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Alternative title

Tractatus Monachi Peccatoris. W. de Conchis, etc.

Type of resource

mixed material

Extent

ff. 2 + 44 + 62 + 5 + 12 + 2

Date created

[ca. 1200-1399]

Language

Latin, French, Middle (ca. 1400-1600), English

Material

Vellum

Layout

four volumes

Height (mm)

185

Width (mm)

140

Collation

2 flyleaves, 1(12) 2(10) 3(8) (wants 8) 4(8) (wants 1) 5(8) || a (8) b(12) c(10) d(12) e(12) f(10) (wants 9, 10) | A(8) (wants 6-8) || I(12): 2 flyleaves.

Writing

It may very probably be the autograph of the author

Foliation

ff. a-b + i-ii + pp. 1-246 + ff. iii-iv + c-d

Provenance

At top of p. 1 an erasure (not recoverable) and a xvith cent. note: Hic liber est monachi cuiusdam Cantuariensis. I have not found anything to confirm this, and should rather judge him to have been a Cistercian. See on p. 82.

2 fo.

etatem tamen

nec in scripturis

Summary

CCCC MS 385 consists of four separate volumes of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries which have been bound together. The first part is a tract on the sins of monks which analyses the doubts and temptations which confront a monk. Part two is written at St Albans in his own hand by Matthew Paris OSB (d. 1259) and contains William of Conches (c. 1080-1154), Dragmaticon, with some diagrams drawn by Matthew Paris. This manuscript has been used in the edition of the Dragmaticon by Ronca. The third part, dating to c. 1400, has a Middle English sermon based on Richard of Saint-Victor OSA (d. 1173), Beniamin minor and other short Middle English devotional texts. The fourth part contains the apocryphal gospel, the Euangelium Nicodemi, and some exempla and stories. Although at the beginning of the first part there is an early sixteenth-century inscription of ownership of a monk of Canterbury, this may be false, and the book cannot be identified in the catalogues of any of the Canterbury monasteries.

Contents

Tractatus monachi peccatoris -- Dragmaticon -- Sermon on the twelve sons of Jacob (transl. from Richard of Saint-Victor OSA, Beniamin minor) -- The Three Goods -- Charity is a love or Charity I -- Euangelium Nicodemi -- Exempla and stories

M.R. James Date

xiii and xiv

Downloadable James Catalogue Record

https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:yp374vn0616/MS_385.pdf

Superseded Interim Catalogue Record

https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:yq992xc1053/385.pdf

Contains

• Tractatus monachi peccatoris. 1-88

  Nasmith

  Tractatus monachi peccatoris, etc. 1-88

  Rubric

  (1) Tractatus monachi peccatoris undecunque compilatus contra fantasias cogitacionum quas pati solet circa fidem. propter consequenciam autem (?) tangit aliqua de spe et caritate. Et quia Anglia turbata erat anno quo hec scripta sunt (marg. mo cco lxo iiij) interponit quedam de statu regni

  Incipit

  (1) Cum sepe et multum mecum cogitarem de fide rerum inuisibilium uidelicet de uno deo colendo in trinitate personarum

  Note

  (3) He sets forth the doubts which had assailed him and determines to write down the arguments which had availed against them in his case
  (Capitulum 2)

  Rubric

  (4) Unde homini acciderit hesitacio

  Note

  (Capitulum 3)

  Rubric

  (6) Quod triplex sit impedimentum tendenti ad intelligenciam fidei

  Note

  (Capitulum 4)

  Rubric

  (8) Quod triplex sit hesitacio similiter triplex inquisicio in sacra scriptura

  Note

  (Capitulum 5)

  Rubric

  (9) Quod unus sit deus conditor omnium patet tripliciter

  Note

  (Capitulum 6)

  Rubric

  (10) Diffinicio Aug. de deo

  Note

  (15) On Angels and Souls
  (21) The Incarnation

  Rubric

  (22) Quod per passiones martirum confirmatur fides christiana

  Note

  Of the prophets

  Incipit

  (24) De quibus ait quidam uersificator.Sectus Ysayas. lapidatus erat Ieremias.Ezechiel tractus per rupes excerebratus.Clauo transfixus Amos per timpora canos

  Rubric

  (25) Quod per miracula confirmatur fides xpistiana

  Note

  (St Andrew, Martin, Bernard, etc.)
  (27) Of the Scriptures
  (28) The Passion
  (33) The Jews

  Rubric

  (35) Quod non sunt persequendi

  Note

  (37) Antichrist
  (42) Calling of the Gentiles

  Rubric

  (44) Epilogus testimoniorum

  Note

  (44) with these verses (which have interlinear glosses)

