines, unruled. 120-125 × 85 mm.

Hand(s)

ff. 249r-255v were copied by Hand C in mixed minuscule script with variable slant, in brown ink, with modest variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings appear only at the ends of lines. Breathings are round and mute iota is absent. There is decorative use of the double dot, and accentuation of all nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to letters, breathings and nomina sacra strokes.

The x-shaped small kappa and sigma telikon are present. Cross-bars often appear on the central strokes of majuscule eta and psi.

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

Headings are written in the same style in red ink.

Decoration

Sections begin with minor initials in red ink.

Additions

As part of the original production of the manuscript, lection information has been included in the main sequence of text between lections, including ἀρχή and τέλος marks and the introductory phrases for each lection, in red ink.

A later hand has added two lines of verse on f. 256v: ‘Τῆ φιλοπράγμονι δεξιᾶ τὴν ζωοπάροχόν σου πλευρᾶν Ὁ Θωμᾶς ἐξηρεύνησε Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός’ (Romanos the Melode, Hymn 46, Prooimion I, lines 1-2 (TLG 2881.001)). Another hand has copied these lines below, and added the word ‘καλεστος’. This may represent the name Kallistos, perhaps the name of the writer of this note.

History

Origin: This quire was presumably added to replace the loss of the original last quire of the manuscript. The style of script suggests that it was inserted in the 14th century.

Additional Information

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

    Novum Testamentum Graece: ad antiquissimos testes denuo recensuit apparatum criticum apposuit Constantinus Tischendorf, Gregory, Caspar René (Leipzig, 3: Prolegomena, J.C. Hinrichs, 1894) Textkritik des Neuen Testamentes, Gregory, Caspar René (Leipzig, J. C. Hinrichs, 1900) Die Schriften des neuen Testaments, in ihrer ältesten erreichbaren Textgestalt hergestellt auf Grund ihrer Textgeschichte, von Soden, Hermann (Berlin, 1, Verlag von Alexander Duncker, 1902) Supplement to the catalogue of manuscripts in the library of Gonville and Caius College, James, M.R. (Cambridge, University Press, 1914) Catalogue of the illuminated Byzantine manuscripts of the National Library of Greece, Marava-Chatzēnikolaou, AnnaToufexi-Paschou, Christina (Athens, 3: Homilies of the Church Fathers and menologia, 9th-12th century, Academy of Athens, Centre of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Art, 1985) The Greek New Testament Manuscripts in Sweden with an Excursus on the Jerusalem Colophon Svensk Exegetisk Årsbok, Wasserman, T. (75, 77-108, 2010)

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The Polonsky Foundation

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