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Leonard Boyle, Seminar at The Pontifcal Instituteof Medieval Studies, Toronto, 1979

HISTORY OF THE MANUSCRIPT BOOK: GENERAL STUDIES

TERMS: Handschriftenkunde = codicologie = archeology of the book

G. H. Putnam, Books and their Makers during the Middle Ages, 2 vols. (New York, 1896)

*W. Wattenbach, Das Schriftwesen im Mittelalter, 3rd ed. (Leipzig, 1896)

B. L. Ullmann, Ancient Writing and its Influence (New York, 1932)

K. Löffler, J. Kirchner, W. Olbrich, eds., Lexikon des gesamten Buchwesens, 3 vols. (Leipzig, 1935-37); and the shorter but illustrated Lexikon des Buchwesens, ed. J. Kirchner (Stuttgart, 1952-56)

F. Milkau, Handbuch der Bibliothekswissenschaft, 4 vols. (Wiesbaden, 1952-65)

*D. Diringer, The Handproduced Book (New York, 1953)

B. Bischoff, Paläographie, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung des deutschen Kulturgebietes (Berlin, 1956)

*D. Diringer, The Illuminated Book, its History and Production (London, 1958)

*F. Wormald, C. E. Wright, eds., The English Library before 1700: Studies in its History (London, 1958); see the review by L. M. J. Delaissé, in Scriptorium, 16 (1962), 352-55.

*H. Hunger, Geschichte der Textüberlieferung, 2 vols. (Zurich, 1961)

G. M. Pugno, Trattato di cultura generale nel campo della stampa, vols. 1-2 (Turin, 1964-65)

L. Reynolds, N. Wilson, Scribes and Scholars (Oxford, 1968)

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Bibliothèque nationale, Paris, Le livre (Paris, 1972); catalogue of the 1972 exhibition on the history of the book.

INTRODUCTION

I. Paleography, codicology, archeology of the book

F. Masai, "Paléographie et codicologie," Scriptorium, 4 (1950), 279-93 (review)

Gilbert Ouy, "L'archivistique des manuscrits médiévaux," Bulletin des bibliothèques de France, 12 (1958), 897-923; complete science of codicology, separate from paleography; Boyle comments "over-ornate and self-defeating."

J. Brown, "Latin Palaeography since Traube," Transactions of the Cambridge Bibliographical Society, 3 (1959-63), 361-81.

*Gilbert Ouy, "Les bibliothèques," in L'histoire et ses méthodes, ed. Charles Samaran, Encyclopédie de la Pléiade (Paris, 1961), 1061-1108; bibliography, 1116-19.

L. M. J. Delaissé, "Towards a History of the Medieval Book," Miscellanea André Combes, 2 (Rome, 1967), 27-39.

Gilbert Ouy, Ezio Ornato, "Questionnaire codicologique exhaustif en vie de la rédaction et du traitement en ordinateur de notices normalisées pour les manuscrits médiévaux du domaine latin"; mimeography; Paris, 1968; available from Gilbert Ouy on request. Used at the Institut de Recherche et d'Histoire des Textes (IRHT), 40, ave. d'Iéna, Paris.

A. Gruijs, "Codicology or the Archeology of the Book? A False Dilemma," Quaerendo, 2 (1972), 87-108; debate on terms, which Boyle calls "rather silly."

II. Institutes

Centre belge d'archéologie et d'histoire du livre, Bibliothèque royale, Brussels, Belgium

F. Masai, "Le Cabinet des manuscrits et l'étude des manuscrits médiévaux," Archives, bibliothèques et musées de Belgique, 30 (1959), 205-12.

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Idem, "La création d'un centre belge d'archéologie et d'histoire du livre et l'étude des manuscrits médiévaux à Bruxelles," Miscellanea Medievalia, 2 (Berlin, 1943), 755-63.

