Marston MS 123     Bohemia, s. XV med
Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae, etc.

1. f. 1r-v blank; ff. 2r-4r  Epistola Esydori [sic] Episcopi Ad 
broulionem [sic]  episcopum.  Domino meo et dei seruo Broulyoni
Episcopo ysidorus Omni desiderio desideraui nunc videre faciem tuam...;
Epistola Broulionis ad ysidorum.  Domino meo et vere domino christique 
electo ysidoro Episcopo summo Broulio seruus inutilis seruorum dei.  O
pie domine et virorum prestantissime...; Epistola ysidori ad
Broulionem.
Domino meo et dei seruo Broulioni Episcopo ysidorus quia te incolumem 
cognoui...; Epistola Broulionis ad ysidorum.  Domino me [sic] et vere
domino christique electo ysidorum [sic] Episcoporum summo Braulio seruus 
invtilis sanctorum dei.  Solet repleri liticia [sic] homo interior...; 
Epistola ysidori Braulioni Episcipo.  Domino meo et dei seruo Braulioni 
Episcopo ysidorus tue sanctitatis epistole me in vrbe Tolletana invenerunt...;
Item ysidorus Braulioni.  Domino meo et dei serui Braulioni episcopo ysidorus 
In [?] tibi sicut pollicitus sicut misi opus de origine quarundam rerum...stilo 
maiorum. Incipiunt libri ysidori In moris Spalensis Episcopi ad Braulionem 
cesarem Augustam Episcopum vel Ad Sizebutum...conditor huius codicis 
disputauit. [followed by a list of subjects].

Epistolae of Isidore, Braulio and Sisibutus, which serve as an introduction
to art. 2; J. Madoz, ed., Epistolario de S. Braulio de Zaragoza (Madrid,
1941) pp. 74-89, here in the order VIII, III-VII.  Running headline in 
upper margins:  Prologus.

2. ff. 4r-203v  [Chapter list for Book 1:]  Incipiuntur capitula primi libri.
1.  De dissciplina [sic] et arte.  2.  de septem liberalibus 
artibus...28. de generibus hystorie.  [text:]  Incipit liber primus 
Ethymoloyarum [sic]. Disciplina a discendo nomen accepit vnde et scientia dici 
potest...quod interdum pro signo interdum pro cura adhibetur Vt vis morbi ignis
ardore siccetur et cetera.  Pro quo deus gloriosus sit benedictus in secula
seculorum Amen.  [colophon:]  Iste liber reportatus est per Iacobum de
Tacho et cetera.

Isidore of Seville, Etymologiae; M. Diaz y Diaz, et al., eds. (Madrid,
1982) 2 vols.  For an extensive list of manuscripts of Isidore in European
libraries see J. M. Fernandez Caton, Las Etimologias en la tradicion
manuscrita medieval estudiada por el Prof. Dr. Anspach (Leon, 1966).

3. ff. 203v-209r  In uirtute sancte crucis et sacramento Altaris magna est
conveniencia et magna efficacia...Diximus de tantis sacramentis non ut debuimus
sed ut potuimus cuius finis iam restat.  Pro quo deus gloriosus sit benedictus
in secula seculorum.  Amen.  [colophon, crossed out:]  Iste liber reportatus
est per Iacobum de Tacho.

Richardus de Wedinghausen (Richardus Praemonstratensis), Expositio
missae; PL 177.455-70 (formerly attributed to Hugh of St. Victor, Thomas
Aquinas and Joannes Cornubiensis).  For a list of manuscripts of this text see
G. Macey, "A Bibliographical Note on Richardus Praemonstratensis," Analecta 
Praemonstratensia 52 (1976) pp. 64-69 (this manuscript not listed).

