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

MS. Laud Misc. 37

Summary Catalogue no.: 541

Theological composite manuscript; A) (fols. 1–8) & B) (fols. 9-20) Germany, s. xiii2

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. 238–245. For purposes of scholarly citation, reference to the printed catalogue is requested.
Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: ii (17th-cent.) + 20 + i (17th-cent.) leaves
Foliation: i-ii, 1-21

Binding

Limp vellum binding over laminated pulpboard for Abp. Laud, 1637–1639.

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Two fascicles, both written in Germany and dating from s. xiii2; bound together latest since the late 1630s.

William Laud, 1573–1645: his ex-libris inscription, dated 1638, at the lower margin of fol. ii verso.

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

MS. Laud Misc. 37 – Part A, fols. 1-8

Contents

1. (fols. 1r–3v)
Commentary on the Song of Songs (imperfect)
Language(s): Latin
(cf. Stegmüller, Bibl. 9524).
2. (fols. 4v–8v)
Sermones diversi
Language(s): Latin

Fol. 4r blank.

(fols. 4v–5r)
On the seven sacraments
Rubric: De septem sacramentis. ‘.vij. sacramenta
Incipit: Sapientia edificauit sibi domum excidit columpnas .vij. [Prv 9:1] Septem ecclesiastica sacramenta que deus contulit ecclesie in via firmiter sunt credenda.
Explicit: gloriam divinitatis et humanitatis. ihesu christi in quibus homo beatificabitur in corpore in anima’

See Graz, UB, Ms. 856, fol. 165r (without prothema).

(fol. 5v)
Herbordus de Bergamo, Sermo ad populum

Schneyer 2. 687. 75

(fols. 5v–6r)
Bertold of Regensburg, Sermo dominica 5 post epiphania domini
Explicit: debita sed propter nequiciam eius repetebantur que prius fuerunt dimissa.

Schneyer 1. 473f. 14; see also 7. 258. 171, de s. Matthia.

(fol. 6r–v)
On giving alms
Incipit: Quatuor sunt in elemosina necessaria primo quod libenter detur. secundo quod de proprio. tertio. quod cito. iiijo quod pauperibus Secundum est restituere plenarie.
Explicit: misericors deus fac pro morte tua sicut marta pro morte fratris et suscitaberis a domino ihesu christo.
(fol. 6v)
Rubric: De s. omnibus sanctis
Incipit: De omnibus sanctis – Mementote operum patrum vestrorum que fecerunt in generacionibus suis ... magnam. [I] Mach. ij. [51] Ad faciendum omnium sanctorum memoriam. dupliciter prouocamur scilicet per ammonicionem
Explicit: sitis memores operum eorum vt similiter faciatis.
(cf. Martin of Opava, Sermo de s. omnibus sanctis (Schneyer 4. 146. 299))
(fols. 6v–7r)
Rubric: De mortuis.
Incipit: Beati mortui. qui in domino moriuntur. [Apc 14:13] Nota quod quidam moriuntur pro domino quidam in domino. quidam extra dominum. Pro domino. ut martyres. Extra dominum qui extra corpus suum misticum quod est ecclesia moriuntur
Explicit: vt hec illorum vestis cicius candidetur hodie pro eis omnibus fit communis memoria.

Incipit cf. Mainz, Stadtbibl., Hs I 274b, fol. 122r.

(fol. 7r)
Rubric: De martyribus
Incipit: Coronauit eos dominus corona iustitie. [cao6342] Duplex est corona qua coronat dominus martyres suos. prima glorie quo ad animam in celo. secunda honoris quo ad reliquias corporis et per celebracionem festi eius
Explicit: tale gaudium est angelis de liberacione consororis sue videlicet. fidelis anime.

Incipit cf. Kremsmünster, Stiftsbibl., CC 284, fol. 155r (prothema different).

(fol. 7r–v)
Rubric: De virginibus
Incipit: Uirgo cogitat que domini sunt ut sit sancta corpore et spiritu [I Cor 7:34] In hiis verbis apostolus describit veram virginitate [recte: virginitatem] a deuocione cum dicit cogitat. a castitate cum subdit ut fit sancta et cetera
Explicit: in celo virginitati comparari potest. immo in virginitate est angelice virtutis similitudo.

Incipit see Kremsmünster, Stiftsbibl., CC 23, fol. 166r; cf. also Martin of Opava, Sermo de s. Caecilia (Schneyer 4. 147. 310; see also 8. 568. 82 & 9. 620. 35).

