St John's College MS 136
Reginald, canon of Shede, Dogma laicorum; sermon book of Philip, vicar of Wycombe; Grosseteste, Constitutions; Physiologus
Physical Description
Binding
A modern replacement. Sewn on five thongs. At the front, a marbled paper leaf and two modern paper flyleaves; at the rear, two modern paper flyleaves and another marbled leaf (iv–vi).
History
Provenance and Acquisition
A vast amount of material relating to ownership of manuscript 2 in the mid- or later s. xiii: material copied in a single hand, s. xiii med., in the lower margins of manuscript 2, including copies of letters. The most explicitly dated entry occurs on fol. 81v: ‘Anno domini MoCoCo sexagesimo primo Memorandum quod eodem anno recepit vicarius de Wycumb de blado de santerdune De ordeo et dras mixto xxj. quart. \v. sol./ […] ’ (and similar notes on payments for church duties on fol. 81).
This association is strengthened by three letters from ‘Philippus perpetuus vicarius ecclesie de Wycumbe’ to various addressees: to ‘Dilectis sibi in cristo fratribus suis ⟨ ⟩’ (fols. 96v–7); to ‘Magistro R de stratune seculari’ (fols. 100v–1v); and to ‘Magistro Iohanni de Cuntune’ (fol. 107v, the conclusion on fol. 108 cut away); lacking Philip’s name but inferentially his as well, are letters addressed to ‘⟨ ⟩nerabili et discreto Domino W Magistro de Godestowe’ (fols. 83v–4); and to ‘Magister karissime Cornien’ (fol. 102). The only letter here definitely not by Philip is from one of his addressees: ‘El’e Cuntesse de Warewyk frere Water de Godestowe maunde salut’ (fol. 104v).
In addition, a number of accounts and documentary entries record (? Philip’s) dealings in Northampton and Havering (? Essex), e.g. ‘Memorandum quod persona de hauering debet michi primo pro ligatura librorum suorum de hau⟨ ⟩ Item pro oleo ad comburendum in cancello suo ⟨ ⟩ misso apud Oxonias coram priore sancti Andree Norhamtonie pro detur ⟨ ⟩ qui stetit ibi per tres dies xij. d Item ad portandum apud Norhamt’ ⟨ ⟩ Item ad oblata facienda diacono de hauering xij. d’ (fol. 88v).
‘Wll’s de Walton’ (fol. 111v, upper margin; s. xiv).
Records of payments from a series of individuals, including Simon koc, Ioh’ danner, Cristian Ranlot, Randulfus Pellipp, Rob’ godesspayn (fol. 1rb, lower margin, s. xv/xvi).
‘Liber Richardi Butler rectoris de Aston in Le wallis ex dono Magistri Albani ⟨.....⟩ senioris 2 Decembris 1607’ (fol. 1, upper margin). The references to St Andrew, Northampton (OClun) cited under 1 above are suggestive, since the College’s two books from the house (MSS 20, 39) were Butler’s donations.
S. xvii list of contents (fol. 1, outer margin).
‘Liber Collegij Sanctj Johannis Baptistae Oxon ex dono Richardi Butler Doctoris Theologiae Archidiaconi Northampt’ (fol. 1, lower margin).
Manuscript 1 = Fols. 1–70
Contents
Language(s): Latin
A sermon handbook with models and additional material from the Fathers (misidentified as ‘dogma clericorum’ by a hand of s. xv, fol. 1, upper margin). No other copies of the text have been found. The scribe wrote ‘aue regina celorum’ before the text. Breaks off, at the end of a quire, in a chapter on papal power.
Added text:
‘Nouem preconia Iohannis Et ortum christi […] ’ (s. xv).
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
In double columns, each column 155 × 52 mm. , with 10 mm between columns, in 43 lines to the column. Frequent prickings; bounded and ruled in black and brown ink.
Hand(s)
Written in gothic textura semiquadrata, s. xiii1, but below top line; S. Harrison Thomson, ‘Three Anglo-Norman translations of the Veni Creator Spiritus’, Medium Aevum 8 (1939), 33–9 at 33, thought the scribe had been trained in Oxford. Punctuation by medial point and punctus elevatus.
