Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries: Cambridge, University Library, MS Add. 6314

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 12137

Introduction: This manuscript, which is datable to the late 16th century, contains Demosthenes' oration De falsa legatione; the text is incomplete and accompanied by a marginal Latin commentary. Since a few passages of the commentary are in English, it can be assumed that it was the work of an English scholar. At the beginning of the manuscript, there is a series of epigrams and brief verses in Greek, Latin, and French by various scholars and intellectuals of the 16th century, mostly from the Genevan Calvinist circle: the Greek-Italian classical scholar Franciscus Portus (1511-1581), his son Aemilius, the French printer Henri II Estienne (1531-1598), the French theologian Theodore Beza (1519-1605) and others. Various of these compositions were written in commemoration of John Calvin (1509-1564). Dr Erika Elia

Language(s): Greek, Latin, French

1. ff. [i] recto-[vi] recto

Collection of epigrams and other fragments in Greek, Latin and French, including texts on the death of John Calvin, by Franciscus Portus, Aemilius Portus, Theodore Beza, Henri Estienne and others Franciscus Portus; Theodore Beza; Henri Estienne; Aemilius Portus

f. [i] recto ll. 1-8, inc. Καὶ σὺ πανυψίστοιο θεηγόρε νῦν ὑποφῆτα
f. [i] recto ll. 9-15 Εἰς Ἀνακρέοντα T(heodorus) B(eza) ad F(ranciscum) P(ortum). inc. Αἲ αἲ οἰνοπότας πῶς θνῆσκει Ἀνακρέον, αἲ αἲ
f. [i] recto ll. 19-23 Responsio F(rancisci) P(orti) ad T(heodorum) B(ezam), inc. Τρισμάκαρ ὦ τετράκις τ' Ἀνακρείων ὀππότε[sic] Βέζαι
f. [i] recto ll. 27-37 In obitum Conradi Gesneri, F(ranciscus) P(ortus), inc. Ὦ Ἰασὼ πανάκεια καὶ ἀγλαά εἴπατε τέκνα
f. [i] verso ll. 1-27 Conradi Gesneri epitaphius vario mintoque carmine conscriptus, inc. Te caelo
f. [i] verso ll. 28-37 F(ranciscus) P(ortus) in mortem Margaritae uxoris Henrici Stephani, inc. Οὔρανε πολυμέγαρτε[sic], σὺ νῦν ἐρίτιμον ἄγαλμα
f. [i] verso ll. 38-44 In Catherinam Galliae reginam F(ranciscus) P(ortus), inc. Ἤλυθεν Aὐσονίης Μεδίκων ἀπὸ πρὶν Κατερίνη
f. [ii] recto ll. 1-11 Distichon amatorium vernaculo sermone conscriptum (in Greek, with translations in Latin and French), inc. Κοκκινοβαπτοχείλα μοῦ, καὶ παιγνιδομμάτή[sic] μου
f. [ii] recto ll. 12-15 In fontem antrustum (?) in horto Domini Le Maistre F(ranciscus) P(ortus), inc. Ὁ ξεῖνος κρήνῃ· βαίη λιβὰς; ἀλλὰ ποτίζω
f. [ii] recto ll. 16-18 Τοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ αὐτό, inc. Αἴ νύμφαι μούσαις
f. [ii] recto ll. 19-22 Henricus Stephanus in Robertum Stephanum sub finem epitaphii, inc. Ὁ Στέφανος Στεφάνου στεφάνῳ Στέφανον
f. [ii] recto ll. 23-32 Par Monsieur le Chancellier de France de l'hospitall, sur la mort du Secretaire Bourdin, inc. Hic turbas inter medias
f. [ii] recto ll. 33-37 Epitaphius pontificis Alexandri, inc. Visuram se iterum Sixtum cum Roma putaret
f. [ii] recto, in the margin, De Lucretia (in Latin, with Frech translation), inc. Hoc iacet in tumulo Lucretia nomine
f. [ii] verso A ll. 1-10, Hexastichum in Papam ἀμφίβολον, inc. Pauperibus tua das gratis, nec munera curas
f. [ii] verso A ll. 11-23, In monachos, inc. Gens ingrata, rapax, effrons, temeraria, ficta
f. [ii] verso A ll. 24-26, Th. Beza, inc. Turba sacerdotum, papae rabiosa propago
f. [ii] verso A ll. 27-29, C.T., inc. Omne genus sceleris
f. [ii] verso A ll. 30-33, Auratus, inc. Flumen apud superos nullum est
f. [ii] verso B ll. 1-11, Lividus in Bezam (in French), inc. Qui de Marot et de Besze les vers
f. [ii] verso B ll. 12-25, Responce de Th. B. à l'asme envieux (in French), inc. Un certain esprit
f. [ii] verso B ll. 39-38, Responce de Midas à l'asme (in French), inc. Nagueres me suis apperceu
