A catalogue of Western manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

MS. Bodl. 291

Summary Catalogue no.: 2442

Contents

Gratian, Decretum

Introduction:

Incipit: Iacobo fratri ipsi trado (on the primacy of the Roman church)

Main text:

Incipit: Symoniaci graciam non prestant

A digest of the Canon Law according to subject, in 36 divisions (distinctiones), of which a summary is at fol. 1. Fols 7-46 are occupied with a long introduction in 101 distinctiones, of which a partial list is on fol. 6v. Two extra distinctions occur in the summary (37-38), and seem to occupy fols 162v-end, but the last leaf (fol. 179) is damaged and it is possible that additional folios have been lost.

The first words of chapter 1 (fol. 7r) are missing, as the initial, etc. has not been filled in (MLGB3)

Kuttner, Repertorium, p. 270 (s. xii)

There are marginal notes

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: ii + 179 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 16.125 × 11 in.

Condition

Parts are damaged by damp. The last leaf (fol. 179) is torn and worn, and leaves may be missing after it.

Layout

2 cols

Decoration

Pächt and Alexander iii. 331

Initials

Binding

The old binding has been repaired, with white parchment on older (original?) rounded boards. English work with mark of an old clamp at foot of each cover

History

Origin: 13th century, beginning ; England

Provenance and Acquisition

Exeter, Devon, Cathedral church of St Peter: (MLGB3: evidence of dicta probatoria, usually a secundo folio).

Apparently acquired in 1603-1604, and described in 1605 as 'Excerpta ex Decretalibus'

Record Sources

Description adapted (December 2022) by Stewart J. Brookes from the Summary Catalogue (1922). Decoration, localization and date follow Pächt and Alexander (1973)

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2022-12-06: Description revised to incorporate all the information in the Summary Catalogue (1922)