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The Parker Library

@parkerlibcccc.bsky.social

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Special collections library at Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge https://www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/parker-library Parker Library On the Web - our medieval and early modern MSS digitised https://parker.stanford.edu/parker

www.corpus.cam.ac.uk

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · Jan 21

Happy 15th birthday!

For the past 15 years Parker Library On the Web has made our 560 digitised medieval and Renaissance MSS accessible worldwide

The physical library is in Cambridge (UK) and is a sight on its own right - witness it for yourself:
www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/articles/cel...

Celebrating 15 years of Parker Library On the Web

From the perspective of history, considered in hundreds of years (our oldest manuscript was made over 14 centuries ago!), a decade and a half is barely even a blip. However, the collaboration between ...

www.corpus.cam.ac.uk

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Richard Ovenden @richove.bsky.social · 1d

MLGB is back!! Delighted that Medieval Libraries of Great Britain @bodleian.ox.ac.uk is now back online. We are also working had on plans for the next phase of the resource, enhancing & adding data & functionality. HUGE thanks to my colleagues for their hard & clever work mlgb.bodleian.ox.ac.uk

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · 5d

Grumpy apprentice grinding some pigment while master painter paints. Have to love the mustach! 👨‍🎨 😍

Ennius @enniusredloeb.bsky.social · 21d

Ditto

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 004; The Dover Bible, Volume 2; 12th century; f.242v
@parkerlibcccc.bsky.social @corpuscambridge.bsky.social

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Carin Ruff @carinr.bsky.social · 5d

This glorious day for the Church is a good chance to repost my thread for St. Augustine's day, featuring our new Archbishop of Canterbury proclaiming the Gospel from the St. Augustine Gospels—or so it seems! I very much hope we will see the manuscript come out again at her installation in March. ⚓

Carin Ruff @carinr.bsky.social · May 26

This is the feast of Augustine of Canterbury, d. 604, Apostle to the English 🕯️, which gives me a chance to share my favorite moment of liturgical book theatre so far this millennium. The Gospels of St. Augustine, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 286, is a 6th-c. Italian manuscript ... 🧵

Evangelist Luke portrait page, CCCC 286 fol. 129v: Luke in Roman dress, seated on a throne-like chair, holding an open book, with Gospel scenes either side of him and his symbol the winged ox above.

CCCC 286 fol. 130r: opening of the Gospel of Luke, Uncial script in 2 columns, per cola et commata, with dark red for first line at top and start of line three lines from the bottom, left column.

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · 5d

What a success!

We recently held our doors open for Open Cambridge celebrations. Over 300 visitors had a chance to check out our exhibition, the room & talk to the Conservation and the Archives of @corpuscambridge.bsky.social

www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/articles/ope...

Open Doors at the Parker Library

Successful Open Cambridge event at the Parker Library in September 2025

www.corpus.cam.ac.uk

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Old English Wordhord @oewordhord.bsky.social · 6d

a-sēon, str.v: to look at or upon, set eyes on (something). (ah-SAY-on / a-ˈseːɔn)
Image: Peterborough Bestiary; England (Peterborough), c. 1300-1310; @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social MS 53, f. 197v.
#OldEnglish #WOTD

Medieval manuscript image of a grey cat curiously gazing down its nose, giving it a cross-eyed appearance.

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Reposted by The Parker Library

Ennius @enniusredloeb.bsky.social · 8d

30th September is the feast of St Jerome. This portrait of St Jerome was added perhaps c. 1070 CE.

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 389; Jerome's Life of St Paul (Vita Pauli, ); 10th century CE; St Augustine's, Canterbury; f.1v @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social
@corpuscambridge.bsky.social

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · 23d

Getting ready for Open Cambridge at the Parker:
Thursday 18 Sept, 10-12 and 2-4pm we'll keep the doors open for anyone to drop by
www.opencambridge.cam.ac.uk/events/open-...

