Cotton MS Vitellius A XII, ff 109–135

Contents:

ff. 109r-114r: Serlo of Bayeux (d. 1104), canon of the cathedral chapter of Bayeux, collection of short poems [including: Versus Serlonis Parisiacensis ad Muriel Sanctimonialem Virginem [Muriel, sister of Odo (d. 1097), Bishop of Bayeux]; Ad Virginem Deo Dicatam Versus; Incipiunt Versus Serlonis de Capta Bajocensium Civitate; Invectio Ejusdem Serlonis in Gilbertum Abbatem Cadomi; Ad Odonem Bajocensem Episcopum, Versus; Untitled poem; Ad Amicum Absentem; Invectio in Mordacem Cinædum].

ff. 114r-117r: Godfrey of Winchester (b. before 1055, d. 1107), poet and prior of the Benedictine monastery of St Swithun, Winchester, Liber Proverbiorum (Book of Proverbs).

ff. 117r-122v: Hildebert of Lavardin (b. 1056, d. 1133), Archbishop of Tours, Vita Beatae Mariae Aegyptiacae (Life of St Mary of Egypt), beginning 'Sicut hiemps laurum non urit, nec rogus aurum'.

f. 122v: Hildebert of Lavardin, De Plagis Egypti (On the Plagues of Egypt), beginning 'Prima rubens unda', imperfect.

f. 123r: Marbod of Rennes (b. 1035, d. 1123), Naufragiam Jona Propheta (The Sea Voyage of the Prophet Jonah), imperfect, beginning ‘Per turpem vitam Dominum commovit in iram’.

f. 123r: Marbod of Rennes, De Reperto Vaso Saphyrino (On the Finding of the Ship Saphyrinus), beginning ‘Porticus est Romae, quo dum spatiando fero me’.

f. 123r: Marbod of Rennes, Versus Serlonis ad Odonem Baiocensem Pontificem (Poem of Serlo to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux), beginning ‘Verilucro boni dono Marbodus Odoni’.

f. 123r: Marbod of Rennes, Marbodus Walterio Suo Salutem (Marbod’s Greeting to Walter), beginning ‘Assuetam turbis ex luxu divitis urbis’.

ff. 123r-123v, Marbod of Rennes, Idem ad Eundem Poetam ([Poem] to the Same Poet), beginning ‘Per cantus dulces ita me, charissime, mulces’.

f. 123v: Marbodus et Hugo Tribus Amicis Suis Salutem (Marbod and Hugh Greeting Three of Their Friends), beginning 'Dicunt Willelmo Marbodus’.

et Hugo'.

f. 123v: Marbod of Rennes, De Laude Castitatis (On the Praise of Chastity), beginning 'Ut flos in pratis sic gratia Virginitatis'.

f. 123v: Marbod of Rennes, De Contemptu Mundi (On the Vanity of the World), beginning 'Vos qui diligitis bona, quae retinere nequitis'.

f. 123v: Marbod of Rennes, De Lapsu Primi Hominis (The Fall of the First of Mankind), beginning ‘Morte gravatur homo, sed homo qui morte gravatur’.

f. 123v: Marbod of Rennes, Oratio Poenitentis Saepe Lapsi (Prayer of the Penitents Who Have Often Sinned), beginning 'Me miserum quid agam?'.

f. 123v: An anonymous untitled poem, beginning ‘Scripturas veterum veras probat actio rerum’.

f. 124r: An anonymous untitled poem, beginning ‘Affirmat partes primus modus omne per omnes’.

f. 124r: [?] Ausonius (d. c. 395), title illegible, beginning ‘Primus regalem patefacit Iulius aulam’.

f. 124r: [?] Ausonius, Monosticha de XII Caesaribus (Monostichs on the Twelve Emperors), beginning 'Iulius ut perhibent divus trieteride regnat'.

f. 124r: [?] C. Sollius Apollinaris Sidonius (b. c 432, d. c 480), Bishop of Clermont-Ferrand, De Finibus Seu Morte Cesarum (On the Ends or Death of Emperors), beginning 'Exegit penas de Cesare curia mollis'.

f. 124r: Invectio in Quendam Abbatem Monoculum Dominam Sibi Surripere Volentem (Invective against a Certain One-Eyed Abbot Who Wanted to Steal a Lady for Himself), 'Proch dolor ! Unde mihi qua non est parte'.

f. 124v: Invectio Cuius Supra in Invidum Deficientem in Disputacione (Invective of Someone Who Aside from Envious is Lacking in Disputation), beginning 'Verax iam totam discurrit fama per urbem'.

f. 124v: Hildebert of Lavardin, De Amone qui Thamar (On Amnon and Tamar), beginning 'Languidus accubuit tanquam moriens puer Amon'.

