Marston MS 151     Northern Italy, s. IX/X
Paul the Deacon, Homiliarium, pars hiemalis

All bibliographical citations refer to R. Gregoire, Homeliaires
liturgiques medievaux:  Analyse de manuscrits (Spoleto, 1980) where
there is additional information for each text.

1. ff. 1r-2v //posset non dixit.  sed angelo dicendum reseruauit. 
Respondens autem angelus dixit ei...ad profundam hanc conuallem
lacrimarum descendere dignatus est...

For the Wednesday before Christmas; Bede, Homilia l. 3, here beginning
imperfectly; Gregoire, p. 432, no. 11.

2. ff. 2v-7v Lectio sancti euangelii secundum Lucam.  In illo tempore. 
Exsurgens [autem added above] maria habiit in montana...[Luc 1.39]. 
Omelia eiusdem beati bede presbyteri de eadem lectionem [sic].  Lectio
quam audiuimus sancti euuangelii.  et redemptionis nostre...de stirpe
abrahe ad nos uenire dignatus est.//

For the Friday before Christmas; Bede, Homilia l.4, here ending
imperfectly; Gregoire, p. 432, no. 12.

3. ff. 8r-9v // [des]speratione soluantur.  Quos autem per oliuam nisi
misericordes accipimus?  quia grece oleos misericordia uocatur...iam
sanatos aspicimus.  quid aliud quam super ne misericordiae pignus
tenemus.  [added by another hand:]  Ipso adiuuante qui cum patre...Amen.

Gregory, Homiliae in Euangelia I.20; here beginning imperfectly;
Gregoire,
p. 432, no. 13.

4. ff. 9v-11r [No heading, text begins:]  Letitia quanta sit.  quantusque
concursus.  cum imperatoris mundi istius natalis celebrandus est...ut fiat
oblatio uestra accepta sanctificata in spiritu sancto.

Maximus Taurinensis, Sermo 60; Gregoire, p. 432, no. 14.

5. ff. 11r-15v Lectio sancti euangelii secundum matheum.  In illo
tempore.  Cum esset desponsata mater ihesu maria...[Mat. 1.18].  Cum
desponsata esset mater eius maria ioseph.  que fuit necessitas ut
desponsata esset...Ecce ego uobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad
consumationem qui...amen.

For Christmas Eve, at none; Ps.-Origen, Homilia 1 in Mat. l.
18-25; Gregoire, pp. 432-33, no. 15.

6. ff. 15v-16r [No heading.]  Natalis domini dies ea de causa a patribus
uotiue sollemnitatis institutus est...quod natus est ihesus
christus...amen.

For Christmas; Isidore of Seville, De ecclesiasticis officiis l.
26; Gregoire, p. 433, no. 16.

7. ff. 16r-17r [No heading.]  Saluator noster dilectissimi hodie natus
est.  gaudeamus.  Neque enim...qui ueritate te iudicabit.  qui
misericordia te redemit christus dominus noster.

Leo, Sermo 21; Gregoire, p. 433, no. 17.

8. ff. 17r-19r [No heading.]  Exultemus in domino dilectissimi et
spiritali iocunditate letemur.  quia inluxit dies...ut eum uidere
mereamini deum gloriae in sua magestate [sic] regnantem.  cum deo...amen.

Leo, Sermo 22; Gregoire, p. 433, no. 18.

9. ff. 19r-21v [No heading.]  Cupientes aliquid de huius diei
sollempnitate narrare.  simulque considerantes illud unum uerbum...et pace
perducat populumque suum in fide et caritate custodiat...amen.

Fulgentius, Sermo 2; Gregoire, p. 433, no. 19.

10. ff. 21v-23v [No heading.]  Iustissime fratres festiuitate presentis
diei in omne se gaudium totus...honore debito mysteria semper christi
uirtutes que laudaemus [sic].

Ps.-Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia 11; Gregoire, p. 434, no. 20.

11. ff. 23v-24v [No heading.]  Hodie fratres karissimi.  christus natus
est nos renati.  Hodie saluator mundi per matrem nascendi tempus
accepit...inoffensam teneamus celestis fidei ueritatem.

Ps.-Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia 10; Gregoire, p. 434, no. 21.

12. ff. 25r-26r [No heading.]  In aduentu dominico fratres karissimi
solutus est omnis paterne preuaricationis metus...ut ueritatem predicans
uniuersam mundi faciem dampnata iniquitate purgaret.

Ps.-Augustine, Sermo 122 (Ps.-Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia 12);
Gregoire, p. 434, no. 22.

13. ff. 26r-27r [No heading:]  Hodierni [added above:  misterii]
sacramentum fratres karissimi sicut credidistis semper et creditis...et
natum hominem credas.  et deum esse dubitare non possis.

Ps.-Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia 13; Gregoire, p. 434, no. 23.

14. ff. 27r-28r Lectio sancti euangelii secundum Lucam.  In illo
tempore.  Exiit edictum a caesare augusto...[Luc. 2.1].  Quia largiente
domino missarum sollempnia ter hodie caelebraturi sumus...quia propter te
factus est deus homo.