  Incipit

  (45) Multi credentes multi penas pacientesLegio (tebea) et urbs (edissena) promta (martirio) undenaque tnilia castaPro Christo cesa. cesi reliquique per orbem.Morsque prophetarum. miracula Christicolarum.Sacre Scripture testatio verba ducisque (Marciani imperatoris)Latini. Greci. sapientia. philosophiqueChristo conuersa. Reprobus iudeus in iraBella per et cedes in eos uindicta per ignesConfixe statue (crucifixi). miracula. spirituumqueMigrans auxilium. Dispersio longa per orbem.Vrbis predicta destruccio. postque peracta.Lex insufficiens. gentilis postea credens.Hinc Christi dogma. uirtutes. celica uitaPilatus. Iosephus. sic Abgarus. eulogiorumTestantur dictis quod Christus sit deus aptis

  Rubric

  (45) Exempla(?) de quibusdam articulis fidei
  (46) Magister in sententiis quomodo diffinitur spes
  (47) De vii mortalibus peccatis

  Note

  Of confessors, etc.

  Rubric

  (54) Lamentatio scriptoris super statu ecclesie anglicane

  Incipit

  (54) Quis ergo dabit capiti meo aquam, etc.

  Note

  Answer of W. de Valentia, a seneschal of a great noble, to Iohannus filius Gaufredum baronum Anglie tunc temporis sapientissimo, who complained of an injury
  (57) Si dominus meus tibi fecit iniuriam, quis tibi faciet inde iusticiam, etc.
  (59) Simon de Montfort and the Provisions of Oxford are mentioned. The author says
  (59) Michi autem videtur quantum ad originem cause, salua tamen reuerencia sanius forte senciencium, quod omnino necessaria fuit legum correctio in Anglia. et ideo prauis consiliis agitari dominum regem. qui irritare presumpsit pactum quod tam sollempniter pepigerat cum hominibus suis sicut fecit aliquando pater eius ante aliam guuerram. quod multorum malorum origo fuit

  Rubric

  (60) De usura
  (62) De caritate
  (69) Lamentacio quod refrigescit caritas

  Note

  (72) A quotation from Sanctus Gildas in historia Britonum, modified

  Incipit

  (72) Possumus autem lugere de populo nostro et principibus nostris quod Sanctus Gildas in historia britonum lugebat de populo suo dicens Propter affluentiam diuitiaruni superbi facti ceperunt indulgere fornicacioni tante et tali qualis nec inter gentes audita est. Et non solum hoc uicium sed et omnia que humane nature accedere solent et precipue quod tocius boni euertit statum. Odium ueritatis cum assertoribus suis. suscepcio mali pro bono. veneratio nequitie pro benignitate. excepcio sathane pro angelo lucis. Ungebantur reges non propter deum set ut ceteris crudeliores extarent. Et paulo post ab unctoribus non pro veri examine trucidabantur. aliis electis trucioribus, etc.

  Note

  From chapters 21, 22, Mommsen, p. 36-7

  Rubric

  (73) Quod refrigescit caritas religiosorum
  (76) Quod refrigescit caritas subditorum

  Note

  This chapter ends
  (79) Verumptamen qui sic prouisiones Oxon. sustinere defendere stabilire conatus fuerit ut ecclesia anglicana recedat a debita subieccione romane ecclesie vel ut cistercienses cluniacenses premonstratenses et si qui sunt alii tales recedant a subieccione patrum abbatum suorum transmarinorum anathema sit. Quicunque uero rationabiliter et cum caritate eas prouisiones sustinere uoluerit et cum effectu laborauerit ut leges anglicane corrigantur, ut oppressiones romanorum siue ut aliorum transmarinorum indebite exacciones releuentur, hic accipiat benediccionem a domino, etc.
  Before this at p. 79 it is said
  (79) Cometes enim stella autumpnali tempore amplius quam per mensem hoc anno uisa est (margin videlicet mo cc lxo quarto)
  Marginal note

  Incipit

  (79) In proxima estate sequenti occisus est S. de monte forti comes et alii magnates anglie apud euesham pridie nonas augusti

  Rubric

  (80) De spiritu fantastico responsa dante

  Incipit

  (80) Ecce enim iam communiter dicitur esse quidam spiritus in lindeseya apud pagum qui dicitur Wainfleth, siue hominis mortui siue angeli boni uel mali, qui responsa querentibus tribuat, futura predicat. Tu domine deus nosti quis sit aut qualis. Michi autem videtur quod stultum est et periculosum et, ut quod sencio loquar, mortale peccatum

