MS 90: Libellus of Telesphorus, or Libellus fratris telesfori

Army

Description

MS 90 is the oldest manuscript from the Leopold von Ranke collection in the Department of Special Collections, Syracuse University Library, and is one of the only twenty known MSS known to exist for the text of the Libellus of Telesphorus. It bears a date of 1391 and may originate from France or Germany, possibly from the region of Tyrol, based upon the artistic style of the pen and ink line drawings which are either damaged or have been left unfinished for the most part.

The codex consists of twenty-three leaves (and 1 flyleaf) and is written in Latin, in Littera gothic cursiva textualis script. The text appears in a layout of 1 column of 41 rows, with rubrics in red.

The text is a prophetic and apocalyptic work showing the influence of the teachings Joachim of Fiore on Telesphorus of Cosenza, the author. The primitive artwork supports the content of the text by illustrating such scenes as the combat of Gog and Magog and the death of the Antichrist.


Index of Selected Images from MS 11

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f.1r, Caricature drawn over writing

f.2v, Text with Rubric

f.4r, Devil with the crowd; Devil with kings

f.16v, Angelic Pastor led from prison

f.20r, Armies of Gog & Magog

f.20v, Defeat of the Devil; Holy Father leading an army

f.22v, Angel opening a book

f.23r, Angel blowing horn; Holy Father

f.23v, Defeat of Antichrist


Detailed Multilevel Description

Index of Medieval Manuscripts
Image Links and descriptions
Shelfmark MS 90, Syracuse University Library, Department of Special Collections.
Composite MS? No.
Total Folios ff. i + 23
Outer Dimensions 31 x 23 cm.
Physical Issues/Binding The binding is in poor and deteriorating condition. The boards which are covered with vellum, were made from pasted reused MS sheets. Evidence of two sets of holes in the front cover and three holes in back. Each quire consists of four bifolia.
Provenance Leopold von Ranke (1795-1886).
Bibliography Everson Museum of Art of Syracuse and Onondaga County. Medieval Art in Upstate New York. Syracuse, NY: Everson Museum of Art of Syracuse and Onondaga County, 1974. -- Muir, Edward. The Leopold von Ranke Manuscript Collection of Syracuse University: The Complete Catalogue. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1983.--Pennington, Kenneth. "The Libellus of Telesphorus and the Decretals of Gregory IX." The Courier 9, no. 1 (fall 1973): 17-26. -- Spence, Richard. "MS Syracuse University von Ranke 90 and the Libellus of Telesphorus of Cosenza." Scriptorium 33 (1979): 271-274. --Syracuse University Libraries. The George Arents Research Library at Syracuse University. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Libraries, 1970.
Notes (Manuscript Level) Now in the Ranke Collection of the Department of Special Collections of Syracuse University Library. Bookplate (f. iv) reads: "BIBLIOTHECA UNIVERSITATIS SYRACUSANAE / EX LIBRIS DR. LEOPOLDI DE RANKE. / DR. JOANNES M. REID ET CAROLINA S. REID / DONAVERUNT." Pennington speculates that the MS may have once belonged to the seminary library of the University of Padua and Ranke obtained it through Professor Francesco Francesconi of Padua.
Source(s) Everson Museum of Art of Syracuse and Onondaga County. Medieval Art in Upstate New York. Syracuse, NY: Everson Museum of Art of Syracuse and Onondaga County, 1974.[p. 70]--Muir, Edward. The Leopold von Ranke Manuscript Collection of Syracuse University: The Complete Catalogue. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1983.[pp. 87-89] -- Pennington, Kenneth. "The Libellus of Telesphorus and the Decretals of Gregory IX." The Courier 9, no. 1 (fall 1973): 17-26. -- Spence, Richard. "MS Syracuse University von Ranke 90 and the Libellus of Telesphorus of Cosenza." Scriptorium 33 (1979): 271-274. -- Syracuse University Libraries. The George Arents Research Library at Syracuse University. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Libraries, 1970.[p. 9; caption].? Additional information derived from catalog description and observations of Jennifer Casten.
Inputter/Reviser Jennifer Casten.
Part Number Pt. I, Libellus of Telesphorus.
Support Parchment.
Span of Folios for Part ff. 1r-23v.
