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

MS. Auct. F. 3. 9

Summary Catalogue no.: 3581

Contents

1. (p. 1)
John of Cornwall, Speculum grammaticale
Rubric: Tractatus super Donatum de congruentibus grammatice qui intitulatur Speculum Grammaticale editus a magistro Johanne Brian dicto de Cornubia. Anno Domini M°.ccc°. xl°. vj°. etc. quod J. B.
Incipit: Quoniam studium grammaticorum

John Brian (Bryan) is not the scribe, as the Summary Catalogue believed, but an alias of John of Cornwall. This is the only extant manuscript of the text; another was attested in library of Syon Abbey (see Oxford DNB).

Language(s): Latin with a little Middle English
2. (p. 189)
Thomas Hanney, Memoriale iuniorum
Rubric: Tractatus quem de quatuor partibus grammatice compilauit Thomas de Hanseya
Incipit: In qualibet arte diffusio fastidium procreat

Composed at Toulouse and Lewes in 1313: preceded by a list of intitulationes of the chapters at p. 181. The colophon supplies a title 'Memoriale iuniorum'. No. 2256 fol. 135 contains another copy.

Language(s): Latin
3. (p. 341)
Ars grammatica 'Scribere grammaticam docet'
Incipit: Scribere grammaticam docet & proferre legendo | Significata docet

A Latin poem of about 3,500 hexameters on Latin grammar. The successive chapters begin with successive letters of the alphabet, five times repeated.

Walther 17388
Language(s): Latin
4. (p. 375)
Donatus, Ars minor
Rubric: Donatus
Incipit: Partes orationis quot sunt?
Language(s): Latin
5. (p. 414)
Dictamen
Rubric: Salutaciones secundum vsum Oxonie
Incipit: Communem modum dictandi scire cupientes

Some of the examples are from Oxford documents of the 4th quarter of the 14th cent. A kind of second part begins at p. 421, to which the general title (derived from the colophon) perhaps more particularly refers.

Language(s): Latin
6. (p. 428)
Jupiter Monoculus, Summa de arte dictandi
Incipit: (text) Si dictare uelis & iungere scema loquelis

An Ars dictaminis in Latin verse, with commentary

Incipit: (commentary) Sensus est quod volentem dictare
Language(s): Latin
(p. 435)
Rubric: Liber Florinus compilatus a domino Jacobo abbate monasterij Aque Nigre
Incipit: (prol.) Quoniam Abana & Pharfar fluuii Damasci
Colophon: Expliciunt Prouerbia, per Johannem B [?]

287 extracts from Horace, Ovid, Cicero, etc.

Language(s): Latin
(p. 440)
Grammar (versification)
Incipit: (prol.) Quoniam omne metrum constat ex pedibus
Final rubric: Tractatus metri ympnorum

Followed by a few notes

Language(s): Latin
(p. 446)
A short grammatical treatise
Incipit: Quia tractatus antiquorum multiphariam processerunt
Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment and paper (the outer sheet of each gathering is parchment, the rest paper)
Extent: viii + 454 pages
Dimensions (binding): 11.875 × 8.375 in.

Layout

2 cols.

Decoration

Coloured capitals, etc.

Binding

White parchment on boards, clasps lost, English 15th-cent. work.

History

Origin: 15th century, first half ; English

Provenance and Acquisition

Coventry, Warwickshire, Benedictine cathedral priory of St Mary the Virgin: "Liber ecclesie cathedralis beate Marie Coventrie. Qui alienaverit anathema sit. Amen." (p. iv). "Liber ecclesie cathedralis beate marie Couentrie" (fol. 1r, at top). (MLGB3: evidence from an ex-libris inscription or note of gift to an institution).

Given by Peter Whalley in 1655.

Record Sources

Description adapted (2025) from the Summary Catalogue (1937) with additional reference to published literature as cited.

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2025-01: Description revised to incorporate all information from Summary Catalogue.