Harley MS 3125

This composite manuscript consists of two parts that were separately produced in the 12th century: ff. 1-21 (Part 1); and ff. 22-77 (Part 2).

Contents:

Part 1:

ff. 1r-1v: Eucharistic miracle, beginning: 'Narrabat abbas Daniel dicens quod pater noster Arsenius dixerit'. ff. 1v-2r: Untitled tract on the Eucharist, beginning: 'Hec diligenter attende prudenter intellege sollicite require',

f. 2r: Untitled tract on the Eucharist, beginning: 'Dicit etiam populus nacionum: ille in prima electione'.

ff. 2r-6v: Gerbert of Aurillac, De corpore et sanguine Domini (here untitled), beginning: 'Sicut ante nos dixit quidam sapiens, cujus sententiam probamus licet nomen ignoremus'.

ff. 6v-7v: Untitled tract on the Eucharist, beginning: 'Non humani sed divini est muneris sacramentum quod accipimus'.

ff. 7v-8r: Hugh of Saint-Victor, De sacramentis, excerpt, beginning: 'Voluntatis [sic: 'Voluptatis'] nimia vel concubitus desiderium supra modum vel contra rationem effervens'.

ff. 8r-8v: Hugh of Saint-Victor, De sacramentis, excerpt, entitled: 'De gracia quae per Christum datur et spiritu a capite in membra diffusio', beginning: 'Scriptum est quia lex neminem ad perfectum adduxit'.

f. 8v: Hugh of Saint-Victor, De sacramentis, excerpt, entitled: 'De sacramento corporis Christi', beginning: 'Sacramentum corporis et sanguinis Christi unum est'.

ff. 8v-10r: Hugh of Saint-Victor, De sacramentis, excerpt, entitled: 'Quod agnus paschalis figura corporis Christi fuit', beginning: 'Sicut circumcisio olim quantum ad effectum remissionis peccatorum baptysmi vicem gerebat'.

f. 10r: Hugh of Saint-Victor, De sacramentis, excerpt, entitled: 'Tria esse in sacramento altaris', beginning: 'Nam cum sit unum sacramentum tria ibi discreta praeponuntur: species videlicet visibilis et veritas corporis et virtus gratiae spiritualis'.

ff. 10v-21v: Commentary on the Canon of the Mass, entitled: 'Dicta sanctorum patrum super excellentissimo per omnia secula', beginning: 'In se ipso semel immolatus est Christus'.

Part 2:

ff. 22r-60v: Peter Cantor, Verbum abbreviatum.

ff. 60v-61r: Untitled theological work (entitled De officiis sacerdotum in Burney MS 356), beginning: 'Cum sacerdotis dignitas aliis dignitatibus videatur eminere'; followed by excerpts from Gregory the Great and Isidore of Seville.

f. 61v: Circular diagram with a Calendar of the dates of Easter in a Metonic cycle (19 years)

ff. 62r-77r: Alan of Lille, Summa de arte praedicatoria; ending: 'Scriptor habens metam gaudet fecisse dietam / finito libro sic laus et gloria Christo / Est liber scriptus qui scripsit sit benedictus, Amen'.

The second part of the manuscript contains a later addition:

f. 77r: Theological notes, beginning: 'Tres pec[c]averunt in paradiso adam, eva, et serpens'; added in the 12th century.

Decoration:

Part 1:

Plain initials in brown, some large, some small (ff. 1r-6v). Large (2-line) plain initials in red (ff. 8r-10r). Large decorated initials with foliate and zoomorphic motifs drawn in brown and black ink (ff. 10v, 12r). Capitals highlighted in red. Rubrics in red.

Part 2:

Large (3-line) initials in blue or red with penwork decoration in the opposite colour. Rubrics in red.