National Library of Sweden, A 66
St Birgitta, Revelations, Books 1-8, and Sermo angelicus
Poland, Nysa, 1418
mixed
241 leaves
310 × 215–220 mm
Latin
1
(ff. 1ra–2va)
Prologue
Liber primus
Stupor et mirabilia audita sunt in terra nostra
nisi ingrati fuerint christo ab ipso factam ad verba eis (!) ab ipso missa fatebantur
Undhagen (1977), pp. 229–240.
2
(ff. 2va–34ra)
Revelations, Book 1
Ego sum creator celi et terre
usquequo veniant ad locum qui mihi placuerit
The rubricator has marked both chapter 39 and 40 as ‘Ca XXXIX’, so from chapter 40 onwards, the chapter numbers are out of sync with the text.
Undhagen (1978), pp. 241–441.
3
(ff. 34ra–55rb)
Revelations, Book 2
Incipit Secundus liber Rubrica primi capituli Informacio filli ad sponsam contra diabolum Et responsio filli ad sponsam quare non subtrahit malos antequam veniant in peccatum Et qualiter baptizatis morientibus infra annos discrecionis datur regnum celorum Capitulum primum
⟨F⟩Ilius loquebatur ad sponsam dicens
nondum est tibi licitum scire sed cum tempus fuerit loquendi
Undhagen (2001), pp. 27–124.
4
(ff. 55rb–72vb)
Revelations, Book 3
Incipit liber tertius Celestium reuelacionum domine Brigitte de Swecia monicio et informacio ad episcopum de modo tenendo in victu et vestito et oracione et qualiter se debet habere in mensa et post mensam et hoc idem de dormicione et qualiter in omnibus exerceat officium episcopale
IHesus christus deus et homo qui venit ad terram assumere humanitatem
Et nisi cauerit sibi [mut.]
The rubricator has marked the ‘addicio ’at the end of chapter 10 as ‘Capitulum XI’ (f. 60r), so from hereon, the chapter numbers are out of sync with the text.
At chapter 31, 1 (f. 72v) the rest of the text of the chapter is omitted and a reference to Rev. 8:23 given instead.
Due to a leaf missing, the text breaks off at the middle of chapter 33, 5 (f. 72v).
Jönsson (1998), pp. 84–188.
5
(ff. 73ra–127va)
Revelations, Book 4
[mut.] Quasi aliquis videns iniusticiam
et visioni maiestatis dei omnipotentis
Due to a leaf missing, the text begins at chapter 2, 7.
Aili (1992), pp. 64–401.
6
(ff. 127va–141ra)
Revelations, Book 5
The rubricator both skips and repeats chapter numbers, rendering the sequence of chapter numbers in disorder.
Bergh (1971), pp. 97–175.
6.1
(f. 127v)
Prologue
Capitulum primum
INcipit liber quintus celestium reuelationum christi ad beatam Birgittam
alios libros translatare solitus erat
6.2
(ff. 127vb–141ra)
Book 5
Vidi thronum in celo in quo sedebat dominus ihesus christus ut iudex
Itaque cum veris ad ista ostendam tibi l⟨oca⟩ plura
7
(ff. 141ra–180vb)
Revelations, Book 6
Incipit liber sextus Verba matris dei marie virginis ad sponsam narrancia pulcritudinem christi et qualiter frequenter iudei in aliquo agone cordis positi ibant ad inspiciendum wltum eius et consolabantur Capitulum primum
MAter dei uirgo maria loquebatur ad sponsam dicens Ego sum regina celi
Et in omnibus et pre omnibus humilitas vera
Explicit sextus liber
The text of Book 6 proper ends with chapter 119. After this, and before the final rubric of Book 6, is added the last paragraph of chapter 10 of the Revelationes extravagantes.
Bergh (1991), pp. 59–278.
8
(ff. 180vb–192rb)
Revelations, Book 7
Incipit liber septimus Reuelacio quam habuit domina Birgitta in Roma post annum Iubileum in qua virgo maria prenuncciat (!)ei quod itura esset in ierusalem Bethleem quando placuerit deo promittens ei tunc sibi ostendere modum quo ipsa perperit suum filium
Cvm esset in Roma beata Birgitta
Vidi palacium grande simile celo sereno Require libro ad Reges capitulo vltimo
Explicit liber septimus celestium reuelacionum
The text of Book 7 ends with the incipit to chapter 30 and then a reference to Rev. 8:58, where the same text is found.
Bergh (1967), pp. 113–210.
9
(ff. 192rb–219va)
Revelations, Book 8
Incipit liber celestis Imperatoris ad Reges reuelatus diuinitus Beate Birgitte de regno Swecie Summus Imperator cristus per sponsam loquitur ad Reges ostendens se esse verum omnium creatorem et Regem in trinitate et vnitate regnantem et dicit qualiter mundum ordinauit regendum duplici potestate scilicet ecclesiastica et laycali que in apostolis petro et Paulo principaliter designantur capitulo (!)
Vidi pallacium grande incomprehensibili magnitudine
videbitis in conscientia vestra quod ego sum suauis et mitis
Aili (2002), pp. 84–226.
