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Astronomical collection
Aratea text: Excerptum de astrologia; Anonymus Sangallensis
Parchment — 187 fols. — 270 × 200 mm — North-east France / Saint Amand — s. X
Support: According to Hubert Le Bourdellès the first quire is a senion missing its 1-9-10-11-12 folios. Manuscript inspected online. Quire structure is uncertain:I12(-5)(ff.1-7); II6 (ff.8-13); III-VI8 (ff.14-21, 22-29, 30-37, 38-45); VII probably two bifolia (ff. 46-49); VIII-IX8 (ff.50-57, 58-65); X probably a bifolium (ff. 66-67) followed by XI10 (ff.68-76); XII-XXIV8 (ff.77-84, 85-92, 93-100, 101-108, 109-116, 117-124, 125-132, 133-140, 141-148, 149-156, 157-164, 165-172, 173-180); XXV8(-1) (ff.181-187). Double foliation (1-187) with a pencil the forner one crossed out on the upper right corner of every recto. f. 2 hole in the outer margine; f. 30, 45, lower edge damaged; f. 49 hole in the lower half; f. 65 smudged; f. 67 damaged - one section cut and resewed with cord.
Layout: ff. 8-13 written in 31 long lines.
Layout: ff. 1-6r, 14-35 and 58-187 written in 27 long lines.
Layout: ff. 50-57 ruled in 20-21 long lines
Layout: Rubrics and initials in red capitalis rustica or monumental capitalis (partly faded and illegible). Red also used in the calendar and the tables.
Hands: Two hand in the Excerptum (change f.1r, line 14), the second wrote also the Ad boreae. The Anonymus Sangallensis written by at least three different hands. Corrections including the additions of middle dot in darker ink.
Binding: Medieval (?) leather binding, no paste down, tunnels and thongs visible.
History: The core of the manuscript is Bede'sDe tempore ratione preceded by a his De natura rerum and a computistical collection ascribed to him. To this volume were then added two codicological units written by similar contemporary hands: Part I (ff.1-7) with astronomica and Part II (ff.8-13) with Bede's De temporibus.Based on annus currens mentioned in the computistical section Borst considered that the manuscript was copied around 975 from an exemplar from around 880. The inclusion of Annales Elnonenses and the list of abbots of Saint-Amand indicates the Abbey of Saint-Amand as the place of production. The Abbey was severely devasted by the Normans and received help for the restoration of the Abbey from Fulbert, bishop of Cambrai and from Hildebrand and Gérard of Brogne, Abbots of Saint-Bertin. It is then possible that the exemplar of our manuscirpt arrived from these houses (sse Blouard, René. “Saint Gérard de Brogne.” Le Guetteur Wallon, no. 3 (1959): 61-140. — The many additions datable up to s. XIII testify that the manuscript was used continously during several centuries. The list of abbots of Saint-Amand, which was extended till the s. XVIII suggests that the manuscript remained in the Abbey till s. XVIII. The twelfth-century catalogue of Saint-Amand (Paris, BnF, MS lat. 1850) includes three books of Bede "Bede tres de naturis rerum et temporibus", which Delisle identified as Valenciennes, BM, Ms 166 and 330bis - the former shelfmark of our manuscript (Delisle,Le cabinet des manuscrits de la Bibliothèque impériale nationale, 3 vols. (Paris, 1868-81), II, p. 452). Notes on the front paste-down:"Liber s. Amandipa (?)"; with black ink "B 105"; with pencil "III 6".
