Part 4 (1/2)
[77] The Church of Norwich paid 22, 9s. for illuminating a Graduale and Consuetudinary in 1374.
[78] Isidore Orig., cap. ii.--Jerome, in his Preface to Job, writes, ”_Habeant qui volunt veteres libros, vel in membranes purpurus auro argentique colore purpuros aurum liquiscit in literis._” Eddius Stepha.n.u.s in his Life of St. Wilfrid, cap xvi., speaks of ”Quatuor Evangeliae de auro purissimo in membranis de purpuratis coloratis pro animae suae remidis scribere jusset.” Du Cange, vol. iv. p. 654. See also Mabillon Act. Sanct., tom. v. p. 110, who is of opinion that these purple MSS. were only designed for princes; see Nouveau Traite de Diplomatique, and Montfaucon Palaeog. Graec., pp. 45, 218, 226, for more on this subject.
[79] See a Fragment in the Brit. Mus. engraved in Shaw's Illuminated Ornaments, plate 1.
[80] Middle Ages, vol. ii. p. 437. Mr. Maitland, in his ”Dark Ages,”
enters into a consideration of this matter with much critical learning and ingenuity.
[81] D'Israeli Amenities of Lit., vol. i. p. 358.
[82] The Precentor's accounts of the Church of Norwich contain the following items:--1300, 5 _dozen parchment_, 2_s._ 6_d._, 40 lbs. of ink, 4_s._ 4_d._, 1 gallon of vini decrili, 3_s._, 4 lbs. of corporase, 4 lbs. of galls, 2 lbs. of gum arab, 3_s._ 4_d._, to make ink. I dismiss these facts with the simple question they naturally excite: that if parchment was so _very scarce_, what on earth did the monk want with all this ink?
[83] Leonardi Aretini Epist. 1. iv. ep. v.
[84] Mehi Praefatio ad vit Ambrosii Traversarii, p. x.x.xix.
[85] Mehi Praef., pp. xlviii.--xlix.
[86] A MS. containing five books of Tacitus which had been deemed lost was found in Germany during the pontificate of Leo X., and deposited in the Laurentian library at Florence.--_Mehi Praef._ p.
xlvii. See Shepard's Life of Poggio, p. 104, to whom I am much indebted for these curious facts.
[87] Shepard's Life of Poggio, p. 101.
CHAPTER IV.
_Canterbury Monastery.--Theodore of Tarsus.--Tatwine.--Nothelm.--St.
Dunstan.--aelfric.--Lanfranc.--Anselm.--St. Augustine's books.--Henry de Estria and his Catalogue.--Chiclely.--Sellinge.--Rochester.--Gundulph, a Bible Student.--Radulphus.--Ascelin of Dover.--Glanvill, etc._
In the foregoing chapters I have endeavored to give the reader an insight into the means by which the monks multiplied their books, the opportunities they had of obtaining them, the rules of their libraries and scriptoria, and the duties of a monkish librarian. I now proceed to notice some of the English monastic libraries of the middle ages, and by early records and old ma.n.u.scripts inquire into their extent, and revel for a time among the bibliomaniacs of the cloisters. On the spot where Christianity--more than twelve hundred years ago--first obtained a permanent footing in Britain, stands the proud metropolitan cathedral of Canterbury--a venerable and lasting monument of ancient piety and monkish zeal. St. Augustine, who brought over the glad tidings of the Christian faith in the year 596, founded that n.o.ble structure on the remains of a church which Roman Christians in remote times had built there. To write the literary history of its old monastery would spread over more pages than this volume contains, so many learned and bookish abbots are mentioned in its monkish annals. Such, however, is beyond the scope of my present design, and I have only to turn over those ancient chronicles to find how the love of books flourished in monkish days; so that, whilst I may here and there pa.s.s unnoticed some ingenious author, or only casually remark upon his talents, all that relate to libraries or book-collecting, to bibliophiles or scribes, I shall carefully record; and, I think, from the notes now lying before me, and which I am about to arrange in something like order, the reader will form a very different idea of monkish libraries than he previously entertained.
