RJP:Hereward:Frontispiece
http://www.rjplincs.plus.com/ariwxo3FNQsupFrontispiece.htm Latest edit 9 May 2007.
Web page © 2007 R.J.PENHEY With
thanks to the trustees of the Willoughby Memorial Library
RJPs Archive
The Fenland Notes and Queries Hereward Supplement
Frontispiece
FNQ This thread begins with the title page which
gives details of the supplement generally.
This web page deals with the frontispiece separately,
as photographs are required to illustrate the explanation. These make the page
rather slow in working, so are best kept separate from the general run of the
text, which appears on several web pages. See Contents.
The frontispiece is a photograph of the first page of
the manuscript (ms.), taken by S. H. Miller when he transcribed the document in
the late nineteenth century. The exact date is not given but appears to have
been a few years before publication in April 1895. At that time, the document
was kept in Peterborough
Cathedral.
In the copy of FNQ to which I have access, the
photograph is sewn into its library binding in such a way that a band in the
middle can not be seen. I have therefore copied the picture in two parts,
leaving the middle missing. The dip in the lines of text is in the original
photograph.
In case you would like to try to compare the Millers
transcription with the manuscript, I have separated the transcription into
sentences which fit between landmarks in the ms.
There are numerous abbreviations which make transcribing
such a medieval document difficult even for someone familiar with the classical
language (as I am not). You will notice that in line seven, the scribe has
abbreviated fuimus then written it
again in full before following it up again with the next word, subito, which had already been written.
So he has crossed one example of each out. If he can get into a muddle, I
certainly can!
The Frontispiece, Photograph I.
The text is the opening of Chapter I,
which begins with the chapter summary: Incipit
pręfatio cujusdam
opusculi de gestis Herwardi incliti militis. This is the top line from the tall I of Incipit to the end of the first line including the two extended
rising parts of the h and d of Herwardi.
It spills over into an insertion at the end of the second line with just the fragment;
part of incliti and militis.
The body of the chapter begins with the
large letter N of nonnullus. Nonnullus apud nos
scire desiderantibus opera magnifici Anglorum gentis Herwardi et inclytorum
ejus et auribus percipere magnanimitates illius ac gesta: nuper nostrę
parvitati vestra insiuavit fraternitas, interrogans si aliquid in illo loco ubi degebat de
tanto viro conscriptum aliquis reliquerit. In his introduction Miller
states that this ms. is part of Robert of Swaffhams thirteenth century
compilation. The style of the initial N here, is
entirely consistent with that, though early in the period of use of this style.
It is inconsistent with work of the time of Hugo Candidus twelfth century
re-edition.1
The second sentence takes us from the
easily recognized capital letter D of De
quo enim quum nos quodam in loco audisse modicum Anglice conscriptum
professi fuimus, subito fuimus subito coegit vestra dilectio illud ad
pręsens perquiri, et mox in Latinam linguam transferri, subjungens etiam et ea
quę a nostris audire contigerit, cum quibus conversatus est, ut insignis miles
magnanimiter vivens.
The third sentence is fairly readily found
from its capital letter: Qibus quidem vestris desideriis satisfacere
cupientes, multis in locis perquirendo manus convertimus, et penitus nihil
invenimus, pręter pauca et dispersa folia, partim stillicidio putrefactis at
abolitis et partim abscisione divisis.
The beginning of the fourth sentence
stands out less clearly. It begins at the left of the fourth row up in the
photograph: Ad quod igitur dum
stilus tantumdem fuisset appositus, vix ex eo
principium a genitoribus ejus inceptum et pauca interim expressimus et noment;
videlicet primitiva insignia pręclarissimi exulis Herwardi, editum Anglico
stilo a Lefrico Diacono ejusdem ad Brun presbyterum.
The start of the next sentence too, does not stand out. It begins a quarter of the way along the lowest complete line of the photograph: Hujus enim memorati presbyteri erat studium, omnes actus .. Here, the text shown in the photograph ends.
The missing part is: Gygantum et bellatorum ex fabulis
antiquorum, aut ex fideli relatione, ad edificationem audientium congregare, et
ob memoriam Anglię literis commendare. In quibus vero licet non satis periti
aut potius exarare deleta incognitarum literarum, ad illum locum tamen
The Frontispiece, Photograph II.
From
the top complete line, photograph II reads: de
illo usque collegimus ut in propriam et ad pristinam
domum reversus fratrem occisum invenerit: vestrę prudentię rudi sitlo
relinquentes crudam materiam vel alicujus exercitati ingenii studio; minus
dialecticis et rethoricis enigmatibus compositam et ornatam. Nihil enim de his amplius exarare curavimus, semper
majora expectantes et necdum penitus aliquid invenientes.
Towards the middle of the fifth line of
the ms. in the second photograph: Quos tandem vana
spes diu delusit, sicut ab initio a quibusdam
dicentibus quod in illo et illo loco magnus liber est de gestis ejusdem. Ad quem mittentes quę promissa fuerant nunc comparuerunt.
Propeterea quidem tunc omnio illud relinquentes, opus inceptum abscondimus. At
tandem a quibusdam nostrorum vobis diu latere non potuit, illud principium
saluti vobis non potuit, illud principium saluti vobis non denegari ex
insperato nobis subito bestra mandavit benignitas.
Towards the end of the sixth from last
line: Tunc ergo quod imperfectum nostrum viderant oculi vestri,
curę nobis fuit iterum, licet non magni ingenii ope fretis, ad hoc in eo stilum
convertere, et vobis iterum in morem ystorię libellulum retexere, de his quę a
nostris et a quibusdam suorum audivimus, cum quo a principiis illius conversati
sunt, et in multis consortes fuerunt.
At a quarter of the way along the penultimate line: Ex quibus sępe nonnullos vidimus, viros videlicet statura
proceri et magni et nimię fortitudinis.
Nearly halfway along the bottom line of
the ms. page: Et ipsi etiam duos spectabiles formę viros
ex
..
For the rest, see Chapter I.
Note:
1. ↑ This is based on
a comparison of samples of documents shown in several books and catalogues. This link gives links
to references.
Go to : - Top of the page Photograph I Photograph II Contents