f. [iii] recto A ll. 1-5, Quidem contre l'asme (in French), inc. Le rossignol n'eust point de melodie
f. [iii] recto A ll. 6-14, De troys Roys de France (in French), inc. Par l'oeil, par l'aureille, et l'espaule
f. [iii] recto A ll. 15-28, In Calvinum (in French), inc. Je n'amay onc Calvin ton accointance
ff. [iii] recto A l. 29-[iii] verso A l. 20, Ode de M. de Besze (in French), inc. Las seray ie tousiours en moy?
f. [iii] verso A l. 20, In Marturini Corderii mortem authore Henrico Stephano (in Latin, with translation in Greek), inc. Octonos decem et sex Corderius annos, inc. ἕξ ὕπερ ὀγδώκοντα ἔτη Κορδήριος ἔζῃ
f. [iii] verso B, A P.P.R faciebat Aenigma (in French), inc. De si grand force autres fois suis este
f. [iv] recto A, De Paulo Apostolo, et Paulo Papa (in Latin), inc. Roma duos vidit diverso tempore Paulos
f. [iv] recto B ll. 1-17, Confession de l'Eglise sur la mort de M. Iohan Calvin. Le Ministre. L'Eglise. (in French), inc. Min. Tu as perdu nombre d'election
f. [iv] recto B ll. 18-33, Sonnet en forme de dialogue. Passant. Geneve (in French), inc. P. D'ou sont ces pleurs?
f. [iv] verso ll. 1-14, Τύμβος εὐσεβεστάτου Ἰωάννου τοῦ Καλβίνου, inc. Ἔνθα τάκη σκελετὸς δεκάδωρος, γαῖα πιέζει
f. [iv] verso ll. 15-21, Εἰς τὸν αὐτόν, inc. Ὄλυμπος, Κέλται τῆς γαῖης[sic] τέρμα Γενεύη
f. [iv] verso ll. 22-35, Αντονίου[sic] τοῦ Πεῤῥότου εἰς Καλβίνον, inc. Μὴ δῆτ' ᾧδε θόως[sic]
f. [iv] verso ll. 36-41, Francois du Latin (Quale iubar) et du Grec (ὡς δ' ὅτε) J. C., inc. Αinsi que la lueur de la lampe. At the end: τῶ[sic] ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ͵αφξδ΄ ἔθανεν Ιωάννης[sic] ὁ Καλβῖνος
f.[v] recto A ll. 1-7, Αντονίου[sic] Π., inc. Ὡς δ' ὅτε ἡελίος
f. [v] recto B ll. 1-7 (in correspondence to the previous item), Interpretatio ex Carolo P., inc. Quale iubar
f.[v] recto A ll. 8-12, Ρενναῖος ἀπὸ τῶν (?), inc. Ἐν κοσμῳ φέγγοντα, ἐν αἴθερι ἤλιος ὥσπερ
f. [v] recto A ll. 13-17, Φραγκίσκου τοῦ Δ., inc. Χριστοφίλοις οἷτος Καλβίνου ἔξωρσε γόοιο
f. [v] recto B ll. 8-12 (in correspondence to the previous item), Eiusdem interpretatio, inc. Christicolis luctus Calvini morte paratur
f. [v] recto A ll. 18-22, Τοῦ αὐτοῦ, inc. Ὄστα θεουλογίας[sic] Καλβίνου
f. [v] recto B ll. 13-17 (in correspondence to the previous item), Eiusdem interpretatio, inc. Numquid doctiloquium
f. [v] recto A ll. 23-36, Iohannis G., inc. Hoc tumulo clausum
f. [v] recto A ll. 37-41, Aem(ilius) P(ortus), inc. In magno fuerat nuper
f. [v] recto B ll. 18-24, Franscisci D. de lib. Calvini, inc. Turba papistarum Calvinum
f. [v] recto B ll. 25-29, Eiusdem, inc. Calvinus tumulo iacet hoc
f. [v] recto B ll. 25-29, Eiusdem, inc. Gallia me genuit
f. [v] verso ll. 1-17, Eiusdem de eodem, inc. Dira fuit mater, mitis Calvine noverca
f. [v] verso ll. 18-22, De quodam Calvini somnio, inc. In sacris somno Calvinus
f. [v] verso ll. 23-27, Διονυσίου τοῦ Π., inc. Οἱ καθαρὸν ἱερῷ
f. [v] verso ll. 28-32, Eiusdem interpretatio, inc. Qui bibitis latices puro de fonte
f. [v] verso ll. 33-34, F(rancisci) Porti epigramma in librum Simonis Simonii (only title)
f. [vi] recto ll. 1-6, Epigramma in morten Ioannis Calvini Εῤῥίκου[sic] τοῦ Στεφάνου, inc. Πιστότατος Χριστοῦ θεράπων
f. [vi] recto A ll. 9-33, Buchanani epigramma in quo imago introducitur alloquans(?) peregre advenientes, inc. Fare age qui terras lustras ( Georgii Buchanani Scoti Poemata quae exstant (Amstelodami, 1696), p. 297-298)
f. [vi] recto A ll. 34-36, In Bonae Sfortiae laudem, inc. Qui tibi cumque Bonae sacro in baptismate nomine
f. [vi] recto A ll. 37-39, Cuiusdam, inc. Iure bono Papas defendis
f. [vi] recto B ll. 7-34, Ludicra παραβολὴ poetarum et monachorum, inc. Accipe Franscisco cur componamus Homerus

