St John's College (Cambridge) Library, A.15
(R. Grosseteste, Etc.)
Codicology
Produced: | England, 13th - 15th century |
Current Location: | St John's College (Cambridge) Library, Cambridge, England, UK |
Manuscript Type: | Miscellany |
Bestiary Family: | Second : IIB |
Language: | Latin |
Folios: | 143 |
Illustrated: | No |
Media: | Vellum |
Script: | Textura |
Dimensions: | Height: 9.8 cm Width: 7.1 cm |
Description
Contains a partial bestiary, folia 134v to 143v.
...was originally four separate volumes, which were probably bound together by Nicholas Kempston before his death in 1477. The bestiary is found in the fourth volume. This 'Libellus fratris Roberti' dates to the late thirteenth century. ... The Liber bestiarum, which starts on folio 134v, is plain text with no colored ink whatsoever. Although the hand is neat and legible, it is not the most formal rendition of textura. The lines tend to bow slightly across the page in places. Space was left for decorated capital letters before most divisions of the text, and for miniature illustrations of some of the animals. Clearly St John's College A. 15 was intended to be an illustrated bestiary, but for some reason the artwork was never undertaken. ...text includes all the beats expected in a Second Family text, but breaks off at the beginning of the section on birds.
A Bestiary with one or two spaces left for small pictures: no title or rubrics. Leo fortissimus bestiarum ad nullius pauebit occursum. Ends unfinished f. 143b: Vultur a uolatu tardo nominatus. putatu.
Additional Descriptions
Editions and Facsimiles
None known