Cambridge. Corpus Christi College, Parker Library MS 53

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Library
UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library
Shelfmark
  • MS 053
Biblissima authority file
Date
  • 1300 - 1399
Language
  • Latin
  • Middle French
Title
    • Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 053: The Peterborough Psalter and Bestiary
    • Psalter and Office of the Dead
    • Livere de Reis de Britannie
    • Chronicle of Peterborough || Chronicle of Peterborough Abbey
    • Bestiary || A Bestiary
    • Poem on the Vanity of the World (Cur mundus militat)
    • see more
Description
  • Summary: CCCC MS 53 contains three separate sections, a psalter, a chronicle of England and Peterborough Abbey, and finally a bestiary. It is called the Peterborough Psalter and Bestiary because the Psalter was adapted for the use of of that abbey, at which time the chronicle was added. The Bestiary, which has been cut down to match the page size of the Psalter, was probably added to the book at some later date. The dating of the Bestiary to c. 1300-10 is earlier by a decade or so than that of the Psalter which is considered to be of c. 1310-20. Both are elaborately illuminated but by quite different artists. The Psalter was originally intended for a patron in the diocese of Norwich as evidenced by the original calendar to which Peterborough entries were added. The original patron, perhaps Oliver de Wisset, was evidently connected with John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey (d. 1304), whose obit is added in the original hand of the calendar. Perhaps during the production of the book the patronage was taken over by Peterborough Abbey because the calendar was adapted to their use and their Litany and Office of the Dead were added to the text, as was a chronicle of the abbey. It was owned by the prior, Hugh de Stukeley, whose name is at the beginning of the book. The Psalter is lavishly illustrated with twenty full page pictures of the Life of Christ, saints, prophets and apostles preceding the Psalter text, some fully painted with gold grounds and others in coloured drawing. The Psalter itself has historiated initials at the liturgical divisions, and many decorative ornamental initials and borders. The artist of the fully painted pictures belongs to a group of artists called the Queen Mary Psalter group after their main work, the Psalter, London, BL MS Royal 2. B. VII. The Bestiary, by a different artist, who also worked on a psalter, Oxford, Jesus College MS D.40, has 101 framed illustrations set in its text.


    Contents :


    1r-180r - Psalter and Office of the Dead

    Note: (1r) Kalendar in red and black

    Note: Decoration. The Kalendar has two medallions with gold grounds (in lower margin except in January) illustrating the occupation and sign of each month

    Note: (1r) January. Three-faced, at table, drinking with left face eating with right: boar's head on table

    Note: (1r) Aquarius. Woman in blue seated full-face with two bottles

    Note: (1v) February. Sits with face to L. by fire and hooks a piece of meat out of a pot. Piscis

    Note: (2r) March. In hat prunes vine (tree): facing L. Aries

    Note: (2v) April. Rides to L. hawk on hand. Taurus

    Note: (3r) May. A girl with full face on grass holding flowers in each hand

    Note: (3r) Gemini. Nude, linked by arm round each other's back: a blank shield in front of them

    Note: (3v) June. In broad hat, mowing. Leo

    Note: (4r) July. In broad hat, reaping. Cancer

    Note: (4v) August. Threshes. Virgo holds palm

    Note: (5r) September. Two figures, one with stick, and hotte on back: one treads grapes

    Note: (5r) Libra. Held by a woman

    Note: (5v) October. Sows from a wooden barrel-like vessel. Scorpio

    Note: (6r) November. Beats oak, for a pig. Sagittarius. Centaur, hind-feet lion-like, shoots backward

    Note: (6v) December. Strikes pig with back of axe. Capricorn half-goat, half cornu copiae.

    Note: In the Kalendar

    Note: (1r) January 4. Eadwardi reg. C. 19. Wlstani Ep. C.

    Note: (1v) February 3. Werburge V. added early 28. Oswaldi archiep.