Institut de Recherche et d'Histoire des Textes, 40, ave. d'Iéna, Paris 75016; the Institut publishes the Revue d'histoire des textes (1970- ), superseding its Bulletin d'information, 1-15 (1953-69)

Marie-Thérèse d'Alverny, M.-C. Garand, "L'Institut de Recherche et d'Histoire des Textes et l'étude des manuscrits des auteurs classiques," in Classical Influences on European Culture A. D. 500-1500, ed. R. R. Bolgar (Cambridge, 1971), 37-42.

Jean Glénisson, Edmond-R. Labande, "Formation et destin de l'Institut de Recherche et d'Histoire des Textes," Cahiers de civilisation médiévale.

Comité international de paléographie, 40, ave. d'Iéna, Paris 75016; the Comité publishes Scriptorium (1947- ) and oversees the publication of national surveys of dated and localized manuscripts.

E. Brayer, M. T. Vernet, "Colloque international de paléographie . . .," Scriptorium, 7 (1953), 266-70.

Charles Samaran, "Le Comité international de paléographie: réalisations et projets," Journal des savants, (1962), 75-94.

M.-C. Garand, Françoise Gasparri, "Compte rendu des travaux du deuxième Colloque international de paléographie" (May 1966).

Gilbert Ouy, Codicologie, École pratique des hautes études, 4e section. For the activities of Ouy's équipe and seminar see the reports in the Annuaire: École pratique des hautes études. IV section: Sciences historique et philologique. The reports for the seminars in Langue et littérature latines du Moyen Âge (André Vernet) and Paléographie (Robert Marichal; Jean Vezin, 1974) also merit attention.

III. Manuscript Description

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F. Madan, "Hours of the Virgin Mary (Tests for Localization)," Bodleian Quarterly Record, 3 (1920), 40-44.

D. K. Coveney, "The Cataloguing of Literary Manuscripts," Journal of Documentation, 6 (1950), 124-89.

Bernhard Bischoff, C. I. Lieftinck, C. Battelli, Nomenclature des écritures livresques du IXe au XVIe siècle (Paris, 1953); see the review by M. J. Delaissé, in Scriptorium, 9 (1955), 290-93.

W. J. Wilson, "Manuscript Cataloguing," Traditio, 12 (1956), 457-555.

Jean Porcher, "À propos des catalogues de manuscrits," Bulletin des bibliothèques de France, 5 (1960), 79-83.

Gilbert Ouy, "Projet d'un catalogue de manuscrits médiévaux adapté aux besoins de l'érudition moderne," Bulletin des bibliothèques de France, 6 (1961); a counter-proposal.

Bibliothèque nationale, Paris, Règles à suivre pour la rédaction des manuscrits latins (Paris, 1962); a mimeograph available from the Départment des manuscrits.

Paul Oskar Kristeller, Latin Manuscript Books before 1600: A List of Printed Catalogues and Unpublished Inventories of Extant Collections (New York, 1965; and later; the most recent ed. was published by the MGH in Germany, and is reviewed in Sixteenth Century Journal 264 [1995]).

Lucia N. Valentine, Ornament in Medieval Manuscripts: A Glossary (London, 1965); this style is used by the Bodleian Library.

J. Rambaud-Buhot, "Plan et méthode de travail pour la rédaction d'un catalogue de manuscrits du Decret de Gratien," Revue d'histoire ecclésiastique, 48 (1953), 211-23.

L. Gilissen, "Un élément codicologique trop peu exploité: la réglure," Scriptorium, 23 (1969), 150-62.

Idem, "La composition des cahiers, le pliage du parchemin et l'imposition," Scriptorium, 26 (1972), 2-22, plates 1-8.

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A. Derolez, "Codicologie ou archéologie du livre?" Scriptorium, 27 (1973), 47-49.

