Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.29
Medical treatises and recipes
Physical Description
- Part 1: 195 x 140mm.
- Part 2: 190 x 140mm.
- Part 3: 195 x 140mm.
- Part 4: 195 x 140mm.
- Part 5: 195 x 140mm.
19th- or 20th-century foliation:
[i]-[ii] + 1-121 | 122-126 | 127-138 | 139-174, 174a, 175-197 | 198-210 + [iii]-[iv]
Numbering in pencil in the upper right-hand corner of the rectos. This sequence is followed in this catalogue description.16th-century foliation:
‘fo. 1’-‘fo. 120’ for ff. 121r
Numbering in ink in at the centre of the upper margins of the rectos.Collation
The collation in this catalogue record deviates from the collation provided by James (1901) and a modern librarian who has added quire numbers the lower outer corners of the first rectos of quires. Whereas James identifies Quire 1 as a quinternion with 10 missing, this catalogue record notes the presence of a catchword on f. 9v and identifies it as a quaternion with one added leaf at the beginning (also suggested by the fact that f. 1 appears to be made of a thicker parchment).
Whereas James identifies Quire 17 as consisting of 6 leaves, this catalogue record notes the presence of a stub after 5, indicating that there is a missing leaf. Consequently, it identifies the start of Quire 18 at f. 127 and not f. 128 as James does. While James states that Quire 18 is a quaternion, this catalogue record, noting the presence of thread tackets between f. 131 and f. 132 and f. 136 and f. 137, identifies it as a quinternion with an added bifolium between f. 135 and f. 138.
Consequently, the quire numbers in this catalogue record are always one behind those provided by James and written into the manuscript. Finally, this catalogue record also does not recognise the absence of a quire between the second to last and last quires: where James jumps from Quire 27 to Quire 29, the collation in this catalogue record progresses from Quire 26 to Quire 27.
Like James, this catalogue record identifies five distinct parts in the manuscript but it disagrees with the ranges provided for the codicological units: whereas James places the end of Part 2 at f. 131, this catalogue record places it at f. 126.
- Quire 18+1 (ff. 1-9: 1st leaf added, before f. 2)
- Quires 2-48 (ff. 10-33)
- Quire 5two (ff. 34-35)
- Quires 6-158 (ff. 36-115)
- Quire 168-2 (ff. 116-121: 7th-8th leaves missing, after f. 121) |
- Quire 176-1 (ff. 122-126: 6th leaf missing, after f. 126) |
- Quire 1810+2 (ff. 127-138: 10th and 11th leaves inserted, ff. 136-137) |
- Quires 19-228 (ff. 139-170)
- Quire 234 (ff. 171-174)
- Quires 24-268 (ff. 174a-197) |
- Quire 2712+1 (ff. 198-210: 13th leaf added, f. 210)
18+1 (1st leaf added) 2-48 5two 6-158 168-2 | 176-1 | 1810+2 (10th and 11th leaves inserted) | 19-228 234 24-268 | 2712+1 (13th leaf added)
Additions
Quire signatures ('1-29') 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 (no longer indicative: see Collation).
Binding
17th- or 18th-century brown leather over pasteboards; the spine gold-tooled and with a red leather label with the gold-stamped inscription: ‘CHIRURGYA ROGERI GUISCHARDI’
Binding height: 210mm; width: 140mm; depth: 50mm.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Thomas Curteys [Curtes] (fl. late 15th or 16th century) : his ownership inscription: ‘This boke ded Thomas Curtes bey off the parsun off hoptuns brother Record of Eglyn of bovrgate’ (f. 2r); and his signature or name inscription: ‘Curtays’ (f. 2r).
John By[n]es (fl. 16th century) and John [S]mere (fl. 16th century) : Their names inscribed on f. 1r: ‘John By[n]es - John [S]mere Servaunts to John Wa[...]’. Mooney (1995), p. 31 transcribes the first name as ‘John Beyers’.
