Marston MS 157     Northern France, s. XII 2/4
Augustine, Confessiones

ff. 1r-76v  [cor]//dis mei ut uoluntati pateretur.  nec ualerem que
uolebam omnia.  nec quibus uolebam omnibus; pensabam memoria cum ipsi
appellabant rem aliquam...ad te pulsetur.  Sic sic accipietur. sic inuenietvr.
sic aperietur.  Amen.  Explicit tractatus sancti augustini de confessionibus.
libri numero tredeci [sic].

L. Verheijen, ed., CC ser. lat. 27 (1981) pp. 7-273.  Text is defective:
two leaves missing at beginning (text begins in I.8.13); one leaf missing
between ff. 30-31 (VII.21.27-VIII.2.3; "...mentis sue. et se captiuum 
ducente // tot annos onre terricrepo..."); one leaf missing between ff. 53-54
(X.43.69-XI.3.5; "...Qui filio tuo unico non peper- // intus in domicilio
cogitationis...").  Corrections made by scribe on ruled lines in outer and
lower margins, and linked to the text with tie marks; extensive contemporary
signs, added in lead, indicate problem areas in the text and corrections made
to the text; "nota" signs in ink.  The text has also been marked in the 
margins for readings at the beginning of several books.  Running headlines
added, s. xv.

Parchment (thick and furry, numerous imperfections, some repaired),
ff. i (paper) + i (contemporary parchment) + i (modern parchment?) +
76 + i (paper), 302 x 210 (226 x 150) mm.  2 columns, 39 lines.  Single
vertical and horizontal bounding lines; additional horizontal ruling
through center of page.  Ruled in lead.  Prickings in all margins, including
inner.
I 8 (-1, 2), II-IV 8, V 8 (-1), VI-VII 8, VIII 8 (-1), IX-X 8.  Quires
signed with Roman numerals (e.g., i, ii, iii) in center of lower margin, verso.
Ten illuminated initials of good quality, 19- to 6-line, drawn in brown
ink against medium blue, reddish orange and/or ochre grounds.  The initials
are constructed of scrolling vines with stylized foliage and/or winged
dragons, with vines issuing from their mouths, accentuated or shaded in red.
Some initials inhabited by winged dragons, f. 10v with grotesque (outlined
by prickings), f. 25r with a nude male figure.  Headings in red.
Binding:  France, s. xix.  Brown, diced calf with a gold-tooled spine and
title:  "Confescion/ Santti/ Augustini" and "Manuscrit/ du 12#e siecle."

Written in the second quarter of the 12th century, probably in Northern
France according to W. Cahn.  The precise origin, however, is problematic.
According to J. J. G. Alexander some features of the decoration, most notably
the Anglo-Norman design of the initial A on f. 15r (cf. Paecht and
Alexander, v. 3, no. 70), are similar to those from south English monastic
houses such as Canterbury.  From the library of Dr. Lucien-Graux (ca. 
1878-1944; booklabel inside front cover; Dictionnaire de Biographie
Francaise, v. 16, col. 1098).  No. 4 in an unidentified French sale catalogue
(description pasted to first flyleaf).  Purchased from Lucien Scheler of Paris
in 1957 by L. C. Witten (inv. no. 1580), who sold it the same year to
Thomas E. Marston (bookplate).

Bibliography:  Faye and Bond, p. 82, no. 157.
The Medieval Book, pp. 28-29, no. 29, with fig. of initial on f. 19v.

Barbara A. Shailor