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Royal MS 6 B VIII
- Record Id:
- 040-002106158
- Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:
- 032-002105724
- MDARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100000000277.0x0001ba
- LARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100056065462.0x000001
- SLARK:
- Format:
- ISAD(G)
- Reference (shelfmark):
- Royal MS 6 B VIII
- Title:
- Isidore of Seville, De Fide Catholica Contra Iudaeos (Book 1); Alcuin of York, Epistula ad Leonem Papam; Alcuin of York, De Fide Sancte et Individue Trinitatis; Alcuin of York, De Anime Ratione (Epistula ad Eulaliam); Alcuin of York, De Virtutibus et Vitiis; Alcuin of York, De Trinitate ad Fredegisum Questiones XXVIII
- Scope & Content:
-
This manuscript comprises texts written at different times, ff. 1v-26r was written in the 1st quarter of the 11th century and probably decorated in Canterbury.
Alcuin's epistle to Pope Leo III (ff. 27v-28v) and the first part of his De fide sancte et individue Trinitatis (On the faith of the holy and indivisble Trinity) (ff. 28v-38r) were written by a different scribe (see Gneuss, Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts (2001), no. 467). In his Epistle to Pope Leo III written in 801, Alcuin asked Pope Leon to absolve him from his sins. The De fide sancte et individue Trinitatis is a theological treatise written in Tours around 801-802 and dedicated to Charlemagne. At Charlemagne's request Alcuin wrote a treatise on the Trinity in order to correct the errors of the heresy of adoptionism, a doctrine stating that Christ was adopted by God.
The De fide sancte et individue Trinitatis was continued by a later English scribe (ff. 39r-57r) of the last quarter of the 11th century, who also copied the De anime ratione (Epistula ad Eulaliam) (Epistle to Eulalie on the nature of the Soul). This epistle was addressed (between 801-804) to Gundrade, nicknamed Eulalie, cousin of Charlemagne and Adalhard of Corbie's sister. She had asked Alcuin to write a treatise on the nature of the soul. The treatise ends with two chants.
The latter part of the manuscript is an English addition of the first quarter of the 12th century (ff. 57v-73r). This addition consists of Alcuin's De virtutibus et vitiis (On virtues and vices) and De Trinitate ad Fredegisum Questiones XXVIII (On the Trinity, Alcuin's answers to Fredegisus of Tours's 28 questions). The De virtutibus et vitiis was written between 800 and 804 at the request of Guy of Nantes; it is a rule of life dedicated to laymen. The De Trinitate ad Fredegisum Questiones XXVIII was written between 802 and 804 and consists of Alcuin's answers to Fredegisus's questions about the Trinity. In his dedicatory epistle to his pupil Fredegisus, which is not included here, Alcuin encouraged Fredegisus to teach.
Contents:
ff. 1v-26r: Isidore of Seville, De fide catholica contra Iudaeos, book 1, preceded by a prologue (f. 1v) and capitula (ff. 1v-2v); beginning of the Prologue: 'Incipit prologus Isidori ad sororem suam directam. Sancte sorori Florentiane (sic) Isidorus, quedam diversis temporibus in veteris testamento libris prenuntiata sunt de nativitate domini et salvatoris nostri secundum deitatem'; beginning of the text (f. 2v): 'Incipit liber Sancti Isidori quod Christus a Deo Patre genitus est. Iudei nefaria incredulitate Christum Dei filium abnegantes', ending (f. 26r): 'regnum atque iudicium declaravimus. Explicit Liber Sancti Ysidori scriptus ad sororem suam quia Christus a Deo patre genitus est'. The second book of Isidore's De fide catholica contra Iudaeos is lacking.
ff. 27v-28v: Alcuin of York, Epistula ad Leonem papam (the Epistle to Pope Leo III), (Epistle 234) (ff. 27v-28v): 'Item alia eiusdem ad Leonem apostolicum Urbis Rome. Domino Dilectissimo Leoni Pape humilis levita Alchuinus salute. Quanta sit in vos, mirande pater, meae mentis dilectio'.
