Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 075: Glossed Psalter (Glossa ordinaria)

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Abstract/Contents

Summary: This large glossed Psalter, CCCC MS 75, dating to c. 1220, contains the commentary of Peter Lombard (c. 1095-1160) completed towards the end of his life in 1158/9. This was the most read of all commentaries on the psalms in the later centuries of the Middle Ages. This is a luxury copy with historiated initials placed at the liturgical divisions of the psalms, even though this book was intended for scholarly rather than liturgical use. The iconography of these initials is characteristic of the specifically English system used in the thirteenth century, although some of them, like Noah's drunkenness for psalm 51, are rarely found. M. R. James suggested that the script was characteristic of the abbey of St Albans, but the study by Thomson of St Albans books of this period rejects it. It might have been made in East Anglia because it is illuminated by the same artists as the Psalter, London, BL MS Lansdowne 431, which was made for an Augustinian house in that region, perhaps Barnwell near Cambridge.
Contents: Glossed Psalter (Glossa ordinaria)

Description

Alternative title	Psalterium Glosatum
Type of resource	mixed material
Extent	ff. 280
Date created	[ca. 1200 - 1225]
Language	Latin
Material	Vellum
Layout	double columns of 56 lines (gloss: text indented in it in larger script)
Height (mm)	419
Width (mm)	289
Collation	1(8)-29(8) 30(12) 32(10) 33(8) 34(10).
Writing	in a splendid hand of the St Albans type
Foliation	ff. i-ii + 1-280 + iii-iv
Research	The book should be compared with the glosses on the Gospels and Epistles at Trinity College B. 5. 3, O. 5. 8, both from St Albans.
2 fo.	in deum, per quod ad eum

Bibliographic information

M.R. James Date	xiii early
Downloadable James Catalogue Record	Title https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:dc568sv6844/MS_75.pdf
Superseded Interim Catalogue Record	Title https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:mj048bg6908/75.pdf
Contains	Title Glossed Psalter (Glossa ordinaria). 1r-279v James Glossa ordinaria super Psalmos. 1r-279v Note Prologue Incipit (1r) Cum omnes prophetas Explicit (2r) sedet sed secundus est Note The cycle of subjects in the historiated initials is very unusual Incipit (2v) Beatus vir Note (2v) Large and splendid initial, chiefly in red and gold on blue ground in gold frame. The letter is filled with convolutions and contains also small red and white beasts. Initials to verses alternately red and blue with flourishing in blue or red Incipit (44v) Dominus illuminatio Note (44r) Fine decorative initial to gloss, on purple ground. Noli me tangere (44v) Initial to Psalm. Christ stands on R. with small cross. On R, and L. are hares. Burnished gold ground Incipit (71v) Dixit custodiam Note (71r) Initial to gloss has wrestlers (71v) Initial to Psalm. Judgment of Solomon. Solomon sits on L., a man with silver sword before him: two women, one holding a child, on R. Incipit (94r) Quid gloriaris Note (93v) Fine decorative initial to gloss (94r) Initial to Psalm. The shame of Noah: he lies in front: his three sons and Canaan stand over him: two spread a robe over him Incipit (95r) Dixit insipiens Note (95r) Decorative init. to gloss (95r) Initial to Psalm. Balaam on ass, with whip of three lashes, faces R. The angel on R. with sword holds the ass's bridle. Blue ground outside the letter Incipit (122r) Salvum me fac Note (121v) Initial to gloss decorative (122r) Psalm. Above, three men, one with long blank scroll, thrust Jonah out of boat. Below, Jonah with scroll sits (not astride) on the back of a purple fish. Two trees seen behind Incipit (154r) Exultate Note (154r) Decorative initial to gloss, purple ground external (154r) Psalm. Above, a figure, nude but for mantle, with silver sword. Below, seated figure with two scrolls Incipit (180v) Cantate Note (180v) Decorative initial to gloss (180v) Psalm. Two shepherds look up: one points to star above in cloud. In front sheep and on R. a comical dog Incipit (184v) Domine exaudi Note (184v) Decorative initial to gloss (184v) Psalm. A bearded man seated face R. with hands raised: a youth on L. Above, a cloud: and on R. a building in layers of blue and red divided by bands of vermilion: it has a turret Incipit (208r) Dixit dominus Note (208r) Decorative initial to gloss (208r) Psalm. The Annunciation. The angel stands on L, on a rock holding blank scroll. The Virgin on R. with book Explicit (279v) uite eterne uox est. omnis spiritus laudet dominum. Finite Christus rex libro sit benedictus. Amen Note 280r-280v blank
TJames	140
Stanley	M. 2
Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/kz066hg9217
Location	MS 075
Repository	UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library

Access conditions

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License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC).

Collection

Parker Manuscripts

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