Canonization Bull, Office for St Birgitta, Sermo angelicus, and Revelations Books 1-8

Germany, Erfurt, 1424

paper

i, 161 leaves

405–415 × 285 mm

Latin

1 (ff. 1ra–9vb) Alphabetical table of contents to the Revelations

Rubric: Incipit registrum super libros reuelacionum sancte Brigitte

Note: The table of contents is keyed to the text by book and chapter.

2 (ff. 10ra–12va) Bonifacius IX, Canonization Bull (1391, 7 Oct.)

Rubric: Epistula Bonifacii pape noni de presenti libro reuelacionum beate Brigitte

Incipit: BOnifatius \ix:us/ episcopus seruus seruorum dei Venerabilibus fratribus

Explicit: Datum rome Apud sanctum petrum Nonas octobris pontificatus nostri anno secundo ?

Final rubric: Explicit epistula bonifacii pape noni in presentem librum reuelacionum beatissme brigitte vidue

Editions: BHL, no. 1346; Tomassetti (1859), pp. 616–624.

3 (ff. 12va–18rb) Birger Gregersson, Office for St Birgitta

Rubric: Officium Sancte Brigitte antiphona ad uesperas super psalmos

Incipit: prima antiphona ad primas vesperas. Brigitte matris inclite festa iocunda suscipe

Explicit: Vt hostem seuum non uideam nunc et in euum Amen solamen sis brigitta singula Amen

Edition: Undhagen (1960), pp. 173–238.

4 (ff. 18va–29vb) Sermo angelicus

Rubric: Cum beta brigitta sollicitaretur pro leccionibus matutinalibus monialium magni monasterii quod ipsa ad iussum domini de facultatibus suis astruxerit cuius regulam ipse dominus ihesus dictauerat ob honorem beate marie matris sue misit ei dominus angelum dictantem sequentes lecciones per anni circulum pertinendas quas ipsa ex eius ore conscripsit et cetera Leccio prima

Incipit: Cum beata Brigitta principissa regni suecie quia? plures annos habitaret in roma in domo cardinalatus

Explicit: Quod uirginis nostre marie dignissimis precibus idem ihesus suus filius nobis prestare dignetur Qui cum patre et spiritu sancto viuit et regnat per infinita secula seculorum. Amen.

Edition: Eklund (1972), pp. 75–137.

5 (ff. 30ra–36rb) List of rubrics to Revelations, Books I-VIII

Rubric: HVius libri effectus summarii capitulariter et brevissime recollecti

Incipit: In prologo continetur Quorum sunt inexcusabilies que respuunt huiusmodi reuelacionem et ammonicionem diuinam

Explicit: Correptio informatio et commentacio ad regem suecie continens plura ualde notanda cxxxix et xl capitulis

Final rubric: Sequitur pronunc liber primus

Note: f. 36v: guidelines but no text.

6 (ff. 37ra–38ra) Prologue to the Revelations

Rubric: Incipit prologus Super libros Reuelacionum Sancte Brigitte cum reuelacionibus approbatis

Incipit: STupor et mirabilia audita sunt in terra nostra

Explicit: Sextum est plurium conuersio magnatorum in regno qui tempore et loco vna uoce cordis sui mocionem in melius experti nisi ingrati fuerint a christo ab eo factam ad uerba eius ab eo missa fatebuntur

Final rubric: Explicit prologus libri reuelacionum

Edition: Undhagen (1977), pp. 229–240.

7 (ff. 38rb–60va) Revelations, Book 1

Rubric: Incipit primus liber reuelacionum celestium domine brigitte de suecia rubrica primi capituli

Incipit: Verba domini nostri ihesu christi ad suam electam sponsam

Explicit: Attamen verba mea sine voluntate eorum conplebuntur et quasi artabunt se ad perfeccionem usquequo veniant ad locum qui mihi placuerit

Edition: Undhagen (1977), pp. 241–441.

