Icelandic book on morals for women. IE TCD MS 1036

• Main Author: Unattributed
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin 2021
• Subjects: Women > Conduct of life > Early works to 1800; Moral conditions > Iceland > Early works to 1800; Iceland > Moral conditions > Early works to 1800; Conduct of life > Iceland > Early works to 1800; Sira; Stranda; Iceland
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.48495/dj52wc223; https://digitalcollections.tcd.ie/concern/works/dj52wc223

IE TCD MS 1036, an Icelandic book on morals for women created in 1639. It has had its binding removed, which is now at IE TCD MS 1036a. This description is taken directly from Olai Skulerud's "Catalogue of Norse manuscripts in Edinburgh, Dublin and Manchester" (Kristiania I Kommission Hos Jacob Dybwad, 1919): "157. MS L.4.16 (Abb. 1036). Duodecimo volume on paper, 1639. -- 2Digda Speigell edur ein christeleg og nitsamleg vnderuijsan firer allar gudhræd[d]ar Meyar og Kuenwpersonur, sijnande huijlijkum Digdum peim hæfe begåfader ad wera. -- Wtsettur å islendsku af peim wirdug- lega og Miøguel-Lærda, gåfumgiædda og gudhræd[d]a Heidur-Werduga kennemanne Sira Jone Arasine (Sællrar og Blessadrar Minningar), fordum profaste ifir Ijsafiardar og Stranda Syslum og Soknarherra ved Wattns- fiardar Stad westur wid Ijsafiørd." On back of title-page is written: "Anno MDCXXXI Sijrach 26. Capitula. Digdafull kona er ein edla [leg. edel?] gåfa, og werdur giefen fjeim sem ottast Gud." Besides the name "Are Jonsson" is found on the same page (in late hand). The translator, as seen from the title, was Rev. Jon Arason, b. 1606, d. 1673. According to Professor Bjorn M. Olsen (in a letter to the editor) this "Digda Speigell" is probably the same as is mentioned in "Sciagraphia Hist. Lit. Isl. U" by Halfdan Einarsson (Havn. 1777, p 244 seq., see No. 11 among "Libri theologici inediti" : Lucæ Martini Speculum Virtutum &c). The Manuscript, as far as I see, is not mentioned anywhere else in the printed Catalogues (Kålund AM., Univ.; Handritasafn hins Islenska Bokmentafélags, Copenhagen 1885; Bibliotheca Danica), or among the writings of Jon Arason in "Jens Worm's Lexikon, Helsingøer 1777", p 32. The original may perhaps be found in the "Landsbibliothek u of Reykjavik, though I have got no information about that as yet. The text, which is alternately in Roman and German characters (first 5 leaves Roman characters, those following mainly German, except a few towards end), covers 103 pp and 2 scraps of paper. The "Digda Speigell" -- as implied in the title -- is a book on morals -- a treatise on the virtues of women and how they are acquired according to the Bible -- intended for the use of women and young girls ("ungar meyar", "jdmfrur" frequently mentioned). It is in prose. Begins: "Så firste Partur Jjessa Bæklijngs: Huadann og huar af Christnar kuenmans personur skulu taka sijnar Digder, og af huorium jjær skulu læra, ad giora Jiad sem gott er." The virtues ("pær sier- legustu digder meijanna") are enumerated in the second part. Among them are: List og Elska til Gudz ordz, Glids Otte, Audmijkt edur Lytelæte, Bænrækne, paclæte, Æra og Sidseme, Hreinlæte &c. The third part treats "Vm pær sierlegustu ordsaker sem vppuékia til firr skrifadra digda." The fourth part, Vm Nockur medol og måta [huorsu] kuennpersonur kunna ad komast til adursagdra Digda. At end of vol is found an Icelandic version of the 10th Epode of Horace (1 p) and "Siphrius lapis oleo"." See: https://ia600606.us.archive.org/25/items/catalogueofnorse00skul/catalogueofnorse00skul.pdf