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

MS. Holkham Gr. 27

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

Diktyon no.: 48095

Lives of saints and various sermons

Contents

Language(s): Greek

1. (fols 1r-26v)
Sophronios of Jerusalem, Life of Mary of Egypt

CPG 7675, BHG 1042, PG 87, 3697–3726; rubr. τῆ ἑσπέρα τοῦ μ(ε)γ(ά)λ(ου) κανόν(ος).

2. (fols 27r-43r)
Anastasios of Sinai, Homilia in sextum Psalmum

CPG 7751, PG 89, 1077–1116.

3. (fols 43r-44r)
Basil of Caesarea (?), Sermo ob sacerdotum instructionem

CPG 2933, cf. P.-P. Joannou, Fonti. Fasciolo ix. Discipline générale antique (iv-ix s.). Les canons des pères grecs, vol. II, Rome: Tipographia Italo-Orientale "S. Nilo", 1963, pp. 187–191.

4. (fols 44r-46v)
⟨Canonical questions and answers⟩,

inc. ἐάν τις μιανθεῖ τὴν ἁγίαν τεσσαρακοστὴν νηστεύει … des. τοσοῦτον μακρύνη ὁ θ(εὸ)ς ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.

5. (fols 46v-60r)
John Chrysostom (?), Ad monachos

CPG 4874, tit. λόγος τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις π(ατ)ρ(ὸ)ς ἡμ(ῶν) ἰω(άννου) ἀρχιεπισκόπ(ου) Κωνσταντινουπ(ό)λ(εως) τοῦ Χρ(υσοστόμ)ου· εἰς (μον)αχ(οὺς) πε(ρὶ) ἐγκλημ(ά)τ(ων) ἡγουμ(ένων), ἱερομο(νάχων), μ(ε)γ(α)λ(ο)σχήμ(ων) μικροσχήμ(ων) καὶ μοναστρίων, inc. Δεῦτε ἀκούσατε καὶ διηγήσομαι ἡμῖν … des. ἵνα σὺντρίψωμεν τὰ βέ(λη) αὐτ(οῦ) μ(ε)τὰ δυνάμε(ως) καὶ ἐλπίδος τοῦ κυρίου καὶ θεοῦ … ἀμήν.

6. (fol. 60r)

Rubrics for the service of the Blessing of the Water (the initials are missing from the text); upside-down: Beginning of an epistle and pen trial with the name of Germanos Patriarch of Constantinople by another scribe.

8. (fols 78v-89r)
Protevangelium of James

Protevangelii pars prior [c. 1–16], CANT 50, BHG 1046g.

9. (fols 89r-99v)
⟨Menander protector⟩, Visio Constantini (crucis inventio)

BHG 397, des. as in BHG 403, BHG 409. fol. 89r: Δανου(…) fol. 89v: πρὸς Δανου(…)

10. (fols 99v-116v)
John Chrysostom, In principium Actorum homilia 1

CPG 4371, PG 51, 65–76.

12. (fol. 136v)

Later text of an uneducated hand replete with orthographical mistakes writing exorcisms against evil eye (Vaskania), inc. +++ ουν σῦν αγιοσονονόμει της … des. καλογερευτ μουντο(ς).

13. (fols 137r-141v)
⟨John Chrysostom⟩, In Zacchaeum publicanum

CPG 4658, BHG 2472–2472b, Recensio longior 2472, inc. Ὅσοι τῶν καλῶν ἐρευνοῦντες … des. μιμητὰς Ζακχαίου ἀπεργαζόμενος, ἐν Χριστῶ … αἰών(ων).

15. (fols 145v-155r)
⟨Severian of Gabala⟩, De caeco et Zacchaeo

CPG 4236.1, BHG 2475e, Recensio longior, inc. Πολλαὶ καὶ διαφοραὶ τῶν ἁγίων γραφῶν … des. καὶ τῆς αὐτ(οῦ) ἐπιγνώσ(εως) ἐν Χ(ριστ)ῶ … αἰῶν(ας), attributed to John Chrysostom in our MS.

17. (fols 165r-175r)
Life of St John Calybites

BHG 868.

18. (fols 175v-177v)
John Chrysostom, In quatriduanum Lazarum (contra Anomoeos Homilia 9)

CPG 4322, BHG 2224, PG 48, 779–784; inc. ab editis diuersa; Σήμερον ἐγειρόμενος Λάζαρος.

19. (fols 178r-184v)
Epiphanios of Constantia in Cyprus, Homilia in festo palmarum

CPG 3767, PG 43, 428–437.

21. (fols 206r-215v)
Life of St Nicolaos of Myrha (S.), Acta seu praxis de stratelatis

BHG 1350e, ed. G. Anrich, Hagios Nikolaos I. Leipzig 1913, pp. 3–55.

23. (fols 223r-234v)
Gregory of Nazianzus, In Nativitatem vel in Theophania (or. 38)

CPG 3010. 38, BHG 1921, eds Cl. Moreschini – P. Gallay, Grégoire de Nazianze: Discours 38–41 (Sources chrétiennes 358), Paris 1990, pp. 104–108.

