Beschreibung:

SERMONS collected by HENRY OF KNARESBOROUGH, in Latin, DECORATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [?Yorkshire, late 12th century] 180 x 130mm. 317 leaves: 1 2(i as pastedown), 2 1 3(of 14, lacking iv), 3-6 1 2, 7 8, 8 1 2, 9 9(of 8 + i), 10 3(of 6, iv-vi cancelled blanks), 11 3(of 2 + iii, with outer sewing guard), 12 1 1(of 12, xii cancelled blank), 13-14 8, 15 4, 16 7(of 8, viii cancelled blank), 17 7(of 8, lacking i), 18-19 8, 20 2, 21 6, 22 8, 23 1 0, 24 1 2, 25 1 1(of 12, lacking i), 26 1 2, 27 1 4(of 16, lacking i & iv), 28 1 4, 29 1 6(of 18, lacking x & xi), 30 1 1(of 14, lacking xii-xiv), 31-32 8, 33 1 4, 34 8, 35 4(iv as pastedown), catchwords in lower margins of f.84v and 90v; gathering numbers inserted by an early hand in the centre of several final versos show that ff.209-220 (marked iiii) should follow f.39 and that ff.292-305 (marked xi) should follow f.95; written in black or brown ink by various hands in one or two columns of 30 to 40 lines, varied ruling in black or grey, pricking visible in all margins, typical justification: 140 x 100mm, coloured and flourished initials in red, blue and green, of different patterns throughout the manuscript, some large initials never supplied (final leaves affected by corrosion of metal stud to cover). CONTEMPORARY LEATHER OVER THICK WOODEN BOARDS, spine sewn on three thongs, lower cover with vellum surface with metal stud and pin, inscribed title 'liber henrici de knaresb...' in brown ink, upper cover with restored metal clasp and inscribed with later title 'Collectanea Heni de Knasburge Sermons No 29' in brown ink, spine covered with ?later vellum, 'No 29' on lower compartment (tabs trimmed from head and foot of spine, small split above middle thong, replacement strap). AN EARLY MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPT FROM FOUNTAINS ABBEY PROVENANCE: 1. Gift of Henry of Knaresborough to Fountains Abbey: inscribed 'Liber Sancte Marie de fontibus ex dono Henrici di Knarresburc', f.2v. Henry of Knaresborough, also variously described as clerk and parson of Knaresborough in Yorkshire, is recorded from 1171-2 into the first decade of the 13th century. He witnessed several documents copied into the Fountains cartulary, among them a grant by Abbot John of Fountains, who began the building of the Abbey church in 1204, which was also witnessed by the prior, sub-prior and cellarer. In 1200 he had become the parson of Kirkby Stephen. (W. Lancaster, Chartulary of the Cistercian Abbey of Fountains , 1915: W. Farrer, Early Yorkshire Charters , I, 1914, nos 516 and 1511). He is said to have died in 1208. He may be the parish priest who was rebuked for lack of charity by the hermit St Robert of Knaresborough (d.1218). There is no certainty that Henry was the author of any of the works in this manuscript; no person of this name is identified in Richard Sharpe, A Handlist of Latin Writers of Great Britain and Ireland before 1540 , 1997. Yet the opening group of 21, which are listed in a 15th-century hand on the front pastedown, are there described as his. Fountains Abbey was one of the first Cistercian foundations in Yorkshire in 1132 and swiftly established itself as one of the largest and richest houses in England. Over forty manuscripts from Fountains survive, including this one (see N.R. Ker, Medieval Libraries of Great Britain , 2nd ed., 1964, and A. Watson Supplement , 1987, where the present manuuscript is mistakenly described as 'stolen in 1964', p.37). The manuscript presumably remained in the Abbey's possession until its dissolution in November 1539. With the discovery of the Picturesque, the ruins of Fountains Abbey came to represent the whole ethos of the Middle Ages and their potential as a source of inspiration for the present. Despite the evolution of a more objective, and less optimistic, view of the national past, Fountains maintains its unique place in the popular awareness of English history. 2. Ingilby family of Ripley Castle: the name of William Ingilby with the date '30 of Jan 1645 the yeare b