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

MS. Bodl. 897

Summary Catalogue no.: 27888

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. (fol. 1)
Hugo de Folieto, De claustro animae
Incipit: Incipit prologus domini Hugonis de Folieite [altered to Folieto] in libro primo de eo, quid noceat mundo renunciare uolentibus

A slightly later hand has added a fuller authorship and title: '... de claustro corporis & anime'

2. (fol. 38)
Alexander of Jumièges (?), Distinctio bonorum uerborum
Rubric: Incipit Distinccio bonorum uerborum de magna significacione uerbi Dei
Incipit: Unus est uiuus & uerus panis

Theological dictionary organised by numbers, with each article beginning with 'Unus' then after 'Incipiunt binarii; with 'Duo' and so on, up to ten

The text is attributed to Alexander of Jumièges in Lambeth Palace Library, MS. 36, as noted in the online description of BnF, MS. Latin 3236B, which also notes another copy in Rouen 669, f. 25-152v.

3. (fol. 97v)
William de Montibus, Numerale
Rubric: Hic incipit Numerale magistri Willelmi de Lincolnia Canellarii
Incipit: Deus unus est

Theological dictionary organised by numbers, going up to the number 12

(See Morton W. Bloomfield et al., Incipits of Latin Works on the Virtues and Vices 1100-1500, [Cambridge, MA, 1979], no. 6163)
4. (fol. 121)
Hugh of St. Victor, Commentary on Lamentations
Rubric: Jeremias. Aleph. Quo⟨modo⟩ sedet sola ciuitas. Hugo de Sancto Victore
5. (fol. 132)

14th century list of subjects to Items 2-4, perhaps by Joel [?] Payn

A contemporary list of contents is inside the front cover

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 133 leaves
Dimensions (binding): 13.375 × 9.375 in.

Layout

2 cols

Decoration

Coloured capitals

Binding

White parchment on boards, worn, contemporary, clasp lost

History

Origin: 13th century, second half ; England

Provenance and Acquisition

Hereford, Herefordshire, Franciscan convent: 'ff. 21' (inside front cover, as in N.P.S. 1. 17). '... minorum Her[?]fordie in quo contientur subscripta ...' (first words torn away, inside front cover, s. xiv) (MLGB3)

'Henrici Spelman Lib[er]', fol. 1r (17th century)

'Edu. Umfreville' (18th century)

'Donum J⟨oh.⟩ Foliot armigeri, A.M. Trin.Oxon', written in John Price's hand, so the date of the gift is probably sbout 1770-1780

Record Sources

Description adapted (May 2023) by Stewart J. Brookes and Matthew Holford from the Summary Catalogue (1905), with additional reference to published literature as cited.

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2023-05-04: Description revised to incorporate all the information in the Summary Catalogue (1905)