ff. 28v-52r: Alcuin of York, De fide sancte et individue Trinitatis, dedicated to Charlemagne, without the hymn and the confession, beginning with the dedication to Charlemagne: 'Domino glorioso Carolo imperatori augustissimo atque Christianissimo humilis levita Alchuinus in Domino Deo [...] Dum dignitas imperialis a Deo ordinate, ad nihil aliud exaltata esse videtur', followed by the chant 'O rex augusto clarissime dignus honore' (ff. 29v-30r) and capitula of the three books (ff. 30r-31r). Book 1 (ff. 31v-38r) preceded by the prologue (ff. 31r-v), beginning: 'In hoc codice continentur de fide sancte trinitatis et de incarnatione chisti libri tres. In nomine sancte Trinitatis incipit Prologus. Quam vis enim in huius exilii erumnosam'; beginning of the text (f. 31v): 'Denique ad veram beatitudinem pervenire volentibus primo omnium fides necessaria est'. Book 2 (ff. 38r-44v), preceded by the prologue (f. 38r), beginning: 'Omnis itaque sanctorum auctoritas librorum hoc nobiscum agit'; beginning of the text (f. 38r): 'Eorum igitur que sunt vel fuerunt vel futura sunt'. Book 3 (ff. 44v-52r), preceded by the prologue (ff 44v-45r), beginning: 'Duas enim creaturas rationales condidit creator'; beginning of the text (f. 45r): 'In hoc etiam evidenter commendatur quod Spiritus Sanctus sit donum Dei'; ending (f. 52r): 'eo miserante mereamur ad illud pervenire regnum cuius nullus est, finis'.
ff. 52r-57r: Alcuin of York, Epistula ad Eulaliam. De anime ratione ad Eulaliam Virginem, beginning: 'Karissime in Christi caritate sorori Eulalie virgini Albinus in domino salutem. Sancte sollicitudini vestre et laudabili in Deo studio placuit deprecari de ratione anime', followed by two chants beginning: 'Qui mare qui terram celum qui condidit altum'.
ff. 57v-71v: Alcuin of York, De virtutibus et vitiis, preceded by the dedicatory epistle to Guy of Nantes (f. 57v), beginning: 'Incipit epistula Aliquini ad Widonem comitem de utilitate anime. Dilectissimo filio Widoni comiti Alquinus humilis levita salutem. Memor petitionis tue et permissionis mee, qua obnixe flagitasti'; followed by capitula (ff. 57v-58r); beginning of the text (f. 58r): 'Primo omnium querendum est homini que sit vera scientia veraque sapientia'.
ff. 71v-73v: Alcuin of York, De Trinitate ad Fredegisum questiones XXVIII (On the Trinity, Alcuin's answers to Fredegisus of Tours's 28 questions), beginning: 'Incipit interrogationes Fredegisi et reponsiones Albini. Interrogatio: Quomodo Deus vere sit Unitas, et vere Trinitas? Responsio: Unitas in substantia, Trinitas in personis', ending (f. 73r): 'dum emisit in cruce spiritum Christus'. Expliciunt de Sancta Trinitate a Fredegiso nobili proposite et ab Albino magistro Luculentissime solute'.
Decoration:
One anthropomorphic initial formed of two monks in outline drawing, at the beginning of the prologue (f. 1v).
One initial with zoomorphic and interlace decoration in black ink, at the beginning of the text (f. 2v).
Initials and rubrics in red throughout.
- Collection Area:
- Western Manuscripts
- Project / Collection:
- England and France 700-1200 Project
Royal Collection - Hierarchy Record Ids:
- 032-002105724
040-002106158 - Is part of:
- Royal MS 1 A I-20 E X : Royal Manuscripts
Royal MS 6 B VIII : Isidore of Seville, De Fide Catholica Contra Iudaeos (Book 1); Alcuin of York, Epistula ad Leonem Papam; Alcuin of York, De… - Hierarchy:
- 032-002105724[0397]/040-002106158
- Container:
- View / search within Archive / Collection: Royal MS 1 A I-20 E X
- Record Type (Level):
- File
- Extent:
-
A parchment codex
- Digitised Content:
- https://iiif.bl.uk/uv/#?manifest=https://bl.digirati.io/iiif/ark:/81055/vdc_100056065462.0x000001
- Thumbnail:
-
- Languages:
- Latin
- Scripts:
- Latin
- Start Date:
- 1000
- End Date:
- 1199
- Date Range:
- 11th century-12th century
- Era:
- CE
- Access:
-
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- User Conditions:
- Letter of introduction required to view this manuscript
- Physical Characteristics:
-
Materials: Parchment.
