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Reflecting Medieval Manuscripts: RTI at Spencer Research Library

Parchment

The term is used generically to refer to animal skin prepared as a writing surface, although it is specifically applied to sheep and goat skin. To produce parchment, the animal skins were defleshed in a bath of lime, stretched on a frame, and scraped with a curved knife while damp. The skins are treated with pumice, and whitened with a substance such as chalk, and cut to size.

This page is referenced by:

MS 9/2:16 68 plain 1252061 2022-12-10T12:21:37-08:00
Title: Glossary
Number of texts: 1
Number of parts: 1
Language: Latin
Country: France? Netherlands? Austria?
Century: 13th
Script: Gothic
Searchable date range: 1250 - 1299
Description:
- 1 leaf, fragment
- Parchment - 295 x 260 mm - 3 columns, each with ca. 26 lines
Other Decoration:
- Two 3-line red initials with pen flourishes
- Two 2-line blue initials
Notes:
- Survived as the cover of a book.
- Includes quotations from Vergil.
Recto 3-column text.
Verso Word in Greek.
Condition:
- Significant water damage
- Bleeding and smearing of ink due to water damage
Link to Digital Scriptorium record
MS 9A:1 29 plain 1252061 2022-12-10T12:43:04-08:00
Title: Homeliae in Evangelia
Author: Gregory I
Number of texts: 1
Number of parts: 1
Language: Latin
Script: Caroline minuscule
Country: Italy?
Century: 12th
Searchable Date Range: 1100 - 1115
Description:
- 1 leaf
- Fragment, recto-verso
- Parchment - 137 x 205 mm - 2 columns, probably ruled in drypoint
Notes:
- Contains parts of Homily 39, on Luke (on the recto: PL 76:1297A, 1297C and on the verso: PL 76:1297D, 1298A).
Incipit: //quam lapidem super lapidem ponitur. Sed in destructa civitate super lapidem //
Explicit: unde valeat proximis nocere. Sed quia contra per//

Link to Digital Scriptorium entry.
MS 9A:5 19 plain 1252061 2022-12-10T12:49:31-08:00
Title: Canon law summa
Number of texts: 1
Language: Latin
Country: France
Century: 14th
Searchable date Range: 1300-1399
Script: Gothic Rotunda
Number of Parts: 1
- f. 1r-v
Other Decoration:
- Alternating red and blue paraphs
Description:
- 1 leaf, fragment
- Parchment
- 215 x 157 mm
- 2 columns of 46 lines ruled in lead
- Ink stamp "37"
Link to Digital Scriptorium entry.
MS 9A:4 18 plain 1252061 2022-12-10T12:44:50-08:00
Title: Hexaemeron
Author: Ambrose
Number of texts: 1
Number of Parts: 1
Language: Latin
Script: Pregothic
Country: Spain?
Century: 12th
Assigned Date: s. XII
Searchable Date Range: 1100 -1199
Dated by Scribe: No
Description:
- Fragment, recto-verso
- Parchment - 160x229 mm - 2 columns probably ruled in drypoint
Other Decoration:
- Red highlights on initials
Notes:
- Contains parts of Bk. 5, chapter 10 (PL 14:219A-220B with gaps due to fragmentary state of the leaf)
Link to Digital Scriptorium entry.
MS C189 Front Flyleaf 18 plain 2022-12-10T13:10:29-08:00
Front Flyleaf
Text: John 6:1-14
Country: Italy?
Language: Latin
Assigned Date: s. XII
Date: c. 1150
Searchable Date Range: 1100-1150
Script: Late Caroline miniscule, Praegothica
Music: Neumes on a red, 1-line staff
Other Decoration:
- Section titles in red
- Red initials
- Red staff lines
- Part of a large strapwork initial in brown ink, decorated in red
Number of texts: 1
Description:
- Parchment - 300 x 210 mm - 2 columns from 32-34 lines, ruled in drypoint; 1 line of text accompanying each line of music
- Breviary, noted
- Antiphonary
The parchment folio used for the front flyleaves likely comes from a repurposed antiphonary, dated to the first half of the twelfth century.
Condition:
- The upper margin of the leaf (now the outer edge of the first front flyleaf) is trimmed, with at least two lines of text lost.
- Outer and inner margins of the leaf are trimmed, with some text lost on the outer margin (now the tail-edge).
John 6:1-14 and the following chants:
"Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae si averteris faciem tuam" [Cantus ID: 005236]; "Aperiam in parabolis os meum loquar propositiones" [Cantus ID: g01030b]; "Adduxi vos per desertum quadraginta annos" [Cantus ID: 006030]; "Adduxit eos dominus in fortitudine magna cibavit" [Cantus ID: 006032].