4. ff. 209r-214r  Signum magnum apparuit in celo et cetera [Apoc. 12.1].
Si celum sumatur pro ecclesia triumphante tunc thema est de assumpcione beate
virginis...mater est huius igitur beatissime matris intercessio nos perducat
ad celi palacia...Amen.  Sermo fratris Boneuenture [sic]...ad vniuersitatem
Parisiensem...et cetera.

Bonaventure, Sermo VI de assumptione Beatae Virginis Mariae;
Opera omnia S. Bonaventurae (Quaracchi, 1901) v. 9, pp. 700-06.

5. ff. 214r-215r  [In upper margin, partially trimmed:]  Studio diuinarum
scripturarum de sancto uictore.  Hugo didascolicon libro 4#o.  Que scripture
sunt autentice.  [text:]  De nostris aput grecos Oriens in scripturarum labore
tam grecos quam latinos...errore defecerunt et cetera.

Extract from Hugh of St. Victor, Didascalion IV.14; PL 176.786.

6. f. 215r-v  Item de sortilegijs et diuinationibus.  Omnis diuinatio est
prohibita et maledicta a deo et sancta Ecclesia...[at conclusion of list:]
Hec omnia sunt interdicta ab Ecclesia.

List of forbidden magical arts, including Geomancia, Pyromancia,
Ydromancia...Augurium, Interpretacio sompniorum.

7. ff. 215v-216v  Excerpts on various subjects from Jacobus de Voragine,
Hugo Ripelin, Ps.-Augustine, De triplici habitaculo, Liber Sextus
Decretalium; list of books in the Old Testament and the number of chapters
in each book.

Paper (watermarks for both end papers and text: Piccard, Ochsenkopf
XII.685, Nuremberg 1430).  ff. iv (i = front pastedown) + 216 + iii (iii = rear
pastedown), 300 x 211 (238 x 160) mm.  2 columns, 43 lines.
Frame-ruled in ink.  Remains of prickings in upper, lower and outer
margins.
I-XVIII 12.  Traces of catchwords along lower edge near gutter, verso.

Written by a single scribe in running hybrida script.
Unattractive initials in red (or red and black divided) with penwork
designs, dots, knobs and/or heart-shaped appendages, all in red and black.
Numerous plain red initials of similar design.  Headings, running
headlines, chapter numbers and initial strokes in red. T-O map of the
world on f. 131v in red.
Binding:  Bohemia, s. xv-xvi.  Stays from 15th-century parchment
manuscript.  Original sewing on three double supports attached to flush,
sharply bevelled wooden boards.  Spine leather originally sewn around
endbands.
Covered in cream colored suede-like skin with very faint traces of a
blind-tooled X in an outer frame.  Spine:  double fillets at head and
tail; a neat, sewn mend near the head.  Pink paper place marks on the fore
edge.  Two strap-and-pin fastenings, the pins on the upper board and stubs
of kermes pink straps attached to lower one with flower-shaped plates. 
Trace of a chain attachment near head of lower board; title (mostly
effaced) in gothic bookhand near head of upper board.

Written in Bohemia in the middle of the 15th century by Jacobus de
Tacho (Tachau?; see colophons, arts. 2-3).  Table of contents, s. xvi, on
f. i recto:  "Contenta huius libri./ Ethimologiarum libri Isidori
episcopi./ misse declaracio/...librorum veteris testamenti Capitula."  In
ink on front pastedown:  "Isidorus." Large paper label on spine with contents 
in ink and manuscript number scratched out. Signature on f. 1r:  "Wilhalm 
Klopffur Dockhtor."  Modern notes on front pastedown:  "396" and "80/121."  
Rectangular white paper tag with blue border ("MS II 40" in pencil) on front 
pastedown covers another shelf-mark, in ink. Purchased from H. Rosenthal in 
1946 by H. P. Kraus (Cat. 80, no. 121; reproduction of T-O map) who sold it in 
1957 to Thomas E. Marston (bookplate).

secundo folio:  quia

Bibliography: Faye and Bond, p. 78, no. 123.

Barbara A. Shailor