Contents

Data Source: Parker on the Web

• Résumé : CCCC MS 49 is an English Bible which has been dated to c. 1270-80. Most English thirteenth-century Bibles are somewhat larger than contemporary Parisian Bibles, as in the case of this manuscript, and relatively few were made in comparison with the very large numbers from Paris. Each book of the Bible has an historiated initial. The manuscript belonged to St Augustine's abbey, and its illumination is related to a Psalter (Oxford, Corpus Christi College MS 285) connected with Christ Church, Canterbury. Another Bible (Oxford, Merton College MS 235) is also related in the style of its illumination and was probably painted by the same artists. In view of the connections with St Augustine's and Christ Church it is possible that the book was written and decorated in Canterbury.

  
  

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  Langue(s) des textes : latin

  
  

  1r-444r - Bible

  Note : (1r) Jerome ad Paulinum

  Note : Prologue to Pentateuch

  Note : (4r) blank

  Note : (5r) Genesis - 2 Paralipomenon, Prayer of Manasses absent

  Note : (72v) Proll. and Capp. to Joshua (73r). Capp. to Judges (81v)

  Note : (90v) Ruth. Prol. Post Samsonem iudicauit

  Note : (92r) I Reg. Prol. Capp. (92v). 3 Reg. Capp. (115v)

  Note : (139v) I Par. Prol.

  Note : (163r) Esdr. - Job (Proll.) (185r)

  Note : (195r) Psalter Gallican

  Note : (215v) Prov. (Prol.) - Ecclus. (233r)

  Note : (247r) Isaiah - Malachi (330r)

  Note : Baruch absent: no unusual prologues

  Note : (331r) 1, 2 Maccabees. The quire begins with the end of Rabanus's prologue, followed by Prol. Jeronimi, Machabeorum Libri. The hand is that of the Psalter and other portions of the book

  Note : (349v) Evv. Proll. Plures fuisse. Matheus ex iudea (350r)

  Note : (392r) Acts, Catholic Epistles, Pauline Epistles (Laodiceans follows Heb.)

  Note : (438r) Apocalypse

  Note : (444v) On this page is

  Note : (444v) A.d. millesimo quingentesimo sexagesimo.In domino confido (etc.)

  Note : (viir) On the next flyleaves are old pencil notes, and (xv) Sancte augustine ora pro nobis With a sketch of a shield bearing a cross (viiv)

  Note : Three scribes seem to be distinguishable. One writes the Pentateuch (?), Psalms, Maccabees etc. Another is seen in Proverbs etc. The third in the Prophets and Epistles. On the whole I believe the work to be French

  Note : In the book (at Ecclus. XXXV) is a contemporary book-marker, consisting of a disc of vellum which revolves between two other pieces so shaped that only half of the disc is exposed. It is inscribed in this wise:

  Note : See a description of a somewhat similar medieval book-marker in Wordsworth and Littlehale's Service-books of the English Church, p. 280 (Methuen)

  Note : The historiated initials are interesting and spirited. The colours used in them are as a rule pale. The subjects are as follows

  Note : (1r) Prologue. Jerome nimbed, tonsured, under trefoiled arch facing R. writing, with knife in L. hand, at desk. Buildings in spandrels. Gold ground

  Note : (5r) Genesis. Eight medallions (lozenge in quatrefoil). a. Christ holds globe with dove on it. b. Points to clouds, c. Creates trees, d. Holds moon and puts sun into sky. e. Half-length, buds below, f. Creates Adam: beasts on R. and L. g. Sits blessing. h. Crucified with the Virgin and St John. He is beardless in all these pictures. A Stork or Crane on the projecting foot of the initial

  Note : (22r) Exodus. Moses takes off shoe. Christ in flames on R. with scroll Moyses Moyses. Sheep below

  Note : (36v) Leviticus. Man slaughters lamb on table on L. Man on R. marks lintel of door

  Note : (46v) Numbers. L. God with scroll tollite summam. Moses, the Israelites

  Note : (60v) Deuteronomy. Moses horned addresses group on R

  Note : (73r) Joshua. Two priests bear ark : two blow trumpets

  Note : (81v) Judges. Battle of horsemen, chain-mail and surcoats

  Note : (90v) Ruth. a. Man and woman (Naomi and Elimelech?).b. Ruth gleaning, c. Reapers

  Note : (93v) 1 Regnum. Hannah in prayer at altar on R. Eli listens on L.

