Royal MS 4 D VII

1. PETRUS COMESTOR, Historia Scholastica; with the paraphrase of the Acts of the Apostles (f. 160b), attributed to Petrus Pictaviensis (cf. 2 C. 1). Preceded (f 3) by a table of capitula, wanting the first leaf, and the 'prologus epistolaris' addressed to William of Sens (f. 9). Marginal notes (in the same hand as the text) are added as far as the end of the Gospel narrative. f. 9.

2. 'Allegoriae', an exposition of the allegories in the Old and New Testaments, by the same author, as is expressly stated in the prologue. In thirteen books, with a table of capitula to each. Prologue beg. 'In precedentibus premissa descriptione originis'; treatise, 'In principio creauit, &c. : Celum significat summa'. A work of this character is attributed to Petrus Comestor by Brompton (ap. Twysden, Historiae Anglicanae Scriptores Decem, 1652, col. 1059), and this is the only authority for its existence given in the Hist. Litt. de la France (xiv, p. I7); but it occurs in several MSS. with this author's name (e. g. 5 A. ix, 8 A. viii, 8 D. xiv, 8 D. xv). It is, however, perhaps more probably to be attributed to Hugo de S. Victore (Hauréau, Hugues de Saint Victor, 1886, p. 40). f. 182. The next five articles have been added at the beginning and end of the MS., in a hand of the St. Albans type, which is perhaps that of Matthew Paris himself:-

3. Two plans of Noah's ark, one 'secundum rotulum Romanum', the other 'secundum Iosephum'. f. 1 b.

4. 'De candelabro quod precepit Dominus fieri'; beg. 'Precepit Dominus fieri candelabrum'. f. 2.

90 5. 'Testamenta duodecim patriarcharum filiorum Iacob, translata a uenerabili episcopo Lincolniensi Roberto [Grosseteste, Bishop 1235-1253] de greco in latinum.' Beg. 'Transcriptum testamenti Ruben'. Printed circ. 151O-1520 and frequently afterwards : cf. Sinker, Testamenta xii Patriarcharum, 1869, p. xi, and Appendix(1879),p.8. ThetestamentofAsheromitted at its proper place (f. 243), where the omission is noted in the margin, is added on f. 248 b. At the end (f. 246 b) is a paragraph with reference to the work and Grosseteste's translation of it, substantially identical with that which appears in Paris' Chronica Maiora under i242 (ed. Luard, iv, P. 232), but somewhat longer. f. 232 b.

6. 'Aliud scriptum translatum a predicto episcopo Roberto Lincolniensi de greco [Suidas, s. v. in latinum ; in quo recitatur narracio qualiter probata fuit uirginitas beate Marie matris Domini nostri lesu Christi.' Beg. ' Temporibus piissimi imperatoris lustiniani'. Cf. Pegge's Life of Grosseteste, 1793, P. 291. Colophon, 'Explicit tractatus quem episcopus Lincolniensis Robertus transtulit de greco in latinum de probacione uirginitatis beate Marie et sacerdocio Iesu. Cuius noticia ad doctores nostros non peruenit antiquos. Absconditus enim extitit per multa ex inuidia ludeorum blasphemantium, et dicentium Iesum non fuisse uirginis filium. Hoc quoque scriptum adquisiuit frater Matheus Parisiensis ab episcopo memorato, et ad usus claustralium manu sua scripsit. Cuius anima in pace requiescat. Amen'. f. 246 b.

7. 'Labarum Constantini Magni imperatoris a lepre contagio curati et ad Christum feliciter conuersi'; with a diagram. f. 249.

8. At the beginning of the MS. another hand (15th cent.) has written an account of a leaden plate, found enclosed in a marble stone in August, 137I, on which was inscribed a prophecy of Merlin, in 3o rough Latin hexameters; beg. 'Ambros Aurelii coniunctus nunc annus habetur'. Prof. W. Meyer has pointed out that the lines contain a double acrostic, 'Anno mireno (sic, for milleno) tercenteno septuageno Rogerus Horte monahus(sic) ortinis [i.e.ordinis] albi'. Printed in Casley's Catalogue, P. 55. f. 1. Vellum; ff. 249. I ft. 2 3/4 in. x 10 in. XIII cent. (before 1215). Gatherings of 10 leaves, with catchwords; in art. 5 each leaf is numbered at the bottom of the verso. Double columns. See Pl.37 (where some of the margin is omitted). Small illuminated initials, well executed, at the beginning of each book in art. i ; chapterinitials (in artt 1 and 1) well flourished in red and blue. On f. i is the 'Press-mark of St. Albans (B, 8 gra[dus]), with the inscription Titulus istius libri in dorso Scolastica hystoria W. abbatis [William de Trumpington, abbot 1214-1235], in quo continetur testamentum .XII. patriarcharum translatum a magno Roberto Lincolniensi episcopo de Greco in Latinum. Item aliud ab eodem in quo probatur virginitas sancte Marie' (see New Palaeographical Soc., Facsimiles, pt. i, 1903, pl. 17, no. 10). The MS. is evidently that which is mentioned in the Gesta Abbatum Monasterii Sancti Albani (ed. H. T. Riley, Rolls series, 1867, i, PP. 233, 294) as having been caused to be written by prior Raymond, and presented to the aumbry (almariolum) of the abbey by Abbot William. Raymond was prior under Abbot John (1195-1214), but was deposed, and his books appropriated, by Abbot William, circ. 1215 (ib, p. 258). Old Royal press-mark 'no. 1335'; cat. of 1666, f. 17; CMA. 7951 + 7952 + 8198.