John Climacus and other patristic texts

Title

John Climacus and other patristic texts

Shelfmark

MS. Holkham Gr. 52

Date

end of 13th c. ; 14th c. (additions 15th c.)

Language

Ancient Greek (to 1453)

Contents

Form

codex

Support

(i)Parchment, end of 13th c.; fols 1; 4; 9–25; 30–33; 49–56; 71–74; 76–145); ii) paper (16th c.; fols 2–3; 5–8; 26–29; 34–48; 57–70; 75; 146–150) iii) paper (mid 15th c.; fols. 151–158).

Physical extent

ii + 158 + ii numbered as fols 159–160. Fols 26r-26v have been bound upside down; their order should be reversed; fols 26v-26r. Watermark (fols 151–158) similar to Harlfinger and Harlfinger: Lettre 14, d. 1429 and Lettre 12, d. 1461. Fols. 2, 3, 57–70. Fols. i-ii, 159–160.

Hands

Three scribes as indicated above in the three items of material.

Decoration

Ornamented headpieces before the beginnings of certain parts (fols 1r, 135r), initials in red ink; drawing of the Divine Ladder (fol. 3v) For further information see Hutter III, 1, 170.

Binding

Typical Holkham binding of brown tooled 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: JOANNIS/SINAITÆ/ SERMONES/ GR./ MS./ SÆC. XIII./ .; in pasted black leather: MS. /HOLKHAM/ Gr. 52.

Provenance

Ownership Notes: fol. 5r (at the top): ἐκ τῶν μάρκου μορεζήνου καὶ θύτου; handwritten note in black ink by B. de Montfaucon: 1698· Codex num. 13. Ioannis/ Sinaïta Ascetici Sermones/ in Membrana descripti, adiectis/ hine inde Sup-/plementis Bom-/bycinis· quae/ in membrana/ 500. Circiter/ Annorum./ quae in Bo[m-]/bycina plus 200.

Old Catalogue Nrs: 1st pasted down in its verso: 663c. (on the left side, in pencil); fol. ir: (in pencil); Holk Cat. No. 121 79 113 C2B4. fol. 1r (at the bottom), in brown ink): Ξον =Morezenos 60, Giustiniani 13; Olim Holkham Hall, Libr. of the Earl of Leicester, 79.