Manuscript on parchment (trimmed) of Augustine, De civitate Dei, translated into French by Raoul de Presles. Composed of 4 volumes, originally bound as 2.
Description:
In French., Script: Written in an informal batarde by one scribe who also added proper names in the margins., The miniatures are dry and unoriginal copies of rather average quality. One large 2-column miniature of the Two Cities at the beginning of Bk. 1 (f. 5r) in a thin gold frame; on 3 sides a bar-border with pink, orange, and blue plant scrolls on a gold ground, surrounded by a full border of dense ivy in pink, red, orange, blue, and gold, with white highlights; interspersed with gold balls with hairsprays. Before the Prologue and all the remaining books, miniatures, 19- to 18-line (vols. 1-2) or 16- to 15-line (vols. 3-4), in thin frames, pink and blue, with white highlights, set within a gold band, with 3/4 bar borders in red, blue, and gold, highlighted in white, and a full ivy border, as described above (no orange)., Beneath each miniature there is a large initial, 7- to 5-line, blue or pink with scrolls and geometric forms in white highlighting, on blue or pink grounds respectively, set within thin gold frames, or blue and/or pink on a gold ground; both types filled with red and/or blue ivy scrolls with white highlights (in one case, v. 4, f. 74r, there is also a dragon terminal). Initials, 3- to 2-line, at the head of each chapter, gold edged in black, on pink and blue grounds with white highlights. Paragraph marks and book numbers, top center of each folio, recto and verso (which in v. 4, ff. 152r-54r read XXII instead of XXI) in the same manner. Ribbon line-fillers (in v. 3-4 only) red and blue, with gold dots or lozenges and white highlights, edged in black. Chapter headings and numeration in red (orange occasionally)., There are some stains, abrasions, and irregularities in the parchment throughout; none obscure text or miniatures., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Marbled and gilt edges. Blue goatskin heavily gold-tooled. Bound for Count Justin MacCarthy-Reagh. Spines mislabelled: II labelled IV, III labelled II, IV labelled III, I labelled correctly.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Augustine, of Hippo, Saint, 354-430.
Subject (Topic):
Fathers of the church, French literature, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of Boethius, De consolatione philosophiae. With Excerpts from the commentary of Nicolas Trevet (in margins) on Boethius, Book I.1.1 - II.5.34.
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by two scribes in an ornate and elegant gothic bookhand. 1) ff. 1v-154v; 2) ff. 155r-210v. The marginal commentary is in a neat informal batarde (ink paler than that used for text)., Plain initial, 3-line, in blue at beginning of text; other initials, 2-line, in red throughout text to mark the beginning of poetry and prose sections. Title page (f. 1v): alternating lines of blue and gold., Grease stain in margins at end of codex; bottom of f. 81 trimmed., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Brown sheepskin, blind-tooled. Repaired.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Boethius, -524. and Trivet, Nicholas, 1258?-1328.
Subject (Topic):
Consolation, Dialogues, Latin, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Scholia
Manuscript on parchment of Boethius, De consolatione philosophiae, translated into French by Renaut de Louhans. As the translator states in the prologue, his work incorporates material from a commentary on Boethius made by another member of the Dominican order (Nicholas Trevet) as well as his own digressions
Description:
In French., Script: Written in batarde by a single scribe., Two intricate penwork initials, 5-line, on ff. 1r and 2r in red and blue; less detailed penwork initials, 3-line, in same colors throughout text; first letter of each verse stroked in red., and Binding: 17th-18th centuries. Brown spattered calf, with peculiarly striped turn-ins. Title, in gold, on spine: BOECE EN VER FRANC.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Boethius, -524., Trivet, Nicholas, 1258?-1328., and Dominicans
Subject (Topic):
Manuscripts, Consolation, French poetry, Literature, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment (irregularly trimmed pieces) of Jean Gerson, De potestate ecclesiastica
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by a single scribe in fere-humanistic script, below top line., Crude initial, red with an asymmetrical configuration of red and black penwork designs. Floral line-filler at conclusion of prologue. Plain red initials, 3- to 2-line, mark text divisions. Heading, f. 1r, in red. Majuscules stroked with yellow. Contemporary sketches of intertwining snakes on ff. i recto and ii verso., and Binding: Fifteenth century, Spain (?). Sewn on three tawed skin support, two pink, the central one green, laced into a thick parchment wrapper. Contemporary title written in ink on back cover: "Tractatus de potestate eclesiastica***". Rodent damage at tail.
Manuscript on parchment of Petrarch, De remediis utriusque fortunae
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by a single scribe in beautiful batarde script characterized by calligraphic flourishes (some stroked with yellow) in upper and lower margins., 4-line initial on f. 1r, blue with white highlights, on a gold ground, with a coat of arms (effaced) against burgundy ground with gold floral sprays; short floral border, pink and blue flowers on green stem, infilled with gold dots with black hair-spray. 6-line initials on ff. 84r and 87r green with yellow highlights, on gold ground, with a love-knot connecting E (brown with gold highlights) and N (blue) against silver ground, borders as above. 2-line initials at beginning of chapters, gold with black penwork and flourishes; 1-line initials (R for Racio, and G, S, D, M, for the other interlocutors) blue or gold, with red or black penwork., On ff. 1r and 8r three quarters of the page was ruled, but left blank, presumably for miniatures., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Red velvet case, much worn.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Petrarca, Francesco, 1304-1374.
