Aesop, Prudentius, Theodulus, John Chrysostom — 14th century, second half; Italian

Title

Aesop, Prudentius, Theodulus, John Chrysostom — 14th century, second half; Italian

Shelfmark

MS. Add. A. 171

Place of origin

Italian

Date

14th century, second half

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Decoration

Miniatures (two marginal drawings of Virtues and Vices) fol. 49r Type ink drawings, left and right margins Subject Virtues and Vices: two human figures (one seated, wearing a crown and holding a sceptre, another standing, holding a torch (?)), and two smaller figures of demons.

Penwork initials. (Pächt and Alexander ii. 183)

Binding

Brown calf with gold ornament, etc., about 1830-40 (?), with coloured capitals.

Title

Codex beg. 'Incipit Liber Isopi' made up of four MSS

Shelfmark

MS. Add. A. 171

Summary

Made up of four MSS.:

Manuscript A:

(fol. 1). 'Incipit Liber Isopi', the same collection as MS. Add. A. 170, with the same preface and two supplementary fables: the 'Fine fruor' distich is only at the end of the 60th fable. Fols. 2 and 7 are supplied in a 15th cent. hand. At end 'Explicit Liber Exopi. Deo gratias. Amen.'.

(fol. 20v). 'Incipit Liber Eue': a short paraphrase of the Bible in hexametric quatrains, with some glosses: beg. 'Eua columba fuit': ends 'Et septem potuit signacula pandere solus': at end 'Explicit Liber Eue columbe. Deo gratias. Amen.' This is the 'Enchiridion Veteris et Novi Testamenti' of Amoenus, sometimes called the Ditto-chaeum of Prudentius.

(fol. 24v). At end:--'Explicit Liber Cartule ...': a poem of moral and religious advice in leonine hexameters: beg. 'Cartula nostra tibi portat Ranalde, salutes.' This is sometimes known as 'De contemptu Mundi', and ascribed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux and others.

Manuscript B:

(fol. 31). The Ecloga Theoduli, with glosses: beg. 'Ethiopum terras': on fol. 38v 'Iste liber est mei Simonis Perusini [?] de Luca [??]' (15th cent.).

Manuscript C:

(fol. 39). 'Incipit Liber Faced', an elegiac poem, beg.'Moribus et uita quisquis uult esse facetus', ends 'Paruiger a[n] doctus uate facetus erit.' This is a mock moral poem quite different from the ordinary hexametric 'Liber faceti' which begins 'Cum nihil utilius.' At end 'Iste liber est mei ... de Luca ...'.

Manuscript D:

(fol. 47). '... Liber de vii uirtutibus Johannis Grigostomi' with glosses, an elegiac poem on the seven vices: beg. 'Ardua uirtutum faciles cape lector ad usus.' [There are two pen-and-ink drawings on the margins of f. 49. E.W.B.N.].

Date

perhaps written in the second half of the 14th century in Italy

Language

Latin

Physical facet

Binding, brown calf with gold ornament, etc., about 1830-40 (?), with coloured capitals; on parchment

Physical extent

55 Leaves

Custodial history

'G. F. Nott. m.d.ccc.xxvii': in the Nott sale, Jan. 11, 1842, perhaps lot 890* (in the Appendix): also lot 468 in some sale.

Catalogue of the ... collection of Splendid Manuscripts ... formed by M. Guglielmo Libri 1859 no. 14