Cisio Janus - Hore Paris 1488-1530

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Cisio Janus in Latin and French
Printed Hore from Paris 1488-1530

The Cisiojanus is a medieval composition of 24 hexametrical verses with a syllable for each day in the year. Its purpose is to memorize the most important feasts. The name is taken from the incipit Cisio Janus Epy ... (Circumsision, January, Epiphany etc.). It originated probably in Northern Germany (Cologne/Aachen) in the 12th century, and spread to Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. The precursors were some of the shorter rhymed martyrologies. After a cisiojanus in the Speculum humanae salvationis (1430) KB GKS 79 have I demonstrated how it is possible in some cases to reconstruct a calendar on basis of the cisiojanus alone. In France was it not commonly known before the end of the 15th century, when vernacular versions began to circulate, mainly spread with the calendars in printed books of hours.
Most versions are corrupted due to misunderstandings, when later local exchanges of saints are disturbing the rythmical logic, and give them character as nonsense ramses for children. Some French printers did not fully understand their function, or did not take them serious. The most widespread version in French is composed with the popular wit and harsh humour who created authors like Rabelais. The number of syllables is not always clearly indicated in typography, making it a puzzle to divide the words to fit the number of days in a month. Other problems become obvious, when the ramse is combined with a local calendar without some of the key saints in the cisiojanus. The 1512 Hardouin edition (See below) with a general calendar, has a problem already in the first line "venerabitur hil.", since Hilarius (13 Jan.) has been replaced by Octava Epyphanie in the calendar.
Heures a lusaige de Clermont [KB Perg.26] has a major problem in December: Eloy fait barb acollart, since neither Eligius nor Barbara are found in the calendar for Clermont in December!

Cisio Janus

German prototype by pseudo-Beda
German type in Latin 1400-1500
French version in Latin c.1500
Popular version in French 1490-1520

Cisio Janus in Latin from the calendar in Hore intemerate virginis, printed for Gillet Hardouin in Paris 1512

	Januarius
	Cisio ianus Epy. venerabitur hil. quoque marcant. Prisca fab. ag. Vincenti Paulus iulque valerus.
	Februarius
	Ig Pur. blasius agat sub febre scolastica valent. Juli coniunge tu Petrum Mathiam inde.
	Martius
	Martius officio decoratur gregoriano. Gertrud. alba bene iuncta maria genitrice.
	Aprilis
	April. in ambrosii festis ouat atque tiburci. Et valer. sancti geor. Marcique vitalis.
	Maius
	Philip. Crux et goth. Johan. et nicolaus habent tot. Quod bernardus ad hoc helene venerabilis et pe.
	Junius
	Jus marcelius habet veneraris Barnab. apostol. Cir. quoque ger. silue. pauli Johan. optim. Pe Pol.
	Julius
	Jul. visit. martin. benedicit o pina privati. Currit ad id marga. Magd. apol. Jac. An. obticet ab ger.
	Augustus
	Pe. ste. ste. cum nivibus tibi Lauren. clarius Assum. Aspice bernarde cum Barth. ludovice Johannes.
	September
	Egidium sep. habet Nat. gorgoniumque Crucemque lambertum cum Matheo colo cip. dami. Mich. hie.
	October
	Remige francisco marchas Dionysius affert. Aurum Luce et id sol eis cris. habet Symon aufert.
	November
	O Mors restitues michi corpora Marti. hyleum. Optimus es miseris clemens Kath. linus apost. An.
	December
	Est tibi barba. Nichol. Conceptio virginis est sol. Festa dehinc Thome colo Nat. Steph. Jo. Puerisque.

Cisio Janus in French c.1500

31	Januarius
	En ian vier que les Roys ve nus sont Glau me dit fre min mor font An thoin boit le iour vin cent fois Pol us en sont tous ses dois.
28	Februarius
	Au chan de lier A ga the beut Mais le vin si fort les meut Quil tu a pres daus si Pier res Ma thi as aus si.
31	Martius
	Au bin dit que mars est pril leux. Cest mon fait gre goir il est feux Et tout prest de don ner des e aux Ma rie dit il est caux.
30	Aprilis
	En a vril am broi se sen vint Droit a Le on la se tint En son temps e stoit en balle Geor ge Marc hant de go dal le.
31	Maius
	Ja ques Croix dit que iehan est moy Ni co las dit il est vray. Hon nou rez sont sai ges et sotz Car mes au gu stins et bi gotz.
30	Junius
	En iuing a lon bien sou vent Grant soif : ou bar na be ment. En son temps fut prins com ler res. Damp iehan e loy et damp pier res.
31	Julius
	En iuil let mar tin se combat Et du benoi tier sainct vaast bat La sur vint Mar guet mag de lain Jac mar dor An ne et Ger main.
31	Augustus
	Pier res et os on get toit A pres lau rens qui bru loit Ma ri e lors se print a brai re Bar the le mi fait Jehan tai re.
30	September
	Gi les a ce que ie vois Ma rie toy se tu me Croix. Et prie de tes nop ces Ma thieu Son filz fre min cos me Mi cheu.
31	October
	Re mis sont fran cois en vi gueur. De nis nen est pas bien as seur Car luc est pri son nier a han Cre spin et sy mon a quen.
30	November
	Sains mors sont les gens bien eu rez Com dit Mar tin du bien Aus si fait por tus de mil lan Cle ment Ka the rin et sat An.
31	December
	E loy fait barb a co lart Ma ri e cri e Lu ce art Dont en grant i re Tho mas meut De No E Jehan In no cens fut.

