Add MS 54243

MILLAR BEQUEST. Vol. XVII. Theological works, etc., by Jean Gerson and others, written in Germany; circa 1425-1445. Latin. Contents list, 15th cent.,

f. 1. Turner, op. cit., BMQ, xxxiii, pp. 32-34, pl. XIV; A. G. Watson, Catalogue of Dated and Datable Manuscripts . . . in the Department of Manuscripts The British Library (1979), no. 424; R. B. Marks, The Medieval Manuscript Library of the Charterhouse of St. Barbara in Cologne, Analecta Cartusiana (1974), 21, 22, pp. 375-378. Owned by the Charterhouse of St Barbara in Cologne, ex libris (15th cent.), f. 1. Although the library and chapter house were destroyed by fire in 1451 it must not be assumed that the present MS. was acquired after that date since the fire would not have affected items in use in cells for private reading. St Barbara's library numbers on spine: old no. 'A(?) XXX'; new no. (aft. 1748) 'O.125'. The library was dispersed after the house was secularized in 1794. The volume was subsequently owned by Leander van Ess, Professor of Catholic Theology at Marburg, and was probably purchased by him with other MSS. in 1821 from Heberle and Lempertz of Cologne, see Marks, ibid., 21, p. 22. Van Ess 207, see label on spine, f. i. Purchased from van Ess by Sir Thomas Phillipps, 1823-1824, Phillipps Studies, III (1954), pp. 28-33, pl. VI. Phillipps MS. 591. Phillipps sale, Sotheby's, 7 June 1910, lot 381, where it was purchased by Bertram Dobell, bookseller. Purchased by Millar from Dobell, 13 Dec. 1911.

Paper and vellum; ff. iv+260. Medieval foliation 2-5 (ff. 4-7). The MS. falls into four sections on the evidence of handwriting and watermarks: art. 1-9. Written circa 1431-1437. ff. 3-68v;- art. 10. Written circa 1445. ff. 69-132;- art. 11-21. Written circa 1425-1427. ff. 134-191v;- art. 22-27. ff. 192-252. The following articles begin on new quires: 1, 10(main text), 11, 22, 27. The prefatory table to art. 10, dated 1445 (f. 74), is inserted at the end of the previous quire (vi). The preface to art. 1 (f. 2), is inserted in a different hand from the main text, on a bifolia which also bears the contents list (f. 1). The MS. was completed and bound in its present form in the mid 15th cent., aft. 1445. 287 x 213mm. Gatherings: i-xv12 (xi lacks 12?), xvi10, xvii14 (8 and 14 cancelled), xviii12, xix10 (5 and 10 cancelled), xx10 (5 and 10 cancelled), xxi10 (10 cancelled), xxii8, xxiii12. Inner and outer bifolia of vellum, quires xvii-xx; outer bifolium of vellum and inner vellum binding strip, quire xxi; inner vellum binding strips, quires xxii-xxiii. Catchwords regular ff. 14v-145v, some cropped. Signatures: 1-6 arabic numerals bottom right hand corner recto, quires iv-xi, some cropped. Signatures in quires xix-xxi largely cropped, see ff. 219, 227, 234. Double columns, ff. 2-191v, single columns, ff. 192-259v. Probably ten hybrid and cursive North German book-hands, some with dated colophons. Hands B and D show humanistic influence. As follows: A. ff. 3-43v, col. 1. Circa 1431-1437. Named scribe. Four colophons. 'Finitum est hoc opus anno domini 1431o incompleto(?) 15 die Januarij'. f. 32v. Two colophons dated 1437. ff. 41, 42. 'Scriptum per fratrum P de Wyli' aliter Juliac' anno domini 1437o primo die marcij'. f. 43;-

B. ff. 43v, col. 2 - 68v. aft. 1437. Continues art. 5, begun by scribe A, and completes the works of Gerson;- C. ff. 69-86v. 1445. Begins art. 10 and inserts the table for this article at the end of quire vi (ff. 69-74). The table ends with a colophon dated 1445 (f. 74), suggesting an approximate date for the completion of the MS.;- D. ff. 87-132. Circa 1445. Possibly the same hand as B. Continues and completes art. 10;- E. ff. 134-138. Early 15th cent, bef. 1425;- F. ff. 138v-183, col. 1. Circa 1425. 'Scriptum anno 1425', f. 164;- G. ff. 183, col. 2 - 191v. 1426-1427. Colophons: 1426 (f. 184); 'Anno christi 1427 incompleto(?) 21 die mensis Februarij'. f. 191v;- H. ff. 192-247v. Mid 15th cent.;- I. ff. 247v-248v, 253v-259v. Mid 15th cent. J. ff. 249-252. Early-mid 15th cent. Possibly the same hand as G. Initials, headings, etc., in red throughout. Initial in red and blue (f. 3), initial and border in red and blue penwork (f. 192). Annotated (ff. 1, 247v) by a librarian at St Barbara's, who fl. 1720, 'Annotator I', see Marks, ibid., 21,

