Add MS 54240

MILLAR BEQUEST. Vol. XIV. Sermons, with other items of a devotional nature and some miscellaneous material, written in Germany; mid-late 14th cent. Latin. The sermons provide for the temporal and the sanctoral, 'De communi', 'De mortuis' etc. Possibly of Franciscan origin, see art. 8 below. Turner, op. cit., BMQ, xxxiii, p. 30. The MS. is not used in J. B. Schneyer, Repertorium der Lateinischen Sermones des Mittelalters für die Zeit von 1150-1350 (1969-1979). The following occur in pencil in 18th? cent. hands: '287', f. 176;- '107-2', '45',

f. 183v.

Paper and vellum; ff. 183+100*+157*. Medieval foliation in arabic and roman numerals 1-228 through ff. 1-174. The volume has been misbound and the old folios now occur in the following order: old ff. 1-43, 50, 46-49, 45, 51-53, 64, 55-63, 54, 65-79, 90-111, 156-176, 178-212, unnumbered folio (f. 158), 213-228. Old ff. 80-89 were omitted in the sequence, old ff. 44 and 77 are lacking, old ff. 112-155 are now Add. 54239. Composite MS., probably assembled in the late 14th cent. New sections begin on fresh quires at f. 101 (quire x), f. 116 (quire xi), f. 122 (quire xii), f. 130 (quire xiii), f. 138 (quire xiv), f. 149 (quire xv), f. 158 (quire xvi). ff. 157-176 show traces of previous separate binding: f. 157 has been used as a paste-down and is followed by a stub (f. 157*); f. 158 verso is blank and holed, suggesting it may previously have been attached to a cover, the text on

f. 158 recto then facing f. 159; ff. 174-176 look like former fly-leaves, etc.; f. 175 is holed and appears to have been a paste-down attached to a cover; f. 176 is cropped in half lengthways. The pattern of damage suggests that the subject index (ff. 177-182) may have originally been placed at the front of the volume. 145 x 105mm. Gatherings: the statement refers to the order of the MS. before mis-binding, but omits the sections now Add. 54239. Counting was difficult in some parts of the volume owing to damage and heavy repair work. As follows: i12 (1-2, 11-12 vellum), ii-v of 10 or 12 (damaged section, at least one folio missing), vi-ix12, f. 100* replacing material now bound as Add. 54239, x16 (1-2, 7, 10, 15-16 vellum, 16 cropped), xi6, xii-xiii8, xiv10 (1 and 10 vellum, insert

f. 147), xv8 (vellum), ff. 157, 157* irregular, xvi16, ff. 174-176 irregular (vellum), xvii6, f. 183 fly-leaf (18th? cent.). Catchwords: ff. 52v (old f. 53, links to

f. 63/old f. 54), 64v, 76v, 88v, 115v. Usually single columns. Various South? German cursive hands. Red for headings, etc., to most sections. Watermarks: A. star in a circle? f. 57;- B. ox head. ff. 82, 122. Identification difficult owing to the position of marks on the page and the condition of the MS. Red morocco binding by W. H. Smith & Son, 1914 (see f. 100*). f. 155 mutilated. Badly damaged by damp, particularly ff. 3-52, 177-182, with some text loss. Heavily repaired when rebound.

Principal contents apart from the sermons:

1. ff. 1-2. List of contents.

2. ff. 101-101v. On natural science, including a possible reference to gun- powder.

3. ff. 116-120. 'Contra errores grecorum'. Beg. 'Nota quod greci spiritualitati errant'.

4. ff. 130-131. On excommunication.

5. ff. 135-136v. Medical recipes.

6. ff. 137-137v. Miscellaneous: (a) list of moral tales. f. 137;- (b) memoranda on virtue. f. 137v;- (c) verses supposedly addressed by the Emperor Frederick II to the Pope, with the Pope's reply. Beg. 'Fata monent stellaque docent auiumque volatus'. H. Walther, Carmina Medii Aevi Posterioris Latina , i (1959), 6281. f. 137v;- (d) form of absolution. f. 137v.

7. f. 154v. Prayer for use against tempests; 15th cent.

8. f. 156v. 'Confessio de usu paupere'. Beg. 'spiritum pauperies sic intelligo includi'.

9. f. 157. Prayers. Imperfect.

10. ff. 158-166v. Meditation on the Passion, ascribed to St Bernard. Imperfect at beginning.

11. ff. 166v-167. Sequence 'Flete fideles anime'. U. Chevalier, Repertorium Hymnologicum, iii (1904), 26669.

12. f. 167-167v. Tract in praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary, ascribed to St Bernard. Beg. 'Omnis qui ad nostrum Emanuel'. See Catalogus Codicum Latinorum Bibliothecae Mediceae Laurentianae, iv (1777), col. 588.

13. ff. 167v-171. On the Nativity of Christ. Beg. 'Audistis filie ierusalem'.

14. f. 171. Memoranda: St Bernard on obedience.

15. f. 173v. Prayers, miscellaneous theological memoranda, etc.

16. f. 176v. Memoranda on Latin declensions and the Plagues of Egypt.

17. ff. 177-181v. Subject index.

Theology: Sermons: Orders Religious. Franciscans: Sermons and miscellanea, possibly Franciscan: 14th cent: Lat.

includes:

• ff. 57, 82, 122 Watermarks: Star in a circle, ox head: 14th cent.
• ff. 101-101v Natural Science: Memoranda: 14th cent: Lat.
• ff. 135-136v Medicine and Surgery: Recipes: 14th cent: Lat.
• f. 137 Tales: List of exempla: 14th cent: Lat.
• f. 137v Poetry LATIN: Frederick II; Emperor of Germany: Verses supposedly exchanged betw. Emperor Frederick II and the Pope: 14th cent: Copy.
• f. 137v Confession: Form of absolution: 14th cent: Lat.
• f. 137v Virtues and Vices: Memoranda on virtue: 14th cent: Lat.
• ff. 154v, 157, 173v Prayers and Devotions: Against tempests, etc.,: 14th-15th centt: Lat.
• ff. 158-166v Saint Bernard,; Abbot of Clairvaux: Meditation on the Passion ascribed to: 14th cent: Lat: Imperf.
• ff. 166v-167 Hymns: Sequence 'Fleta fideles anime': 14th cent: Lat.
• ff. 167-167v Saint Bernard,; Abbot of Clairvaux: Tract in praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary, ascribed to: 14th cent: Lat.
• f. 171 Saint Bernard,; Abbot of Clairvaux: Memoranda on, conc. obedience: 14th cent: Lat.
• f. 176v Grammar: Memoranda on Latin declensions: 14th cent: Lat.