f. [vi] verso is blank

2. ff. 3r-94r

Demosthenes, De falsa legatione

Rubric: f. 3r Δεμοσθενους ο[sic] περὶ τῆς παραπρεσβείας λόγος

Incipit: f. 3r Οση[sic] μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, σπουδὴ περὶ τουτονὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα

Explicit: f. 94r ὥστε μηδενὶ νῦν ὑμῶν εὐσεβῶς||

The text ends imperfectly at C. Fuhr (ed.), Demosthenis orationes, I, Leipzig 1914, p. 481 l. 5 (407.212)

The text is written only on the recto of the leaves; it is accompanied by a lexical, grammatical, rhetorical commentary in Latin, written in the margins

There is a lacuna between ff. 6r and 8r, due to the loss of f. 7: καὶ μεγάλων καιρὸν ἐν βραχεῖ … προσετάξατε ἐν τῇ πρεσβείᾳ πεποιηκότα ( Fuhr 1914, p. 405 ll. 6-19 [343.6-8])

TLG 0014.019

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: ff. [i]-91v Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermarks: ff. [i]-[vi], 87-94 Coat of arms with a dog/fox, surmounted by a quatrefoil, under it letters ‘ W I’ ( ca. 55 × ca. 30 mm. ) in the gutter, very similar to Piccard online, Wappen DE4620-PO-85887 which is dated to 1562 (Germany). ff. 3-32 Hand surmounted by a five-point star ( ca. 72 × ca. 35 mm. ) in the gutter, comparable to Briquet, Main 11357 which is dated to 1557. ff. 33-86 Pitcher, on it letters ‘ I/L (?) C (with clover) B’, surmounted by a four-leaf clover ( ca. 55 × ca. 25 mm. ) in the gutter, comparable to Briquet Pot 12742 which is dated in the years 1550-1585.

Extent: Codex: 97 leaves., 190 × 140 mm.

Foliation: The leaves are foliated 3-94 in Arabic numerals, in the top right hand corner recto. From f. 60, where the original foliation is not visible anymore due to leaves' trimming, it is partially supplemented by a foliation in modern pencil; ff. [i]-[vi] have not been numbered; ff. 1, 2 and 7 are lost. The foliation is: [i]-[vi] + 3-6, 8-94.

Collation

The first two quires are binions, the second lost the last two leaves without loss of text. The third is a quaternion which has lost the first two leaves (without loss of text) and the 7th (f. 7, with loss of text). Quaternions follow.

Quire 1⁴ ff. [i]-[iv]
Quire 2^4-2 ff. [v]-[vi](3rd, 4th leaves missing)
Quire 3^8-3 ff. 3-6, 8(1st, 2nd, 7th leaves missing)
Quires 4-7 ⁸ ff. 9-40
Quire 8 ⁶ ff. 41-46
Quires 9-14 ⁸ ff. 47-94

Horizontal catchwords by the scribe on the lower part, right, of the verso of each leaf, until f. 76v.

