Marston MS 200    Italy, s. XIII/XIV

Honorius Augustodunensis, Expositio in Cantica Canticorum

1. ff. 1r-115v  Incipit prologus honorij in Cantica Canticorum.  
Symonj. donum sapientie cum salomone poscenti.  honorius a uero 
pacifico postulata consequi.  Quia predecessori tuo beate memorie
...sententias uero auctoritati sanctorum relinquens.  Quid sit 
equiuocum.  In principijs librorum tria requiruntur.  scilicet 
auctor.  materia.  intentio.  Auctor. ut noueris nomem scriptoris
...desiderans dicit.  [text, f. 10r:]  Explicit prologus.  Incipit
expositio in Cantica Canticorum.  Osculetur me osculo...compositori 
et expositorj utriusque operis gracias agamus.  Amen.

   Stegmueller, no. 3573; PL 172.347-496.

2. f. 116r  Instructions for casting bells, in It.  f. 116v blank

3. f. 117r  Lictera [sic] gesta docet/ Quid credas allegoria/ 
Moralis quid agas/ Quid speres anagia.

   Walther, Sprichwoerter, no. 13899.

4. f. 117v  Portion of a Latin document dated 1325.

   Parchment, ff. i (modern parchment) + 117 + i (modern parchment), 
205 x 149 (136 x 96) mm.  28 long lines.  Double vertical and double 
or single horizontal bounding lines.  Ruled in brown ink.  Prickings 
in lower margin. 
   I-XIV 8, XV 6 (-5, replaced with portion of 13th-century document 
pasted to stub, f. 117; -6, stub remains).  Catchwords, surrounded by 
pen flourishes in brown and/or red, in center of lower margin, verso.
   Written in round gothic bookhand by a single scribe, below top 
line.
   One illuminated initial of poor quality, f. 1r, 6-line, in form 
of a snake, mauve, pink and white against blue ground.  Partial border 
in inner margin composed of a green bar with blue and pink leaves 
framing a coat of arms, effaced, in the lower margin.  Numerous 
flourished initials, 2-line, red with crude penwork designs in 
light purple.  Headings in red. Majuscules touched with red. 
   Decoration on f. 1r rubbed.
   Binding:  Italy, s. xx.  Backs of quires cut in for original 
sewing. Semi-limp vellum case made from leaf of a 15th-century 
choir book, with musical notation. Rust stains on first and last 
leaves from two fore-edge fastenings.

Written in Italy at the end of the 13th or beginning of the 14th; 
the dialect of art. 2 suggests an origin in the Marches (we 
thank E. Pasquini for this information).  Belonged to Giuseppe 
(Joseph) Martini of Lugano (signature inside front cover).  
Purchased from H. P. Kraus in 1957 by Thomas E. Marston 
(bookplate).

secundo folio:  regnum

Bibliography:  Faye and Bond, p. 87, no. 200.

Barbara A. Shailor