John 6:1-14 Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB) translation:
[1] After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias. [2] And a great multitude followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were diseased. [3] Jesus therefore went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. [4] Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. [5] When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a very great multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip: Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
[6] And this he said to try him; for he himself knew what he would do. [7] Philip answered him: Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little. [8] One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him: [9] There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves, and two fishes; but what are these among so many? [10] Then Jesus said: Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand.
[11] And Jesus took the loaves: and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down. In like manner also of the fishes, as much as they would. [12] And when they were filled, he said to his disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost. [13] They gathered up therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten. [14] Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: This is of a truth the prophet, that is to come into the world.
MS C189 Back Flyleaf 17 plain 2022-12-10T13:14:38-08:00
Back Flyleaf

Text:
- r1 v2-Hosea 6:5-6, Habakkuk 3:2-3, Exodus 12:1-8;
- v1 r2- Exodus 12:9-11, Psalm 139:2-14, John 18:1-5
Country: Italy
Language: Latin
Assigned Date: s. XI2
Date: c. 1150
Script: late Caroline minuscule
Figurative Decoration:
- Large initial decorated with the symbol of John the Evangelist: a nimed (haloed) eagle holding a book
Other Decoration:
- Section headings in red
Number of Texts: 1
Description:
- Parchment - 300 x 210 mm - 2 columns of at least (31?) 32 lines, ruled in hardpoint (drypoint)
- Liturgical text
- Breviary
Condition:
- The upper margin of the second back flyleaf is trimmed, with one line of text lost.
The parchment folio used for the back flyleaves likely comes from a breviary, dated around the first half of the twelfth century. It contains readings related to Maundy Thursday and Good Friday of the Christian Holy Week. The recto side of the first back flyleaf and the verso side of the second back flyleaf contains: Hosea 6:5-6; Habakkuk 3:2-3; reading for Maundy Thursday; Exodus 12:1-8. The verso side of the first back flyleaf and the recto side of the second back flyleaf contains: Exodus 12:9-11; Psalm 139:2-14; John 18:1-5.

r1 v2
Hosea 6:5-6
("[incipit] [do]lui [?] in p[ro]phetis occidi eos in verbis oris mei …
[explicit] scientiam D[e]i plus quam holocausta.")

Hosea 6:5-6, Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB) translation:
[5] For this reason have I hewed them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments shall go forth as the light.
[6] For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts.

Habakkuk 3:2-3
("[incipit] Domine audivi auditum tuum [et] timui...
[explicit] op[er]uit c[a]elos maiestas eius [et] laude eius plena")

Habakkuk 3:2-3, Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB) translation:
[2] O Lord, I have heard thy hearing, and was afraid. O Lord, thy work, in the midst of the years bring it to life: In the midst of the years thou shalt make it known: when thou art angry, thou wilt remember mercy. [3] God will come from the south, and the holy one from mount Pharan: His glory covered the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise.

Exodus 12:1-8
"[rubric] [Et] libri exodi. [incipit] In dieb[us] illis dixit d[omi]n[u]s ad Moysen et Aaron; iste vobis principium mensium [...] [explicit] panes cu[m] lactucis agrestib[us]."

