MS 104: Composite manuscript including fourteen texts mainly by Anselm of Canterbury, 12th century
Contents
Contains fourteen texts mainly by Anselm of Canterbury, in several different hands.
ff. 1r-39r: ‘Cur Deus Homo’ by Anselm of Canterbury
ff. 39r-55r: ‘De Conceptu Virginali’ by Anselm of Canterbury
ff. 55r-89v: ‘Monologion’ by Anselm of Canterbury
ff. 89r-101r: ‘De Fide Trinitatis’ by Anselm of Canterbury
ff. 101r-104v: ‘Meditatio Nostre Redemptionis’ by Anselm of Canterbury [Meditatio de Humana Redemptione]
ff. 104v-107v: Thirteen letters to the monks of Reading
ff. 108r-124v: ‘Proslogion’ by Anselm of Canterbury
ff. 124v-143r: ‘De Concordia’ by Anselm of Canterbury
ff. 143r-160r: ‘De Processione Spiritus Sancti’ by Anselm of Canterbury
ff. 160r-163r: ‘De Sacrificio Azymi et Fermentati’ by Anselm of Canterbury
ff. 163r-173v: ‘De Veritate’ by Anselm of Canterbury
ff. 173v-182r: ‘De Libero Arbitrio’ by Anselm of Canterbury [De Libertate Arbitrii]
ff. 182r-199v: ‘De Casu Diaboli’ by Anselm of Canterbury
ff. 200r-226v: ‘De Laudibus Sancti Pauli Homeliae’ by John Chrysostom, preface and translation into Latin by Anianus of Celeda
The texts are described separately, under MS 104/ff. 1r-39r; MS 104/ff. 39r-55r; MS 104/ff. 55r-89v; MS 104/ff. 89r-101r; MS 104/ff. 101r-104v; MS 104/ff. 104v-107v; MS 104/ff. 108r-124v; MS 104/ff. 124v-143r; MS 104/ff. 143r-160r; MS 104/ff. 160r-163r; MS 104/ff. 163r-173v; MS 104/ff. 173v-182r; MS 104/ff. 182r-199v; and MS 104/ff. 200r-226v.
The hand changes at f. 143r, and from there onwards possibly two new scribes wrote. All the hands are good examples of 12th century script. The volume has a very dignified appearance, being well spaced with clear rubrics and wide margins. The ornament consists of plain green and red capitals and very beautiful coloured initials to the sections, in green, blue, red, and buff, very finely executed.
Dates
- Creation: 12th century
Creator
- Anselm, Saint, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1033-1109 (Author, Person)
Language of Materials
Latin
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to all. The manuscripts can be consulted in the Centre for Research Collections, Edinburgh University Main Library.
Extent
1 bound MS volume
Custodial History
This is fully given by two identical early 13th century inscriptions, one on a fly-leaf at the beginning, the other on f. 227r, which obviously stood at the beginning of each of the two volumes into which this was originally divided. Both read Hic est liber S. Marie de Radingia. Quem qui celaverit vel fraudem de eo fecerit anathema sit (This book belongs to Saint Mary’s of Reading. Anyone found hiding it or damaging it will be anathema), which is the usual inscription found in all Reading books at that time. In the Catalogue taken from Lord Fingall's Cartulary of Reading they appear as two volumes, described as follows:
Liber Anselmi Cur Deus Homo in uno volumine ubi etiam sunt libri ejusdem de conceptu virginali, Monologion, de incarnatione verbi, meditatio nostre redemptionis (see original tabula to vol. 1 on f. iii).
Proslogion Anselmi in uno volumine in quo continentur hii libri: de concordia prescientie et predestinationis ac gratie Dei cum libero arbitrio, de processione spiritus sancti, de sacrificio azimi fermentati et tractatus de veritate et de libero arbitrio et de casu diaboli et omelie Crisostomi de laude Pauli (see original tabula to vol. 2 on f. 227).
They would appear to have been bound in one as early as the 14th century, as the contents of the second volume have been added to those of the first in a 14th century hand. The Letters (f. 104v) are a further confirmation of the Reading provenance. Nothing is known of how it came into Laing's possession. It was doubtless at Reading till the dissolution of the monastery.
Previous title
Title given to the manuscript in Catherine Borland’s catalogue: Anselmi Tractatus Varii. Johannis Crisostomi de Laude Pauli Apostoli
Previous reference
Laing 145.
Bibliography
Physical Facet
Material: Vellum
Binding: Oak boards covered red leather (cf. MS 98). Originally bound in two volumes, but bound together in the 14th century. The titles 'S. ANSELMI ET VARIOR. TRACTATUS.’ and ‘S. MARIE DE RADINGER - M.S. SAEC. XV.' are stamped on the outer cover spine upright.
Collation: a8-n8, o3, p8-F8=227.
Dimensions
28.26 cm x 19.69 cm
General
Secundo folio: Sepe et studiosissime
Foliation and number of lines to a page: ff. 227 (+3 vellum fly-leaves), 32 lines to a page.
Creator
- Anselm, Saint, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1033-1109 (Author, Person)
Source
- Reading Abbey (Reading, England) (Former owner, Organization)
- Laing, David, 1793-1878 (antiquarian, bookseller, and librarian of the Signet Library) (Former owner, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk