Nieder's '24 Golden Harps'

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0103 MS GERM 19
Held at	: University College London   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/Library/special-coll ›
Full title	: Nieder's '24 Golden Harps'
Date(s)	: 15th century
Level of description	: Collection (fonds)
Extent	: 1 volume containing 151 leaves
Name of creator(s)	: Unknown

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

John Nider (Johannes Nieder): born in Swabia, 1380; entered the Order of Preachers at Colmar; sent to Vienna for philosophical studies; finished his studies and was ordained at Cologne; active at the Council of Constance; returned to Vienna and taught as Master of Theology, 1425; prior of the Dominican convent at Nuremberg, 1427; served successively as socius to his master general and vicar of the reformed convents of the German province, in which capacity he maintained an earlier reputation as a reformer; prior of the convent of strict observance at Basle, 1431; became identified with the Council of Basle as theologian and legate; made embassies to the Hussites at the command of Cardinal Julian; as legate of the Council, succeeded in pacifying the Bohemians; travelled to Ratisbon to effect further reconciliation with them, 1434; proceeded to Vienna to continue reforming the convents; in dicussions following the dissolution of the Couneil of Basle joined the party in favour of continuing the Council in Germany, but abandoned it when the Pope remained firmly opposed; resumed his theological lectures at Vienna, 1436; twice elected dean of the University; author of various treatises, including (in German) the 'Goldene Harfen' (24 Golden Harps), based on the Collations of Cassianus; died at Colmar, 1438.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Manuscript volume, 15th century, containing Johannes Nieder's '24 Golden Harps' (incomplete).

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
Low German dialect. Gothic minuscule hand.

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

Open.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Normal copyright restrictions apply.

Finding aids:

Dorothy K Coveney, A Descriptive Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of University College London (London, 1935); N R Ker, Medieval Manuscripts in British Libraries, i (London and Oxford, 1969); handlist at University College London Special Collections.

Archival Information

Archival history:

The manuscript belonged to Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872), baronet, an antiquary and bibliophile whose collection included c60,000 manuscripts of various kinds, some relating to the administration of Swiss towns. Various manuscripts were sold after Sir Thomas's death, some to the German government, and were dispersed to several libraries. Formerly Phillipps MS 717. Also bearing on folio 1r: 333; Bibl. v. Ess (Professor van Ess of Marburg).

Immediate source of acquisition:

Presented to University College London by Lord Roseberry in 1911.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Other manuscripts of Nieder's '24 Golden Harps' survive, e g Hofbibliothek, Munich, MS Codex Germ. 602, but University College London Special Collections, MS GERM 19, is apparently the only known manuscript of the text in Low German. The work was also published, e g an edition of 1470 at the British Library.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Source: Catholic Encyclopaedia, available via the website http://www.newadvent.org. Compiled by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Sep 2001