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BIBLE, with prologues, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum [England, third quarter 13th century]
An example of the quintessential manuscript of 13th-century Europe: a single volume Bible with the Latin translation of Saint Jerome, the so-called Vulgate, arranged according to the chapter divisions attributed to Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury (1207-28). An affordable example of one of the major milestones of European Christian culture.
195 x 140mm. iii + 455 + iii ff., foliated 1-456 onto first paper endleaf, collation not possible, partly in gatherings of 24 leaves, two columns of 42-44 lines in black ink in a small gothic bookhand, written space 148 x 98mm. Books of the Bible open with illuminated initials, some with birds, beasts or grotesques, Prologues open with large decorated initials of blue patterned with white and flourished with red, chapter initials of blue flourished red (defective, lacking leaves throughout – see Content – and with many illuminated initials removed or partly excised, some staining spotting and tears). 18th-century calf, black spine label lettered in gold: THE:OLD:AND:NEW:TEST:AN:OLD:MSS: (extremities rubbed, splits in joints).
Provenance: (1) Inscription in English in a 16th-century hand opening ‘Thomas…’ on f. 397v. (2) Signatures of various 18th- and 19th-century owners on front pastedown and first endleaf: S. Smallbroke, 1769 with extensive notes in Latin, including the information that the initials were mutilated when he bought it; J. Middleton Charterhouse 1804; Thomas Meggison E Dono Johani Middleton 1804; James Hearn, Rectory, Halford near Great Faringdon, Berks, December 28 1850; inscription of 23 Jan 1851 on f.i, attributing a date of no later than 1300, the opinion of both the editor of the Gentleman Magazine and the author of the Beauties of Scotland. (3) M.H. Bloxam, by whom given to Rugby School Library; inscription dated 12 May 1883 on f.iii.
Content: Vulgate Bible with Prologues, end of Prologue to Pentateuch f.1, then opening in Genesis Ch.3 and ending at Apocalypse Ch.21 ff.2-455, also missing leaves from Leviticus, Numbers, Tobit, Judith, Esther, the Prologue of Job, Proverbs, Jeremiah, Baruch, and the Epistles to the Corinthians and Galatians. Apocalypse Ch.21 and 22 completed in a 19th-century hand on first paper endleaf f.456. For precise contents contact the Book Department.
In contrast to those produced more commonly in France, pocket Bibles produced in England in the 13th-century often, as in this example, omitted the Book of Psalms.
Illumination: The initials opening the Books of the Bible have staves of curling blue tendrils set against cusped pink grounds, with burnished gold terminals, disks and infills. Birds, small grotesque figures or beasts often perch in the margins. Many of these have been partially or totally excised but 19 leaves with illuminated initials remain intact. Smallbroke’s 1769 note that the initials were cut when he bought the book is fascinating evidence of an early instance of the practice of culling illuminations from manuscripts, a practice that is more generally associated with the 19th century, and is exemplified by John Ruskin’s notorious diary entry, ‘cut missal up this evening: hard work’. Earlier instances of such handiwork were the nuns at the Brigettine Abbey of Syon and the Dominican nuns of Poissy who cut initials from Bibles in the 16th century to decorate their own books.
An example of the quintessential manuscript of 13th-century Europe: a single volume Bible with the Latin translation of Saint Jerome, the so-called Vulgate, arranged according to the chapter divisions attributed to Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury (1207-28). An affordable example of one of the major milestones of European Christian culture.
195 x 140mm. iii + 455 + iii ff., foliated 1-456 onto first paper endleaf, collation not possible, partly in gatherings of 24 leaves, two columns of 42-44 lines in black ink in a small gothic bookhand, written space 148 x 98mm. Books of the Bible open with illuminated initials, some with birds, beasts or grotesques, Prologues open with large decorated initials of blue patterned with white and flourished with red, chapter initials of blue flourished red (defective, lacking leaves throughout – see Content – and with many illuminated initials removed or partly excised, some staining spotting and tears). 18th-century calf, black spine label lettered in gold: THE:OLD:AND:NEW:TEST:AN:OLD:MSS: (extremities rubbed, splits in joints).
Provenance: (1) Inscription in English in a 16th-century hand opening ‘Thomas…’ on f. 397v. (2) Signatures of various 18th- and 19th-century owners on front pastedown and first endleaf: S. Smallbroke, 1769 with extensive notes in Latin, including the information that the initials were mutilated when he bought it; J. Middleton Charterhouse 1804; Thomas Meggison E Dono Johani Middleton 1804; James Hearn, Rectory, Halford near Great Faringdon, Berks, December 28 1850; inscription of 23 Jan 1851 on f.i, attributing a date of no later than 1300, the opinion of both the editor of the Gentleman Magazine and the author of the Beauties of Scotland. (3) M.H. Bloxam, by whom given to Rugby School Library; inscription dated 12 May 1883 on f.iii.
Content: Vulgate Bible with Prologues, end of Prologue to Pentateuch f.1, then opening in Genesis Ch.3 and ending at Apocalypse Ch.21 ff.2-455, also missing leaves from Leviticus, Numbers, Tobit, Judith, Esther, the Prologue of Job, Proverbs, Jeremiah, Baruch, and the Epistles to the Corinthians and Galatians. Apocalypse Ch.21 and 22 completed in a 19th-century hand on first paper endleaf f.456. For precise contents contact the Book Department.
In contrast to those produced more commonly in France, pocket Bibles produced in England in the 13th-century often, as in this example, omitted the Book of Psalms.
Illumination: The initials opening the Books of the Bible have staves of curling blue tendrils set against cusped pink grounds, with burnished gold terminals, disks and infills. Birds, small grotesque figures or beasts often perch in the margins. Many of these have been partially or totally excised but 19 leaves with illuminated initials remain intact. Smallbroke’s 1769 note that the initials were cut when he bought the book is fascinating evidence of an early instance of the practice of culling illuminations from manuscripts, a practice that is more generally associated with the 19th century, and is exemplified by John Ruskin’s notorious diary entry, ‘cut missal up this evening: hard work’. Earlier instances of such handiwork were the nuns at the Brigettine Abbey of Syon and the Dominican nuns of Poissy who cut initials from Bibles in the 16th century to decorate their own books.
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