John Wilson (d. 1754) , Fellow of Trinity College, tutor, senior bursar, vicar of Over and Chesterton: given by him to Trinity College as inscribed on f. 1r: ‘For Trinity College Library - John Wilson’.
Bequeathed to Cambridge, Trinity College, by John Wilson (d. 1754) in 1754. The College's current classmark (‘R.14.32’) is inscribed in pencil on the inside of the upper cover, once more below that in red pencil, and in brown ink on f. 1r. The alpha-numerical elements are printed separately onto three paper labels pasted onto the spine. Its ex libris, featuring an engraving of its heraldic arms, motto (‘Virtus Vera Nobilitas’), and name ‘Coll: Trin: Cantab:’) by William Stephens, fl. c. 1740-c. 1760 (‘Stephens sculp.’) pasted onto the inside of the upper cover. A smaller printed ex libris has been pasted onto f. 1r.
Part 1 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.29, ff. 1-121]
Contents
Language(s): Latin with English additions
The the text is written in two columns on f. 1v and continues in the lower margin of f. 2r. Evidently, it was intended as a marginal text for the Practica Chirurgiae [Chirurgia] of Ruggero Frugardo [Roger Frugardi, Rogerius Salernitanus, Roger of Parma] but the text breaks of abruptly and does not continue beyond f. 2r.
The opening of the text is accompanied by a marginal gloss on the etymology of the word ‘cyrurgia’: ‘Cyrurgia dicitur a cyros quod est manus et agy grece quod est actio latine . quasi actio manualis eo guod et si\sti/t in operatione manuum’.
The work is divided in four books: Book 1 begins at f. 6v; Book 2 beings at f. 46r; Book 3 beings at f. 68v; and Book 4 begins at f. 105r.
A marginal recipe on f. 100v is attributed to an Augustinian friar Giles: ‘Experimentum fratris Egidij de ordine Augustiensium ad frangendum lapidem in vesice sine incisione’.
The text is accompanied by a half-page drawing in red ink, showing two distillation vessels for making Aqua Vitae.
Physical Description
Collation
- Quire 18+1 (ff. 1-9: 1st leaf added, before f. 2)
- Quires 2-48 (ff. 10-33)
- Quire 5two (ff. 34-35)
- Quires 6-158 (ff. 36-115)
- Quire 168-2 (ff. 116-121: 7th-8th leaves missing, after f. 121)
Layout
180 × 125 mm. Ruled in leadpoint, frame and line ruling. Central columns (110 x 65mm) with columns to their left and right for marginal glosses. 21 lines to the page (excluding interlinear and marginal texts), written below top line.
Hand(s)
Folios 2r-119v have been copied by hand working in a Northern Textualis script, possibly also writing the texts on ff. 1v, 119v-121v.
Decoration
Large (3-6 lines) puzzle initials in blue and red with penwork decoratin inside the letter and pen-flourishing extending into the margins in both colours (see ff. 2r, 6v, 46r, 47v, 68v, 71v, 105r, 107r).
Large (2 lines; but one of 5 lines on f. 171r) plain blue or red initials with penwork decoration inside the letter and pen-floursihing exttending into the margin in the opposite colour.
Small (1 line) plain initials in blue or red used in lists of chapters.
Titles and sub-titles written in red ink.
Regulal initials highlighted in red ink.
Paraphs in red and blue.
Additions
Various added medical recipes and notes to the margins in 14th-16th century hands throughout.
History
Part 2 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.29, ff. 122-126]
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Full transcription.
Probably incomplete. The years mentioned run from 1240 until 1492.
Physical Description
Collation
- Quire 176-1 (ff. 122-126: 6th leaf missing, after f. 126)
Layout
140 × 125 mm. Ruled in leadpoint, frame and line ruling. Central columns (140 x 60mm) with columns to their left and right for marginal glosses. c 20-25 lines to the page (excluding interlinear and marginal texts), written above top line.