The name that first attracts our attention in the early history of Canterbury Church is that of Theodore of Tarsus, the father of Anglo-Saxon literature, and certainly the first who introduced bibliomania into this island; for when he came on his mission from Rome in the year 668 he brought with him an extensive library, containing many Greek and Latin authors, in a knowledge of which he was thoroughly initiated. Bede tells us that he was well skilled in metrical art, astronomy, arithmetic, church music, and the Greek and Latin languages.[88] At his death[89] the library of Christ Church Monastery was enriched by his valuable books, and in the time of old Lambarde some of them still remained. He says, in his quaint way, ”The Reverend Father Mathew, nowe Archbishop of Canterburie, whose care for the conservation of learned monuments can never be sufficiently commended, shewed me, not long since, the Psalter of David, and sundrie homilies in Greek; Homer also and some other Greeke authors beautifully wrytten on thicke paper, with the name of this Theodore prefixed in the fronte, to whose librarie he reasonably thought, being thereto led by shew of great antiquitie that they sometimes belonged.”[90]
Tatwine was a great book lover, if not a bibliomaniac. ”He was renowned for religious wisdom, and notably learned in Sacred Writ.”[91] If he wrote the many pieces attributed to him, his pen must have been prolific and his reading curious and diversified. He is said to have composed on profane and sacred subjects, but his works were unfortunately destroyed by the Danish invaders, and a book of poems and one of enigmas are all that have escaped their ravages. The latter work, preserved in our National Library, contains many curious hints, ill.u.s.trative of the manners of those remote days.[92]
Nothelm, or the Bold Helm, succeeded this interesting author; he was a learned and pious priest of London. The bibliomaniac will somewhat envy the avocation of this worthy monk whilst searching over the rich treasures of the Roman archives, from whence he gleaned much valuable information to aid Bede in compiling his history of the English Church.[93] Not only was he an industrious scribe but also a talented author, if we are to believe Pits, who ascribes to him several works, with a Life of St. Augustine.[94]
It is well known that St. Dunstan was an ingenious scribe, and so pa.s.sionately fond of books, that we may unhesitatingly proclaim him a bibliomaniac. He was a native of Wess.e.x, and resided with his father near Glas...o...b..ry Abbey, which holy spot many a legendary tale rendered dear to his youthful heart. He entered the Abbey, and devoted his whole time to reading the wondrous lives and miracles of ascetic men till his mind became excited to a state of insanity by the many marvels and prodigies which they unfolded; so that he acquired among the simple monks the reputation of one holding constant and familiar intercourse with the beings of another world. On his presentation to the king, which was effected by the influence of his uncle Athelm, Archbishop of Canterbury, he soon became a great favorite, but excited so much jealousy there, that evil reports were industriously spread respecting him. He was accused of practising magical arts and intriguing with the devil. This induced him to retire again into the seclusion of a monastic cell, which he constructed so low that he could scarcely stand upright in it. It was large enough, however, to hold his forge and other apparatus, for he was a proficient worker in metals, and made ornaments, and bells for his church. He was very fond of music, and played with exquisite skill upon the harp.[95] But what is more to our purpose, his biographer tells us that he was remarkably skilful in writing and illuminating, and transcribed many books, adorning them with beautiful paintings, whilst in this little cell.[96] One of them is preserved in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. On the front is a painting of St. Dunstan kneeling before our Saviour, and at the top is written ”_Pictura et Scriptura hujus pagine subtas visi est de propria manu sei Dunstani_.”[97] But in the midst of these ingenious pursuits he did not forget to devote many hours to the study of the Holy Scriptures, as also to the diligent transcription and correction of copies of them,[98] and thus arming himself with the sacred word, he was enabled to withstand the numerous temptations which surrounded him. Sometimes the devil appeared as a man, and at other times he was still more severely tempted by the visitations of a beautiful woman, who strove by the most alluring blandishments to draw that holy man from the paths of Christian rect.i.tude. In the tenth century such eminent virtues could not pa.s.s unrewarded, and he was advanced to the Archbishopric of Canterbury in the year 961, but his after life is that of a saintly politician, and displays nothing that need be mentioned here.
