Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.31
On Surgery
Contents
Physical Description
?16th-century foliation with modern additions
[a] | [b]-[c] | i-iv + 1-244 | 245-248 | [d]-[e] | [f]
'Core' medieval leaves foliated as ff. 1-244 in ink in the late-medieval/early modern forms of Hindu-Arabic numerals in the centre of the upper margin of each recto and additional foliation in pencil in Roman numerals to four parchment endleaves (ff. i-iv) at the beginning of the volume. In order to produce a functional TEI/XML record for this item, unfoliated endleaves at the beginning and end of the volume were assigned virtual folio designations in autumn 2023 - these virtual designations are enclosed in [square brackets] in this record.Collation
Quires and endleaves arranged as follows:
- Former binding fragment, now free stub (f. [a]) |
- Two paper endleaves (ff. [b]-[c]) |
- Four parchment endleaves (ff. i-iv) +
- Quires 1-298 (ff. 1-232)
- Quire 3014-2 (ff. 233-244: 3rd and 4th leaves cancelled, stubs visible) |
- Four parchment endleaves (ff. 245-248) |
- Two paper endleaves (ff. [d]-[e]) |
- Former binding fragment, now free stub (f. [f]) |
f. [a] | ff. [b]-[c] | ff. i-iv + Quires 1-298 3014-2 (3rd and 4th cancelled) | ff. 245-248 | ff. [d]-[e] | f. [f]
No leaf signatures common to the entire volume.
No quire signatures common to the entire volume.
No catchwords common to the entire volume.Additions
Quire signatures ('1-30') 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
Armorial binding of George Willmer (1582-1626) of Stratford-le-Bow, Middlesex. Rebacked.
Full bound in leather over pasteboards with matching decoration in blind to front and rear covers. Covers are each decorated with a quintuple-fillet in blind set at the perimeter of the boards and a gilt single fillet superimposed over the central fillet in the blind quintuple-fillet roll. Blind single fillet on the cover material over the head, fore, and tail edges of the boards. A large gilt armorial stamp in the centre of the cover blazoned as follows:| Crest: mural coronet, eagle displayed| Helmet: esquire| Mantle: acanthus, terminal tassles| Escutcheon: a chevron between three eagles displayed| Motto: 'expertus credo'|
Rebacked in leather with a defined grain. Four raised bands on spine. Spine is decorated with a blind single fillet along the upper and lower perimeter of each compartment and at the head and tail openings of the back. Spine is capped at head and tail, no head or tail bands visible. Three small printed paper labels fixed to spine with an adhesive 'R', '1' and '3', the middle label probably originally '10' for a former shelfmark 'R.10.3'.
No pastedowns. A former shelfmark 'R.10.3' written in ink on the inside of the front cover and struck out. Two paper endleaves at either end of the volume, ff. [b]-[c] and [d]-[e], the outermost of these (ff. [b] and [e]) probably once pastedowns in the volume as both have traces of adhesive stains on their outermost faces.
Two parchment stubs (ff. [a] and [f]), one at either end of the volume between the inner face of the cover and the outermost paper endleaves. These stubs were probably once fixed to the inner covers to reinforce the hinges but both are now free and are described separately as they contain medieval text.
Two paper endleaves at each end of the volume, ff. [b]-[c] and [d]-[e]; all of the paper endleaves are blank. A small portion of a watermark is visible on f. [b] at the gutter, but not enough of the mark is visible to identify the design.
Accompanying Material
A paper slip c. 205 x 80 mm printed with handling guidance for readers is typically stored between ff. [b] and [c]. The slip also contains notes in pencil advising readers of the structure of the volume and directing readers to use the pencil or ink foliation sequences as appropriate.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Probably made at and certainly owned by the community of St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury. A St Augustine's shelfmark is present on f. ii recto: '‘Di XII. G⟨radus⟩. III’' as well as an ownership inscription, '‘lib sci aug cant’' (i.e., Liber Sancti Augustini Cantuarii).
Owned by John Twyne (?1505-1581) , Canterbury schoolmaster and collector of manuscripts. Twyne added his name in ink on f. ii recto: '‘Liber Joannis Twini Senioris’'.
Owned by George Willmer (1582-1626) of Stratford-le-Bow, Middlesex.
Given to Trinity College by George Willmer (1582-1626) (1582-1626). Willmer donated 38 manuscripts to Trinity College and the donation is recorded in the College Donors Book on p. 96.