    Note: (2r) March 1. Dauid 6. Translacio kyneburge kyneswythe ac Tybbe. duplex in red 18. Eadwardi 20. Cuthberti

    Note: (2v) April 3. Ricardi Ep. C. in red 19. Aelphegi

    Note: (3r) May 19. Dunstani in red 25. Aldelmi, in red 26. Augustini, in red

    Note: (3v) June 3. Obitus Rogeri de Essesse in red 23. Etheldrede

    Note: (4r) July 7. Translatio S. Thome M. in red erased and rewritten in cent. xvi

    Note: (4v) August 5. Oswald added in red late

    Note: (5r) September 4. Cuthberti 15. Festiuitas reliquiarum Sarum 16. Edithe 24. Dedicacio ecclesie S. Trinitatis Norwici in red 27. In red in margin, original: Obitus d. Iohannis Comitis Warrenn' ao gratie Mo CCCo IIIJo 28. Dedicacio ecclesie Burgi in red

    Note: (5v) October 4. Francisci C. et doctoris in red 5. or 6. Added in margin in charter hand: Obitus Hugonis de Stiuecle quondam Prioris Burg 21. 11,000 Virgins erased

    Note: (6r) November16. and 20. Both Edmunds in red

    Note: (6v) December 3. Obitus dyonisie de Styrop 10. Obitus lecie matris domini oliueri de Wysete 15. Obitus d. Willelmi de Warenn' 29. Thomas erased and rewritten in red

    Note: (7r) Twelve leaves with pictures

    Note: The full-page pictures preceding the Psalter are thus arranged

    Note: a. A prophet and apostle under architectural canopy sometimes supported by central shaft, sometimes not; within frame. The apostle has a clause of the creed on a scroll; the prophet a corresponding prophecy. Names in red below the frame. Colours flat, pale green, blue, pink, brown etc. No grounds. Fine drawing

    Note: b, c. Gold grounds with incised pattern. Frame in colour. Architecture in spandrels, red silk guards. Fine drawing and colour: faces often have a dab of pink on the cheeks. The subjects are Life of Christ etc.

    Note: d. Prophet and apostle, as in a.

    Note: (7r) 1. Jeremias. Pointed cap. Patrem uocabitis me dicit dominus. Petrus. Credo etc. - terre

    Note: (7v) 2. Annunciation under trefoiled arch. Both figures stand: a lily pot between them. The Virgin has a book. Scroll. AUE GR

    Note: (8r) 3. Nativity under cinqfoiled arch. The usual scheme, with Joseph seated on R.

    Note: (8v) 4. Andreas. Et in I. C. dom. nostrum. Dauid in cap. Filius meus es tu hodie genui te

    Note: (9r) 5. Ysaias. Ecce uirgo concipiet et pariet filium. Jacobus. Qui conceptus - virgine

    Note: (9v) 6. Resurrection under trefoiled arch. Three knights in mail. The one on L. has a yellow shield with six chevrons sable. An angel kneels on the end of the tomb facing R.

    Note: (10r) 7. Ascension in plain frame, without arch. There is no hill. The Virgin has a book. The figures below number seven in all

    Note: (10v) 8. Daniel. Post ebdomadas lxii occiditur christus. Johannes (bearded). Passum - sepultum

    Note: (11r) 9. Oseas. O mors ero mors tua morsus tuus ero o inferne. Thomas. Descendit - mortuis

    Note: (11v) 10. Coronation of the Virgin. Plain frame. In the upper corners are two angels with censers and incense-boats

    Note: (12r) 11. Betrayal under cinqfoil. Judas has a ring round his head not rilled in with colour as are most. Malchus, full face, is screaming. Peter's sword is cutting off the top of his head: much blood is on his face

    Note: (12v) 12. Amos. Qui edificat in celum ascensionem suam. Jacobus maior (minor). Ascendit - omnipotentis

    Note: (13r) 13. Johel. In ualle Iosaphath iudicabit omnes gentes. Philippus. Inde - mortuos

    Note: (13v) 14. The Scourging. Cinqfoil arch. Christ bound to the pillar, full face. The ordinary scheme, with two executioners

