Medieval Manuscripts in Cambridge Libraries: Cambridge, University Library, MS Hh.6.12

Diktyon no.: Diktyon 12196

Introduction: This manuscript is a Gospel book written about 1500, which can be quite closely dated by the watermarks of the different paper types used. It was copied by several different hands, the simplicity of most of which suggests that it was a western European production, a probability reinforced by the presence of early annotations by hands using both Greek and Latin. The main Gospel texts are supplemented by chapter lists and various prefatory hypotheses drawn from the range of such texts commonly found in Greek Gospel manuscripts, mostly regarding St Luke and the composition of his Gospel. Rather than preceding the Gospels to which they pertain, as would be usual, all of these texts are grouped together at the end of the manuscript, in a somewhat haphazard order. This suggests that their inclusion was something of an afterthought, and reinforces the impression that this manuscript originated outside the main Greek tradition of production, being produced for scholarly use in the Latin world. Notes in Greek and Latin on f. 1r-1v appear to identify an early owner as one Robert Poyntz. This was perhaps the man of that name, a devoutly Catholic member of a gentry family from Alderley, Gloucestershire, who left England early in the reign of Elizabeth I and settled in Louvain, centre of the English Catholic exile community and of efforts to support English Catholicism from abroad. In 1566 he published a tract defending the doctrine of transubstantiation, based on the works of both Latin and Greek Fathers of the Church. Dr Christopher Wright

Language(s): Greek

Gospel book

Gregory-Aland 555; Von Soden ε 519; Scrivener Evan. 609.

1.1. ff. 2r-57v

Gospel of Matthew

Incipit: f. 2r Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Υἱοῦ Δαυίδ Υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ

Explicit: f. 71v πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας· ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος, ἀμήν

Final rubric: f. 71v Finis Evangelii Mathei

TLG 0031.001

f. 1r-1v is blank apart from some notes; f. 58r-58v is blank.

1.2. ff. 59r-89r

Gospel of Mark

Incipit: f. 59r Αρχὴ[sic] τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ

Explicit: f. 89r καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος. διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων, ἀμήν

Final rubric: f. 89r Finis Evangelii Sanctum Marcum[sic]

TLG 0031.002

ff. 89v-90v are blank.

1.3. ff. 91r-136r

Gospel of Luke

Incipit: f. 91r Επειδήπερ[sic] πολλοὶ επεχείρησαν ανατάξασθαι[sic] διήγησιν

Explicit: f. 136r καὶ ἦσαν διαπαντὸς ἐν τῶ ἱερῶ αἰνοῦντες καὶ εὐλογοῦντες τὸν Θεόν

Final rubric: f. 136r Finis Evangelii Sanctum Lucam[sic]

TLG 0031.003

ff. 136v-137v are blank.

1.4. ff. 138r-172v

Gospel of John

Incipit: f. 138r Ἐν ἀρχὴ ἦν ὁ λόγος· καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος

Explicit: f. 172v οὐδὲ αὐτὸν οἶμαι τὸν κόσμον χωρῆσαι· τὰ γραφόμενα βιβλία· ἀμήν

TLG 0031.004

ff. 173r-175v are blank.

1.5. ff. 176r-177r

List of κεφάλαια to Matthew

Rubric: f. 176r Τοῦ κατὰ Ματθαῖον ἁγίου εὐαγγελίου τὰ κεφάλαια

Incipit: f. 176r Περὶ τῶν μάγων· αʹ

Explicit: f. 177r Περὶ τῆς αἰτήσεως τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Κυρίου· ξηʹ

f. 177v is blank.

1.6. f. 178r

Niketas Seides, Conspectus librorum sacrorum

Excerpt (ed. Panagiotis N. Simotas, Νικήτα Σεΐδου Σύνοψις τῆς Ἁγίας Γραφῆς (Thessalonike 1984), p. 273)

Incipit: ff. 178r Τὸ κατὰ Μάρκον ἐυαγγέλιον, ἐν Ῥώμη ὑπὸ Πέτρου τοῦ ἀποστόλου ὑπoγορεύθη[sic]. ἐπειδὴ αὐτός Μάρκος ὁ μαθητὴς Πέτρου

Explicit: ff. 178r καὶ αὖται ἀπαγγέλωσι τοῖς μαθηταῖς καὶ ἀνελήθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν. καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐκ δεξιὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ

The first few words of this text are at variance from that in the edition, while the last clauses are absent from it.

