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

MS. Laud Misc. 179

Summary Catalogue no.: 777

Theological composite manuscript. Germany, s. xiiiex/xivin, A) (fols 1–215); B) (fols 216–253); C) (fols 254–272).

Physical Description

This description is abbreviated from Daniela Mairhofer, Medieval Manuscripts from the Mainz Charterhouse in the Bodleian Library, Oxford: A Descriptive Catalogue (Oxford, 2018), pp. 490–516. For purposes of scholarly citation, reference to the printed catalogue is requested.
Composite: A) (fols 1–215) || B) (fols 216–253) || C) (fols 254–272)
Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: ii (17th-cent.) + 272 + ii (17th-cent.) leaves
Foliation: i, ii, 1–274, in modern (19th-cent.) pencil.

Collation

A) i 14-2 | ii 10 | iii 8 | iv & v 10-1 | vi 8 | vii & viii 12 | ix & x 10 | xi–xiv 12 | xv 10 | xvi & xvii 12 | xviii 12-1 | xix 10; B) xx 8 | xxi 4-2 | xxii 4 | xxiii 12 | xxiv 4 | xxv 8; C) xxvi 12 | xxvii 8-1.

Binding

Brown tanned calf over laminated pulpboard for Abp. Laud, 1637–1639.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Mainz, Carthusian abbey of St Michael: Three originally separate but similar books, the first two at least together already at the Mainz Charterhouse: the quires of both parts signed in the same late medieval hand (see below).

William Laud, 1573–1645: Ex-libris inscription of Archbp. Laud, dated 1638, at the lower margin of fol. 1r.

Given to the Bodleian as part of his third donation, dispatched on 28 June 1639.

MS. Laud Misc. 179 – Part A) (fols 1–215)

Contents

1. (fols 1ra–91rb)
Sermons

Several sermons also transmitted in MS. Paris, BnF, Lat. 3269 or MS. Vienna, ÖNB, Cod. Ser. n. 1701 (see Schneyer 9. 120 & 872, this copy). For full listing, see printed catalogue.

Language(s): Latin
2. (fols 91rb–213r)
Jacobus de Voragine, Legenda aurea

With prologue, shortened (ed.: Maggioni, vols 1 & 2; Kaeppeli 2154). For full listing, see printed catalogue.

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: Andreas unus (fol. 2ra)
Form: codex
Support: parchment; occasional medieval repair (stitching, with natural-coloured thread), or remnants thereof; (fol. 199) a flaw stitched up with blue thread.
Dimensions (leaf): c. 156–63 × 107–14 mm.

Collation

i 14-2 | ii 10 | iii 8 | iv & v 10-1 | vi 8 | vii & viii 12 | ix & x 10 | xi–xiv 12 | xv 10 | xvi & xvii 12 | xviii 12-1 | xix 10. A & B) Late medieval quire signatures in faint lead point, at the bottom centre of the last verso of a quire.

Layout

Ruling in ink, two columns of c.26–31 lines. Ruled space c.105–10 × 80–87 mm.

Hand(s)

small German textualis, s. xiiiex/xivin, by one main hand (fols 1ra–209v); (fols 210r–213r & 215r) in two different, but contemporary hands. Occasional marginalia in the text hand and in (near-)contemporary hands; (fols 1r–8r) marginal annotations, underlining of the text and foliation (1–8) in a hand of s. xv from the Mainz Charterhouse.

Decoration

Initials in red with fleuronnée decoration in red, purple, or blue.

Coloured initials in red and blue.

Rubrication.

History

Origin: Late 13th/Early 14th century; Germany

Provenance

Mainz, Carthusian abbey of St Michael: the 15th-cent. ex-libris inscriptions, all in the same hand (including the inscription in part C): at the upper margin of fol. 1v: ‘Iste liber est Carthusiensium prope Magunciam’, the same inscription on fol. 148v; at the head of fol. 23v: ‘Carthusiensium prope magunciam’; in less ornate script, at the upper margin of fol. 40r: ‘Iste liber est Carthusiensium prope magunciam’.

MS. Laud Misc. 179 – Part B) (fols 216–253)

Contents

3. (fols 216ra–226r)
Sermons

Various sermons. For full listing, see printed catalogue.

Language(s): Latin
4. (fols 226r–243v)
Patristic and other extracts (auctoritates)

Authors quoted include Augustine, Bernard of Clairvaux, Jerome, and John Chrysostom. For full listing, see printed catalogue.

Language(s): Latin
5. (fols 243v–245v)
Sermons

Sermons and notes. For full listing, see printed catalogue.

