Biblical genealogies and diagrams of virtues

Title

Biblical genealogies and diagrams of virtues

Shelfmark

St John's College MS 58

Associated place

London?

Oxford

Place of origin

England

Date

s. xv ex.

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Vellum (FSOS/FHHF).

Physical extent

Fols. iv + 11+ iv (numbered fols. v–viii).

Hands

Written in gothic textura prescissa , by the same (London?) scribe as MS 23. Punctuation by medial point, very occasional punctus elevatus, and descendant of the punctus versusat ends of entries.

Decoration

Headings in red.

A single ochre line down the centres of pages for the main genealogies; the circles for members of subsidiary branches are connected by red and blue lines.

A 5-line blue lombard on red flourishing at the head; individual entries introduced by 2-line examples.

The five tree figures outline a complete Christian instructional programme:

Fol. 1v: ‘Fugienda’, illustrating the ‘parts’ of the seven deadly sins, with a brief inscription, ‘Superbia spoliat virtutibus virum ustum ’

Fol. 2:‘Querenda’, showing the four cardinal plus three theological virtues and their ‘parts’, with a brief inscription, ‘Humilitas exornat virtutibus virum iustum ’

Fol. 10:‘Credenda’, aligning twelve prophets, a quotation from each, the twelve articles of the Creed, and the apostles; excepting the marginal note in rubric ‘Iste est ordo secundum sanctum thomam de veritatibus theologie libro 5 o. capitulo 19. vel 20.’, the only text is the labels in the diagram.

Fol. 10v: ‘Seruanda’, linking the ten plagues of Egypt, the denial of a commandment, the decalogue, a vice each command counteracts, and an action opposed to each commandment, the only text being the labels.

Fol. 11: ‘Petenda’, a standard septenary aligning petitions of the Pater Noster, gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven remedial virtues, and the deadly sin each extirpates, the only text being the labels.

In addition, the MS includes a number of other diagrams: (a) the forty resting places of the Hebrews, under three arches supported by four green columns (fol. 4vb); (b) a circular map of the Hebrews’ camp, with the tabernacle at the centre, based on Numbers (fol. 4vb); (c) a map of Jerusalem, as rebuilt by Nehemiah, with intact walls and the six gates (fol. 8ra); (d) the elements and spheres (fol. 9rb).

See AT, no. 510 (50), dating the MS s. xv med. and associating it with Oxford.

Binding

A stiffened plain vellum wrapper perhaps s. xv (the lower board has a substantial, but perhaps early, repair along the entire leading edge). Sewn on five thongs. Gold ‘58’ at the head of the spine, in black ink at the centre of the upper board. Impressions in the upper board and metal studs under the front pastedown to anchor straps, now lost. Pastedowns of modern paper, a College bookplate on the front pastedown. At the front, four modern paper flyleaves; at the rear, four further modern paper flyleaves (v–viii).

Provenance

‘Liber Collegii Sanctj Johannis Baptistae Oxon’ ex dono Gabrielis ColingArtis Magistrj ejusdem Collegii Capellanj 1618’ (fol. 1) .