AN EARLY MEDIEVAL EPISTOLARY LIBELLUS AND THE QUESTION OF ORIGINALITY: PARIS, BIBLIOTHÈQUE DE L'ARSENAL, MS. 717

This article examines an unusual early medieval manuscript, Paris,Blibliotheque de i'Arsenal, MS 717. the sole witness to a ninth-century letter written by the arch­bishop of Lyon about religious crowds in Dijon. The manuscript's codicology. pal­aeography, and orthography are examined with...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inScriptorium Vol. 71; no. 2; p. 153
Main Author Bobrycki, Shane
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Brussels Centre d'Etudes des Manuscrits 01.01.2017
Subjects
Catholicism
Handwriting
Historic artifacts
Letters
Medieval period
Monks
Orthography
Women
Dijon France
Paris France
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:This article examines an unusual early medieval manuscript, Paris,Blibliotheque de i'Arsenal, MS 717. the sole witness to a ninth-century letter written by the arch­bishop of Lyon about religious crowds in Dijon. The manuscript's codicology. pal­aeography, and orthography are examined with respect to the contents. Although this small manuscript is not (as has been suggested) an -original' document, it is a rare medieval example of an under-theorized codicological form of letter: the thematic booklet. This article explores the limits of the concept of originality in describing the propagation of such epistolary libelli. It argues that epistolary libelli were useful for disseminating doctrinal claims like those defended by the archbishop.
ISSN:0036-9772
DOI:10.3406/scrip.2017.4441