The Book of Armagh: Dublin, Trinity College, MS 52

Trinity College Dublin Library
Ms. 52
Book of Armagh - Liber Ardmachanus (L.A.)

Provenance:
ca. 807 A.D., Armagh

Sigla:

• D = editio Bieler
• A = editio White

Facsimiles available: 2r - 24v [Confessio: 22r-24v]

© Board of Trinity College Dublin

For full transcription see the edition by John Gwynn as part of the HyperStack.

Here also included a digital reproduction of the facsimile print containing the Patrician Texts of the Book of Armagh by Edward Gwynn.

Content: ^

The Book of Armagh contains the earliest copy of Saint Patrick's Confessio known to exist. However, significant passages are omitted - deliberately, as it seems, in order to promote St Patrick as a most successful missionary and glorious founder of monasteries in Ireland without failure. For the same reason the Epistola is entirely suppressed¹. The promotion of the Patrician texts and their conjunction with the New Testament both served to potentiate Armagh's claims to ecclesiastical primacy in Ireland in the Middle Ages.

• (I) texts relating to St Patrick (foll. 2-24), including two Lives of St Patrick written in the 7th century by Muirchú maccu Machtheni and by Tírechán, the Liber Angeli, in which St Patrick is given the primatial rights and prerogatives of Armagh by an angel, and St Patrick's Confessio;
• (II) a complete New Testament (foll. 25-191)² ― the only Irish copy to survive from the period; and
• (III) the Life of St Martin of Tours (foll. 192-222) by Sulpicius Severus (c. 363 – c. 425).

1. foll. 2-24 The Patrician Texts
   Fully available as digital facsimiles as part of the HyperStack.
   • foll. 2ra-8vb Muirchú maccu Machtheni, Vita sancti Patricii
     Begins imperfectly (fol. 1 missing; begins in I.07). Preface and list of contents on 20r - v. A digital text version of the original Latin and of the English translation as provided by Ludwig Bieler in his edition of the Patrician texts in the Book of Armagh are included in the Hyperstack.
   • foll. 8vb-9ra Brief notes about Patrick's life
     The notes have been associated with Tírechán's memoir; cf. Bieler's edition of the Patrician texts in the Book of Armagh, also Terry O'Hagan's contribution to this Stack.
   • foll. 9ra Dicta Patricii
     
   • foll. 9ra-15vb Tírechán, Collectanea de Vita S. Patricii
     A digital text version of the original Latin and of the English translation as provided by Ludwig Bieler in his edition of the Patrician texts in the Book of Armagh are included in the Hyperstack.
   • foll. 15vb-18vb Additamenta
     Charter-like documents, in Latin and Irish, later inserted into the manuscript, among them (on fol. 16vb) an entry of A.D. 1004, whereby the prerogatives of the see of Armagh are confirmed by Brian Borumha, ; see J. Gwynn, The Book of Armagh, pp. lxvii-lxxii
     • (i.) a document narrating the foundation of the church of Trim, in Meath
     • (ii.) a group of six records all relating to churches of Connacht
     • (iii.) a like group of four treating of churches of Leinster
   • foll. 18vb-19vb Notulae
     Brief notes in Latin and Irish on St Patrick's acts, written in a minute cursive script; see J. Gwynn, The Book of Armagh, pp. lxxii-lxxv
   • foll. 20ra-va Preface and list of contents to Muirchú's Life of St Patrick
     (misplaced here; cf. above and the electronic text version of Bieler's edition as part of the HyperStack)
   • foll. 20va-22ra Liber Angeli, The Book of the Angel
     
