1(ff. 1r–90v)Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Maccabees, Ezra, Nehemiah and Judith
The main portion of the commentary is written in a smaller script next to the main text and keyed to it by the use of lemmata. There is also a secondary layer in the margins consisiting of titles and references to authorities. This layer also seems to be part of the planned design.
QVeritur quo temporum quibusne regibus historia iudith
⟨T⟩ransitoribus quorum unus dicebat peregrinus sum sicut omnes patres mei
Explicit liber iudith
Two leaves, f. 89 and f. 90, have been placed in the wrong order. f. 90v ends with Judith 16:2 and f. 89v contains the end of the commentary on Judith. The explicit cited is found on f. 89v.
The parchment is of an uneven quality and somewhat worn; it has a tear on f. 75. There are also a few repairs, e.g. on f. 68. On f. 39 and f. 43 small rectangular pieces have been cut out, no loss of text. f. 42v, smudge or dirt, text still legible.
Layout
225 ×
140 mm
The text has an elaborately designed layout with a main text and a commentary next to it. The written area of the main text expands or retracts in size depending on the amount of commentary. At its largest it extends over 27 lines and all of the text surface, e.g. f. 16v. In other cases the commentary may take up the majority of the page, e.g. f. 23r. The commentary is written in half the size of the main text and is keyed to it with the help of lemmata. The ruling is a complex grid structure that takes into account the commentary. The ruling is made in lead or faint ink. Prickings in the margins. For more on the style of layout, see De Hamel (1984), pp. 14–28
Script
Textblock
Hand 1
Southern textualis.
Additions
Binding/Endleaves
(LCI)
Top left corner, in blue ink: ‘A 138’ (current signum).
(f. SL1r)
Top of page, in black ink by a 19th century hand: ‘Kgl. Bibl. 1734-års Kat. Theol. in 4o
\fol./ no 4’; centre page: ‘Libri Machabaeorum, Eusdrae et Judith cum Explicatione Rabani Mauri’; bottom left corner in brown ink: ‘N. 4.’.
Textblock
(ff. 1r–90v)
Extensive marginal and interlinear glossing througout. The majority of the glosses seem to be by the scribe (or a contemporary hand) and are probably part of the planned commentary. These glosses consist of references to authorities, corrections and occasional additions. There is also a layer of extensive, but almost invisible, glossing in lead or silver point, e.g. (f. 9) and (f. 15r). In addition, there are scattered additions by a near-contemporary medieval hand, e.g. (f. 13v) and more frequently on (ff. 79v–90v).
(f. 43r, 79r, 79v)
Titles and notes in ink by an early modern hand.
Decorations
Textblock
Main text in brown ink, capitals in blue or red.
(f. 1r): opening puzzle initial ‘D’ over 8 lines in blue and red. Flourishing in same colours in the enclosed space and around initial. The flourishing extends into the upper margin where it forms a border. Below the opening initial the following two paragraphs each contain an initial over 3 lines in blue and red with flourishing in contrasting colours.
(ff. 1r–79v): every book opens with a puzzle initial in similar style to the opening initial, with some variation in size.
Binding
Early modern binding. Tawed leather over cardboard. Spine, in brown ink: ‘No 4. pars s[--- 15 chars ---] libri (’these are two titles, one written over the other); stamped in gold: ‘A 138’; brown ink on paper label: ‘e. 30. 4.’; underneath a partially torn paper label: ‘40’.
The manuscript has been at the National Library since at least the 17th century. It is listed in Jaches's catalogue of 1698 (U 122) as ‘nr 149 in fol.’, and in the catalogue of 1734 (U 125e) as ‘nr 4 theol. in fol’. The spine also carries the signum ‘e. 30. 4.’ from Hammarsköld’s 19th century catalogue (U 133), as well as two unidentified signa (only partially legible).