Hand(s)
Copied by one or two hands in a Northern Textualis script.
Decoration
Large plain red initials.
Titles for columns and rows in the astrological tables on ff. 122r-123r have been written in red in.
History
Part 3 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.29, ff. 127-138]
Contents
Language(s): Latin
For transcriptions and discussions of the Kalendar, see James (1901), pp. 312-314, and Wordsworth (1904), pp. xiii-xxxii. Among the 14th-century additions are feasts and anniversaries for saints and historic figures from the British Isles, including: St Brigid of Kildare (1 February); Translation of St Frideswide (12 February); Ela Longespée, Countess of Warwick (d. 9 February 1298): ‘Missa pro anima domine ele de longespeie’; St Chad (2 March); ? Philip de Turville, canon of Lichfield: ‘Missa pro anima magistri Philippi Turuel et sunt ordinaciones’ (2 March); Henry de Guldeford ‘Missa pro h. de guldeforde’ (12 March); St Patrick (17 March); St Edward the Martyr (18 March); St Cuthbert (20 March); St Richard of Chichester (3 April); Walter de Gray, Archbishop of York (1 May): ‘missa pro W. gay ’; ‘Ob. Reginaldi Bedelli’ (10 May); ‘missa pro Gilberto de Roubiry ’ (13 May); ‘Invencio Sancte Frideswide’ (18 May); St Aldhelm (25 May); ‘Missa pro Gilberto de Sancto Leopardo’ (25 May) Translation of St Edmund the Martyr (9 June); St Richard of Chichester (16 June); Henry Harclay (25 June), philosopher and chancellor of the University of Oxford; ‘Missa pro .h. Herclay’ St Edward the Confessor (13 October); St Frideswide (19 October); ‘Missa pro W. le Gray’ (12 November); St Edmund of Abingdon (16 November); St Hugh of Lincoln (17 November); St Edmund the Martyr (20 November); ‘Missa pro Ela com.’ (23 November); John of Pointoise, Bishop of Winchester (5 December): ‘Missa pro Johanne de Pontois’; ‘Missa pro henr. de Lacy’ (17 December). Eleanor of Castile (30 November): ‘Missa pro Elianora regina’. A later (15th-century) hand has added the following entry in June: ‘Johannes de Bofis cordeweuer [James (1901): ‘cordewener’] deuant la mostre en chaudebeke’.
Accompanied by an astrological table.
The poem is followed by an instruction on how to to find the Egyptian Days and dangerous hours from January to December.
Physical Description
Collation
- Quire 1810+2 (ff. 127-138: 10th and 11th leaves inserted, ff. 136-137)
Layout
127r-131v
145 × 115 mm. Ruled in leadpoint, frame and line ruling. Double columns. 32-34 lines to the page, written below top line.
132r-137v
155-165 × 90-95 mm. Ruled in leadpoint, frame only and line ruling. Four columns ruled for the Kalendar. 34-37 lines to the page.
Hand(s)
Folios 127r-131v have been copied by a (?)late 13th-century or early 14th-century scribe working in a Northern Textualis script.
Folios 132r-138v have been copied by one or two (?) early 14th-century scribes working in a Northern Textualis script.
Decoration
Large (3-4 lines) ‘KL’ initials in blue and red with penwork decoration in blue ink written at the top of the pages of the Kalendar on ff. 132r-127v.
Large (2-3 lines) plain red initials.
Numerals and feasts in the Kalendar; and the names of the Signs of the Zodiac in the astrological table on f. 138r written in red ink.
History
Part 4 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.29, ff. 139-197]
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Divided in 4 books: Book 2 starts at f. 166v; Book 3 starts at f. 175v; and Book 4 starts at f. 190v.
The text features extensive marginal glosses by a 14th-century hand on ff. 185v-186v.
Full transcription. Added by a 14th-century hand.