Malcolm B. Parkes, "The Influence of the Concepts of `Ordinatio' and `Compilatio' on the Development of the Book," in Medieval Learning and Literature: Essays Presented to R. W. Hunt, ed. Jonathan J. G. Alexander and Margaret T. Gibson (Oxford, 1976), 115-41, plates IX-XIV. See also G. Pollard, "Describing Medieval Bookbindings," ibid., 50-65.

R. Watson, "Medieval Manuscript Fragments," Archives, 13 (1977), 61-73.

DESCRIBING A MANUSCRIPT

General rule: cover all the classic "circumstances" of the human act: QUIS? Author or authors. QUID? Title, contents, size, language, library, shelfmark. QUOMODO? Physical make-up of manuscript. QUARE? For whom it was written. QUIBUS AUXILIIS? By whom it was written, analyzing hand(s). QUANDO? When it was written; date of handwriting. QUO LOCO (UBI)? Where written (origin); provenance (former locations)

Specific rules: A. External Characteristics; B. Internal Characteristics

A. External Characteristics.

Location. Give exact location by place, library, shelfmark:Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, lat. 2077.

Since Vienna has many libraries (Österreichisches Staatsarchiv; Dominikanerkonvent, etc.), it is not sufficient to write "Vienna 2077". See Paul Oskar Kristeller, Latin Manuscript Books Before 1600 (New York, 1965), for libraries

Binding. Material, color, type, age; rolls, stamps, coats of arms; form, position, of chains, clasps, ties, thongs; title on spine or cover (upper or lower), and how written. For medieval

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bindings, see Pollard as cited above. On other points see R. B. Haselden, Scientific Aids for the Study of Manuscripts (Oxford, 1935), and F. J. Grant, The Manual of Heraldry (Edinburgh, 1952).

Pressmarks [i.e., call numbers]. Note every one. See the use of them made by N. R. Ker, Medieval Libraries of Great Britain (London, 1961), and by Richard H. Rouse, "The Early Library of the Sorbonne," Scriptorium, 21 (1967), 42-71, 227-51.

Pastedowns. Apart from occasional intrinsic value, useful for dating binding. See N. R. Ker, Pastedowns in Oxford Bindings (Oxford, 1952).

Origin. Examine leaves, flyleaves, pastedowns, ex-libris, colophons, probationes pennæ, liturgical calendars, for signs of origin.

Provenance. Examine leaves, pressmarks, bookplates, auction-marks, price-marks, marginal notes, scribbles. Look carefully at probationes pennæ, since scribe, owner, borrower, may often scribble name or area or monastery when testing a pen.

B. Internal Characteristics.

Language(s) in which contents are written.

Foliation or Pagination. Give total in Arabic numerals, stating whether pagination is medieval or modern; if both, note if and where they diverge. Note whether medieval foliation is in Roman or Arabic numerals.

Flyleaves. List in Roman numerals. Thus a total volume (leaves and flyleaves) will be listed as: ii + 253 + iii.

Incipit. Note incipit of prologue and first chapter of each work in the volume. When tracking down incipits, use A. Pelzer, Répertoire des incipits (Rome, 1951), and collections of incipits reported there.

Explicit, Colophon. Note explicit (last line) of each treatise within the manuscript, as well as the colophon (words with which the scribe ends), both of the volume and of individual treatises within it. For colophons, see Bénédictins du Bouveret, Colophons

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de manuscrits occidentaux des origines au XVIe siècle (Fribourg, 1965- ); three(?) volumes to date.

Second folio incipit. Opening two or three words of second folio. Since many catalogues compiled in the Middle Ages noted the second folio of treatises, it may thus be possible to locate the manuscript in such a catalogue. There is no general catalogue of surviving lists of medieval second folios. For an example of the usefulness of these incipits, see Leonard E. Boyle and Richard H. Rouse, "A Fifteenth-Century List of the Books of Edmund Norton," Speculum, 50 (1975), 284-88. Note that if the volume is made up of "booklets" which have been bound together after each has had a separate existence, the second folio of each booklet should be recorded.

