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For efficiency, writings of law and canon law were often copied using the pecia system, where a model was divided into quires and distributed to several copyists. In the same manner, this commentary on the decretals by ”Abbas antiquus“, only later identified as Bernardus de Montemirato, was created in three pieces. The sparingly decorated manuscript is written in a littera bononiensis and was owned by the library of the Carthusian monastery of Basel.
Online Since: 12/14/2017
A composite manuscript from Fulda with texts primarily on the topic of repentance and asceticism. Similar to a series of Isidore-codices from Fulda, it reached Basel in the 16th century - possibly because one of the texts contained therein also survived under Isidore's name; thus it escaped the abduction and destruction of the Fulda library during the Thirty Years' War. The various parts and texts are written in Anglo-Saxon and Carolingian minuscule and originated in Fulda and its surroundings, up to Mainz. The leather binding, presumably still Carolingian, was much changed at a later time, especially due to the removal of the covers. Apparently in Basel, what had formerly been the first quire (Paenitentiale Theodori), in a markedlay smaller format, was removed from the collection. Today it bears the shelf mark N I 1: 3c.
Online Since: 03/17/2016
This Merovingian composite manuscript, which was created in Bourges, originally consisted of six independent parts, which were written by different, often not very practiced hands in various phases. Most of the close to thirty individual pieces are texts from grammatical, patristic, computistic and medical works. The longer pieces are interspersed with further excerpts, partly written in Tironian notes. One quaternio from the only partially preserved third part is today held in Paris (BN lat. 10756). Noteworthy is the palimpsest in the fifth part, whose undertexts were probably written in Italy in the 7th century and in the second half of the 5th century respectively.
Online Since: 03/17/2016
This volume of 25 leaves was produced between 1910-1916 to preserve eight fragments from five Greek parchment manuscripts. The fragments, almost all palimpsests, had been found around 1896 in the binding of an unidentified Syrian gospel from Harput (Anatolia). A: Fragm. 1-2 (4th century ex / 7th century in): parts of ch. 15 of Didascalia apostolorum; B: Fragm. 3-4 (6th century): parts of ch. 3-4 of First Epistle of Paul to Timothy; C: Fragm. 5, in extremely poor state of preservation: contents and dating unknown; D: Fragm. 6 (7th century): parts of the prologue and the beginning of the scholia on book 24 of the Iliad; E: Fragm. 7-8 (7th century): parts of Psalms 108, 114 and 115. The content of the writing on the lower parts of the palimpsests is neither known nor dated.
Online Since: 12/10/2020
Many scribes contributed to the copies of the works of Horace, Virgil, Persius and Statius that have been brought together in CB 90. These humanistic re-copyings made in the 15th century demonstrate the reception of Latin authors in Renaissance Italy. Two leaves at the end of the manuscript are palimpsests: a letter from Ovid's Heroides (from Sappho to Phaon) and an extract from the Epigrams of Martial have been were written over the text of the biblical book of Tobit.
Online Since: 12/21/2009
This manuscript, which was probably created in the St. Matthias-Eucharius Abbey in Trier, clearly belonged to the Benedictine abbey, as the ex libris on f. 1r declares. It contains, among others, the Liber antiquitatum biblicarum, which recounts Biblical history from Adam to King Saul, i.e., from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Samuel. This work was falsely attributed to Philo of Alexandria (1st century AD), the Hellenistic philosopher of Jewish culture. It also contains excerpts from the Carmina by the poet and Bishop of Tours Hildebert of Lavardin (1056-1133).
Online Since: 12/18/2014
This medical handbook by Gariopontus, who flourished in the mid-11th century in Salerno, systematically assembled in head-to-foot order writings already long known in the Latin speaking world (Galen's Ad Glauconem de medendi methodo I-II with a Liber tercius by a pseudo-Galen, the Aurelius and Esculapius derived ultimately from the texts of Soranus of Ephesus, and an extract from the Therapeutica by Alexander of Tralles) in seven books. The work exercised a strong influence on the School of Salerno. It survives in more than 65 manuscripts, and three print issues were produced as early as the 16th century. The Bodmer manuscript from the early 12th century, like many other versions of this text, features numerous glosses.
Online Since: 03/22/2012
This Einsiedeln codex contains the letter of Alexander to Aristotle, the life of Charlemagne by Einhard, and an account by Eberwinus of the life of the hermit Simeon of Trier. This manuscript, which was written during the first third of the 10th century and the second half of the 11th century, could have been produced in St. Gallen, or else in western or southern Germany.
Online Since: 07/31/2009
This manuscript consists of two parts, bound together for the first time during the 14th century in Einsiedeln and annotated by Heinrich von Ligerz. The first part (1-137), which contains three works by Priscian and one by Rufinus, was probably produced during the 9th/10th centuries in Switzerland or Germany. The second part (139-318) contains works by Isidore and is in part a palimpsest. It was written during the 8th/9th centuries in northern Italy or Switzerland, probably in the same scriptorium as Cod. Sang. 908.
