Herman Mulder
Royal Library of Belgium, Manuscripts, Emeritus
There are a large number of Dutch abc poems from the Middle Ages and the chambers of rhetoric (late 14th-16th c.). These are poems in which the starting letters of the stanzas, verses or words together form an alphabet. The `z’ in the... more
There are a large number of Dutch abc poems from the Middle Ages and the chambers of rhetoric (late 14th-16th c.). These are poems in which the starting letters of the stanzas, verses or words together form an alphabet. The `z’ in the alphabet of these poems is usually followed by some abbreviation signs. Their number varies; usually there are two or four, sometimes three and only in Eduard de Dene’s poems there are five. When there are two, it always concerns – if the poems are unspoiled – the signs for `et’ and `con’. When there are four the `est’ sign is also always present, besides the signs for `et’ and `con’. So far for constancy, since the fourth element in these alphabets can be a variety of abbreviation signs, including the `ur’ sign, the `esse’ sign, and, again, the `con’ and the `est’ sign. This fourth element especially has puzzled editors. However, it always appears to represent the same thing: all these different signs have to be read as `titel’ (English `tittle’, Latin `titulus’) because they ARE a tittle. The alphabets with three abbreviation signs contain, besides `et’ and `con’, either `est’ or `titel’.
Once the origin of the alphabet with abbreviation signs is researched (computus) and after it is shown that, via education (primers), alphabets with abbreviation signs survive into the seventeenth century, the alphabet of De Dene is finally discussed. This contains, apart from `et’, `con’, `titel’ and `est’, also `tra’. It is shown that this `tra’ actually does not belong in the medieval alphabet. The addition of `tra’ indicates that, in time, the medieval alphabet was misunderstood.
Once the origin of the alphabet with abbreviation signs is researched (computus) and after it is shown that, via education (primers), alphabets with abbreviation signs survive into the seventeenth century, the alphabet of De Dene is finally discussed. This contains, apart from `et’, `con’, `titel’ and `est’, also `tra’. It is shown that this `tra’ actually does not belong in the medieval alphabet. The addition of `tra’ indicates that, in time, the medieval alphabet was misunderstood.
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Explanation of an unclear late medieval inscription in the church of Mastenbroek (Netherlands).
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol.15 (no more published) 30 items: hs. 422-26, hs. 1507-09, hs. 2190-91, hs. 2432-33, hs. 2905-09, hs. 3057-58, hs. 3067-73, hs. 4970, hs. 8907-08,... more
Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol.15 (no more published)
30 items: hs. 422-26, hs. 1507-09, hs. 2190-91, hs. 2432-33, hs. 2905-09, hs. 3057-58, hs. 3067-73, hs. 4970, hs. 8907-08, hs. 11223, hs. 11696-97, hs. 11797, hs. 12078, hs. 12079, hs. II 469, hs. II 719,49, hs. II 2271, hs. II 2774, hs. II 6924, hs. IV 113, hs. IV 116, hs. IV 175, hs. IV 203, hs. IV 398,8, hs. IV 443, hs. IV 848, hs. IV 923, hs. IV 1158, hs. FS IX 4, bruikleen Wezemaal
30 items: hs. 422-26, hs. 1507-09, hs. 2190-91, hs. 2432-33, hs. 2905-09, hs. 3057-58, hs. 3067-73, hs. 4970, hs. 8907-08, hs. 11223, hs. 11696-97, hs. 11797, hs. 12078, hs. 12079, hs. II 469, hs. II 719,49, hs. II 2271, hs. II 2774, hs. II 6924, hs. IV 113, hs. IV 116, hs. IV 175, hs. IV 203, hs. IV 398,8, hs. IV 443, hs. IV 848, hs. IV 923, hs. IV 1158, hs. FS IX 4, bruikleen Wezemaal
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 13 41 items: hs. 529, hs. 651, hs. 1168, hs. 1173-74, hs. 2192-93, hs. 2412-13, hs. 2518, hs. 2992-93, hs. 3004, hs. 3014-15, hs. 3039, hs.... more
Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 13
41 items: hs. 529, hs. 651, hs. 1168, hs. 1173-74, hs. 2192-93, hs. 2412-13, hs. 2518, hs. 2992-93, hs. 3004, hs. 3014-15, hs. 3039, hs. 3416-24, hs. 3753, hs. 4244, hs. 4367-68, hs. 5112, hs. 11079, hs. 11156-58, hs. 11732, hs. 14716, hs. 15071, hs. 18430, hs. 19565, hs. 19577, hs. 21143, hs. II 298, hs. II 756, hs. II 1489, hs. II 5606, I, fr. 64, hs. II 5606, I, fr. 67, hs. II 5606, I, fr. 71, hs. IV 190, hs. IV 323, hs. IV 402, hs. IV 535, hs. IV 781, hs. IV 1105, hs. IV 1107, hs. IV 1155, hs. IV 1195, hs. IV 1203, 9
41 items: hs. 529, hs. 651, hs. 1168, hs. 1173-74, hs. 2192-93, hs. 2412-13, hs. 2518, hs. 2992-93, hs. 3004, hs. 3014-15, hs. 3039, hs. 3416-24, hs. 3753, hs. 4244, hs. 4367-68, hs. 5112, hs. 11079, hs. 11156-58, hs. 11732, hs. 14716, hs. 15071, hs. 18430, hs. 19565, hs. 19577, hs. 21143, hs. II 298, hs. II 756, hs. II 1489, hs. II 5606, I, fr. 64, hs. II 5606, I, fr. 67, hs. II 5606, I, fr. 71, hs. IV 190, hs. IV 323, hs. IV 402, hs. IV 535, hs. IV 781, hs. IV 1105, hs. IV 1107, hs. IV 1155, hs. IV 1195, hs. IV 1203, 9
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 10
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 9
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 8
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 7
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 6
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 2
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 5
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 4
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 3
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Catalogue of the manuscripts in Dutch of the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels, vol. 1