10.1
(ff. 219va–229v)
Sermo Angelicus
Incipit sermo angelicus de excellencia laudis gloriosissime dei genitus marie virginis
Cvm beata Birgitta princeps Nericie
et regnat deus per infinita secula seculorum Amen
10.2
(ff. 229vb–230ra)
Chapter rubrics
Incipiunt Rubrice lectionum que legi debent nocturnatim in matutinis per totam ebdomadam per totius anni circulum in Monasterio Monialium Regule Saluatoris quam christus reuelauit Beate Birgitte de Regno Swecie
The rubrics which in the edition head the different sections of the text are placed here together after the body of the text. (The sections of the text proper are only headed by short rubrics starting at ‘feria secunda’ ( f. 221r )).
f. 230vGuidelines but no text.
f. 230raDe huius libri complecione Gloria laus et honor tibi sit rex christe redemptor et glorie laudes promo tue genitrici cuius adiutorio libri sunt scripta finita Anno domini M:o ccccxviii:o Sabbato ante festum Decollacionis sancti Iohannis in Estuario domus Notarii Ciuitatis Nise
11
(ff. 231r–232r)
Topical Index
Index of topics keyed to the text of the Revelations by book and chapter number.
12
(ff. 232r–233v)
Index of headings, Book 1
Index of the headings for the chapters of Book 1 (Chapter 4 missing); these are not included in the text proper.
13
(ff. 233v–235v)
Alphabetical Index
Alphabetical index keyed to the text of the Revelations by book and chapter numbers.
14
(ff. 235v–236r)
De nomine Ihesu
Bernardus de nomine Ihesu
Ihesu dulcis memoria dans vera cordis gaudia
ut nos donet celestibus cum ipse frui sedibus Amen
Bernhardus
Spuriously attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux.
Wackernagel (1864), no. 183, pp. 117–119.
Secundo folio
certissime mihi de hoc
Support
Foliation
Modern foliation in pencil, f. S237Aunfoliated.
Chapter numbers (occasionally in the margin), chapter rubrics (except Book 1), and running titles in red ink.
Condition
Binding/Endleaves
Some holes and traces of stitching.Additions
Binding/Endleaves
(LCI)
Top of page in black ink by an early modern hand a note on the timeline of St Birgitta's life and a quotation from book 4 of Martín del Río's ‘Disquisitionum magicarum libri sex’, published in 1599, reporting the view of the theologians Henry of Langenstein and Bartholomaeus Sibylla on the status of Birgitta's revelations:‘ I. N. I. Delrius l. 4 disquis. Magicar. c. i. q. 3. s. 4. Henricus de Hassia et Sibyllanus ambo Catholici ambo religiosi volunt Brigittae et similium revelationes non debere haberi pro indubitanter veris. Claruit Brigitta haec circa annum C. 1350. Vide Fasc. Temp. f. cxxi a. Vixit in anno 1370. Vid. Rev. l. 4. c. 41. Anno 1373 l. 4. c. 45 paulo post mortua l. 4. c. 57.’; below in pencil by a modern hand:‘ Inköpt på auktion i Lyon 1891, dec, Anländ t. Sthlm och betald 1892 jan. Inskr. s. å.’; below in pencil by a modern hand: ‘Pericaud 1696 p 94’; below in pencil by a modern hand the current signum of the National Library: ‘A 66’; below in brown ink by a medieval hand:‘ liber sancte Marie uirginis in lubene Celestium reuelacionum domine Brigitte’; below in pencil by an early modern hand: ‘Anno domini 1418’; bottom left corner National Library book label with current signum.
(RCI)
Bottom centre in brown ink by a medieval hand: ‘X fo. perg.’
Textblock
(ff. 1r–230r)
Manicules and occasional contemporary marginal annotations of 1-6 words designating topics and notable points throughout.
(ff. 1r–4r) Several marginal annotations by an early modern hand (possibly the same as on (LCI)) expanding medieval abbreviations.
(f. 159r)
A small, loose fragment in a different brown ink and a different contemporary hand.
Decorations
Binding
Medieval binding. Red leather over wooden boards; the red dye may not be original, as it covers several holes in the leather and part of the medieval book label. 5 double raised bands and 2 endbands. LCO and RCO 5 round metal bosses, corner and center. 2 pin clasps with leather strap, clasp in a shape resembling a knight chess piece lying on its back, traces of red dye on strap. Top center, contemporary parchment label with the title: ‘liber reuelationum brigittae’. Spine, in black ink by an early modern hand: ‘S. Brig[ittae liber reuelationum?]’; stamped in gold: ‘A 66’.
315 ×
235 ×
90 mm
Leather worn, some holes coloured over with red dye. Front cover has been separated from spine. 1 clasp and strap missing.
Provenance
The manuscript belonged either to the Cistercian abbey at Lubiąż or the Benedictine abbey at Lubin, both in the province of Lower Silesia and both with a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary; Collijn (1918), p. 127 and Hedlund (1980), p. 19, read the place name on LCIas 'lubens' with Collijn identifying this as referring to Leubus, i.e. Lubiąż; Westman (1911), p. 265, and Lehmann (1937), p. 149, read the name as 'Lubena/Lubene', with Lehmann identifying this as Lüben, i.e. Lubin. The manuscript eventually made its way to Lyon; judging by the reference to Péricaud, a historian of Lyon, and the year ‘1696’ on LCI, it seems likely that the book was inLyon by that time.
Acquisition
- Westman (1911), p. 265.
- Undhagen (1978).
- Collijn (1918), pp. 126–127.
- Lehmann (1937), p. 149.
- Hedlund (1980), p. 19.
Statement of Responsibility
External Identifiers
Internal Identifiers
https://www.manuscripta.se/ms/101084