   • foll. 22ra-24va St Patrick, Confessio
     (in abbreviated form; fol. 24vb blank)
2. foll. 25-191 Novum Testamentum, New Testament
   Vulgate, a late 4th-century Latin version of the Bible, translated by St Jerome, commissioned by Pope Damasus I in 382; the text here makes much use of a Vetus Latina version, and is the only surviving early Irish mansucript of the complete New Testament. Elaborated initial letters, syllables and words as well as symbolic representation of the Four Evangelists appear at the beginning of each of the four Gospels, on foll. 32v-33v (all four evangelists: Matthew = the Man, etc.), foll. 54v-55r (Mark = the Lion), foll. 69v-70r (Luke = the Calf), and fol. 91r (John = the Eagle); the closing verses of John's Gospel on fol. 104r is arranged in the form of a lozenge, i.e. a symbol of Christ on the cross; the left-hand, upper, and right-hand margins are filled by a series of extracts from the Moralia (Commentary on Job) of Pope Gregory the Great, which in no way bear on the text which they enclose (foll. 41r-46v are lost; fol. 105 is blank)
   • fol. 25r-105v Gospels
     Prefatory to the Gospels in general:
     • fol. 25ra-vb Letter of St Jerome to Pope Damasus
       
     • foll. 26ra-29ra Eusebian Canon tables
       
     • foll. 29rb-31vbr Breves Causae
       
     • Prefatory to St Matthew
       
       • foll. 31vb-32ra Interpretatio Ebreorum Nominum
         
       • foll. 32rb Argumentum Matthei
         
     • foll. 33ra-53va Euangelium secundum Mattheum
       
     • Prefatory to St Mark
       
       • fol. 54ra-b Argumentum Marci
         
       • fol. 54rb Interpretatio Ebreorum Nominum
         
     • foll. 55ra-68vb Euangelium secundum Marcum
       
     • Prefatory to St Luke
       
       • fol. 68vb Argumentum Lucae
         
       • fol. 69rb-va Interpretatio Ebreorum Nominum
         
     • foll. 70ra-90rb Euangelium secundum Lucam
       
     • Prefatory to St John
       
       • fol. 90va-b Argumentum Iohannis
         
       • fol. 90vb Interpretatio Ebreorum Nominum
         
     • foll. 91ra-104r Euangelium secundum Iohannem
       Fol. 104r is arranged in the form of a lozenge; the margins contain a series of extracts from Pope Gregory the Great's , Moralia
       (cf. note above)
     • fol. 104va Explicit
       With brief reckoning of the number of "verses" in the Gospels (cf. Gwynn, p. CXXVI with n.1); foll. 104vb-105v blank.
   • foll. 106r-150v Pauline Epistles
     
     • Prefatory
       
       • fol. 106r Prologue of Hilary to the Apostle
         (referring to the Epistle to the Romans only)
       • foll. 106v-107ra Prologue of Pelagius to all the Epistles
         
       • fol. 107r-vb Prologue of Pelagius to the Romans
         
       • foll. 107vb-108ra Prologue to all Epistles
         
     • foll. 109r-116rb Epistle to the Romans
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 108v, ascribed to Pelagius; one explanatory note containing Irish words, (H.I. Vogels, CSEL 81.1 (1966) used the Book of Armagh for his edition of the Letter to the Romans part of Ambrosiaster's commentary on the Pauline letters.)
     • foll. 116rb-123ra 1. Epistle to the Corinthians
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 116rb.
     • foll. 123rb-127vb 2. Epistle to the Corinthians
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 123ra.
     • foll. 128rb-130va Epistle to the Galatians
       With two preceding 'Argumenta' on fol. 128ra, the first by Jerome, the second ascribed to Pelagius.
     • foll. 130vb-133rb Epistle to the Ephesians
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 130vb ascribed to Pelagius.
     • foll. 133rb-134vb Epistle to the Philippians
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 133rb ascribed to Pelagius.
     • foll. 135ra-136va 1. Epistle to the Thesssalonians
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on foll. 134vb-135ra ascribed to Pelagius.
     • foll. 136vb-137va 2. Epistle to the Thesssalonians
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 136va ascribed to Pelagius.
     • foll. 137va-139ra Epistle to the Colossians
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 137va ascribed to Pelagius.
     • fol. 139rb Epistle to the Laodiceans
       Recognized as a pseudo-Pauline Epistle; introduced on fol. 139ra by a warning that Jerome rejects it.
     • foll. 139va-141ra 1. Epistle to Timothy
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 139rb ascribed to Pelagius.
     • foll. 141rb-142rb 2. Epistle to Timothy
       