Decoration
Headings in red, often unfilled.
At textual divisions, 2- and 3-line alternate red and blue lombards, usually unflourished, with a few larger arabesque capitals and capitals in both colours.
History
Manuscript 2 = Fols. 71–108
Contents
Language(s): Latin with an addition in Anglo-Norman
These may be homilies prepared for parochial use, presumably by the PHILIP, vicar of Wycombe, who has added material in many lower margins (see “Provenance” below).
A new scribe writes the first column, but the main hand takes up at the top of fol. 73v.
Also appears in Dublin, Trinity College MS 332, fol. 87rv and cf. sermon 10 from the anonymous collection in Avignon, Bibliotheque d’Avignon MS 591 (Schneyer, 8:76).
Two contemporary additions to this sermon appear in the lower margins of fols. 78v–9.
Cf. HUGH OF ST VICTOR, sermo 227 (Schneyer, 2:800), more distantly PHILIP THE CHANCELLOR, sermo 127 (4:827); there is also a copy at BL, MS Royal 3 A.x, fol. 110.
Apparently the same as Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College MS 52/29, sermo 59; and BL, Royal 2 D.vi, sermo 39, both anonymous collections (Schneyer, 8:235, 450). The text breaks off after six lines at the quire end, on a page where the lower margin has been cut away.
Added texts (see also Provenance below)
ed. Thomson, 35–6. In the same hand which made additions to item 9.
Physical Description
Collation
Condition
Layout
In long lines, 22–32 lines to the page. The first quire pricked; bounds and rules in lead.
The opening portion (fols. 71–3) in double columns, each column usually 162 × 52 mm. , with 10 mm between columns, in about 42 lines to the page.
Hand(s)
Most of the book in a single textura semiquadrata with sporadic but frequent anglicana letter forms (apparently above top line), s. xiii med. The opening portion (fols. 71–3) by other scribes. Punctuation by point, medial point, and occasional punctus elevatus.
Decoration
Headings in red and in text ink.
At the heads of the sermons, 1- and 2-line red lombards, some with later flourishing in text ink.
In work not by the main scribe, some use of red paraphs to divide the text.
History
Manuscript 3 = Fols. 109–13
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Ed. E M. Powicke and C. R. Cheney, Councils and Synods… II (Oxford, 1964), 1:267–76. Fols. 111v–12 have the table for the constitutions printed at 276–78, in double columns. Our MS is unnoted in the edition but was described by C. R. Cheney, English Synodalia of the Thirteenth Century, 2nd edn. (London, 1968), 113–14. Fols. 112v–13v were originally blank.
Added texts:
none in Walther, added in anglicana, s. xv.
in anglicana, s. xiv med.
in anglicana with secretary a, s. xv ex.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
In long lines, 30 lines to the page. Prickings; bounded and ruled in brown ink.
Hand(s)
Written in anglicana, s. xiii4/4. Punctuation by point, medial point, and occasional punctus elevatus.
Decoration
The single heading in red.
The text is divided by red-slashed capitals.
Red paraphs and red-slashed capitals at heads of entries in the table.
History
Manuscript 4 = Fols. 114–23
Contents
Language(s): Latin
Ed. E J. Carmody, Physiologus latinus: Editions préliminaires versio B (Paris, 1939), 11–52, the text ending in the discussion of the salamander. C. L. Kingsford (ed.), The Song of Lewes (Oxford, 1890), 86, 89 (nn. to 420–2, 433) notes our MS (as well as our MS 178) as possible sources of the locutions of the poem.
Added texts
blank portions of the final page are filled with theological notes, in incipient anglicana, probably s. xiii ex.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
In long lines, 30 lines to the page. Prickings; bounded and ruled in lead.
Hand(s)
Written in textura semiquadrata, above top line, s. xiii in. Punctuation by point only.
Decoration
Two-line red lombards at the heads of sections.
A few marginal paraphs slashed in red.
Red heading at the opening and later spaces between chapters have wavy line-filler in red.
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
2022-12: First online publication