Einsiedeln, Stiftsbibliothek
The Abbey Library of Einsiedeln is rightfully considered a typical monastery library. Around the Holy Scripture as its center point are arranged the spiritual, theological sciences in an inner circle, around these in an outer circle are arranged all other sciences, from history, philosophy and jurisprudence to the natural sciences and medicine. Such comprehensive breadth was already documented in manuscripts from the early days of the monastery, as well as in ones from the so-called historical collection of the post-Reformation period, and the same remains true today for the modern library. The abbey library’s collection today includes about 1,200 manuscripts (of these about 580 are from before 1500), 1,100 incunabula and early printed works (until 1520), and 230,000 printed volumes from the 16th to the 21st century. Numerous current journals and periodicals offer the most up-to-date research from a large variety of disciplines.
A copy of the four Gospels with commentaries by Jerome, produced in the Abbey of St. Gall during the 10th century (before 950).
Online Since: 07/31/2009
Commentary on the first 70 Psalms by Adelpertus and, at the end, a selection of proverbs by church fathers, written in a pre-Carolingian minuscule at the end of the 9th century, probaby in Northern Italy. The two missing pages at the end are part of the fragment collection Einsiedeln, Abbey Library (Stiftsbibliothek), 370, IV, Bl. 18-19.
Online Since: 12/13/2013
The manuscript consists of two parts and contains various ascetic texts. The first part (1-24) was written by various unskilled hands in a Rhaetian-influenced minuscule which can be dated to the 8th/9th century and localized in a scriptorium in northern Italy or in Switzerland. The second part (25-140) is dated to the second third of the 9th century.
Online Since: 04/23/2013
This volume contains a number of tracts by anonymous authors as well as extracts from works of textual criticism treating individual books of the Old and New Testaments. Specifically worth naming are: Guilelmus Brito (died ca. 1275), Johannes de Colonia (13th century) and Guilelmus de Mara Lamara (1230-ca. 1290). The content is of Franciscan authorship, suggesting that the manuscript was produced in a Minorite cloister.
Online Since: 11/04/2010
A composite manuscript written in the 9th, 10th and 14th centuries, probably in Einsiedeln or southwestern Germany. It contains, among other things, glosses on the Gospels, the Annales Heremi from the birth of Christ to the year 940, and various astronomical treatises, including the Sphaera by John of Sacrobosco and the Computus by Helpericus of Auxerre.
Online Since: 12/19/2011
A composite manuscript consisting of sections from three datable periods, the first from the 10th century, the other two from the 12th century. The first part (1-222) contains glosses on Priscian, the second (223-310) a collection of medical tracts assembled by Constantinus Africanus, the third part (311-357) contains the Liber Tegni by Galen (129/131-199/201).
Online Since: 12/19/2011
The content consists mostly of an anonymous commentary on the Gospel of Matthew attributed to Geoffrey Babion, together with other short texts, not all of which have been identified. The manuscript probably originated in Einsiedeln, certainly it has been there since the 14th century as attested by various annotations and marks by Heinrich von Ligerz.
Online Since: 09/23/2014
Commentary on the first eight epistles of Paul. This is a copy of a (lost) exemplar which, according to tradition, was written before 945 by Abbot Thietland († around 964). The text depends to a great degree upon the Pauline commentary of Bishop Atto of Vercelli (885-961).
Online Since: 12/20/2012
Lectionary, produced in the Abbey of St. Gall during the 10th century (before 950). It may have been presented by St. Gall to Einsiedeln on the occasion of the consecration of the church at Einsiedeln in 948, together with Codex 17.
Online Since: 07/31/2009
Composite manuscript consisting of two parts, which were joined in the 14th century at the latest, as confirmed by the dating of the binding. The first part (1-85) contains Alcuin’s commentary on Genesis and is dated to the second third of the 9th century; some researchers localize this manuscript in western Germany, others in Raetia. The second part (87-191)contains the Partitiones by the grammarian Priscian and was written in the second half of the 10th century in Einsiedeln. A letter, sent by Heinrich II. von Güttingen, Abbot of Einsiedeln (1280 to 1299), to the vice-chaplain of the parish church of St. Peter and Paul on the island Ufenau, is copied onto the last page.