  Rubric

  (81) Conclusio
  (82) Qualis debet esse prelatus

  Note

  (83) This section contains praises of pie memorie Dompnus Gaufredus Abbas de Rufford, Sunt et alii tales hodie in anglia duo uel tres cisterciensis ordinis [margin: pluresque forsitan aliorum ordinum et secularium] quorum nomina quia adhuc supersunt reticeo; of St Edmund of Canterbury, Roger Niger, bishop of London, and Robertus grossum capud of Lincoln
  (84) The letter of the last named against papal provisions is given here
  (88) The tract ends

  Explicit

  (88) Nouit deus quod non tam quesiui ex hoc vanitatis iactanciam quam ut cognoscerem dona dei in me hominum minimo ad laudem ipsius qui in trinitate perfecta uiuit et regnat deus, etc.

• William of Conches, Dragmaticon. 89-212

  Nasmith

  Tractatus de natura rerum sive dialogus inter philosophum et ducem ad ducem Normanniae. 89-212

  James

  Will. de ConchisPhilosophia Secunda. 89-212

  Author

  William of Conches

  Note

  Desiderantur quaedam ad finem

  Incipit

  (89) Queris venerande dux Normannorum et comes andegauensium cur magistris nostri temporis minus creditur quam antiquis crederetur

  Note

  (93) In lower margin, sentences from Plato (Dii deorum quorum simul sum opifex creaui uos indissolubiles me autem iubente solubiles) Walter le pruz (Tantum quisque potest quantum sibi dant sua fata, etc.)
  (111) lower margin

  Incipit

  (111) Henricus de ecclesia de sal.Rex largitur opes, fert presul opera, lapicideDant operam. tribus hiis est opus ut stet opus

  Note

  (122) a passage from Alexander Nequam in margin
  (135) lower margin. Notes about bells
  (146) margin

  Incipit

  (146) Apricum dicitur in galico auerilus ...Hic est bonum apricum quod est in galico Ci ad bon abri, etc.

  Note

  (149) margin. Statius and 'Marcialis coquus' quoted
  pp.160-161, margin. Charms against lightning
  pp. 173-174 diagrams showing buildings
  Ends imperfectly

  Explicit

  (212) et alicuius doctrina excitata incipit discernere et intelligere veluti siquis acutis oculis tene

  Note

  (212) An erasure below

• Sermon on the twelve sons of Jacob (transl. from Richard of Saint-Victor OSA, Beniamin minor). 213-220

  Nasmith

  Sermon in old English of the twelve sons of Jacob allegorically discoursed out of Richard de Sancto Victore. 213-220

  Author

  Richard of Saint-Victor OSA

  Incipit

  (213) A gret clerk þat men callen Ricard of seynt victore in a bok þt he maketh of þe studye of wysdom witnessith and seyth þat two myȝtys arn in a mannes souȝle ȝeuen

  Explicit

  (220) þat is to say þere is beniamyn þe ȝonge childe in raueschynge of rnynde

  Rubric

  (220) Explicit þus endiþ beniamyn

• The Three Goods. 220-221

  Incipit

  (220) ȝif þouȝ haue goodis of grace as vertues or goodis of kynde as myȝt and strengþe

• Charity is a love or Charity I. 221-222

  Incipit

  (221) Charyte is a loue þt we schulde haue to god

  Explicit

  (222) and to [to] þis comyn loue is needful viij poyntis

• Euangelium Nicodemi. 223-239

  Nasmith

  Evangelium Nicodemi. 223-239

  Incipit

  (223) Factum est in anno nonodecimo imperii tyberii cesaris imperatoris romanorum

  Explicit

  (239) et estimes credere mendaciis Iudeorum. Direxi potestati tue omnia que gesta sunt de Ihesu in pretorio meo

  Rubric

  (239) Explicit euangelium Nichodemi

• Exempla and stories. 239-246

  Nasmith

  Historiae quaedam parvi momenti. 239-246

  James

  Stories. 239-246

  Incipit

  (239) Quedam meretrix thayda nomine amore cuiusdam sancti succensa

  Note

  Many are from Vitae Patrum
  (240) Jacobus de Vitriaco is quoted
  (241) Petrus Alphunsus
  (243) Liber de dono timoris (see Cat. of Romances III 88)
  (246) Ends in the story of the duke and duchess of Marseilles and Mary Magdalene

TJames

335

Stanley

14. 11

Repository

UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library

Location

MS 385

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