Beinecke MS 135                                                  Germany, s. XVI/XVII
Treatises on rhetoric (in Lat.)

     1. pp. 1-207    Quaestiones rhetoricae quibus legitima artis praecepta
     exemplis facilimis demonstrantur. Quid est Rhetorica? Est ars bene
     dicendi. Quid nominis? [Greek] deducitur a [Greek] vel...Tantum de ijs
     quae de praeceptis Rhetorices legitimis dici debent etsi alicubi
     commonefactiones aliae quoque sunt aspersae quae tamen studia puerilia
     in hoc genere iuvant. [Greek]. pp. 208-220 blank

          The treatise follows roughly (with numerous examples added) the
     text printed in P. la Ramee, ed., Audomari Talaei rhetorica [Omer
     Talon, ca. 1510-1562] (Paris, 1572).

     2. pp. 1-81    Commonefact[i]ones de quibusdam alijs praeceptis quae a
     rhetoribus in arte ponuntur. Nonne plura sunt Rhetorices praecepta,
     qu** [trimmed] ea, quae superius sunt proposita. Multa equidem
     recensentur sed partim ex ill** [trimmed] intelliguntur...Exempla.
     Exempla Methodi artificiosa sunt Ciceronis Philippica 7 Phil: 8. Phil:
     11. Phil: 12. Phil: 13 & 14. [Greek]. pp. 82-98 blank

          This unidentified work consists of a series of questions and
     answers arranged thematically and accompanied by examples from
     classical authors.

          Paper (unidentified watermarks similar in design to Briquet Tour
     15937), pp. viii (i = front pastedown) + 220 + 98 (the codex is
     paginated 1-207 and 1-81) + iv (iv = back pastedown), 159 x 88 (136 x
     68) mm. Written in 16-29 long lines; frame-ruled in ink, red for the
     first treatise, red or black for the second.
          I^^8 (pastedown, ff. i-vii), II-VII^^8, VIII^^6, IX-XV^^8, XVI^^6,
     XVII-XXI^^8, XXII^^10, XXIII^^4 (4 = pastedown). Signatures on recto (Aa,
     Bb, Cc, etc.).
          Written by two scribes in italic script; Scribe 1: pp. 1-207,
     Scribe 2: pp. 1-81 (second treatise). Some headings in red.
          Trimming at beginning of second part has resulted in loss of text.
          Binding: s. xvii. Covered in alum-tawed pigskin over pasteboards
     with a different panel stamp of the Passion of Christ on each. Initials
     "P. S." in panel on upper board. Edges colored red and green in wide
     crosswise stripes.

          Written in Germany at the end of the 16th or beginning of the 17th
     century, presumably as a school text; inscription on f. i recto:
     "Sebastianus Hornung/ Anno Epochae Christianae/ 1603." Presented to
     Yale in 1945 by David D. Marsden.

     Bibliography: Faye and Bond, p. 33, no. 135.

     Barbara A. Shailor