Online Since: 04/23/2013
This codex can be dated to the 10th century; it contains the Musica enchiriadis (2-27), a 9th century music theory treatise which endeavors to develop a series of rules for polyphonic composition, as well as annotations to the commentary Scolica enchiriadis (27-45, 66-102). Dasian notation is used in order to graphically illustrate the music. For a long time, this treatise was attributed to the monk Hucbald, but today it is considered the work of an anonymous author.
Online Since: 03/22/2017
Cod. 83 is a complete breviary consisting of the following parts: calendar, antiphonary with neume notation, lectionary with biblical readings, homilary containing interpretations by the Church Fathers, hymnal, canticles from the Old and New Testaments, psalter, brief readings, prayers, preces and benedictions. Of special note is the oldest version of the Meinrad Office known to us, which is still used today. The melodies used in the antiphonary belong to the Alemanic choral dialect, still sung in the same form in Einsiedeln in the liturgy of the hours.
Online Since: 11/04/2010
This manuscript produced at the Abbey of St. Gall during the second half of the 11th century contains a copy of De ecclesiasticis officiis Lib. I et II by Amalarius (Metensis), from which some chapters are missing. The continuation, with the missing text, is found in Cod. 110, which was also produced in St. Gall.
Online Since: 07/31/2009
A manuscript of collected works, including the Ordines Romani and the works of Amalarius (Metensis). The content of this codex is nearly identical to that of Abbey Library of St. Gall Cod. Sang. 446, indicating that this copy, made in the second half of the 11th century, is of St. Gallen origin.
Online Since: 07/31/2009
This manuscript contains a martyrology (pp. 1-28), the Rule of Saint Benedict (pp. 28-83) and a homiliary (pp. 84-126). It was written by two scribes in a late Carolingian minuscule and contains two initials decorated with plant branches drawn in ink. In the 13th century, a document about the confraternity of Einsiedeln Abbey and St. Blaise Abbey in the Black Forest was added to a blank area at the end of the text of the Rule of Saint Benedict (p. 83).
Online Since: 03/17/2016
This Codex comprises the oldest complete surviving neumed mass antiphonary; it includes assorted appendices (such as Alleluia verses, Antiphons and Psalm verses for the Communion Antiphons). Because the mass antiphonary is complete, the manuscript remains important to this day as a resource for Gregorian chant research. The second part of the codex contains the Libyer Ymnorum, the Sequences of Notker of St. Gall. Recent research has established that the codex was written in Einsiedeln itself (in about 960-970), most likely for the third abbot of the cloister, Gregor the Englishman.
Online Since: 03/31/2011
This manuscript contains Jerome’s commentary on Matthew; it was written in Carolingian minuscule by the scribe Subo, who signed at the end of the text (p. 267) as well as on the last page (p. 268), which today, as the inside back page, is glued to the cover. The style of the initials indicates the Rhaetian area, whereas the scribe Subo is attested at Disentis Abbey. The manuscript has been in Einsiedeln since at least the 17th century, as shown by an ex libris on page 1.
Online Since: 04/09/2014
This composite manuscript contains among others the De viris illustribus by Jerome and the De viris illustribus by Gennadius, the Deflorata by Isidore of Seville and, at the very end, the Tractatus de VII sacramentis, which was only added in the 12th/13th century. The 14th century binding is probably from Einsiedeln; certainly the manuscript was in the monastery library in the 17th century, as attested by the ex libris on p. 1.
Online Since: 04/09/2014
The first part of this manuscript (pp. 2-261) contains the Gospel of Matthew by Jerome and a sermon attributed to Isidore of Seville (pp. 261-262), while the second part (pp. 263-378) contains a copy of the Expositio quattuor evangeliorum by Pseudo-Jerome. Various scribes wrote this manuscript in a pre-Carolingian minuscule which may show characteristics of Raetian script. The influence of the Raetian script can clearly be seen in several initials (p. 2, 5, 62).
Online Since: 09/23/2014
This 10th century manuscript of Reichenau origin contains epigrams by Prosper of Aquitaine as well as the "De consolatione philosophiae" by Boethius.
