A single leaf on parchment, c. 212 x 154 mm, from a recovered binding waste with text from the Horologium Sapientiae by German Dominican friar Heinrich Seuse (1295-1366). The parchment edges have been trimmed to create the turn-ins that would have fit the codex that it once covered, with the spine and board impression still visible. The text block c. 160 x 53 (column) mm, is presented in two columns of thirty-three to thirty-five lines with cursive script in brown ink, rubric for five lines in red ink to recto, one four-line initial 'I' in red to recto, capitals highlighted in red, paragraph marks in red. The text is mainly visible on the verso. It has been significantly rubbed to the recto, most likely with a pumice stone with the exception of the rubric and initial being visible. The text on the verso contains chapters one and two from Horologium Sapientiae. Towards the end of the second column reads, 'sp[ur]citia plene sunt verbis diligu[n]t'.
A very good example of binding waste. Some holes from where the waste had ties, lots of rubbing, recto nearly completely removed probably by a pumice stone, some chips, remains of mounting tape to the one edge the recto.
Fragments recovered from bindings are a fine example of how books have been used and later recycled over time. There were many reasons as to why this has happened, such as a book being damaged beyond repair or if the text has become outdated with later editions. Rather than throwing a medieval manuscript away, it would be taken to a book binder who would use the parchment to re-enforce the bindings of other books because parchment is such a durable and strong material. The damage is vital evidence of this manuscripts living history. The Horologium Sapientiae was an incredibly popular text in the later Medieval period which focuses on Christ's Passion in discussion between Wisdom ('Sapientia') and a pupil ('Discipulus'). It had a wide appear to lay women and men as well as clerics.
Horologium Sapientiae, Binding Waste Manuscript on Parchment — [Seuse, Heinrich]
Author
[Seuse, Heinrich]
Publisher
[Possibly Germany,
Date
Fourteenth Century, (Last Quarter)]
![Horologium Sapientiae, Binding Waste Manuscript on Parchment — [Seuse, Heinrich]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11b30f_d953a10af85e44daae1b8b6b50ccbc8b~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_1600,h_1599,al_c,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/11b30f_d953a10af85e44daae1b8b6b50ccbc8b~mv2.jpeg)