(fol. 7v)
Incipit: Ascendam in palmam et apprehendam frvctus eius [Ct 7:9] Nota palma est arbor nobilis angusta inferius. et lata superius. sic anima que vvlt ascendere debet esse gracilis inferius ad omnes terrenas uoluptates et carnales affectus
Explicit: floribus auibusque decorare in presenti vita ut in futuro valeamus regnare cum ipso qui viuit et regnat per secula Amen

Incipit cf. Schneyer 8. 387. 3 and Augsburg, Staats- und Stadtbibl., 2o Cod 420, fol. 123vb

(fol. 8r–v)
Bertold of Regensburg, Sermo dominica 3/4 adventu domini
Explicit: contra carnem et contra mundum Immo contra omnia nobis miseris aduersancia.

Schneyer 1. 473. 6; see also 8. 637. 18 & 748. 54; 9. 531. 139, the latter two in annuntiatione BMV)

(fol. 8v)
Incipit: Audi filia syon et exulta filia ierusalem. quia Xirios deo laudem. angelis leticiam. hominibus salutem
Explicit: et alii sancti te solam flagitant reparatricem

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: heredem vniuersorum
(fol. 2ra)
Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 8 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): c.168–74 × 127–34 mm.

Layout

Ruling patterns vary with the hands: in lead point and ink, two columns of c.41–55, ruled or (despite prickings) unruled lines; above top line. Ruled space c.145–47 × 110–12 mm.

Hand(s)

German textualis by several hands.

Decoration

Marginal sketches. Historiated initials. (Pächt and Alexander i. 126)

History

Origin: 13th century, first half ; German (Judging by the script.)

Provenance

The ascription to Eberbach abbey by Krämer, Handschriftenerbe, 1. 176 & 2. 547 rejected by Palmer, Zisterzienser, 321.

MS. Laud Misc. 37 – Part B, fols. 9-20

Contents

3. (fols. 9r–20r)
Stephen Langton, Commentary on the Song of Songs
Language(s): Latin

With prologue (unpr.; – cf. Stegmüller, Bibl. 7809,1 (as Ps.-Stephen Langton) (only the beginning identical) & 1354 (‘Magister Anselmus’), (incorrectly) citing this copy (the present text is different, despite the matching incipit; see also RThAM 16, as quoted below, p. 30, n. 6); A. Wilmart, ‘Le commentaire sur le prophète Nahum attribué à Julien de Tolède’, Bulletin de littérature ecclésiastique (1922) 253–79, at p. 258 n. 2; Glorieux, Rép., 104f2, citing the present MS. (as Stephen Langton); J. Leclercq, ‘Le commentaire du Cantique des cantiques attribué à Anselme de Laon’, RThAM 16 (1949) 29–39, this copy at p. 30, n. 6 (incorrect date); Hauréau, Initia, 3. 130rb, citing the present MS.; the ascription to Stephen Langton after G. Lacombe & B. Smalley, ‘Studies on the commentaries of Cardinal Stephen Langton’, parts i, ii & indices, AHDLMA 5 (1930) 5–220, at pp. 140–44 & 196, this copy at p. 141; and Sharpe, Handlist, 626).

4. (fol. 20r–v)
Auctoritates
Language(s): Latin
Incipit: Humilitas est via per quam additus patet in regno celorum hec enim via non deserit. nisi deserentem
Explicit: dolencium. Qvarta .v. significat. vbertatem egencium. quinta. s. significat sanctitatem languencium.

Quoted by name are a ‘philosophus’ (applying to several philosophers), John Chrysostom, Bernard [of Clairvaux], and Augustine.

Physical Description

Secundo Folio: adolescentule dilexerunt
(fol. 10r)
Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: 12 leaves
Dimensions (leaf): c.173–78 × 118–27 mm.

Layout

Ruling in a brownish crayon, only on a few leaves visible; one column of (mostly) 29 or 30 and (fol. 20v) 34 lines. Ruled space 142–48 × 90–92 mm.

Hand(s)

German textualis cursiva, by two hands.

Decoration

None.

History

Origin: 13th century, first half ; German (Judging by the script.)

Provenance

Mainz, Charterhouse St Michael: late 14th-century ex-libris inscription at the bottom right corner of fol. 20v. Identifiable as A XIIII S in cat. ii.

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. 238–245

Last Substantive Revision

2023-01-16: Description revised for Mainz digitization project to include additional information from Mairhofer catalogue.