Online Since: 07/31/2009
This manuscript contains Gregory the Great’s Moralia in Job. It is assumed the manuscript originated in Disentis, since its Carolingian minuscule is very similar to that of manuscript 126, written by the scribe Subo of Disentis. Therefore this manuscript, too, should be dated to the first third of the 9th century. The manuscript has been held at Einsiedeln since the 17th century, as attested by an ex libris on p. 3.
Online Since: 04/09/2014
This manuscript contains the homilies of Gregory the Great on the prophet Ezekiel. It is written by various hands in a minucule which in general is close to the Raetian minuscule. Some researchers attribute the manuscript to a Swiss or Raetian scriptorium. A part of pages 204 and 206 and the entire page 214 are written in uncial script. The mansucript contains numerous initials with geometric and vegetal elements, similar in style to the Remedius-Sacramentary (Cod. Sang. 348). The maniculae by Heinrich von Ligerz confirm that the manuscript was in Einsiedeln in the 14th century already.
Online Since: 04/23/2013
This manuscript contains the Expositio Evangelii secundum Lucam of Ambrosius of Milan. It was produced in Engelberg as a commission for Abbot Frowin (1143-1178), a fact indicated by the dedicatory verse on 1. It also contains three illuminated initials with the motive of tendrils generally used during Frowin’s tenure.
Online Since: 12/19/2011
This manuscript contains works by Isidore, Hucbaldus and Bernoldus as well as the Gospel of Nicodeum, copied at various times in Italy and Einsiedeln.
Online Since: 07/31/2009
This two-part composite manuscript contains various grammatical texts. Probably the two parts were combined when the manuscript was rebound in the 14th century; since then, it has been in the Abbey Library of Einsiedeln. The first part (2-110) was probaby copied in Reichenau in the 3rd third of the 9th century. The second part (111-215) is older and was perhaps written in Reims in the 8th/9th century. Certain scholars (Bruckner) suggest that the script of the second part may be Raetian.
Online Since: 04/23/2013
This manuscript contains the Venerable Bede’s Expositio of the Gospel of Mark (pp. 2-341) and a Tractatus de cruce domini (pp. 341-351) here attributed to Ambrose, but actually by John Chrysostom. According to A. Bruckner, the manuscript originated in the Rhaetian area; however, Hartmut Hoffmann assumes as origin St.-Germain-des-Prés. The ex libris on p. 3 attests to the manuscript’s presence at Einsiedeln since the 17th century.
Online Since: 04/09/2014
A manuscript collection containing letters of Pope Gregory the Great as well as commentaries on Boethius. The text contains both Latin glosses and numerous Old High German glosses in cryptographic script. The manuscript was written during the second half of the 10th century in Einsiedeln.
Online Since: 07/31/2009
This manuscript contains the Tractatus super epistolam ad Titum, Expositio in epistulam Pauli ad Philemonem and Expositio in epistulam ad Hebraeos by Alcuin. It was probably produced at the time of Reginbert in the scriptorium at Reichenau.
Online Since: 12/19/2011
This collection contains, together with other texts, a collection of Canons of ecclesiastical law called the Collectio Quesnelliana. It was probably produced in a scriptorium in northeastern France and was later held by the Court Library of Charlemagne. In the 11th century it was placed in the Cologne Cathedral library, where it was annotated by Bernold von Konstanz. It was later owned by suffragan bishop of Constance Jakob Johann Mirgel (1559-1629) before making its way, together with a group of his books, to the cloister at Einsiedeln.
Online Since: 12/19/2011
A 12th century manuscript (1170-1190), probably copied in Switzerland (Einsiedeln?) or in Austria. It contains the introduction In prima parte agitur (fol. 1r-7ra) and the Decretum by Gratian [Σ-group, cf. C. Wei, A Discussion and List of Manuscripts Belonging to the Σ-group (S-group)] (fol. 7ra-217va); an additio (from fol. 167vb to C.29: Adrianus papa Eberhardo Salzeburgensi archiepiscopo. 'Dignum est et a rationis... [JL 10445: 1154-59]); various excerpts of glosses (scraped on fol. 21a) and excerpta of the Summa by Rufinus (cf. R. Weigand, Die Glossen zum Dekret Gratians. Studien zu den frühen Glossen und Glossenkompositionen, Roma 1991, pp. 737-740); fragments of the Glossa Ordinaria by Bartholomaeus Brixiensis (France, middle of the 13th century) were copied onto the erasures on fol. 6va-9va.
