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St John's College MS 112

Alphabetum narrationum and Clement, Itinerarium Petri

Physical Description

Comprising two originally separate MSS
Form: codex
Support: both on vellum (the first FSOS/FHHF, the second HSOS/HFFH).
Extent: Fols. ix + 210 (numbered fols. 1–208, x, xi) + xiii (numbered fols. xii–xxiv).
Dimensions (leaf): 245 × 165 mm.

Binding

Reddish-brown leather re-covering over millboards, with a stamped fillet, s. xix. Sewn on five thongs. Gold ‘112’ at the top of the spine, smeared traces in black ink on the leading edges. Old vellum pastedowns, a College bookplate on the front one. At the front, eight vellum leaves from MS and a modern vellum flyleaf, at the rear, fols. x and xi are part of manuscript 2 (fol. xi a pastedown in an earlier binding), fol. xii a vellum flyleaf, and fols. xiii–xxiv from MS (the last having been used as a pastedown).

History

Provenance and Acquisition

A partly erased inscription ‘pro anima ⟨Magist(?)⟩ri Willielmi de dalton’ (fol. 115, upper margin, s. xiv1). See C. L. Shadwell, ‘A Catalogue of the Library of Oriel College in the year 1375 A.D.’, in Collectanea First Series, OHS 5 (1885), 69, which includes: ‘Itinerarium Clementis per Dalton secundo folio tanquam ’ (Ker, MLGB 149, 292 as an Oriel College book).

Brief notes and pen-trials (fol. x, the top, s. xiv1; fol. xv, xv; fol. xi, the top, s. xv).

The old College shelfmark ‘Abac: ij. Nº. 7’ (the front pastedown).

Manuscript 1 = Fols. 1–114

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. Fols. 1ra–111va:
Incipit: Antiquorum patrum exemplo didici nonnullos ad virtutes fuisse inductos narrationibus […] [fol. 1rb, the text] Abbas Abbas non debet e⟨sse?⟩ nimis rigidus
Explicit: Zelotipia est mulier de marito habita modica occasione supra de vxore ij.
Final rubric: Expliciunt exepla [sic for exempla] narrationum
ARNOLD OF LIÈGE OP, Alphabetum narrationum (so designated in the prologue, fol. 1ra) (Kaeppeli, no. 335 [1:131–2], where this MS is noted). The text is unedited (other Oxford copies include Balliol College MS 219, Merton College MS 84, and University College MS 67), but cf. the Middle English translation, ed. Mary M. Banks, An Alphabet of Tales, EETS 126–7 (1904–5). After explaining the alphabetical order, Arnold comments, ‘Sic etiam iam dudum auctoritates sanctorum sub ordine alphabeti distincti in libello quem alphabetum auctenticum appellaui Eodem etiam modo hunc alfabetum narrationum appello’.

Followed (fols. 111vb–13vc) by an index of the alphabetical sections in triple column, with an explicit (fols. 113vc–114ra) including an explanation that the prologue identifies the author in an acrostic (as 'Arnuldus de Serain’) and ending with the date Anno domini Mocccviij’. This marks either the completion of Arnold’s work or the date of an exemplar, not the date of our MS; see further Jean Destrez and G. Fink-Emera, ‘Des manuscrits apparemment datés’, Scriptorium 12 (1958), 56–93 at 83–6. Fol. 114 is fully ruled (but only five lines are used), and fol. 114v, now blank, is a former pastedown. There are substantial additions in the lower margins in contemporary anglicana hands.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: -fectorio (fol. 2)
Extent: Fols. 114.
Foliation: An accurate foliation through fol. 89 (s. xv).

Collation

1–812 910 108. Occasional catchwords, but most cut away. All leaves in the first half of each quire apparently signed, but many cut away; through quire 5, simply a notation of the leaf number in roman (in lead in quire 3, blue ink in quire 5); quires 6–9 have letters (a–d) plus roman numerals.

Layout

In double columns, each column 187 × 55 mm. , with 10 mm between columns, in 44 lines to the column. No prickings; bounded and ruled in black ink.

Hand(s)

Written in gothic textura quadrata of a university sort, s. xiv in. Punctuation by point and medial point, with added virgulae.

Decoration

No headings.

Fol. 1 has a champe with a serpent with a human face inside and extended along the entire leaf.

Individual entries introduced by 1-line alternating lombards, blue on red and red on black flourishing.

Usually more ornate 4- to 8-line red and blue capitals on flourishing of the same at the heads of each letter of the alphabet.

The text divided by alternating red and blue paraphs and red-slashed capitals.

Running titles in red or blue give the appropriate letter for each section of the work.

See AT, nos. 725 (72) (manuscript 1, taken to be French and misreporting the colophon and indication of date) and 143 (17) (manuscript 2).

