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MS. Laud Lat. 47

Summary Catalogue no.: 1249

Physical Description

Composite: two manuscripts (fols. 1–153, fols. 154–189) together by 1341
Form: codex
Extent: i + 153 + 36 + 1 + i fols., foliated i, 1–191

History

Provenance and Acquisition

Eberbach, Cistercian abbey: both parts with ex libris dated 1341 (fols. 1r, 155r).

Identifiable as G 21 in the Eberbach library catalogue of 1502.

William Laud, 1573–1645, 1637.

Part of his third donation to the Bodleian, 1639.

MS. Laud Lat. 47 – Part 1 (fols. 1–153)

Contents

Language(s): Latin

1. (fols. 1r-90v)
Ps.-Dionysius the Areopagite, Opera omnia (tr. Johannes Scotus Erigena , in the edition by Anastasius Bibliothecarius)
Rubric: (fol. 4r-v) In hoc volumine continentur libri sancti Dionisii Ariopagite, quos Johannes Fruigena transtulit de Greco in Latinum, jubente gloriosissimo rege Karolo, Ludewici imperatoris filio
(fol. 1r)

Verse preface of Erigena (= Carmina vii.1, ‘Hanc libam’), as pr. PL 122.1029–30, MGH Poet. III.547.

(fols. 1r-4r)

Prefatory letter of Erigena to Charles the Bald, as pr. PL 122.1031–36.

(fols. 4v-23r)
De caelesti hierachia
(fol. 4v)

Table of chapters for bk. 1 (PL 122.1035–6)

(fol. 5)

Epigram, followed by Erigena, Carmina vii.2 (‘Lumine sidereo’)

PL 122.1037–8, MGH Poet. III.548.

(fols. 5v-23r)

[text]

(fols. 23r-45v)
De ecclesiastica hierarchia
(fols. 23r-v)

Epigram and capitula (PL 122.1069–72).

(fols. 23v-45v)

[text]

(fols. 45v-78r)
De divinis nominibus
(fols. 45v-46r)

Epigram and capitula (PL 122.1111–12)

(fols. 46r-78r)

[text]

(fols. 78r-80v)
De mystica theologia
(fol. 78r-v)

Heading (PL 122.1171 note a) and capitula

(fols. 78v-80v)

[text]

(fols. 80v-90v)
Epistolae
(fol. 80v)

Heading (PL 122.1175 note a) and capitula (PL 122.1175–6).

(fols. 80v-90v)

[text]

Final rubric: Expletę sunt decem epistolę Dyonysii Ariopagitę archiepiscopi […]

Marginal and interlinear gloss:

Anastasius Bibliothecarius, Scholia in Dionysium Areopagitam
Incipit: Quia prisci sancti cognomini que cum essent gentiles habebant (first marginal gloss to Caelestia hierarchia, epigram)
Incipit: Quia utitur magnus Dionisius catholica Jacobi epistola (marginal gloss to Caelestia hierarchia, c. 1)
(fols. 90r-91v)

Extracts (‘fragmenta Eusebiana’)

Extracts relating to the Dionysian corpus and often circulating with it: see R. Forrai, ‘The Interpreter of the Popes. The Translation Project of Anastasius Bibliothecarius’ (PhD, Budapest, Central European University, 2008) [pdf], 139–47 and 200–204 (edition of text).

(fol. 90r)
Rubric: Polycrati successoris archiepiscopi ephesis ex epistula ad uictorem successorem archiepiscopum
Incipit: Et enim per asiam magna elementa dormiunt
Explicit: in epheso dormit

Extract from Polycrates of Ephesus

(fol. 90r-91r)
Rubric: Clementis presbiteri alexandrię ducis scolę ex super scripto suo sermone quis saluatus diues
Incipit: Ut avtem confidas sic penitens uere tibi manet salutis spes
Explicit: Iterum generationis tropheum resurrectionis conspicuę
Final rubric: Huius historię meminit eusebius pamphili et johannis episcopus constantini

Extract from Clement of Alexandria, Quis dives salvetur (c. 42; cf. PG 9.647–52).

(fols. 91r-v)
Rubric: Philonis de ex circumcisione credentibus in egypto christianis simul et monachis ex suprascripto ab eo sermone de uita theorica aut de orantibus
Incipit: Multiplex qui^dem^ orbis terrarum est genus
Explicit: et evsebius pamphili in ecclesiastica hystoria

Short extracts from Philo of Alexandria, De vita contemplativa (21–22, 25, 28–9, 34–5, 68, 78), here as six items rather than the usual seven.

Fol. 92r blank.

2. (fol. 92va-93va)
Ps.-Paul; Ps.-Seneca, Letters
Rubric: Incipit prologus sancti Hieronomi in libro epistolarum Senece

= De viris illustribus c. 12.

(fol. 92va)
Rubric: Incipiunt epistule Senece ad Paulum
(fol. 93va)
Rubric: Epitaphivm Senece
Incipit: Cura, labor, meritum

As pr. Anthologia Latina 667

3. (fol. 93vb-153vb)
Seneca, Epistulae morales
Rubric: Incipiunt epistole Senece ad Lucillium liber primus
Final rubric: Expliciunt liber \xiii. epistolarum/ Senece ad Lucilium \et deficiunt adhuc libri quatuor/

91 letters.

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Dimensions (leaf): 323 × 220 mm.
Dimensions (written): 220 × 122 mm.

Decoration

‘Silhouette’ initials in red and green.

Partly worked over in 14th century with fleuronnée penwork (probably when part 2 was written). (Pächt and Alexander i. 95)

History

Origin: 12th century, end; added decoration, 14th century (before 1341) ; German

MS. Laud Lat. 47 – Part 2 (fols. 154–189)

Contents

Fol. 154r blank.

Fol. 154v, short note on the works of ⟨Ps.-⟩Dionysius, their translations and commentators.

1. (fol. 155)
Hugh of Saint-Victor, Commentary on Ps-Dionysius the Areopagite, De caelesti hierarchia
Rubric: Incipit prefatio magistri Hugonis Canonici Ecclesie Sancti Victoris super Jerarchiam theologi Dyonisii Ariopagite de differentia mundane theologie atque diuine (et) de demonstrationibus earum
Explicit: O Thymothee priusquam de visibilibus focioribus angelorum||

Imperfect at end.

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Dimensions (leaf): 323 × 220 mm.
Dimensions (written): 220 × 122 mm.

Decoration

Red initials, some with simple penwork decoration.

History

Origin: 14th century, first half (before 1341) ; German

Additional Information

Record Sources

Description adapted (April 2019) by Matthew Holford, with additional description of textual content, from the following sources:
Nigel F. Palmer, Zisterzienser und ihre Bücher: die mittelalterliche Bibliotheksgeschichte von Kloster Eberbach im Rheingau (Regensburg, 1998), p. 284 [date, physical description, provenance]
Otto Pächt and J. J. G. Alexander, Illuminated Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, I (1966), no. 95 [part 1: decoration, origin]
H. O. Coxe, Laudian Manuscripts, Quarto Catalogues II, repr. with corrections, 1969, from the original ed. of 1858–1885 [contents, acquisition]
Quarto Catalogue, cols. 23–4
Quarto Catalogue, p. 539 (addenda)
Summary Catalogue, Vol. 2, part 1, p. 53

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)
Digital Bodleian (3 images from 35mm slides)

Bibliography

Abbreviations

View list of abbreviations and editorial conventions.

Last Substantive Revision

2019-04-02: Description revised for Polonsky to incorporate all information in Palmer, Pächt and Alexander and Quarto catalogues.