Royal MS 2 D XXIII

PETRUS DE RIGA, canon of Reims [d. circ. 1209], Aurora: a paraphrase or summary of many of the books of the Bible, in Latin elegiac verse (cf Migne, Pair. Lat. ccxii. i; Hist. Litt. de la France, xvii, p. 26). The books are arranged as follows: Pentateuch, Joshua, judges, Ruth, 1-4 Kings, Tobit, Daniel (including Susanna and Bel), Esther, Judith, i and 2 Maccabees, Gospels (a narrative selected out of the four Evangelists). The prologues (prose and verse), found in other MSS., are omitted, The introductory verses to Genesis beg. 'Prima facta die duo celum terra leguntur'; the poem itself, 'Principio celum terramque creasse refertur'. Followed (f. 164) by a summary of the narrative of the O.T. in verses, each section of which abstains from the use of one letter in turn, the first section having no A, the second no B, &c. (cf Migne, ccxii. 31-42). Beg. 'Principio rerum post quinque dies homo primus'. Imperfect, breaking off in the section which avoids S. The pages are ruled so as to admit a marginal commentary, which has only been added in a few places (mainly in the books of the Maccabees, where a prose summary of the narrative is inserted). Vellum; ff. 168. 9 in. x 6. in, XIII cent. Gatherings of 8 1eaves, lettered and numbered with a plummet on the first 4 leaves of each. Sec. fol. 'sunt viole'. Coloured initials. On f. i is a seal with the device of a ship. CMA. 8661