History

Origin: s. xiv in. ; England

Manuscript 2 = Fols. 115–208, X–XI

Contents

Language(s): Latin

2. Fols. 115ra–203ra:
Rubric: [the title later] Incipit itinerarium sancti CLEMENTIS defactis et dictis beati petri apostoli
Incipit: Tibi qvidem papa gavdenti nostrorvm insigne doctorvm Tantus ingenij uigor est immo tanta spiritus gratia […] [fol. 115va, the text] Ego clemens in urbe roma natus ex prima etate studium pudicicie gessi
Explicit: cuncta ciuitas quasi angelum eum aspicerent et non minorem ei graciam quam apostolo exiberent
CLEMENT OF ROME, Recognitiones (CPG 1015 [5]), preceded by a prologue by the translator, RUFINUS OF AQUILEIA (CPL 198n), ed. PG 1:1205–1454.
3. Fols. 203ra–8va:
Incipit: Cvm uenisset paulus romam conuenerunt ad eum omnes iudei dicentes Nostram fidem
Explicit: in uia ostiensi ab urbe roma miliario secundo ubi prestantur beneficia orationum in secula seculorum aen [sic for amen]
Final rubric: Explicit CLEMENTIS itinerarium preedicionis [sic for preedicacionis] petri apostoli

In fact the ‘Epistola MARCELLI’ or PS.-MARCELLUS, ‘Passio sanctorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli’ (BHL 6657), ed. Richard A. Lipsius, Acta apostolorum apocrypha 1 (Leipzig, 1891), 119–77 (odd pages), following continuously as book 10 of the preceding. Fol. 208vb is blank, as are fols. x–xi, although fol. x is ruled.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: tanquam (fol. 116)
Extent: Fols. 96.

Collation

11–228. Catchwords under the inner column, usually cut away; all quires numbered in roman on the final leaf, quires 11–21 = I–XIus.

Layout

In double columns, each column 190–203 × 57 mm. , with 7 or 8 mm between columns, in 35 lines to the column. Prickings; bounded and ruled in black and brown ink.

Hand(s)

Written in transitional protogothic book-hand/gothic textura, s. xii/xiii or xiii in. Punctuation by point and medial point.

Decoration

At the heads of the text and its books, 6-line arabesque capitals in gold, red, and blue, with interior leaf and vine patterns in green and brown. Otherwise, the text is broken only by capitals in the text ink.

Running titles in text ink to identify the book by number.

Added heads in the margins.

History

Origin: s. xiii in. ; England

The flyleaves

Contents

Language(s): Latin

a. Fol. xiiira:
Incipit: Ulpianus de conditione furtiua In furtiua re solito mino competit condictio […]

This incipit is JUSTINIAN, Digestum 13.1 (CJCiv 1:174a). Extensive glosses, in the main informal, but formal on fols. i + viiiv in Italian textura rotunda.

Physical Description

Support: vellum.
Extent: Fols. 10 (4 at the front, 6 at the rear), formed into an eight- and a twelve-leaf quire by folding along the centre of the page so that the writing runs vertically.
Dimensions (leaf): The original leaves overall at least 320 × 245 mm.

Collation

Fol. v has a catchword.

Layout

In double columns, each column at least 200 × 60 mm. , in at least 54 lines to the column.

Hand(s)

Written in textura semiquadrata, s. xiii ex., probably English or French.

Decoration

Two-line blue lombards with modest red flourishing at text divisions.

Red paraphs.

The book division on fol. xiii is introduced by a plate incipit, the full column width in 6-line high blue lombards on red flourishing.

History

Origin: s. xiii ex. ; probably English or French

Additional Information

Record Sources

Ralph Hanna, A descriptive catalogue of the western medieval manuscripts of St. John's College, Oxford (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002)

Availability

For enquiries relating to this manuscript please contact St John's College Library.

Bibliography

    J. J. G. Alexander and Elźbieta Temple, Illuminated Manuscripts in Oxford College Libraries, the University Archives and the Taylor Institution (Oxford, 1985).
    Mary M. Banks (ed.), An Alphabet of Tales, Early English Text Society 126–7 (1904–5).
    Eligius Dekkers and Aemilius Gaar, Clavis patrum latinorum, 3rd edn. (Turnhout, 1995).
    Jean Destrez and G. Fink-Emera, ‘Des manuscrits apparemment datés’, Scriptorium 12 (1958), 56–93 at 83–6.
    Maurice Guérard, Clavis patrum graecorum, 5 vols. and supplement (Turnhout, 1983–98).
    T. Kaeppeli, Scriptores Ordinis Praedicatorum Medii Aevi, 4 vols. (Rome, 1970–93).
    N. R. Ker, Medieval Libraries of Great Britain: A List of Surviving Books. Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks. 2nd edn. (London, 1964), extended by Andrew G. Watson, MLGB: Supplement to the Second Edition. RHS Guides and Handbooks 15 (1987).
    Paul Kruger et al., Corpus Juris Civilis, 2 vols. (Berlin, 1905).
    Richard A. Lipsius, (ed.), Acta apostolorum apocrypha 1 (Leipzig, 1891).
    Jacques-Paul Migne (ed.), Patrologia Graeca 1 (Paris, 1857).
    C. L. Shadwell, ‘A Catalogue of the Library of Oriel College in the year 1375 A.D.’, in Collectanea First Series, OHS 5 (1885).

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

2022-01: First online publication

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