Liber iuratus Honorii

The Sworne Book of Honorius

by Honorius of Thebes, 15th C English & Latin Manuscript

Royal MS 17 A XLII

  • Materials: Parchment.
  • Dimensions: 185 x 140 mm (text space: 165/70 x 115/20 mm).
  • Script: Gothic.

Origin: England. Provenance: An added charm, in a cursive script, on the word, ‘Calendant’ against ague (f. 82r).’R.T.’ inscribed in a modern hand between drawings of a thistle, rose and oak (f. 1r).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): a modern shelfmark on a parchment flyleaf f. [iv]; presented to the British Museum by George II in 1757 as part of the Old Royal Library. Bound together with Royal MS 17 A XLIII and Royal MS 17 A XLIV in 1966.

Contents: ff. 2r-15r: Sworne Book of Honorius (Liber iuratus Honorii), or Liber Sacer,chapters 1-5 (chapter 4 in Latin, the remainder in English);ff. 15r-23r: A treatise on Suffumigations (mostly in English, final paragraphs in Latin);ff. 23r-27r: Lists of classes of angels and spirits (opening paragraphs in Latin);f. 27r: Sworne Book of Honorius, chapter 137:20-22 (in English)ff. 27r-v: A rite of exorcism of the blood to be use in drawing the Seal of God (in Latin);ff. 27v-28v: Honorius, chapter 137:1-19 (in English);ff. 29r-59v: Honorius, chapters 6 -11, 13-96 (6-11, 13-15 in Latin, 16-96 in English, with some prayers in Latin);ff. 59v-72r: Honorius, chapters 98-115:4 (in English);ff. 72r-77r: A treatise on different classes of angels (in English, except for a passage from Agrippa, De occulta Philosophia, in Latin on ff. 76r-v);ff. 77v-79r: Drawings of angelsff. 80r-81r: Lists of names of angels.This manuscript is bound together with Royal MS 17 A xliv, (12 folios) and Royal MS 17 A xliii (23 folios).Decoration: Miniatures of rows of angels in gold, green and red, blue and red, green and gold, white and red or green and yellow (ff. 67v-70r). Pen drawings of angels (ff. 72v-79v). Initials at the beginning of lines with marginal pen-flourishing consisting of leaves and flowers (perhaps pheasant berry and fuschia) in red, green and yellow (ff. 14v-19r, 29r-31r), some forming partial borders (ff. 17v-18v, 31v-32r, 33r-35v), some without colour (ff. 20r-23r). A table of symbols (ff. 76v-77r). Rubrics, names, numbers and line-fillers in red or gold. Rubrics and line-fillers in blue or green (ff. 62v-72r). Rubrics in large brown script (ff. 33r-59v).

Other Facsimiles



Pope Honorius III

Pope Honorius III, born Cencio Savelli, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 18 July 1216 to his death. A canon at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, he came to hold a number of important administrative positions, including that of Camerlengo. He has had a number of grimoires falsely attributed to him namely the grimoire of Honorius and possibly the Sworn Book of Honorius.

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