Gregory, Homiliae in Evangelia I.8; Gregoire, p. 434, no. 24.

15. ff. 28r-31r Lectio sancti euangelii secundum Lucam.  In illo
tempore.  Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem...[Luc. 2.15].  Nato in bethleem
domino saluatore sicut sacra euangelii testatur historia...et laudemus
ipsum deum. ac dominum nostrum ihesum christum...amen.

Bede, Homilia I.7; Gregoire, p. 435, no. 25.

16. ff. 31r-36r Lectio sancti euangelii secundum iohannem.  In principio
erat uerbum et uerbum erat...[John 1.1].  Quia temporalem mediatoris dei
et hominum. hominis ihesu christi natiuitatem...sue diuine maiestatis
ostenderet...amen.

Bede, Homilia I.8; Gregoire, p. 435, no. 26.

17. ff. 36r-38v [No heading:]  Heri celebrauimus temporalem sempiterni
regis nostri natalem hodie celebramus triumphalem militis passionem...ut ad
premia aeterna peruenire possitis. adiuncti gratia christi domini
saluatoris.

For the feast of Stephen (26 December); Fulgentius, Sermo 3;
Gregoire, p. 435, no. 27.

18. ff. 38v-40v [Added in outer margin:]  In octaua Sancti Stephani.  [added
in column:]  Hic legitur in octaua Sancti Stephani.  [text:]  Lectio
actuum apostolorum quae nobis hodie lecta est... Quam rem orantibus uobis
ipse prestare dignetur...amen.

For the octave of Stephen (2 January); Caesarius, Sermo 219;
Gregoire, p. 435, no. 28.

19. ff. 40v-43v [No heading.]  Ad aquas tibilitanas episcopo afferente
protomartyris gloriosissimi stephani memoriam ueniebant...Quia et ipsi
martyres huius fidei martyres idem huius fidei testes fuerunt.

On the miracles of Stephen; Augustine, De civitate Dei
XXII.8-9; Gregoire, p. 435, no. 29.

20. ff. 43v-45r Lectio sancti euangelii secundum matheum.  In illo
tempore.  Dicebat ihesus turbis iudeorum et principibus sacerdotum. Ecce
ego mitto ad uos...[Mat. 23.34].  Ecce ego mitto ad uos prophetas et
sapientes...Hoc quod antea dixeram uos implete mensuram patrum
uestrorum...benedictus qui uenit in nomine domini nostri et christi ora
conspicient.

Jerome, Commentarius in Evangelium Matthaei IV.23.34-39; Gregoire, p.
435, no. 30.

21. f. 45r-v [No heading.]  Iohannes apostolus et euuangelista filius
zebedei fratrer [sic] iacobi. uirgo electus a domino...ad superiora
puluis ebulliat.

For the feast of John the Evangelist (27 December); Isidore of Seville,
De ortu et obitu Patrum, 72; Gregoire, p. 436, no. 31.

22. ff. 45v-47r [Added later:]  Hic legitur in notaua [sic] sancti Iohannis
euangeliste.  [text:]  Audi fabulam non fabulam. sed rem gestam de iohanne
apostolo...in eo resurrectionis ostendens.

For the octave of John the Evangelist (3 January); Eusebius,
Historia ecclesiastica, I.3.23, 6-19, Lat tr. Rufinus; Gregoire,
p. 436, no. 32.

23. ff. 47r-50r Lectio sancti euangelii secundum Iohannem.  In illo
tempore. Dixit ihesus petro sequere me...[John 21.19].  Lectio sancti
euangelii que nobis lecta est fratres mei tanto maiori a nobis intentione
debet...ad dona sempiterna que promisit peruenire...amen.

Bede, Homilia I.9; Gregoire, p. 436, no. 33.  Text missing between
ff. 48-49 ("...de illo futurum predixit.  Et psalmista ait // monachis. sed
et cuncto ut diximus...").

24. ff. 50r-51v [no heading:]  Zelus quo tendat quo prosiliat liuor.
inuidia quo feratur...de morte uitam non uirtutis humane sed muneris est
diuin[final letter corrected and/or erased?].

For the feast of the Holy Innocents (28 December); Petrus Chrysologus,
Sermo 152; Gregoire, p. 436, no. 34.

25. ff. 51v-52v [Later addition, partially trimmed, in outer margin:] 
[Hi]c legitur notaua [sic] [inno]centium.  [text:]  Dedicatur nouus ab
infantibus sermo sanctis laudibus christi...cadendos urgitur uictoria per
interitum comparatur.

For the octave of the Holy Innocents (4 January); author uncertain,
though formerly attributed to John Chrysostom; Gregoire, pp. 436-37, no. 35.
Folios 51v-52r have been heavily traced over in black ink, thus rendering
portions of the text difficult to read.

26. ff. 52v-55r Lectio sancti euangelii secundum matheum.  In illo
tempore.  Angelus domini apparuit in somnis...[Mat.2.13].  De morte
preciosa martyrum christi innocentium sacra nobis est fratres
karissimi...et salutis eterne in tabernaculis iustorum...seculorum.