Did you know we also have Youtube Playlist: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dsv...
Why not listen and find out what we're all about

Parker Library | Parker Library On the Web

YouTube video by Corpus Christi

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by The Parker Library

Ennius @enniusredloeb.bsky.social · 26d

Initial 'Q'(uid gloriaris) at the beginning of Psalm 51

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 411; Psalterium (Cantuariense); 10th c; probably written at Tours, but with some ornament added in England in 11th c; f.40r
@parkerlibcccc.bsky.social @corpuscambridge.bsky.social

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · 27d

Come and see what the fuss is all about!

In one week we're taking part in Open Cambridge. Visitors are welcome on Thu 18 Sept, 10-12 and 14-16. Conservation and Archives will be there too!

youtu.be/1dsvMieq01o?...

Parker Library | Parker Library On the Web

YouTube video by Corpus Christi

youtu.be

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John McCafferty @jdmccafferty.bsky.social · 29d

9 Sept 1559: Elizabeth I issues letters patent for the consecration of her mother's former chaplain (Anne Boleyn), Matthew Parker as Archbishop of #Canterbury #otd (Lambeth Palace)

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · Sep 8

Earliest extant portrait of an English king: Aethelstan (r. 924–927) with St Cuthbert from the Parker Library copy of Bede's two Lives of St Cuthbert (CCCC MS 183)

Prof David Woodman of @camhistory.bsky.social highlights Aethelstan's impact on England's history
www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/articles/new...

Opening of a 10th-century manuscript that is now in the Parker Library as CCCC MS 183. Opening shows a full page portrait of King Aethelstan (d. 939) presenting a book to St Cuthbert, or rather the community of St Cuthbert, then already in exile from Lindisfarne. The full page image has a floral border in red, king under an arch on the left and St Cuthbert in front of a brick structure topped with a cross.
Right of the image contains the beginning of Life of St Cuthbert, written in Latin. First three lines in red (rubric) is followed by two lines of monumental script in multiple colours, after which the text itself continues in usual brown ink.

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · Sep 5

Drop in for a visit!

We're taking part in Open Cambridge events - Thursday 18 September visitors get a chance to talk to our exhibition curators: the conservators at Cambridge Colleges' Conservation Consortium & @tainonen.bsky.social

www.opencambridge.cam.ac.uk/events/open-...

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · Sep 1

Parker Library tours are on! 📖 👀
Hole-y parchment, pricking, ruling, complex layouts, scribes and painters, colours and gold - we have it all bound in nice covers
www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/articles/mak...

Book you place on our weekly tour through our Evenbrite page: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/parker-lib...

Full-page illumination to start a psalter, capital B on blue background, outlined mainly in red and infilled with plant swirtls and twisted white lions; some writing in gold lettering; five roundels of human heads on gold background, some crowned; two half-circles of angels; two half circules of full-lenght humans; all framed with red and gold border

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 272: The Psalter of Count Achadeus
https://parker.stanford.edu/parker/catalog/gv751fq0828

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · Aug 28

Recently one of our manuscripts was rebound in modern conservation binding. Follow the progress, and an amazing discovery, as our Head of Conservation reveals the steps taken for this careful work

A deep dive in medieval manuscript binding 🕵️
www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/articles/chr...

Chronicles of a Book Detective: The case of MS 328

A lost sewing structure. A trip to Winchester which turns up an unexpected clue. A conservator looking for answers. This is the case of MS 328.

www.corpus.cam.ac.uk

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Ennius @enniusredloeb.bsky.social · Aug 22

Picture of the elephant given by Louis IX to Henry III

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 016I; Matthew Paris OSB, Chronica maiora II; 13th century; f. iir
@parkerlibcccc.bsky.social @corpuscambridge.bsky.social

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Reposted by The Parker Library

Ennius @enniusredloeb.bsky.social · Aug 22

Magnificent full-page frontispiece to Deuteronomy:

'hec dicit dominus deus'

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 002I; The Bury Bible, Bibliorum Pars I; 12th c; Bury St Edmunds Abbey; f.94r @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social @corpuscambridge.bsky.social

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · Aug 12

Join @corpuscambridge.bsky.social alumnus Dr James Freeman @theul.bsky.social this evening for an online discussion inspired by the 'Curious Cures' exhibition
www.lib.cam.ac.uk/whats/mediev...