1.7. ff. 178r-179r

List of κεφάλαια to Mark

Incipit: f. 178r Περὶ τοῦ δαιμονιζομένου αʹ

Explicit: f. 179r μηʹ Περὶ τῆς αἰτήσεως τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ

1.8. f. 179r-179v, line 17

Theophylact of Ohrid, Enarratio in Evangelium Marci

Excerpt (PG 123, coll. 492-493)

Incipit: f. 179r Τὸ κατὰ Μάρκον εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ δέκα ἔτη τῆς Χριστοῦ ἀναλήψεως συνεγράφη ἐν Ῥώμη

Explicit: f. 179v οὕτω καὶ ἡ τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ κηρύγματος πραγματεία

PG 123, coll. 487-682

1.9. f. 179v, line 17-f. 180r, line 17

Hypothesis to John

Incipit: f. 179v Τὸ μὲν κατὰ Ἰωάννην εὐαγγέλιον, ἐχειλέοντο πρόσωπον

Explicit: f. 180r ταύτην καθεξῆς συντίθησι πανσόφως. ὁ δευτερεύων Μάρκος ἐν θεογράφοις

1.10. f. 179v, line 17-f. 180v, line 15

Catena in Matthaeum

Excerpt (ed. J.A. Cramer, Catenae in Evangelia S. Matthaei et S, Marci ad finem codd. MSS (Oxford 1840), p. 4)

Rubric: f. 180r Προοίμιον τοῦ κατὰ Λουκᾶν θείου εὐαγγελίου

Incipit: f. 180r Χρὴ τὸν ἐντυγχάνοντον τῆ δὲ τῆ βίβλω, γινώσκειν

Explicit: f. 180v ἵνα εὐσύνοπτα ἔσται τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι τὰ νοήματα

TLG 4102.001

1.11. f. 180v, line 15-f. 181r, line 3

Titus of Bostra, Catena in Lucam

Excerpt (ed. Joseph Sickenberger, Titus von Bostra: Studien zu dessen Lukashomilien (Leipzig 1901), p. 143)

Rubric: f. 180v Τίτου ἐπισκόπου Βότρις[sic]

Incipit: f. 180v Ἱστέον τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους εὐαγγελιστὰς

Explicit: f. 181r ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκλησία προσδέχεται

CPG 3576

1.12. f. 181r, line 3-f. 181v, line 2

Kosmas Indikopleustes, Topographia Christiana

Excerpt (5:197-199)

Rubric: f. 181r Κοσμᾶ Ἰνδικοπλεύστου

Incipit: f. 181r Οὗτο[sic] ὁ Λουκᾶς ὁ τρίτος τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν

Explicit: f. 181v τὸν ἑαυτοῦ μαθητὴν τὸν θεολφιλῆ Θεόφιλον

TLG 4061.002

BHG 0991a

PG 88, coll. 51-462

1.13. f. 181v, lines 2-10

Catena in Lucam

Excerpt (ed. J.A. Cramer, Catenae in Evangelia S. Lucae et S, Joannis ad finem codd. MSS (Oxford 1840), p. 6)

Incipit: f. 114v Λουκᾶς ὁ μακάριος εὐαγγελιστῆς, ἰατρὸς μὲν ἦν τῆ τέχνη

Explicit: f. 114v τὸ προοίμιον τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς γραφῆς κατὰ ἀκρίβειαν ἐποιήσατο

TLG 4102.004

1.14. f. 181v, line 10-f. 182r, line 1

Niketas Seides, Conspectus librorum sacrorum

Excerpt (ed. Simotas, p. 273)

Rubric: f. 181v Ὑπόθεσις τοῦ κατὰ Λουκὰν εὐαγγελίου

Incipit: f. 181v Κατὰ Λουκὰν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐπιγέγραπται ἐπειδὴ Λουκᾶς ὁ μαθητὴς Πέτρου

Explicit: f. 182r καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἀνελήφθη βλεπόντων τῶν μαθητῶν

