Theological miscellany

Germany, Erfurt, 1460

Paper

i, 222 leaves

155 × 100–105 mm

Latin

1 (ff. 1r–4r) Seven rules

Rubric: Que sint legenda

Incipit: In principio conuersionis cuiuslibet legenda sun exempla bona

Explicit: Septima serpentis caput membraque reflectit

Note: f. 4v: blank.

2 (ff. 5r–7r) Visio Quedam

Rubric: Visio Quedam facta? anno liii^o

Incipit: Quidam religiosus in sollempnitate gloriosissime marie virginis

Explicit: Qui est super omnia deus gloriosus et adorandus Amen

Final rubric: Hic religiosus est ordinis cartusiensis vir -tissimus bone fame et nominis per maximum? et quod non suum subticetur humilitatis causa est et cetera? -cta confluenciam | Sit nobis propicius -tors deus In festo purificacionis marie factum | Hec visio examina est coram apostolico et pluribus existentibus in eius presencia litteratis et famosis et cetera

Note: f. 7v: blank.

3 (ff. 8r–10v) eppistola ad modum exercicii

Rubric: Sequitur alia eppistola ad modum exercicii

Incipit: Quom- ut ait appostolus corinthis xiiii

Explicit: pertransire et que tue pacis sunt magis cogitare

4 (ff. 11r–13r) Salve mundi salutare

Incipit: Salue mundi salutare salue ihesu salue care

Explicit: tunc ostende in cruce salutifera

Note: The text is followed by a paragraph providing background for the prayer beginning: ‘Suprascriptam oracionem composuit beatus bernhardus’.

5 (ff. 13v–14v) Iesu Dulcis Memoria

Incipit: Ihesu dulcis memoria dans cordi uera gaudia

Explicit: Tu mea g- ihesu mundi saluacio Amen

Note: First two lines provided with square notes on staves of 4 lines each.

6 (ff. 14v–21v) de conuersacione christi

Rubric: De conuersacione christi

Incipit: Dixit quidam senex propter te inquit homo saluator natus est

7 (ff. 22r–37v) De gradibus humilitatis

Rubric: Incipit prologus in commentum beati bernhardi abbatis de xiii gradibus humilitatis

Incipit: IN hoc opusculo cum illud quod de evangelio? dominus ait

Explicit: tu in tuo corde quam in nostro codice leges Explicit Deo gracias

Note: The main text is followed by two lines from the hymn ‘Gloria laus et honor’ and four additional lines.

Colophon: f. 37vGunthero domino claustri erffordensis alumno confrater wernherus scriptor libri fuit huius Quorum christe bone crimina tolle pie Anno milleno domini cccc^o et lx^o

8 (ff. 38r–64v) Alphabetum divini amoris

Incipit: Ad honorem omnipotentis dei aliquos modos et uias

Explicit: ut sit adiutor tuus protector director et finis? Amen

Final rubric: Explicit alphabetum diuini amoris de eleuacione mentis in deum Deo gracias

Note: The text is followed by a brief excerpt from a vita of St Anthony and a text titled ‘De mititate et manusuetudine’, in total 15 lines.

9 (ff. 65r–71r) On the eucharist

Rubric: Quod significat transmutacio que sit in pane et vino

Incipit: ET quam in isto sacramento ipse res uisibiles

Explicit: ne deficerent ut possint peruenire ad suam propriam patriam

Final rubric: Explicit de sacramento eucaristie

10 (ff. 71v–73v) Varia

11 (ff. 74r–83r) Tractatus de moribus infantum et adoloescentum

Rubric: Tractatus beati bernhardi de moribus infantum et adoloescentum

Incipit: HOrtatur quid timidam mentis mee impericiam

Explicit: domino seruientes -im faciunt celo totisque iurbus sibi diripiunt illud ? et cetera

Final rubric: Explicit libellus beati Bernhardi abbatis pulcher de moribus infatum seu adoloscentum nomine domini? Amen

12 (ff. 83r–92r) Tractatus de proficendo

Rubric: Sequitus tractatus optimus in seruicio dei proficere uolentibus

Incipit: Si uis in spiritu proficere et hoc esse propter quod

Explicit: non diligi indignum nec ullam ei reuerenciam exhiberi

Final rubric: Explicit formula -te compendiosa

13 (ff. 92r–98r) Tractatus de obedientia

Rubric: Ex libro de serenitate consci- q- sic intitulatur hortatur pater filium ut omnino se disponat prompte ad obediendum hortando ipsum per declaracionem auctoritatum sanctorum patrum

Incipit: Primo nos inducit auctoritas sanctissimi benedicti in sua regula dicentis

Note: 98v: blank.