f. 124v: Hildebert of Lavardin, De Quodam Puero Qui Detegere Senatorum Secreta Matri Noluit (About a Certain Young Boy Who Did Not Want to Reveal the Secrets of the Senators to his Mother), beginning ‘Concilium fecere viri seditque senatus’.

ff. 124v-125v: Versus XII Patriarcharum (Poem on the Twelve Patriarches), beginning 'Si vis prodesse sortes anathema nec esse'.

ff. 126r-127r: De Querimonia Cleri (On the Grievance of the Clergy), beginning: ‘Res monet et tempus fratrum describere questus’.

f. 127r: Gualo Britannus (? fl. 1170), Invectio Gualonis Britonis in Monachos (Invective of Gualo Britannus to Monks), beginning ‘Sacrilegis monachis, emptoribus ecclesiarum’.

f. 127r: Marbod of Rennes, De Septem Primi Diebus (On the First Seven Days), beginning 'Primus in orbe dies lucis primordia sumpsit'.

f. 127r: Marbod of Rennes, Versus de X Plagis Egypti (Poem on the Ten Plagues of Egypt), beginning 'Prima plaga Egypti limphas in sanguine vertit'.

ff. 127r-127v: Marbod of Rennes, De Muliere Mala (On the Evil Woman), beginning ‘Innumeros inter laqueos quos callidus hostis’.

ff. 127r-128v: Marbod of Rennes, De Muliere Bona (On the Good Woman), beginning ‘In cunctis quae dante deo concessa uidentur’.

f. 128v: Versus de Rege Willelmo (Poem on King William), begining 'Plus tibi fama dedit quam posset musa Maronis'.

f. 128v: [?] Serlo of Bayeux, De Regina Mathilde, beginning 'Septem majores numeramus in aethere stellas'.

ff. 128v-129r: Two untitled poems, beginning ‘Principio rerum mater natura creatis’; and ‘Peior praeteritis crastina par meritis’.

f. 129r: Marbod of Rennes, De Eversione Fani Apud Calonnam (On the Destruction of the Shrine near Calonna), begining 'Stabat Calonnae simulachrorum genus omne'.

ff. 129r-129v: Marbod of Rennes, Reprehensio Superfluitatis in Epitaphio Iohannis Abbatis (Refutation of Wastefulness in the Funeral Oration of Abbot John), beginning 'Quid multis annis duravit vita Iohannis'.

f. 129v: Marbod of Rennes, Non Esse Mutandum Repente Propositum (The Proposal Does Not Need to Be Changed Suddenly), beginning: ‘Quidam mente bona, facta sibi rite corona’.

f. 129v: Marbod of Rennes, Dissuasio Concubitus (Dissuasion of Concubinage), beginning ‘Daemonis inventum scelerum sunt milia centum’.

f. 129v: Marbod of Rennes, Ad Amicum Hospitem (To a Friendly Host), beginning ‘In partes istas post quinque reversus aristas’.

ff. 129v-130r: Marbod of Rennes, Dissuasio Navigationis ob Lucrum (Dissuasion of Voyages for Profit), beginning ‘Qui vult scire minas tempestatesque marinas’.

ff. 131r-132v: Godfrey of Winchester, collection of short poems [including: De Cnut Rege; De regina Emma; De Eduardo Rege; De Regina Editha; De Rege Gilielmo; De Mathilda Regina; De Archiepiscopo Lanfranco; De Walchero Dunelmensi Episcopo; Invectio in Eos Qui Eum Occiderunt; De Ricardo Willelmi Regis Filio; De Caeco Monaco Nomine Agelrico; De Wlstano Wigorensi Episcopo; De Roberto Herefordensi Episcopo; De Simeone Abbate; De Comite Wlnotho; Versus Godefridi Prioris].

f. 132v: Three untitled poems, beginning 'Absque metu belli florebat uita Metelli'; ‘Non, Ernulfe locus, non mille sophismata prosunt’; ‘Cum pater Augustus me desponsaret Hibero’.

ff. 133r-135r: Versus Hugonis Sotovaginae Cantoris et Archidiaconi Eboracensis (Poem on Hugh Sottovagina, Chanter and Archdeacon of York), beginning ‘Philosophus quidam quaesitus quid sit amicus’.

f. 135r: De Abbatis Mitris Utentibus et Deliciose Viventibus (On the Mitres of Abbots, Their Uses and their Delicate Lives’, beginning ‘Forma fuit quondam Cluniacus religionis’.

ff. 135r-135v: Two untitled poems, beginning ‘heu stolidi qui tam cupidi’; and ‘Hugo sacerdoti Willelmo quae tria voce’.

f. 135v: Versus Augustini Canonici (Poem on Augustinian Canons), beginning 'Dum vel dictator rudis es vel versificato'.

Decoration:

Medium and small initials in green or red, some with penwork decoration in the other colour (ff. 117r, 125r, 129v, 131r, 131v, 132v). Rubrics in red.