Fragments from a Carolingian Homiliary
Three fragments of bifolia from a Homiliary, in Latin, manuscript on vellum [Germany, 11th century].
A handsome, clear example of Caroline minuscule, with capitals enlarged and stroked in red.

Three horizontal fragments of the upper part of one or more bifolia, sewn together, c. 210 × 390mm. Preserving the top c. 16 lines of part of four columns on each side, in Caroline minuscule, capitals enlarged and stroked in red (recovered from use as binders’ waste, with consequent cropping, stains, folds, etc.)

Provenance:
(1) Accents, punctuation, and word-divisions, all added in paler ink, suggest use for reading aloud, presumably in a monastery.
(2) Colker MS 261; acquired in 1977 from Maggs.

Content:
The pieces are sewn together in an apparently random order, making a textual reconstruction more difficult, but individual passages are easily identifiable and include Luke 16:24–25, followed by a heading ‘[...] populum [...]rencii mart[…]’; Luke 16:30–31 followed by a heading ‘Homelia lccci [...]; and several parts of Gregorius Magnus, Homiliae in Evangelia, 2.38 and 2.39. The fragmentary first heading doubtless introduces Gregory’s Homilia 40: ‘[Habita ad] populum [in basilica sancti Lau]rentii mart[yris Dominica secunda post Pentecosten]. In verbis sacri [eloquii fratres carissimi] prius servanda [...]’. San Lorenzo was one of the 5th-century stational churches of Rome (cf. lot 5), visited by the pope on the saint’s feast-day.

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