17
votes
Accepted
What kind of scribal abbreviation for Christi is this?
I think it is the Christ monogram ΧΡ, followed by the genetive ending -i. Those are not the Latin letters X and P, but rather the Greek letters Chi and Rho, which are the first letters in the word ...
- 33.1k
16
votes
Marsupial blackletter difficulty
The word is reservaculum, "something used to keep things in", from reservo "keep (back)". I believe this word is used to describe the pouch of marsupials in similar texts from that period. Praesumably,...
- 19.8k
15
votes
Accepted
What does this manuscript say?
This comes from the Book of Hours, and is the first part of the prayers at terce.
Latin:
Ad tertiam
Deus in adiutorium meum intende.
Domine ad adiuvandum me festina.
Gloria P[atri, et Filio: ...
cmw♦
- 52.2k
13
votes
Accepted
Deciphering Latin text in an illuminated musical manuscript
The text says:
Trinum deum et unum pronis men-
tibus adoremus virginique matri
gratulantibus animis iugiter iubilemus.
Venite exultemus domino iubilemus de-
o salutari nostro praeoccupemus ...
- 111k
12
votes
Deciphering Latin text in an illuminated musical manuscript
Lines 4 and following are Psalm 94. As to lines 1–3, I believe what we have is an example of an antiphon, where a bit of chant that is extraneous to a psalm precedes, follows, and sometimes (I believe)...
- 19.3k
10
votes
Accepted
Books of reading medieval Latin manuscripts
The UK National Archive runs a two part course which gives immediate feedback and quickly introduces .1. dating of mss .2. different styles of writing (book script, private notes, .3. post classical ...
- 8,643
8
votes
Marsupial blackletter difficulty
I can answer the second part, at least. That's a tilde ĩ, not a macron ī, and it's one of the most common scribal abbreviations, representing a following N or M. So anĩal, tẽpore, oblatũ = animal, ...
- 65.1k
8
votes
Translation of Scottish 16th century church stained glass
The heraldry makes play on ACRE (plough and barley brew) and HACKER (with the bladed instrument above the plough and the halberd). Such visual puns are called Canting Heraldry as the Heraldry Society ...
- 8,643
7
votes
What kind of scribal abbreviation for Christi is this?
This is Greek lettering for a Latin Genitive: christi.
There are three letters xpi, 'chi, rho, iota (or 'i');'
and a siglum (^)showing abbreviation.
The last letter of the ablative famula has tangled ...
- 8,643
7
votes
Accepted
Medieval siglum/abbreviation: "z" symbol
Here is my transcription. I've edited a couple of words. The semicolon / z-like mark can be used for et/ed as well, as here. Abbreviations in square brackets.
1) Alcuinis . Quattuor modis op[er]...
- 19.8k
6
votes
Books of reading medieval Latin manuscripts
There is one book that you would find more useful than any other, and that is a Latin Bible.
The internet provides access to Manuscripts from the British Library, and the Beinecke (Yale), and the ...
- 8,643
6
votes
What does this manuscript say?
This is undoubtedly from a book of prayers, possibly from a form of Breviary.
The first half reads:
(ad tertiam)Deus in adiutorium meum intendeDomine ad adiuvandum me festinaGloria p.sicut erat
...
- 11.2k
5
votes
Accepted
Decoding words in Latin
Ampne [= amne] parit pueros elephas draco ne necet illos
Ne draco predetur [= praedetur] animas baptisma tuetur.
I'll admit I couldn't decipher all of the words (elephas in particular is illegible, ...
- 8,779
4
votes
Medieval siglum/abbreviation: "z" symbol
It's sed. Search for sed here. Other books I've seen say the same thing (such as this PDF).
cmw♦
- 52.2k
4
votes
Accepted
M N U V confusion in textura
It says Vn~, so vn with a general mark of abbreviation. This mark normally stands for -de if it is written above an -n at the end of a word (provided that -de fits), so it must be unde here, "...
- 19.8k
3
votes
Help with paleography in a 16th century grant
Thanks for your interesting question.
I think the key is the sequence ..ptonesh.. which suggests Northamptonshire to me.
et Joh.is Norgate de Naptoneshir
If that doesn't seem likely, Du CANGE, ...
- 8,643
3
votes
Deciphering Latin text in an illuminated musical manuscript
In addition to the above answers, the following may provide some further background to your text.
Following the trail to Trinity College, Dublin, I found the text online. The caption reads (in part): ...
- 8,651
2
votes
Translation of medical Latin from 1839
Some tips for the palaeographic part. By and large, your transcription is accurate, but I'd correct the following:
l. 2: cachectica
l. 3: labor intensus
l. 6: pedes (in the paper mill, he was almost ...
2
votes
Help with paleography: What does this manuscript say?
Have you seen this book?
FWIW
Scully, Terence. 1997. The vivendier: a critical edition with English translation. Totnes, Devon, England: Prospect Books.
- 11.6k
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