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

MS. Holkham Gr. 26

Summary Catalogue no.: Not in SC (late accession)

Lives of saints and various sermons

Contents

Language(s): Greek

1. (fols 1r-11v)
Commentary on the Gospel of the Second Coming (Mt. 25: 31–46)

Tit. Ἐξήγισης τοῦ εὐαγγελίου περὶ τῆς δευτέρας παρουσίας (in right marg. ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ ματθ⟨αῖον⟩) , inc. λέγει ὁ Κύριος, διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου … αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐστὶν, ὁ τῶν μετανοούντων θ(εὸ)ς· ὁ π(ατὴ)ρ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ τὸ πν(εῦμ)α τὸ ἅγ(ιον)· αὐτῶ ἡ δόξα … ἀμήν. The end is from Ephrem E.S.O. 2, Interrogationes et responsiones

3. (fols 96r-107v)
‘Ephrem the Greek’, Sermo in pulcherrimum Ioseph

CPG 3938, BHG 2200, ed. E. Thwaites, Τὰ τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς Ἐφραὶμ τοῦ Σύρου πρὸς τὴν Ἑλλάδα μεταβλήθεντα. S. Ephraim Syrus, Gr., e codicibus MSS. Bodleianis, Oxford 1709, pp. σλδ´-σμζ´; ed. J.S. Assemani, P. Benedictus and S.E. Assemani., Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἐφραὶμ τοῦ Σύρου τὰ εὑρισκόμενα πάντα. Sancti patris nostri Ephraem Syri opera omnia quæ exstant, Gr., Syr., Lat., nova interpretatione, præfationibus, notis, variantibus lectionibus illustr. Rome 1732, vol. II, pp. 21–41.

4. (fols 108r-115v)
Life of Mary of Egypt

BHG 1042h.

5. (fols 115v-122v (now fol.126r))
De acathisto

BHG 1099u; fols 121r-125v are upside down.

6. (fols 123r (now fol. 125v)-130r)
De nativitate Christi

BHG 1905b.

7. (fols 130r-139v)
Germanos of Constantinople, Homilia in annuntiationem s. deiparae

CPG 8009, BHG 1145p, Aldama 487, PG 98, 320–340.

8. (fols 139v-145r)
Passion of St Mamas

BHG 1019q.

10. (fols 153r-163v)
Book of Tobit

BHG 2460z (= Old Testament).

11. (fols 164r-167v)
John Chrysostom, In s. Theophania seu baptismum Christi

CPG 4522, BHG 1932, Aldama 162, PG 50, 805–808.

12. (fol. 167v)
Comment. on Matthew 11: 11

Tit. ὅρα πῶς ἐστ(ὶ) ὁ μικρότερος ἐν τῆ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν μείζων ἰω(άνν)ου ἑρμηνεία. Inc. Τὸ βάπτισμα ἰω(άνν)ου, πν(εῦμ)α ἅγιον οὐκ ἐδίδου … τοῦτο διὰ τῶν χειρῶν παύλου, ἔλαβον οἱ βαπτισθέντες ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.

15. (fols 189v-195r)
Life of St Peter, the publican

BHG 2366, but with different des. ἵνα τὴν ἀντιμισθίαν ἀπολάβωμεν παρὰ τοῦ μισθαποδότου αὐτοῦ τοῦ χ(ριστο)ῦ· ἐν ἐκείνη τῆ ἡμέρα τῆς ἀνταποδόσεως ἐν χ(ριστ)ῶ ἰ(ησο)ῦ … ἀμἠν.

16. (fols 195v-207v)
Antoniοs the Hagiographer, Vita Symeonis Stylitae senioris

CPG 6724, BHG 1684, Sept. 1, ed. A. Papadopoulos-Kerameus, Συλλογὴ Παλαιστινῆς καὶ Συριακῆς Ἁγιολογίας (Типография В. О. Киршбаума), St Petersburg 1907, pp. 60–74.

17. (fols 208r-209v)
⟨John Chrysostom⟩, De caritate

CPG 4679, PG 62, 769–772. 35 des. editis paulo breuior τὸ ἀγαπᾶν ἀλλήλους· ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστὶ καὶ ὁ μένων ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐν τῷ θεῷ μένει καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ· ᾧ ἡ δὀξα …

18. (fols 210r-217v)
‘Ephrem the Greek’, Sermo de virtutibus et vitiis (capita xxii)

CPG 3905 (selections), tit. Περὶ τοῦ ἔχοντος φόβον θ(εο)ῦ, cf. ed. J.S. Assemani, P. Benedictus and S.E. Assemani., Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἐφραὶμ τοῦ Σύρου τὰ εὑρισκόμενα πάντα. Sancti patris nostri Ephraem Syri opera omnia quæ exstant, Gr., Syr., Lat., nova interpretatione, præfationibus, notis, variantibus lectionibus illustr. Rome 1732,vol. I, pp. 2–18D.

