| Description | 1. Dares Phrygius, Historia: Troianorum. Ff.1-15v. 'Incipit epistola Cornelii ad Salustium Crispum in Troianorum hystoria que in Greco a Darete hystoriographo facta est. Cornelius Salustio Crispo suo salutem. Cum multa Athenis studiose agerem … ad pollicitum reuertamur. Explicit epistola. Incipit hystoria Daretis Troianorum Frigii de Greco translata in Latinum Cornelio Nepote. Peleus rex in Pelopensio Esonem fratrem . . . (xxi; ed. p.26 line 20) Palamonem, Epistrophum, Scidium. Explicit hystoria Troianorum.' Ed. F. Meister (Leipzig, 1873). At the head of f.1 is an erased red ?ex libris, 'Daretis Historia et Prophetia Sybillae etc. E. 16' in the usual Lincoln 17th-cent. hand (the 'E. 16' later inked over), and 'L 7' in modern pencil.
2. Sibylla Tiburtina. Ff.15v-19v. 'Incipit prophetia Sibylle. Sibylle generaliter omnes femine dicuntur prophetantes . . . et regnabit Dominus in sanctis et ipsi regnabunt cum illo in s. s. Amen'. PL 90. 1181-1186 and Sackur, Sibyllinische Texte (see MS 66 art. 35), pp.177-187.
3. Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historia: Regum Britannorum. Ff.19v-106. 'Incipit prologus Gaufridi Monemutensis in sequentem hystoriam. Cum mecum multa et de multis . . . in Latinum sermonem transferre curaui. Explicit ystoria'. Ed. N. Wright (Woodbridge, 1984). This is the 'Second Variant Version', for which see H. Emanuel in Medium Aevum, 35 (1966), 103-110, this copy listed p.104. Instead of the double dedication to Stephen and Robert of Gloucester (sects. 3-4; ed. pp.1-2), this version has: 'Opusculo igitur meo Rodberte dux Claudiocestrie faueas, ut sic te doctore, te monitore corriigatur, quod non ex Gaufridi Monemutensis fonticulo censeatur exortum, sed sale Minerue tue conditum illius dicatur editio, quem Henricus illustris rex Anglorum generauit, quem philosophia liberalibus artibus erudiuit, quem innata probitas in milicia militibus prefecit, unde Britannia tibi nunc temporibus nostris ac si alterum Henricum adepta interno gratulatur affectu.' The prophecy of Merlin, ff.64v-66v (sects.111-117), is glossed between the lines in an early hand, bringing the interpretation down to the conception of Henry II. This set of glosses ed. J. Hammer in Bulletin of the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America, 2 (1944), 501ff.
4. Historia Britonum. Ff.106-118. 'Incipit gesta Britonum a Gilda sapiente composita. A principio mundi usque ad diluuium . . . Hec sunt nomina omnium ciuitatum que sunt in Britannia quarum numerus est xxviii. Primum miraculum est stagnum Lummonui . . . solus in extremis finibus cosmi. [Plus an addition normally found, with unfilled space for a lengthy rubric] Quinquagesimo ergo quarto anno hoc est sextodecimo anni cicli tercii decennoualis ipsius magni cicli capud mundi constituitur, sancto Beda confirmante . . . ab exordio mundi usque in presens'. Ed. F. Lot (Paris, 2 vols., 1934).
5. Summary of (Pseudo-) Methodius, Revelationes. Ff.118-120v. 'Incipit libellus Bemetoli [sic pro beati Methodii] quem beatus Ieronimus de Greco in Latinum transtulit uel composuit. Anno .dcccc. tricesimo mortuus est Adam . . . et mortuus est et sepultus, cui … The full text is in Sackur, pp.61-96.
6. Genealogies of the Counts of Flanders and Kings of France. Ff.120v-121v. [Rubric om.] Hildricus Harlebecensis comes genuit Ingelrannum, Ingelramnus Audacrum . . . et ex ea duos filios suscepit, Baldeuinum et Willelmum. Hec sunt nomina Francorum regum, Clodoueus … Philippus, Lodouicus'.
7. Description of Britain from Henry of Huntingdon, Historia Anglorum. Ff.121v-126v. 'Britannia igitur beatissima est insularum . . . Illa inquam uirtus que semper in asperimis'. Ed. T. Arnold (RS, 1879), pp.5-19 (I. 1-13).
8. 'Anglia habet in longitudine .dccc. miliaria a Penuithflete . . . Stafordscire .d. hide'. Ff.126v-127.
