MS IV E 6
Giraldus Cambrensis and Edmund Campion
Draft summary description
Late 12th or early 13th century; and late 16th century. Vellum and paper. Pp. 226 (10 (paper) + 34 (vellum) + 182 (paper)); paginated 377-80, 371-6, [379a], [380a], 381-414 (skipping numbers 405 and 406, no loss of text), [i]-[viii], 415-420, [420a], [420b], 421-31, remainder unnumbered.
Bound in half leather on marbled boards; three endpapers front, two back. Bookplate of Arthur Benjamin Guinness, Earl of Iveagh, mounted inside front cover; 'Vide also 26223 and 26641' in pencil beneath, referring to numbers in the Phillipps Catalogus; 'MDDD /- /-' in pencil beneath. First front endpaper, recto: 'Giraldus Cambrensis de Topographia Hyberniae. Giraldus Cambrensis de Topographia Cambriae. An History of Ireland by Edmund Campion.' (b) Book-stamp of Thomas Phillipps (Sir T. P. Middle Hill) with number '2778' cancelled and replaced in pencil with Catalogus number '26642' and 'B 49.981'.
Vellum section in two columns, ruled in ink, 34-5 lines, writing below top ruling; chapter-headings in red; initials alternately in red and blue.
The manuscript has close associations with Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, MS 400, which contains a copy of the Topographia together with further Giraldus material on paper collected by Archbishop Matthew Parker (1504-75).
For a complete copy of the Topographia on ISOS see National Library of Ireland MS 700.
Contents
p.
379 . [Paper section] 'Topographia Hybernica / Introitus in recitationem.' Beg. Consideranti mihi quam brevis et fluxa sit vita quam ducimus. Foll. (p. [372]) by 'Incipiunt capitula Libri primi Giraldi Kambrensis de descriptione hiberniae.' Beg. In tres particulas libellus iste distinguitur. Breaks off (?) with page and heading number 51 ( Quod occidentalia comoda sunt orientalibus praeferenda). Foll.(p. 373) by 'Topographia Hybernica / Illustri Anglorum regi Henrico Secundo suus Giraldus'. Beg. Placuit excellentiae Vestrae Inuictissime Anglorum rex.
[374] . 'Incipit Hibernicae Historiae distinctio prima de situ Hiberniae variaque eiusdem natura.' Beg. Hybernia post Brittaniam insularum maxima. Breaks off p. [376] with catchword maiori, and resumes without loss p. 377 (misbound at beginning of book), the paper section ending p. [388] with heading 'De piscibus novis et alibi non inventis' and catchword Habentur anticipating acephalous beginning to vellum section.
[379a] . [Vellum section] Beg. Habentur in stagna tria piscium genera que nusquam alibi inueniuntur. Book I (in 32 chapters) ends p. [388]b4. Book II (in 54 Chapters) ends p. 407a31. Book III ends p. [414]b: A tempore igitur turgesii usque ad tempus nostrum in pace regnauerunt donec per nos subiugati sunt Anno gratie millesimo centesimo. quinquagesimo primo et etatis nostre [rubbing] et regni nostri xvii o. 'Expliciunt mirabilia hibernie. uerumptamen auctor aliarum terrarum aliqua mirabillia. hiis similia. in plurimis inseruit locis. materie sue concordantia. prout sibi competere uidebatur.' Not listed by either Dimock (Giraldi Cambrensis Opera V) or O'Meara (PRIA 52 C (1948-50) 113-78).
[i] . [Paper section] 'De successione episcoporum et gestis eorum viz. Bernardi et David secundi.' Beg. Cum circ[a] dignitatem pallii ecclesie cathedralis Meneuensis postulandum in curia Romana diu laborasset Bernardus episcopus Meneuensis temporibus Honorii. Ends p. [ii] eo autem de seculo sublato, conuenerunt omnes ecclesie clerici ut tractarent de electione facienda. 'Ex libro quodam veteri in quo continentur aliqua scripta Giraldi Cambrensis et nunc in custodia Magistri Price de Wallia.'
[iii] . 'Tractatum retractionum et cathologum librorum diligentia Giraldi compositorum in calce libelli de Cambrie descriptione digne duximus adiciendum.' Beg. Quoniam itaque Quoniam itaque cunctorum habere notitiam ut ait imperator. Ends (p. [iv]) dare pro ouibus suis imminente gregis periculo et necessitatis articulo non formidat.
[iv] .24. 'Sequitur de Cathalogo et numero Librorum a Giraldo compositorum.' Beg. Occurrit hic igitur in primis tempore tenerior cronographia nostra et mundi cosmographia. Ends (p. [v]) legittimeque certatum fuerit ad aeternam felicitatem corona reposita et mercede servata.
[vi] . Short extracts. (a) 'Giraldus in fine libri septimi dialogorum sic dixit . . .'; (b) 'In Historia Anglorum libro quinti de Calixto papa scribitur . . .'; (c) [p. [vii]] 'Vir quidam magnus in Anglia dixit . . .', ; ends (p. [viii]) et in nullo prorsus articulo Ecclesie sue pro posse defecit. 'Ex quodam vetusto libro Jo: Price post descriptionem Cambriae.'
415 . 'Topographia Cambriae Siluestri Giraldi / Huberto Cantuariensi Archiepiscopo.' Beg. Ille ego qui quondam ybernicam typographiam cum abditis suis et naturae secretis. Book I ends p. 425; Book II ends (p. 433) quicquid de ampliori contingat pro hoc terrarum Angulo respondebit. 'Explicit Giraldus Kambrensis. de Topographia Walliae.'
[434]-[436]. Blank.
437 . Title-page. 'Two bookes of the histories / of Ireland compiled by / Edmunde Campion feloe / of St John Baptystes / Colledge in Oxforde.' P. [438] blank. Dedicatory address (pp. 439-40) to Robert Dudley; address to reader (pp. 441-2); p. [443] blank; (p. 444: two notes - on Gurguint Barbtruc and Egyptus - 'Haec extracta sunt e Libro quodam Ro: Record'.). Book I beg. (p. [445]) 'The scite and specyall partes of Ireland / Caput 1.' Irelande lyeth a loofe in the west Ocean, and is demed by the Later Survey to be in length well nye three hundred myles north and South. Book II beg. (p. [502]) 'The conquest of Irlande by Henry the Seconde Kinge of Engklande commonly called Henry fitz Emprise / Cap. 1.' Dermot mac Murrowe King of Leynster haulte and leacherous wooed dishonestly to serve his lust the beauitfull Quene Myeth. Ends (p. [583]) a ffather to his servantes, bothe in war and peace of commendable courage. Not mentioned in A. F. Vossen (ed.), Two Bokes of the Histories of Ireland (Assen 1963).
[584] . 'Anno 1574. The west parte of Irelonde called Monstre conteineth six counties.' Brief notes on territories and leaders in late sixteenth-century Munster.