Exhibitions
Corpus and ‘Manifold Greatness: Oxford and the Making of the King James Bible'
The Bodleian Libraries Summer Exhibition, ‘Manifold Greatness: Oxford and the Making of the King James Bible' (22 April-4 September 2011), featured many items from Corpus' collection of early printed books and its archives. John Rainolds, President from 1598 to his death in 1607, proposed the idea of a new translation in 1604, and one of the two Oxford translating committees met in Corpus. The Bodleian exhibition was then linked with the 'Manifold Greatness' exhibition opening at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. in late September 2011, and two items from Corpus were included in this overseas exhibition.
The Folger Shakespeare Library’s online exhibition, ‘Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible’, which features contributions by Corpus Fellow in English, Helen Moore, and Archivist Julian Reid, was amongst the five winners of the 2012 RBMS (Rare Books and Manuscripts Section) Leab Exhibition Awards from the ALA (American Library Association). The Awards recognize outstanding exhibition catalogues issued by American or Canadian institutions in conjunction with library exhibitions, as well as electronic exhibition catalogues of outstanding merit issued within the digital/Web environment. The ALA press release is available at www.ala.org/news/pr?id=9541 and the online exhibition can be viewed at www.manifoldgreatness.org.
In Hilary Term 2011, a series of ‘Manifold Greatness' lectures was held at the College as a prelude to the exhibition. They are now available as audio and video podcasts on iTunes U, under the title ‘King James Bible Lectures'. Fellows, Library and Archives staff were involved in a range of television and radio programmes, including the three part series broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2011.
The Salian Dynasty: power in transition
The Historical Museum of the Palatinate at Speyer celebrated two anniversaries in 2011 (the 950 year anniversary of the dedication of Speyer Cathedral and the 900 year anniversary of the coronation of the last Salian Emperor) with its exhibition The Salian Dynasty: power in transition (from April to 30 October 2011). On display until the middle of July was the Corpus manuscript MS 157, the 12th century Chronicle of world and English history by John of Worcester. Digital images from this manuscript, including the visions or dreams of Henry I on pages 382-383 can be found on the Early Manuscripts at Oxford University website (follow the links to Corpus and MS 157).
Online exhibitions:
Crossing borders: Hebrew manuscripts as a meeting place of cultures - This is an online version of the exhibition housed at the Bodleian Library from December 2009 to May 2010 (to which the College lent two manuscripts).
Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible - The Folger Shakespeare Library’s online exhibition featuring contributions by Corpus Fellow in English, Helen Moore, and Archivist Julian Reid.
Images of the new World
Some Corpus manuscripts have been digitised as part of the early digital project: Early manuscripts at Oxford University (follow the links to Corpus). Others are available through DIAMM, the Digital Image Archives of Medieval Music.
History
Corpus History: An introduction:
"Erasmus foretold that the trilinguis bibliotheca [the three languages being Latin, Greek and Hebrew] of Corpus would become one of the chief attractions to Oxford for scholars; and, though it can hardly claim that place to-day, it is still not only an object of pilgrimage for the humanist, but a haven of peace for the student. The stalls remain with minor alterations as they were first constructed, and the curious can find hidden in the fittings - the little pelican which covers the lock of the entrance door, the box for the University Statutes in the first stall, the bits of panelling re-used when the Chapel gallery was screened off, the ships' timbers skilfully worked into the bookcases, and so forth - as well as among the books."
Quoted from The early history of Corpus Christi College, Oxford by J.G. Milne (Oxford 1946; page 37)
A summary of the history of the Library has been written by a former member of library staff:
Library History by Jonathan Bengtson
For the history of the College and related publications, see:
The history of Corpus Christi College, with lists of its members by Thomas Fowler (Oxford, 1893)
The early history of Corpus Christi College, Oxford by J.G. Milne (Oxford 1946)
Corpuscles : a history of Corpus Christi College, Oxford in the twentieth century, written by its members Edited by Brian Harrison (Oxford 1994)
The fox, the bees and the pelican : some worthies and noteworthies of Corpus Christi College, Oxford by Richard Symonds (Oxford, 2002)
Daring to be wise : more worthies and noteworthies of Corpus Christi College, Oxford by Richard Symonds (Oxford, 2004)
Raising the ladder : further worthies and noteworthies of Corpus Christi College, Oxford by Richard Symonds ; edited by Stephen Harrison (Oxford 2008)
Biographical details of Corpus members can be found in:
Biographical register 1880-1974 Corpus Christi College, Oxford by PA Hunt and NA Flanagan (Oxford, 1988)
Supplement to the Biographical Register 1974-1991 Corpus Christi College, Oxford by A Nockels (Oxford, 1992)
Alumni Oxonienses : the members of the University of Oxford, 1500-1714 by Joseph Foster (Oxford, 1891-2)
Alumni Oxonienses : the members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886 by Joseph Foster (Oxford, 1887-8)
Some of the Corpus publications are still available to be purchased via the Lodge (see the College's Publications page for more information).
Information about how to find out more about the special collections, including the archives of the College, can be found at the Catalogues and collections webpages.
