Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 010: Gratian, Decretum

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Abstract/Contents

Summary
CCCC MS 10 contains a luxury copy of the Decretum (Concordia discordantium canonum), a canon law collection attributed to the twelfth century jurist Gratian (fl. c. 1150). It is one of a group of finely illustrated manuscripts of the text produced in northern France or southern England in the last quarter of the twelfth century. The various 'causae', the legal cases, have historiated and ornamental initials. There is also a full-page miniature of a man standing holding a consanguinity table. Its exact provenance and how it came to be in Parker's possession are unknown.
Contents
Decretum

Description

Alternative title Gratiani Decretum
Type of resource mixed material
Extent ff. 363
Date created [ca. 1100 - 1299]
Language Latin
Material Vellum
Layout double columns of 55 lines
Height (mm) 348
Width (mm) 285
Collation 1(8) (wants 1-3) 2(8) (wants 7, 8) | 3(8)-46(8) (8 a fragment).
Writing in a very fine hand
Foliation ff. i-ii + 1-363 + iii-iv
2 fo. ut sit notorium, refrenatus

Bibliographic information

M.R. James Date xii-xiii
Downloadable James Catalogue Record
Title
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:ns310xz1949/MS_10.pdf
Superseded Interim Catalogue Record
Title
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:sz679tz4852/10.pdf
Contains
Title
Gratian, Decretum. 1r-363r
James
Gratiani, Decretum. 1r-363r
Author
Gratian
Note
(1r) Table of tituli
Incipit
(1r) In prima parte agitur de iusticia
Note
A title has been erased, and one of cent. xvi inserted
Rubric
(1r) Decretum abbreuiatum sigillatim cuncta attingens
Note
A fine initial I in gold and colour on blue
(11r) Ends on Causa xxxvi
(11v) blank
(12r) Text begins. At the top a xvith cent, title Concordantia discordancium Canonum, written over erasure
Incipit
(12r) Humanum genus duobus regitur
Note
There is a splendid initial mostly in blue and vermilion on gold: it contains the small white lions which often mark the work of Christ Church, Canterbury. The whole is edged with green. Smaller initials alternately blue and red. Each Causa has a fine initial; some are decorative, some figured. The latter shall be specified
(25v) Opposite a sentence about the bad pronunciation of readers, is a sketch (xiv?) of a monk's head: with book on desk, inscribed In principio erat verbum etc.
(92r) Causa I Abbot in purple with crosier, throned on L. Bearded man on R. presents a small boy in red tunic and a bowl full of silver : gold ground
(113r) Causa II
(130v) Causa III
(138r) Causa IV
(140r) Causa V
(142v) Causa VI Bishop in white seated between two litigants
(145v) Causa VII Bishop in bed, hand to face: another bishop (a substitute) bends over him, two men at head and foot weep
(152r) Causa VIII (Medallions of beasts)
(154v) Causa IX
(157r) Causa X
(160v) Causa XI
(171v) Causa XII
(181r) Causa XIII In C. two men one with sheaf, the other with lamb. On R. and on L. four tonsured clerics, two and two, those on R. hold out hands to receive offerings, those on L. point back to L. The men in C. have been driven from their old diocese and moved to another, but still cultivate their old lands. Tithes are claimed by both churches
(185r) Causa XIV
(187v) Causa XV A tonsured man in short tunic smites one on R. on the head with a club: a woman stands with arms out in consternation
(192r) Causa XVI Abbot in purple habit with crosier seated, under architecture: lamp hangs above: two monks behind him. Two secular clerics seated on L. argue
(204v) Causa XVII
(208r) Causa XVIII
(210v) Causa XIX
(212r) Causa XX Abbot with crosier throned on R. On L. kneel two tonsured boys, one in blue cowl (a willing novice), the other looking back at his father on L. (unwilling)
(214r) Causa XXI
(216r) Causa XXII
(224r) Causa XXIII
(246r) Causa XXIV
(257r) Causa XXV
(261r) Causa XXVI
(268r) Causa XXVII A maiden in red in C. (who has vowed not to marry, and repented). A youth on R. holding sword puts his arms round her neck to lead her away. A bearded man (former betrothed) on L. protests, holding her hand
(275r) Causa XXVIII
(279r) Causa XXIX
(280r) Causa XXX
(283v) Causa XXXI. Man and woman on R. embrace. Man in C. lays hands on woman and looks back at older man on L. (a daughter promised by her father to one, and given to another)
(285r) Causa XXXII
(294r) Causa XXXIII
(325v) Causa XXXIV
(326v) Causa XXXV Above a man at table, a woman in blue on L. (his wife) hands him a dish. Below two men lay a shrouded corpse (the first wife) in the grave. A cross in C. All the figures are half-length
(330v) A full-page painting of a man with white beard and hair in purple-grey robe over white, red hose, and black shoes, both patterned: on patterned blue ground: coloured frame. In front of his body is a tree of affinity formed of (blank) white medallions set in a gold frame
(333v) Causa XXXVI Above, youth and maid at table, servants on R. and in front. Below, youth and maid in bed
(335r) Ultima pars
Ends
Explicit
(363r) a nisi quod uiderit patrem facientem
Note
(363r) Three quarters of the leaf is cut away
TJames 357
Stanley Under C. 3
Location https://purl.stanford.edu/qx973nn9218
Location MS 010
Repository UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library

Access conditions

Use and reproduction
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License
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Collection

Parker Manuscripts

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