The 4 panellists will discuss some of the fascinating and complex remedies used to treat various ailments

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Reposted by The Parker Library

Cambridge UL Special Collections @theulspeccoll.bsky.social · Aug 6

Archbishop Matthew Parker was born #OTD in 1504. He left the bulk of his collection to @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social but in 1574 gave us 100 books, including this new edition of the Gospels in Anglo Saxon type (1571). The notes are by Abraham Wheelock, first Cambridge Professor of Arabic. CUL 1.24.9.

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Reposted by The Parker Library

Ennius @enniusredloeb.bsky.social · Aug 5

Initial 'B'(eatus) at the beginning of Psalm 1 in which David is depicted as playing music both in youth and later as king.

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 004: The Dover Bible, Volume II; 12th c; ? Christ Church, Canterbury; f.14r @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social @corpuscambridge.bsky.social

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University of Cambridge @cam.ac.uk · Jul 31

📍 The Parker Library, @corpuscambridge.bsky.social

Internationally renowned for its important collection of medieval and renaissance manuscripts, the @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social is a national heritage treasure.

Explore more 👇
bit.ly/40Kgxxh

Interior of the Parker Library at Corpus Christi College in Cambridge, showcasing rows of wooden bookcases filled with books, a vaulted ceiling, and historical artifacts on display.

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · Jul 25

"Come on, everybody! We're going on holiday!"

Our reading room for manuscript and early printed books is closed Monday 28 July-Friday 8 August 2025
(also, always closed on weekends and bank holidays)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVYm...

Cliff Richard - Summer Holiday (lyrics)

YouTube video by Lyrixa

www.youtube.com

The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · Jul 25

190 mss, over 7000 pages of medieval medical recipes, 42000 new images, 7700+ texts, new cataloguing, imaging and conservation treatments - oh my!

We're so pleased to have been part of Curious Cures
Congrats to @theul.bsky.social and everyone who worked on it 🎉👏👏
www.lib.cam.ac.uk/stories/curi...

Hundreds of medieval medical manuscripts now accessible

Over the course of the last three years, and thanks to the generous support of the Wellcome Trust, the Curious Cures in Cambridge Libraries project has been enhancing the discoverability of medieval m...

www.lib.cam.ac.uk

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The Parker Library @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social · Jul 21

Have you ever seen angel's wings used to picture confession? How about a 'tree of consanguinity' drawn on the figure of a man? Perhaps you're a fan of calendars, genealogies, doodles & indexes?

If you missed our exhibition, you can always find it online!
www.corpus.cam.ac.uk/parker-libra...

Opening from medieval manuscript (Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS 10, fol. 330v) displaying a painting of a bearded and long-haird man with open arms (palms out) on the left, and canon law text on the right. The man is painted on deep blue background with red and partial green frame. A chart of multiple circles (empty) is superimposed on him.

Opening from a medieval manuscript (Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS 66, p. 100) with text on the right, and a painting of a six-winged angel on the left. Small-headed angel has bare feet and legs, and all six wings spread in pairs; first two as a modesty shield, second two at the side, and last pair of two wings over the head. A border with floral motif surrounds the angel, and contains four golden circles, one at each corner of the frame.

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Ennius @enniusredloeb.bsky.social · Jul 17

Initial 'I'(n principio) at the beginning of Genesis with six medallions one of which is marked HILE (ὕλη) and refers to matter or stuff.

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 048; Bible; c1170 CE; St Albans; f.7v @parkerlibcccc.bsky.social @corpuscambridge.bsky.social

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Reposted by The Parker Library

Carin Ruff @carinr.bsky.social · Jul 11

Alert observers may be surprised to see an interlinear gloss on the Old English page and not the Latin; it's usually the other way around! This is the Tremulous Hand of Worcester, working on teaching himself OE. Note e.g. DÆDUM: FACTIS; BEARNA: FILIORUM. Can you pick out others?

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