Subject (Topic):
Conduct of life, Dialogues, Latin (Medieval and modern), Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of a Devotional miscellany of a Celestine priest containing texts on the Passion and the Sacraments by Augustine, Jerome, John Chrysostom, Anselm, and Bernard, with prayers, hymns, and other anonymous texts
Description:
In Latin.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Anselm, Saint, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1033-1109., Augustine, of Hippo, Saint, 354-430., Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 1091-1153., Jerome, Saint, -419 or 420., Jesus Christ, John Chrysostom, Saint, -407., and Celestines.
Subject (Topic):
Passion, Devotional literature, Latin (Medieval and modern), Manuscripts, Medieval, Sacraments, and Catholic Church
Manuscript on parchment of Vegetius, Epitome rei militaris
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written in small gothic bookhand by a single scribe., Three illuminated initials, 3-line, at the beginning of the Prologue (f. 1v), Bk. 3 (f. 29v), Bk. 4 (f. 58r), blue or mauve with white filigree against gold ground thinly edged in black. Initials filled with stylized leaves, blue and mauve with white filigree. Black inkspray with spiky gold leaves and small blossoms in pink or blue extend into the margins to form partial borders. Numerous small initials, 2-line, gold, on mauve and blue ground with white filigree. Running headlines in red and blue; headings in red. Paragraph marks alternate red and blue. Initials stroked with pale yellow., and Binding: Eighteenth century, England or France. Bound in olive green goatskin gold-tooled with a "broken cable" border and decorated edges. Probably bound by Richard Wier (active in London and Toulouse to ca. 1792). Decorated edges. Title on spine: "Vegetius De Viris Il".
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Vegetius Renatus, Flavius.
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Latin literature, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Military art and science
Manuscript of parchment roll composed of 8 membranes, written in 4 columns. Column 1) Chronology of the popes from Peter to the antipope John XXIII. 2) Chronology of the rulers of the Empire from Augustus to Louis of Bavaria, Holy Roman Emperor from 1328-47. 3) Chronology of the Monarchs of France, beginning with the Trojan nobles and concluding with Charles VI, king from 1380-1422. 4) Chronology of the kings of England, from King Lud in the time of Julius Caesar to King Henry IV (d. 1413).
Description:
In French., Script: Written in batarde script by a single scribe., Text is accompanied by parallel schematic genealogical diagrams in red consisting of connected roundels inscribed with the names of various rulers in succession, between the columns. The genealogical diagrams are periodically interspersed with 58 roundels framed in red with lively pen drawings in brown ink with washes in blue, pink and green, depicting cities and churches whose foundations are ascribed to particular rulers or occurred during their reigns. Each of the genealogical diagrams begins at the top of the text with a roundel, depicting respectively (I) Mount Calvary, (II) Rome, (III) Venice (whose foundation is ascribed to Trojan nobles) and (IV) London. Included are drawings of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia, Santiago de Compostela; the majority of the drawings appear in the chronology of the French monarchs, with depictions of Paris, St. Genevieve, St. Denis, St. Martin-de-Champs, and others. The buildings are all late medieval in character and do not bear resemblance to the monuments themselves., Four illuminated initials, 4-line, at the top of each column, blue with white filigree against gold ground with stylized foliage or geometric patterns in red and blue. At the top of each initial, black inkspray with gold leaves; at the first initial (left column), decoration extends into the left margin to form a partial border. Numerous smaller initials, 2-line, gold on blue and mauve grounds with white filigree. Headings in red., Binding: Unbound., and Art. 3 also known as "A tous nobles."
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., France, Great Britain, and Holy Roman Empire
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Church history, Chronology, Kings and rulers, Legends, Manuscripts, Medieval, and History
Manuscript on parchment of Gregory the Great's Homilies on the Gospels and Iohannes Diaconus's Life of Gregory
Description:
In Latin., Script: copied by several scribes in Northern Gothica Textualis Formata. A change of hands is visible between f. 120 recto and verso., Red stroking of majuscules. Red headings and explicit formulas. Alternately red and blue flourished initials or litterae duplices of various sizes, with penwork in the opposed colours or in both colours, sometimes very elaborate, extending into the margins or containing birds or fish., and Binding: English blue morocco binding over cardboard, by W.H. Smith and Son, Ltd., dated 1948. In the center of both covers a blind-tooled strapwork motif. Spine with raised bands; in the compartments the same strapwork motif, and the gold-tooled inscriptions "GREGORII / HOMILIAE" and "MS. / FROM ROYAU/MONT ABBEY / XIII CENT." Two clasps.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Gregory I, Pope, approximately 540-604.
Subject (Topic):
Fathers of the church, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Sermons, Latin