19. (fols 218r-230r)
Anastasios of Sinai, Homilia in sextum Psalmum

CPG 7751, PG 89, 1077–1116.

20. (fols 230v-231v)
⟨Narration about Sozomenos the merciful⟩

Cf. BHG 1322s, I. Sevcenko, ‘On Some Sources of Prince Svjatoslav’s «Izbornik» of the Year 1076’, in Orbis scriplus, Festschrift für Dm. Tschizewskij, Munich 1966, 734–735; tit. περὶ ἐλεημοσύνης ψυχοφελῆς, inc. Ἦν τίς ἀνὴρ ἐν ευλαβία καὶ εὐποιΐα θεαρέστος τὸν βίον πολιτευόμενος … des. καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐκέκτητο· ἔδωκεν ἐλεημοσύνην κληρονομίσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον· τῶ θ(ε)ῶ δὀξα, ἀμήν.

21. (fols 231v-237r)
Patristic florilegium

Tit. Λόγοι ψυχοφελεῖς: ἐκ τῶν ἁγί(ων) π(ατέ)ρων καὶ ἀλων τιν(ῶν) διαφόρ(ων) ποιητ(ῶν). inc. ὥσπερ καπνὸς διώκει τὰς μέλισας … des. τὶ ἔχεις πρὸς τοῦτο εἰπεῖν.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: ii + 242 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 218 × 150 mm.

Decoration

Various Head-pieces before each text (mainly in red carmine ink), fols 1r; 12r; 96r; 108r; 115v; 125v; 130r; 153r; 164r; 168r; 183v; 189v; 195v; 208r; 218r; 230v; 237v; Decorated initial capital letters.

Additions:
  • fol 240r: Morezenos family deaths recorded for 1551–1569: (hand 1) ᾳφνα´σεπτεβρίω κα´· ἐκειμήθη ἡ μακαρία δούλη τοῦ θ(εο)ῦ μαρία πρεσβειτερήσα· αἰωνία της ἡ μνήμη· / (hand 2) + ᾳφξζ´ σεπτεβρίω κα´ἐκοιμήθ(η) ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ θεοῦ ἰωννᾶς μοναχὸς ὁ μορζῆ(ς) ὁ ὑιὸς τῆς μαρί(ας) πεσβυτέρ(ας): αἰω(νία) ἡ μνήμ(η). ᾳφξη´φευρουαρίω θ´ ἐκοιμήθ(η) ὁ δοῦλ(ος) τοῦ θ(εο)ῦ μαλαχί(ας) ἱερ⟨ο⟩μοναχὸς ἀνὴρ τῆς μαρί(ας) πρεσβυτέρ(ας) καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ ἰωνᾶ μοναχοῦ. ⟨αἰω⟩(νία) ἡ μνήμ(η). / ᾳφξθ´ἰανουαρίω κβ´ ἐκοιμήθ(η) ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ θ(εο)ῦ ἄνθιμος μορζῆς καὶ ἔγκονας τοῦ μαλαχίου κ(αὶ) μαρί(ας) πρεσβυτέρ(ας). αἰωνία ⟨ἡ⟩ μνήμη. See Ε. Kakoulidi, ‘Ὁ Ἰωάννης Μορεζῆνος καὶ τὸ ἔργο του᾽, Κρητικὰ Χρονικά,22 (1970) 40; E. Kakoulidi-Panou, E. Karantzola, M. Chalvatzidaki (eds), Ιωάννης Μορεζήνος, Κλίνη Σολομώντος, Ιστορίες Θαυμάτων της Παναγίας [1599], Herakleio 2007, κγ΄;
  • (hand 2?): In a circle; Τὸ ἡ ἀσώμ(α)τ(ος) φύσ(ι)ς τὰ χερουβὶμ, εἰσὴν, ποίημα· τοῦ ἱάσωνος αἰρετικοῦ· γεγονότος ὕστερ(ον).

Binding

Re-backed Holkham binding of mid-brown calf leather over pasteboards, with Coke family ostrich crest in gilt in the centre of the upper cover; guilt turn-ins. Date: early nineteenth century. Rebound by John Jones of Liverpool (worked for Holkham 1816–1823). The spine lettered in gilt: VITÆ/ SANCTORUM/ ET/ HOMILIÆ/ VARIÆ/ GR.–/MS./ SÆC. XIV. in pasted black leather: MS. HOLKHAM Gr. 26.

History

Origin: 14th-15th c.

Provenance and Acquisition

Ownership Notes: fol. ir: handwritten note in black ink by B. de Montfaucon: 1698. Codex: num. 66. Vitae SS. et Homiliae/ Variae pp. ad(?) annorum 250. circiter.

Old Catalogue Nrs: fol. 1r ΜΘον, Morezenos 49, Giustiniani 66; Holkham Hall.

Record Sources

Description by Dimitrios Skrekas (2018)

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2018-07-10: Record fully revised: new description by Dimitris Skrekas