Online Since: 12/19/2011
This codex begins with works of Augustine: 1r-27v Liber de gratia et libero arbitrio, 28r-63r letters from and to Augustine De praedestinatione and 63r-93r Liber secundus de dono perseverentiae. Then follows the Tractatus de gratia et libero arbitrio first produced by the Cistercian Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux in 1127. Folios 1-80 are palimpsests. The book's decoration limits itself to rather awkward red decorated initials and first lines at the beginning of each book, red-accentuated capitals and a pen drawing on 93r. On 111r there appears, as in Cod. 138 a later note of ownership, in a hand that resembles that of Cod. 90.
Online Since: 10/04/2011
The bulk of this codex contains Hugh of Saint Victor's De sacramentis fidei christianae (10r-147r). Preceding it are two short treatises on the Antichrist (Ps.-Augustine 1r-6v and Peter Damian 6v-10r), and after it comes a collection of opinions of and excerpts from Hrabanus Maurus' De universo. With very few exceptions, 1-44 are palimpsests. The pages towards the end have many large holes and tears or are partially excised; one folio, between 10 and 11r, is missing entirely. The writing is characterized by several changes of ink and hand, and the page ruling is not uniform. Except for simple red and black initials and rubricated lines, there is no book decoration whatsoever. A pair of marginal notes appear on 112v. Although the codex contains no univocal indication that it was produced in Engelberg, a few similarities with the volumes produced under Abbot Frowin (1143-1178) suggest it.
Online Since: 10/04/2011
This codex contains two different texts, both incomplete, in a single 19th century binding. One of these is Henry Suso's Horologium Sapientiae (1-66), a text that was written in Constance and that was in wide use during the late Middle Ages. The other is Petrarch's De Vita Solitaria (67-116). The first is a parchment manuscript of Italian origin that can be dated to the late 14th or early 15th century; it is written by a single hand in a semi-cursive Gothic script in two columns. What makes this manuscript special is that it was written on a parchment palimpsest that originally contained legal texts written in the 13th century. The second part, by another hand and of French or Swiss origin, contains a text by Petrarch written in a bastarda script in two columns, dated to the 15th century. Both texts contain pen-flourish initials and are interspersed with manicules.
Online Since: 10/10/2019
Numerous hands participated in the creation of this single-column, undecorated manuscript for regular use; it contains texts by Augustine and Isidore of Seville. The writing material was parchments of differing quality, some of which were reused. The manuscript is listed in the Allerheiligen Abbey register of books from about 1100 (Min. 17, f. 306v). In the 15th century this codex, like many others, received a new leather binding with metal bosses and two clasps; a fragment from a 12th century missal with neumes was used for the rear pastedown.
Online Since: 06/25/2015
A copy of the first book of the Homilies of Gregory on Ezekiel, produced primarily in Reichenau. This volume was mentioned in the book register of Allerheiligen (All Saints) monastery as early as 1096 (Min. 17, f. 306v). The binding is most likely contemporary with the production of the manuscript.
Online Since: 07/31/2009
Collection of liturgical works, containing texts from the 9th to 12th centuries and an illustration of Pacificus of Verona's star clock.
Online Since: 12/31/2005
An impressive palimpsest-manuscript (with pages containing duplicate texts) of the oldest known texts of the Old Testament books of Ezekiel, Daniel and the Minor Prophets. Upper script in Retro-Romanish minuscule from the time around 800 (from Rätien or St. Gall): sermons of Caesarius of Arles (470/71-542), further homilies and sermons, tracts, prayers and lessons. Lower, sometimes difficult to read script in Roman half uncial from northern Italy: fragmentarily preserved Latin bible texts from the Old Testament books of Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Minor Prophets.
Online Since: 12/09/2008
Early homiletic manuscript collection from the monastery of St. Gall, written on stiff, poorly smoothed, unevenly cut and damaged parchment, already previously used, overwritten in the first half of the 8th century with the sermons of Caesarius of Arles and the Synonyma of Isidore of Seville. Underlying script (Merovingian): a significant copy of the Old Testament Books of Wisdom, written in about 700 in southern France or Spain. This is among the oldest books preserved by the monastery of St. Gall.
Online Since: 12/09/2008
Palimpsest Manuscript with texts from the 8th (upper script band) and 5th (lower script band) centuries. The manuscript consists of a fragmentary copy of great importance in the field of textual study, from Italy, written in Roman Uncial script, containing passages from books 1 through 6 of the work Divinae institutiones (Divine Instructions) by Roman author Lucius Caelius Firmianus Lactantius (about 250 - 325) made in the 5th century. To these the Dialogs of Gregory the Great and shorter theological texts by Augustine, Isidore of Seville and additional (mostly unknown) authors were added in the 8th century, probably in St. Gall.
