MS. Bodl. 285

Summary Catalogue no.: 2430

(fol. vii v)

Rubric: Vita sancti Martini episcopi

Incipit: Opere precium estApud Turonos monasterium

preceded by 'Capitula libri', 'Epistola Seueri', and a praefatio: foll. vii, 1-3 are supplied in a 14th cent. hand, the older writing beginning with 'notatum . Nam cum fortuitu lector': the next few leaves are damaged.

(fol. 9)

Sulpicius Severus, Epistolae

Three letters of Severus about st. Martin

(fol. 13, 22v, 28v)

Sulpicius Severus, Dialogi

Each preceded by a list of chapters

Followed by three chapters of the death and simultaneous miracles of St. Martin

Incipit: Archadii uero & Honorii

(fol. 35v)

Gregory of Tours

Rubric: Tractatus de translatione sancti Martini

Incipit: Opere precium est

(fol. 36)

Rubric: De dedicatione basilice sancti Martini

Incipit: Apud Turonos monasterium

(fol. 38)

Life of St Sylvester

Incipit: Siluester igitur urbis Rome

(fol. 58)

Ailred of Rievaulx, Vita S. Edwardi confessoris

Incipit: Gloriosi ac Deo

The handwriting changes here.

(fol. 80)

Life of St Kenelm

Incipit: Kenolfus gloriosissimus

With an added sequence on fol. 83v, cf. 80v:

Incipit: O Kenelme martyr alme Merciorum gloria

(fol. 83v)

Osbern of Canterbury, Vita S. Dunstani

Incipit: Regnante magnifico

(fol. 99v)

Goscelin of Canterbury, Vita S. Ivonis

Incipit: Doctor apostolicus

With two prologues: the scribe inserts at fol. 108 'Hec qui descripsit deuotus, quique rescripsit, | Yuo sacer, de te, placeat Dominoque tibique'.

(fol. 111)

Life of St Margaret virgin

Incipit: Cum per uniuersum

(fol. 113)

Life of St Giles abbot

Incipit: Sanctus igitur Egidius

(fol. 116)

Goscelin of Canterbury, Vita SS. Etheldredi et Ethelberti

Incipit: Tempore illo quo per

(fol. 121)

Life of St Osith virgin

Incipit: Beata uirgo & martyr

(fol. 122v)

Eadmer, Vita et miracula S. Oswaldi

Incipit: Exordium ergo natiuitatis

(fol. 136v)

Ricemarcus, Life of St David

Incipit: Dominus noster quamuis

(fol. 143)

Probus (?), Life of St Patrick

Incipit: Patricius qui uocatur & Succet

(fol. 149)

Life of John 'vir dei' buried in Italy on March 19

Incipit: Factum est autem

(fol. 149v)

Life of St Alphege

An epitome of Osbern's Life.

Incipit: Hic namque beatissimus presul

(fol. 150*)

Life of St John Chrysostom

Incipit: Fuit uir illustris

(fol. 155v)

Letaldus, Life of St Julian of le Mans

Incipit: Cum adhuc mundus

BHL 4544

(fol. 159)

Goscelin, Werburga, virgin

Incipit: Filia regum & sponsa Christi

(fol. 161v)

Life of St Blasius, bp.

Incipit: Etenim in Sebastea

(fol. 163)

Life of Juliana, virgin

Incipit: Benignitas Saluatoris

(fol. 166)

Rubric: Vita sancti Petri Tharentasiensis archiepiscopi & Confessoris

In a different hand. By 'Gaufridus abbas': preceded by three documents about the Life as printed in the Bollandist Acta Sanctorum for May 8 ( = May ii. 322-3), and a list of chapters: at end 'Finit ubi non est finis'. Then follow (fol. 180) five letters about the canonization of the archbishop (as above, May ii. 345-7), and the Bulla canonizationis (ibid. 347): at fol. 183v is added in a 14th cent. hand another 'miraculum de usurario' done by the archbishop, partly injured.

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: parchment

Extent: vii + 186 leaves

Dimensions (binding): 15.375 × 11.875 in.

Layout

2 cols.

Decoration

Fols. 1–3 replacement of 14th century. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 358, pl. XXXI)

One fine historiated initial.

Other good initials.

History

Origin: 13th century, first quarter; fols. 1–3, 14th century ; English, Ramsey (?)

Provenance and Acquisition

Ramsey, Benedictine Abbey: the presence of lives of Ivo and of Ethelred and Ethelbricht suggest Ramsey, as does the note on fol. 108: 'Hec qui descripsit devotus quisque rescripsit Yvo sacer de te placeat dominoque tibique'. Gerard Langbaine called it 'a good old book which was sometime the passional of the monastery of Ramsey' (letter to Archbishop Ussher ed. Parr, Life of Ussher (1686), p. 552). (MLGB3: evidence from locally specific contents, including obits, scribbles, etc.)

At fol. 165v is added in a late 13th cent. hand 'Perlectis itaque Passionalibus, legatur Vita sancti Martialis episcopi. Queratur in armario, in ueteri libro spisso, & paruo [then a 14th cent. hand has added:] qui intitulatur Diadema Monachorum', a work by Smaragdus.

Presented by dr. Thomas James, first Bodley's Librarian, in 1601.