This 12th-century manuscript contains a collection of saints’
lives and lections from saints’ lives. The manuscript was
produced at the Augustian Priory of Kirkham in North Yorkshire, in
the first or second quarter after its foundation in the 1120s. Its
founder, Walter Espec (d. 1153), also founded the nearby-situated
Cistercian abbey of Rievaulx. This may explain how the scribe who
copied this manuscript gained access to the Vita Sancti Edwardi
Regis et Confessoris (Life of St Edward, King and Confessor) by
Rievaulx Abbey’s best known author, Aelred of Rievaulx (b. 1110,
d. 1167). Since Rievaulx Abbey enjoyed a close connection with the
Cistercian abbey of Clairvaux, it may also explain the relatively
high number of lives of French saints in this manuscript, including
St Hilary of Poitiers, St Martin of Tours, St Audoin of Rouen, and
St Justus of Beauvais. The manuscript originally contained 141
folios: until the late 16th century it was joined together with
Cotton MS Vespasian B XI, ff. 84-125 + 1 (containing the missing
part of the Vita Sancti Edwardi Regis et Confessoris ) and Royal MS
13 A XXI, ff. 151-192 (see Watson, Medieval Manuscripts (2004), pp.
74-77). Contents: ff. 1r-12v: Possidius of Calama (b. c. 370, d. c.
440), Vita Beati Augustini (Life of St Augustine), ending with a
Testimonium de Sancto Augustino (Testimony about Saint Augustine)
by Pope Celestine I (d. 432) and Gennadius of Marseilles (d. 496).
ff. 13r-15v: Pseudo-Jerome, De Nativitate Sanctae Mariae (On the
Nativity of the Virgin Mary), with prologues addressed to St
Chromatius (d. c. 406/407), bishop of Aquileia, and St Heliodorus
(d. c. 390), bishop of Altino. ff. 15v-16v: Anonymous, Vita Sancti
Andreae (Life of St Andrew), with reference to the Cathedral of St
Andrew in St Andrews, Scotland (‘quam tam celebris habetur locus
ille, ubi ecclesia beati Andree Apostoli constituta est in
Scotia’). ff. 17r-47v: Johannes Hymonides (b. c. 825, d. c. 880),
Vita Sancti Gregorii Magni (Life of St Gregory the Great), with a
verse on St Gregory the Great and prologue on f. 17r; and a table
of chapters on ff. 17r-18v. ff. 48r-49v: Lection from anonymous,
Vita Silvestri I Papae (Life of Pope Sylvester I). ff. 49r-50v:
Lection from anonymous, Vita Sancti Hilarii Pictaviensis (Life of
St Hilary of Poitiers). ff. 50v-51r: Lection from anonymous,
Inventio Sancte Crucis (Invention of the Holy Cross). ff. 51r-52r:
Lection from Sulpicius Severus (b. c. 363, d. c. 420), Vita Sancti
Martini Episcopi Turonensis (Life of St Martin, Bishop of Tours).
ff. 52r-53r: Lection from anonymous, Translatio Sancti Benedicti
(Translation of St Benedict). ff. 53r-53v: Lection from anonymous,
De Sanctis Martiribus Timotheo et Simphoriano (On the Martyr Saints
Timotheus and Simphorianus). ff. 53v-54v: Lection from anonymous,
Vita Sancti Audoeni Episcopi (Life of Bishop St Audoin). ff.
54v-55v: Lection from anonymous, Hystoria de Exaltatione Sancte
Crucis (History of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross). ff. 55v-56r:
Lection from anonymous, De Sancto Iusto Martyre (On the Martyrdom
of St Justus [of Beauvais]). f. 56v: Aelred of Rievaulx, Vita
Sancti Edwardi Regis et Confessoris , imperfect: a table of
contents and incipit (‘Incipit prologus venerabilis Ælredi
abbatis ; in vitam sancti Ædwardi regis’) only. [ff. [2a] recto,
[2a] verso are empty].The manuscript contains a later addition: f.
16v: Pope Gregory VIII (b. c. 1110, d. 1187), letter to the prior
and brothers of Kirkham Priory, added in the 12th century.
Decoration:Contemporary ink drawings with red colours of three
biblical couples in the margin of f. 13r: Joachim and Anna; Joseph
and Mary; and Mary Cleophas and her husband (identified as the
father of Susanna Alpheus). 1 large historiated initial ‘B’
with knot-work in green and red, featuring a bishop in green and
red against a blue background in each compartment (f. 1r). 1 large
zoomorphic initial ‘I’ (a dragon or snake with wings) with
foliate elements in green and red (f. 1r). 1 large initial ‘G’
in red and green with zoomorphic heads and foliate interlace
against a blue background (f. 18v). Medium initials in red, green
or blue, some with foliate decoration (arabesque motifs) in another
colour or colours. Small initials in blue, green or red. Display
script (brown initials) and small initials in brown ink sometimes
highlighted in red. Rubrics and Roman numerals in red. Quotations
marks in red and green. Paraph marks in brown ink highlighted in
red.