Writing surface. If PARCHMENT, note whether the first leaf of each quire is hair side or flesh side, and whether the pattern of flesh/flesh and hair/hair is maintained. Note also whether the writing is primary or secondary (i.e., whether the manuscript is palimpsested). If PAPER, identify watermark, checking it against the catalogue in C. M. Briquet, Les filigranes, any ed., and in Monumenta chartæ papyraceæ historiam illustrantia, 4 vols. (Hilversum, 1950-57). If possible, identify material from which the paper was made (linen, etc.)

Size. 1) of page from edge to edge, in millimeters (e.g., 297 x 219); measure consistently, either length x width or vice versa; it might be wise to mark the appropriate numeral "l" for a while.

2) of writing surface (justification; space occupied by text or "frame").

FOR THIS AND THE FOLLOWING, DIAGRAMS SHOWING SIZE AND RULING ARE ESSENTIAL. IN MAKING DIAGRAMS ALWAYS INDICATE THE NUMBER OF THE FOLIO YOU ARE TAKING AS YOUR MODEL AND INDICATE WHETHER THIS IS ABSOLUTELY TYPICAL OF THE OTHER FOLIOS IN THE VOLUME.

Columns. Whether one or two, and if two average size of each. Note number of lines to column or columns. Note also whether the lines are numbered (generally in fives), which is a totally English phenomenon; and whether in the case of two columns, the columns are numbered (generally a b c d, across opening).

Prickings. Note where they are, and whether they were done before the sheets were gathered (= pricking marks in the outer

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edges only of the leaf) or after (= in outer and inner margins of each folio).

Pecia marks. Note exactly where the marks begin and end (if they are there!) in order to compare with extant peciæ of the work or with Paris stationers' lists. See J. Destrez, La pecia dans les manuscrits universitaires (Paris, 1935); J. P. Reilly, "A Preliminary Study of a Pecia," Revue d'histoire des textes, 2 (1972), 239-50 (with recent bibliography).

Catchwords. Note these, seeing if they are answered on the opening folio of the next gathering. Note also whether there is any trace of a catchword on the last folio; if there is, at least one gathering has been lost. Decide whether or not the catchwords are contemporary, and note whether they are consistent throughout the volume. Note any additional or other markings on the final folio of each gathering (e.g., A, B, AA, BB).

Collation. Count the gatherings, listing the number of folios in each. Thus: 112, 214, 3-1112, 128, 12-1912, 208, 2116 (wanting 16). Generally gatherings are uniform within a manuscript that does not consist of booklets, but be on the alert for instances when this is not the case. The combined totals of the gatherings should be the number of folios in the total volume, flyleaves excepted; in this case 258. In the case of odd gatherings (where a page, e.g., has been tipped in), make a diagram.

Booklets. Decide whether volume as a whole is continuous or merely a series of booklets bound together at some time. The presence of booklets can be detected if one notes carefully the size of folios, and various aspects such as ruling, ink, pricking, frame of writing, catchwords. See, e.g., Elizabeth A. R. Brown, "Franks, Burgundians, and Aquitanians" and the Royal Coronation Ceremony in France. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, 82, part 7 (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1992).

Irregularities. Note any scraps tucked in behind gatherings to support them; ascertain whether the sewing is old or new; examine edges of gatherings for signs of trimming. Note carefully (and if working with microfilm, beware of) all worm-holes, warble-fly holes, and the like. Worm-holes are often important for detecting insertions or misplaced leaves. If, for example, the

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pattern of worm-holes is broken at a given point, the egregious sheet or folio may well have been added.

Ink. Note whether ink is uniform throughout, giving color and, if possible, composition: crisp black (= incaustum); yellowing (= carbon). If pencil/plummet was used for all of the manuscript or for notes, drafts of rubrics, etc., note type of pencil (plummet) (or crayon), and color.

