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Add MS 21917
- Record Id:
- 032-002034383
- Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:
- 032-002034383
- MDARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100000000043.0x0002ca
- LARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100055987455.0x000001
- SLARK:
- Format:
- ISAD(G)
- Reference (shelfmark):
- Add MS 21917
- Title:
-
Collection of saints' lives
- Scope & Content:
-
This late 10th-century collection of saints’ lives originates from the Benedictine abbey of Luxeuil. It opens with the lives of the abbey’s first abbots: the life of St Columbanus (b. 543, d. 615) by Jonas of Bobbio (b. c. 600, d. 659); the life of St Eustace (b. c. 560, d. c. 629); and the life of St Waldebert (d. c. 668) by Adso Dervensis (also known as Adso of Luxeuil, b. c. 910/915, d. 992), abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Montier-en-Der. The manuscript also includes the life of St Deicolus (b. c. 530, d. 625), a follower of St Columbanus, together with a history of the Benedictine abbey of Lure, which had been founded by Deicolus. At the end of the text (f. 71v), a scribe identifies himself through a cipher: ‘Hbfc Stfphbnxs scrkpskt p[er] prfcfptb brchkinb[er]tk mbgkctrk’. The solution for this code is offered by Sir Frederic Madden (b. 1801, d. 1873), palaeographer and Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum: ‘Haec Stephanus scripsit per precepta Archimberti magistri’ (‘This was written by Stephanus at the command of Master Archimbertus’).
The manuscript was certainly at Luxeuil until the early 18th century, and probably remained there until the abbey was dissolved during the French Revolutionary period.
Contents:
ff. 1r-12r Jonas of Bobbio, Vita Columbani Abbatis Luxoviensis et Bobiensis (The Life of St Columbanus, Abbot of Luxeuil and Bobbio), imperfect at the beginning.
ff. 12r-26r: Anonymous, Vita Sancti Eustasii Abbatis Luxoviensis (The Life of St Eustace, Abbot of Luxeuil), beginning: ‘Scripturus vitam beati Eustasii, abbatis Luxoviensis monasterii’.
ff. 26r-34r: Adso Dervensis, Vita Sancti Walberti Abbatis et Confessoris (The Life of St Waldabert, Abbot and Confessor), beginning: ‘Luxoviensium coenobitarum sacrecontioni · Adso · qui et hermiricus nomine abbas non merito vocatus · perpetuam in Christo domino salutem’; including miracles of St Waldabert and St Eustace.
ff. 34r-41r: Anonymous, Vita Sancti Philiberti Abbatis et Confessoris (The Life of St Philibert, Abbot and Confessor), beginning: ‘Inclitus ille arbiter in cuius laude sollempniter’.
ff. 41r-51r: Anonymous, Vita Sancti Taurini Episcopi (The Life of St Taurinus, Bishop), beginning: ‘Beato quidem taurino plenarie sufficit’ [features interlinear notes].
ff. 51r-71v: Anonymous, Vita Sancti Deicoli Abbatis Lutrensi (The Life of St Deicolus, Abbot of Lure), containing a history of the Benedictine abbey of Lure until the year 990, beginning: ‘Qui sane mentis advortitur’ [features interlinear notes].
ff. 72r-73v: Anonymous, Vita Beati Hieronimi Presbiteri (The Life of St Jerome, Priest), imperfect at the end, beginning: ‘Hieronymus noster in oppido stridonis quod agotis versum est dalmatiae’.
ff. 73r-95v: Anonymous, Vita Sancti Augustini (The Life of St Augustine), imperfect at the beginning.
ff. 95v-104r: Anonymous, Vita Sancti Gregorii Papae Urbis Romae (The Life of St Gregory the Great, ), beginning: ‘Gregorius urbe Romulae a patre Gurdiano editus non solum expectabili senatorum prosapia’.
ff. 104r-131r: Anonymous, Vita Sancti Silvestri (The Life of St Sylvester), beginning: ‘Historiographus noster eusebius cesariensis palestine episcopus cum hystoriam ecclesiasticam scriberet’.