Part 1: former binding fragment [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.31, f. [a]]
Contents
Language(s): Latin
List of latinised English names in a 15th century hand.
Physical Description
Collation
Former binding fragment, now free stub (f. [a]) |
No leaf signatures particular to this Part.
No quire signatures particular to this Part.
No catchwords particular to this Part.Condition
Layout
Informally written list of names; original mise-en-page no longer possible to determine due to the trimming of the leaf to re-use as a binding support.
Hand(s)
Written in an informal script with a mixture of anglicana and secretary features.
Decoration
No significant decoration in this Part.
Additions
The shelfmark 'R.14.31' in ink on f. [a] recto.
Binding
It seems very probable that this fragment (f. [a]) was once used as a binding support and was pasted from inside the back and over the hinge onto the inside of the left board before being covered with a pastedown as there are patterns of adhesive residue indicative of such use. Folio [a] (and the similar f. [f] at the end of the volume) were not noticed or described by M.R. James in his Catalogue of the Trinity College manuscripts printed between 1900-1904, so it seems likely that the pastedowns were lifted and the stubs were freed after 1904.
History
Date and place of production based on palaeographical features and the forms of the names on this fragment.
Part 2: Medical texts [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.31, ff. i-iv + 1-244]
Contents
Language(s): Latin
List of the contents of the volume in a ?14th century hand with folio references added in several 16th and 17th century hands. Full transcription follows:
- Elucidacio artis cirurgie fol: 1
- Liber de uirtutibus medicine secundum medicum coph. fol: 20
- Tractatus de modo medendi Fol: 38
- De medicinis quibus proprie ualent egritudinibus
- Tractatus de confectione syruporum Fol: 93
- De uariis confectionibus uinis Fol: 104
- Liber graduum Constantinis fol. 109
- Tractatus medicine distinctus in iiiior libros 165
Numbered (1-35) list of the chapters of the Elucidacio artis Cyrurgie (on ff. 1r-18v) in a ?15th century hand.
59 chapters listed.
This text also appears in Cambridge, Gonville and Caius MS 379/599, ff. 1r-5r , where it is attributed to Johannes de Sancto Paulo .
No numbers in chapter list; capitula laid out like a prose text.
This text is often attributed to Copho .
This text seems to be a redaction of some of the wine chapters in Book 5 of the Latin translation of Dioscorides' De materia medica (see Stadler (1902), esp. p. 172, ln. 4 seq.). Note that the text in Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.31 begins with text from the end of a chapter in that edition headed 'De uina uetera', introduced in MS R.14.31 as 'Uina gipsata' and ends in MS R.14.31 with a chapter on 'Uina diptamiten'. A variant of the text exists in Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS Lat. 9332, ff. 306v-321v where it corresponds with some of the chapters between ch 9 (f. 307va) - ch 68 (f. 312r).
List of 51 capitula.
The first of the Latin plant names is glossed in the margin in Middle English, i.e., f. 111r, the Latin plant name 'absinthium' has the Middle English gloss 'Weremode' in the outer margin in ink in a late 12th or early 13th century hand.
List of 51 capitula.
The plant name 'abrotanum' on f. 127v has the marginal gloss 'suþerwode' (southernwood) in the outer margin in a contemporary or slightly later hand.
List of 65 capitula.
List of 30 capitula.
Although the prologue refers to this text as a work of Constantinus Africanus Constantinus Africanus, d. before 1098/1099 , this is one of the many works of Arabic medicine that Constantinus Africanus translated from Arabic into Latin in the 11th century.
Title added in the outer margin of f. 165r in ink in an early modern hand 'Tractatus Medicina in quatuor Libri Distinctus'.
Various capitulae in this item are taken from the Latin translation of the De materia medica of Dioscorides . De materia medica was translated from the original Greek into Latin in Late Antiquity and was popular in north western Europe throughout the middle ages, where it was translated into Latin more than once, and also into vernacular languages in the later medieval period. The Latin version of the De materia medica that seems most closely related to parts of the text in MS R.14.31 was edited primarily from Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 337 by Hermann Stadler across several articles around the turn of the 20th century. The segments of De materia medica that appear in MS R.14.31 do not appear in the same order that they appear in most typical copies of the Latin text, and it is frequently interpolated with content from elsewhere. Readers may wish to compare the chapter at the opening of 'Book 1' in this item at f. 165v headed 'De edera' and beginning 'Cissos id est edere multe sunt species' with Hermann's edition (p. 244 seq.) and München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 337, f. 69va (ch. PΞE) and then note the subsequent divergence of Trinity MS R.14.31 from the text in BSB Clm 337 in later chapters; this is just one of several points of similarity and then difference between the two manuscripts.
