Harley MS 5431

This codex contains two main items. The first part is decorated copy of the Rule of St Benedict made in the late 10th or early 11th century. The second part consists of various theological tracts, including works by Bernard of Clairvaux and Guillelmus Peraldus, copied between the late 13th century and 15th century, and bound together with the tenth-century Rule in the late medieval period at St Augustine's, Canterbury. The codex includes:

f. 1 r: erased musical notation, probably copied from the 10th century, visible under ultra-violet light (see Hartzell, Catalogue (2006), no. 166);

f. 1v: late medieval notes;

f. 2r: medieval table of contents and library marks, copied in the late 13th or early 14th century, with 15th century additions;

f. 2v: late medieval notes;

ff. 3r-v: inserted modern paper leaf, containing a list of 'MSS in Dr Needhams [sic] Collection' and, on the verso, inscribed with notes reading 'The Hours of the Commandments of God...' and 'For Dr Middleton'.

ff. 4r-5v: Horologium and calendar tables, copied in the late 10th century;

f. 6r: later medieval notes;

ff. 6v-106v: Regula S Benedicti, copied in the late 10th century;

f. 106v: 13th-century text by Pseudo-Fulgentius, beginning 'Dicebat scs. fulgenti. iuxta...', copied in the 13th century;

ff. 107r-114r: Capitula of the synods of Aachen (816-819), copied in the late 10th century;

ff. 114r-126v: Memoriale qualiter;

f. 126v: beginning of the tract entitled 'De festivitatibus anni', now erased, copied in the late 10th century;

ff. 127r-172v: Bernard of Clairvaux's De praecepto et dispensatione, copied in the late 13th or early 14th century;

There is an unfoliated, blank leaf between ff. 172 and 173;

ff. 173r-232r: Guillelmus or Willelmus Peraldus, De professione monachorum, copied in the late 13th or early 14th century;

ff. 232v-250v: Bernard of Clairvaux's Apologia to Abbot William, copied in the late 13th or early 14th century;

ff. 251r-260v: Hugh of Barzelles' De cohabitatione fratrum beginning 'Ecce quam bonum...', with a title misattributing it as '[S]ermo beati Bernardi ad regiliosos [sic]', copied in the late 13th or early 14th century;

ff. 261r-264v: excerpts on faith from Robert Kilwardby's quaestiones on Peter Lombard's Sentences, beginning 'Quid fides...', copied in the late 13th or early 14th century;

f. 265r: blank;

ff. 265v-267v: Jerome's Tractatus de oboedientia,mislabelled in this manuscript as 'Aug[ustinus], De tenenda obed[ent]ia', beginning '[N]ichil ita placet...', copied in the 15th century;

ff. 268r- 269r: Hugh of St Victor's De oblivione praeteritorum, copied in the late 13th or early 14th century;

ff. 269r-270r: Hugh of St Victor's De quinque statibus humanae vitae, copied in the late 13th or early 14th century;

f. 270v: blank.