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MS. Junius 11

Summary Catalogue no.: 5123

The Junius or Caedmon manuscript

Contents

Language(s): Old English

Ed. G. P. Krapp, The Junius Manuscript, Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records 1, New York: Columbia University Press, 1931.

Genesis (Genesis A, Genesis B)

Large parts of Genesis in Old English verse translation

Exodus

Exodus (cc. 13, 14) in Old English verse translation

Daniel

Daniel (cc. 1–5) in Old English verse translation

Christ and Satan (Old English verse)

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment

Decoration

Illumination not completed. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 34, pl. IV)

Important miniatures (one painted in part, p.11, the rest drawings). By two hands, pp. 1–68, and pp. 73–88, the second using coloured inks. Decorative designs, pp. 225, 230.

Fine initials.

Unfinished drawings, pp. 31, 96, added 12th century, second half. Drawings in hard point of uncertain date, pp. 12 and 70.

History

Origin: 10th century, late – 11th century, early; added decoration, 12th century, second half ; English, Canterbury, Christ Church (?)

Provenance and Acquisition

Canterbury, Kent, Benedictine cathedral priory of Holy Trinity or Christ Church (?) : (MLGB3: inferred evidence).

James Ussher (1581–1656), archbishop of Armagh. (MLGB3)

Cf. James, ALCD, pp. xxv, 509. The mark noted by James is not a pressmark. E. W. B. Nicholson withdrew his opinion that the MS. was from Winchester (see Bodleian copy of ALCD). (MLGB3)

Franciscus Junius, 1589–1677

Received by the Bodleian by 1677

Record Sources

Summary description abbreviated from the Summary Catalogue (1937). Decoration, localization and date follow Pächt and Alexander (1973).
Summary Catalogue, vol. 2, part 2, p. 965

Availability

To ensure its preservation, access to this item is restricted, and readers are asked to work from reproductions and published descriptions as far as possible. If you wish to apply to see the original, please click the request button above. When your request is received, you will be asked to contact the relevant curator outlining the subject of your research, the importance of this item to that research, and the resources you have already consulted.

Please note in addition that this item will be on display in the exhibition 'Treasured' (6 June – 26 October 2025, ST Lee Gallery, Weston Library). It will not be orderable during that period or for a short time before and after.

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)
Digital Bodleian (103 images from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2021-12-14: Add provenance information from MLGB3.