Excerpts from Jacobus de Vorgaine’s Legenda aura and Sermones de tempore

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Notes:

Bound in modern red leather in 1993 by Donald Taylor of Toronto, spine lettered in gilt on a black leather label, “Excerpta Legendae Aureae, s. XIII.” Gatherings interleaved by paper stubs, with modern cloth slipcase. Previously “loosely wrapped” in the four folios from a Breviary, removed by the Bergendal Collection and bound separately as MS 161. First and last flyleaves are modern paper., Parchment is soft, and soiled, especially in the lower corners. Original imperfections include uneven lower margins, ff. 4, 14, and 24, and small holes in the lower margins of f. 20, and in the outer margin, f. 26 and 35. Majuscules within the text stroked with red. Red paragraph marks throughout text. Two-line and one-line red initials throughout: f. 38, two-line red initial, highlighted in yellowish-gold., A personal collection of excerpts from the Legenda aurea and seven sermons from the Sermones de tempore, unbound until modern times and protected by a few leaves from another manuscript (see MS 161). The text begins at the chapter Historia De Sancto Thoma Apostolo. The excerpts from the Legenda aurea (the Golden Legend) reference the Maggioni edition. The “Golden Legend” or the “Legend of the Saints” was said to have been the most frequently copied text during the Middle Ages apart from the Bible due to its production at University centers, and its use as a standard text in Dominican houses of study. The Sermones de tempore was one of three collections of model sermons based on the liturgical year by Jacobus, and used as sources for sermons by preachers across Europe., Written by two scribes: the first scribe copied ff. 1-26v, outer column (the first text) below the top ruled line in a quick upright gothic noting script, and the second scribe copied the second text, f. 26v, middle of outer column to the end, in a quick heavily-abbreviated gothic bookhand. Ruled in ink throughout with single vertical bounding lines inside, outside and between the columns, horizontal rulings vary: ff. 1-8, with the top, third and bottom two rules full across on most folios, ff. 8v-14v, with the top, third, bottom and fourth from the bottom rules full across, ff. 15-27, with the bottom and penultimate rules full across; ff. 27v-end, with the bottom rule full across, prickings in the three outer margins, with a double row of prickings in the outer margin on ff. 8-14, ff. 1-6v, (justification, 123 x 90-87 mm.), written below the top ruled line in two columns of thirty-eight lines, ff. 7-8, (justification, 130 x 98 mm.), copied below the top line in two columns of twenty-eight lines, ff. 8v-end, (justification, 137-134 x 98-97 mm.), with ff. 8v-30, written in two columns of thirty-three lines and ff. 31-end, in two columns, thirty-two lines., and From dealer description: Based on evidence of the script, manuscript was likely copied at the end of the 13th century or beginning of the 14th century. The script of the first scribe may be on the earlier side of the range dates, but uncertain given the informality of both scripts. Both scribes, use the reversed “c” to abbreviate “con” and a quick form of the abbreviation for “est” (Latin for “is”) which suggest an orgin in Germany, possibliy South Germany. The first scribe varies his layout (justification, number of lines, and ruling pattern), which is a characteristic of an informal, perhaps owner-produced manuscript. Fifteenth century(?) notation, bottom margin of f. 1 in bold gothic ink: "S.de3" in a different hand. Purchased by Joseph Pope (1921-2010) of Toronto from Sam Fogg in 1993. Purchased by Western Michigan University Special Collections from Les Enluminures (TM 579).

Date Created:

[1280 TO 1325]

Data Provider:

Western Michigan University. Libraries

Subject Topic:

Manuscripts, Latin (Medieval and modern), Manuscripts, Medieval--Germany, Jacobus, de Voragine, approximately 1229-1298. Legenda aurea, hagiographies (works), Christian saints, and Sermons

Language:

lat

Rights:

Copyright 2019 Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, all rights reserved. The digital version is available for educational use under 'Fair Use' guidelines. For additional permission and further information contact the WMU Libraries.

URL:

https://luna.library.wmich.edu/luna/servlet/detail/WMUwmu~77~77~1222527~160238