Selected Bibliography:Borst, Schriften, I, pp. 297-98. — Borst, Reichskalender, vol. 1, pp. 139-142. — Bischoff, Bernhard. Die Abtei Lorsch im Spiegel ihrer Handschriften. 2nd ed. Lorsch: Laurissa, 1989, p. 82, No. 30. — Boschen, Lothar. Die Annales Prumienses: ihre nähere und ihre weitere Verwandtschaft. Düsseldorf: Schwann, 1972. — Chardonnens, László Sándor. Anglo-Saxon Prognostics, 900-1100: Study and Texts. Brill, 2007. — Grierson, Philip. Les annales de Saint-Pierre de Gand et de Saint-Amand: annales Blandinienses, annales Elmarenses, annales Formoselenses, annales Elnonenses. Brussels: Kiessling, 1937. — Le Bourdellès, Hubert. “De Astronomia more Christiano.” Studi medievali, ser. 3 32 (1991): 385–444. — Smith, Julia M.H. “A Hagiographer at Work: Hucbald and the Library of Saint-Amand.” Revue Bénédictine 106 (1996): 151–71.
Part I
1r Excerptum de astrologia (acephalus) ad australe[p] lagam centaurum bestiam manu quasi ad aram ferentem Dell'Era pp. 45, line 68-
1r Ps.Priscian: Ad boreae partes ›Incipit epitome phenomenon id est apparitio sive apparentia prisciani gramatici versus de sideribus‹ Ad boreae partes arcturi uerserunt et anguis … — … Hinc sequitur pistrix simul heridanique fluenta. Correction in darker ink. Verses separated by ;
1v-3v Anonymous Sangallensis Herodius dicit elicem licaonis fuisse filiam quae a ioue uiolata … — … absides eius ultima in capricono est.
3v-6r De astronomia more christiano ›Item de astronomia[more christiano]‹ Hae fisicae partes quae astronomia et astrologia dicuntur dum deest mathematica … — … de ceteris astronomicis conscribere signis.
6v-7v Three computistical tables for lunar letters A-T (ff.6v-7r) and AEIOV (f.7v) for finding the age of the moon.
Part II
8r-13r Bede: De temporibus ›Liber bede temporibus‹ Tempora momentis horis diebus mensibus annis saeculis aetatibus diuiduntur … — … Reliquum sextae aetatis deo soli patet. ›finit.‹ Following are a group of tracts, which are often associated with De temporibus and as Jones argues might be genuine works of Bede:
- (13r-v) (Ps.) Bede: De apsidibus planetarum ›De hapsidibus planetarum‹ Circulus zodiacus qui XII signis constat omni ex parte aeque vicinus est terrae … — … Et VII ut tamen decies reuolutus non LXXX sed potius LXX dierum numerum reddat.
- (13v) Add additional text: secundum eusebium ad abracham usque ad christum anni ĪĪXV, ad salomone autem et prima edificatione templi… a moyse autem et egressione ex aegypto anni ĪDXXVIIII. Si autem uis cognoscere per annos singulos quot sind epactae sume annos domini quot fuerint ut putam prseneti quarta indictione DCCCXI [0811] … — … fiunt CXLIII tolle CXX et remanent XXIII. istae sunf epactae lunares.
›Finit libellus Bedae de temporibus. Primo editus.‹Part III
14r-22v Bede: De natura rerum
- (14r) ›Incipiunt capitula libri Bedae de natura rerum[ex opusculis sancti augustini]‹ I. De quadrifario dei opere … — … Diuisio terrae
- (14v-22v) ›Versus Bedae presbiteri‹ Naturas rerum uarias labentis et aeui … — … Atque inde africa a meridie usque ad occidentem extenditur. ›Explicat liber bedae de naturis rerum.‹
22v-65v Computistical compendium with excerpts from Libri computi and Annalis libellus cap. 1-65, 69 in different order (keeping its annus praesens 80r: "Anni ab incarnatione domini anno praesente suntDCCXCIII [0793]", but also adding the modernised years 877 and 972).