Exodus 12:1-8, Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB) translation:
[1] And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: [2] This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it shall be the first in the months of the year. [3] Speak ye to the whole assembly of the children of Israel, and say to them: On the tenth day of this month let every man take a lamb by their families and houses. [4] But if the number be less than may suffice to eat the lamb, he shall take unto him his neighbour that joineth to his house, according to the number of souls which may be enough to eat the lamb. [5] And it shall be a lamb without blemish, a male, of one year: according to which rite also you shall take a kid (a goat or sometimes lamb was used for the sacrifice).
[6] And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month: and the whole multitude of the children of Israel shall sacrifice it in the evening. [7] And they shall take of the blood thereof, and put it upon both the side posts, and on the upper door posts of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. [8] And they shall eat the flesh that night roasted at the fire, and unleavened bread with wild lettuce.

v1 r2
Exodus 12:9-11
("[incipit] quid nec coctum aqua sed assum tantum igni caput ...
[explicit] comedetis festinantes est enim phase id est transitus d[omi]ni"

Exodus 12:9-11, Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB) translation:
[9] You shall not eat thereof any thing raw, nor boiled in water, but only roasted at the fire: you shall eat the head with the feet and entrails thereof. [10] Neither shall there remain any thing of it until morning. If there be any thing left, you shall burn it with fire.
[11] And thus you shall eat it: you shall gird your reins, and you shall have shoes on your feet, holding staves in your hands, and you shall eat in haste: for it is the Phase (that is the Passage) of the Lord.

Psalm 139:2-14
("[incipit] eripe me d[omi]ne ab homine malo ... adversum me ne derelinquas; [cir]cuitus eo[rum] labor labio[rum] ipso[rum] coop[er]i[et] ... [explicit] habitabunt recti cum vultu tuo")

Psalm 139:2-14, Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB) translation:
[2] Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man. [3] Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles. [4] They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips. [5] Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me. Who have proposed to supplant my steps. [6] The proud have hidden a net for me. And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumblingblock by the wayside.
[7] I said to the Lord: Thou art my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication. [8] O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: thou hast overshadowed my head in the day of battle. [9] Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not thou forsake me, lest they should triumph. [10] The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them. [11] Burning coals shall fall upon them; thou wilt cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
[12] A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction. [13] I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor. [14] But as for the just, they shall give glory to thy name: and the upright shall dwell with thy countenance.

John 18:1-5
("[rubric] Passio d[omi]ni n[ost]ri Ih[es]u Chr[ist]I s[ancti] Ioh[anne]m. [incipit] In ill[o] t[empo]r[e] egressus est d[omi]n[u]s Ih[esu]s cum discipulis suis trans torrentem ... [explicit] stabat aut[em] et Iudas qui tradebat")

John 18:1-5, Douay-Rheims Bible (DRB) translation:
1] When Jesus had said these things, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where there was a garden, into which he entered with his disciples. [2] And Judas also, who betrayed him, knew the place; because Jesus had often resorted thither together with his disciples. [3] Judas therefore having received a band of soldiers and servants from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. [4] Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said to them: Whom seek ye? [5] They answered him: Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith to them: I am he. And Judas also, who betrayed him, stood with them.
Cary Collection 8 plain 2022-12-10T12:40:50-08:00
Title: Book of Hours
Number of Texts: 1, with a hidden palimpsest
Language: Latin
Script: Gothic
Country: France
Century: 15th Century
Collector: Otto Ege
Collection: RIT Cary Graphic Arts Collection
Description:
- Fragment, 1 leaf
- Parchment
- Palimpsest
Imaging technique:
- Ultraviolet-fluorescence
Link to the Cary Collection record.
MS 9/2:16 Introduction Fragmentary Nature

Originally part of a larger manuscript, this single parchment leaf was cut and folded to fit as a cover for a new manuscript. It is unknown what book was bound within this manuscript. Based on the fold lines, it is estimated that the dimensions of the book were about 156 x 96 x 43 mm. The widest part of the manuscript’s width measures 290 mm. It is estimated that before the leaf was trimmed it was around 450 x 300 mm. This leaf is approximately half its original size. As it is, there are 27 lines of text in 3 columns on both sides of the leaf. The 3-column layout and wide largos on either side, suggests that this fragment was part of a large-scale manuscript.[1]

[1] Yavuz, Kıvılcım N. “Manuscript of the Month: A Previously Unknown Witness to a Medieval Dictionary and the Origins of Librarians.” Inside Spencer: The KSRL Blog, 29 Apr. 2020, https://blogs.lib.ku.edu/spencer/manuscript-of-the-month-a-previously-unknown-witness-to-a-medieval-dictionary-and-the-origins-of-librarians/.