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MS. Laud Misc. 159

Summary Catalogue no.: 1142

Wigbod and Bede, commentaries on the first eight books of the Bible; Lorsch Abbey, 2nd quarter of the 9th century

Language(s): Latin

(fols. 1r–16v)

Wigbod (?), Explanatio sex dierum

Incipit: In principio creauit deus caelum et terram. Istud capitulum omnium librorum capud est

Explicit: in aeternum cum ipso et sanctis suis sine defectu gaudere mereamur amen.

(fols. 16v–29r)

Bede, Hexaemeron seu In principium Genesis

(fols. 16v–17r)

Preface

Rubric: Exameron Bedae. Dilectissimo ac reuerentissimo antistiti acca humillimus famulorum cristi baeda salutem.

Incipit: De principio libri genesis⹎ in quo mundi huius creatio descripta est⹎ multi multa dixere

Explicit: deo fauente redidero; bene uale semper amantissimæ antistes nostri memor in domino.

Final rubric: Explicit prefatio.

(fols. 17r–29r)

Rubric: Incipit ipse liber.

Incipit: In principio creauit deus caelum et terram. creationem mundi insinuans scriptura diuina. apte primo statim uerbo aeternitatem⹎

Explicit: nulla rerum uicissitudine a contemplando dei uultu transmutabitur.

(fols. 29r–135r)

Wigbod, Commentarium in Octateuchum

Rubric: Incipit liber questionum super genesis ex dictis sanctorum patrum agustini· gregorii· hieronimi· ambrosii· hilarii· hisidori· eucherii· et iunilli·

(fols. 29r–97r)

In Genesin

Incipit: \Δ./ Primo omnium preceptor mi⹎ inquiri mihi necesse est, quis huius libri qui Genesis apud nos dicitur scribtor habeatur. \M./ Sicut a maioribus

Explicit: Dicente domino. Erit in nouissimis diebus effundande spiritu meo super omnem carnem.

(fols. 97r–110r)

In Exodum

Rubric: In dei nomine orditur prologus

Incipit: Quaedam mysteria ex libro geneseos et obscuriora rerum gestarum

Explicit: et exoret pro omnibus in se credentibus.

Final rubric: Explicit explanatio libri exodi

(fols. 110r–115v)

In Leuiticum

Rubric: Incipit capitulatio de leuitico

Final rubric: Explicit capitula libri leuitici

Rubric: (fol. 110v) Incipit explanatio in leuiticum

Incipit: Hosiarum diuersitates exsequitur quarum typus

Explicit: repudiantur hostiae a domino. et reicitur huius sacrificium ab ecclesia catholica.

Final rubric: Explicit leuiticus

(fols. 115v–123r)

In Numeros

Rubric: Incipiunt capitula libri huius

Final rubric: Finiunt capitula

Rubric: (fol. 116r) Incipit explanatio libri numeri et catalogus mansionum

Incipit: Δ. Prima nobis quaestio oritur. cur hic liber numeri nomen acceperit?

Explicit: idolatria omnia etiam uita extingumus.

(fols. 123r–127r)

In Deuteronomium

Incipit: Δ. Deuteronomium iuxta fidem hystoriae quae describit.

Explicit: Si enim hic pro peccatis cedimur. illic sine peccato inuenimur.

Final rubric: Explicit.

(fols. 127rb–130v)

In Iesum Naue

Rubric: Incipit capitulatio libri iesu naue

Final rubric: Expliciunt capitula

Rubric: Expositum in iesu naue

Incipit: (fol. 127v) Post mortem ergo moysi loquitur dominus

Explicit: et in parius sibi resistentibus discit quod ex se maiora non subigit.

Final rubric: Explicit liber iesu naue

(fols. 130v–134v)

In Iudices

Rubric: Incipiunt capitula libri iudicum

Final rubric: Expliciunt capitula

Rubric: Expositum de libri iudicum

Incipit: Historia iudicum non parua musteriorum indicat sacramenta

Explicit: et reparato certamine in finem fortissime a demonibus triumphabit.

(fols. 134v–135r)

In Ruth

Rubric: Incipit explanatio libri ruth.

Incipit: Videamus nunc et ruth. habet enim ista typum ecclesiae

Explicit: quae adimpleuit is qui pollicitus est per filium suum iesum cristum regem et saluatorem nostrum. cum quo est illi honor et gloria in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Final rubric: Explicit expositio libri ruth feliciter

(fol. 135v)

Various biblical quotations written as pen trials.

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: parchment

Extent: i + 137 + i leaves

Dimensions (leaf): 365 × 275 mm.

Foliation: Modern foliation.

Collation

Mostly in quaternions. First leaf (with title page) lost; one quire lost after after fol. 39. Quires signed on the final page: ‘I’ (fol. 7v), ‘Q II’ (15v), ‘III’ (fol. 23v), ‘Q IIII–V’ (fol. 31v, fol. 39v), ‘VII–VIII’ (fols. 47v, 55v, 63v).

Layout

Ruled in drypoint. 2 columns of 36 lines, ruled space 260 × 210 mm.

Hand(s)

Carolingian minuscule, written by multiple hands; Bischoff designates it ‘Jüngerer Lorscher Stil’.

Decoration

Incipits, explicits and subheadings in Capitalis rustica and, more rarely, in uncial (partly in red): fol. 1ra, line 1 in capitalis rustica and line 2 in uncial.

Initial capitals (enlarged at the beginning of text or sections), sentence capitals; chapter count; quotation marks; Change of speaker between Discipulus (Δ) and Magister (M) recorded to the left of the text columns

Binding

Standard Laudian binding, brown tanned calf over laminated pulpboard. Rebacked.

History

Origin: Written at Lorsch Abbey; in the 9th century, 2nd quarter according to Bischoff, Katalog der festländischen Handschriften des neunten Jahrhunderts (Wiesbaden, 2004), no. 3848. Inscribed, ‘Codex de monasterio sancti Nazarii’ (fol. 135v). Probably there during the Cistercian interlude in Lorsch, 1232/34–ca. 1245.

Provenance and Acquisition

Eberbach, Cistercian Abbey of the Virgin Mary of the Virgin Mary. Listed in the Eberbach catalog of 1502 under the signature F 13: ‘F 13 Collecta super libros moysi Iudicum. et Ruth Initium In principio creauit deus celum’ (edited in Palmer 1998, p. 237).

The Eberbach library was plundered several times during the Thirty Years' War 1631-1635 and numerous manuscripts subsequently came into the possession of William Laud. Inscribed, ‘Liber Guilielmi Laud Archiepiscopi Cant: et Cancellar: Uniuersit: Oxon. 1638’ (fol. 1r).

Given to the Bodleian Library as part of Laud’s third donation in 1639.

Record Sources

Description expanded by Andrew Dunning (July 2022) from Michael Kautz, Bibliotheca Laureshamensis (2014). Previously described in the Quarto Catalogue (H. O. Coxe, Laudian Manuscripts, Quarto Catalogues II, repr. with corrections, 1969, from the original ed. of 1858–1885).

Quarto Catalogue, col. 148

Summary Catalogue, vol. 2, part 1, p. 49