Sales catalogue: Quaritch

Date:
September 1886
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/17/44
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue: Quaritch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    66/100 page 3498
    Vill. NORSE. 30783 MAGNUS NOREGS KONONGS LAUGBOK, etc. small 4to. Icelandic Codex, written on 127 leaves of vellum or parchment stained by age, with rubrics, large and curious initials painted im interlacing or lacertine patterns, with grotesque figures, and one page exhibiting a large Apocalyptic design of the scarlet woman riding on the beast with seven heads, another picture of the Re- demptoris Mundi Arma, £50. About a.p. 1400 This MS. differs from any of those described in the Copenhagen edition of 1817 in having the royal salutation at the beginning addressed to the people of Iceland, not to those of Gula or any other district cf Norway. This indicates undoubtedly that the book was produced in the island, and there are numerous variants in spelling and furm which tend to the same conclusion. The initials are still decorated in the peculiar style of interlacing ornament which had been derived from Ireland, and this heightens the interest of the MS. seeing that it was written at a time when the regular Gothic style of Continental Kurope prevailed in Norway and Denmark. This famous Code was promulgated by Magnus Hakonarson, surnamed lagabe'tr, King of Norway 1263-1280, and is generally called Jonsbok. The code, submitted to the sanction of the Althing in the same year that the king died, was really not voted as law of the land till 1281, since when it has been the fundamental law of the country. ' At the end of the Code there is added, on fols. 104-128, Kristindomsrétter Arnabyskups, or the canon law of Bishop Arne (of Skalholt, 1269+98) from 1275. another MS. of Magnus’ Law-book, sm. 4to. 153 leaves of parchment, stained, £5. About 1580 This seems to have bee copied directly from the preceding MS. IX. SLAVONIC. 30785 SCLAVONIC LITURGY. Prayers and Lessons for the divine Service, a Old Slavic, sm. 4to. Manuscript on paper, written in red and black, adorned with a nnmber of rude coloured drawings, and ornamental borders and headings; bound in red morocco eatra, gilt edges, by Belz-Niedrée, £2. About 1680 At the end there is a list of ‘‘ Anointed Ones,” all female names, which may refer to the Abbesses of some convent in Kiev or Moscow, or perhaps only to saints. The former supposition is more likely, asin # hand of the Jast century the names of Neonilui and Aleksea are added, probably as hung those of successors since the date of the volume. X. ORIENTAL, an addition to those described in special Catalogue, ante. 89736 Arabic. AJA’ip-UL-MAKHLUKAT: Cosmography, and Wonders of ; the World, by Zakariyé bin Mohammad at-Kazwint, in Arabic,
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