    Note: (14r) 15. Bearing the Cross. Trefoil arch. Christ, covered with wounds. He walks to R. One executioner with his hand on His back draws Him on. The Virgin follows supporting the Cross. John behind, weeping

    Note: (14v) 16. Aggeus. Spiritus meus erit in medio uestri (this and the prophecy of Sophonias, which are both unusual, occur in a Bible of cent. xiii belonging to Mr Pierpont Morgan). Bartholomeus. Credo - sanctum

    Note: (15r) 17. Mattheus. Sanctam eccl. - communionem. Sophonias. Hec est civitas gloriosa que dicit extra me non est

    Note: (15v) 18. Crucifixion with the Virgin and S. John. Cinqfoil arch. Christ's side is wounded: three nails are used: no crown of thorns

    Note: (16r) 19. Two trefoil arches: no shaft. L. The Virgin and Child. She holds a flower, He a fruit. R. Christopher leaning on an oar, in the midst of the stream. Christ with an orb on His shoulder. Fish in the water

    Note: (16v) 20. Malachias. Cum odio habueris dimitte. Symon. Remissionem peccatorum

    Note: (17r) 21. Zacharias. Suscitabo filios uestros. Thadeus (beardless). Carnis resurrectionem

    Note: (17v) 22. Christ seated full face, in lozenge; L. hand on orb. The Evangelical emblems in the angles, with names

    Note: (18r) 23. Trefoil arch. L. Jacobus maior. Green wallet with escallop slung round him. Staff and book. R. John Baptist, hairy robe: he points to medallion of Agnus Dei in his L. hand

    Note: (18v) 24. Abdias. Et erit regnum domini. Amen. Mathias. Vitam - amen

    Note: (19r) Psalter in double columns of 17 lines. In a very large, tall, upright hand

    Note: Then follows the Psalter

    Note: (19r) Beatus uir. At bottom: L. David with sling-stones in his garment. Three sheep in front. R. Goliath mailed: shield with face on it: banneret and spear: red surcoat: stone in forehead

    Note: (19r) R. margin. Jesse tree on gold ground. Jesse sleeping at bottom: then a. David with harp. b. Solomon with scroll. c. A bad king in surprised attitude. d. Virgin and child. e. Christ with orb blessing

    Note: (19r) Initial. David playing the harp. A chaffinch above in the border

    Note: (38v) Dominus illuminatio. David kneels face R. at altar, finger to his eye. Head of Christ above

    Note: (52r) Dixi. Similar. He points to his protruded tongue

    Note: (64r) Dixit. David throned on L. A bald fool in mantle only, eating a cake and holding a club

    Note: (76v) Saluum. Christ above: Jonah (?) below in water, perhaps emerging from the mouth of the large fish

    Note: (92v) Exultate. David plays on five bells. Note the very fine white ornament on the blue ground outside the letter. This is conspicuous in other places

    Note: (106v) Cantate. Clerks, one in cope, two in albs. Book on desk on R.

    Note: (122v) Dixit dominus. The Father and Son seated full face. Cruciform nimbi. The Father on R. with hand on globe, the Son blessing. The Dove between them

    Note: (136r) Ad dominum (CXIX. CXX). Like Dominus illuminatio, but here David is bareheaded and beardless: in blue

    Note: (153r) Confitebor (Cantica). Christ throned full-face

    Note: (153r) Cantica and Litany

    Note: In the Litany

    Note: Apostles: Petre II

    Note: Martyrs: Osuualde (2nd). Florentine. Albane, Edmunde, Elphege, Thoma erased

    Note: Confessors: Atheluuolde (5th) ... Cuthberte, Guthlace, Uuilfride, Suithune, Dunstane, Iohannes, Aidane, Botulphe, Egidi, Leonarde, Iuliane, Uulstane, Hugo II, Edmunde

