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

MS. Lat. th. d. 23

Summary Catalogue no.: Not in SC (late accession)

Franciscan documents. Italian, c. 1400.

Contents

Language(s): Latin

(fol.1)
Regula S. Francisci

The two Rules of St. Francis with papal and other expositions and commentaries including those of John Pecham (fol.25v), Bonaventura (fol.34), the Four Masters (fol.36v), and Peter John Olivi (fol.40v).

(fol.65v)
Fioretti di San Francesco (Latin version)
Rubric: Quedam notabilia et miracula de sociis S. Francisci

The exemplar was in some confusion, for cc.1–23 are on fol.88v–104 and the rest on fol.65v–88v.

(fol.104)
Rubric: Aliqua exempla de vita beati patris nostri Francisci et sociorum eius

Chapters from the Speculum perfectionis and other material.

(fol.142)
Fioretti di San Francesco (Latin version, different from the preceding)
Rubric: Actus sanctorum sociorum sanctissimi patris Francisci
(fol.153)

Miscellaneous. The chief items are:

(fol.153)
Rubric: Vita fratris Rogeri (de Provincia)
(fol.160v)
Rubric: Testamentum b. francisci
(fol.161v)
Rubric: Liber sancti fratris Egidii layci O.F.M.
(fol.175v)
Francis of Assisi, Ep. 3
(fol.177)
Rubric: Narracio b. Jeronimi de quodam sanctissimo monacho cui Christus revelavit suam passionem

Added in a later hand of the 15th cent.

(fol.201v)
Rubric: Passio s. Marcellini pape. Frater Laurentius de Arethe
(fol.201v)
Rubric: Questiones Albini Magistri in Genesi etc.
(fol.204)
Rubric: Consilium … domini johannis andree de canonica portione solvenda a fratribus minoribus et predicatoribus
(fol. 204)
Colophon: frater Laurentius de Reathe Minister in provincia Sancti Antonii fecit me scribi

The MS. is fully described and the contents partly printed by A. G. Little Collectanea I (1914), British Soc. of Francisc studies V and Opuscules de Critique Historique XVIII (1914–1919) pp. 1–103.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: sed spiritualiter
Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: v + 208 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 255 × 175 mm.
Dimensions (written): 165 × 105 mm.

Collation

1(10) – 19(10), 20(5) catchwords quires numbered on the top right hand corner of the first leaf

Layout

36–45 long lines

Decoration

Pächt and Alexander ii. 755:

Partial border (fol.1).

Gold initials (fol.1).

The rest flourished blue and red.

Binding

continental binding of 17th cent. speckled sheepskin, rebacked.

History

Origin: c. 1400 ; Italian, North (?)

Provenance and Acquisition

Written at the order of fr. Laurentius de Reathe , 'minister in provincia S. Antonii' (i.e. Venice) (fol. 204). Rubricated by a German, as shown by phrases in the rubrics on fol. 2v, 7, 110, 119

S. Stefano, Fossanova, dioc. of Terracina (?) (see under Phillipps below)

Payne & Foss, 1848

Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792–1872) , MS. 12290, his sale, Sotheby's 6–9 June 1910 and three following days, lot 345, bought by Little for £20 10s. Described in the Phillipps catalogue as ‘Ex abb. S. Stephani de Nova Fossa’ (Fossa Nuova in the dioc. of Terracina), but without evidence for this ascription in the volume.

Given by A. G. Little , 1940.

Record Sources

Typescript description by Bodleian Library staff

Last Substantive Revision

2017-07-01: First online publication.