9. Epitome of Julius Valerius, Res Gestae Alexandri. Ff.127-143v. 'Incipiunt capitula sequentis libri. De Nectanabi prudentia atque ingenii peruicatia . . . (49 chapters); Incipiunt gesta Alexandri regis magni Macedonum. Egypti sapientes fati genere diuino primi feruntur . . .atque extinctus occubuit.' Ed. J. Zacher (Halle, 1867). Followed by verses on Alexander: Epitaphium. Primus Alexander pillea natus in urbe… ferroque regna lesit. Expliciunt ortus, uita, gestaque Alexandri regis magni Macedonum. Quicquid in humanis constat uirtutibus altis … Succubuit leto sumpto cum melle ueneno' (Walther 14648, 15590). At the foot of f.131v, against ch. 11, on Nectanebis as Alexander's father, a 12th-cent. reader has written: "Que hic dicuntur falsissima sunt, nam Alexander filius fuit Philippi regis Macedonum ut dicit liber Machabeorum, et nobiles hystoriographi tam gentiles quam Christiani hoc idem scribunt. Et si uis scire ueritatem hystorie sub compendio, lege recapitulationem illam que scribitur uersus finem huius libri, scilicet post epistolas Alexandri et Dindimi regis Bragmannorum, que recapitulatio sic incipit Tempore quo hic Alexander etc.'
10. 'Incipit epistola Alexandri regis magni Macedonum ad magistrum suum Aristotilem. Semper memor tui etiam . . . nominis mei fama habeatur in gloria. Explicit epistola Alexandri regis magni Macedonum ad magistrum suum Aristotilem. Ff.144-152v. Ed. B. Kuebler (Leipzig, 1888), pp.190-221. This version is a rather free rendition.
11. 'Alexandri magni regis Macedonum et Dindimi regis Bragmannorum de philosophia per litteras facta collatio. Sepius ad aures meas fando . . . ut prebeas responsa quesitis. Prima responsio Dindimi regis contra Alexandrum regem magnum Macedonum. Desiderantem Alexander te scire … quorum et religio crimen est et uita supplitium. Responsio Alexandri. Si hec ita sunt ut asseris … quam philosophie annumeranda sunt. Responsio Dindimi. Nos inquit Dindimus non sumus incole … qui se non cognoscunt esse mortales. Responsio Alexandri. Tu nunc ideo te dicis … quod a meliori prestantur.' Ff.152v-158v. Ed. Kuebler, pp.169-189.
12. 'Parua recapitulatio de eodem Alexandro et de suis. Tempore quo hic Alexander natus legitur … qui cum Tarentinis bellum habuisse et egregie uicisse narratur. Exora Cristum qui librum legeris istum / Vt scriptori det quicquid debetur honori.' Ff.158v-160. For MSS containing arts.9-11 see D.J.A. Ross in Scriptorium, 10 (1956), 127-132; this MS listed p.130. On arts.9-12 see idem, Alexander Historiatus (London, 1963), pp.28-29, 31-32, 76, and G. Carey, The Medieval Alexander (Cambridge, 1956), p.70.
13. 'Notum sit omnibus fidelibus statum ciuitatis Ierusalem sic esse dispositum . . . in millesimo nonagesimo sexto anno ab incarnatione Domini ante pascha incepit iter Ierusalem et in millesimo nonagesimo .viii. anno ab incarnatione Domini idus Iulii ciuitas Ierusalem capta fuit. Eodem die diuisio apostolorum. Hec sunt reliquie que apud Constantinopolim in capella imperatoris monstrantur … Caput sancti Pantaleonis martyris.' Ff.160-161v.
14. 'Incipit sermo quomodo primitus sancta arbor creuit, in qua salus mundi pependit. Sancta et diuina eloquia quia fratres iugiter . . . sancta et prospera, nunc et per omnia s. s. Amen'. Ff.161v- 167v. Beg. as Aug., Serm. 384 (PL 39. 1689), but entirely different from the words 'Det nobis Dominus per spiritum suum hac uirtute'. Arts.1-14 at least, and perhaps also 15-16, were copied directly from CUL Mm. 5. 29 (s. xii med. , of unknown provenance), which ends impf. in art. 14. In turn arts.3-6, in that MS, were copied from Oxford, Bodl. Libr. Bodl. 163 (s. xii in., Peterborough). This particular version of the Historia Britonum (art.4) is found earliest in the Peterborough MS.
15. Jerome, De Persecutione Christianorum. Ff.167v- 169. 'Sermo sancti Ieronimi de persecutionibus. Frequenter diximus semper enim Christiani . . . et ipse intrabit in regnum celorum, quod ipse nobis prestare dignetur. . . . Explicit sermo.' The text is as Clavis 606 to 'putet se habere liberam potestatem' (PL 40., 1342-1343); thereafter it is independent.
16. Short pieces: (a)'Trium magorum nomina in libris inuenimus. Hec sunt Melchio. . . per mirram filium hominis moriturum confessus est.' (b) 'Tribus modis diabolus securitatem mittit in mentes hominum. . . Per hanc securitatem seducuntur multi.' (c) "De preuaricatione Salomonis regis quid sanctus Augustinus senserit . . . qui ait nisi scias te formosam inter mulieres.' (d) 'Vie urbis Rome numero .xxx. prima Appia . . . (ends impf.) uicesima prima'. F.169rv. Items of contents in the original part of the book are numbered i-xvii in a 12th-cent. hand, in the top outer corner of each recto, suggesting a table of contents on now lost front flyleaves.