24. (fols 234v-246v)
Cyril of Alexandria, Homilia xiv. 1–22, De exitu animi

CPG 5258, BHGn 2103z, PG 77, 1072–1089. One folio is now missing after f. 239v: ἡμᾶς ἀφοριζομένους [ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Βασιλέως, PG. 77, 1077D; fol 240r resumes from ὅτι μάταια αὐτοῖς] ἀπῄει (βη in MS) πάντα τὰ τοῦ βιου, PG 77, 1080C. Ending is different if compared with PG. It basically ends in PG 77, 1088D.

25. (fols 238v-239r)

Later hand (the same uneducated one as on fol. 136v) adds some unidentified prayers, possibly related to Evil eye; inc. προσευχὴ τοῦ αγίου ἰερομάρτυρου αντρυανού … des. προσπιπτο.

30. (fols 282v-283v)
Narrationes a. Paulo ep. Monembasiae, VIII. De sacerdote a divinis suspenso

BHG 1449g, ed. J. Wortley, Les récits édifiants de Paul, évêque de Monembasie, et d'autres auteurs, CNRS, Paris 1987, pp. 58–60.

31. (fols 283v-291v)
Acta Thomae

CANT 245.II, BHG 1800–1831z; BHGa 1800, 1806. des. τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξῆλθεν ἐν κ(υρί)ῳ, ὢ ἡ δόξα … ἀμήν.

32. (fols 292r-303v)
Paralipomena Jeremiae (Reliqua verborum Baruch)

Recensio longior, CAVT 225.1, BHG 777.

33. (fols 304r-311v)
Life of St Alexios or man of God

BHG 51b, the title on fol. 304r has been crossed out.

34. (fols 311v-319r)
John Chrysostom (?), De virginitate et eleemosyna

CPG 4985, inc. Ὅταν τῆς (ὶς sup lin.) ἀρτίως ἡμῖν ἀναγνωσθείσης ἀκοῦσω παραβολῆς … des. διὰ τῆς φυλακῆς τῶν ἐντολῶν· ἵνα κ(α)τ(α)ξιωθῶμεν ἀπολαῦσαι τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν· ὧν ἡτοίμασεν ὁ θ(εὸ)ς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν· ὅτ(ι) αὐτῶ πρέπει δό(ξα)…τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν.

36. (fols 327r-333v)
Amphilochios of Iconium, In occursum Domini

CPG 3232, BHG 1964, PG 39, 44–60.

37. (fols 333v-337v)
John Chrysostom, In annuntiationem b. Virginis

CPG 4519, BHG 1128f, Aldama 389, PG 50, 791–796; PG 10, 1172–1177.

38. (fols 337v-348v)
Leontios of Constantinople, Homilia in mediam Pentecosten (hom. x)

CPG 7888, eds C. Datema- P. Allen, Leontii presbyteri Constantinopolitani homiliae (CCSG 17), Turnhout-Leuven 1987, pp. 279–337. fols 347r-347v: Morezenos addition on the Holy Trinity, and the Procession of the Holy Spirit; in a pasted leaf that initially had probably been placed at the end of the volume. In its current binding after fol. 346v this text is misplaced, thus destroying the text order of Leontios’ homily which normally continues and ends on fols 348r-348v.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: Paper
Extent: ii + 350 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 195 × 130 mm.

Collation

Quires of 8 mainly. 3 different volumes bound together. Vol. a: fols 1r-60r; vol. b) 61r-116v; vol. c: fols 117r-348v.

Hand(s)

fols 1–136, 137–238, 239v-346v: Ἰωάννης (RGK I, 199; RGK II 277), John signs as τληπαθὴς ἱερομόναχος: fol. 348v: Τῶ ἔχοντι καὶ γράψαντι χ(ριστ)έ μου σῶσον· The first initial in red ink. Θ(εο)ῦ τὸ δῶρον καὶ ἰω(άννου) πόνος· τλη/παθοῦς ἔργον καὶ τάχα θύτ(ου). The first initial in red ink.

Decoration

: fol. 1r, fol. 61r, fol. 117r, 184v, 292r: decorative headpieces

Additions:

fols 1r, 61r, 100r: + ἐλέησόν με χ(ριστ)έ μου

fols 60v, 116v, 228v-230r: pen-trials.

fols 178r, 327r, 328v, 329r: M. Morezenos’s annotations

fols 240r, 309v: pen-trials in form of sketches.

fol. 265r: marginal notes, explaining the main text.

fol. 326v: δόξα σοι ὁ θ(εὸ)ς ἡμῶν δόξα σοι. The first initial in red ink.

Binding

Typical Holkham binding of brown leather, with Coke family ostrich crest in gilt in the centre of the upper cover; Date: early nineteenth century. Rebound by John Jones of Liverpool (worked for Holkham 1816–1823). The spine lettered in gilt: OPUSCULA/ VARIA/ GR.–/M.S./ SÆC. XV; in pasted black leather: MS. HOLKHAM Gr. 27

History

Origin: 14th-15th c.

Provenance and Acquisition

Ownership Notes: fol. ir: handwritten note in black ink by B. de Montfaucon: 1698. Codex 30· Codex annorum circiter 300 varia compleuens.

Old Catalogue Nrs: Morezenos 4 (fol. 1r, bottom: δον in black ink), Giustiniani 30. Olim Holkham Hall, Libr. of the Earl of Leicester, 95.

Record Sources

Description by Dimitrios Skrekas (2018), with the support of the Leventis Foundation, the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research, the Yerolemou Trust and the Michael Marks Charitable Trust.

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2018-07-26: Record fully revised: new description by Dimitris Skrekas