Acts of the Apostles

Title

Acts of the Apostles

Shelfmark

MS. Selden Supra 30

Place of origin

English, south

Date

8th century, first half

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

iv (modern paper endleaves, paginated i–viii) + 54 (paginated 1–108) + 4 (modern paper endleaves, paginated 109–116) leaves

Hands

Written in uncial script similar to that of other English examples from this period. The first hand, writing pp. 1–69, is more practised. CLA 2.193 compares the pointed bow of uncial A with London, British Library, Cotton MS Vespasian A. i.

The second hand begins at p. 71, also uncial, using an unusual form of capital A (for example, on p. 73).

Decoration

Large opening initial decorated with knots (heavily worn), with enlarged letters on the first line coloured in red, blue, and yellow. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 2)

Binding

Limp parchment cover, 17th century.

Acquisition

Received by the library in 1659.

Provenance

Thanet, Kent, Minister Abbey: the name Eadburg is inscribed on pp. 2 and 47 in dry point. This may refer to Eadburh, abbess of Thanet from at least 733 until her death in 748×61. The female pronouns in the added prayers on p. 70 indicate continued ownership at Minster-in-Thanet or in another community of nuns. See Jessica Hodgkinson and John Barrett, Women in the margins: Eadburg and Bodleian Library, MS. Selden Supra 30 (November 2022).

Canterbury, Kent, Benedictine abbey of St Augustine (originally of St Peter and St Paul): 14th-century shelfmark, Di. I. G. III. Also recorded in the oldest catalogue of St Augustine’s. (MLGB3)

John Selden, 1584–1654. Bequeathed his manuscripts and printed books to the Bodleian:

Title

'Actus Apostolorum'

Shelfmark

MS. Selden Supra 30

Summary

'Actus Apostolorum', a 13th cent. title: the Acts of the Apostles in Jerome's Latin version, wanting one leaf containing xiv. 28-xv. 32 (from after hostium fidei to before cum essent profetae:

Page 70 was originally blank (between xvi. 32 and 33), and is covered with two rather later prayers by an aged 'indigna famula', which begg. 'Domine Deus omnipotens ... libera me de multitudine iniquitatum mearum' and 'Lux uera mundi lumen meum'

Pages 71-end are in a different and less careful, but perhaps contemporary hand

Facsimiles of pp. 30, 90, with description, in New Palaeographical Society, series II, pl. 56 (1915) and of p. 102 in Nicholson's Early Bodleian Music, pl. v, cp. p. xx.

Date

Written in the 8th century in English uncials in Kent

Language

Latin

Physical facet

On parchment

Physical extent

116 pages

Custodial history

'Di. I. G. III', 14th cent., showing (with the words 'secundo folio Viri fratres') that this volume belonged to St. Augustine's abbey at Canterbury: in the published catalogue (p. 210) is a note that in the original it is an added entry, implying that it was given its shelf-mark not earlier than about A.D. 1500.

Manuscript 3432 acquired by the Bodleian Library