MS. Laud Misc. 323
Summary Catalogue no.: 796
John Climacus, Scala paradisi; Sermons. A) (fols 1–27) Mainz Charterhouse, s. xivex; B) (fols 28–71) Germany, s. xivin; C) (fols 72–161) Germany, c.1300.
Physical Description
Collation
Binding
Brown tanned calf over laminated pulpboard for Abp. Laud, 1637–1639.
History
Provenance and Acquisition
William Laud, 1573–1645: MS. Laud Misc. 323 consists of three different parts, which were possibly bound together only in the course of the Laudian binding. Ex-libris inscription of Archbishop Laud, dated 1638, at the lower margin of fol. i verso.
Given to the Bodleian as part of his third donation, dispatched on 28 June 1639.
MS. Laud Misc. 323 – Part A (fols 1–27)
Contents
Latin tr. by Angelus Clarenus, abridged version (pr. Venice, 1491 (Goff J309), etc.; Little 107, this copy). (fol. 1r) prologue.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
in ink, one column of 22–41 lines. Ruled space c.144–56 × 87–106 mm.
Hand(s)
textualis, s. xivex, by several hands from the Mainz Charterhouse. Occasional marginalia (including maniculae) and corrections in contemporary hands. Judging by the form of letter a, the underscript (see Material) is of s. xiv.
Decoration
Coloured initials in red.
Rubrication.
History
Provenance
Mainz, Carthusian abbey of St Michael: the 15th-cent. ex-libris inscriptions at the lower margin of fol. 1r: ‘Liber iste est fratrum Carthusiensium prope Mogunciam.’ (boxed in) and, in the same hand, of fol. 27v: ‘Liber iste est Carthusiensium prope Mogunciam’.
MS. Laud Misc. 323 – Part B (fols 28–71)
Contents
Sermones dominicales. The present sermon collection resembles the Sermones dominicales series by Nicholaus de Haqueville, OFM (ed. Jean Quentin (Paris, not before 1477) (ISTC), etc.; Schneyer 4. 189–94, citing the present MS. at p. 194; Sharpe, Latin Writers, 383). The sermons transmitted here in general shorter; characteristic of this collection is the introductory phrase ‘auctoritas proposita scribitur’ following most prothemata. For full listing, see printed catalogue.
Physical Description
Collation
Layout
ruled in ink and lead point, in two columns of 40 lines. Ruled space c.144–47 × 95–98 mm.
Hand(s)
German textualis, s. xivin, by two hands: hand B1) (fols 28ra–63vb); B2) (fols 64ra–71vb). A Carthusian hand from Mainz, s. xv, occasionally inserted corrections and marginalia.
Decoration
Coloured initials in red.
Rubrication.
History
Provenance
Mainz, Carthusian abbey of St Michael: the 15th-cent. ex-libris inscription at the upper margin of fol. 28r, boxed in: ‘Iste liber est fratrum Carthusiensium prope mogunciam’.
MS. Laud Misc. 323 – Part C (fols 72–161)
Contents
Several sermons identical with those of the Sermones de tempore collection by Iohannes Ludovici de Herbipoli (d. 1480) who must have used identical sermons for his models. (fol. 149r & v) Two notes at the end. For full listing, see printed catalogue.
Extracts from from Augustine, Bernard of Clairvaux, Gregory the Great, Jerome, Seneca, and Anselm of Canterbury.
20 verses on drinking, eating, etc. Beginning identical with Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum, ll. 5, 6, 8, & 9 (ed. S. de Renzi (1859) 5. 1; – Walther, IC, 1039 & cf. 18083; Thorndike–Kibre 96 & cf. 1471). Followed by short sermon on the rewards of fasting.
Sermones septem de tempore (Schneyer 9. 518f., after MS. Stuttgart, WLB, HB I 90, fols 1r–62v).
(fol. 161v) Note, in a different hand, s. xv.Physical Description
Collation
Layout
in ink and lead point, one column of hand C1) 42, otherwise 27 or 28 lines. Ruled space c.144–47 × 95–98 mm.
Hand(s)
German textualis, c.1300, by several hands. Marginalia in the text hand and in hands of s. xv from the Mainz Charterhouse. Items 4 & 5 inserted by additional hands, of s. xiv & xv.
Decoration
(fol. 72r) a seven-line initial in red and blue, with split body; fleuronnée decoration in red (inside) and blue (outside) a half-page border.
Coloured initials in red and blue.
Rubrication.
History
Provenance
Mainz, Carthusian abbey of St Michael: the 15th-cent. ex-libris inscriptions at the upper margin of fol. 72r, boxed in: ‘Iste liber est Carthusiensium prope mogunciam’, and at the lower margin of fol. 161v, in the same hand: ‘Iste liber est fratrum Carthusiensium prope magunciam.’
Additional Information
Record Sources
Digital Images
Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)
Bibliography
Published descriptions:
Abbreviations
View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.
Last Substantive Revision
2023-09-01: Description revised for Mainz digitization project to include additional information from Mairhofer catalogue.