Gregory the Great — 11th century, end, or 12th century, early; German, Lotharingia (according to Pächt and Alexander)

Title

Gregory the Great — 11th century, end, or 12th century, early; German, Lotharingia (according to Pächt and Alexander)

Shelfmark

MS. Laud. Misc. 155a

Date

11th century, end, or 12th century, early

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment, with some uneven edges but rarely holes in the text area

Physical extent

i (later parchment) + 126 + i (later parchment)

Hands

Several pre-gothic book hands; rubrics in orange majuscules (sometimes oxidised to a silvery appearance); marginal diples shaped like ‘ss’ highlight quotations. Changes of script occur at, e.g., fol. 58r.

Decoration

Large decorative initials in the inks of the main text and rubrics, usually outlined with lines of dots in the Insular manner, sometimes with rudimentary foliate or geometric ornament, occasionally with a pale yellow background wash (e.g. fol. 77r). 'Good archaizing initials' (Pächt and Alexander i. 46, pl. IV).

Binding

Laudian binding. Sewn on five bands laced into pasteboards covered with polished brown leather, each cover stamped in gilt with the arms of Archbishop Laud, with vestiges of two ties; rebacked. Several medieval fore-edge tabs made of parchment knots using MS. waste (see e.g. fol. 14r–v).

Acquisition

Donated to the Bodleian Library in 1641 or later (Quarto Catalogue, p. xxxix). Former Bodleian shelfmarks: ‘A. 175’ (crossed through), ‘Laud 155’ (cancelled by encircling) (inside front cover), ‘A. 175.’ (fol. 1r).

Provenance

Medieval shelfmark .C.9. (fol. 1r, upper margin).

15th-cent ‘Nota’ marks, manicula, and other marginalia (e.g. fols. 51v, 101r).

William Laud, 1573–1645, with the usual inscription, here dated 1638 (fol. 1r, lower margin).

Title

Gregory the Great, Homiliae in Ezechielem

Shelfmark

MS. Laud. Misc. 155a

Date

11th century, end

Language

Latin

Physical facet

Parchment, with many ornamental initials, mostly of an older style and are associated with N. France

Physical extent

126 Leaves

Custodial history

Manuscript 2895 acquired by the Bodleian Library