  Note : (106r) 2. Regnum. Zadok anoints Solomon (full-face). Another on R. holds crown. Fine work

  Note : (116v) 3 Regnum. Judgment of Solomon: the dead child lies in front

  Note : (128v) 4 Regnum. Elisha kneels and receives the mantle of Elijah who ascends on R. in two wheeled car drawn by horse

  Note : (140r) 1 Paralipomenon. A king seated with joined hands crowned by a priest on L. Two spectators

  Note : (150r) 2 Paralipomenon. Solomon on L. crowned directs four workmen, one mixes mortar, a 2nd climbs ladder, a 3rd has plummet, the 4th listens

  Note : (163r) Prologue to Esdras. Josiah at altar: people adore on L.

  Note : (172v) Tobit. Tobias with staff. Raphael points to Tobit on R.

  Note : (176r) Judith. Judith beheads Holofernes (crowned). Maid's head seen on R.

  Note : (180v) Esther, aAhasuerus stretches his sceptre down to b Esther, c Mordecai in broad hat, d Haman hanging. Fine work

  Note : (185v) Jobnude on dunghill, his wife on R.

  Note : (195r) Psalter. Beatus vir. Above. David plays harp, another plays fiddle. Below. David slings at and then beheads Goliath.This is a splendid initial with very fine grotesques in the stalk and foot of it

  Note : (198r) Dominus illuminatio. Christ. David points to his eye

  Note : (200r) Dixi custodiam. David seated points to his mouth

  Note : (202r) Quid gloriaris. A man about to slay a young woman in blue

  Note : (202r) Dixit insipiens. David seated. The fool with bauble and cake before him

  Note : (204r) Salvum. Above, two men cast out Jonah. Below, he emerges from the fish and grasps a tree

  Note : (206v) Exultate. David sits playing on seven bells

  Note : (208v) Cantate. Two coped clerks sing at desk

  Note : (211r) Dixit dominus. The Father and Son (both beardless). The Dove descends between them

  Note : (213r) Ad dominumcxix (cxx) has a large decorative initial

  Note : (216r) Proverbs. Solomon on L. Rehoboam in green before him holding a ball

  Note : (223v) Ecclesiastes. A young woman seated. A young man in blue also seated holds up a wreath of flowers and lays his hand on her arm

  Note : (226r) Canticum Canticorum. The Virgin seated, with the Child kissing her

  Note : (227v) Sapientia. Wisdom seated crowned with open book

  Note : (233r) Ecclesiasticus. Crowned man seated

  Note : (247r) Isaiahnude bound head down between two posts and sawn by two men

  Note : (263v) Jeremiah. Ezekiel in bed. Above, the heads of the four cherubic beasts (wrongly put here)

  Note : Lamentation. No initial

  Note : (284v) Ezekiel. The prophet seated with scroll

  Note : (304r) Daniel (Prologue). In the den, at window of a tower on R. Lions' heads seen at opening below. On L. Habakkuk with food, and angel above

  Note : (304v) Text. Decorative initial

  Note : (313r) Hosea. seated with book. Joel (316r), Amos (317v), Obadiah (320r), similar

  Note : (320v) Jonah. sits nude under tree looking at Nineveh on R.

  Note : The remainder except Haggai and Zechariah. (which have no initial) have single figures

  Note : (331r) 1 Maccabees. Alexander dying in bed, two men listen to him, fine work

  Note : (342r) 2 Maccabees. Nehemiah kneels with people behind him. Christ seen in air on R.: below, a lamb among flames: fine work

  Note : (350r) Matheus. Jesse reclines. Six heads in tree above: one crowned

  Note : (361v) Marcus. Decorative

  Note : (369r) Lucas. writes on board on his knee

  Note : (382r) John. looks at his pen

  Note : (392r) Acts. Four Apostles seated : Peter, Paul and two others

  Note : (404v) Catholic Epistles. Single figures and decorative

  Note : (411r) Romans - Philemon. Paul seated, with or without sword

  Note : (433v) Hebrews. Decorative

  Note : (437v) Laodiceans. Paul with sword

  Note : (438r) Apocalypse. John writing