Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries

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

Cambridge, University Library, MS Ff.4.3

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 12185

Contents

Introduction: This manuscript, whose production has been dated to 1563-1564, contains a series of religious texts. Byzantine canon law forms the largest element of this collection. The largest single element is the canon law compilation of Demetrios Chomatenos, who served as Archbishop of Ohrid, the head of the Orthodox Church hierarchy in Bulgaria, in 1216-1236. The sequence of canons chosen here are predominantly concerned with marriage. A second sequence of canons follows, a selection produced by Konstantinos Harmenopoulos, a senior Byzantine judge in the city of Thessalonike in the 14th century, along with a brief description of various heresies by the same author, and finally two different procedures for the swearing of oaths by Jews, for whom the usual forms of oath used in a Christian context would not be applicable. The heading to the first of these (f. 238r) appears to claim that it is an excerpt from the Book of the Eparch, but these oath formulae do not appear in the surviving text of that name, a Byzantine legal text concerning the regulation of trade and crafts in Constantinople. At least four scribes shared the work of copying the manuscript, two of whom have been identified from their hands as a pair of prolific professional copyists of the second half of the 16th century who frequently worked together. One, Andreas Darmarios, was a Greek from the Peloponnese, who spent his career moving around western Europe, spending his time primarily in various parts of Italy and Spain, and also working in Augsburg and Flanders. The other was Nikolaos Tourrianos, a member of a Greek family of Italian ancestry from Crete, who also worked mainly in Italy and Spain, but in Paris as well, and who was commonly known by a Spanish translation of his name as Nicolas de la Torre. Both men worked for some of the leading scholars and dignitaries of the time, including King Philip II of Spain. The other hands are similar to that of Darmarios, and could be those of his pupils or others accustomed to working in collaboration with him. Their array of dated manuscripts have made it possible to reconstruct the movements and activities of the two identified scribes in some detail, and particulars of the evolution of their hands and practices, especially the papers used, can be employed to date examples of their work in which explicit dates are not supplied. Two of the papers found in this manuscript can be identified with those used by Darmarios in 1563-1564, providing the strongest indication of its specific chronology. During these years he was working in the vicinity of Venice and Trent (where the long Church Council concluded in 1563), while de la Torre had spent the previous few years based in Venice but left during 1564 and travelled to Constantinople, before proceeding later in the year to Salamanca. Since they collaborated on this manuscript, it is most likely that it was produced in or near Venice. There is no direct evidence for the manuscript's ownership before it came into the hands of John Moore, Bishop of Ely, after whose death it was donated with the rest of his collection to the University Library. However, it seems clear that, like both scribes, it found its way to Spain, given the use of Spanish in a note on f. ii recto, which corresponds to a similar note in another Greek manuscript in the University Library, MS Kk.5.11, and has been interpreted as indicating that these manuscripts were owned during the 17th century by the great Spanish nobleman Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares (Easterling, 'Two Greek MSS', pp. 259-261). A further association with Spain lies in the two manuscripts with the closest known association with this one through their text. One, now Salamanca, Biblioteca de la Universitad, MS 2732, is identical in the works it contains and was also copied by Darmarios, in December 1562-February 1563. The other, now Escorial, Real Biblioteca, MS Φ.II.10 (207), contains the same portion of the work of Chomatenos, and has been identified as the source, through a lost intermediary, of this portion of the content of the present manuscript and of the one in Salamanca. In the later 16th century these were respectively owned by Diego de Covarrubias (1512-1577) and Antonio Agustín (1517-1586) , both Spanish bishops who had attended the Council of Trent (Easterling, 'Two Greek MSS', pp. 261-262; Chomatenos, ed. Prinzing, pp. 322-325).