    Note: Virgins: Kyneburga, Kynesuuitha, Tibba ... Etheldritha, Sexburga, Werburga

    Note: Suffrage for the Pope erased

    Note: Collects

    incipit: (169r) Deus cui proprium est misereri

    incipit: (169v) Omnipotens sempiterne deus. qui facis mirabilia

    incipit: (169v) Pretende domine

    incipit: (169v) Ure igni

    incipit: (169v) Acciones nostras

    incipit: (170r) Adesto domine

    incipit: (170r) A domo tua quesumus domine repellantur

    incipit: (170r) Deus a quo sancta desideria

    incipit: (170r) Ecclesie tue quesumus

    incipit: (170v) Animabus quesumus

    incipit: (170v) Deus qui es sanctorum

    Note: (171r) Commendacio animarum

    incipit: (174r) Placebo

    Note: (174r) (Office of the Dead). A bier with blue pall and four candles


    180v-184v - Livere de Reis de Britannie

    Note: In a hand of cent. xiv early: double columns of 32 lines

    Note: (180v) Chronicle of England in French to Edward I's death

    incipit: (180v) Deuant la natiuite nostre seignur mil et cc. anz uint brutus le fiz siluius en engletere

    Note: (184r) The first hand ends (on Edward I)

    explicit: (184r) Cil regna .xxxiiij. anz et x. meis si morust e git a weymoster

    Note: (184r) A hand of about 1400 continues

    incipit: (184r) Apres cesti Roi eduuard vint sire eduuard soun fiiz

    Note: (184v) Ending with the coronation of Henry IV

    explicit: (184v) lan de grace mil. ccc. nouaunttime et neofyme


    185r-188v - Chronicle of Peterborough || Chronicle of Peterborough Abbey

    Note: In the first hand of item 2

    incipit: (185r) Anno ab incarnacione domini Dco quinquagesimo ab aduentu S. Augustini ivo fundata fuit ecclesia de medeshamstede que nunc Burg uocatur

    Note: (186v) The first hand goes down to abbot Will. de Wodeford

    explicit: (186v) per iiij annos ecclesiam bene rexit et mortuus est

    Note: (186v) The second hand of item no. 2 continues

    incipit: (186v) Godefridus de croiland

    Note: (187r) And ends with Will. Genge (1396-1408)

    explicit: (187v) soluend' dicto abbati infra duos annos prox' post annum creacionis eiusdem

    Note: Referred to by Tanner etc., but seemingly not printed

    Note: f. 188r-188v is blank


    189r-209v - Bestiary || A Bestiary

    incipit: (189r) Bestiarum uocabulum proprie conuenit leonibus pardis cxi 217

    incipit: (189r) Phisici dicunt leones tres principales naturas habere

    Note: The ornamentation of the Bestiary is very fine indeed

    Note: (189r) (the first leaf) has partial border (oak and ivy-leaf). On R. a splendid grotesque with bow and arrow. Initial with seated Lion among ivy-leaves: most beautifully painted. Miniature: five intersecting circles in a square: grounds gold, patterned red and patterned blue. The medallions show: a. Hunters on L. Lion on R. obliterates his tracks with his tail. b. He roars at his whelp to raise it. c. He looks at or is attacked by a serpent (scorpion ?). d. He sniffs at a dead nude man (but will not attack him). e. He eats a monkey, which cures him of sickness. There is also an initial with human bust. These occur frequently

    Note: The pictures which follow are of various dimensions: frames in gold or colour with projecting leaves: grounds gold or patterned, blue or red divided into two, or quarterly. The subjects are

    Note: (189v) Tiger deceived by mirrors. Huntsman rides off with cub. Pard

    Note: (190r) Panther attracting beasts by his breath except the dragon which disappears into the ground

    Note: (190v) Antelope, horns caught in tree. Huntsman. Unicorn, head in maid's lap, pierced by hunter. Lynx. Gryphon on dead ox

    Note: (191r) Elephant with castle

    Note: (191v) Beavers pursued bite off their glands. Ibex stands on its horns. Hyena devours shrouded corpse

    Note: (192r) Bonnacon with curved horns, hunter on L. Monkeys carrying their young, hunters on L. Human-headed hairy-legged satyr. Deer eating serpent, swimming a river