TLG 3098.003

1.15. f. 182r, lines 1-16

Theophylact of Ohrid, Enarratio in Evangelium Lucae

Excerpt (PG 123, col. 685)

Incipit: f. 182r Λουκᾶς ὁ θεῖος Ἀντοχεύς[sic] μὲν ἦν

Explicit: f. 182r ὡς καὶ ἄξιος τῶ ὄντι ἐστίν ἀκούειν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου

BHG 991d

PG 123, coll. 683-1126

1.16. f. 182r, line 16-f. 182v, line 6

Hypothesis to Luke

Incipit: f. 182r Ἰστέον ὅτι τὸ κατὰ Λουκᾶν εὐαγγέλιον, ὑπαγορεύθη ὑπὸ Παύλου

Explicit: f. 182v Τιβέριος ὅρασις αὑτή φανουήλ. πρόσωπον Θεοῦ. Φαρισαῖος διακεχωρισμένος

1.17. f. 182v, lines 7-17

Niketas David, the Paphlagonian, Epigram on the Gospel of Luke

Rubric: f. 182v Στίχοι, Νικήτα φιλοσόφου, τοῦ Παμφλαγόνας[sic], εἰς τὸν εὐαγγελιστήν Λουκᾶν

Incipit: f. 182v Ζωῆς τὸν ἄρτον Χριστὸν· ἠξιομένας

Explicit: f. 182v Παῦλον γὰρ ἔσχε τεχνικόν παιδοτρίβην

BHG 993t

DBBE ID typ/2634

1.18. ff. 182v-184r

List of κεφάλαια to Luke

Incipit: f. 182v αʹ Περὶ τῆς ἀπογραφῆς

Explicit: f. 184r πγʹ Περὶ τοῦ Κλεόπα

ff. 184v-185r are blank; f. 185v is blank apart from some pen-trials.

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: ff. 2-21, 59-66, 91-92, 97-98 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Hand ( c. 90 × 26 mm. ) in the gutter, similar to Briquet 11159. This example is dated to 1483. ff. 22-38, 43-46 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Coat of arms ( c. 40 × 18 mm. ) in the gutter, similar but not identical to Briquet 1622. This example is dated to 1505-1510. ff. 39-42, 47-50 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Hand ( c. 75 × 24 mm. ) in the gutter, similar to Briquet 11154. This example is dated to 1479-1482. ff. 51-58 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Stag's head ( c. 40 × 30 mm. ) in the gutter. ff. 67-90 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Hand ( c. 70 × 24 mm. ) in the gutter, similar to Briquet 11165. This example is dated to 1505. ff. 93-96 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Hand ( c. 75 × 24 mm. ) in the gutter, similar to Briquet 11187. This example is dated to 1515-1527. ff. 99-153, 176-183 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Hand ( c. 70 × 24 mm. ) in the gutter, similar but not identical to Briquet 10718. This example is dated to 1499-1515. ff. 154-175, 184 Western paper, folded in quarto. Watermark: Hand ( c. 80 × 26 mm. ) in the gutter, similar to Briquet 11169. This example is dated to 1514.

Extent: Codex: i + 1 + 186 + 1 + i leaves. 200 × 148 mm.

Foliation: The manuscript is foliated with the numbers [i] + 1 + 2-7, [7a], 8-28, [28a], 29-121, [121a], 122-184 + 185 + [ii], in pencil, in Arabic numerals, recto, upper right. f. [7a] is an insert to supply a lacuna; ff. [28a] and [121a] have been erroneously left unfoliated.

Foliation: Every tenth folio (11, 21 etc) has also been numbered in pencil, in Arabic numerals, recto, lower right, beginning with number 11. This sequence does not include the endleaf f. 1 or skip f. [28a], omitted in the main sequence. The number 51 appears erroneously one folio too late, the numbers 61-131 two folios too late, and 141-181 three folios too late. The number 182 also appears in this sequence, directly following 181.

Collation

The manuscript consists of 23 quires, of which one is a binion, three are ternia, two consist of twelve folios and the rest are quaternia.

