MS 107: Composite manuscript including twenty-four texts, 13th-14th century
Contents
Contains twenty-four texts, in two different hands. This manuscript was made in England and dates from the 13th-14th century; the texts are various religious tracts in Latin, Old French, and Middle English.
Flyleaves: Unidentified Latin text and the start of a Contents list in a 17th-century hand
ff. 1r-28v: De Miseria Condicionis Humane (On the wretchedness of the human condition) by Pope Innocent III
ff. 28v-30r: Questio de aperta negligentia corporis et sanguinis Dominus Noster Jesus Christus (a religious text on the body and blood of Christ)
ff. 30r-34r: Formula vitae honestae (Rules for an Honest Life) by Martin of Braga
ff. 34v-60v: De claustro animae (The Cloister of the Soul) by Hugh of Fouilloy
ff. 61r-62v: Historia Scholastica by Petrus Comestor [fragment]
ff. 62v-68r: Gerlandus ex libro magistri franconis legiensis
ff. 68r-70v: Hanc recapitulationem placuit venerabili Bede presbitero ob memoriam multorum conservandam breviter recapitulari
f. 70v: Unidentified dissertation on the differences between angels, demons, and men
ff. 71r-90r: Unidentified tract about animals
ff. 90v-95v: The Story of the Cross from the Legenda Aurea
ff. 95v-96v: Unidentified text on the Apostles
ff. 97r-109r: Peniteas Cito by William de Montibus, with gloss
ff. 109v-112r: Unidentified text on the Seven Deadly Sins
ff. 112r-120v: Latin Form of Confession
ff. 120v-122v: Si scienter by Robert Grosseteste
ff. 122v-130r: The Ten Commandments, Articles of Faith, Seven Sacraments, Seven Deadly Sins
ff. 130r-166r: De Confessione, Contritione
f. 166v: French Form of Confession
ff. 167r-173v: Tract on Contrition attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux
ff. 174r-176v: Unidentified treatise
ff. 177r-178v: Meditation on the Lord's Prayer
f. 179r-179v: Calculations for date of Easter
ff. 179v-182v: The Form of Perfect Living by Richard Rolle [fragment]
ff. 183r-192v: Summa de Confessione
The texts are described separately under MS 107/ff. 1r-28v; MS 107/ff. 28v-30r; MS 107/ff. 30r-34r; MS 107/f. 34v-60v; MS 107/ff. 61r-62v; MS 107/ff. 62v-68r; MS 107/ff. 68r-70v; MS 107/f. 70v; MS 107/ff. 71r-90r; MS 107/ff. 90v-95v; MS 107/ff. 95v-96v; MS 107/ff. 97r-109r; MS 107/ff. 109v-112r; MS 107/ff. 112r-120v; MS 107/ff. 120v-122v; MS 107/ff. 122v-130r; MS 107/ff. 130r-166r; MS 107/f. 166v; MS 107/ff. 167r-173v; MS 107/ff. 174r-176v; MS 107/ff. 177r-178v; MS 107/ff. 179r-179v; MS 107/ff. 179v-182v; and MS 107/ff. 183r-192v.
Written partly in late 13th-century Gothic script (ff. 1-166), partly in English 14th-century hand (ff. 167-192). The earlier part has blue and red filigree initials.
Dates
- Creation: 13th-14th century
Language of Materials
Latin; Old French; Middle English
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 probably an English manuscript, the latter part, from f. 167, being unmistakably English script of the 14th century. A 17th-century hand has written part of a list of contents on the verso of the first fly-leaf. This could be the hand of Robert Cotton.
In her Descriptive Catalogue of the Western Mediaeval Manuscripts in Edinburgh University Library, Catherine Borland has argued that the signature G. (or C.) E. Alva appears on f. 1 (see p. 170). She says that in Anderson's short catalogue of the Laing manuscripts, it is stated that the Erskine arms are inserted, but, if this was the case, the book-plate has since been lost. She further argues that it is nevertheless clear that it belonged to the Alva family, and it occurs in Lord Alva's Press Catalogue (see La.III.755).
Further study has suggested that this signature is in fact that of G. Carew , 1st Earl of Totnes.
Previous reference
Laing 50
Previous title
Title given to the manuscript in Catherine Borland’s catalogue: Tractatus Varii
Bibliography
Physical Facet
Material: Vellum
Binding: Modern, blue morocco, gold tooling (cf. No. 181), lettered 'Tractatus Varii Lat. et Gall, ms.'
Collation: a12-e12, f10, g12, h12, i16, k12 -n12, o8-r8, s2=192.
Dimensions
17.78 cm x 12.07 cm
General
Secundo folio: superbis
Foliation and number of lines to a page: ff. 192, double columns, 32-37 lines to a page to f. 166; single columns, 22 lines to a page, from f. 167 onwards
Source
- Laing, David, 1793-1878 (antiquarian, bookseller, and librarian of the Signet Library) (Former owner, Person)
- Totnes, George Carew, Earl of, 1555-1629 (Former owner, Person)
- Erskine, James, 1722-1796 (Lord Barjarg and Alva | Scottish lawyer) (Associated name, Person)
- Cotton, Robert, Sir, 1571-1631 (antiquarian and bibliophile) (Writer of supplementary textual content, 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