MS 78: Composite manuscript containing fifteen texts, 15th century
Contents
Contains fourteen texts, a number of which have been written by Brother Sigfrid Slimdlin.
ff. 1r-49r: 'De venerabili sacramento altaris' ('On the venerable sacrament of the altar').
f. 49v: Alphabet poem.
ff. 50r-51v: Blank folios.
ff. 52r-54v: Capitula of 'Bonum universale de Apibus' by Thomas of Cantimpré (followed by an excerpt from the same work).
ff. 55r-61r: Two excerpts on bees from 'De proprietatibus rerum' by Bartholomaeus Anglicus.
ff. 61v-62v: Blank folios.
ff. 63r-81v: 'Liber Christianae religionis' ('Book on the Christian religion') by Thomas of Ireland.
ff. 82r-93v: 'De corpore Domini' ('On the body of the Lord') by Albertus Magnus (abridged version) followed by other short theological works.
ff. 94r-97v: 'De Missa Declaratio et Interpretatio seu Expositio' ('On the Mass. Explanation, interpretation or exposition').
ff. 98r-104v: 'Soliloquium de arra animae' ('Soliloquy on the earnest money of the soul') by Hugh of Saint-Victor.
ff. 104v-108v: Religious work by Sigfridus Slimdlin(?).
f. 108v: Alphabet poem.
ff. 109r-114v: 'Expositio sive interpretatio vulgari missae secundum fratrem Bertholdum' ('Explanation and interpretation of the common mass according to brother Bertholdus').
ff. 115r-160v: Index of the Bible.
ff. 161r-187v: Sermons on keeping the holy day.
ff. 187r-190v: Blank folios.
ff. 191r-200v: 'De vita Christiana' ('The Christian life') by Pseudo-Augustine.
ff. 201r-202v: Blank folios.
ff. 203r-209v: 'De horis canonicis dicendis' ('The canonical hours') by Heinrich von Bitterfeld.
The texts are described separately, under MS.78/ff. 1r-49r; MS.78/f. 49v; MS.78/ff. 52r-54v; MS.78/ff. 55r-61r; MS.78/ff. 63r-81v; MS.78/ff. 82r-93v; MS.78/ff. 94r-97v; MS.78/ff. 98r-104v; MS.78/ff. 104v-108v; MS.78/f. 108; MS.78/ff. 109r-114v; MS.78/ff. 115r-160; MS.78/ff. 161r-187v; MS.78/ff. 191r-200v; MS.78ff. 203r-209v.
A good cursive hand with plain red capitals and rubrics.
The manuscript is not illuminated and contains no decorations.
Dates
- Creation: 15th century
Creator
- Slimdlin, Sigfrid, fl 1464-1466 (Benedictine monk and scribe) (Scribe, Person)
Language of Materials
Latin, German.
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 a German book. A 17th century inscription on f. 1r, Ex Bib[liotheca] Monasterii Amorbacensis O[rdinis] S[ancti] Benedicti, gives its probable provenance. The Benedictine abbey of Amorbach, in the diocese of Würzburg, is a Carolingian foundation and played an important role in the deforestation and evangelisation of the area during the Middle Ages. The abbey was dissolved in 1803 and its lands fell under the sovereignty of the Princes of Leiningen before being annexed to the Kingdom of Bavaria in 1816. As a consequence of these transformations, the library was dismembered and its volumes sold. The manuscript is listed by Franz Joseph Bendel in his catalogue of the Amorbach library as item number 56: a) Tractatus de Corpore Christi (1466) - b) Tractatus de apibus etc. - c) Alii tractatus ('a) Treatise on the Body of Christ - b) Treatise on bees - c) Other treatises').
A number of the treatises contained in the manuscript were written by brother Sigfrid Slimdlin: according to the colophon, for example, the first one was written near the Saint-Gotthard Massif (Switzerland) in 1466. Some of the other texts are dated and since they do not appear in strict chronological order, it is possible that the manuscript in its current state is the product of later changes; see the record of each individual text for more details on the dates.
A list of contents, probably of the 18th century, has been written in the fly-leaf. Part of a fine 12th century Psalter has been used in binding. According to a bookseller's sale entry (date unknown), the price was £1, 11 shillings and 6 pence.
Previous reference
D. b. V. 3
Previous title
Title given to the manuscript in Catherine Borland's catalogue: Tractatus Varii.
Bibliography
Physical Facet
Material: Paper.
Binding: Original. Stamped pigskin, one brass clasp gone, modern label.
Collation: a12-d12, e14, f10, g12-i12, k6 (other six cut out), l12-n12, o10, p12, q12, r6, s12, t7 = 209
Dimensions
20.96 cm x 14.61 cm.
General
Secundo folio: quando obliviscaris.
Foliation and number of lines to a page: ff. 209, different number of lines to a page.
Creator
- Slimdlin, Sigfrid, fl 1464-1466 (Benedictine monk and scribe) (Scribe, Person)
Source
- Abtei Amorbach (Former owner, Organization)
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