Quire 1⁸⁺¹ ff. 2-9 There is a small leaf inserted after the sixth folio.
Quire 2⁸ ff. 10-17
Quire 3⁴ ff. 18-21
Quire 4⁶ ff. 22-27
Quires 5-6¹² ff. 28-50
Quires 7-17⁸ ff. 51-137
Quires 18-21⁸ ff. 138-169
Quire 22⁶ ff. 170-175
Quire 23⁸⁺¹ ff. 176-184 An extra folio has been added to the end of the quire.

There are quire signatures in Greek numerals, in brown ink, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right, on Quires 2-3 (βʹ-γʹ). The same hand has placed signatures on the last folio of each quire, verso, lower right, on Quires 3-6, but these numbers are incorrect (δʹ-εʹ, ζʹ-ηʹ).

The sequence in Greek numerals on the first folio of each quire has been continued in pencil by a different hand, placing the signature for Quire 4 (δʹ) on Quire 5 and misplacing the numbers 5 and 7 (εʹ, ζʹ) on ff. 38r and 57r. This sequence has been continued on Quire 8 with the number 8 (ηʹ), but this has been struck through. A fresh sequence has been begun beside this with the number 1 (αʹ), but continued no further.

A sequence of signatures in lower-case Latin letters, in red ink, appears on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right, on Quires 1-7 (a-g).

A new sequence of quire signatures in Greek numerals, in red ink, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right, beginning again from 1, appears on Quires 8-11 (αʹ-δʹ) (ff. 59-90, containing the Gospel of Mark).

Another new sequence of quire signatures in Greek numerals, in pencil, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right beginning again from 1, appears on Quires 12-17 (αʹ-ϛʹ) (ff. 91-137, containing the Gospel of Luke). The number 6 (ϛʹ) in this sequence is erroneously placed one folio too late (on f. 131r rather than f. 130r). This suggests that these signatures were placed on the basis of the foliation rather than physical examination or directly counting folios, and that the person responsible was misled by the error in the foliation resulting from the omission of a folio number from f. [121a].

Another new sequence of quire signatures in Greek numerals, in brown ink, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right, beginning again from 1, appears during Quires 18-22 (ff. 138-175, containing the Gospel of John). Some of these have been wholly or partially lost to cropping. They survive in whole or in part on Quires 18, 20-22 (αʹ, γʹ-εʹ).

Losses and partial losses to this sequence have been filled by a later sequence of signatures in Latin letters, in pencil, on the first folio of each quire, recto, lower right. These appear on Quires 19-21, 23 (b-d, f).

Condition

There are holes through ff. 1-7 and 180-185, accompanied by orange stains, and these stains continue through ff. 8-15 and 172-179. The nature and position of this damage suggests that it was caused by the corrosion of metal fittings from a previous binding. There are occasional tears to the edge of folios, notably ff. 181 and 185. There is water staining in the gutter in the early part of the manuscript, and occasional areas of dirt.

Layout

ff. 2r-50v A single column of 21-25 lines. 129-136 × 90 mm.

ff. 51r-172v A single column of 22-25 lines, ruled for 27. 132-138 × 90-110 mm. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 1, type 00D1. Text is written along the line.

ff. 176r-184v A single column of 25 lines. 145 × 105 mm. Ruled in hardpoint, system Leroy 1, type 00D1. Text is written along the line.

Hand(s)

ff. 2r-3r, line 7 were copied by Hand A in a mixed minuscule script with variable slant, in brown ink, with modest variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings are not used. Breathings are round and mute iota is absent. There is decorative use of the double dot, and nomina sacra of all lengths are accentuated, though the majority are not. Circumflexes are often curved inwards at the base or double-curved, and acute and grave accents are almost vertical.

Distinctive letter-forms include long-bowed beta with a pronounced tilt to the right.

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

The heading has been added by the same hand in red ink, in the same style.

f. 3r, line 8-f. 7v, ff. 8r-57v were copied by Hand B in a mixed minuscule script with variable slant, in brown ink, with minimal variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations and superscript word endings are not used. Breathings are round and mute iota is absent. Use of the double dot is functional only, and there is accentuation of all nomina sacra . The double grave accent is in use. Hyphens at the end of lines take the form of one or two thin diagonal strokes.

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

f. [7a]v was copied by Hand C in a mixed minuscule script with variable slant, in brown ink, with minimal variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations appear throughout the line, but superscript word endings are not used. Breathings are round and mute iota is subscript. Use of the double dot is functional only, and nomina sacra are uncontracted. Accents are sometimes joined to letters and abbreviations.

