Marston MS 32     France, s. XV 2
Paulus Venetus, Summulae naturalium

ff. 1r-171r  [Title:]  Summule naturalium magistri Pauli veneti 
ordinis heremitarum sancti Augustini physicorum liber incipit.  
[text:]  Plurimorum astrictus precibus quorum pridem.  Mee 
introductionis eloquium in facultate logice mentem demulserat.  
Vt suo in naturalibus modo propositionis physicisque doctrinis 
formare compendium...hic per gratiam et in futuro per gloriam quam 
mihi in premium [?] tantorum laborum donare dignetur per infinita 
seculorum secula.  Amen.  Laus deo.  [colophon:]  Explicit ultima 
pars summule naturalium Acta per Reuerendum magistrum Paulum de Venetiis
ordinis heremitarum Sancti Augustini.  Frater petrus de sancto Amore
eiusdem ordinis Scripsit Anno Domini MCCCLXXIII [sic].  f. 171v blank

	Numerous manuscripts and early printed editions of this text 
composed in 1408 by Paulus Nicolettus Venetus O.E.S.A. (1369/72-1429); 
see C. H. Lohr, "Medieval Latin Aristotle Commentaries, Authors:  
Narcissus-Richardus," Traditio 28 (1972) pp. 317-18, no. 5 (Marston 
MS 32 not listed).  Two  additional colophons with the date 1373 
(for 1473?) also occur at the conclusion of Parts 3 and 5, ff. 72r, 
129v.  Some contemporary marginal annotations.  Folio 171, written 
in a different hand and on different paper, may have been copied later
as a replacement leaf.

	Paper (watermarks, obscured by text:  similar to Harlfinger 
Chapeau 17 and unidentified ladder), ff. ii (paper) + 171 (contemporary 
foliation, Arabic numerals, 1-60 only) + ii (paper), 331 x 225 
(229 x 145) mm.  2 columns, 50 lines.  Single vertical bounding lines 
and sometimes a single upper horizontal bounding line.  Ruled in 
light brown ink and lead.  No visible remains of prickings.
	I-VI 10, VII-IX 12, X 8, XI-XVI 10, XVII 8 (-8).  Catchwords, 
with pen flourishes on all sides, center or right of center in lower 
margin, verso. 
	Written by several scribes in humanistic cursive script with 
gothic features, below top line; inital words of each section in 
gothic bookhand. 
	Decorated title page, f. 1r, with border, in black and red 
ink composed of various decorative devices:  in the upper margin a 
bar border with a central semicircle flanked by stylized scrolls in 
black and red.  In the outer margin, a roundel, black with red and 
black frame, filled with a flower of 6 petals in red; the roundel 
flanked by stylized scrolls.  In center of lower margin a medallion 
framed in narrow black and red bands containing a flaming heart 
pierced by an arrow and an open book, also flanked by stylized 
scrolls.  Numerous decorated initials, 30- to 4-line, black and 
red with interior designs of lozenges, small flowers, and wavy 
lines of paper ground.  Plain initials and paragraph marks in red.  
Guide letters for rubricator throughout.
	Worm-eaten; some minor loss of text.
	Binding:  England, s. xix.  Blind-tooled brown goatskin with 
the same gold-tooled title on the spine and both covers:  "Summule 
Naturalium/ Paulus de Venetiis/ M. S. 1373."  Bound by Riviere 
(London) before 1881. Red edges.

Written probably in France in the second half of the 15th century to 
judge from the script, decoration and watermarks.  The colophons (see 
art. 1), however, give the date 1373 (perhaps an error for 1473?).  
The scribe remains unidentified except for this manuscript (Colophons, 
v. 5, p. 133, no. 15893).   Sold by Maggs Brothers (London, Cat. 542, 
June 1930, no. 93, with  plate of f. 1r).  Belonged to E. Crawshaw 
(bookplate).  Modern note (bis), in pencil, on front flyleaves:  
"28" within circle.  Purchased from C. A. Stonehill (inv. no. 3036) 
in 1953 by Thomas E. Marston (bookplate).

secundo folio:  Licet sit

Bibliography:  Faye and Bond, p. 68, no. 32.

Barbara A. Shailor