The Durham Liber Vitae is a confraternity book produced in north-eastern England in the Middle Ages. It records the names of visitors to the church of the bishopric of Durham, and its predecessor sees at Lindisfarne and Chester-le-Street. In England, it is the oldest book of this type, although it is paralleled by later English confraternity books, most notably the New Minster Liber Vitae.[1]
The text was originally of the 9th century, but was continually supplemented thereafter by entries made in the 10th century and later.[2]
The 9th-century core constitutes folios 15–45, with folio 47.[3] It is generally believed by scholars that it was produced in the church of Lindisfarne, though Monkwearmouth-Jarrow monasteries have also been suggested.[4] This had been composed c. 840. It has been damaged over time, and the original binding is now lost.[5] It consisted of parchment sheets on which were written lists of names, followed by blank sections for future additions.[6]
The book was at Durham by the later 11th century, as indicated by the list of Durham monks on folio 45 from the episcopate of Ranulf Flambard.[4] Later additions to the early core were made to folios 24r, 36r, 44v and 45r.[7]
High and Later Middle Agesedit
The book was reorganised in the third quarter of the 12th century, and it is likely that many of the names originally there did not survive.[6] The form it attained at that point appears to be the one it kept until the 15th century, although it was continually updated with new entries.[6] After 1300 very few names were added to the original core.[8]
The Liber Vitae is currently in the British Library, where it is classified as BL, MS Cotton Domitian vii. The manuscript itself is 205 x 142 mm.[9]
Notesedit
^Keynes, "The Liber Vitae of the New Minster Winchester"
^Rollason & Rollason (eds.), The Durham Liber Vitae, pp. 6—7.
^Rollason & Rollason (eds.), The Durham Liber Vitae, p. 7.
^ abBriggs, "Original Core", p. 64; Gerchow, "Origins", p. 47.
^Rollason & Rollason (eds.), The Durham Liber Vitae, p. 11.
^ abcRollason & Rollason (eds.), The Durham Liber Vitae, p. 18.
^Rollason & Rollason (eds.), The Durham Liber Vitae, p. 24.
^Rollason & Rollason (eds.), The Durham Liber Vitae, p. 26.
^Rollason & Rollason (eds.), The DurhamLiber Vitae, p. 6.
Sourcesedit
Briggs, Elizabeth (2004), "The Original Core of the Durham Liber Vitae", in Rollason, David (ed.), The Durham Liber Vitae and Its Context, Woodbridge: Boydell Press, pp. 63–86, ISBN1-84383-060-4
Gerchow, Jan (2004), "The Origins of the Durham Liber Vitae", in Rollason, David (ed.), The Durham Liber Vitae and Its Context, Woodbridge: Boydell Press, pp. 45–62, ISBN1-84383-060-4
Keynes, Simon (2004), "The Liber Vitae of the New Minster Winchester", in Rollason, David (ed.), The Durham Liber Vitae and Its Context, Woodbridge: Boydell Press, pp. 149–64, ISBN1-84383-060-4
Rollason, David; Rollason, Lynda, eds. (2007), Durham Liber vitae : London, British Library, MS Cotton Domitian A.VII : edition and digital facsimile with introduction, codicological, prosopographical and linguistic commentary, and indexes including the Biographical Register of Durham Cathedral Priory (1083–1539) by A. J. Piper, 3 vols, vol. I, London: British Library, ISBN0-7123-4995-2
Stevenson, Joseph, ed. (1841), Liber Vitae Ecclesiae Dunelmensis: Nec Non Obituaria Duo Ejusdem Ecclesiae, J. B. Nichols and son. Also available from Internet Archive.
Further readingedit
Barker, E. E. (1977). "Two Lost Documents of King Athelstan". Anglo-Saxon England. 6: 137–43. doi:10.1017/s0263675100000983.
Insley, John (2015). "The Old English and Scandinavian Personal Names of the Durham Liber Vitae to 1200". In Geuenich, Dieter; Ludwig, Uwe (eds.). Libri vitae: Gebetsgedenken in der Gesellschaft des Frühen Mittelalters. Cologne: De Gruyter. pp. 441–52.
Thompson, A. Hamilton, ed. (1923), Liber Vitæ Ecclesiæ Dunelmensis. A Collotype facsimile of the original Manuscript, with introductory essays and notes, vol. I, Surtees Society 136. Facsimile edition, now superseded by the digital facsimile edition prepared by David and Lynda Rollason.