Language(s): Greek

1. ff. 1r-206r
Demetrios Chomatenos, active 1216-1236, Ponemata diaphora Πονήματα διάφορα
Filiation: According to Prinzing, this manuscript was copied from a lost exemplar which was also the exemplar for Salamanca, Biblioteca de la Universitad, MS 2732, and whose text of Chomatenos was itself derived from Escorial, Real Biblioteca, MS Φ.II.10 (207). It was used in preparing Prinzing's edition of the text.
1.1. ff. 1r-9r
Contents list
Rubric: f. 1r Δημητρίου Χωματιανοῦ πίναξ
Incipit: f. 1r Περὶ βαθμῶν κεκωλυμένων καὶ ἀκωλύτων περὶ διαζυγίων
Explicit: f. 9r Δημήτριος ἐλαίῳ Θεοῦ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος
Final rubric: f. 9r Τέλος τοῦ πίνακος τοῦ Δημητρίου Χωματιανοῦ περὶ βαθμῶν

ff. i recto-iii verso are blank apart from some notes regarding content; ff. 9v-10v are blank.

1.2. ff. 11r-206r
Πονήματα διάφορα (1-77) (Ponemata diaphora)
Rubric: f. 11r Δημητρίου τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου καὶ σοφωτάτου, καὶ νομικωτάτου ἀρχιεπισκόπου πάσης Βουλγαρίας τοῦ Χωματιανοῦ· πονήματα διάφορα πονηθέντα αὐτῷ χαρτοφύλακι ὄντι τῆς αὐτῆς ἁγιωτάτης ἐκκλησίας
Incipit: f. 11r Ὁ πανσέβαστος σεβαστὸς κύριος Γρηγόριος ὁ Καμωνᾶς
Explicit: f. 206r ὡς κινδυνώδους πράγματος ἐγχειρήματι ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιρρίπτουσιν

TLG 3216.001

2. ff. 206v-235r
Konstantinos Harmenopoulos, d. 1380?, Ἐπιτομὴ κανόνων (Abridgement of the canons)
Filiation: Derived from the same exemplar as the preceding text, also the exemplar for Salamanca, Biblioteca de la Universitad, MS 2732.
Rubric: f. 206v Ἐπιτομὴ τῶν θείων καὶ ἱερῶν κανόνων· γέγονε δὲ καὶ αὕτη, παρὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πανσεβάστου σεβαστοῦ· νομοφύλακος καὶ κριτοῦ Θεσσαλονίκης κυρίου Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ Ἀρμενοπούλου
Incipit: f. 206v Τῶν κανόνων, οἱ μέν εἰσι τῶν ἁγίων ἀποστόλων
Explicit: f. 235r εἰ μήπου καὶ πρὸ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας εἶεν κατεγνωσμέναι

PG 150, coll. 45-168

3. ff. 235r-237v
Konstantinos Harmenopoulos, d. 1380?, De haeresibus
Filiation: Derived from the same exemplar as the preceding text, also the exemplar for Salamanca, Biblioteca de la Universitad, MS 2732.
Rubric: f. 235r Τοῦ αὐτοῦ περὶ ὧν οἱ κατὰ καιροὺς αἱρετικοὶ ἐδόξασαν
Incipit: f. 235r Οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἄρειον κτίσμα τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ
Explicit: f. 237v καὶ διδασκόντων ἄνισον εἶναι τὴν Ἁγίαν Τρίαδα κατὰ τὴν τῶν σχημάτων διαφοράν

PG 150, coll. 19-30

4. f. 238r
Procedure for oaths to be sworn by Jews
Filiation: Derived from the same exemplar as the preceding text, also the exemplar for Salamanca, Biblioteca de la Universitad, MS 2732.
Rubric: f. 238r Ὄρκος ὃν ὀμνύουσιν οἰ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐπάρχου βιβλίου παρεκβληθεὶς
Incipit: f. 238r Ἐν πρώτοις ἵνα σώσηται τὴν βάτον καὶ κράτηση ἐν ταῖς χέρσιν
Explicit: f. 238r καὶ καταπιέτωμε ζῶντα ὡς Δαθὰν καὶ Ἀβειρών
5. f. 238r
Alternative procedure for oaths to be sworn by Jews
Filiation: Derived from the same exemplar as the preceding text, also the exemplar for Salamanca, Biblioteca de la Universitad, MS 2732.
Rubric: f. 238r Ἢ καὶ ἄλλως
Incipit: f. 238r Ἐν πρώτοις ζωννύσθω τὴν βάτον, ἐπικαθιζέσθω ὡς ἐφ'ἵππου
Explicit: f. 238r καὶ καταπιέτωμε ὡς Δαθὰν καὶ Ἀβειρών
6. ff. 238v-245v
Blank folios