     • foll. 142va-143rb Epistle to Titus
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 142rb ascribed to Pelagius.
     • foll. 143rb-143vb Epistle to Philemon
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 143rb ascribed to Pelagius.
     • foll. 144rb-149vb Epistle to the Hebrews
       Introduced by a brief 'Argumentum' on fol. 143vb.
   • foll. 151r-160v Catholic Epistles
     
     • foll. 151ra-152vb Epistle of James
       
     • foll. 153ra-154vb First Epistle of Peter
       
     • foll. 155ra-156rb Second Epistle of Peter
       
     • foll. 156rb-158ra First Epistle of John
       
     • fol. 158rb-va Second Epistle of John
       
     • fol. 158va-b Third Epistle of John
       
     • fol. 159ra-va Epistle of Jude
       
     (fol. 160r blank)
   • foll. 160v-171v Revelation
     Fol. 171r is taken up by a rectangular diagram representing Jerusalem (cf. Rev. 21,10-16) with its twelve gates, each bearing the name of its precious stone, its tribe, and its apostle. Homiletic notes on fol. 171v.
   • foll. 172r-191v Acts
     
3. foll. 192-222 Opera Sulpicii Severi
   
   • foll. 192r-201r Vita S. Martini, Life of St Martin of Tours
     Sulpicius Severus, (ed. J. Fontaine, Sources chrétiennes, 1, Paris 1967, 248-316, with use of the Book of Armagh witness; BHL no. 5610, Dekkers no. 475)
   • foll. 201v-220r Dialogi de S. Martino
     (ed. C. Halm, CSEL 1 [1866] 152-216; BHL nos. 5614-5616, Dekkers no. 477))
   • foll. 220v-221r Epistola ad Eusebium
     Sulpicius Severus, (ed. J. Fontaine, Sources chrétiennes, 1, Paris 1967, 316-324, with use of the Book of Armagh witness; BHL no. 5611, Dekkers no. 476)
   • foll. 221v-222v Epistola ad Aurelium
     Sulpicius Severus, (ed. J. Fontaine, Sources chrétiennes, 1, Paris 1967, 324-334, with use of the Book of Armagh witness; BHL no. 5612, Dekkers no. 476)
   • fol. 222v Prayer: "Te domine sancte pater omnipotens ..."

Physical description: ^

Vellum. 217 foll. (of originally 222 foll. [?]); ca. 195 x 145 mm; double columns; 34-40 lines; quires numbered. Irish minuscle.

[Physical description and history of the manuscript taken from Colker and Meehan; cf. below for bibliographical references.]

Five leaves are missing: the opening folio (fol. 1) and two bifolia from the second quire of St Matthew's Gospel (foll. 42-45). ³ The original binding boards survive, uniquely among the many such early Irish bindings which must once have existed. The boards are of oak, lined with vellum, covered with pink stained goatskin decorated with delicate blind lines and stamps, and laced to the manuscript in a technically sophisticated manner. Now kept separately, the boards were rediscovered in 1961 inside the late medieval leather satchel associated with the manuscript, one of only three such medieval Irish book satchels surviving. The present binding in modern vellum was the work of Roger Powell in 1957.

