Queens' College : Glossa Ordinaria

Queens' College

<p style='text-align: justify;'> This volume, containing the gospels of Mark, Luke, and John together with marginal interlinear annotations (glosses), constitutes an extract from a broader work known as the <i>Glossa Ordinaria</i>. Now recognised to be one of the great intellectual achievements of the Middle Ages, the <i>Glossa Ordinaria</i> embodies the medieval concept of the bible as a ‘bibliotheca’ (or library) rather than a single book. Drawn mainly from patristic texts, the origins of the annotations together with the distinctive format lie with Anselm of Laon (d. 1117), although others also played a part to establish a final (albeit evolving) text. As such the <i>Glossa Ordinaria</i> is representative of early efforts to present discrete patristic and medieval interpretations of individual verses of scripture in a readily accessible, easily referenced way. A complete manuscript copy of the <i>Glossa Ordinaria</i> (containing the entire biblical text with commentaries) would have comprised around twenty-one volumes. Although there is no provenance evidence in the volume, it seems likely to be of monastic origin.</p>