- (22v-23v) ›Incipiunt capitula libri eiusdem de numero‹ table of content with 86 chapters I. Rota quae continet diuersa sollemnia sanctorum in KL Nonibus uel Idibus per singulos menses … — … LXXXVI. Ratio de astronomia. ›Expliciunt capitula.‹
- (23v) ›Incipit liber bedae presbiteri de numero.‹ After the rubric 15 lines left blank. Two prayers added later (s. X) "Deus qui per sanguinem domini nostri ihesu christi in ligno crucis pacem hominibus et collegium caelestium angelorum dedisti da nobis et tuae pacis ubertate repleri et angelorum societate laetari pereundem" and "Saciati diuone (?) misterio maiestatem tuam dominem suppliciter deprocamur … et a cunctis periculis miseratus absoluas".
- (24r-v) Rota diagram left unfinished.
- (25r) Table for the 28-year solar cycle for finding the day of the week. ›Cyclus solaris uiginti octo annorum per XII kalendas.‹
- (25v) Table for the 19-year lunar cycle; short text at the bottom . ›Cyclus lunaris decem et nouem annorum per XII kalendas.‹ Primo decennouenalis anno in quo nullae sunt epaciae sic inuenies luna per kalendas quasque … — … in kl mai XXVIIIa cum XXVIIII per argumentum computatur.
- (26r-v) Rota named from Borst Aachener Radkalender showing the "natalicia sanctorum in Kalendis, Nonis et Idibus per unumquemque mensem". Borst, Kalenderreform, p. 314-15.
- (27v) Computistical table Pagina regularis. ›Cursus lunae per XII signa XVIIII annorum‹
- (28r-35r) Calendar / Martyrologium ›Incipit ordo solaris anni cum litteris a sancto ieronimo superpositis ad exploranda VIImanae diem et ad lunae aetatem inuestigandam in unoquoque die per XVIIII annos.‹ … — … ›Explicunt IIIIa tempora anni menses XII ebdomade LII et una dies, dies CCCLXV et VI horae, horae V¯ĪĪĪDCCLX, momenta C¯C¯C¯L¯DCLX.‹ Several contemporary hands adding calendrical information discussed inBorst, Reichskalender, vol. 1, pp. 139-142.
- (35r) Dies egyptiaci ›Uersus de diebus egyptiacis‹ Bisdeni binique dies scribuntur in anno· In quibus una solet mortalibus hora timeri … — … Ne in media ima ruas sed clara per ethera uiuas. The otherwise first two verses ("Si tenebrae egyptus greco… tenebrosos iure uocamus" here come after verse 6 "Nec simul hos iunctos homine peste trucident". Edited in Chardonnens, László Sándor. Anglo-Saxon Prognostics, 900-1100: Study and Texts. Brill, 2007, p. 379.
- (35v-57v) Cycli decennovenali (for the years 532-1367) (35v-53v) Annales Elnonenses MGH, Scriptores in folio, 5, pp. 17-20. Les annales de Saint-Pierre de Gand. Edited by Philip Grierson. Brussels, 1937, p. 132-175. (35v-44v, 45v) On the bottom under the tables argumenta: f. 35v"Unde supra. Si nosse uis annum incarnationis dominicae scito quot fuerint ordines indictianum…" f. 45v "Argumentum ad annum mundi inueniendum. Sci scire cupis annos ab inicio mundi multiplica…et hoc ordine deinceps seruito annos mundi sine errore reperies."
- (58r-65v) 19-year cycle tables ›Anno primo cicli decennouenalis. Cursus uel aetas lunae hoc argumento (?) cognoscitur.‹ On f. 65v after the end of the table a smudged note "O[…]s martis cepit lex quinque librorum". The rest of the page (ca. 14 lines) left blank.