ff. 131r-135v: Anonymous, In Inventione Sanctae Crucis (On the Finding of the Holy Cross), beginning: ‘Perrexit autem Helena ad hierosolimam et quaesivit diligenter locum’.
ff. 136r-144r: Anonymous, Passio Sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli (The Martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul the Apostles), beginning: ‘Cum venisset paulus romanus convenerunt’.
ff. 144v-148v: Anonymous, Passio Sancti Andreae Apostoli (The Martyrdom of St Andrew the Apostle), beginning: ‘Quod oculis nostris vidimus omnes presbyteri’.
ff. 148v-152r: Anonymous, Passio Sancti Iacobi Apostoli (The Martyrdom of St James [the Greater] the Apostle), beginning: ‘Apostolus domini nostri iesu christi iacobus frater beati iohannis evangeliste omnem iudeam et samariam visitabit’.
ff. 152r-160v: Anonymous, Vita Sancti Johannis Apostoli (The Life of St John the Apostle), beginning: ‘Miletus servus Christi episcopus Laudicie’.
ff. 160v-171r: Anonymous, Passio Sancti Thomæ Apostoli (The Martyrdom of St Thomas the Apostole), beginning: ‘Cum apostolus thomas qui ex didimus esset apud caesariam apparuit ei dominus ihesus’.
ff. 171r-172r: Anonymous, Passio Sancti Iacobi Apostoli (The Martyrdom of St James [the Lesser] the Apostle), beginning: ‘Jacobo apostolo praesidente cathedrae ecclesiae Ierosolimorum orta est perturbatio’.
ff. 172r-173v: Anonymous, Passio Sancti Philippi Apostoli (The Martyrdom of St Philip the Apostle), beginning: ‘Philippus apostolus domini nostri ihesu Christi post ascensum salvatoris per annos viginti instanter praedicavit’.
ff. 173v-180r: Anonymous, Passio Sancti Bartholomei Apostoli (The Martyrdom of St Bartholomew the Apostle), beginning: ‘In die tres esse ab historiographis asseruntur’.
ff. 180r-190r: Anonymous, Passio Sancti Mathei Apostoli et Evangelistae (The Martyrdom of St Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist), beginning: ‘Quoniam Deo cura est de hominibus ut plus animarum’.
ff. 190r-198v: Anonymous, Passio Sanctorum Apostolorum Simonis et Judae (The Martyrdom of Saints Simon and Judas the Apostles), beginning: ‘Symon Chananeus et Judas Zelotis apostoli Domini nostri ihesu Christi cum per revelationem Spiritus Sancti Persidis fuissent regionem ingressi’.
ff. 198v-202r: Anonymous, Passio Sancti Marci Apostoli et Evangelistae (The Martyrdom of St Mark the Apostle and Evangelist), beginning: ‘Per idem tempus quo dispersi erant apostoli toto orbe terrarum contigit beatissimum Marcum ad Aegipti’.
ff. 201r-202r: St Jerome (b. 347, d. 420), Argumentum Evangelii secundum Lucam (The Argumentum to the Gospel according to Luke), beginning: ‘Lucas syrus antiocensis arte medicus discipulus apostolorum’.
ff. 202r-229v: Anonymous, Vita Sancti Marcialis Apostoli (The Martyrdom of St Martial the Apostle), beginning: ‘Predicante domino nostro Ihesu Christo apud Iudæam in tribu Beniamin’.
ff. 230r-231r: Anonymous, Vita Sancti Georgii (The Life of St George), imperfect at the beginning.
ff. 231v-234v: Anonymous, Passio Sancti Pancracii Martiris (The Martyrdom of St Pancras), imperfect due to damage, beginning: ‘Tempore duorum tirannorum potius quam regum seu imperatorum diocletiani videlicet’.
ff. 235r-240r: Anonymous, Passio Sanctorum Nerei et Achillei (The Martyrdom of Saints Nereus and Achilleus), beginning: ‘Nisi studia catholicorum securitatis suae somno quiescerent’.
