Add MS 41751

Has since been re-numbered Yates Thompson MS. 9, by which number it should be quoted.

BIBLE, in French, being the second volume, containing Proverbs to Revelation, of Harley MS. 616, described by S. Berger, La Bible franfaise au Moyen Âge, 1884, pp. 114, 115, where an apparently close relationship with Paris, Arsenal MS. 5056 is pointed out. The version is that designated by Berger, op. cit., pp. 109-156, as 'La Bible du XIIIe siècle' (see also Add. MSS. 40619, 40620). Most of the glosses mentioned by Berger are found, and Baruch, Romans, Titus and Hebrews have short prologues (see Berger, op. cit., pp. 137, 142). The order of the books is normal. Acts comes between the Pauline and Catholic Epistles. The Prayer of Jeremiah (Lamentations v) is omitted. Titles of the books are in Latin, II Thessalonians being wrongly headed 'Ad Philippenses'. For a previous description of the MS. see M. R. James, A Descriptive Catalogue of Fifty Manuscripts from the Collection of Henry Yates Thompson, 1898, no. 37, pp. 206-210. Brit. Mus. Quart., iv, 1929-1930, pp.45-46. Vellum; ff. v + 320. 15 in. x 11 in. Mid XIII cent. Executed in France. Gatherings of 8 leaves (xiii, 3 and 4 cancelled, last^8, 7 and 8 cancelled) with catchwords, the first four leaves of each gathering being numbered in ink or plummnet. Sec. fol. 'de toutes tes bles'. Illuminated initials occur throughout, partial borders on ff. 1, 188. At the beginning of each book there is either a miniature or historiated initial. The subjects are:-

1. Miniature in two compartments;above, Solomon instructing Rehoboam; below, the judgement of Solomon. f. 1.

2 . Solomon addressing a half-naked man, between them a human head. f. 14.

3. Virgin and Child. f. 18.

4. Solomon seated; kneeling before him is a youth holding a sword. f. 20.

5. Female personification of the Church. f. 27b.

6. Death of Isaiah. f. 49 b.

7. Jeremiah stoned. f. 75.

8. Jeremiah seated before Jerusalem. f. 104.

9. Baruch writing on a scroll. f. 106.

10. Vision of Ezekiel. f. 110.

11. Daniel in the den of lions. f. 132.

12. Hosea and Gomer seated on a throne. f. 141b.

13. The Almighty appears to Joel guarding his flock. f. 145.

14. The Almighty appears to Amos, who is lying on a bed. f. 146b.

15. Obadiah, seated, holding a scroll. f. 149 b.

16. Jonah vomited forth by the whale. f. 150.

17. Micab seated by a falling city. f. 150b.

18. Nahum addressing two men. f. 153.

19. An angel holding the hair of Habakkuk. f. 154.

20. Zephaniah, seated, holding a scroll. f. 155.

21. Haggai, seated, holding a scroll. f. 156.

22. Zechariah, seated, holding a scroll. f. 157.

23. Malachi, seated, holding a scroll. f. 161.

24. Mattathias slays the idolatrous Jew, and (in the margin) a head of Christ (painted apparently to conceal a mend in the vellum). f. 162.

25. Crowned man, seated, receiving a letter from a messenger. f. 177.

26. Christ crucified, with SS. Mary and John. f. 187b.

27. Tree of Jesse. f. 188.

28. St Mark, seated, writing his gospel, with symbol. f. 205b.

29. St Luke, seated, writing his gospel, with symbol. f. 218.

30. St John, seated, writing his gospel, with symbol. f. 239b.

31. St Paul addressing two men. f. 255.

32. St Paul, seated, holding a sword. ff. 261b, 268, 274, 279, 281, 283, 284, 285, 286.

33. St Paul, in prison, holding a scroll. f. 276.

34. St Paul, seated, holding a scroll. f. 277 b.

35. St Paul, seated. f. 280b.

36. Group of Apostles. f. 290b.

37. St James, dressed as a pilgrim. f. 306b.

38. St Peter, seated, blessing. f. 308.

39. St Peter, standing, holding a book. f. 309b.

40. St John writing. f. 311.

41. St John, seated, with a scroll. f. 32b (2 miniatures).

42. St Jude. f. 313.

43. St John writing the Apocalypse. f. 313b.

The style of the illuminations recalls those in two other French Bibles, viz.:-Paris, Arsenal MS. 5056 (see H. Martin, Les Principaux Manuscrits à Peintures de la Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, 1929, pp. 18, 19, and pls. xv, xvi) and New York, Pierpont Morgan MS. 494 (see The Pierpont Morgan Library, Exhibition of Illuminated MSS. held at the New York Public Library, Nov. 1933-Apr. 1934, p. 27, no. 52 and pl. 48). Binding (rebacked) of brown calf, decorated with two rolls containing medallion heads, viz. nos. 772 and 775 in J. B. Oldham's English Blind-Stamped Bindings, 1952 (cf. p. 51 and pl. xlvii). The two rolls combined were used by a binder working in London between 1548 and 1580. Silver clasps, a portion of one being of later date. Belonged to the Rev. Frederick Kill Harford (1832-1906) of Frenchay, co. Glouc., Minor Canon of Westminster, from whom it was purchased, on 5 Nov. 1896, by Henry Yates Thompson (bookplate, f. i); cf. M. R. James, A descriptive Catalogue of Fifty Manuscripts from the Collection of Henry Yates Thompson, 1898, no. 37; Illustrations from one hundred manuscripts in the library of Henry Yates Thompson, vi, 1916, pls. i-iii. Yates Thompson sale, Sotheby's, 22 June 1921, lot 66; subsequently re-acquired by Mr Yates Thompson. Correspondence relating to the MS. at the time of its original acquisition in 1896 is preserved in Add. MS. 46200, ff. 8-18. Presented by Mrs Yates Thompson in memory of Henry Yates Thompson, Esq.