#catchword

Catchwords - A Way of Marking Chapters

A catchword is the first word of a chapter or section printed at the bottom of the final page of the preceding chapter or section. Codicologists first observed catchwords in 9th-century French manuscripts, and it seems that the tradition rapidly spread throughout Europe. 

As displayed on Trinity MS R.3.60, funny illustrations sometimes accompanied these catchwords. This could have been to show intentionality, that the catchword was not simply a mis-copy at the bottom of the page.

Location:Trinity College Library, Cambridge (Cambridge, United Kingdom)  

Usage Rights: All images are copyright the Master and Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge unless otherwise stated.

Resource:

Trinity College Library. “Catchwords.” Trinity College Library, Cambridge: Treasures from the Collection. Trinity College Library, 17 Apr. 2015. https://trinitycollegelibrarycambridge.wordpress.com/2015/04/17/catchwords/