Online Since: 12/09/2008
Composite manuscript containing mainly theological texts and, as the largest part (pp. 61–212), the Vocabularius Ex quo. The remaining works are a commentary on the hymnal, where each verse of a hymn alternates with the corresponding explanation (pp. 1–56), a short treatise De humani cordis instabilitate (pp. 57–60), sermons (pp. 212–229, 240–268 and 268–273), the life of Albert of Trapani (Albertus Siculus) (pp. 230–239), the Speculum humanae salvationis (pp. 274–335), a short treatise on virtues and vices called Etymachia or Lumen animae (pp. 335–345), excerpts from Jerome, Augustine and others (pp. 346–368), as well as the Speculum ecclesiae by Hugo de S. Caro (pp. 370–391). The latter is written on a parchment palimpsest , the underwriting (“scriptio inferior”) is in Rotunda script. Four red and bleu fleuronné initials from the underwriting have survived (p. 372, 373 and 375). The last pages contain responsories for Christmas (Descendit de celis deus verus), the Feast of Saint Mark (Beatissimus Marcus discipulus) and Commune plurimum martyrum (Viri gloriosi sanguinem fuderunt), and also the Easter trope (Quem queritis) with melodies in square notation on four lines (pp. 392–394). The manuscript consists of parchment and paper, sometimes even mixed within one quire. This codex has been at the monastery of St. Gall at least since 1553/64 (library stamp p. 60).
Online Since: 06/23/2016
Vitae of ancient Roman saints, among them – preserved here only – the Life of Pope Gregory the Great, composed by a monk from the English monastery of Whitby.
Online Since: 09/14/2005
A composite manuscript, produced for the most part during the 9th century at the Abbey of St. Gall. In addition to some shorter texts with computistic-chronological, homiletic and liturgical content, the manuscript contains as its main elements a copy of the Book of Pennance (Poenitentiale) by Bishop Halitgar of Cambrai († 830), excerpts from the rule of Fructuosus of Braga (7th century), and the tract De duodecim abusivis saeculi, a work by an unknown Irish author, long attributed to Cyprian of Carthage.
Online Since: 12/21/2009
An important legal manuscript from Raetia: the Lex Romana Curiensis with the Capitula of Bishop Remedius of Chur which are only preserved here, dating from around 800.
Online Since: 12/31/2005
Notker the German, Old High German translation and commentary on De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii of Martianus Capella; two commentaries on the gospels from the 12th and 13th century; a translation from Latin into Old High German plus commentary on the first two books of Martianus Capella's († 439) work The Marriage of Philology and Mercury by the St. Gall monk Notker the German written in the 11th century. The two commentaries on the gospels date from the 12th and 13th centuries. The Martianus Capella part is a palimpsest, for the most part written over an older, barely legible text of the Institutiones Grammaticae of Priscianus of Caesarea.
Online Since: 12/12/2006
"The king of palimpsests": parchment fragments from late antiquity that were erased and reused at a later time, sometimes more than once. The scholarly significance of the palimpsests normally lies in the older texts. Some works have only been preserved as palimpsests. This volume, compiled by the librarian Ildefonse of Arx before and after 1800 from single fragments found in the abbey library, contains among many other texts the oldest known copy of the Mulomedicina of Vegetius (5th century), the only known poems and prose by Flavius Merobaudes (5th century) and the so-called "St. Gallen oracles", or "Sortes Sangallenses" (6th century).
Online Since: 12/12/2006
The Abba-Ababus-Glossar in palimpsest form, one of the oldest manuscripts in the Abbey Library which survives in book form. This glossary, in which each Latin word is explained using another, was apparently written over older texts from the 5th century in the Cloister of Bobbio. The texts underneath, which vary in legibility, include fragments of the Psalms and of the book of Jeremiah from the Old Testament as well as extracts from works by the grammarian Donatus and the Roman poet Terence. Includes a miniature of a speaker in declamatory pose.
Online Since: 12/09/2008
Collected Fragments Volume I from the Abbey Library of St. Gall ("Veterum Fragmentorum manuscriptis codicibus detractorum collectio tomus primus"). The volume contains, among many varied single pages and fragmentary texts, fragments from the Aeneid and the Georgics by Vergil from the late 4th century which are significant to textual history (11 pages and 8 small strips), 17 smaller and larger bits of text from a pre-Vulgate Vetus-Latina version of the Gospels from the early 5th century, fragments of a copy of the comedies of Terence from the 10th century, documents from the 9th through 15th centuries, small fragments in Hebrewscript, and the "St. Galler Glauben und Beichte II" (formulas for shrift or confession, together with professions of faith from the 11th century). Pater Ildefons von Arx (1755-1833) assembled this composite volume in the year 1822 and dedicated it to his former supervisor, Abbey Librarian Pater Johann Nepomuk Hauntinger (1756-1823).
Online Since: 07/31/2009
This small format siddur for personal use can be characterized as a vademecum for Jewish religious and communal life. It is divided into three parts, relative to liturgy, Jewish ceremonies, and a last miscellaneous one. The latter includes, among other significant texts, a rare and intriguing list of the names of books and incipits of chapters of all 24 Books of the Bible, with the Hebrew and Latin names, spelled out in Hebrew characters.
Online Since: 06/13/2019