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MS. Laud Misc. 355

Summary Catalogue no.: 1349

Bernard of Clairvaux, miscellaneous works; Germany, late 12th or early 13th century

Language(s): Latin

1. (fol. 2r–v)

Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermones super Cantica canticorum, Sermo 83 (starting imperfectly)

Incipit: ||quantum est hoc ad illius fontis profluvium

Explicit: super omnia deus benedictus in secula Amen.

2. (fols. 2v–56v)

Bernard of Clairvaux, De Consideratione

Rubric: Incipit liber primus domini Bernhardi abbatis de consideratione ad Eugenium papam

Incipit: (prologue) Subit animum dictare aliquid quod te papa beatissime Eugeni

Explicit: Proinde his sit finis libri sed non finis querendi

Final rubric: Explicit liber v^us de consideratione

Book I continues from the prologue without break; Books II–V start on fols. 10v, 21r, 31r, and 41r.

3. (fols. 56v–78r)

Bernard of Clairvaux, De gratia et libero arbitrio

(fol. 56v)

Prefatory letter

Rubric: Epistola B. abbatis ad abbatem S. Theoderici

Incipit: Domino W⟨illelmo⟩. abbati .S. Theoderici frater B⟨ernardus⟩. opusculum de gratia & libero arbitrio

Explicit: uitam eternam habebunt

(fols. 56v–78r)

Rubric: Opusculum eiusdem de gratia & libero arbitrio

Incipit: Loquente me coram aliquando

Explicit: non quos iustos inuenit hos & magnificauit

4. (fols. 78r–98r)

Bernard of Clairvaux, De diligendo Deo

Rubric: Epistola domini B. abbatis quare & quomodo diligatur deus

Incipit: Uiro illustri domino Aimerico romane ecclesie diacono cardinali & cancellario .B. abbas dictus de Clara Ualle

Explicit: nullus profecto esse poterit miserationis affectus

5. (fols. 98r–122v)

Bernard of Clairvaux, De praecepto et dispensatione

(fol. 98r–v)

Prefatory letter

Rubric: Epistola domini Bernardi ad abbatem Columbensem

Incipit: Domino abbati Columbensi frater B. abbas dictus de Claraualle

Explicit: nisi vobis aliud forte congruentius uideatur

(fol. 98v)

Preface

Rubric: Liber de precepto & dispensatione

Incipit: Qua mente iam tacebo?

Explicit: duas et ipsas satis longas epistolas texueritis

(fols. 98v–122v)

Incipit: Prima igitur questio circa regulam nostram uersatur

Explicit: nam ego siue in paucis siue in multis uestre debui satisfacere uoluntati. Explicit.

6. (fols. 122v–148v)

Bernard of Clairvaux, De XII gradibus humilitatis

(fols. 122v–123r)

Retractatio

Incipit: In hoc opusculo cum illud de euangelio quod dominus ait

Explicit: Quam tamen in fine opusculi ipse breuiter intimare curaui

(fol. 123r–v)

Numbered list, [xii]–i then i–xii

Rubric: Duodecimus gradus humilitatis

Incipit: Corde et corpore semper humilitatem ostendere

Explicit: In duobus qui restant contemptus dei

On these capitula arranged in descending and ascending series, see J. Leclercq, ‘Pour l’histoire des traités de S. Bernard’, Analecta Sacri Ordinis Cisterciensis, 15 (1959), 56–78 at 67–69, citing the present MS. as one of those in which the capitula are written in two columns.

(fols. 123v–124r)

Preface

Rubric: Incipit tractatus abbatis B. de .xii. gradibus humilitatis

Incipit: Pogasti [sic for Rogasti] me frater Got⟨efride⟩. quantinus ea que de gradibus humilitatis coram fratribus locutus fueram

Explicit: de nichilo superbire non posse

(fols. 124r–148v)

Incipit: Locuturus ergo de gradibus humilitatis quos beatus Benedictus non numerandos

Explicit: quam in nostro codice leges

7. (fols. 148v–155)

Bernard of Clairvaux, De moribus et officio episcoporum ad Henricum Senonensem archiepiscopum (ep. 42)

(ending imperfectly in cap. III)

Rubric: Liber B. abbatis ad H. archiepiscopum Senonensem

Incipit: Domino uenerabili H⟨enrico⟩. Senonensem frater B⟨ernardus⟩. si quid potest peccatoris oratio

Explicit: caritatem de corde puro & conscienscia bona

The main text continues from the prefatory letter without break.

Physical Description

Form: codex

Support: parchment

Extent: ii (paper) + 154 + ix (paper)

Dimensions (leaf): 215 × 140 mm.

Foliation: i, 1–164

Collation

1(two) (fols. 2–3, presumably the last two leaves of a quire of eight), 2(8)-20(8) (fols. 4–155). Leaf signature (?), fol. 23r.

Layout

Ruled in plummet for 28 lines, written above top line; the capitula on fol. 123r–v in two columns. Ruled space 170 × 105 mm.

Hand(s)

Protogothic bookhand.

Decoration

Initials in plain red, some with elaborate arabesque/silhouette embellishment (e.g fols. 2v, 10v, 21r)

Binding

Laudian binding. Sewn in four double alum-tawed(?) bands laced into pasteboards covered with tanned brown leather, each framed with blind fillets and with the gilt arms of Archbishop Laud in the centre. The edges of the leaves gilt. Traces of two ties. The spine with an old paper label inscribed ‘Bernardus | de Considerac|ione &c | M’ and ‘B’, and two Bodleian printed paper labels.

History

Origin: Germany ; 12th century, late, or 13th century, early

Provenance and Acquisition

‘Liber S. Johnson’ and ‘S. Bernardi quædam.’, early 17th cent. (fol. 1r): Samson Johnson, a protege of William Laud, preacher (concionator) attached to Sir Robert Anstruther, British ambassador at the Diet of Frankfurt-am-Main (see the Quarto Catalogue, p. xx).

William Laud, 1573–1645: acquired 1635 (fol. 2r)

Part of his first donation to the Bodleian, sent 22 May 1635. Former Bodleian shelfmarks: ‘J.9.’ and ‘Laud 355’ (front pastedown).

Record Sources

Summary description (March 2021) by Peter Kidd, edited with dimensions and collation supplied by Matthew Holford. 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).

Quarto Catalogue, col. 368

Quarto Catalogue, col. 557

Summary Catalogue, vol. 2, part 1, p. 58