Ruling. Note whether in ink (and if so, what color) or drypoint or plummet (= any gray-colored ruling) or crayon (= any brown-colored line); whether horizontal and/or vertical; whether it is consistent throughout (a change of ruling at the beginning of a new gathering may, ceteris paribus, indicate a new booklet). Measure space between lines and include a notation about this on your diagram. Note whether the writing begins above the top line of the ruling, or below; if the manuscript is English, writing above the top line indicates it was written before c. 1225.

Paragraph signs. Note whether they appear (if they do) in the margin or within the text. Some time between 1180 and 1220 the old marginal "gibbet" form moved from the margin to the interior of the text and gradually lost its stark quality.

Handwriting. Differentiate hands and scribes, watching for change of scribe from gathering to gathering. Identify hands by siglum of manuscript and number: e.g., P1, P2, P3. Be careful and prudent, remembering that scribes were capable of writing in numerous styles of script.

Decoration. Describe carefully, saying whether initials are illuminated, historiated, etc., and if possible compare with other manuscripts and locate (French, Italian, etc.); make rough sketches and note nature of illustration if historiated. If initials, gibbets, display letters, etc., are decorated with penwork in the same or contrasting colors, describe the work as "flourished," and note colors; make sketches, in color.

Indexing. Note presence and form of indexes to all or part of the volume.

Table of contents. Note presence if it is there; copy; date the script and (when relevant) its/their relation to script(s) in the rest of the manuscript.

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Contents. Each separate item must be listed by title, incipit, explicit, published (where, by whom) or unpublished. If the volume consists of booklets, Roman majuscule numerals (or majuscule letters of the alphabet) may be used to identify each booket: I, II, III; or A, B, C . . . .

Bibliography. Note all previous descriptions of the manuscript, as well as books and articles that have used the manuscript extensively or have contributed to our knowledge of it. The specific bibliography for the contents of the codex, whether one or several items, is better noted under "Contents." Often libraries (e.g., The British Library) include sheets with bibliographical information on them in the manuscript itself; if you have additional reference(s), give them to the librarian in charge. At the Bibliothèque nationale, the library has cards ("fiches") on each manuscript, giving bibliographical information; these may be secured by asking the conservator at the central desk for Latin manuscripts; cards for French manuscripts are at the Institut de Recherche et d'Histoire des Textes. When you are working at a new library, ask the conservator or librarian if such information is available if you find nothing in the manuscript itself.

Layout of description. A good model is that of A. de la Mare, Catalogue of the Collection of Medieval Manuscripts Bequeathed to the Bodleian Library Oxford by James P. R. Lyall (Oxford, 1971), xxxi-iii; and N. R. Ker, Medieval Manuscripts in British Libraries, vol. 1 (London) (Oxford, 1969). The layout and sample that follows is adapted from these two sources.

LAYOUT

IDENTITY

1. Siglum for codex (if required, as in edition)2. Location (city, town, precise name of library)3. Present shelfmark (and alternative, if any)4. Brief statement of contents (detailed comes later)5. Date of codex (as precise as possible; not just the

century, but rather, e.g., "first third," "last quarter")6. Second folio incipit (set apart, to be clearly visible)

MATERIAL

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7. Language(s) (with folios where different languages are found, if applicable)

8. Hand(s)9. Script(s)10. Folios and flyleaves; pastedowns11. Size: full page, writing frame (justification); diagram12. Columns; diagram13. Lines to page or column; where writing begins; diagram14. Collation15. Decoration16. Binding17. Ownership (all, medieval and modern); origin

CONTENTS (item by item)18. Author(s)19. Title(s)20. Incipit and folio(s) where it is found21. Explicit and folio(s) where it is found22. If there is a prologue, then incipit and explicit for

its beginning and end.23. Colophon24. Published or unpublished25. Bibliography of item(s)26. Bibliography of the entire manuscript (often given in

smaller print when published)

EXAMPLE

Utopia, Lilliput Museum, MS 1Follis Peregrinus, Ignis ardens. Sermons. 1228-37.Latin; parchment; written in a hand current in England in

the first half (1/2) of the thirteenth century. Pressmark F. XIV. 1 (fol. 1r). Second folio: horrore.

ii + 253 + iii. Foliated uniformly in both medieval plummet and modern pencil.