Bede, Homilia 1.10; Gregoire, p. 437, no. 36.

27. ff. 55v-56v In octauas domini.  Quamquam non dubitem uos karissimi.
per paternae solicitudinis [?] instructionem diuini sermonis edoctos...et
iudex doctrine sue fructum paulus inueniat.

For the octave of Christmas (1 January); Ps. Maximus Taurinensis,
Homilia 16; Gregoire, p. 437, no. 37; large portions of text traced over.

28. f. 56v [No heading.]  Quod mortuus est christus peccato[r
erased?]
mortuus est.  Non quia ipse// 

For the feast of the Circumcision (1 January); Origen, Lat. tr. Jerome,
In Lucam, Homilia 14, the beginning lines only; Gregoire, p. 437, no. 38.

29. ff. 57r-59v // populos appeccatorum [sic] sorde lauari uoluit ipse
non necessitatis.  sed exempli causa subiit...ita et nos in nouitate uite
ambuleums.  Prestante....

Bede, Homilia I. 11, here beginning imperfectly; Gregoire, p. 437,
no. 40.

30. ff. 59v-60v Dominica 1. post natale domini.  Lectio sancti euangelii
secundum lucam.  In illo tempore.  Erant pater ihesu et mater...[Luc.
2.33].  Congregemus in unum ea que in ortu ihesu dicta scripta sunt de
eo...coeperunt uidere male.  Et aspectum//

For the first Sunday after Christmas; Origen, Lat. tr. Jerome, In Lucam,
Homilia 16, here ending imperfectly; Gregoire, p. 438, no. 41.

31. f. 61r-v // non uidebam et qui mihi postea reserati sunt.  Quam post
inobedientiam et adam et eue oculi sunt aperti de quibus superiore sermone
tractauimus...peccatum meum notum tibi feci.  et iniquitatem meam non
abscondi.//

Leaf from unidentified sermon, previously detached and laid in.

Parchment (thick, worn, repaired), ff. i (paper) + 61 + i (paper), 294
x 235 (235 x 190, with the text space of the inner column often wider
than that of the outer).  2 columns, 29 lines.  Double outer and single
inner vertical bounding lines; single horizontal bounding lines.  Ruled in
hard point on hair side.  Prickings (slashes) in upper and lower margins.
I 8 (-1,2), II 2 (bifolium), III-VII 8, VIII 8 (-1), IX 6 (structure
uncertain, leaves with text missing after ff. 56 and 60; f. 61 probably 
does not belong to quire).
Written by several scribes in well formed early caroline minuscule. 
Headings in majuscules, some in red rustic capitals (e.g., f. 11r); many
omitted.  A modern hand has often added names of authors.  Plain 2-line
initials in red or black.  
Binding:  Italy. s. xix.  Half bound in brown calf with bright pink
paper sides and red edges.  There are three blackish green, gold-tooled labels
on the spine:  "Homeliae Usq./ Ad Domi. Post Natale/ Manuscr. Saecul. IX." 
Bound by the binder of Marston MSS 50, 125, 128, 135, 153, 158, 159 and
197, all of Hautecombe provenance.

Written probably in Northern Italy at the end of the 9th or beginning of
the 10th century according to B. Bischoff (letter on file).  Other leaves
from the homiliary include:  Bloomington, Indiana, University of Indiana,
Lilly Libr. MS 38 (George A. Poole Collection MS 259); Detroit, Michigan, 
The Detroit Public Library, MS 1; Los Angeles, University of California, 
Research Library MS **170/ 403 (2/ IX/ Ita/ 1).  Belonged to the
Cistercian monastery of Hautecombe in the
ancient diocese of Geneva which was founded toward the beginning of the
12th century by monks from the abbey of Aulps (see R. Clair, "Les origines
de l'abbaye d'Hautecombe," Melanges a la memoire du Pere Anselme
Dimier
[Arbois, 1982-87] tome II, v. 4, pp. 615-27).  Although there is no ex
libris, the volume exhibits the characteristic pink binding of the books
of Monseigneur Hyacinthe della Torre who acquired and rebound a group of
twelve manuscripts from this monastery at the beginning of the 19th
century (see Leclercq, 1951, p. 76).  Belonged to the Biblioteca del
Seminario Metropolitano in Turin (Leclercq, op.cit., p. 76 and Leclercq,
1961, p. 183).  Purchased from Maggs Bros. of London in 1957 by L. C. Witten
(inv. no. 1596), who sold it the same year to Thomas E. Marston (bookplate).

Bibliography:  Faye and Bond, p. 81, no. 151.  
    Exhibition Catalogue, pp. 181-82, no. 6.  
C. E. Lutz, "A Manuscript of Charlemagne's Homiliarium,"
Gazette 47
(1972) pp. 100-02; reprinted in her Essays on Manuscripts and Rare
Books 
(Hamden, Conn., 1975) pp. 24-27.

Barbara A. Shailor