Harley MS 7642

This composite manuscript consists of two texts with commentaries on Aristotle that were separately produced in Italy in the 14th century, and joined together at a later stage.

Contents:

Part 1:

ff. 1r-46r: Commentary by Jacobus de Clohac on the Analytica priora of Aristotle, entitled: 'Summa priorum Resolutoriorum Aristotelis Secundum magistrum Jacobum de Clohac'; written in the 14th century.

Part 2:

ff. 48r-84v: Exposition of Saint Thomas Aquinas on the Analytica posteriora of Aristotle; beginning 'Sicut dicit Aristoteles in principio methaphisice hominum genus'; and ending with the colophon: 'Expliciunt super libro posteriorum ab edita a fratris Thoma ordinis fratrum praedicatorum deo gracias Amen Amen - Qui scripsit Scribat Semper Cum domino Vivat'; written in the 14th century.

ff. 48r-84v: Palimpsest, the original being accounts in Latin, in folio page format, written in an Italian documentary script in the 14th century.

The manuscript contains later additions:

f. i recto: A note by Sir Frederick Madden (b. 1801, d. 1873), Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum, that the volume was initially accessioned as Additional MS 8131, but was subsequently made Harley MS 7642; with a note that explains that the manuscript was '[f]ound among refuse .1830. The original pressmark in the Harleian Collection was 155. B. 19'.

f. 1r (lower margin): A modern description of the text: 'A comment either on some of the fathers or Ecclesiastical law'; added in the (?) 17th or 18th century century by 'A. G. Astle'.

f. 1r (lower margin): A note from the British Museum: 'No Number given to this in the Printed Catalogue. No description of it in the written Catalogue'; added in the 19th century.

ff. 46v-47r: Notes related to Jacobus de Clohac's commentary in different hands, beginning: 'Regulas notandas librorum priorum art. sub compendio collectum primo'.

f. 48r (upper margin): A modern description of the text: 'A Comment on Ecclesiastical Law'; added in the 17th or 18th century by 'A. G. Astle'.

f. 48r (upper margin): An identification of Saint Thomas Aquinas's commentary on Aristotle's Analytica posterior with a reference to an edition from Venice of 1594; added in pencil at the British Museum.

f. 84v (right column): An erased inscription, (?) 15th century, possibly in Italian; treated with reagent.

f. 84v (lower margin): A copy of the colophon; added in the 17th century or 18th century by 'A. G. Astle'.

Decoration:

1 large (3-line) initial in red ink on f. 1r (faded). Large (2-line) initials in red, some with pen-flourishing, throughout. Paraphs in red or blue. Underlining in red. Drawings of circular diagrams in brown ink in the lower margin of f. 16v.