Manuscript on parchment of a collection of laws governing hunting and forestry
Description:
In Latin, with passages in English and French., Script: Arts. 4-14 written in a neat chancery script with Anglicana influence; arts. 1 and 15 in similar, but less elegant hands; arts. 2-3 are in gothic textura., Plain initial, in red, with crude ink penwork flourishes on f. 1v; KL monograms and portions of calendar also on red., Some stains on ff. 2r-7v render text illegible., and Binding: 19th-20th centuries. Rebinding in quarter pigskin, tanned, not tawed, with a strap and pin fastening. The oak boards, cambered on all four outer edges and with rectangular pegs, are probably contemporary with the manuscript. Front pastedown composed of a small fragment of prayers in Latin (15th century).
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., and Great Britain
Subject (Topic):
Forests and forestry, Hunting, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Politics and government
Manuscript, on parchment, containing copies of several treatises: 1) Tractatus de Sacramento Corpus Christi, by Baldwin, Archbishop of Canterbury (ff. 1-26); 2) De Vero Sapientia, Dialogus I and II, attributed here to Petrarch (now believed to be by Nicholas of Cusa) (ff. 27-50v); 3) De Invidia, Niccolò Perotti's translation of a sermon by Basil the Great, with a preface addressed to Pope Nicholas V (ff. 51-63); 4) De invidia et odio, Niccolò Perotti's translation of a work by Petrarch, with a preface addressed to Pope Nicholas V (ff. 63v-68v); 5) De fortuna virtute ve nominum: ad Nicolaum quintum pontificem maximum, by Niccolò Perotti (69-73v); 6) Epistle LXVII to Simplician, by St. Ambrose (ff. 74-79v); 7) Ex sermonibus quadragesimalibus: Sermone de correctione fraterna, by Leonardo di Utino, O.P. (80-86v); 8) Speculum regis Edwardii tercii, attributed here to Simon Islip, Archbishop of Canterbury (now recognized as the work of William Pagula) (ff. 87-148, with skip from 89 to 100); 9) De tenenda obedientia et evitanda superbia, by St. Augustine (ff. 148-152).
Description:
Peter Meghen (d. 1537), of 's-Hertogenbosch in Brabant; scribe who copied works for several English clients, including Christopher Urswick and John Colet, and served as a courier for Erasmus and Sir Thomas More. Meghen's other patrons included Cardinal Wolsey, and he became Writer of the King's Books in the 1520s and served until his death in 1537. His nickname, "Cyclops," referred to his having only one eye., In Latin., In a humanistic script., Original foliation in red, from i to clii, skips from lxxix to c., Rubrics and foliation in red. Historiated initial and full-page border on ff 1v.; seven large and twenty-two small illuminated initials, all in a Northern Netherlandish style ("Masters of the Dark Eyes")., Colophon (ff. 142v) in red states that the manuscript was written for Christopher Urswick by "Petrus Meghen monoculus.", Spine label: Vrsyke de sacra: euch:. Spine date at foot: MCCCCCII., and Binding: 19 century full paneled brown calf, blind-stamped. Five-compartmented spine.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut, New Haven., England, and Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Meghen, Peter,, Nicholas V, Pope, 1397-1455., and Urswick, Christopher, 1448?-1522.
Subject (Topic):
Conduct of life, Envy, Kings and rulers, Duties, Lord's Supper, Sermons, Wisdom, Manuscripts, Medieval, Economic conditions, Intellectual life, and Politics and government