Online Since: 03/22/2017
The Panormia contains a collection of canon law texts, attributed to Ivo of Chartres, which apparently was edited after 1095. The codex probably originated in Einsiedeln and was written by a single scribe who used a regular and calligraphic Carolingian script. The text is divided into eight books, each introduced by an initial; of these eight initials, only one is executed in red, while for the others the preliminary drawings remain visible.
Online Since: 09/23/2014
Originally, this codex constituted a whole together with Einsiedeln 281. It was created in the 8th/9th century in the Raetian-Lombard area. The first part (p. 1-256) was written in Carolingian minuscule, the second (p. 258-430) in Raetian minuscule, the third (p. 431-526) in Raetian or Alemannic minuscule. The maniculae (bookmarks) by Heinrich von Ligerz confirm that the manuscript was in Einsiedeln in the 14th century already.
Online Since: 12/13/2013
This collection contains various council documents (pp. 1-41) and the Collectio vetus gallica (pp. 41-166), the oldest systematic collection of canons from Gaul at the time of the Franks. The first part contains Old High German glosses from the 10th century. In the 17th century, the codex was in the area of Constance, as can be inferred from the ex libris of Bischop Johann Jakob Mirgel (1598-1644) on the front inside cover of the binding; shortly thereafter it reached Einsiedeln, as attested by the 17th century ex libris (p. 1).
Online Since: 04/09/2014
This is an especially lovely exemplar, written in France (Paris?) or Flanders, of The Mirror of Human Salvation, or Speculum humanae salvationis. The work itself exists in over 200 manuscript copies and numerous print editions. The Mirror of Human Salvation is divided into the prefiguring of salvation (Old Testament), the story of salvation as told in the New Testament (from the Annunciation to the Judgement Day), the 7 Stations of the Passion, the 7 Sorrows and the 7 Joys of Mary. At this time, four leaves and the opening portion are missing.
Online Since: 11/04/2010
A collection of homiletic and pastoral texts dated with the years [14]52, [14]54 and [14]55, which came to Einsiedeln from the Lake Constance area. The main work are those by Nikolaus von Dinkelsbühl: Sermones de sanctis, De tribus partibus poenitentiae, De indulgentiis, De oratione Dominica; a collection of writings in Latin by Marquard von Lindau OFM; and texts by Jordanus von Quedlinburg OESA: Sermones de communi sanctorum, Sermones ad religiosos et religiosas.
Online Since: 12/21/2010
This composite manuscript consists of five parts. The first part (1-93) contains an exemplar of the Benedictine Rule, which was probably brought to Einsiedeln by Saint Meinrad († 861). From the viewpoint of textual-criticism, the text belongs to the group of Textus receptus of the Benedictine Rule, as it is found in northern Italy and in Montecassino in the 8th/9th century; noteworthy are the many interlinear glosses. The other parts of the composite manuscript contain: a Martyrologium (93-108), a Breviarium Apostolorum (98-99), two hymns (100), and a poem composed by Heinrich von Würzburg (109-148).
Online Since: 04/23/2013
The principal text in this manuscript is the Explanatio Dominicae Orationis by Engelberg’s Abbot Frowin (†1178), who probably commissioned the volume, as indicated by the verses on the last page (468). The manuscript was probably brought to Einsiedeln at the beginning of the 17th century.
Online Since: 12/19/2011
This manuscript, together with Cod. 247(379), 248(380) and 249(381), constitutes the four volumes of a collection of lives of the saints and passions of the martyrs, arranged according to the liturgical year. Without a doubt these four volumes were used in Einsiedeln, where most likely they also were produced. Each life is introduced with a large rubricated initial, and numerous glosses and maniculae by Heinrich von Ligerz were inserted along the margins. The original endpapers, now removed, left traces of a liturgical text with neumes on the inside of the cover and traces of an illuminated initial on the inside of the back cover.
