London, British Library, Harley 2110, fols 4*, 5*

Present Location
Repository
Collection
Shelfmark

2110, fols 4*, 5*

Contents
Date
Medieval Provenance

General Information

Ker

235

Gnuess/Lapidge

428

Summary

Fragments of the homilies First Series of Homilies [Catholic Homilies I]: Christmas and First Series of Homilies [Catholic Homilies I]: Assumption of St John from Ælfric's First Series of Catholic Homilies, found in the binding of a cartulary.

Digital Surrogate

https://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/record.asp?MSID=360…

Manuscript Items

 

  1. Item: fols 5*r-4*v
    • Title (B.1.1.4): Ælfric, First Series of Homilies [Catholic Homilies I]: Stephen

      Incipit: (fol. 5*r) (beginning abruptly) þin broðor þe dyde

      Explicit: (fol. 4*r) sað on ecnysse

      Text Language: English

      Bibliography:

      Ker 1957, p. 308

      Wilcox 2000

  2. Item: fols 4*r-v
    • Title (B.1.1.5): Ælfric, First Series of Homilies [Catholic Homilies I]: Assumption of St John

      Rubric (initial): ASSUMPTIO SANCTI IOHANNIS EVANGELISTE

      Incipit: (fol. 4*r) IOHANNES SE GODSPELLERE | CRISTES DYRLING ǷEARÐ | on ðissum dæge |

      Explicit: (fol. 4*v) ˥ hi ealle anmodlice ræddon þæt ealle | his gesetnesse aidlode ƿæron

      Text Language: English

      Bibliography:

      Ker 1957, p. 308

      Wilcox 2000

 


Object Description

Form

Form: Bifolium

Support: Parchment

Extent:

  • 260 mm x 151 mm (dimensions of both, including repair parchment - size of leaves)
  • 224 mm x 151 mm (dimensions of both, without repair parchment - size of leaves)
  • 188 mm x 108 mm (dimensions of both, remaining - size of written)

Foliation and/or Pagination: Part of the preliminary matter to the cartulary. The preliminary matter is foliated 1*-5* in pencil (Wilcox 2000, p. 66).

Collation:

  • Quires: Fol. 2, a central bifolium.
     

     

Note:

  • The leaves are misfolded: fol. 5* should precede fol. 4*. The present writing grid has 23 lines, but Ker 1957 calculates that there were 26 lines (p. 308).

Hand Description

Hand
  • Number of hands: 1
  • Hand: main text
    • Scope: Sole
    • Ker reference: Ker 235 SC1
    • Description: fols 4*-5*. Ker 1957 describes 'a round uncalligraphic hand' (p. 308).
    • Summary of the characteristics of the hand:
    • Round s is frequent.
    • ascenders are lengthened in the last line on each page.
    • Ligatures:
    • Ligature of double low s.
Decoration Description

The rubric and initial letter 'I' are in red. Capitals are touched with red.

Binding Description

Rebound in 1974.


Additional Information

Administration Information

Manuscript described by Hollie Morgan with the assistance of Sanne van der Schee, with reference to published scholarship (2010; 2013).

Surrogates

Digital surrogate: https://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/record.asp?MSID=3607&CollID=8&NStart=2110 (accessed 18 July 2018)

EM Project facsimile

Wilcox, Jonathan, Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts in Microfiche Facsimile, Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies (Tempe, AZ: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2000), vol. 8


History

Origin

Origin: Unknown.

Provenance: Used since at least the sixteenth century in the binding of Harley 2110. Ker 1957 notes that the name 'Iohannes Wynchelse' (John Wynchelsea, prior of Castle Acre, Norfolk, c. 1510) is scribbled on fol. 5*v. It was later in the possession of Sir Simonds D'Ewes, then Randle Holme. It was purchased by Francis Gastrell, Bishop of Chester for Robert Harley, earl of Oxford.

Acquisition: Acquired by the British Museum along with other Harley manuscripts in 1753.

Provenance

Unknown

Bibliography

Davis, G. R. C., Medieval Cartularies of Great Britain: A Short Catalogue(London: Longmans Green, 1958)

Dugdale, William, Monasticon Anglicanum, or, The history of the ancient abbies, and other monasteries, hospitals, cathedral and collegiate churches in England and Wales. With divers French, Irish, and Scotch monasteries formerly relating to England, J. Caley, H. Ellis and B. Bandinel (London: Bohn, 1846 ); http://www.archive.org/details/monasticonanglic00dugd

Gneuss, Helmut, Handlist of Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts: A List of Manuscripts and Manuscript Fragments Written or Owned in England up to 1100 (Tempe, AZ: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2001), item 428

Ker, N. R., Catalogue of Manuscripts Containing Anglo-Saxon (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1957; repr. 1990), item 235

Thorpe, B., ed., The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church: The First Part, Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of AElfric (London: Ælfric Society, 1844; repr. New York: Johnson Reprint, 1971)

---, ed., The Sermones Catholici or Homilies of Ælfric, Ælfric Society, 2 vols (London: Ælfric Society, 1844- 46)

Wanley, H., A Catalogue of the Harleian Manuscripts of the British Museum, 4 vols (London: The British Museum, 1808-1812), vol. 2

Wilcox, Jonathan, Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts in Microfiche Facsimile, Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies (Tempe, AZ: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2000), vol. 8

Wright, C. E., 'Two Ælfric Fragments', Medium Ævum, 1938 (1938), 50-55