14 (ff. 99r–100v) Dicta pulchra/prayers

15 (ff. 101r–112v) Exercicium spirituale

Rubric: Exercicium spirituale

Incipit: AD nocturnas uigilias cum suscitatus fueris festinus surgas

Explicit: et deuocio ? -am occurret quasi mater honorificata cum surrex-s

Final rubric: Deo gracias Amen

16 (ff. 112v–118r) Tractatus de caritate

Rubric: Sequitur de caritate tractatus hugonis de sancto victore ad amicum suum

Incipit: Multos iam laudatores caritas habuisse cognoscitur

Explicit: Qui cum eodem patre et spiritu sancto viuit et regnat in secula Amen

Final rubric: Explicit tractatulus de caritate hugonis de sacnto uictore

17 (ff. 118v–132r) Ps-Augustine, Manuale (part 1)

Incipit: QVoniam in medio laqueorum positi sumus

Explicit: Celum et terra et omnia que meis sunt non cessant michi dicere ut amen super omnia deum meum qui est benedictus in seculorum secula Amen

18 (ff. 132r–135r) Iubilus

Rubric: Iubilus beati bernhardi

Incipit: O fons misericordie uita et dulcedo

Explicit: qu assumpta tecum gaudet in celis feliciter pro-me- Amen

Note: new text on 133v?

19 (ff. 135v–144r) Scala claustralium

Rubric: Scala claustralium beati bernhardi

Incipit: CVm die quodam corporali manuum labore occupatus

Explicit: Oremus ergo ut hoc et alia impedimenta auferat a nobis Ihesus christus dominus noster qui est benedictus in secula Amen

20 (ff. 144r–149v) Manuale (part 2)

Rubric: Vna pars ex manuali n-o beati Augustini

Incipit: Cor humanum in desideriis eternitatis non fixum numquam stabile potest esse

Explicit: desideret illud tota s-am mea donec in- in gaudium d- mei Amen

21 (ff. 149v–169r) Varia

22 (ff. 170r–214v) Comments on gradus humilitatis?

23 (ff. 215r–215v) De lacrimis

24 (ff. 217r–223r) De confessione, de ieiunii et al.

Physical Description

Secundo folio

Augustinus in tercio

Support

Binding/Endleaves

Locus: LCI, f. L1

Support: Parchment

Leaf dimensions: 155 × 100 mm

Textblock

Locus: ff. 1–223

Support: Paper

Leaf dimensions: 155 × 105 mm

Foliation

Modern foliation in pencil: 1-128, 128a, 128b, 129-223.

Collation

Formula: 1(12, lacks 8-12), 2(14), 3(16), 4-8(12), 9-10(14), 11(12+3), 12(10), 13(14), 14(12), 15(12+1), 16-18(12)

Note: VisColl collation

Catchwords: f. 187v: catchword on added leaf.

Additions

Binding/Endleaves

(LCI) Top of page, in pencil by a modern hand: ‘223 bl’,‘ 217 ?’; left edge, in pencil by a modern hand:‘ A 198’; in ink by a medieval hand: ‘liber sancti petri in Erfordia’; ‘P 47’ (repeated on (f. 1r)); ‘In hoc libello continentur subsignata’ followed by a table of contents; below, one line of erased text (perhaps owner's signature), 3 lines of text in Latin (partially illegible).

(f. L1r) Top of page, in ink by a medieval hand:‘ Liber Sanctorum Pewtri et pauli in erfordia’; below: ‘hermannus markreffe est nomen meum ’(beneath these two lines are 7 lines of erased, but partially legible text); centre page, in ink by a medieval hand: 22 lines of text beginning ‘Ex peccato originali relinquantur’.

(f. L1v) Top of page, in ink by a medieval hand: Assit ??? (partially erased); below, in ink by a modern hand: ‘Till Kongl. Bibliotheket inköpt från G. Stephens 23/10 1848.’.

Binding

Description:

Medieval binding. Brown leather over wooden boards. 3 double raised bands and endbands. Orignally, one clasp with brass catchplate. Spine, in ink: ‘4.’; traces of a removed label; stamped in gold: ‘A 198’.

Binding dimensions: 170 × 120 × 55 mm

Tooling:

Complex tooling consisting of tripple-line frames filled with stamped motifs, such as flowers and fleur-de-lis.

Condition: Leather worn and darkened. Clasp missing. Pastedown on RCImissing, board attachment visible. RCO, signs of repair at upper left corner.

Contemporary: Yes

History

Origin

Germany, Erfurt, 1460. The manuscript carries contemporary owner's signatures and what may be shelfmark from the monastery of St Peter and Paul in Erfurt (LCI, f. L1r; ‘P47’ on LCI and f. 1r). In addition, on f. L1r a pesonal name is listed as a potential owner: ‘hermannus markreffe’. The text on ff. 22r–37v has been provided with a colophon that states that the book was written in 1460 by a ‘confrater Wernherus’ for ‘dominus Guntherus, alumnus claustri erforrdensis’.

Provenance

Provenance unknown, but like the other Erfurt manuscripts in the National LIbrary's collection it is likely that the manuscript remained in the monastery unitl its dissolution, when it would have bought by a private book dealer or collector from whom it was acquired by George Stephens.