List of 53 capitula.
List of 41 capitula.
List of 54 capitula.
List of 49 capitula.
Full transcription: 'Ad ustusturam[sic] Cerfolium et teneritas rubi . Seuum ueruecinum bene terantur et ad ignem liquatur et firmus anserinus additur . et per pannum colatur'
Also transcribed and briefly discussed in Hunt, 'Anglo-Norman Medical Receipts'.
Full transcription: 'Ad cancrum . Pernez la caneilide ce est en engleis henne uuol . sin fates sekier . sin faites puldre . Si pernez del tan sin faites puldre . Si pernez de feues neires . sis faites sekier sin faites puldre . Or prendrez cez quatre pluldres[sic] . de cascun par peis. si pernez lalbun des oes si tribles ensemble que seit espes cum emplastre . Si pernez les escales des oes sis emplez de ce . si pernez les escales puis . si metez en lastre del fu . la buce des escales sur lastre e des carbuns tun[sic] entur . e issi que lastre seit bient cald . si laisez iloc tant estre que les escales seint bien neires . pernez de ceste puldre si salesu uus uerez que le cancre iert . si laisez de lied . el tierz iur sil resalez . el siste iur sil resalez uncore de cestre puldre sis laisez issi . '
Also transcribed and briefly discussed in Hunt, 'Anglo-Norman Medical Receipts'.
According to T. Hunt, this is the earliest surviving vernacular medical recipe in Anglo-Norman French.
Physical Description
Collation
- Four parchment endleaves (ff. i-iv) +
- Quires 1-298 (ff. 1-232)
- Quire 3014-2 (ff. 233-244; 3rd and 4th leaves cancelled, stubs visible)
No leaf signatures.
No quire signatures.
Catchwords mostly trimmed away, traces visible in the lower margin of the last verso of some quires, e.g., f. 208vCondition
Layout
110 × 75 mm. Ruled in leadpoint, frame and lines. Ruled in single column format, 22 lines to the page and written above top line. Capitula lists are ruled and written in double-column format.
Hand(s)
Folios 1r-244r are written in protogothic minuscule in a style typical of scribal work produced in England and Norther France during the 12th century. The 'main texts' appear to be the work of a single scribe, but there are glosses and annotations throughout in at least 2 roughly contemporary hands.
Decoration
Flourished initials in the 'Arabesque' style at the major divivisons of the texts. A particularly siginficant initial on f. 1r has marginal flourishing that extends from the initial in the first line of text, down the inner margin and across the lower margin.
Plain initials in the 'Arabesque' style in red, green, and blue with occasional stylised acanthus leaf or 'petal' flourshing at the major and minor divisions of the texts.
Headings to the major and minor divisions of the texts usually written in red.
Additions
Shelfmark and ownership inscription for St Augustine's Canterbury on f. ii recto: 'Di XII gra III | Liber Sancti Augustini Cant'.
Ownership inscription in ink on f. ii recto: 'Liber Joannis
Twini senioris', i.e.,
John Twyne (?1505-1581)
, Canterbury schoolmaster and collector of manuscripts.
Trinity College bookplate of the College escutcheon with mantling and the motto 'Collegium S. Sci Indiuiduae Trinitatis in Academia Cantabrigiensi'on f. ii verso.
Title to the volume in ink in an early modern hand on f. iii recto, 'Elucidatio Artis Chirurgicae'.
Quires are numbered in pencil in Hindu-Arabic numerals in the lower outer corner of the first recto of each quire; added by a 19th-century hand.
History
Part 3: endleaves [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.31, ff. 245-248]
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Index in a ?14th or ?15th century hand arranged alphabetically by plant name and supplied with Hindu-Arabic folio numbers written in the typical late-medieval forms; the hand that is responsible for the folio numbering in this index also appears to be the hand that added the medieval foliation to the centre of the upper margin of each recto through ff. 1-244.
Full transcription: 'Mater cunctorum salua cetum monachorum | Spes infirmorum miserans miserere tuorum'.
This poem is also in Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 312, f. ii verso where it has an annotation in pencil in the same hand 'quod Bachon'. Bachon appears to have been a member of the community at St Augustine's Abbey in or after the 13th century, and his name also appears (?in a different hand) in Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 50, f. x recto .
