Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

MS. 27
On the four Gospels by Nicholas of Pelhrimov
Contents:
  1. On the four gospels
Date of origin:Ca. 1440.
Place of origin: Bergamo, Italy

Support: Paper codex with watermarks: bells (Briquet 4054) in quires 19-20.
Foliation: Modern foliation in lead in top-right corner is given for each of the first 46 folia, excepting 11 and 12. After that, the foliation appears every 10th folio (50, 60, 70, etc.) to the end of the text. Folio 203 is labeled.
Dimensions:215mm x 153mm (leaves), 158mm x 100mm (ruled space)
Collation:1-2012 There are 20 complete quires, although the text ends on f. 214v, and signatures are present in the far bottom-right corner of each 12th verso for the first 17 quires.
Script:Written in a littera gothica cursiva media. One hand is responsible for the entirety of the main text as well as for most of the corrections. A second hand, in a fading ink different from the main hand, has added both corrections/insertions and marginal comments. Corrections by either hand are found in either the top or bottom margins. The rubricator is very active, adding not only visual reference aids but also text in various places (e.g. ff. 4v and 7r). The main hand is very compact, exhibiting the classic looped letters of a cursive bookhand, and makes use of extensive abbreviations. When biblical text is quoted, the scribe enlarges the letters, and these references are further signaled by the rubricator's references in the margins.

Binding:Parchment on wooden boards with two clasps. The straps are lacking. At the top of the front cover, a title appears to be written (the last two words are reasonably "prima pars," but the first word or words are not legible).
Additions:Situated loose at the back of the book is a scrap of paper consistent with that of the codex and the pastedown; upon it is written, in a hand different from that of the scribe, a list.