Dimensions: 310 x 215 mm (text space: 240/55 x 150/60 mm, in 1 column or 2 columns (ff. 58r-73v)).
Foliation: ff. 74 (+ 1 unfoliated modern paper flyleaf at the beginning + 2 at the end); f. 74 is a medieval parchment flyleaf; ff. 26v-27r are blank.
Script: Caroline minuscule and Protogothic.
Binding: British Museum/Bristish Library in-house.
- Custodial History:
-
Origin: ?Canterbury, Southeastern England.
Provenance:
The Benedictine abbey of St Augustine, Canterbury: probably written and decorated there (ff. 2v-57r) (see Temple, Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts 900-1066 (1976) and Gneuss, Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts (2001)).
Added, numerous maniculae of several periods (throughout).
Added, notes written by a 14th-century English scribe (ff. 1r, 74v).
Added, scholastic marginal notes (lower margins) written in a 14th-century cursive script (ff. 33v-34r).
Added, in the lower margin 'ab Aliquino magistro' written by a 14th-century scribe (f. 73v).
Added, rubrics by 14th-century scribes (e. g., ff. 31v; 33v; 38v).
John Lumley, 1st baron Lumley (b. c. 1533, d. 1609), collector and conspirator: inscribed with his name (f. 1v); listed in the 1609 catalogue of his collection, no. 509 (see The Lumley Library, 1956); passed to Henry, prince of Wales.
Henry Frederick, prince of Wales (b. 1594, d. 1612), eldest child of James I: his collection became part of the Royal Library: in the 1698 catalogue of the library of St James's Palace (see Catalogi librorum manuscriptorum Angliae et Hiberniae (Oxford: Sheldonian, '1697'), no. 7922, 7923).
Presented to the British Museum by George II in 1757 as part of the Old Royal Library.
- Information About Copies:
-
Full digital coverage available for this manuscript: see Digitised Manuscripts at http://www.bl.uk.manuscripts/.
Select digital coverage available for this manuscript: see Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts at http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/welcome.htm.
- Publications:
-
George F. Warner and Julius P. Gilson, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts in the Old Royal and King’s Collections, 4 vols (London: British Museum, 1921), I, pp. 136-37.
Francis Wormald, 'Decorated Initials in English Manuscripts from A.D. 900 to 1100', Archeologia, 91 (1945) 107-35 (pp. 125- 26, pl. VIId).
The Lumley Library: The Catalogue of 1609, ed. by Sears Jayne and Francis R. Johnson (London: British Museum, 1956), p. 82.
J. J. G. Alexander, Norman Illumination at Mont St Michel 966-1100 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1970), p. 189, n. 5.
Elzbieta Temple, Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts 900-1066, A Survey of Manuscripts Illuminated in the British Isles, 2 (Harvey Miller: London, 1976), no. 54.
Richard Gameson, 'The Decoration of the Tanner Bede', Anglo-Saxon England, 21 (1992) 115-59 (p. 148, n. 149).
Marie-Hélène Jullien et Françoise Perelman, Clavis des Auteurs Latins du Moyen Age: Territoire Français 735-987, 4 vols (Turnhout: Brepols, 1994-2015), II: Alcuin (1994), pp. 122, 136, 151, 155, 258, 310.
Richard Sharpe, A Handlist of the Latin Writers of Great Britain and Ireland before 1540, Publications of the Journal of Medieval Latin, 1 (Turnhout: Brepols, 1997), p. 38.
P. E. Szarmach, 'A Preface, Mainly Textual, to Alcuin's De Rationne Animae', in The Man of Many Devices, Who Wandered Full many Ways: Festschrift in Honor of János M. Bak, ed. by B. Nagy and M. Sebök (Budapest: Central European University Press, 1999), pp. 397-408 (pp. 398, 406).
C. R. Dodwell, Anglo-Saxon Gestures and the Roman Stage (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), pp. 105-06, 147.
Helmut Gneuss, Handlist of Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts: A List of Manuscripts and Manuscript Fragments Written or Owned in England up to 1100 (Tempe: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2001), no. 467 (ff. 1-57).
Asa Simon Mittman, Maps and Monsters in Medieval England (New York: Routledge, 2006), pl. 1.
St Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury, ed. by B. C. Barker-Benfield, Corpus of British Medieval Library Catalogues, 13, 3 vols (London: British Library, 2008), pp. 565, 1814-15.
- 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.