- (66r) List of the abbots in Saint Amand from"Sanctus Amandus episcopus" (633-678) to "Leo potier de gesvres cardinal et archiepiscpus" (1720-1722). The list was started probably in the s. XIII1 on originally blank page and continued till s. XVIII ›Nomina abbatum elnonensis‹
- (66v-67r) Computus table and regula ›De concurrentibus unde acceperunt exordium‹ Interrogandum est de concurrentibus septimanae diei unde acceperunt exordium … — … sed semper ad unum reuertaris et sic per XXVIII lineas discurras. Excerpt from Libri computi II, 15b. ›Unde procedunt regulares qui secundum sole nascuntur‹ Si uis scire unde procedunt regulares qui secundum solem numerantur Id sunt … — … remanent III Mai III et sic de ceteris. Excerpt from Libri computi II, 15a. ›Unde regulares lunae acceperunt exordium‹ Si uis scire unde procedunt regulares ad luna· Id sunt sept. V tene dies … — … Alia XXVIIII recidas. Excerpt from Libri computi II, 15c.
- (67v) Prayer (later addition) In nomine patris et filii et spiritu sancti aius aius aius sanctus sanctus sanctus dominus deus sabaoth qui erat et qui est … — … et pax tibi fiat in diebus. Per signum sancte[…]crucis (?) tuis liberet te deus alleluia alleluia alleluia a […] sanctus sanctus sanctus iskarus (?)[…]
- (68r-69v) Computistical tables. (69r) ›De singulis mensibus quae (?) kalendas Nones uel ides […] De nonis idibus et kalendis singulorum mensium‹ Ianuarius augustus et december IIII nones habent … — … Omnes ergo menses VIII ides habent. (69r) ›De ciclo solis. De singulis mensis […] kalendis nonis uel idibus […]‹ Table with Termini for the major moveable feasts. (69v) Aid lists for to accompany "argumentum ad invenienda feria"; first list starting in January, the lower one in March.
- (70r-80v) Argumenta and regula ((f.70r) ) XV. De ratione aequinoctii. A XII kalendis aprelis quod aequinoctium uernale usque in XIII kalendis iulii sunt dies XC et I ((= Lib. ann. LIII)) … — … Si uis scire quantos debeas adicere ad lunae cursum … ita in singulis annis ut quanti super XXX fnt tantos habeat ad lunae cursum ((= Lib. ann. XXVIII)).
80v-83v Bede: Letter to Wicthede ›Epistola Bedae ad uicthadum presbiterum de[…]‹ Reuerentissimo ac sanctissimo fratri uicthado presbitero beda optabilem in domino salutem … — … aut ante aequinoctium fuisse confirmet.
83v List of Greek numerals, their value and name in Greek with latin characters and their equivalent in Roman numerals. ›De compotu litterarum grecorum‹ A mia i alpha | B dia ii beta … — … Θ̅ enaschile VIIII̅
84r Another list of Greek numerals and their Roman equivalent.
84r-179v Bede: De temporum ratione ›Praefatio de temporum libro incipit‹ De natura rerum et ratione temporum duos quondam stricto sermone libellos … — … cuncti caelestium praemiorum mereamur accipere palmam. ›Finit liber bedae de temporibus.‹
180r-187v Bede: Chronica maiora ›Incipitchronica (?) ab anno incarnationis domini […] ab initio uero mundi anno IIII DCC LXX‹ Iustinianus minor filius constantini regnauit annos X. Hic constituit pacem cum sarracenis decennio terra marique … — … Imperator hludouicus (?) […] cum consilio francorum constituit.
Abreviated Literature:
Borst, Kalenderreform | Borst, Arno. Die karolingische Kalenderreform. MGH: Schriften 46. Hannover: Hahn, 1998. |
Borst, Reichskalender | Borst, Arno. Der karolingische Reichskalender und seine Überlieferung bis ins 12. Jahrhundert. 3 vols. MGH: Libri memoriales 2. Hannover: Hahn, 2001. |
Borst, Schriften | Borst, Arno. Schriften zur Komputistik im Frankenreich von 721 bis 818. 3 Vols. (MGH: Quellen zur Geistesgeschichte des Mittelalters, 21, 1-3) Hannover: Hahn, 2006. |
MGH | Monumenta Germaniae historica. Hannover: Hahn, 1826-. |
Catalogued by: Ivana Dobcheva
(draft version: 2018-05-18)