ff. 240r-245r: Anonymous, Passio Sanctorum Martirum Iohannis et Pauli (The Martyrdom of Saints John and Paul), beginning: ‘Sub constantino augusto gallicano duce romani exercitus’.
ff. 245r-252r: Anonymous, Passio Sanctorum Alexandri, Eventii et Theodoli (The Martyrdom of Saints Alexander, Eventius and Theodulus), beginning: ‘Quinto loco a beato Petro apostolo Romanae urbis aecclesiae [sic] cathedram sedit Alexander’.
ff. 252r-262r: Anonymous, Passio Sanctorum Martyrum Abdon et Sennes, Sixti Episcopi Felicissimi et Agapiti atque Laurentii Diaconi (The Martyrdom of Saints Abdon and Sennen, Bishop Sixtus, Felicissimus and Agapitus, and St Lawrence), beginning: ‘Orta tempestate sub Decio Caesare multi Christianorum necati sunt’.
ff. 262r-265v: Anonymous, Passio Sanctorum Martyrum Mauritii et Eius Sociorum (The Martyrdom of St Maurice and his Companions), beginning: ‘Passionem sanctorum martirum qui hunc locum glorioso sanguine inlustrant’.
f. 265v and ff. 267r-268r: Gregory of Tours (b. c. 538, d. 594), Historia Francorum (The History of the Franks), an excerpt on the episcopate of St Brice, beginning: ‘Igitur post excessum beati Martini Turonicae civitatis episcopi’.
ff. 266r-266v: Anonymous, De Passione Sancti Ypoliti (On the Martyrdom of St Hippolytus), a fragment.
[f. 268v is blank].
Decoration:
2 large foliate initials in green with some red fillers (f. 144v and f. 231v). 5 large red foliate initials featuring interlace and knotwork (ff. 26r, 56v, 72r, 104v, 202v). Medium capitals in red. Small capitals highlighted in red; some in red and green (f. 231v). Display script alternating between letters in red and highlighted in red. Roman numerals in red. Rubrics in red. Foliate line-fillers in red (ff. 56r, 104v, 131r). Manicules in brown ink added in the margins. Foliate decoration in red for words written into the lower margin (ff. 45r, 49r, 102v, 105v, 112r, 117r, 194r, 199r, 221r, 261r); once with a bird (f. 62r). In some instances foliate decoration has been added to pages with no words in the lower margin (ff. 85r, 128r, 129v); a drawing of two hands (?) in brown ink added to the lower margin of 145r.
- Collection Area:
- Western Manuscripts
- Project / Collection:
- Additional Manuscripts
England and France 700-1200 Project - Hierarchy Tree:
- [{ "id" : "032-002034383", "parent" : "#", "text" : "Add MS 21917: Collection of saints' lives" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} }]
- Hierarchy Record Ids:
- 032-002034383
- Is part of:
- not applicable
- Hierarchy:
- 032-002034383
- Container:
- not applicable
- Record Type (Level):
- Fonds
- Extent:
-
A parchment codex
- Digitised Content:
- https://iiif.bl.uk/uv/#?manifest=https://bl.digirati.io/iiif/ark:/81055/vdc_100055987455.0x000001
- Thumbnail:
-
- Languages:
- Latin
- Scripts:
- Latin
- Start Date:
- 0975
- End Date:
- 0999
- Date Range:
- 4th quarter of the 10th century
- Era:
- CE
- Access:
-
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- User Conditions:
- Letter of introduction required to view this manuscript
- Physical Characteristics:
-
Materials: Parchment.
Dimensions: 255 x 170 mm (text space: 225 x 120 mm).
Foliation: ff. 268 ( + 4 unfoliated modern paper flyleaves at the beginning + 4 at the end); f. [ii] is mounted on a paper guard; 2 paper pastedowns on f. [iii] recto; 2 parchment stubs between f. 135 and f. 136; ff. 1-5 are modern paper flyleaves; a paper pastedown with a former shelfmark in a red frame (‘II. M. 10. S’) pasted on f. 1r; f. 2 is a paper strip; f. 268 is a strip of parchment; old foliation in Roman numerals throughout the manuscript. The lower margins of ff. 12, 78, 82, 88, 103, 122, 187, and 225 have been replaced with new parchment; the upper margins of ff. 69, 83 and 123 have been replaced; the outer margin of f. 123 has been replaced. 1 large initial has been cut out from and replaced with blank parchment on f. 136r. Blank parchment has been used to replace damage throughout the manuscript. There is significant loss of text due to damage to ff. 228, 229, 230, 232, 233, 237 and 238.
