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University College London

German Religious Poetry Anthology

IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0103 MS GERM 6

Held at: University College London

Title: German Religious Poetry Anthology

Date(s): 17th century

Level of description: Collection (fonds)

Extent: 1 volume containing 78 leaves

Name of creator(s): Unknown

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Unknown.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Anthology of religious poems, 17th century, including penitential prayers and verse meditations on the joys of the next world. Following an introduction (ff 1r-6v), the text from folio 7r is in verse. With marginal references to passages in the Bible, written in the authoress' own hand, throughout the text. Her identity is not revealed, except that her Christian name was Doroteha, and, given references in the introduction to her grandchildren and other relations, she probably wrote the book in later life. With the name Jacobs Himmelsleiter inside the front cover.

The vellum in which the volume is bound bears on the outside front cover traces of 13th-century text, with the heading ET VIGILIA.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: German (Upper Saxon dialect), and Latin on cover. Gothic minuscule script on cover.

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

Open.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Normal copyright restrictions apply.

Physical characteristics:

Paper manuscript bound in light vellum, and with the remains of parchment strips. One 17th-century hand throughout; a 13th-century hand on the binding vellum. 20cm.

Finding aids:

Dorothy K Coveney, A Descriptive Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of University College London (London, 1935), which summarises the contents of the manuscript; handlist at University College London Special Collections.

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

The volume formerly belonged to the antiquary Rosenthal of Munich, and bears on the inside front cover: Ch. B XX 343246.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Presented to University College London by Professor Trouton in 1911.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

The text was edited by Dr M F Richey in her MA dissertation of 1916.

Related material:

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Compiled by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project.