8 (ff. 60va–74rb) Revelations, Book 2

Rubric: Incipit Secundus liber reuelacionum

Incipit: FIlius loquebatur ad sponsam dicens

Explicit: Vtrum autem ipse sit in inferno uel in purgatorio non est tibi licitum scire sed cum tempus fuerit tibi loquendi

Edition: Undhagen (2001), pp. 27–124.

9 (ff. 74rb–83rb) Revelations, Book 3

Rubric: Incipit liber tercius Reuelacionum sancte brigitte

Incipit: Ihesus christus deus et homo qui uenit ad terram sumere humanitatem et saluare animas sanguine suo qui viam veram illuminauit aperuitque portam celi ipse me misit ad uos audi tu ~~qui~~ cui datum est spiritualia audire si episcopus ille proponuit et cetera Require in capitulo xxivi:o libri quarti tertia capitula que libro desuunt Capitulum primum Mater loquebatur ad sponsam filii dicens Tu ploras

Explicit: Ergo anima que in digito dei esse debet debet extendi per malleum discrecionis et purificacionis corpus uero non interfici sed mundari per abstinenciam et uerba dei per illud diffundantur

Note: After the first six lines the three first chapters have been omitted. ‘Capitulum primum’ on f. 74rb corresponds to chapter 4.

Edition: Jönsson (1998), pp. 84–190.

10 (ff. 83rb–113vb) Revelations, Book 4

Rubric: Incipit liber quartus Reuelacionum sancte Brigitte

Incipit: Apparuit sponse persona quedam hominis cuius crines uidebantur circumscisi cum obprobrio corpus pervnctum erat oleo totumque nudatum sed nichil erubescens

Explicit: qui cottidie festinanter appropinquant gracie et visioni maiestatis dei omnipotentis ~~et cetera~~ Sequitur quintus liber

Final rubric: Explicit liber Quartus

Edition: Aili (1992), pp. 59–371.

11 (ff. 113vb–121ra) Revelations, Book 5

Rubric: Incipit ~~modo pro-e~~ liber quintus reuelacionum Sancte brigitte ~~et cetera~~

Incipit: ⟨I⟩Ncipit quintus liber celestium reuelacionum christi ad beatam brigittam de regno suecie

Explicit: Itaque cum veneris ad ista loca ostendam tibi plura ~~et cetera~~

Edition: Bergh (1971), pp. 97–175.

12 (ff. 121rb–142va) Revelations, Book 6

Rubric: Incipit liber Sextus Reuelacionum sancte Brigitte

Incipit: mAter dei loquitur ad sponsam dicens Ego sum regina celi

Explicit: alioquin labor suus superuacuus et oraciones sue erunt minus ad coronam ~~et cetera~~

Final rubric: Sequitur liber septimus

Edition: Bergh (1991), pp. 59–270.

13 (ff. 142va–150rb) Revelations, Book 7

Rubric: Incipit liber septimus Reuelacionum Sancte Brigitte

Incipit: Capitulum primum. CUm esset in Roma Beata brigitta sponsa christi et quadam uice oracioni vacaret cepit cogitare de partu virginis et de illa summa bonitate dei

Explicit: dicta vero missa et sacramentis susceptis cum maxima deuocione et reuerencia inter manus predictarum personarum emisit spiritum ~~et cetera~~

Final rubric: Explicit liber septimus

Edition: Bergh (1967), pp. 113–215.

14 (ff. 150rb–164ra) Revelations, Book 8

Rubric: Incipit liber octauus Reuelacionum sancte Brigitte

Incipit: SUmmus Imperator christus per sponsam loquitur ad reges ostendens se esse verum

Explicit: et colligant pauperes lauentque humiliter pedes eorum. [mut.]

Final rubric: et sic est finis

Note:

Most of chapter 1 and a few lines of chapter 2 are omitted. Book 8 ends with chapter 57, last chapter omitted.

f. 164v: guidelines but no text.

Colophon: f. 164raExpliciunt Reuelaciones approbate Sancte Brigitte per manus iohannis de gotha Affinitus est iste liber Anno domini Millesimo Quadringentesimo uicesimo quarto Sexta feria post festum assumpcionis beate marie. Luckart. Orate pro scriptore omnes

Edition: Hans Aili (2002), pp. 84–224.