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

ff. 59r-60v, 91r-91v, line 11, 151r-151v, line 5 were copied by Hand D in a mixed minuscule script with variable slant, in brown ink, with minimal variation in letter size. There are deletions by expunctuation.

Punctuation used includes the lower, middle and upper points, lower comma and question mark.

ff. 61r-73r were copied by Hand E in a mixed minuscule script with variable slant, in brown ink, with modest variation in letter size.

Syllabic abbreviations are rare but appear throughout the line. Breathings are round and mute iota is absent. Use of the double dot is functional only, and there is accentuation of all nomina sacra . Hyphens at the end of lines take the form of two thin diagonal strokes.

Punctuation used includes the lower, middle and upper points, lower comma and question mark.

ff. 73v-89r, 91v, line 11-f. 150v, f. 151v, line 5-f. 184r were copied by Hand F in a mixed minuscule script with variable slant, in brown ink, with modest variation in letter size. There are deletions by expunctuation

Distinctive letter-forms include a large tau with a curvaceous left-hand stroke and no right-hand stroke

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

Decoration

On f. 2r the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew and the name of David are marked with minor initials in red ink, and the first letters of some other names are also rubricated.

Space has been left for initial letters at the beginning of the Gospels of Mark and Luke (ff. 59r, 91r), with the letter marked in the corner of the area to be filled, but these have not been added.

Additions

Lacunas have been filled, marginal notes added in Latin and Greek, and occasional interlinear Latin glosses added by various hands.

Running heads in Arabic numerals and Latin, indicating the current Gospel (recto) and chapter (verso), have been added in by one of these hands, who has also added paraph marks and marginal notes indicating the beginning of modern chapters, in Arabic and sometimes Greek numerals and in Latin. This hand has added the Latin rubric at the end of Gospels.

Interlinear modern verse numbers have been added by another hand, in Arabic numerals.

An ownership note has been added to f. 1r, but later scribbled out, becoming partially illegible: ‘Ροβερ...(?) Πο..(?)ζ.(?)ς ἔστι ταυτη η βιβλος’. The name ‘Poyntz’ also appears on f. 1r, a note on f. 1v reads ‘Poyntz dominus regit me et nihil mihi deerit’.

Another hand has added a Latin note of contents on f. 1v. A Greek note has been added on f. 1r: ‘Εἶς Θεὸς. μία πίστις. ἓν πνεῦμα. ἵνα τί πολυσχιδεῖς ἄνδρες;’

Binding

19th-century quarter leather binding, with black paper covering over couched-laminate boards and plain pastedowns, with a brown leather spine. There is decorative gold tooling on the spine, along with the title ‘Quatuor Evangelia Graece’ tooled in gold, and part of one of three patches formerly bearing the classmark.

213 × 158 × 33 mm.

The left outer joint is split at the head of the spine. The left inner joint is starting to split near the sewing stations and at the head and tail.

History

Origin: The combination of different watermarks indicate that the manuscript was produced at the very end of the 15th or very beginning of the 16th century, which is consistent with the style of script. Characteristics of the script such as the minimal use of abbreviations suggest that it was produced in western Europe.

Provenance and Acquisition

Probably owned by one Robert Poyntz, perhaps Robert Poyntz (c. 1535-) , author of Testimonies for the real presence of Christes body and blood in the blessed Sacrament... (Louvain 1566).

John Moore (1646-1714) , bishop of Ely: no. 665 in Bernard, Catalogi librorum manuscriptorum Angliæ et Hiberniæ (1697).

Presented to the University Library in 1715 by George I .

Additional Information

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, 3: Gg-Kk, Cambridge University Press, 1858)

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, C.R (Leipzig, J. C. Hinrichs, 1900)

Die Schriften des neuen Testaments, in ihrer ältesten erreichbaren Textgestalt hergestellt auf Grund ihrer Textgeschichte, von Soden, H.F. (Berlin, 1, Verlag von Alexander Duncker, 1902)

Facsimiles and descriptions of minuscule manuscripts of the New Testament, Hatch, William Henry Paine (Harvard University Press, 1951, 1951)

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 Hh.6.12

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