17. The prophecy of Merlin extracted from Geoffrey of Monmouth, Historia: Regum Britanniae and interpreted (as in many copies). Ff.170-173. 'Prophetia Merlini exposita. Sedente itaque Wortogirno . . . Coniunctio nectit narracionem . . . (ends unfinished) Venedotia id est Northuuallia rubebit materno'. Sects. 111-113; ed. Wright, pp.74-76. The latest event mentioned is Matilda's marriage to Emperor Henry V. Noted by CD. Eckhardt, 'The Prophetia Merlini of Geoffrey of Monmouth: Latin Manuscript Copies', Manuscripta, 26 (1982), 173.
18. 'Regula de uis[ . . . ]. Prima etas seculi ab Adam usque ad Noe fuerunt. … A capcione Willelmi regis Scocie tunc fuit annus Domini mclxxv [sic]'. F.173v. Cf. BL Roy. 14 B. ix.
19. The first quire only of a copy of the Brut. Ff.174-181v. 'Hire bigynneth a bok wiche is callid Brut the Cronyclis of Engelonde. Capitulo primo . . . (ch. xxiii) he had sponsid withe was douꝫtir and heir unto the duke of ', the last four words being catchwords. Ed. Brie (see MS 70), I, pp.1-26 line 18. It begins with material not in the printed ed.: 'This book tretith and tellith of the kingis and principal lordis . . . ; And this book made and compiled men of religioun and oþir good clerkes that wretyn what bifell in her tymes and made þer off gret bookis in remembraunce to men þat comen aftir hem to have and to se what bifell in the londe afore tyme and callid hem cronyclis. And in this londe haue ben from Brute unto king Edward þe þridde aftir the Conquest an c. and xxxii kingis, whos livis and actis ben compiled shortely in this book the wiche conteyneth cc. xxxviii chapitris with oute the prothogoll or prolog.' Then follows a long rubric: 'The prolog of this book declareth how this lond was called Albioun . . .,'. The complete work evidently included Brie's 'Continuation B' which consists of the prologue and 239 chapters, ending with the death of Edward III.
20. Lists: (a) 'Iste sunt episcopi sub Romano pontifice constituti qui non sunt in alterius prouincia in primis Hostiensis . . . Briuziberensis. Explicit tractatus episcoporum sub Romano pontifice constitutorum.' (b) English dioceses, 'Ely . . . Dorobernia.' (c) A copy of the opening of art.8: 'Anglia habet in longitudine . . . In Anglia sunt xxxii enim scyre ut patet supra.' (d) On the archangels: 'Nominum interpretacio. Cum mane surrexeris Michaelem babe in mente . . . Pantalionem ores et omnes commune gaudebunt tibi'. Ff.182-185.
21. 'Primus uirorum strenuorum illustrium inter na tiones nominatus erat Iosue . . . ('Godfridus Christianus') regem gloriosum Ierosolimorum ultimus in ordine uirorum illustrium'. F.185v. At the foot, in a rough 16th-cent. hand, 'Iste liber pertinet ad Thomam Chamberlen P.' |
| Physical Description | Binding: Recent: As for MS 11. On the spine, gilt: HISTORIA &c. / MS. 98. Lincoln Cathedral bookplate inside the front cover.
Construction: 185 parchment leaves, 290 x 190 (200 x 130) mm., ff.1-169v (the original book) pencil-ruled in 2 cols of 29 lines and pricked in the outer margins only. Ff.170-185 are three separate quires added between the 14th and 16th cent. Ff.170-173 written space 220 x 125 mm., pencil-ruled in 32 long lines (written below top line); ff.174-182v written space 185 x 125 mm., frame-ruled in pencil, written in c.41 long lines; ff.182-185 written space 205 x 135 mm., frame-ruled in pencil, in 3 cols of c.39 lines.
Hands: The original book is in English book-hands, none using cedilla, and all preferring Tironian et: (1) ff.1-68b line 20, 78vb line 14 - 120v; (2) ff.68b line 20-78vb line 13; (3) ff.121-169v. Of the additions, art.17 is in an early 14th-cent. book-hand; art. 18 an early 14th-cent. anglicana hand; art.19 a small, neat 15th-cent. secretary hand; art.20 a 14th-cent. bastard anglicana which occasionally annotates the original book; art.21 a 15th-cent. secretary hand. The early part of the book is annotated in hands of the 12th-17th cents. Notes in an early 17th-cent. hand show an interest in Lincoln.
Decoration: To the original book: (1) Handsome single-colour arabesque initials in red, green or blue with accompanying multi-coloured display-script on ff.1, 15v, 20, 21, 106; (2) Plain red, blue or green initials ff.1-116v; red or green only ff.117-169v. Most of the rubrication in this part of the book was omitted. At the foot of f.120 is a lion rampant in red ink. The additions have red initials, touching, underlining and paraphs. |