Found in a large number of Hore printed in Paris from 1490.
Hore ad usum Romanum, Pigouchet pour Simon Vostre, Paris 25 Febr. 1497; [KB Perg.16 8°]
Heures a lusaige de Rome, Etienne Jehannot pour Antoine Verard, Paris c.1497; [KB Perg.16b 8°]
Heures a lusaige de Clermont, Jehan Petit, Paris c.1510; [KB Perg.26]

German Cisio Janus in Latin (15th Century)

31	Januarius
	Cisio Janus Epi sibi vendicat Oc Feli Mar An Prisca Fab Ag Vincen Ti Pau Po nobile lumen.
28	Februarius
	Bri Pur Blasus Ag Dor Febru Ap Scolastica Valent Juli conjunge tunc Petrum Matthiam inde.
31	Martius
	Martius Adria Per decoratur Gregorio Cyr Gertrud Alba Bene juncta Maria genitrice.
30	Aprilis
	April in Ambrosii festis ovat atque Tiburci Et Valer sanctique Geor Marcique Vitalis.
31	Maius
	Philip Crux Flor Got Johan latin Epi Ne Ser et Soph Maius in hac serie* tenet Urban in pede Cris Can. *[Others: in hac ferie]
30	Junius
	Nic Marcelle Boni dat Jun Primi Ba Cyrini Vitique Mar Protas Al sancti Johan Jo Dor Le Pe Pau.
31	Julius
	Jul Proces Udal Oc Wil Kili Fra Bene Margar Apost Al Arnolfus Prax Mag Ap Christ Jacobique Sim Abdon.
31	Augustus
	Pe Steph Steph proto Six Don Cyr Ro Lau Tibur Hip Eus Sumptio Agapiti Timo Bartholo Ruf Aug Coll Aucti.
30	September
	Egidium Sep habet Nat Gorgon Protique Crux Nic Eu Lampertique Mat Mauricius et Da Wen Mich Jer.
31	October
	Remique Franciscus Marcus Di Ger Arteque Calix Galle Lucas vel Und Se Seve Crispine Simonis Quin.
30	November
	Omne Novembre Leo Qua Theo Martin Bricciique Post hec Elisa Ce Cle Chrys Katharina Sat An.
31	December
	December Barba Nico Concep et alma Lucia Sanctus abinde Thomas modo Nat Steph Jo Pu Thome Sil.

Cf. H. Grotefend: Zeitrechnung des deutschen Mittelalters, I, 1891, p.24.

German Cisio Janus in Latin (Archdiocese Cologne 13th Cent., formerly attributed to Beda)

31	Januarius
	Cisio Janus Epiphaniis die dona magorum Vincit ovans Agne nova Paulum lumina vertunt.
28	Februarius
	Et purgata parens ad templum ducit Jesum Sede doces sacra cum Petro Matthia gentes.
31	Martius
	Evocat ad studium puerile Gregorius agmen Eterni Patris gratum Marie tenet alvus.
30	Aprilis
	Presulis Ambrosii laudes imitare sacerdos. Et pellant equites Georgi more tyrannos.
31	Maius
	Leta Crucis Helene reperit pia cura trophea Vinea quam floret plebs Urbanum celebrabit.
30	Junius
	Ardua solis equos trahis ad fastigia Vite Agni monstrat onus sed Baptistes tibi Petre.
31	Julius
	Jam Marie sobolem Baptista salutat in alvo Afacit Herodes nece Jacobum Zebedeum.
31	Augustus
	Vincula post Petri patitur Laurentius ignes Impie meche dabas meretrici colla Joanni.
30	September
	Egidius celebrat Marie virginis ortum Quo combusta die Solymorum menia narrant.
31	October
	Christe tuas leges Celtis Dionysius affert Scriptis Luca tuis fruimur docuit Simo Persas.
30	November
	Pannonius docuit Gallorum Martius oras Fertilis Elisabeth cantat Turingia laudes.
31	December
	Post casti sacra Nicolei longissima nox est Fausta dies celebrat tibi Christum virgine natum.

After J.P. Migne: Patrologia Latina, Bedæ Venerabilis Operum, Pars I. Sect.II - Didascalica spuria et dubia, col.785-786; The inclusion of Elizabeth of Thuringia, Hungary (19 Nov.) dates this source after 1235, the year when she was canonized.

Cisio Janus

German prototype by pseudo-Beda
German type in Latin 1400-1500
French version in Latin c.1500
Popular version in French 1490-1520

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