Shelfmark
MS 119
Author
Gregory, approximately 540 - 604 I, Pope
Title
Gregorius, Registrum ; V. Bellavacensis, Etc. manuscript
Varying form of title
Title in M. R. James catalogue: S. Gregorii Magni Epistolae, etc.
Varying form of title
Other title: Registrum Gregorii
Publication, distribution, etc.
England, between ca. 1200 and ca. 1450.
Physical description
1 volume (ii, 252, ii leaves) : parchment, ill. (initials) ; 35.8 x 25 cm.
Note
Two independent manuscripts, ff. 2-182 (early 13th century) and ff. 183-248 (mid-15th century), put together for William Horman and furnished by him with indexes and a table of contents.
Note
In the first part of the manuscript, the letters of St Gregory the Great (ff. 5-182v) are preceded by an index added for Horman at the turn of the 15th to 16th century (ff. iii-v verso; f. vi blank); by tables of chapters of each of the 14 books of the letters (ff. 2-4v); and by "Simbolum fidei dictum (in margin: editum) a beato gregorio papa" (f. 5).
Note
In the main text of Gregory, letters 15, 22 and 23 in book 1 are omitted in their places and written on f. 182rv, with a scribal note in red in their correct places on ff. 7v and 8 directing to the end of the book.
Note
The second part of the manuscript contains Vincent of Beauvais, De consolatione mortis (ff. 183-291v) and De puerorum erudicione (ff. 201v-235); Johannes Wallensis, Breviloquiumde virtutibus antiquorum principum ac philosophorum (ff. 235rv, 238rv); and St John Chrysostom, De reparacione lapsi, book 1 (ff. 239-248); followed by brief indexes to the two works by Vincent of Beauvais added by one of Horman's scribes (ff. 248v-249).
Note
The Breviloquium of Johannes Wallensis ends with the beginning of pt. 2; the text is continuous despite the two now missing leaves (ff. 236, 237 in the foliation) where someting else presumably intervened, on the evidence also of a reader's note on f. 235v: "vertatis ad tercium folim quod sic incipit seccabit".
Note
For these and other indexes in manuscripts belonging to Horman see N. R. Ker in The Library, 5th series, v. 17 (1962), pp. 77-85.
Note
Folios i, ii, 251, 252 and the front pastedown are five leaves from near the end of the temporale of a (Sarum?) gradual in a 14th century English hand, 11 long lines and music, including two bifolia with continuous text; see Ker as cited in the references below for additional details. Lines of music on f. ii were offset onto f. 1 before ff. iii-vi were in their present place.
Note
The rear pastedown is a bifolium if a late 14th/early 15th-century two-column theological manuscript written in anglicana.
Note
Foliated in the late 15th/early 16th century (i-vi), 1-235, 238-250, (251-2); also foliated from f. 183 in the 15th century 1-53, 56-68.
Note
Written space: ff. 5-182, 255 x 165 mm; ff. 183-248, 270 x 170 mm.
Note
Layout: ff. 5-182 in 2 columns of 41 lines with pricks in both margins to guide ruling; ff. 183-248 in 55-64 long lines, frame ruling.
Note
Collation of ff. iii-vi, 1-250: 1⁴ (ff. iii-vi) 2 four (ff. 1-4: 1,2 a bifolium) 3-14⁸ 15⁶ (ff. 101-106) 16-24⁸ 25 four (ff. 179-82) 26-31⁸ 32⁸ wants 6,7 after f. 325 32⁸ 33⁴.
Note
Quires 3-24 are numbered at the end I-XXIII and have catchwords; quires 26-32 are lettered a-g.
Note
Script: the letters of Gregory (ff. 5-182v) in the first part of the MS are in a good back-sloping hand, with a little flex punctuation added at first; the second part of the MS (ff. 183-248) are in a secretary hand.
Note
The first part of the MS has 6-line initials in red and green or red and purple or green and purple, with curled leaf and other ornament in one or more colours, predominantly red, and 3-line initials in red, green or purple; the second part of the MS has a 6-line initial in red on f. 183, a 4-line initial in blue with red ornament on f. 239, and other 2-line initials in metallic red.
Note
Secundo folio (f. 6): multum tuum.
Note
One of three known bindings by the Bat Binder, the others being on printed books of 1486 and 1489; the evidence from this MS suggests he was a Winchester binder.
Note
Erased 13th-century inscription on f. 182v, legible with UV light: "Liber sancte marie de fforda Quicumque illum alienauerit anathema sit", i.e. the Cistercian abbey of Ford.
Note
Inscription on f. 182v below the Ford ex-libris, second half of the 15th century, recording pledgings by Henry Eryvin: "Cauci [...] h. [Eryuin] Exposita m. Ricardo Swan xii die octobris anno domini mº ccccº lxviº pro x marcis et habet supplementa Iosephum in antiquitatibus. Sanctum Thomam super 4 sententiarum et Augustinum de ciuitate dei".
Note
Inscription on f. 66: "Caucio henrici Eryvin vicarii Ecclesie sancti Iohannis Wynton' Reurendo in cristo patri et domino. domino Henrico Sbbati de hyda. ...".
Note
Ker suggests the MS likely remained in Winchester and was acquired there by William Horman who had close Winchester connections before becoming head master of Winchester College (1495-1501), later adding the indexes and the second part of the MS and having the whole bound.
Note
Inscription on f. 1, partly cropped in binding: "Liber Willelmi Hormani".
Note
Inscription on f. 1v: "Donum Guilielmi Hormani quondam socii huius contubernii".
Note
Title on the tail, as usually on Horman's books: "Registrum Gregorii".
Note
Former Eton shelfmark: Bl.3.5.
Note
This catalogue record is based on the work of Neil Ker and M.R. James, as cited in the references below.
Citation/references note
Ker, N. R.. Medieval manuscripts in British libraries, v. 2 (1977), p. 729-31
Citation/references note
James, M. R. A descriptive catalogue of the manuscripts in the library of Eton College (1895), 119
Citation/references note
Bernard, Catalogi librorum manuscriptorum Angliae et Hiberniae, 1697, 65
Cite as
Eton College Library, MS 119
Provenance
The first part of the MS is from the Cistercian abbey of Ford.
Provenance
Alienated and in the second half of the 15th century pledged by Henry Eryvin, in Oxford (?) and as vicar of St John's, Winchester (1468-1472); cautio inscription also names Richard Swan. For Eryvin and Swan see Emden, BRUO, pp. 646, 1828.
Provenance
Probably acquired in Winchester by William Horman and donated by him to Eton College.
Binding
15th century English blind-stamped calf binding by the Bat Binder; rebacked; traces of a label attached to the back cover by 12 nails. See Oldham, English blind-stamped bindings, Cambridge, 1952, p. 28 and pl. XXII.
Subject
Subject
Vincent of Beauvais
Subject
John of Wales
Subject
Subject
Theology Manuscripts.
Added entry--name
Vincent of Beauvais
Added entry--name
John of Wales
Added entry--name
Horman, William, ? - -1535 former owner.
Added entry--name
Forde Abbey, ca. 1142 - ca. 1539 former owner.
Added entry--place
England.
Language code
lat
Identifier
B50063