Written in a ?14th century hand
The note mentions Cham as the second[sic] son of Noah, and also mentions King Zarathustra (as 'Soroastes'
Written in a ?16th century hand.
Physical Description
Collation
Four parchment endleaves, ff. 245-248
No leaf signatures particular to this Part.
No quire signatures particular to this Part.
No catchwords particular to this Part.Condition
Layout
155 × 95 mm. Folios 247r are arranged in an informal and unruled two-column layout, and are written typically 32 lines to the column. The text on f. 247v is informally written in single-column format.
Hand(s)
The text on ff. 245r-247r is written in an informal anglicana.
The note 'Mater cunctorum salua cetum monachorum | Spes infirmorum miserans miserere tuorum' on f. 247v is written in a textualis libraria.
The note about Ancient History on f. 247v is written in anglicana with secretary features.
Decoration
No significant decoration in this Part.
Additions
Binding
The leaves in this Part (ff. 245-248, and in particular f. 248) bear traces of their use in a former binding. There are traces of adhesive residue on f. 248v in a pattern which suggests that it was once used as a pastedown in a former binding. In addition, damage to the centre of f. 248 is consistent with the presence of a strap-and-pin fastening on a former binding, with the pin-plate being mounted in the centre of the right board, as was typical for medieval English bindings.
History
With additions from early 14th to 16th centuries.
It is not clear when these leaves (ff. 245-248) were added to the volume, but they bear marks of use from the early 14th century through to the 16th century, indicating that they were almost certainly written on while the volume was owned by St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury, England. The patch repair to f. 248 has text in what appears to be in a late 12th or early 13th century hand, and so the repair must (obviously) post-date the creation of that textleaf.
Place and date of production based on palaeographic features, and supporting evidence derived from knowledge of the provenance of the rest of the volume.Part 4: former binding fragment [Cambridge, Trinity College, MS R.14.31, f. [f]]
Contents
Language(s): Latin
This stub contains a fragmentary list of latinised English names in a ?14th century hand. Below the list of names is a fragment of a legal document that contains the name 'Johannem Sutlor'.
Physical Description
Collation
Former binding fragment, now free stub (f. [f]) |
No leaf signatures particular to this Part
No quire signatures particular to this Part
No catchwords particular to this PartCondition
Layout
Informally written list of names and legal document; original mise-en-page no longer possible to determine due to the trimming of the leaf to re-use as a binding support.
Hand(s)
Written in an informal script with anglicana features.
Decoration
No significant decoration in this Part.
Binding
It seems very probable that this fragment (f. [f]) was once used as a binding support and was pasted from inside the back and over the hinge onto the inside of the right board before being covered with a pastedown as there are patterns of adhesive residue indicative of such use. Folio [f] (and the similar f. [a] at the beginning of the volume) were not noticed or described by M. R. James in his Catalogue of the Trinity College manuscripts printed between 1900-1904, so it seems likely that the pastedowns were lifted and the stubs were freed after 1904.
History
Date and place of production based on palaeographical features and the forms of the names on this fragment.
Additional Information
Record Sources
Availability
Visitors to Trinity College 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: Trinity College: Information for Readers.
Bibliography
-
The western manuscripts in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge: a descriptive
catalogue, James, M.R. (Cambridge, 2, Cambridge University Press, 1901)
The ancient libraries of Canterbury and Dover: the catalogues of the libraries of
Christ Church
Priory and St. Augustine's Abbey at Canterbury and of St. Martin's Priory at Dover, James, Montague Rhodes (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1903, https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511920097)
The Canterbury school of illumination, 1066-1200, Dodwell, C.R. (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1954)
Medieval libraries of Great Britain: a list of surviving books Royal Historical Society
guides and handbooks, Ker, N.R. (London, Offices of the Royal Historical Society, 1964)
John Twyne of Canterbury (d. 1581) as a Collector of Medieval Manuscripts: a Preliminary
Investigation The Library, Watson, Andrew G. (s6-VIII, 2, 133-151, 1986, https://academic.oup.com/library/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/library/s6-VIII.2.133)
Anglo-Norman Medical Receipts Anglo-Norman Anniversary Essays Anglo-Norman Text Society:
Occasional Publication Series, Hunt, Tony (London, pp. 179-235, 1993)
St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury Corpus of British medieval library catalogues, Barker-Benfield, B.C. (London, British Library in association with the British Academy,
2008)
Funding of Cataloguing
Wellcome (cataloguing). All images provided by Trinity College, Cambridge.
Digital Images
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