History: ^

The manuscript was once reputed to have belonged to St Patrick and, at least in part, to be a product of his hand. Research has determined, however, that the earliest part of the manuscript was the work of a scribe named Ferdomnach of Armagh, 'a scholar and an excellent scribe', as the annals of Ulster termed him in noting his death in 846. Two other scribes are known to have assisted him. Ferdomnach, who signed the book on five pages, wrote the first part of the book in 807 or 808, for Patrick's heir (comharba) Abbot Torbach of Armagh, according to an inscription on fol. 53va, which was deciphered by Charles Graves in 1846. The inscriptions were erased at an early date, as they served to weaken the association of the book with St Patrick. That the Torbach inscription is now almost entirely illegible is due to this process of erasure and to the damage caused by Graves's use of 'a weak solution of gallic acid in spirits of wine' by which he 'revived the traces of the original writing' ⁴. The Book of Armagh was enshrined in the year 937 by Donnchadh, son of Flan, king of Ireland, though the shrine has not survived. In 1005, king Brían Bóramha visited Armagh, left twenty ounces of gold on the altar of the church, and caused an entry to be made in the Book of Armagh which acknowledged Armagh's supreme position in the affections of St Patrick. By the twelfth century, the manuscript was in the care of a hereditary keeper (maor). Around 1680, it passed from the last of this line, Florence MacMoyre, into the hands of the Brownlow family of Lurgan, one of whom, Arthur Brownlow, was responsible for the present foliation. Early in the nineteenth century, it came to the attention of Sir William Betham. On 26 May 1831 it was put up for public auction in the sale room of Edward Maguire of Suffolk Street, Dublin, but it was bought in for £390, despite efforts by the auctioneer to raise the price by declaring, 'It's a scandal that it should leave the country! Rely on it, it will leave the country unless an advance be made'⁵. In 1846 the Revd Francis Brownlow deposited it in the Royal Irish Academy. In 1852, it was offered to the voracious English collector Sir Thomas Phillipps, but he was short of funds at the time, as a result, he said, of the effects of free trade. Displayed in the Dublin Exhibition of 1853, with a notice declaring that it was 'to be sold', it was bought for £300 by the antiquary William Reeves, Bishop of Down (despite impecunious circumstances and nine children to feed), who sold it on to Lord John George Beresford, Archbishop of Armagh, for the same amount, on the understanding that ownership should pass to Trinity College on Reeves's death. This occured in 1892⁶.

Bibliography: ^

• Charles O'Conor, Scriptores Rerum Hibernicarum (Buckinghamiae, 1814-1826), I, lvi-lviii. presenting the first description of the MS by Edward Lhuyd from 1699
• T. K. Abbott (ed.), Catalogue of the manuscripts in the library of Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 1900, MS 52, p. 6.
• N.P.D. White, The Latin writings ..., in: Proceedings of the RIA 25 C (1905), p. 203.
• Joseph Dunne, s.v. Book of Armagh, in: Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), online version: Wikisource.
• The basic work on the Book of Armagh: J. Gwynn, Liber Ardmachanus (Dublin, 1913), esp. pp. xiii-xvi, lxxix-xcii, ci-cxxxiv.
• J.F. Kenney, The sources (New York, 1929), pp. 131, 474, 523, 560.
• E.A. Lowe, Codices latini antiquiores: a palaeographical guide to Latin manuscripts prior to the ninth century II, Oxford: Clarendon Press 1972 (2nd and revised edition; first published 1935), p. 42 (no. 270).
• E. Gwynn, Book of Armagh (Dublin, 1937), p. I-IV.
• L. Bieler, Codices Patriciani Latini (1942), p. 1.
• P. Grosjean, Analyse du Livre d'Armagh, in: Analecta Bollandiana 62 (1944), p. 33-41.
• L. Bieler, Introduction (1952), p. 7.
• J.J.G. Alexander, Insular manuscripts, 6th to the ninth century, A survey of manuscripts illuminated in the British Isles 1, London 1978, pp. 76-77.
• L. Bieler, The Patrician Texts in the Book of Armagh (Introduction, Edition, Translation and Commentary), Scriptores Latini Hiberniae 10, Dublin 1979.
• Richard Sharpe, in: Scriptorium 36 (1982).
• Marvin L. Colker, Trinity College Library Dublin. Descriptive Catalogue of the Medieval and Renaissance Latin Manuscripts, Aldershot 1991, pp. 93-97.
• Bernard Meehan, "A Melody of curves across the page": art and calligraphy in the Book of Armagh, in: Irish Arts Review: Yearbook 14 (1998), pp.91-101.
• A major study on the physical aspects of the Book of Armagh by Anthony G. Cains has repeatedly been announced but never been published sofar..
• See also: William O Sullivan, Manuscripts and palaeography, in: Dáibhí Ó Cróinín (ed.), A New History of Ireland: Prehistoric and early Ireland, Oxford University Press, 2005, pp. 511-548, esp. 536f. and 544f.
• Dáibhí Ó Cróinín, Early Medieval Ireland 400-1200, London and New York 1995., passim.
• cf. John T. Gilbert, Facsimiles in Collotype of Irish Manuscripts, vol. I (1874), p. XIV-XVII with facsimiles and transcriptions on plates XXV-XXIX, and vol. II (1878), p. xvi-xxviii with appendix III A-F.
• Wikipedia article "Book of Armagh".

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