Manuscript on parchment of John Chrysostom, Sermo de dignitate humanae originis, translated into Latin by Ambrogio Traversari. The text is preceded by a dedicatory letter, here directed to Rene d'Anjou (King of Sicily and Naples, 1435-42).
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by a single scribe in humanistic cursive script, below top line., 3 large initials of modest quality, 8- to 7-line, gold on blue or blue and red grounds with white dots and white vine-stem ornament. 1 smaller initial, 3-line, gold on red and blue ground with white dots. Plain initials in blue and red, one in gold, some with penwork flourishes in red. Rubrics throughout. Paragraph marks in red or blue. Guide letters for initials., and Binding: Fifteenth century, Italy. Original sewing on three tawed skin, slit straps laced through tunnels in the edge to channels on the outside of beech boards and nailed. Beige and white chevron endbands are sewn on tawed skin cores laid in grooves on the outside of the boards. The spine is lined with green tawed skin between supports. Covered in brown, originally tan, calf with corner tongues, blind-tooled with a triple cross in a border of rope interlace. Spine: sewing bands defined and panels diapered with triple fillets. Two truncated diamond catches with a flower in a circle on the lower board, the upper one cut in for the red fabric straps attached with star-headed nails.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
John Chrysostom, Saint, -407. and Traversari, Ambrogio, 1386-1439.
Subject (Topic):
Catechetical sermons, Fathers of the church, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Sermons
Manuscript on paper (sturdy, brown; no identifiable watermarks) of a collection of religious texts including: Anastasius of Sinai, Quaestiones; St. John Chrysostom, Homiliae in Matthaeum 1-15; St. Basil, Ascetica. With other religious tracts, sermons, philosophical notes, and a commentary on the Gospel of John, mostly unidentified
Description:
In Greek., Script: This codex is composed of three distinct sections. Part I (ff. 1-133): Written by two scribes. Scribe 1 copied ff. 1r-133v in a neat scholarly hand characterized by extensive abbreviations; Scribe 2 added notes on f. 4 in a more cramped minuscule. Part II (ff. 134-223): Completed by a single scribe in minuscule. Part III (ff. 224-228): Written by a single scribe in tiny minuscule similar to that of Scribe 1. Signature added later., Part I: Small initials and chapter headings, in red. Part II: Some rubrication., The codex is stained throughout; mending tape and worm holes frequently render the text illegible., and Binding: 16th-17th centuries. Four chain-stitched supports link the quires and are laced into square-edged, flush, wooden boards with grooved edges. Colored, beaded endbands are sewn on fine cords attached to the boards. There are two twisted thread placemarks attached to the headband. The edges are bright yellow; the spine round and smooth with a spine lining extending across about one third of the outside of the wooden boards. Covered in dark brown goatskin, blind-tooled with an x surrounded with diamond-shaped tools stamped at random, within an outer border. One board is mended and both have small lumps in corners and center where bosses would normally be, underneath the present cover. There are traces of plaster where the leather is worn through over the lumps. There are two pins in the edge of the upper board, three corresponding holes going through both board and pastedown in the lower. Straps wanting. Flyleaf of the 11th century from a Latin liturgical manuscript.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
John Chrysostom, Saint, -407.
Subject (Topic):
Asceticism, Catenae, Christian philosophy, Manuscripts, Medieval, Religious literature, Greek (Hellenistic), and Sermons