Script: Protogothic.
Binding: Post-1600. Gold-tooled brown leather binding, the spine inscribed in gold at the British Museum: ‘VITÆ SANCTORUM AUCTORE ADSONE ABBATE LUXOVIENSI’; marbled endpapers.
- Custodial History:
-
Origin: Luxeuil-les-Bains, Eastern France.
Provenance:
The Benedictine abbey of Luxeuil, owned until the early 18th century: its ownership inscription on f. 268v: ‘Iste liber pertinet monasterio sancti petri de Luxovio’; also suggested by script and notes by Victor Perrin.
Victor Perrin (d. 1740), monk and sub-prior at the Benedictine abbey of Luxeuil: his notes on the manuscript (ff. 3r-5v).
‘Baron Marguery’: his sale at Paris in 1857 (see f. [iv] recto: ‘Purchased of Messrs Boone 14 March 1857. (from a sale at Paris, Lot 16)’; and Jones, ‘Dom Victor Perrin’ (1939), p. 178).
Thomas and William Boone (fl. 1815-1870), antiquarian booksellers, London: purchased from them by the British Museum (see f. [iv] recto: ‘Purchased of Messrs Boone 14 March 1857 (from a sale at Paris, Lot 16)’) for £21.0.0.
- Information About Copies:
- Full digital coverage available for this manuscript: see Digitised Manuscripts at http://www.bl.uk.manuscripts/.
- Publications:
-
Thomas Duffus Hardy, Descriptive Catalogue of Materials Relating to the History of Great Britain and Ireland to the End of the Reign of Henry VII, 3 vols (London: Longman, Roberts and Green, 1862-1871; repr. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012), I: From the Roman Period to the Norman Invasion, p. 214 (no. 578).
Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum in the Years 1854-1860 (London: Clowes, 1875), p. 557.
Leopold Victor Delisle, ‘Notice sur un manuscrit de l'abbaye de Luxeuil copie en 625’, Notices et Extraits des manuscrits de la Bibliotheque Nationale et autres bibliothèques, 31:2 (1886), 149-64 (p. 163).
Hugh Jackson Lawlor, ‘The Manuscripts of the Vita S. Columbani’, The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, Section C: Archæology, Linguistic, & Literature, 32 (1902-1904), 1-132.
Benedictine monks of Bouveret, Colophons de manuscrits occidentaux des origines au XVIe siècle, 6 vols, Spicilegii Friburgensis Subsidia, 2-7 (Fribourg: St-Paul, 1965-1982), V (1979): Colophons Signés P-Z (14889-18951), p. 337.
Leslie Webber Jones, ‘Dom Victor Perrin and three manuscripts of Luxeuil’, The Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, 23:1 (1939), 166-81 (pp. 167, 173, 174-178, pls II-III).
Guy Philippart, ‘Le manuscrit hagiographique latin comme gisement documentaire: Un parcours dans les «Analecta Bollandiana» de 1960 à 1989’, in Manuscrits hagiographiques et travail des hagiographes, ed. by Martin Heinzelmann, Beihefte der Francia, 24 (Sigmaringen: Thorbecke, 1992), 17-48 (p. 39).
Katherine Ellison and Susan Kim, 'Introduction: Ciphers and the Material History of Literacy', in A Material History of Medieval and Early Modern Ciphers: Cryptography and the History of Literacy, ed. by Katherine Ellison and Susan Kim (New York: Routledge, 2018) [online version without page numbers].
- Material Type:
- Archives and Manuscripts
- Legal Status:
- Not Public Record(s)
- Notes:
- This manuscript is part of The Polonsky Foundation England and France Project: Manuscripts from the British Library and the Bibliothèque nationale de France, 700-1200.