Language(s): Latin
6. (fols 246ra–253vb)
Theological notes

Theological notes, sermons and excerpts. For full listing, see printed catalogue.

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: -sa. et dissolubilis (fol. 217ra)
Form: codex
Support: parchment
Dimensions (leaf): c.158–61 × 110–13 mm.

Collation

xx 8 | xxi 4-2 | xxii 4 | xxiii 12 | xxiv 4 | xxv 8. A & B) Late medieval quire signatures in faint lead point, at the bottom centre of the last verso of a quire.

Layout

Hand B1) Ruling in ink, two columns of 27 lines. Ruled space c.103 × 82–84 mm.

Hands B2-6) Ruling in ink, one column of c.25–40 lines. Ruled space c.116–28 × 83–87 mm.

Hands B7-9) Ruling in ink, two columns of 25–45 lines Ruled space c.111–25 × 90–92 mm.

Hand(s)

German textualis, s. xiiiex/xivin, nine different hands: B1) (fols 216ra–223vb), B2) (fols 224r–226r, l. 12), B3) (fol. 226r, ll. 12–28), B4) (fols 226r, l. 28–243v, l. 9) script larger from fol. 226v onwards; B5) (fols 243v, l. 10–245r, l. 5), B6) (fol. 245r, l. 5–v), B7) (fol. 246ra–vb, l. 2); B8) (fols 246vb–250vb, l. 7), B9) (fols 250vb, l. 8–253vb).

Decoration

(fol. 216ra) Initial in red, with red fleuronnée infill, including blue circles.

Coloured initials in red and blue.

Rubrication.

History

Origin: Late 13th/Early 14th century; Germany

Provenance

Mainz, Carthusian abbey of St Michael: fascicle B lacks any ex-libris inscriptions of the Charterhouse, but was bound together with part A, a Charterhouse copy, as evidenced by the late medieval quire signatures.

MS. Laud Misc. 179 – Part C) (fols 254–272)

Contents

7. (fols 254ra–261vb)
Hugh of Saint-Victor, Soliloquium de arra animae

With prologue, shortened (ed.: PL 176. 951–70D; Bloomfield 2980, and suppl.; Goy, Überlieferung Hugos, 277–329, citing the present MS. at p. 305 (no. 181); CPPM 2. 3087).

Language(s): Latin
8. (fols 261vb–262ra)
Miracula

Two miracles. For full description, see printed catalogue.

Language(s): Latin
9. (fols 262ra–265vb)
Theological treatise (De aratura spirituali)

Hauréau, Initia, 2. 49rb and Bloomfield 1638, both this copy only. See also MS. Laud Misc. 208, fols 6rb–8va.

Language(s): Latin
10. (fols 265vb–271rb)
Sermons

Sermons and excerpts, mainly relating to the dead. For full listing, see printed catalogue.

Language(s): Latin
11. (fol. 272r)
Lament of the Virgin Mary
Language(s): German

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: consideres. et (fol. 255ra)
Form: codex
Support: parchment; (fol. 272v) the last verso shows traces of glue: presumably once the lower pastedown in an earlier binding.
Dimensions (leaf): c.158–60 × 105–11 mm.

Collation

xxvi 12 | xxvii 8-1.

Layout

Ruling in ink and (fols 266r ff.) lead point; two columns of hand C1) 26, C2) c.33–43 lines. Ruled space c.103–126 × 79–88 mm.

Hand(s)

German textualis, s. xiiiex/xivin, by two hands: C1) (fols 254ra–265vb, l. 14); C2) (fols 265vb, l. 14–271rb).

Decoration

Coloured initials in red, often with fleuronnée decoration (acanthus leaves).

Rubrication.

History

Origin: Late 13th/Early 14th century; Germany

Provenance

Mainz, Carthusian abbey of St Michael: the 15th-cent. ex-libris inscription inked along the head of fol. 271v: ‘Iste liber est Carthusiensium prope Magunciam’ (in the same hand as the inscriptions in part A).

Additional Information

Record Sources

See above. Previously described in the Quarto Catalogue (H. O. Coxe, Laudian Manuscripts, Quarto Catalogues II, repr. with corrections, 1969, from the original ed. of 1858–1885).

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)

Bibliography

    Published descriptions:

    Daniela Mairhofer, Medieval Manuscripts from the Mainz Charterhouse in the Bodleian Library, Oxford: A Descriptive Catalogue, 2 vols. (Oxford, 2018), pp. 490–516

Last Substantive Revision

2023-10-13: Description revised for Mainz digitization project to include additional information from Mairhofer catalogue.