Online facsilime at the British Library
External linksedit
The Durham Liber Vitae project
November 26, 2023
durham, liber, vitae, confraternity, book, produced, north, eastern, england, middle, ages, records, names, visitors, church, bishopric, durham, predecessor, sees, lindisfarne, chester, street, england, oldest, book, this, type, although, paralleled, later, en. The Durham Liber Vitae is a confraternity book produced in north eastern England in the Middle Ages It records the names of visitors to the church of the bishopric of Durham and its predecessor sees at Lindisfarne and Chester le Street In England it is the oldest book of this type although it is paralleled by later English confraternity books most notably the New Minster Liber Vitae 1 Durham Liber VitaeLondon British Library MS Cotton Domitian viiTypeliber vitae confraternity bookDate9th century with additions being made until c 1300 and to a lesser extent also at later datesPlace of originNorthumbriaScribe s multipleMaterialparchmentSize205 x 142 mmConditionoriginal binding lost some damage over timeScriptvariousAdditionsnames of benefactors and visitors Contents 1 Original Anglo Saxon Liber Vitae 2 High and Later Middle Ages 3 Notes 4 Sources 5 Further reading 6 External linksOriginal Anglo Saxon Liber Vitae editThe text was originally of the 9th century but was continually supplemented thereafter by entries made in the 10th century and later 2 The 9th century core constitutes folios 15 45 with folio 47 3 It is generally believed by scholars that it was produced in the church of Lindisfarne though Monkwearmouth Jarrow monasteries have also been suggested 4 This had been composed c 840 It has been damaged over time and the original binding is now lost 5 It consisted of parchment sheets on which were written lists of names followed by blank sections for future additions 6 The book was at Durham by the later 11th century as indicated by the list of Durham monks on folio 45 from the episcopate of Ranulf Flambard 4 Later additions to the early core were made to folios 24r 36r 44v and 45r 7 High and Later Middle Ages editThe book was reorganised in the third quarter of the 12th century and it is likely that many of the names originally there did not survive 6 The form it attained at that point appears to be the one it kept until the 15th century although it was continually updated with new entries 6 After 1300 very few names were added to the original core 8 The Liber Vitae is currently in the British Library where it is classified as BL MS Cotton Domitian vii The manuscript itself is 205 x 142 mm 9 Notes edit Keynes The Liber Vitae of the New Minster Winchester Rollason amp Rollason eds The Durham Liber Vitae pp 6 7 Rollason amp Rollason eds The Durham Liber Vitae p 7 a b Briggs Original Core p 64 Gerchow Origins p 47 Rollason amp Rollason eds The Durham Liber Vitae p 11 a b c Rollason amp Rollason eds The Durham Liber Vitae p 18 Rollason amp Rollason eds The Durham Liber Vitae p 24 Rollason amp Rollason eds The Durham Liber Vitae p 26 Rollason amp Rollason eds The Durham Liber Vitae p 6 Sources editBriggs Elizabeth 2004 The Original Core of the Durham Liber Vitae in Rollason David ed The Durham Liber Vitae and Its Context Woodbridge Boydell Press pp 63 86 ISBN 1 84383 060 4 Gerchow Jan 2004 The Origins of the Durham Liber Vitae in Rollason David ed TheDurham LiberVitae and Its Context Woodbridge Boydell Press pp 45 62 ISBN 1 84383 060 4 Keynes Simon 2004 The Liber Vitae of the New Minster Winchester in Rollason David ed The DurhamLiber Vitaeand Its Context Woodbridge Boydell Press pp 149 64 ISBN 1 84383 060 4 Rollason David Rollason Lynda eds 2007 Durham Liber vitae London British Library MS Cotton Domitian A VII edition and digital facsimile with introduction codicological prosopographical and linguistic commentary and indexes including the Biographical Register of Durham Cathedral Priory 1083 1539 by A J Piper 3 vols vol I London British Library ISBN 0 7123 4995 2 Stevenson Joseph ed 1841 Liber Vitae Ecclesiae Dunelmensis Nec Non Obituaria Duo Ejusdem Ecclesiae J B Nichols and son Also available from Internet Archive Further reading editBarker E E 1977 Two Lost Documents of King Athelstan Anglo Saxon England 6 137 43 doi 10 1017 s0263675100000983 Insley John 2015 The Old English and Scandinavian Personal Names of the Durham Liber Vitae to 1200 In Geuenich Dieter Ludwig Uwe eds Libri vitae Gebetsgedenken in der Gesellschaft des Fruhen Mittelalters Cologne De Gruyter pp 441 52 Thompson A Hamilton ed 1923 Liber Vitae Ecclesiae Dunelmensis A Collotype facsimile of the original Manuscript with introductory essays and notes vol I Surtees Society 136 Facsimile edition now superseded by the digital facsimile edition prepared by David and Lynda Rollason Online facsilime at the British LibraryExternal links editThe Durham Liber Vitae project Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Durham Liber Vitae amp oldid 1160277255, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
