Calendar of Saints; computistical tables; lunar calendar with prognostics; solar and lunar tables; instructions for determining the dates of liturgical feasts from the Temporal cycle; Benedictional; sequence of prayers on the Litany; a memoria for St Ursinus of Bourges; Odo of Cluny, Collationes (imperfect)
This composite manuscript contains four sections that were
separately produced at different periods of time. The first section
(ff. 2-11), containing a Calendar of Saints, computistical tables,
and lunar and solar tables, was produced at Canterbury in the 1st
quarter of the 13th century, but certainly before 1220. The 2nd
section (ff. 12-142) contains a Benedictional that was produced in
England in the 2nd half of the 12th century. The 3rd section (ff.
143-151), containing a sequence of Middle English prayers and a
memoria for St Ursinus of Bourges, was written in the 2nd half of
the 15th century. The 4th section (ff. 152-203), containing the
Collationes (Collections) of Odo (b. c. 880, d. 942), the second
abbot of the Benedictine abbey of Cluny, was written around the
mid-12th century. The latter part is imperfect due to a fire in
1731. The four parts were most likely joined together in the
library of their first known post-medieval owner Sir Robert Bruce
Cotton (b. 1571, d. 1631). Contents: ff. 2r-7v: Calendar of Saints.
ff. 8r-8v: Computistical tables (Dominical Letters). ff. 9r-10r: A
Lunar calendar with prognostics, followed by solar and lunar
tables. f. 10v: A list of explanations for determining the dates of
liturgical feasts from the Temporal cycle. ff. 12r-142v:
Benedictional. ff. 143r-151v: A sequence of Middle English prayers
in verse: to male martyr-saints (f. 143r); confessors (f. 143v); St
John the Baptist (f. 144r); the Apostles (f. 144v); Christ (f.
145r); the Holy Ghost (f. 145v); the Trinity (f. 146r); the Virgin
Mary (f. 146v); St Michael the Archangel (f. 147r); the Guardian
Angel (f. 147v); the religious orders (f. 148r); virgin saints (f.
148v); Apostles, martyrs, confessors, Evangelists, virgins and
innocents (f. 149r); prayer for confession (f. 149v). ff.
150r-151v: A Latin memoria for St Ursinus of Bourges. ff.
152r-203v: Odo of Cluny, Collationes (imperfect). The manuscript
contains a few later additions:f. 11r: Two memoranda, one dated to
the year 1512, about deeds of the monks under Thomas Goldstone II,
prior of Christ Church, Canterbury, between 1495-1517. f. 1r: A
table of contents, added by Richard James (b. 1592, d. 1638),
librarian for Sir Robert Bruce Cotton (b. 1571, d. 1631).[ff. 1v,
11v, 87v and 142v are empty]. Decoration:See the separate
descriptions of parts I, II, III, and IV.