Physical Description

Secundo folio

CAdere quinque permittitur

Support

Binding/Endleaves

Locus: ff. LCI, SL1r–SL1v, RCI

Support: Parchment

Leaf dimensions: 415 × 285 mm

Textblock

Locus: ff. 1r–164v

Watermark 1

Locus: ff. 2,

Note: Ox head with eyes, above double rod with cross on top. Similar to Piccard 2:3, XI, 109.

Watermark 2

Locus: ff. 66,

Note:

Blackamoor's head with headband. Similar to WZMA 993 27 .

The ox head and moor's head appear alternatingly throughout the manuscript.

Support: Paper

Leaf dimensions: 405 × 285 mm

Foliation

Contemporary foliation with Roman numerals in ink, i-cxi (ff. 1–111, fol. x-xii skipped or missing); ff. 112r–164v: modern foliation in pencil. ff. 93r–112r: scattered modern foliation in pencil and in black ink. ff. 13r–20v: chapter headings in red ink in the margins. ff. 30r–36r: Titles/headings in brown ink underlined in red in the margins.

Collation

Note: VisColl collation

Formula: 1(2), 2(8, lacks 8), 3-14(12), 15(12, lacks 9-12)

Signatures: Quires 3-14, bottom margin in brown ink, quire signatures.

Condition

Textblock

One leaf missing after f. 9. Some leaves loose or semi-detached, e.g. f. 99. Leaves repaired or reattached with glued-on pieces of paper or pieces from one or several other manuscripts. Some of these pieces carry text, e.g. f. 61r.

Layout

Locus: 1 – 164

Columns: 2

Written lines: 58–73

Written area: 305 × 185 mm

Note: Guidelines in ink.

Script

Textblock

Hand 1

Gothic cursive (possibly by several hands).

Additions

Binding/Endleaves

(LCI) Middle of the page in black ink: ‘D. Gustaf Klemm, Dresden 18 Febr. 1837’. Next to it in black ink: ‘Köpt till Kongl Bibliotheket Okt 1873 för 44 på auktion i Dresden ankom den 23/10 Gustav Klemming’. Below this in pencil, two illegible words (possibly a signature).

(RCI) Middle of the page by medieval hand in black ink: ‘1429 ipso die s. Clementis frater Kuch insinuavit processum contra M.W. in valvis ecclesie sancti Severi Erfordensis super executione condempnacionis 87 florenum de camera etc’.

Textblock

(f. 1r) Upper margin in black ink by a modern hand: ‘Revelationes S Brigittae’. Top right corner in pencil: ‘A. 67’. Lower margin in black ink by a modern hand: ‘Bibl. Bülov. Beyern. G. H. Schr.’ Beneath the right column in brown ink by a medieval hand: ‘amicus simplicitatis 1515 m:o v:c xv et in festo mauricii et cetera Gregorius O beta simplicitas que mansuetudinis et paciencie premio est donanda Simplicitas Est puritas intencionis et innocencia operis’ and an ownership mark.

(f. 13r) In the counterspace of the initial B in brown ink, a mark similar to the ownership mark on (f. 1r).

(ff. 4v–164r) The manuscript contains quite a lot of additions in the margins, in red, brown and black ink by different medieval hands ranging from one word to longer sentences, also many different manicules (a curious type of double fingered manicule can be seen on (f. 66r)). Some of the additions seem to be corrections or additions made by the scribe or a similar hand, e.g. (f. 47v). Other additions are glosses reacting to the text.

(f. 40r) Drawing of woman in red ink; bottom outer margin, a gloss in German.