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: ff. ff. i-119 Western paper, folded in folio . Watermark: Keys ( 67 × 32 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, corresponding to Sosower Key 3, in use by Andreas Darmarios in 1563. This is also similar to Harlfinger Clé 6. This example is dated to 1567. ff. ff. 120-121, 126-127 Western paper, folded in folio Watermark: Anchor ( 60 × 35 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, corresponding to Sosower Anchor 54, in use by Andreas Darmarios in 1564. ff. ff. 122-125, 128-157 Western paper, folded in folio . Watermark: Eagle ( 46 × 42 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, somewhat similar to Gravell 4546. This example is dated to 1508-1509. ff. ff. 158-241 Western paper, folded in folio . Watermark: Hand ( 58 × 19 mm. ) in the centre of the folio, similar to Briquet 11306. This example is dated to 1553-1564.
Extent: Codex: ii + 3 + 241 + 4 + ii leaves. 301 × 210 mm.
Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [a]-[b] + i-ii + iii, 1-241 + 242-245 + [c]-[d], in pencil, in Arabic and Roman numerals, recto, upper right.
Foliation: Every tenth folio (1, 11, 21 etc) has also been numbered in pencil, in Arabic numerals, recto, lower right.

Collation

The manuscript consists of 31 quires, of which one is a binion, one a ternion and the rest are quaternia.

  • Quires 1-178 ff. i-135
  • Quire 186 ff. 136-141
  • Quires 19-308 ff. 142-237
  • Quire 314 ff. 238-241

There are early quire signatures in Greek numerals at the beginning of each quire, in brown ink, recto, lower centre, on Quires 1-17 (αʹ-ιζʹ), probably original to the production of the manuscript. Signatures of this sequence were apparently never added to subsequent quires.

There are also modern quire signatures in Arabic numerals at the beginning of each quire, in pencil, recto, lower right. This sequence treats the endleaves ff. 242-245 as a quire, numbered 32.

Signatures in Greek numerals have been added to Quires 18-31, those omitted from the original sequence, at the beginning of each quire, in pencil, lower right, by a different hand from the one responsible for those in Arabic numerals.

 Catchwords appear at the end of each quire.

Condition

There are occasional small tears to the edges of folios, and a hole through f. 110, which was already present when the manuscript was copied. There is water staining to the lower outer corner in the latter part of the manuscript (ff. 183-245), and there are occasional stains elsewhere.

Layout

ff. 1r-150v A single column of 20 lines. 202 × 120 mm. The last lines of some sections taper to a point.

ff. 151r-238r A single column of 24-30 lines. 202-227 × 120 mm. The last lines of some sections taper to a point.

Hand(s)

ff. 1r-39v, 53r-119v, 123r, line 9-f. 125v and f. 127r were copied by Andreas Darmarios (Hand A) in a mixed minuscule script with variable slant, in brown ink, with modest variation in letter size. There is occasionally more dramatic expansion of letters (e.g. f. 110v). There is deletion by expunctuation and strikethrough.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings are not used. Breathings are round and mute iota is subscript. There is decorative use of the double dot and accentuation of all nomina sacra . Accents are sometimes joined to letters, breathings and abbreviations. Horizontal strokes appear over names.

The modern eta, modern nu, sigma telikon and loop epsilon are present.