    Note: (192v) White goats

    Note: (193r) Caprea, red. Monoceros. Two bears, licking a cub

    Note: (193v) Leucro(co)tta grinning. Crocodile devouring man. Manticora, humanheaded. Parandrus, antlered and clawed. Fox feigning death to attract birds

    Note: (194r) Eale, huge horns. Wolf biting his paw: sheepfold on R., dog barking

    Note: (194v) Group of dogs (L. part smeared). King (Garamantes) on L.: dogs attack his armed enemies

    Note: (195r) Dead man watched by dog which keeps off birds: on R. dog attacks his murderer

    Note: (195v) Adam robed, seated on L. by tree, naming beasts (lion, horse, ox, etc.) on R. Sheep. Ram

    Note: (196r) Lamb. Goat. Boar. Bullock. Ox. Camel: two men load it

    Note: (196v) Dromedary. Ass. Wild ass mutilates its young. Two horses

    Note: (197v) Cat. Mice. Weasel

    Note: (198r) Mole. Hedgehogs with apples. Ants: corn on L.

    Note: (198v) A row of doves (?). Eagle on nest looking at the sun: R. plunging into the sea

    Note: (199r) Vulture: a man's foot in its beak. Cranes: one holds stone in claw, others bow to it

    Note: (199v) Parrot. Chaladrius (two) on sick man's bed. Storks: (a) on water, (b) eating snake

    Note: (200r) Swans. Ibis: gives snake's eggs to its young. Ostriches arranging eggs in the sand. Fulica

    Note: (200v) Halcyon, green. Phoenix : (a) in nest fired by sunbeam, (b) dead, a dragon flying away from it

    Note: (201r) Goatsucker in tree: man slings at it. Ercinea avis. Hoopoes: brightly coloured. Pelicans with young. Owl (unlike): sun above

    Note: (201v) Ship on L. Mermaid on R. holding two fish. Partridges. Pie

    Note: (202r) Hawks. Nightingale on eggs. Sun and moon on R. Bats. Crow. Cornix in tree: man sits in chair on R. (auguring from its cry)

    Note: (202v) Doves. Dove covering its nest with squillae to keep off wolf which runs off on L.

    Note: (203r) Swallow. Quail. Peacock. Hoopoe

    Note: (203v) Cock and hen. Ducks. Bees: two straw hives on L.

    Note: (204v) Large dragon lies on its back open mouthed under tree: doves fly about. Three snakes. Blue and red dragon

    Note: (205r) Basilisk (cock with snake's tail) attacked by weasel, birds fly about it: serpents flee on R. Two fourlegged vipers eat each other

    Note: (205v) Asp (winged) stopping his ear: man (charmer) on R.

    Note: (206r) Scitalis. Amphisbaena. Hydrus entering mouth of crocodile. Boas sucking a cow. Jaculus attacking sheep

    Note: (206v) Syren, white snake, bites man's leg. Seps. Dipsae attack a man. Lacertus. Salamander in apple tree in C, licks the fruit: on R., a man who tastes it falls dead. On R. Salamander in fire. Saura emerges from hole in the wall (changing its skin) and looks at sun. Two stelliones

    Note: (207r) Four blue snakes, variously engaged, viz. changing skin: drinking at stream: attacking a clothed man on R.: fleeing from a nude man on R.

    Note: (207v) Two fish

    Note: There are no more illustrations, nor are spaces left for them

    Note: (210r) The last section is on Rane

    incipit: (210r) Rane a garulitate eo quod circa genitales strepunt paludes

    Note: ending

    explicit: (210r) pelidorum. popillorum. solearum. lacertorum. ut luligo et huic similia


    210r-210v - Poem on the Vanity of the World (Cur mundus militat)

    Note: The poem

    incipit: (210r) Cur mundus militat sub uana gloriaCuius prosperitas est transitoria...Superna cogita cor sit in ethereFelix qui poterit mundum contempnere

    Note: (Wright, Poems of W. Mapes, p. 147)

    Note: (210v) blank

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