Royal MS 15 C XVI

OVID moralized, historical romances, Richard de Bury's Philobiblon, &c., in Latin, viz.: 1. 'Tabula super Ouidium de transformatis' Oater title): an index rerum to art. 2 (not that printed in the edition). Beg. 'Abbas a monacho occiditur ueneno li. 9, fa. 2, c.' f. 1.

2. 'Ouidius de transformatis': moralization, in fifteen books, of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Printed (Paris, 1509) as the work of the English Dominican Thomas Walleys, and attributed also (e.g. Merton College, Oxford, MS. ccxcix) to Nicholas Trivet, but really (see Hauréau in Mém. de l'Acad. des Inscr. xxx, Pt. ii, p. 45) by Petrus Berchorius (Pierre Bersuire, Prior of S. Eloi at Paris, d. 1362), forming part of his Reductorium Morale. In the preface the author mentions help given to him by Petrarch. Beg. 'A ueritate quidem auditum auertent, &c.: Ad Thimotheum dicit apostolus Paulus predicator et rigator'; ends 'mortificamur tota die, &c., et sequitur Exurge, domine, adiuua nos et redime nos seu libera nos'. f. 13.

3. 'Philobibion': Richard de Bury's treatise as in 8 F. XIV, art. 9, with the same final note. f. 59 b.

4. 'Alanus de planctu nature' (later title), cf. 7 C. I, art. 20, &c. Colophon, 'Tractando planus hic librum finit Alanus in quo nature planctum pandit pariture'. f. 71.

5. 'Excidium Troianum': the Historia Troiana of Guido delle Colonne, fully described by Ward, Cat. of Romances, i, p. 44 (cf. 12 D. III, art. 2). Beg. 'Licet cotidie vetera recentibus obruant'. The history proper ends 'regem Opthomenum'; followed by three epitaphs and the epilogue. f. 86.

6. 'Brutus': the Historia Regum Britanniae of Geoffrey of Monmouth, fully described ib. i, p. 239 (cf. 4 C. XI, art. 2). Preface beg. 'Cum mecum multa et de multis'; text, 'Britannia insularum optima in occidentali Oceano'. Ends 'transferre curaui. Explicit liber qui uocatur Brutus'. f. 146.

7. 'Prophecia aquile': three prophecies (written as one), more fully described ib. i, pp. 293, 313, viz.:-(a) Prophecy, corresponding to one in Osbert de Clare's Life of Edward the Confessor, cap. xxi. Beg. 'Arbor fertilis a primo trunco decisa'. f. 183 b;-(b) Prophecy beg. 'Sicut rubeum draconem' (cf. 13 E. IX, f. 27). f. 183 b;-(c) Prophecy beg. 'Mortuo leone iusticie'; ends 'regno occidot' (cf. 5 F. XV, f. 3b), &c. f. 184.

Vellum; ff. ii x 184. 14 in. x 9³/₄ in. End of XIV cent. Gatherings of 12 leaves, signatures (wrongly inscribed, there has been no transposition) o, l-n, p, q, a-k. Double columns. Sec. fol. 'uiolare debebant'. Initials in blue and red. Belonged [to the hospital of S. Thomas of Acon, London] 'ex dono venerabilis viri dom. Henrici Spycer canonici de Wyndesor (1402,-1437)'. Afterwards pledged to Ashridge College, co. Bucks (see f. ii), 'caucio mag. Ioh. Nele maeistri domus sancti Thome de Achon. London. (d. 1463) exposita penes ven. virum rectorem de Ashrugge pro quodam uolurninc Omelias Origenis super Ihesum Naue necnon super alios libros biblie continenti, quod quidem volumen habet in sec. folio Amalech. et quid ibi'. Afterwards it was apparently restored to the hospital by James Butler, Earl of Ormond (1452- 1461 ?), see inscription in a 16th cent. hand (f. 183 b) 'liber domus sancti Thome de Acon London ex dono dom. Iacobi comitis Ormundie'. Cat. of 1666, f. 8 b; CMA. 8318, 8326, and 8517 (part).