In the year 969,[99] aelfric, abbot of St. Alban's, was elected archbishop of Canterbury. His ident.i.ty is involved in considerable doubt by the many contemporaries who bore that name, some of whom, like him, were celebrated for their talent and erudition; but, leaving the solution of this difficulty to the antiquarian, we are justified in saying that he was of n.o.ble family, and received his education under Ethelwold, at Abingdon, about the year 960. He accompanied his master to Winchester, and Elphegus, bishop of that see, entertained so high an opinion of aelfric's learning and capacity, that he sent him to superintend the recently founded monastery of Cerne, in Devons.h.i.+re. He there spent all his hours, unoccupied by the duties of his abbatical office, in the transcription of books and the n.o.bler avocations of an author. He composed a Latin Grammar, a work which has won for him the t.i.tle of ”_The Grammarian_,” and he greatly helped to maintain the purity of the Christian church by composing a large collection of homilies, which became exceedingly popular during the succeeding century, and are yet in existence. The preface to these homilies contain several very curious pa.s.sages ill.u.s.trative of the mode of publication resorted to by the monkish authors, and on that account I am tempted to make the following extracts:
”I, aelfric, the scholar of Ethelwold, to the courteous and venerable Bishop Sigeric, in the Lord.
”Although it may appear to be an attempt of some rashness and presumption, yet have I ventured to translate this book out of the Latin writers, especially those of the 'Holy Scriptures,' into our common language; for the edification of the ignorant, who only understand this language when it is either read or heard. Wherefore I have not used obscure or unintelligible words, but given the plain English. By which means the hearts, both of the readers and of the hearers, may be reached more easily; because they are incapable of being otherwise instructed, than in their native tongue. Indeed, in our translation, we have not ever been so studious to render word for word, as to give the true sense and meaning of our authors. Nevertheless, we have used all diligent caution against deceitful errors, that we may not be found seduced by any heresy, nor blinded by any deceit. For we have followed these authors in this translation, namely, St. Austin of Hippo, St. Jerome, Bede, Gregory, Smaragdus, and sometimes Haymo, whose authority is admitted to be of great weight with all the faithful. Nor have we only expounded the treatise of the gospels;... but have also described the pa.s.sions and lives of the saints, for the use of the unlearned of this nation. We have placed forty discourses in this volume, believing this will be sufficient for one year, if they be recited entirely to the faithful, by the ministers of the Lord. But the other book which we have now taken in hand to compose will contain those pa.s.sions or treatises which are omitted in this volume.” ... ”Now, if any one find fault with our translation, that we have not always given word for word, or that this translation is not so full as the treatise of the authors themselves, or that in handling of the gospels we have run them over in a method not exactly conformable to the order appointed in the church, let him compose a book of his own; by an interpretation of deeper learning, as shall best agree with his understanding, this only I beseech him, that he may not pervert this version of mine, which I hope, by the grace of G.o.d, without any boasting, I have, according to the best of my skill, performed with all diligence.
Now, I most earnestly entreat your goodness, my most gentle father Sigeric, that you will vouchsafe to correct, by your care, whatever blemishes of malignant heresy, or of dark deceit, you shall meet with in my translation, and then permit this little book to be ascribed to your authority, and not to the meanness of a person of my unworthy character.
Farewell in the Almighty G.o.d continually. Amen.”[100]
I have before alluded to the care observed by the scribes in copying their ma.n.u.scripts, and the moderns may deem themselves fortunate that they did so; for although many interpolations, or emendations, as they called them, occur in monkish transcripts, on the whole, their integrity, in this respect, forms a redeeming quality in connexion with their learning. In another preface, affixed to the second collection of his homilies, aelfric thus explains his design in translating them:
”aelfric, a monk and priest, although a man of less abilities than are requisite for one in such orders, was sent, in the days of King aethelred, from Alphege, the bishop and successor of aethelwold, to a monastery which is called Cernel, at the desire of aethelmer, the Thane, whose n.o.ble birth and goodness is everywhere known. Then ran it in my mind, I trust, through the grace of G.o.d, that I ought to translate this book out of the Latin tongue into the English language not upon presumption of great learning, but because I saw and heard much error in many English books, which ignorant men, through their simplicity, esteemed great wisdom, and because it grieved me that they neither knew, nor had the gospel learning in their writing, except from those men that understood Latin, and those books which are to be had of King Alfred's, which he skilfully translated from Latin into English.”[101]