(f. 164r) At the end of the colophon ‘Orate pro scriptore omnes’ has been supplied with ‘propter deum’ by a contemporary hand. Two short additions in German and Latin by contemporary hand: ‘Quid deus §Got ist icht got ist nicht ... dass got unbekant ist hec beatus Augustinus episcopus et doctor egregius. ’ ‘§Novum pulcrum exemplum de monacho ordinis sancti benedicti Retulit nobis nuper abbas . . . atque conpassio sepe miraculorum gloria remunerantur ’ Pen drawing and two portraits of monks. The first under the colophon with the name ‘Luckart’ written above and the second in the outer margin. The second drawing has the text ‘bruder lynkauff’ written above it.

Decorations

Textblock

Description:

Main text in black ink, capitals touched in red, rubrics in red and some underlining in red.

Initials:

(f. 1r): penwork A over 5 lines in red. (f. 13r): Puzzle initial B over 15 lines in red and black. (f. 30r): penwork H over 3 lines (+ extending above the line) in red. (f. 37r): puzzle initial S over 8 (+ extending below the line) in red and black. (ff. 1v–110v): plain initials with some flourishing over 2-4 lines (+ extending above and below the line) in red. (ff. 78r–142r): occasional plain initials in black or black and red over 2-3 lines (+ extending above and below the text). (ff. 142v–163v) initials outlined in red crayon. (ff. 110v–140r) space reserved for initials.

Bookmarks:

ff. 37r, 41r, 42r, 52r, 60r, 63r, 67r, 74r, 76r, 80r, 81r, 83r, 92r, 113r, 125r, 131r, 135r, 140r, 142r, 150r: bookmarks in brown and red leather, cloth, and folded pieces of brass.

Binding

Description:

Medieval binding. Leather over wooden boards. 5 pairs of raised bands and endbands. 2 clasps. Brass plates on RCO with remains of straps and two metal plates on LCI.

LCO: Top edge, tooled and almost illegible: ‘Revelaciones (?)’; beneath this a fragment of a shelfmark label with illegible text in brown ink. Centre of cover, barely legible tooled shelfmark: ‘C XXX (?)’, partially covered by an illegible paper label. Bottom left corner: National Library book label.

Spine: paper label: ‘Revelacone (!) S. Brigittae MS. 1424’, (written by the same hand as the title and inscription on f. 1r); paper label with dark and almost illegible text: ‘Revela[ciones] S. Birgitte (?)’; part of torn paper lable with illegible text; brown ink on paper label: ‘57’; stamped in gold: ‘A 67’.

The pastedowns consist of two bifolia containing a 13th century commentary on the Decretals of Gregory IX; LCI: on Extra 1,38-2,7; 3,21-27; RCI: on Extra 1,8-22; 2,30-3,7.

Regarding the shelfmark label, see Lehmann (1936), p. 14.

Binding dimensions: 425 × 305 × 60 mm

Condition: Leather torn and faded, possibly originally painted brown. Leather partially missing on Spine and Tail. Boards and endbands visible. Only remnants of the claps remain, brass plates and parts of the straps on RCO. Holes after missing centre and corner bosses on LCO and RCO, as well as two metal plates on LCI. Binding repaired at some point. Board attachement visible on LCI and RCI.

Contemporary: Yes

History

Origin

Germany, Erfurt 1424. According to the colophon on f. 164r finished on 1424-08-18.

Provenance

Place of origin or earliest known provenance is the monastery of Saint Peter and Paul (Peterskloster, OSB), Erfurt. The manuscript appears to have been kept at the monastery until the secularisation. It is listed in the monastery’s library catalogue of 1783: ‘De Gotha Joa.: Revelationes approbatae S. Brigittae’ as ‘no. 57’, (cf ‘57’ on the spine), see Theele (1920), p. 61 (though the manuscript is not identified by him); also listed in Krämer (1989), p. 231. The manuscript was bought by Friedrich Gottlieb Julius von Bülow zu Beyernaumburg(1760-1831) around 1803 after the secularization of the monastery.

The manuscript was then bought by Gustav Klemm (1802-1867), anthropologist and librarian at the royal library in Dresden at the sale of the Bibliotheca Büloviana in 1836. His signature is found on LCI. A catalogue for this sale was made by Georg Heinrich Schäffer whose name is found on f. 1r.