210 x 240 mm. Written surface mostly 158 x 100 mm. Two columns. 38 lines. Script begins on second line.

Collation: 112, 214, 3-1112, 128, 12-1912, 208, 2116 (wanting 16). Catchwords and quires correspond. Volume appears complete. Three bookplates (with sketches attached).

Initials: three-line, flourished in blue and red with saw ornament of both colors along the margins (with sketches attached).

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Binding: mid thirteenth century; wooden boards covered with white leather. Head- and tail-bands oversewn through the spine. Medieval sewing. Four rayed metal bosses on upper cover. Similar bosses in Lincoln Cathedral Library MSS 21 and 51. Unfastened. On lower cover, at bottom, "ex dono m. R. gross." (with sketch attached).

From Lincoln Cathedral library: "Iste liber datus est armariolo communi per magistrum R. grosseteste, archidiaconum Linc." (fol. 1r); "frater R. minorum scripsit. M. adiuuante" (colophon, fols. 120v, 253r). Since Grosseteste was archdeacon of Lincoln 1235-37, and the Franciscans came to England in 1224, the manuscript may be dated 1224-37.

The inventory of 1380 (Memorials of Lincoln [London, 1868], 25), listing this manuscript, gives the current pressmark and describes the volume as "F. par. ignis ardens omnino cum sermonibus diuersis. ii fol. horrore."

In 1657 (fol. 201v) belonged to J. Cooke of Lincoln. Sold at Sotheby's, London, 21 October 1934, Lot 152, to Peregrine Bellows, Esq., of Utopia. On his death acquired privately by Lilliput Museum.

I. Follis Peregrinus, Ignis ardens.(fol. 1r). "Ignis ardens omnino . . . (fol. 120v, col. b,

plus five empty lines) velud unus eorum. Explicit ignis ardens aredanter compositus. Frater R. minorum scripsit. M. adiuuante."

c. 1: "Nonne cor nostrum ardens erat in nobis." Unpublished. Other copies in Vienna, Nationalbibliothek, lat. 2077; Vatican City, Biblioteca apostolica Vaticana, Palat. 3. On Follis, see Walter Zilch Jones and Poor Old Bertram, In Search of Folly (New York, 1860).

II. Sermons.(fol. 121r, col. a) "Tempus est belli et tempus pacis . . .

(fol. 124r, col. b) cui non seruietur. Explicit predicacio fratris iordani apud oxon'." Jordan of Saxony was in England in 1222 and preached at Oxford in May and June of that year: T. Kaeppeli, Archivum Fratrum Prædicatorum, 12 (1954), 223-36 (notes this and other sermons). Though foliatoin is uniform with that of the first booklet, and the ruling appears much the same, there is a worn quality to fol. 121r and its conjugate fol. 124v indicating that this was a separate booklet, and was carried around and used quite a lot. With booklet III it appears to have been bound into the volume about 1250.

III. Distinctiones magistri Willelmi.(fol. 125r, col. a) "Cum in omnibus bonis benignitas tam . .

. (fol. 129r, col. b, with five empty lines following) quicquid

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aliis alias diceretur." Possibly Willelmus de Montibus of Lincoln, although Bale ascribes no such work to him. A work with the same incipit appears among the books bequeathed to Glastonbury Abbey by Abbot Mokington in 1375, but without any ascription. Again a separate booklet . . .

The only known description of this codex is in a pamphlet issued by Lilliput Museum, where it is listed simply as "a splendid and unique codex."