Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 385: Tractatus monachi peccatoris. William of Conches, Dragmaticon. Miscellaneous Works

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Abstract/Contents

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

Description

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

Bibliographic information

M.R. James Date xiii and xiv
Downloadable James Catalogue Record
Title
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:yp374vn0616/MS_385.pdf
Superseded Interim Catalogue Record
Title
https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:yq992xc1053/385.pdf
Contains
Title
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.
Title
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
Title
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
Title
The Three Goods. 220-221
Incipit
(220) ȝif þouȝ haue goodis of grace as vertues or goodis of kynde as myȝt and strengþe
Title
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
Title
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
Title
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
Location https://purl.stanford.edu/jv228wq5037
Location MS 385
Repository UK, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library

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