Condition

The codex is in fair condition. The binding is damaged. On the leaves, near the gutter, there are humidity and water stains, and tears. In the manuscript there are three loose inserts made of modern paper and remnant of thread housed in a pocket. The last three quires are detached from the book block.

Layout

ff. [i] recto-[vi] recto Irregular layout, 1-2 columns, 29 to 44 lines. ca. 170 × ca. 130 mm.

ff. 3r-94r A single column of 16 to 25 lines. On ff. 3r-81r the scribe traced a frame in red ink delimiting the space for the text and for the commentary. ca. 130 × ca. 75 mm.

Hand(s)

ff. ff. [i] recto-[vi] recto, 3r-94r Hand A: most part of Demosthenes' text has been written in a minuscule script, probably by a western European hand, as the rigid ductus, and some forms, similar to the Latin alphabet, indicate. From f. 82r the script becomes more rapid, and slants slightly to the right.

The text is written in brown ink; the first line of the text on each folio in red, is now faded.

Binding

Early modern limp parchment binding. There are four alum-tawed ties to each board. An envelope is adhered to the inside of the right cover, added presumably to house the loose-leaf insertions (see Accompanying material). On the spine, on the upper part there is a title, ‘ Demosthenes de falsa legatione’, on the lower part the shelfmark ‘ Add. 6314’.

The cover has been damaged by pest, the corners of the textblock have been revealed in some places. Three loose inserts made of modern paper and remnant of thread at the beginning of the textblock have been housed in a pocket. Offset remains on the inside of the left cover, from a former pastedown comprising a leaf recycled from a medieval manuscript (no longer present in this manuscript).

211 × 157 × 25 mm.

Accompanying Material

In the manuscript, in a plastic pocket, are kept three small paper leaves, with information about the book.

On one of them ( 178 × 126 mm. ), the name of one of the owners of the manuscript, Neville Holt, is written twice in pencil. There is also a note in black ink, probably by a librarian: ‘ Demosthenes de falsa legatione. The Greek text with a copious Latin commentary, written by an English scholar in the time of Queen Elizabeth. M.S. on paper (Add. 6314).’

On another ( 79 × 159 mm. ) there is a note written by the former owner Neville Holt to ask for a valuation of two books, probably one of them being this manuscript: ‘ Would you be kind enough to let me know what the value | of the two enclosed books would be. I am wanted to | sell them to a man and do not know what price | to ask, being ignorant of their value. | F. Neville Holt’. Under this note, the same hand which wrote the name of Neville Holt in pencil on the aformentioned leaf wrote in pencil: ‘ Rockingham House Newmarket Aug. 1921’. On the opposite side of this leaf, written transversally, there are some annotations in black ink and in pencil written by the same librarian's hand found in the aforementioned leaf, listing some passages written in English in the manuscript, in the commentary accompanying Demosthenes' text.

The last leaf ( 203 × 128 mm. ) contains annotations in ink by another modern hand, concerning the texts written in the manuscript on ff. [i]-[vi]. On the leaf there is a stamp of Cambridge University Library with the date of 1921.

History

Origin:

On the basis of the watermarks, the manuscript can be dated to the second half of the 16th century.

Provenance and Acquisition

The codex was owned by the librarian F. Neville Holt ( Easterling (1962), p. 321).

Acquired from Neville Holt, F. by Francis Jenkinson (1853-1923) , University Librarian 1889-1923.

Presented by Jenkinson to the University Library in 1921 (date given in three CUL stamps on ff. [i] recto and 94r.

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description (2020) draws partly on P. Easterling, 'Hand-list of the additional Greek manuscripts in the University Library, Cambridge', Scriptorium 16 (1962), 302-323 (p. 321), and on an umpublished description by the librarian R.V. Kerr, kept at Cambridge University Library.

Availability

Entry to read in the Library is permitted only on presentation of a valid reader's card. For information on eligibility and admissions procedures, see Joining the Library). For further enquiries, and to confirm the availability of the manuscript, please contact the Special Collections Reading Room.

Bibliography

Hand-list of the additional Greek manuscripts in the University Library, Cambridge Scriptorium, Easterling, Patricia E. (16, 2, 302-323, 1962)

Funding of Cataloguing

The Polonsky Foundation

Digital Images

Cambridge Digital Library

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries

Cambridge, University Library, MS Add. 6314

Contents