St John's College MS 89

Bede and ps.-Augustine on the Apocalypse

Language(s): Latin

1. Fols. 1–53^v:

Rubric: BEDA svper apocalipsim […] Versvs presbiteri BEDĘ

Incipit: Exul ab humano depellitur orbe iohannes Et uetitus […] [fol. 1^v] Apocalipsis sancti iohannis in qva bella et incendia intestina ecclesię suę deus uerbis figurisque […] [fol. 3^v, the text] Apocalipsis ihesu cristi […] fundata per apostolos ęcclesia quali uel cursu dilatanda uel fine perficienda

Explicit: aliquatenus odore famaque aspersi suis me meritis faciant uisu fructuque potiri Amhn

Bede, Explanatio Apocalypsis (CPL 1363), , ed. PL 93:129–206, . A contents table appears between the initial rubric and the verse (fol. 1), the latter printed (PL 93:133–4, ) following the prefatory letter cited above as the incipit. Fol. 53^v, with only seven lines and part of another, has an extra paragraph following the explicit in PL: ‘Explicito tandem tanto tamque periculoso labore suplictem obnixeque deprecor […] '

2. Fols. 54–81^v:

Incipit: In lectione revelationis beati iohannis apostoli fratres carissimi animaduertimus et secundum anagogen hoc domine largiente

Explicit: qui seruant mandata hęc ut sit potestas eorum super lignum uitę et per portas ||

PS.-AUGUSTINE (perhaps CAESARIUS OF ARLES or GENNADIUS OF MARSEILLE), Expositio in Apocalypsim Joannis (CPL 1016, Stegmüller, RB no. 1495 [2:146–7]), breaking off in homelia 19, ed. PL 35:2417–51.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: digna

Form: codex

Support: Vellum (HSOS/HFFH).

Extent: Fols. iii + 81 + iv (numbered fols. iv–vii).

Dimensions (leaf): 273 × 177 mm.

Dimensions (written): 195–200 × 110–20 mm.

(varying slightly with the scribe)

Collation

1–10⁸ 11² (–2, with the end of the text). Neither catchwords nor signatures.

Layout

In long lines, 29 lines to the page. Prickings only rarely survive; bounded and ruled in stylus (a few pages with brown ink).

Hand(s)

Written by seven or more scribes in caroline; there are a great many short stints early on. At least the following protracted scribal contributions can be identified: fols. 1^rv (the contents table), fols. 1^v/18–10, fols. 10^v–16^v, fols. 21^v–26/28, fols. 26/28–48^v, fols. 49–56^v, fols. 57–81^v. Punctuation: scribes 1–3 by punctus versus, point, and punctus elevatus (scribe 3 sometimes double punctus versus); scribe 4 by point (some altered later to punctus versus); scribe 5 by point and occasional punctus elevatus and double point; scribe 6 by point and occasional punctus elevatus; the biblical text marked with marginal diple.

Decoration

Red headings in rustic capitals at book divisions.

At the heads of sections, alternate red and slatey blue 2-line arabesque capitals (the opening one, fol. 1^v, 3-line and in green).

The initial lines of texts in rustic capitals, sometimes with red or alternate red and green slashes.

Roman numerals in red to divide chapters.

Binding

A modern replacement. Sewn on five thongs. At the front, a marbled paper leaf and two modern paper flyleaves; at the rear, a medieval vellum flyleaf (a former pastedown), two modern paper flyleaves, and another marbled paper leaf (iv–vii).

History

Origin: s. xi/xii ; England

Provenance and Acquisition

‘⟨..⟩ tute nobis nostrum librum Cantica canticorum’ (fol. iv, s. xii²).

In addition to the College shelfmark ‘89’, those of two previous libraries: ‘T’; and ‘D.iij.G.j. primi⟨.⟩ M^o’ (fol. 1 upper margin). The last of these is in the form standard at Christ Church, Canterbury and our MS may be identical with no. 90 in the Christ Church catalogue, ed. James, AL 26: ‘Beda super apocalipsim, lib. i.’ (Ker, MLGB 39). The volume also appears as Registrum R.7.14 (98, 248).

‘Liber Collegij Diui Joannis Baptistae Oxon’ ex dono Domini Gulielmi Paddaei Militis et Collegii olim Convictoris 1634’ (fol. 2, upper margin).

Record Sources

Ralph Hanna, A descriptive catalogue of the western medieval manuscripts of St. John's College, Oxford (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002)

Availability

For enquiries relating to this manuscript please contact St John's College Library.

Bibliography

Eligius Dekkers and Aemilius Gaar, Clavis patrum latinorum, 3rd edn. (Turnhout, 1995).

M. R. James, The Ancient Libraries of Canterbury and Dover (Cambridge, 1903).

N. R. Ker, Medieval Libraries of Great Britain: A List of Surviving Books. Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks. 2nd edn. (London, 1964), extended by Andrew G. Watson, MLGB: Supplement to the Second Edition. RHS Guides and Handbooks 15 (1987).

Jacques-Paul Migne (ed.), Patrologia Latina 35 (Paris, 1845).

Jacques-Paul Migne (ed.), Patrologia Latina 93 (Paris, 1850).

Richard H. and Mary A. Rouse and R. A. B. Mynors (eds.), Registrum Anglie de libris doctorum et auctorum veterum. Corpus of British Medieval Library Catalogues 2 (London, 1991).

Friederich Stegmüller, Repertorium Biblicum Medii Aevi, 11 vols. (Madrid, 1950–80).

Funding of Cataloguing

Conversion of the printed catalogue to TEI funded by the Thompson Family Charitable Trust

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2022-11: First online publication

A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges