Royal MS 8 A XIII

PETRARCH, De contemptu mundi, and two other works in Latin, viz.:-

1. Moralis philosophia: a compilation of extracts from the classical moralists, variously attributed to Hildebert, Bishop of Le Mans (Migne, Patr. Lat. clxxi. 1007), Gautier of Chatillon (edition by T. Sundby, Copenhagen, 1869), Guido of Vicenza, and others, and even (see 8 C. IV) to S. Augustine, but really (see Hauréau's Not. et Extr. i, p. 101) by Guillaume de Conches. It was dedicated (the name is here omitted) to Prince Henry, afterwards Henry II of England. Without title or indication of author. For other copies see 8 C. IV, art. 17, 10 A. XII, art. 16, 15 C. II, art. 9. Beg. 'Moralium dogma philosophorum'. f. 2.

2. 'Fransiscus Patrarcha de secreto conflictu querelarum suarum': Francesco Petrarca's dialogue called Secretum, printed s. l. et a. (Hain, no. 12800), Rotterdam, 1649, &c. Beg. 'Attonito michi quidem et sepissime cogitanti'. f. 34.

3. Aliticlaudianus: the hexameter poem (about 4,276 lines) of Alanus de Insula, the Parisian professor called Doctor Universalis (d. 1202). Without author's name, title, prose preface, or division into books. Printed in Migne, ccx. 487. Prologue beg. 'Auctoris mendico stylum falerasque poete'; poem, 'Ut sibi iuncta magis nature donarssultent'. Ends 'Post fata silebit'. f. 95. Sec. fol. On f. ii is scribbling in Latin, French, and English, in a 16th cent. hand, with the name Cristofer Grimeston. This is apparently the husband of the poetess Elizabeth Grimston, since the motto

'En ma foy je sufre tout', here written, is prefixed to her printed poems (1604). Among them is an English couplet, 'Treasons like the cocatrices eyes / first sees and kills or is seen first and dies On f. 2 are names, Thomas Wakford and William Lucy (?). Vellum; ff. ii + 174. 73/4 in. x 5 in. XV cent. Gatherings of 8 leaves, with catchwords. Sec. fol. 'inquirunt'. Initials in red and blue. Belonged (f. 1 b) to Queen's College, Oxford, by gift of magister Hugo Fraunce, who also gave to Sheen monastery Harley MS. 3820. He was probably the same who was clected fellow of Eton in 1489. H. Fraunce occurs also as a donor to Syon monastery (Cat. of Libr., ed. Bateson, pp. 188, 195). Afterwards belonged to John Theyer. Theyer sale-cat. no. 231; CMA. 6610.