St John's College MS 1
Augustine, Homilies on John
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Physical Description
Collation
Condition
Layout
In double columns, each column 332 × 100 mm. , with 20 mm between columns, in 32 lines to the column. Only isolated prickings for columns (the added quire 28 routinely pricked for lines); bounded and ruled in reddish-brown ink.
Hand(s)
Written in gothic textura prescissa, perhaps more than one scribe, e.g. a possible change of hand on fol. 92v, and perhaps more later. Punctuation by point, punctus elevatus, and punctus interrogativus. On the apparent scribal signature on fols. 281 and 285, see ‘Provenance’ below.
Decoration
Headings in red.
At the head of each homily, a 5-line blue and violet champe, often with gold leaf, usually with floral extensions running the full length of the margin.
In two of these extensions (fols. 296, 308v), what appear to be heraldic devices (Coates 79).
The champes are filled with vine patterns, leaves, and dragons (occasionally human-headed animals, as at fols. 160vb and 163ra).
In the first such (fol. 1ra), the initial I forms a full border, in blue and violet, the letter itself gold with dragons. Some human heads, perhaps added, appear at the ends of the vines.
Occasionally at internal divisions, smaller and less ornate examples, including small blue lombards on red flourishing.
Red running titles identify the liturgical occasions.
At least two initials might be considered historiated: (a) fol. 27vb, the head of homily 6, has an angel within the initial; (b) fol. 46va, the head of homily 9, has an angel and perhaps a human in conversation.
There may be a variety of hands; beginning with homily 50 (fol. 196rb), the gold leaf in the initials has been diapered.
AT no. 268 (28) and plate xv (fol. 235v).
Occasional pencil drawings appear in the lower margin, e.g. a woman carrying towels, fol. 72.
In booklet 2, the rubric is written in decorative red lombards across the top of the page.
Binding
Later brown leather, s. xviii over slightly bevelled wooden boards, probably from a medieval binding. Partially restored at the bottom of both boards and along the spine of the top board. Sewn on nine double heavy white cords, taken straight into the board, as in Pollard’s figure 5 but unstaggered. Remains of seats for two straps on upper board (with five? brass nails in each) and nail holes from their clasps near the centre of the lower board. Two nails from a chain staple in Watson’s position 6. Early modern vellum paste-downs front and rear blank except for college bookplates on each (different ones). At the front, one paper and one vellum flyleaf; a single paper flyleaf at the rear (iii). Fol. ii has a note of contents, ‘Augustini Homeliae in Iohannem’, s. xviii.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
Written and retained at Reading abbey (OSB) (Ker, MLGB 157). Liddell prints (48–49) the Reading book-list from our MS 11, fol. 3, and identifies this book, on the basis of its secundo folio, with item 13 ‘Augustinus super Iohannem euangelistam. iio folio. ista omnia’. See the more recent editions, CBMLC B 74 (4:451–3) and Coates, 85–6. Although Registrum indexes this work and surveys Reading, this copy is not noted (sub R.1.105 [26]), unless ‘43’ there, normally Woburn abbey, is in error for ‘42’ (Reading).
‘Thomas Chakenden’ Monachus scripsit istum librum’ (fol. 285, the lower margin); ‘Thom ⟨ ⟩ Monachus Radyngie scripsit ⟨.⟩⟨stum librum⟩ (fol. 281, the lower margin, partly erased). These plummet inscriptions are perplexing, since Chakenden writes in anglicana, s. xv in., a century after the hand of the text, but a date consistent with Coates’s identification of him with a monk who fl. 1408 x 1412 (79; cf. Liddell 54).
Several other scribbles may be from Reading:
(a) ‘Iohan Wyllyam henred non est Wyllelmus henred’ (fol. 321v, lower margin, s.xv/xvi);
(b) a cancelled inscription (fol. 306vb);
(c) ‘Rycharde shyr⟨..⟩ ‘, ‘Ego sum bonus puer quem deus amat que est ille ⟨......⟩ Gill Gold⟨...⟩ (fol. 121rb, the leading edge and lower margin);
‘Liber Collegij Divi Ioannis Baptistae Oxon’ Ex dono Magistri Ioannis Stonor Generosi de North Stoke in comitatu Oxon’ 1609’ (fol. iiv). On the probable route by which the book passed from Reading Abbey to Stonor; see Liddell, 51–3, and the more extended treatment at Coates, 135–8.
An added Booklet 2 = fols. 316–21
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Liddell points out (47) that Henry I founded Reading Abbey, and that prayers for him as founder typify books from the house. He notes other examples in this book and at our MS 11, fol. 240 (49 nn3–4); see also Coates 164.
the incipit from GREGORY THE GREAT’S vita (Dialogi 2), ed. PL 66:126.
Added text
'Si sapiens fore vis sex serua qui tibi mando | Quid loqueris et vbi de quo cui quomodo quando’. Walther no. 17963, also cited from BodL, MS Bodley 127 and All Souls College MS 51, added s. xv, and partly repeated in a different hand over an erasure below.
Physical Description
Layout
In the same page format as the remainder and, although pricked for lines, lacks bounds and rules.
Hand(s)
Written in a slightly later textura quadrata, s. xiv med.
History
Additional Information
Record Sources
Availability
For enquiries relating to this manuscript please contact St John's College Library.
Bibliography
Funding of Cataloguing
Conversion of the printed catalogue to TEI funded by the Thompson Family Charitable Trust
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2023-01: First online publication