p. 34. Watermarks: Hill. nr. Briquet 11723. f. 2;- Ox head. nr. Briquet 14928. ff. 4-38;- Letter and monogram. See Briquet 9913-9915. ff. 39-74;- Ox head. nr. Briquet 14180. ff. 75-86;- Column. Briquet 4350. ff. 87, 96;- Crown. ff. 92, 94-95, 99-133;- Ox head. Picard, II, pt. 2, ix, 412. ff. 134-157, 160;- Dog. nr. Briquet 3610. ff. 163, 165-166, 169-191;- Scales. nr. Briquet 2425. ff. 193-223;- Anchor. nr. Briquet 389, 391. ff. 225-256 passim;- Two keys. See Briquet 3893, 3895-3896. ff. 249-252, 258-259. Original binding, brown calf, with blind-tooled pattern of a saltire within a rectangular border on each cover. Straps missing, two brass fastenings on back cover, holes and marks for five bosses on each cover. 305 x 230mm. Fore-edge marker tabs of vellum, some coloured red or blue. Original rotary book-marker on white leather strip between ff. 42-43. The revolving parchment dial is marked with Roman numerals I-IV. Paste-downs: two folios from texts on natural science and theology in a cursive North-German hand, early 15th cent., ff. iii-iv.

Contents:

1. ff. 2-32v. Jean Gerson, 'De vita spirituali animae'. Beg. 'Antiqua jam atque notissima'. Printed in Jean Gerson Oeuvres Complètes, ed. P. Glorieux (1960-), iii, 97. With prefatory letter; Paris 1402. Beg. 'Postulare dignata est'. Oeuvres, ii, 14.

2. ff. 32v-41. Gerson, 'De sollicitudine ecclesiasticorum'. Beg. 'Nolite solliciti esse'. Oeuvres, ix, 455.

3. ff. 41-42. Letter 'De modo orandi' from Gerson to his brother Jean, Prior of the Celestines at Lyons; Constance, 28 Sept. 1416. Beg. 'Scripsit Tulius accuratissime'. Oeuvres, ii, 37.

4. ff. 42-43. Gerson, Quaestiones 4. Beg. 'Quaeritur an male loqui'. Oeuvres, ix, 427.

5. ff. 43-48v. Gerson, 'De perfectione cordis'. Beg. 'Theologus loquitur ad animam christianam'. Oeuvres, viii, 413.

6. ff. 48v-55. Gerson, 'De parvulis ad Christum trahendis'. Beg. 'Sinite parvulos'. Oeuvres, ix, 477.

7. ff. 55-60. Gerson, 'Super materia celebrationis misse'. Beg. 'Dubitatum est apud me'. Oeuvres, ix, 425.

8. ff. 60-61. Letter on confession from Gerson to his brother Nicolas, Celestine at Villeneuve les Soissons; Paris, 1410. Beg. 'Petis primo'. Oeuvres, ii, 31.

9. ff. 61-68v. Gerson, 'De distinctione verarum revelationum a falsis'. Beg. 'Fuit Iohannes baptizans in deserto'. With prefatory letter to his brother Nicolas; Paris, 1402. Beg. 'Nuper unam'. Oeuvres, ii, 11.

10. ff. 69-132. 'Dieta Salutis', by Gulielmus de Lavicea al. Lanicea, O.M. (d. circa 1309). Beg. (f. 75) 'Hec est via, ambulate in ea'. Formerly attributed to St Bonaventure and printed as his work in A.C. Peltier (ed.), S.R.E. Cardinalis S. Bonaventurae . . . opera omnia . . ., viii (1873), pp. 248-346. Preceeded (ff. 69-74) by a table to the 'Dieta', and followed, as is usual in manuscripts of this text, by a collection of themes for sermons for Sundays and festivals, beg. 'Abiciamus opera tenebrarum . . . in adventu magni regis'. Peltier, ibid., pp. 347-358. For a 14th-cent. MS. of the texts see Royal 7 C.I, ff. 33-81v. See also Royal 5 F.XIV, 7 D.XXII, 8 D.II, Harley 103, 2379.

11. ff. 134-135v. 'Locuturus de geneologia temporem a principio mundi ut bene intelligantur danielis ebdomade'. Beg. 'Adam vixit 130 annis'.

12. f. 135v. List of references to miracles in the Gospels.

13. ff. 136-138. On the errors of the Greeks. Beg. 'Primo dicunt greci spiritum sanctum non procedere a filio'. Followed (f. 136v) by a series of paragraphs on Eastern Christian sects, heresies and non-Christians. Beg. ('De Surianis') 'Suriani dicuntur a civitate qui dicitur surus'.

14. ff. 138v-154v. Biblical indexes, lists of scripture readings, as follows: (a) Index to the Gospels and Acts. Beg. 'Aceto et felle'. ff. 138v-141;- (b) List of Epistle and Gospel readings for the year. ff. 141-144;- (c) Dictionary of Old Testament names. Beg. 'Aaron ex quibus'. ff. 144v-154v.

