Harley MS 104

This English manuscript from the 1st quarter of the 13th century (before c. 1225 and after 1206 or 1215) was probably written for a clerical audience since it contains works that would have helped priests in explaining biblical texts to the laity and instructed them in their duties of pastoral care. The manuscript's biblical works are the Expositio Libri Duodecim Prophetarum (Commentary on the Books of the Twelve Minor Prophets) by Stephen Langton (b. c. 1150, d. 1228), Archbishop of Canterbury; the Allegoriae Novi Testamenti (Allegories of the New Testament) by Richard of St-Victor (d. 1173?), theologian and prior of the Canon Regulars of the abbey of St Victor at Paris; and De Oratione Dominica (On the Lord's Prayer) by Richard of St-Victor (d. 1173). The manuscript includes a work that would have helped priests emphasise the importance of the Mass: De Missarum Mysteriis (On the Mysteries of the Mass) by Pope Innocent III (b. 1160, d. 1216). It also includes an important work on the clergy's responsibilities to provide pastoral care: De Cura Pastorali (On Pastoral Care) by St Gregory the Great (b. c. 540, d. 604). The subject of pastoral care is further highlighted by the manuscript's last item, which may be a later addition). This is the inaugural sermon of Pope Innocent III at the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), to which the reform of pastoral care was central.

Contents:

ff. 1r-122r: Stephen Langton, Expositio Libri Duodecim Prophetarum, imperfect (lacking commentary on the Book of Micah), beginning: 'Incipit expositio libri duodecim prophetarum edita a venerabili cantuariensis ecclesie Stephano'.

ff. 124r -149r: Gregory the Great, De Cura Pastorali, beginning: 'Incipit liber pastoralis Sancti Gregori papa Ad Johannem Ravenne Urbis episcopum'.

ff. 150r-163r: Richard of St-Victor, Allegoriae Novi Testamenti, beginning: 'Incipit prologus Magistri Petri commestoris in libro evangeliorum'.

ff. 163r-164v: Richard of St-Victor, De Oratione Dominica, beginning: 'ecce karissimi singulis diebus clerici et populi viri et mulieres [etc.]'.

ff. 165r-195r: Innocent III, De Missarum Mysteriis, beginning: 'Incipit prefacio dominum innocentium (?episcopum [written over the word: '?papam']) in tractatum de officio missas'.

The manuscript contains a number of additions:

ff. 196r–196v: Innocent III, Sermo VI, the inaugural sermon of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), written in a 13th-century script, (on an added leaf), beginning: 'Desiderio desideravi hoc pascha [...] quia mihi vivere Christus est et mors lucrum. Non ab uno si dispositum est'.

ff. 122r-123v: Stephen Langton, Chapter VII of his commentary on the Book of Micah (e.g., this text can be found in the copy of the Expositio Libri Duodecim Prophetarum in Add MS 34633, ff. 120r-122r), added in a 15th-century script, ending: 'Explicit capitulum septimum michee prophete'.

ff. 122v-123r: Tables with numerals in pencil (faintly legible around and under the commentary on the Book of Micah), added at an unknown point in the later Middle Ages.

f. 1*v: A table of contents, added in a 17th-century script.

[ff. 1*r, 149v and f. 195v are blank].

Decoration:

3 large initials in gold with penwork decoration in red and blue (ff. 1r, 124r, 150r). 11 large initials (ff. 36v, 43v, 57v, 59r, 61v, 69r, 81r, 88v, 94r, 97v, 118v) and several smaller initials in red or blue with penwork decoration or pen-flourishing in the alternate colour. 1 large puzzle initial with red pen-flourishing (f. 165r). Small initials in blue or red with little or no penwork decoration. Rubrics, underlining, running headers and marginal annotations in red. Manicules in brown ink added in margins (ff. 22r, 37r, and 142v). A human head drawn in brown ink added to the margins of f. 37r and f. 129v.