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

Headings have been added in the same style, in red ink.

ff. 40r-52v, 120r and 126r were copied by Hand B in a mixed minuscule script similar to that of Darmarios.

ff. 120v-123r, line 8 and ff. 128r-150v were copied by Hand C in a mixed minuscule script similar to that of Darmarios.

ff. 151r-238r were copied by Nikolaos Tourrianos (Hand D) in a mixed minuscule script, similar in most respects to those preceding it, but smaller and written in black ink.

Punctuation used includes the lower, middle and upper points, lower comma and full stop.

Decoration

Minor initials in red ink, sometimes slightly ornamented, mark the beginning of sections. Sentences in ff. ff. 208r-235r begin with letters in red ink.

Vignettes in red ink precede the beginning of each major portion of the text: 1r, 11r, 206v, 209r

The end of sections in ff. 206v-238r are marked by simple line-fillers consisting of a horizontal bar in red ink.

The end of text sections on ff. 208v, 237v-238r is accompanied by vegetative cul-de-lampe ornament in black ink.

Additions

The copyists have made some marginal corrections and added σημείωσαι and ὠραῖος marks to highlight notable passages. Later hands have added notes in Latin regarding the content on ff. i recto and iii recto, and in Latin and Spanish regarding the content and value of the manuscript on f. ii recto.

Binding

Rebound in October 1963 by W.H. Smith and Son in London, according to a note on the left pastedown. Brown quarter leather and marbled paper covering over millboards, with plain pastedowns. The classmark and the author's name ‘Demetrius Chomatianus’ are tooled in gold on the spine.

317 × 229 × 44 mm.

History

Origin: The manuscript was copied by a group of scribes including Andreas Darmarios (RGK I 13; II 21; III 22) and Nicolas de la Torre (Nikolaos Tourrianos) (RGK I 319; II 438; III 520). Its production has been dated to 1563-1564, probably in Venice, on the basis of the papers used and the dates when these were employed by Darmarios (De Andrés, Nicolás de la Torre, p. 161).

Provenance and Acquisition

Probably owned by Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares (1587-1645) ..

John Moore (1646-1714) , bishop of Ely: no. 976 in the handwritten supplementary list of Moore's manuscripts, now MS Oo.7.50(2), compiled by Thomas Tanner (1674-1735) after the publication of Bernard, Catalogi librorum manuscriptorum Angliæ et Hiberniæ (1697).

Presented to the University Library in 1715 by George I : donation bookplate engraved by John Pine (1690-1756) in 1736 on f. left cover, inside..

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description draws on A catalogue of the Manuscripts preserved in the Library of the University of Cambridge, vol. 2, (Cambridge, 1861), pp. 433-434 and unpublished notes by Patricia E. Easterling.

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

    A catalogue of the manuscripts preserved in the library of the University of Cambridge , (Cambridge, 2, Cambridge University Press, 1861) Two Greek MSS. of Spanish provenance in Bishop Moore's collection Transactions of the Cambridge Bibliographical Society, Easterling, Patricia E. (3, 257-262, 1961) El cretense Nicolás de la Torre: copista griego de Felipe II : biografía, documentos, copias, facsímiles, Andrés, Gregorio de (Madrid, Biblioteca de San Lorenzo el Real, El Escorial, 1969) Repertorium der griechischen Kopisten, 800-1600. I. Grossbritannien Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für Byzantinistik, Gamillscheg, ErnstHarlfinger, Dieter (Wien, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1981) Cambridge University Library : a history [2], The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, McKitterick, David (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1986) Demetrii Chomateni Ponemata diaphora, Chomatenos, Demetrios (Berlin, 1, De Gruyter, 2002) Signa officinarum chartariarum in codicibus graecis saeculo sexto decimo fabricatis in bibliothecis hispaniae, Sosower, Mark L. (Amsterdam, Adolf M. Hakkert, 2004) The Greek Manuscripts of John Moore and Etienne Baluze Codices Manuscripti, , (56/57, 29-42, 2006) Historia del fondo manuscrito griego de la Universidad de Salamanca Obras de referencia, Martínez Manzano, T. (Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, 2015)

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The Polonsky Foundation

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