Full transcription. Added in the late 15th or early 16th century.
Added by a different 14th-century hand.
Full transcription. Added by a 14th-century hand.
Physical Description
Collation
- Quires 19-228 (ff. 139-170)
- Quire 234 (ff. 171-174)
- Quires 24-268 (ff. 174a-197)
Condition
One large (4 or 5 lines) decorated initial has been cut out off f. 140v.
Layout
135 × 100 mm. Ruled in leadpoint, frame and line ruling. Two columns. 34 lines to the page, written below top line.
Hand(s)
Folios 139r-197r have been copied by a single hand in a Northern Textualis script.
The added tract on leprosy on folios 197r-197v has been copied by a single hand in a Northern Textualis script.
Decoration
J-borders for single columns in blue and red ink.
One large (7 lines) blue initial ‘S’ with in both ts upper and compartments a doctor in a dark blue gown holding a jar and speaking with a pupil or fellow doctor in a red gown. The historiated initial is enclosed in a gold frame with a dark red ground (see f. 139r).
One large (10 lines) blue initial ‘I’ with a (5 lines) miniature in a gold frame above it, featuring a physician using a knife to make an incission in the back of a patient's neck. The historiated miniature is enclosed in a gold frame with a blue ground while the initial ‘I’ is in blue and purple and features a zoomorphic head in red (see f. 166v).
One large (4 lines) initial in purple in blue andd purple with a bird in the same colours on top (see f. 140r).
Large (5 lines) puzzle initials in blue and red with penwork decoration inside the letter and pen-flourishing extending into the margins in the same colours (ff. 175v and 190v).
Large (2 lines) initials in blue or red with penwork decoration in the opposite colour inside the letter.
Titles in red ink.
Regular capitals higlighted in red ink.
Paraphs alternating between blue and red ink.
Underlining in red ink.
Additions
History
Part 5 [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.29, ff. 198-210]
Contents
Language(s): Latin
The recipe is followed by a note about collecting the roots of ginger in the autumn.
Added to the lower margin of the page; much faded but probably a verse couplet
Full transcription. Added by a later hand (written over earlier erased text) and subsequently erased but legible with UV light.
Physical Description
Collation
- Quire 2712+1 (ff. 198-210: 13th leaf added, f. 210)
Layout
115-145 × 65-110 mm. Ruled in leadpoint, frame and line ruling. Single columns. lines to the page, written below top line.
Hand(s)
Copied by one (or two) hands working in a Northern Textualis script.
Added verses on ff. 210r-201v in by one or two hands in a cursive anglicana script.
Decoration
One large (3 lines) puzzle initial in blue and red with penwork decoration inside the letter and pen-flourishing extending into the inner and upper margins in both colours on f. 198r.
Large (2 lines) blue or red initials with penwork decoration in the opposite colour inside the letter and pen-flourishing in the opposite colour extending into the margin.
History
Additional Information
Record Sources
Availability
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Bibliography
-
The western manuscripts in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge: a descriptive
catalogue, James, M.R. (Cambridge, 2, Cambridge University Press, 1901)
Ancient Kalendar of the University of Oxford: From Documents of the Fourteenth to
the Seventeenth
Century togeter with Computus Manualis Ad Usum Oxoniensium from C. Kyrfoth's Edition,
Oxon, 1519-20 (with
Seven Facsimiles) Oxford Historical Society, Wordswoth, Christopher (Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1904)
Manuscripts in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge Index of Middle English prose, Mooney, Linne R. (Woodbridge, D.S. Brewer, 1995)
Due manoscritti veneti inediti del XIV secolo di argomento medico. Analisi comparativa
ed
edizioni della Lettera di Ippocrate a Cesare e delle ricette del Thesaurus pauperum, Guidi, Flavia (Pisa, 2019)
Funding of Cataloguing
Wellcome (cataloguing). All images provided by Trinity College, Cambridge.
Digital Images
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
