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

MS. Laud Lat. 99

Summary Catalogue no.: 1223

Wisdom Books; Germany, 12th century, first half

Contents

(fols. 1v–137v)
Wisdom Books

fol. 1r blank except for some later pentrials.

(fols. 1v–33r)
Proverbs
(fols. 1v–2r)
Prologue to Proverbs (Stegmüller, Bibl. 457)
Rubric: Incipit prefatio sancti Iheronimi in librum Salemonis.
Incipit: ⟨C⟩romatio et Heliodoro episcopis Iheronimus. Iungat epistula quos iungit
Explicit: suum saporem servaverint
Final rubric: Explicit prefatio
(fols. 2r–3r)
Rubric: Incipiunt capitula in librum Prouerbiorum
(fols. 3v–33r)
Rubric: Incipit liber Proverbiorum quem Hebrei Masloth appellant.
Incipit: Parabole Salemonis filii Dauid regis Israhel ad sciendam
(fols. 33v–45v)
Ecclesiastes
(fol. 33v)
Rubric: Incipiunt capitula libri Ecclesiastes
(fols. 34r–45v)
Rubric: Verba Ecclesiastes, filii Davit, regis Iherusalem.
(fols. 45v–51v)
Song of Songs
Rubric: Incipiunt Cantica Canticorum quod hebraice dicitur Syrasirim
(fols. 51v–74v)
Wisdom
(fols. 51v–52r)
Rubric: Incipiunt capitula libri Sapientie
(fols. 52r–74v)
Rubric: Incipit liber Sapientie
(fols. 74v–137r)
Ecclesiasticus
(fols. 74v–75r)
Prologue to Ecclesiasticus
Rubric: Incipit prologus libri Ihesu filii Syrach
Incipit: ⟨M⟩ultorum nobis et magnorum per legem
Explicit: uitam agere
(fols. 75v–76v)
Capitula
(fols. 76v–137v)
Rubric: Incipit liber Ecclesiasticus
Rubric: (fol. 135v) Oratio Jhesu filii syrach
Rubric: (fol. 137r–v) Oratio Salemonis
Incipit: Et inclinauit salemon genua sua in conspectu tocius ecclesie
Explicit: Et exaudias et propicius sis. si peccauerit uir uite

Interlinear and marginal glossing, fols. 88v-92v.

'Modern' chapter numbers added in the margins, probably by the same hand that added the chapter numbers in MS. Laud Lat. 97.

Language(s): Latin

Physical Description

Form: codex
Support: parchment
Extent: i + 137 + i leaves
Dimensions (leaf): 294 × 195 mm.
Dimensions (written): 200–205 × 120–125 mm.

Layout

Written in 23 long lines, except for lists of chapter headings that are in 2 columns. Above top line.

Hand(s)

Protogothic. Added flex (‘Cistercian’) punctuation.

Decoration

Fine initials. (Pächt and Alexander iii. 1299, pl. CXVIII)

Large zoomorphic and foliate painted initials, fols. 1v, 34r, 52v; medium foliate initial, fol. 45v.

Space for some initials not filled in.

Small red ink initials with very modest decoration (added?), rubrics in red.

Binding

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

History

Origin: 12th century, first half ; German

Provenance and Acquisition

Eberbach, Cistercian abbey (?): possibly identifiable with a7 in the library catalogue of 1502 (Palmer p. 261: 'Libri salominis initium Chromatio et heliodoro', without this identification).

William Laud, 1573–1645, 1638.

Part of his third donation to the Bodleian, 1639.

Record Sources

Description adapted by Tuija Ainonen and Matthew Holford (May 2020) from the following sources (with additional description of contents, physical description and provenance):
Otto Pächt and J. J. G. Alexander, Illuminated Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, 3 vols. (1966–1973) III, no. 1299. [date]
H. O. Coxe, Laudian Manuscripts, Quarto Catalogues II, repr. with corrections, 1969, from the original ed. of 1858–1885 [contents, acquisition, origin]

Digital Images

Digital Bodleian (full digital facsimile)

Bibliography

Last Substantive Revision

2020-05-14: Description finalized for Polonsky.