Online Since: 03/22/2017
Contains an anonymous commentary on the Benedictine Rule, which today is attributed to Hildemar of Corby. The first part (f. 79r-106r) was written in the 9th century in Northern Italy, while the second part (f. 107r-169v) was written in the 10th century in Einsiedeln.
Online Since: 12/13/2013
This manuscript contains the third part (Collationes 18-24) of the Vitae et collationes patrum by John Cassian. The text is introduced by a full-page miniature, showing a medallion with Cassian in the middle, in the process of writing his work, surrounded by four abbots on a checkered background: Piamun and Giovanni with a round nimbus, Pinufius and Theonas with a square one. This manuscript was part of a group of codices that were created during the term of Abbot Thietland (961 until about 964).
Online Since: 03/17/2016
This composite manuscript fromt the 9th/10th century contains the Vita Antigoni, fragments of a so-called Collatio Alexandrini et Dindimi, a falsified letter from Seneca to the apostle Paul and Augustine's Enchiridion: De fide spe et caritate. A copy of the Concordat of Worms from 1122 was added later. Transcription took place in Einsiedeln and the southern German region, possibly in St. Gall.
Online Since: 12/21/2009
This manuscript (9th century) from Disentis contains the Recognitiones of Pope Clement I in the Latin translation of Rufinus of Aquileia. Books IV-VI and individual chapters are missing.
Online Since: 04/23/2013
This composite manuscript was produced during the 10th/11th and the 13th/14th centuries in Einsiedeln and St. Gall. It contains various selections intended for religious education, such as the lives of saints Faustinus, Jovita and Gangolf, the Benedictine Rule, sermons, a liturgical tract and De ratione temporum.
Online Since: 12/21/2009
Mystic treatises in German: Mechthild of Magdeburg's The Flowing Light of Divinity ("Das fliessende Licht der Gottheit") and other mystic works (e.g. selections from Meister Eckhart). The manuscript was a gift, together with Cod. 278(1040), from Heinrich Rumersheim of Basel to the four sister convents in der Au near Einsiedeln at the behest of Margarete zum Goldenen Ring.
Online Since: 04/26/2007
Mystic Treatises in German: Rudolf von Biberach, Meister Eckhart, Johannes von Sterngassen, Albert the Great, etc. The manuscript was a gift, together with Cod. 277(1014), from Heinrich Rumersheim of Basel to the four sister convents in der Au near Einsiedeln at the behest of Margarete zum Goldenen Ring.
Online Since: 04/26/2007
The first part (pp. 1-178) contains ascetic treatises in Rhaetian or Alemannic minuscule, which originally constituted a single volume together with Einsiedeln 199. The other parts were written in Carolingian minuscule. The second part there of (pp. 179-270) can be localized to Switzerland or Northern Italy and the last part (pp. 271-314) to France. The manuscript was held in Einsiedeln in the 14th century already, as attested by numerous maniculae in the hand of Heinrich von Ligerz.
Online Since: 04/09/2014
The devotional book of Abbot Ulrich Rosch of St. Gall contains various prayers, timetables and calendars, is decorated with elaborate initials and was written in the year 1472.
Online Since: 07/31/2009
The first part of this manuscript presents the edition of Aristotle's Peri Hermeneias made by Boethius. The second part presents ten saints' lives, which were probably intended for recitation by a choir.
Online Since: 08/12/2010
Boethius is the author of the two treatises preserved in this 10th century manuscript: De geometria (1-22) and De musica (23-145). The two texts are surrounded by numerous sketches and marginal as well as interlinear glosses.
Online Since: 03/22/2017
The work of Bartholomew de Glanville forms only the first part of this manuscript of collected works, which also includes the following: Albertus Magnus (De compositione hominum et de natura animalium), De Romana Curia, De consecratione Romanorum Imperatorum, Forma iuramenti, Privilegium Constantini, a list of cardinals and their titular churches, De arboribus.
Online Since: 08/12/2010