Country France or Germany (based upon script, binding, illustration, and content).
Region Tyrol? (based upon illustrations).
Document? No.
Dated? Yes.
Date 1391. (As dated in the MS).
Year-Month-Date 1391 [(year only) for Ranke MS 90].
Layout Ink ruling. 42 horizontal and 2 vertical lines. One column of 41 rows. Rubrics are in red, with large capital (in blue, red, or both) following. Red and blue marks indicate beginnings of paragraphs.
Script Littera gothica cursiva textualis.
Representational Decoration The illustrations which are unfinished for the most part, are primitive pen and ink line drawings with complete or partial wash in red, blue, and brown. The seven include: a damaged illustration of the devil confronting a crowd and then confronting three kings (4r); an angelic pastor with hands bound being led from prison (16v); the two armies of Gog and Magog at war (20r), the slaying of a devil by an angel and the Holy Father/pope on horseback leading an army (20v); an angel with an open book (22v); an angel blowing a horn and the Holy Father as a monk with the people of God kneeling and facing him (23r); solider(s) crossing the bridge of a castle to kill the king, and death of the king, symbolizing death of the Antichrist (23v).
Other Decoration Marginalia can be found in the form of fingers pointing to specific parts of the text (e.g., 19v) or doodling alongside the text (e.g., 19r) or cartoon-like figures scribbled on the folio (e.g., f. i recto).
Notes (Part Level) Script style was identified by Spence. Pennington suggested that the script was influenced by forms used in chancellery and notarial documents. Although the text is Italian, the MS origin is northern Europe. The localization to France or Germany was a contribution of Richard Spence in his article cited above. Pennington suggested Tyrol as a more specific location. The date appears in the caption of the prefatory letter to the text. Illustration themes identified by Pennington and elaborated upon by J. Casten.
Span of Folios for Text Prefatory letter to Antoniotto Adorno, Doge of Genoa; & Libellus: ff. 1r-23v (originally, ff 1-31).
Author Telesphorus of Cosenza.
Other Associated Names Antoniotto Adorno, Dodge of Genoa (d. 1398), to whom the prefatory letter to the book was addressed.
Title Libellusof Telesphorus; Libellus fratris telesfori.
Status of Text Original foliation: ff. 1-31. Missing are original folios 1, 2, 6, 19, 20, 22-24. The existing folios have been renumbered in pencil 1-23.
Incipit "In nomine domini Ihesu Christi....Incipit libellus fratris Thelofori presbyteri heremite.... Item de summis pontificibus romane ecclesie...".
Language(s) Latin.
Notes (Text Level) Colophon: "Explicit liber fratris Thelofori presbyteri heremite de cognitatione presentis scismatis et statu universalis ecclesie usque ad finem seculi Deo gratias. Amen."This MS is one of the twenty MSS known to exist for the text of this work.
Additional Sources of Information Donkel, Emil. "Studien uber die Prophezeiung des Fr. Telesforus von Consenza, O. F. M." Archivum Franciscanum Historicum 25 (1933): 25-104; 26 (1934): 282-91.Kamperas, Franz. Kaiserprophetieen and kaisersagen in mittelalter. Ein beitrag zur geschichte der deutschen kaiseridee. Munich: 1895.Reeves, Marjorie. The Influence of Prophecy in the Later Middle Ages: A Study in Joachimism. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1969.

Citations


Everson Museum of Art of Syracuse and Onondaga County. Medieval Art in Upstate New York. Syracuse, NY: Everson Museum of Art of Syracuse and Onondaga County, 1974. [p. 70]

Muir, Edward. The Leopold von Ranke Manuscript Collection of Syracuse University: The Complete Catalogue. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1983. [pp. 87-89]

Pennington, Kenneth. “The Libellus of Telesphorus and the Decretals of Gregory IX.” The Courier 9, no. 1 (fall 1973): 17-26.

Spence, Richard. “MS Syracuse University von Ranke 90 and the Libellus of Telesphorus of Cosenza.” Scriptorium 33 (1979): 271-274.

Syracuse University Libraries. The George Arents Research Library at Syracuse University. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Libraries, 1970. [p. 9; caption]

*Available in Microfilm: Microfilm reel 40, Special Collections, 6th floor, Syracuse University Library.