15. ff. 155-161. Summa of Petrus Cantor, 'De contrarietatibus sacre scripture'. Beg. 'Videmus nunc per speculum . . . hoc autem verbum apostolicum'. For a 13th-cent. MS. of the full text see Royal 12 F.XII, ff. 76-102v. See:

F. S. Gutjahr, Petrus Cantor Parisiensis sein Leben und seine Schriften (1899), p. 52; Histoire Littéraire de la France, xv (1820), p. 298.

16. ff. 161v-164. St Jerome, 'De optimo genere interpretandi'. Beg. 'Paulus apostolus presente Agrippa rege'. Migne, PL, xxii, 568-579.

17. ff. 164-183. Concordance in approximate alphabetical order 'Angelus' - 'Zona'.

18. ff. 183-184. 'De arte memorandi'. Beg. 'Memoria utrum aliquid artificii habeat'. The scribes colophon (f. 184) 'ars memorativa Tulij' may be an erroneous ascription to Cicero. For another MS. of this text see Balliol College Oxford MS. 274, ff. 236-237v, R. A. B. Mynors, Catalogue of the Manuscripts of Balliol College Oxford (1963), p. 290.

19. ff. 184-184v. On memory. Beg. 'Memoria est forma rerum uel verborum'.

20. f. 184v. Verses, purported to be a version by 'Gaufridus' (ff. 1, 184v) of a work on memory. Beg. 'Omnia que reperit ratio que digerit ordo'. With marginal notes and interlinear alterations.

21. ff. 185-191v. 'Meditations' of St Bernard. Beg. 'Multi multa sciunt et se ipsos nesciunt'. Migne, PL, clxxxiv, 485-508.

22. ff. 192-210. St Ambrose, 'De virginitate libri tres'. Beg. 'Si iuxta celestis sententiam veritatis verbi totius'. Migne, PL, xvi, 187-232.

23. ff. 210-226. St Ambrose, 'De virginitate liber unus'. Beg. 'Nobile apud veteres Salomonis'. Ibid., 265-302.

24. ff. 226-237. St Ambrose, 'De viduitate'. Beg. 'Bene accidit fratres'. Ibid., 233-262.

25. ff. 237-247v. St Ambrose, 'Exhortatio virginitatis'. Beg. 'Qui ad convivium magnum invitatur'. Ibid., 335-364.

26. ff. 247v-248v, 253-259v. St Ambrose, 'De institutione virginis'. Beg. 'Commendas michi pignus tuum'. Ibid., 305-334.

27. ff. 249-252. Table of psalms in numerical order, listing subject matter, incipits and titles, with entries for each section of Psalm 118.

28. f. 259v. Two lines of verse. Beg. 'Floribus ex varijs melior redolencia surgit'.

Theology LATIN: Manuscripts, Dated: Theological collection: 15th cent: Lat.

Manuscripts of early date or palaeographical interest: Rotary bookmarker: 15th cent.

Bindings GERMAN: Brown calf, blind-tooled: circa 1450.

Watermarks: Various: 15th cent.

includes:

• f. iii Natural Science: Folio from a text on, used as paste-down: early 15th cent: Lat.
• f. iv Theology LATIN: Folio from a theological text, used as paste-down: early 15th cent.
• ff. 2-68v Jean Charlier de Gerson, Chancellor of Paris; d.1429: Various works: circa 1431-1437: Lat.
• ff. 3-43v Brother P. de Wyli', alias Juliac'; of(?) the Charterhouse of St Barbara, Cologne: Text , written by Brother P. de Wyli': circa 1431-1427.
• ff. 69-132 Gulielmus de Lavicea, alias Lanicea; OM; d. circa 1309: Dieta Salutis: circa 1445: Lat.
• ff. 134-135v Genealogies: Genealogy from the beginning of the world: early 15th cent: Lat.
• f. 135v Bible. Dictionaries, Glossaries, etc: References to Gospel miracles: early 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 136-136v Theology LATIN: On the errors of the Greeks: early 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 136v-138 Religion: Theology LATIN: On Eastern Christian sects, heresies and non-Christians: early 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 138v-154v Bible. Dictionaries, Glossaries, etc: Index, list of readings, dictionary of names: circa 1425: Lat.
• ff. 155-161 Petrus, Cantor Parisiensis: Summa de contrarietatibus sacre scripture: circa 1425: Lat.
• ff. 161v-164 Saint Jerome: De optimo genere interpretandi: 1425: Lat.
• ff. 164-183 Bible. Dictionaries, Glossaries, etc: Concordance: circa 1425: Lat.
• ff. 183-184 Grammar: De arte memorandi: 1426: Lat.
• f. 184v Poetry LATIN: Gaufridus: Grammar: Verses on memory by Gaufridus: circa 1426: Lat.
• ff. 184-184v Grammar: On memory: circa 1426: Lat.
• ff. 185-191v Saint Bernard,; Abbot of Clairvaux: Meditations: 1427: Lat.
• ff. 192-259v passim Saint Ambrose,; of Milan: Tracts on virginity and widowhood: mid 15th cent: Lat.
• ff. 249-252 Bible. Dictionaries, Glossaries, etc: Table of psalms: early-mid 15th cent.
• f. 259v Poetry LATIN: Couplet: 15th cent: Lat.